The Thirty Ninth Narration: Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to me. “O Muaz, I love you, so say ‘O Allah assist me in remembering you, in showing gratitude to you, and in worshipping you well.

The Thirty Ninth Narration

Muaz ibn Jabal radiya Llahu ‘anhu reproted:

قال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : يا معاذ ، إني أحبك ، فقل : اللهم أعني على ذكرك ، وشكرك ، وحسن عبادتك

Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to me. “O Muaz, I love you, so say ‘O Allah assist me in remembering you, in showing gratitude to you, and in worshipping you well.”

قال الصنابحي: قال لي معاذ : وأنا أحبك ، فقل اللهم أعني على ذكرك ، وشكرك ، وحسن عبادتك ، قال أبو عبد الرحمن : قال لي الصنابحي : وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال عقبة: قال لي أبو عبد الرحمن : وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال حيوة: قال لي عقبة : وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال الحكم: قال لي حيوة : وأنا أحبك ، فقل : قال عمرو : قال لي الحكم: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال الحسن : قال لي عمرو: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال ابن أبي الدنيا: قال لي الحسن: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال النجاد : قال لي ابن أبي الدنيا : وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال ابن شاذان : قال لنا النجاد: وأنا أحبكم ، فقولوا . قال محمد بن عبد الكريم : قال لنا ابن شاذان: وأنا أحبكم ، فقولوا . قال السلفي : قال لي محمد بن عبد الكريم : وأنا أحبك ، فقل . قال ابن مكي : قال لنا السلفي ، وأنا أحبكم ، فقولوا . قال الأرموي : قال لي ابن مكي : وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال العلائي : قال لي الأرموي : وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال المجد الحنفي : قال لنا العلائي : وأنا أحبكم ، فقولوا ، قال الحجازي : قال لنا المجد : وأنا أحبكم ، فقولوا ، قال السيوطي : قال لنا الحجازي: وأنا أحبكم ، فقولوا ، قال الغيطي : قال لي السيوطي : وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال عبد الرحمان البهوتي : قال لي الغيطي: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال محمد البهوتي: قال لي عبد الرحمان: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال عيد : قال لي محمد البهوتي: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال محمد هاشم : قال لي عيد: وأنا أحبك فقل ، قال العجيمي : قال لي محمد هاشم: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال السنوسي : قال لي العجيمي: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال عبد الباقي: قال لي فالح: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال شيخنا النعماني : قال لي عبد الباقي: وأنا أحبك ، فقل ، قال ابو محمد: قال لي شيخنا النعماني: وأنا أحبك ، فقل

Al Sunabihi says: “Muaz said to me, and I love you so say, O Allah assist me in remembering you, in showing gratitude to you, and in worshipping you well.”

Abu ‘Abdul Rahman says: “Al Sunabihi said to me, and I love you so say…”

‘Uqbah says: “Abu ‘Abdul Rahman said to me, and I love you so say…”

Haywah says: “‘Uqbah said to me, and I love you so say…”

Hakam says: “Haywah said to me, and I love you so say…”

‘Amr says: “Hakam said to me, and I love you so say…”

Hassan says: “‘Amr said to me, and I love you so say…”

Ibn Abi al Dunya says: “Hassan said to me, and I love you so say…”

Al Najjad says: “Ibn Abi al Dunya said to me, and I love you so say…”

Ibn Shadhan says: “Al Najjad said to us, and I love you so say…”

Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul Karim says: “Ibn Shadhan said to us, and I love you so say…”

Al Silafi says: “Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul Karim said to me, and I love you so say…”

Ibn Makki says: “Al Silafi said to us, and I love you so say…”

Al Armawi said: “Ibn Makki said to me, and I love you so say…”

Al ‘Ala’i says: “Al Armawi said to me, and I love you so say…”

Al Majd al Hanafi says, “Al ‘Ala’i said to us, and I love you so say…”

Al Hijazi says: “Al Majd said to us: and I love you so say…”

Al Suyuti says: “Al Hijazi said to us, and I love you so say…”

Al Ghiti says: “Al Suyuti said to me, and I love you so say…”

‘Abdul Rahman al Bahuti says: “Al Ghiti said to me, and I love you so say…”

Muhammad al Bahuti says: “‘Abdul Rahman said to me, and I love you so say…”

‘Id says: “Muhammad al Bahuti said to me: and I love you so say…”

Muhammad Hashim says: “‘Id said to me, and I love you so say…”

Al ‘Ajimi says: “Muhammad Hashim said to me, and I love you so say…”

Al Sanusi says: “Al ‘Ajimi said to me, and I love you so say…”

‘Abdul Baqi says: “Falih said to me, and I love you so say…”

Al Nu’mani, our teacher, says: “‘Abdul Baqi said to me, and I love you so say…”

Abu Muhammad says: “Al Nu’mani, our teacher, said to me, and I love you so say…”

We have related this narration to Kitab al Shukr of Ibn Abi al Dunya.

The authenticity and tasalsul^{^[1]} of this narration is attested to by several scholars of hadith. The subject matter of this narration has been recorded by others as well such as, Imam Abu Dawood, Imam Nasa’i, Imam Ahmed and others who have cited it as authentic.^{^[2]}

Commentary and Lessons Learnt from this Narration:

1. There is great virtue and honour in favour of Muaz ibn Jabal radiya Llahu ‘anhu in this narration:

a. The immense love Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had for him.

b. Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam took an oath on his love for him as recorded in other narrations.

c. The advice given to him was one of great significance in the Shari’ah; zikr after every salah.

d. He was chosen as the bearer of this hadith, an acknowledgement to his knowledge, jurisprudic abilities, and sublime character.

2. This is a refutation against the Batiniyyah Shia who claim that Muaz radiya Llahu ‘anhu was a hypocrite. How is it then that Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam expressed love for him? Was Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala not aware that he would pass on the information of hypocrisy to his Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam? Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala save us from such folly.

3. The element of love in the transmission of this narration from Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam to this day is a phenomenon unmatched by other sects or religions. This narration is proof of the trustworthiness in what they narrated from Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the credibility of those that narrated from them.

4. When one loves another it is desirable for him to express this.

5. Being sincere creates a desire to show others to the best actions to raise their status in the sight of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala.

6. Ibn al Qayyim writes:

الناس في العبادة والإستعانة أربعة أقسام

أجلها وأفضلها: أهل العبادة والإستعانة بالله عليها فعبادة الله غاية مرادهم وطلبهم منه أن يعينهم عليها ويوفقهم للقيام بها ولهذا كان من أفضل ما يسأل الرب تبارك وتعالى الإعانة على مرضاته وهو الذي علمه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم لحبه معاذ بن جبل رضي الله عنه فقال: يا معاذ والله إني لأحبك فلا تنس أن تقول دبر كل صلاة اللهم أعني على ذكرك وشكرك وحسن عبادتك فأنفع الدعاء: طلب العون على مرضاته وأفضل المواهب: إسعافه بهذا المطلوب وجميع الأدعية المأثورة مدارها على هذا وعلى دفع ما يضاده وعلى تكميله وتيسير أسبابه فتأملها

وقال شيخ الإسلام ابن تيمية قدس الله روحه: تأملت أنفع الدعاء فإذا هو سؤال العون على مرضاته ثم رأيته في الفاتحة في {إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ}

There are four types of people when it comes to worship and seeking help:

The best are those that worship and seek assistance from Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala. Worshiping Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala is their greatest desire, seeking help from him to assist them in worshiping him! This sentiment of theirs has been sanctified in the supplication which Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam taught Muaz ibn Jabal radiya Llahu ‘anhu; “O Muaz, by Allah, I love you, so do not forget to recite after every salah, O Allah assist me in remembering you, in showing gratitude to you, and in worshipping you well.”

The most beneficial supplication is to seek assistance in pleasing Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala and the most beneficial gift is showing one the path to this road.

Ibn Taymiyyah says, I pondered which supplication to be most beneficial and I concluded that it is seeking assistance from Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala to please him. This is evident from the verse of Surah al Fatihah:

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِيْنُ

It is You we worship and You we ask for help.^{^[3]}

7. A scholar that selects those who would further his teachings to the best of their ability is fortunate and blessed.

8. Imam al Bayhaqi has recorded this narration under a chapter titled, “The slave seeking assistance from his Lord to worship him well, knowing that he cannot do so without his assistance.”

9. It is highly recommended that one punctually recite this blessed supplication after salah.

10. Some have opined that the purport of this hadith is to recite the supplication after every obligatory salah and not after the optional prayers. However, this is perhaps without proof, notwithstanding the narration uses the expression of generality (sigah al ‘umum).

11. The narration provides no answer of Muaz radiya Llahu ‘anhu when Rasulullah salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said to him, “I love you.” The commentary on Mishkat answers this by saying, perhaps the answer to this had not yet reached Muaz radiya Llahu ‘anhu. The proper reply to this would be:

احبك الذي احببتني له

May he love you for whose pleasure you love me.

However, the narration of al Nasa’i and others have, with an authentic chain of transmission, recorded an appropriate reply of Muaz radiya Llahu ‘anhu:

وانا والله احبك

By Allah, I too love you.

12. ‘Allamah al Tibi writes under the commentary of this hadith:

ذكر الله مقدمة انشراح الصدر ، وشكره وسيلة النعم المستجابة ، وحسن العبادة المطلوب منه التجرد عما يشغله عن الله تعالى

The zikr of Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala foreshadows the removal of the burden of the heart, and showing gratitude to him brings forth his favours. Worshipping him well means removing oneself from all that which takes one away from Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala.^{^[4]}

13. Reciting this supplication after salah can have two possible meanings. It can mean reciting it after completing the salah or reciting it before the salam. Ibn Taymiyyah and his student, Ibn al Qayyim, have opined for the latter citing supplication is during salah and zikr after. This however, cannot be used as a rule of thumb as there are many a supplication that is specifically recited after the completion of salah and some zikr during.

The narration of al Nasa’i does mention:

في كل صلوة

In every salah.

But this goes against the other narrations related by the erudite scholars with the wording:

في دبر كل صلوة

After every salah.

And Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala knows best.

NEXT⇒ The Fortieth Narration

[1] A hadith musalsal is a hadith that contains an extra element of information about the way the hadith was being transmitted at every link of the chain.

[2] I have concluded the narrations regarding the virtues of the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum with this hadith as therein lay a continuous chain of love from them to us. It was through love that the east and west was opened to them. Furthermore, this narration shows that our link to the Sahabah radiya Llahu ‘anhum is not simply one of words, but of qualities and actions as well through an unbroken link. This is something only the Ahlus Sunnah wa al Jama’ah can lay claim to. All praise is for Allah subhanahu wa ta ‘ala.

[3] Surah al Fatihah: 5.

[4] ‘Awn al Ma’bud, Hadith: 1522.

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