Selfless and Egoless: Standing on Purpose, Not Shifting with Self-Interest

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Upright Scholars Do Not Envy One Another

Imam Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Envy usually occurs between contemporaries, peers, brothers, and cousins due to everyone’s competing aspirations, which causes strife and animosity. As a result, you will find that a scholar would envy another scholar but not a worshipper, a worshipper would envy another worshipper but not a scholar, a trader would envy another trader and a cobbler would envy another cobbler. The love of material things, which are limited for those who compete for them, is the root cause of this affair”.

The Imam, may Allah have mercy upon him, also stated:

As for the afterlife, there are no restrictions because the one who loves knowledge and awareness of Allah, knowledge, and awareness of Allah’s angels, Allah’s Prophets, and Allah’s Mighty Dominion over the heavens and the earth, will not envy others after becoming acquainted with these affairs because they are not restricted by one another; rather, one particular individual (upright) scholar is known by thousands of (upright) scholars, and they rejoice because of the understanding he possesses. This is why there is no envy among (upright) scholars since their goal is to gain knowledge and awareness of Allah [Glorified be He and free from all imperfections], which is a vast affair. Their goal is to attain a high status in the Sight of Allah, and that which Allah has kept in the afterlife is unlimited because Allah’s loftiest blessing is the pleasure of meeting Him, which cannot be prevented or restricted, nor can some competitors in the affair make it restricted for others; instead harmony is enhanced as the competitors increase; but if wealth and status become the scholars’ goal, they will envy one another.

The difference between knowledge and wealth is that wealth does not remain in the hands of a single person, whereas knowledge settles in the heart of a scholar and the heart of the one taught by the scholar while remaining in the heart of the scholar. As a result, whoever contemplates the Greatness of Allah and His Mighty Dominion [i.e. pondering upon what Allah has created and upon the divine revelation], it will become the greatest delight for him than any other blessing, because he cannot be prevented or restricted from doing so. He will not be envious of anyone because even if others were aware of what he is aware of, it would not diminish his pleasure in the affair. You do not find people overcrowded to view the beauty of the sky because it is vast and unrestricted.

Therefore, if you are merciful to yourself, then it is obligated that you seek the bliss in which there is no hindrance and pleasure that never ceases. And the only way to find this in the life of this world is to become familiar with knowledge and awareness of Allah and the magnificent essence of His Dominion (over everything). However, if your desire is weak and you do not yearn to acquaint yourself with the knowledge and awareness of Allah, you will not find or experience its pleasure. As a result, you’re not man enough because this is a man’s affair, and yearning for something occurs after experiencing it. The one who has not tasted will not know, the one who does not know will not yearn, the one who does not yearn will not seek, the one who does not seek will not find (anything), and the one who does not find (anything) will be among the deprived. [1]

Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Haadee al-Madkhali [may Allah preserve him] said:

Uthman [may Allah be pleased with him] was one of those who restrained the people from bloodshed the most as well as that of the people who violated his honour. Shaikh Al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “What is well known through successive numerous narrations is that Uthman [may Allah be pleased with him] was one of those who restrained the people from bloodshed the most, exercised patience the most regarding the affair of those who violated his honour and those who made a determined attempt to shed his blood, so they besieged him and endeavoured to kill him, and he knew their desire to kill him. The Muslims came to him from every place to help him and indicated to him to fight the besiegers, but he commanded them to refrain from fighting and commanded those who obeyed him not to fight. He said to his slaves, ‘Whoever restrains his hand is freed’. It was said to him, ‘Will you go to Makkah?’ He said, ‘I will not be amongst those who commit evil in the sacred house’. Then it was said to him, ‘Will you not go to Syria?’ He said, ‘I will not leave my place of Hijrah (i.e. Madinah)’. Then it was said to him, ‘Fight them’, he said, ‘I will not be the first in the Ummah of Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] to unleash the sword after the departure of Muhammad’. Uthman’s patience until he was murdered is one of his greatest virtues in the sight of Muslims” [2]

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim [may Allah have mercy upon him] said:

Upon realising that he would face death based on his observations of the events and signs, Uthman [may Allah be pleased with him] chose not to engage in fighting or self-defence to prevent conflict among the Muslims. He preferred to be killed rather than (initiating) fighting between Muslims”. [3]

When Mahmud Ibn Subuktikeen [may Allah have mercy upon him] whose army conquered India, wanted to break the biggest idol to which the Hindus travel from every region and spent enormous wealth to establish manifestations of polytheism, the Indians offered him a lot of money to leave the idol. Some of the Muslim rulers advised him to take the wealth and refrain from destroying the idol, but he said, “It is more beloved to me that it is said to me on the day of judgment “Where is Mahmud who broke the idol”, rather than, “Where is Mahmud who left the idol for the sake of what he received from this worldly wealth?” So, he broke the idol and found in it far more jewels, pearls, gold, and precious stones than what they offered him”. [4]

Al-Andalus (Spain), was conquered in the year 92 AH by the forces led by Tariq Bin Ziyad, a protégé of Musa Bin Nusayr, during the caliphate of Al Walid Bin Abdil Malik. Following the successful conquest, Tariq communicated with Musa Bin Nusayr to inform him of the event. However, Musa experienced a sense of jealousy regarding this significant achievement attributed to Tariq. He subsequently wrote to Al-Walid to report the conquest and cautioned Tariq, as the latter had entered Spain without prior authorisation. Musa instructed Tariq to refrain from advancing beyond his current position until they could meet. Musa then hastened with his army into Spain, accompanied by Habib Bin Abee Ubaidah Al-Fahriy. Upon their meeting, Tariq expressed, “I am indeed your protégé, and this conquest is yours.” [5]

Nidham Al-Mulk

He was known as Nidham Al-Mulk, Abu Ali Al-Hasan Bin Ali Bin Ishaq at-Toosee, a devout follower of the religion, wise and knowledgeable, a respected leader, well-versed in the affairs of the state, cheerful and amiable, pious and humble, regularly attending gatherings of scholars and students of the Qur’anic sciences. He established a prestigious school in Baghdad, another in Naysabur, and yet another in Tous. His thirst for knowledge was insatiable, fostering connections among seekers of knowledge, transmitting hadith, and earning a renowned reputation.

He found himself in various circumstances, eventually serving as a minister for Sultan Alp Arslan, and later as a minister to his son Malik Shah. He skillfully managed the lands under his authority, resolving grievances, showing kindness to his subjects, and establishing state endowments. The wise elders flocked to him, seeking to be close by his side. He advised Malik Shah to select leaders and governors with good morals, upright religious adherence, and bravery. The impact of this strategy became evident in the future, and one of the chosen leaders was Aq Sanqur, the grandfather of Noor Ad-Deen Mahmood, who governed Aleppo, Diyarbakir, and the Arabian Peninsula. Imam Ibn Kathir said:

“He displayed exceptional conduct and a noble heart. Imaad Ad-Deen Zangi, his son, initiated the Jihad against the Crusaders, followed by Noor Ad-Deen Mahmood. This family laid the groundwork for the triumphs of Salah Ad-Din, Zahir Baybars, and Qalawun over the Crusaders, restoring unity and solidarity in the Islamic world. Similarly, Aq Sunqur al-Barasqi, a leader under Sultan Mahmood, the Seljuk, and the commander of Mosul, dedicated himself to the Jihad against the Crusade”.

Ibn Al-Atheer said about him:

“He was a freed Turkish slave, virtuous, loved the people of knowledge and the righteous, and he saw justice and acted upon it. He was one of the best rulers, used to strictly perform his prayers on time as well as the Tahajjud”.

When Malik Shah assumed control of the state, the military started to become disorganised and began to have more access to the nation’s wealth. They claimed:

“The sultan only stops us from obtaining wealth because of NidhaamAl-Mulk”, leading to great harm for the people. So, he brought this issue to Sultan’s attention and explained the potential consequences, such as weakness, dishonour, vulnerability, the ruin of the country, and the loss of good governance. The Sultan told him: “Do what you believe is best in this matter!” He replied: “I can only act with your orders.” The Sultan responded: “I have entrusted all matters, big and small, to you, so you are like a father”. He then made an oath in the name of Allah about his statement, granted Nidham more power on top of what he already had, and presented him with a new outfit, along with titles, one of which was “The leader, the father”.

Nidham’s competence, bravery, and good behaviour became evident, satisfying the people’s hearts. On one occasion, a helpless woman sought his help, so he paused to converse with her; when one of his guards pushed her away, he openly criticised the guard’s actions, stating, “I only employ you to protect individuals like her, as the rulers and important figures do not require your services.” He then attended to the woman’s needs.

He loved the Islamic sciences, particularly the study of hadith. He used to say: “I know I am not worthy of narrating, but I love being linked to a chain of transmission that carries the hadith of Allah’s Messenger- peace and blessings of Allah be upon him”.

His gatherings were packed with jurists and scholars, as he spent the majority of his day with them. When he was told: “These people distract you from many beneficial things,” he replied: “These people are the beauty of the world and the Hereafter, and it would not have been too much if I made them sit on my head.”

Ibn Al-Athir said about him:

“He was a scholar, devoted to the religion, generous, just, forbearing, pardoned offenders a lot, and preferred silence for prolonged periods. His gatherings were packed with students of the Qur’anic sciences, the jurists, and the Imams of the Muslims, the good and righteous people. He was among the memorisers of the Qur’an and dedicated himself to studying the Mad’hab of Imam Ash-Shaafi’ee. He would only sit in a state of ritual purity (Wudhu) and was never in that state except that he performed prayer. Whenever he heard the call to prayer, he would pause all his activities, and after it ended, he would resume with nothing else but prayer”.

One of the indications of his humility was demonstrated one evening when he was dining with his brother Abu Al-Qaasim, while the Chief of Khurasan and a poor man with an amputated hand were also present. Observing the chief hesitating to eat with the man with the amputated hand, he instructed the chief to relocate, and then he moved close to the man with the amputated hand and ate with him. It was customary for him to offer his food to the poor and move it close to them.

In the year 485 AH, on Thursday, the tenth of the month of Ramadan, following the time of Iftar, he prayed and then gathered around the meal table with a large group of people. He proceeded to discuss the significance of the location where they had arrived in the lands of Nahawand, recounting the historical events involving the Persians and the Muslims during the era of the Commander of the Faithful, Umar Bin Al-Khattab. He also paid tribute to the notable individuals who had been martyred there, concluding with the words, “Good news to those who follow in their footsteps.”

After completing his Iftar, he made his way back to his tent. Suddenly, a young Daylami [i.e. a person from the Daylan highlands (Iran)] approached him under the guise of asking for something, only to strike him with a weapon instead. He was swiftly taken to the camp, where it was reported that he was the victim of the Ismaa’eeli Shiites’ violence. The tragic incident quickly spread throughout the army, causing an uproar. Upon hearing the news, Sultan Malik Shah arrived in a state of sorrow and tears, spending hours in the company of Nidham Al-Mulk until his passing.

As for the murderer, he had stumbled across the tent, and then his slaves pursued and killed him. Some of his servants said that his last words were: “Do not kill the one who attempted to kill me because indeed I have forgiven him”. Then he uttered the Shahadah and passed away”. Ibn Aqeel said about him:

“He was a sea of sound intelligence, his life was filled with good, a generous and just person, one of the revivers of the signposts of the religion and his era was one of authority for the people of knowledge. He was murdered while on Hajj in Ramadan. [6]

[1] An Excerpt from ‘Mukhtasar Minhaj Al Qasidin’ page: 199-200

[2]: An Excerpt from Al-Mukhtaaraat Al-Bahiyyah Min Kutub Shaikhil Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah. Page 296. Slightly paraphrased

[3] Turuq Al-Hukmiyyah 30

[4] Al-Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah 12/22-23

[5]An Excerpt from “Tarikh Al-Islam” 2/254-256

[6]An Excerpt from ‘Ad-Dawlah Al-Uthmaaniyyah Awaamil An-Nuhood Wa Asbaab As-Suqoot. 6/33-38