عَنْ أَبِي وَاقِدٍ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بيْنَمَا هُوَ جَالِسٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَالنَّاسُ مَعَهُ، إِذْ أَقْبَلَ ثَلاثَةُ نَفَرٍ، فَأَقْبَلَ اثْنَانِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَذَهَبَ وَاحِدٌ، فَوَقَفَا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَأَمَّا أَحَدُهُمَا: فَرَأَى فُرْجَةً فِي الْحَلْقَةِ فَجَلَسَ فِيهَا، وَأَمَّا الآخَرُ: فَجَلَسَ خَلْفَهُمْ، وَأَمَّا الثَّالِثُ: فَأَدْبَرَ ذَاهِبًا، فَلمَّا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللّهِ صَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَلا أُخْبِرُكُمْ عَنِ النَّفَرِ الثَّلاَثَةِ: أَمَّا أَحَدُهُمْ: فَأَوَى إِلَى اللّهِ فَآوَاهُ اللّهُ، وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ: فَاسْتَحْيَا فَاسْتَحْيَا اللّهُ مِنْهُ، وَأَمَّا الْآخَرُ: فَأَعْرَضَ فَأَعْرَضَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ» مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ.
Abu Waqid al-Harith ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in the mosque with the people around him, three men approached. Two of them came toward the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and one went away. The two stood before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). As for one of them, he saw a gap in the circle and sat in it; as for the other, he sat behind them; and as for the third, he turned his back and left. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had finished, he said: "Shall I not tell you about the three men? As for one of them, he sought refuge with Allah, so Allah gave him refuge; as for the other, he was shy, so Allah was shy toward him; and as for the other, he turned away, so Allah turned away from him." Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
فرجة: مكانًا فارغًا. حلْقة: بإسكان اللام، رجال جالسين مستديرين بين يديه صلّى اللّه عليه وسلّم كالحلقة. فأدبر: رجع وانصرف. آوى: نزل في مكان الفرجة يستمع ذكر اللّه فأكرمه اللّه بفضيلة ذلك المجلس المبارك. فاستحيا: أي امتنع من المزاحمة لما فيها من التضييق فجلس خلف الحلقة.
"A gap": an empty space. "Circle" (with a silent lam): men sitting in a ring before him (peace and blessings be upon him) like a circle. "He turned his back": he went back and departed. "He sought refuge": he settled in the place of the gap to listen to the remembrance of Allah, so Allah honored him with the merit of that blessed gathering. "He was shy": that is, he refrained from crowding in, because of the constriction it would cause, and so sat behind the circle.
الدروس · lessons
استحباب الجلوس في مجالس العلم والجلوس في المكان الفارغ. بيان فضيلة الحياء وعدم مضايقة الناس. ذم الإعراض عن مجلس العلم بغير عذر، وأنّ من أعرض عن ذلك فقد تعرض لسخط اللّه تعالى.
The desirability of sitting in gatherings of knowledge and of taking the empty place. An exposition of the merit of modesty and of not crowding people. Condemnation of turning away from a gathering of knowledge without excuse, and that whoever turns away from it exposes himself to the wrath of Allah the Exalted.