عن ابنِ عبَّاسٍ، رضيَ اللّه عنهمَا، قال: كُنْتُ خَلْفَ النَّبِيِّ صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم يوْمًا فَقال: «يَا غُلامُ إِنِّي أُعلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ: احْفَظِ اللّهَ يَحْفَظْكَ، احْفَظِ اللّهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَكَ، إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللّهَ، وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللّهِ، واعلَمْ: أَنَّ الأُمَّةَ لَو اجتَمعتْ عَلَى أَنْ ينْفعُوكَ بِشيْءٍ، لَمْ يَنْفعُوكَ إِلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَد كَتَبَهُ اللّهُ لَكَ، وإِنِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوك بِشَيْءٍ، لَمْ يَضُرُّوكَ إِلَّا بَشَيْءٍ قد كَتَبَهُ اللّهُ عليْكَ، رُفِعَتِ الأقْلامُ، وجَفَّتِ الصُّحُفُ» رواهُ التِّرمذيُّ وقَالَ: حديثٌ حسنٌ صَحيحٌ. • وفي رواية غيرِ التِّرْمِذيِّ: «احفظَ اللّهَ تَجِدْهُ أَمَامَكَ، تَعَرَّفْ إِلَى اللّهِ في الرَّخَاءِ يعرِفْكَ في الشِّدَّةِ، واعْلَمْ أَنّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصيبَك، وَمَا أَصَابَكَ لمْ يَكُن لِيُخْطِئَكَ واعْلَمْ أنَّ النَّصْرَ مَعَ الصَّبْرِ، وأَنَّ الْفَرَجَ مَعَ الْكَرْبِ، وأَنَّ مَعَ الْعُسرِ يُسْرًا».
Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) said: I was riding behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) one day, and he said: "O young man, I shall teach you some words: Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him before you. If you ask, ask Allah. If you seek help, seek help from Allah. And know that if the entire nation were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you except with what Allah has already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with something, they would not harm you except with what Allah has already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, who said: It is a good and authentic (hasan sahih) hadith. In a narration other than al-Tirmidhi's: "Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. Acquaint yourself with Allah in times of ease, and He will know you in times of hardship. And know that what has missed you was never going to befall you, and what has befallen you was never going to miss you. And know that victory comes with patience, relief comes with affliction, and with hardship comes ease."
الشرح · explanation
احفظ اللّه: أي احفظ دينه بملازمة تقواه، واجتناب ما لا يرضاه. تجاهك: معك؛ ومعية اللّه بالحفظ والتأييد والإعانة. استعنت: طلبت الإعانة. الأمة: الجماعة، والمراد جميع المخلوقين. رفعت الأقلام: تُركتَ الكتابة بها، لفراغ الأمر وانبرامه. جفت: يبست. الصحف: التي فيها تقادير الكائنات كاللوح المحفوظ. الرخاء: النعمة وسعة العيش. الفَرَج: الخروج من الغم، والضيق.
Ihfadh Allah: be mindful of Allah's religion by adhering to His piety and avoiding what displeases Him. Tujahak: before you; meaning Allah's companionship through protection, support, and assistance. Ista'ant: you sought help. Al-Ummah: the community; here meaning all of creation. Rufi'at al-aqlam: meaning the writing with them has ceased, as the matter has been concluded and finalized. Jaffat: have dried. Al-Suhuf: the scrolls containing the decrees of all that is to occur, such as the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfudh). Al-Rakha': blessings and ease of living. Al-Faraj: relief from grief and distress.
الدروس · lessons
مَن حَفِظَ حدود اللّه وراعى حقوقه حفظه اللّه. تحريم سؤال غير اللّه تعالى مما لا يقدر عليه إلّا هو، كالرزق والشفاء والمغفرة والنصر وغيرها، أما ما جرت عليه عادة الناس أن يتعاونوا فيه مما يقدرون عليه فلا مانع من سؤالهم، كالاستعارة والاستقراض والاسترشاد وغير ذلك. ما في علم اللّه تعالى ثابت، لا يتبدل ولا يتغير ولا يُنسَخ، وما وقع وما سيقع كله معلوم للّه، ولا يقع شيء إلّا بعلمه تعالى. أنّ الكرب إذا اشتد وتناهى أيس العبد من جميع المخلوقين، وتعلق قلبه باللّه وحده. الحديث يدل على أصل عظيم في مراقبة اللّه تعالى، ومراعاة حقوقه، والتوكل عليه، وعجز الخلائق كلهم وافتقارهم إليه.
Whoever safeguards Allah's limits and is mindful of His rights, Allah will safeguard him. It is forbidden to ask other than Allah the Exalted for that which only He can provide, such as provision, healing, forgiveness, victory, and the like. As for what is customary among people in terms of mutual assistance in matters within their ability, there is no prohibition in asking them, such as borrowing, lending, seeking directions, and so on. What is in Allah's knowledge is established and does not change, alter, or get abrogated. All that has occurred and will occur is known to Allah, and nothing happens except by His knowledge. When distress intensifies and reaches its peak, the servant despairs of all created beings, and his heart attaches itself solely to Allah. The hadith points to a great principle regarding mindfulness of Allah the Exalted, guarding His rights, relying upon Him, and the helplessness and neediness of all creatures before Him.