Posts
By Allah's Grace and Mercy, today we'll have the promised excerpts on the topic of beauty from a beautiful explanation provided in the tafseer of al-Qurtubi.
Brief bio of al-Qurtubi: "Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmed al-Ansaari al-Qurtubi (d. 671 AH/ 1273 CE) was born in Cordoba in what is now Spain. he started his studies there and participated in jihad against the Christians, in the course of which he was captured but he managed to escape. He eventually travelled to the east, settling in Egypt, where he died." [Phillips, 1997, Usool-ut-Tafseer, p.59-61]
The Adornment of Allah
Say, "Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?" [al-A'raaf(7):32]
Excerpt from explanation of this verse
...Adornment here is beautiful clothing, where that is within the means of its wearer. And it is said: all types of clothing. This is as related from Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), "When Allah expands for you [your provision] then expand [your spending]."1 And this been related earlier.
-------------------------------------
1. The Tafseer of al-Qurtubi is known more for its strength in linguistic and juristic explanations. It is not known to be one of the most authentic in terms of narrations. Kindly do not assume that a quotation of any narration is authentic. Consider it as "learning" as opposed to "knowledge", i.e. possibility of being true and thus included but not necessarily true. See "My 'story' on sources of learning" for merits/demerits of this approach.
-------------------------------------
It was narrated about Ali bin al-Husayn bin Ali bin Abi Talib, the Shaykh of Malik, may Allah be pleased with all of them, that he used to wear a garment of Khuzz [seems here a silky wool fabric] costing 50 dinars [quite valuable]. He would wear it through the winter and when the summer came he would give it out in charity or he would trade it for its value. And, in the summer, he would wear two clothes, as worn in the city, dyed in musk and he would say, "Say who has prohibited the adornment of Allah that he has brought out for his slave and the good things from the provision..."
So given this is the case, the ayat is pointing towards honourable clothing from what is worn, and to beautify oneself in gatherings and on the Eids, when meeting the people and when visiting the brothers. Abu al-Aaliyaa said: when the Muslims would go visiting, they would beautify themselves.
In Sahih Muslim, from the narration of Umar al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), we find that he saw a silk robe for sale at the door of the mosque. So he said, "O Messenger of Allah, should I buy it [for you] for Friday's and for when the delegations (from outside the city) come to visit you? So the Messenger of Allah (may Allah pray for him and grant peace) said, "Only those will wear it who have no share in the Hereafter." And he did not deny it to him because of its being beautiful; but he only refused it because it was made from silk.2
-------------------------------------
2. This reasoning is confirmed by the fact the narration continues to mention that later the Messenger of Allah (may Allah pray for him and grant peace) forwarded such a robe to Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umar questioned this given that earlier he refused it for himself. The answer was that it was not for himself to wear. Narrations in Sahih Muslim say he gave it to his non-believing brother in Makkah [Muslim, Book of the Friday Prayer, "To wear the best one can find"]. That in Sahih Bukhari says the Messenger's intention was for him to sell it on or for the women of his household to wear [Bukhari, Book of Dress, "Silk for Women"]. Allah knows best.
-------------------------------------
And of course, at-Tamim ad-Daari [may Allah be pleased with him] purchased a robe for 1000 dirhams and he would pray in it. And Malik bin Dinar [a follower of the companions] would wear a high quality garment from Adan (in Yemen). And the garment of Ahmed bin Hanbal was of a similar value in dinars.
Where is this compared to one who is disinclined from things, and who prefers the garment of raw cotton and rough wool. And he says, "The garment of taqwa that is better" [from the ayat 7:26]. Begone! Do you see those that have been mentioned ones who shunned the garment of taqwa? No, by Allah! They were the people of taqwa and those of acquaintance and perception. And those other than them were the "people of claim" and their hearts were empty from taqwa.
Khalid bin Shawzhab says, "I witnessed al- [al-Basari] when Farqad came to him. So al- took him by his garment and pulled it towards him saying: O Farayqid [calling this way is usually for one quite younger]. O son of the mother of Farayqid. Of a surety, piety is not in this cloth. Piety is only that which is venerated in the breast and is
affirmed by action"...
...And a person said to Shibli, "I met a group of your companions...I saw upon them patched and coarse clothes." So he replied in verse:
As for the tents, then they are like their tents
But I see that the women that live there, are not its women3
-------------------------------------
3. I lightly humorous but deeply reflective verse of poetry. Its somewhat clear what he is saying but for completeness: the tents are the outer clothes of these people and he is comparing it with those of the Companions who they are trying to emulate (may Allah be pleased with them). However, he says, the women - those that are screened and are to be hidden from others by these tents; that is, the humility on the inside - do not match the tents they are being covered with.
-------------------------------------
Abul Faraj al-Jawzi, may Allah have mercy on him, said, "I only dislike coarse and patched clothes for four reasons:
1. That it was not from the garment of the early generations, and they only used patches out of necessity.
2. That it asserts the claim of deprivation; but, of course, man has been ordered to make apparent an impression of Allah's blessing upon him.4
3. Making manifest one's tazuhhud [lack of desire for the worldly life], but we have indeed been commanded to cover it.5
4. It bears similarity with these who remove themselves from the Shari'ah [i.e. consider themselves outside of its scope]. "And whosoever tries to look like a people then he is from them".6
-------------------------------------
4. With reference to the ayat, "But as for the favour of your Lord, report [it]." [adh-Dhuha(93):11].
5. With reference to the ayat, "Charity is] for the poor who have been restricted for the cause of Allah , unable to move about in the land. An ignorant [person] would think them self-sufficient because of their restraint, but you will know them by their [characteristic] sign. They do not ask people persistently [or at all]..." [2:273]
6. At least narrated by Abu Dawud amongst others. Al-Albani verifies it as authentic in Jami' al-Sahih (#6149).
-------------------------------------
...And it is reported from the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wassallam)..."Indeed Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty."... [Muslim]
What is beauty?
And for you in them [the grazing livestock] is beauty when you bring them in [for the evening] and when you send them out [to pasture]. [An-Nahl(16):6]
Excerpt from explanation of this verse
[With a couple of verses of poetry, the author has first provided a linguistic understanding of the word "jamaal" - meaning beauty - used in this ayat. Of course, such things are difficult to convey for an amateur like me so I will move on to text following that.]
...Our scholars have said: thus, beauty occurs either in the external form, or in how a creation has been composed; and it also can be etiquette or manners that are related to the inner-self, or in the actions.
Beauty of the creation: this is a matter that is perceived by vision and that meets with the heart so much so that it agrees with it. So it pertains to the self (or the soul); without really knowing the reasons behind it - and it is not for any person [to be able] to really identify its source.
Beauty in etiquette: its nature is determined by the praiseworthy qualities such as knowledge, wisdom, justice, innocence (from shameful things), restraint of anger, and wishing good for everyone.
Beauty in actions: it is their presence in a manner that agrees with the betterment of the creation, and successfully brings about that which benefits them and removes evil from them.
As for the beauty of the grazing livestock and animals for riding, then this is from the beauty of the creation; it is pleasing to the eyes and agreeable to the insightful ones. From their beauty is their abundance, and the saying of the people, "This is the blessing upon so-and-so." This is what as-Suddi said.
That is because, when they come in from the grazing, their beauty becomes manifold, they become more venerable, and the hearts become attached to them. Because at that time they are more greater in terms of mass and weight. This is what Qatadah said.
And thus, the bringing in from the pasture has been mentioned before their going out to it [in the verse], because that is when their milk is at its fullest and the soul is pleased by that. And Allah knows best...
No comments:
Post a Comment