Al-Adab Al-Mufrad: Chapter 18

كتاب الأكَابِرِ

The
Elderly

Adab Al-Mufrad 18.1
Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, said, "Anyone who does not show mercy to our children
nor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us."

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عِيسَى، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَخْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ قُسَيْطٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ‏:‏ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْ صَغِيرَنَا، وَيَعْرِفْ حَقَّ كَبِيرِنَا، فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا‏.‏

Adab Al-Mufrad 18.2
'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As reported that it reached him that
the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone who
does not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our old
people is not one of us."

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، يَبْلُغُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، قَالَ‏:‏ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْ صَغِيرَنَا، وَيَعْرِفْ حَقَّ كَبِيرِنَا، فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا‏.‏

Adab Al-Mufrad 18.3
The same from 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb.

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ‏:‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ حَقَّ كَبِيرِنَا، وَيَرْحَمْ صَغِيرَنَا‏.‏

Adab Al-Mufrad 18.4
The same from Abu Umama.

حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودٌ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ جَمِيلٍ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ‏:‏ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْ صَغِيرَنَا، وَيُجِلَّ كَبِيرَنَا، فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا‏.‏

Adab Al-Mufrad 18.5
Al-Ash'ari said, "Part of respect for Allah is to show respect
to an old Muslim and to someone who knows the Qur'an, as long as he does
not go to excess in it nor turn away from it, and to respect a just ruler."

حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ، قَالَ‏:‏ أَخْبَرَنَا عَوْفٌ، عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ مِخْرَاقٍ قَالَ‏:‏ قَالَ أَبُو كِنَانَةَ، عَنِ الأَشْعَرِيِّ قَالَ‏:‏ إِنَّ مِنَ إِجْلاَلِ اللهِ إِكْرَامَ ذِي الشَّيْبَةِ الْمُسْلِمِ، وَحَامِلِ الْقُرْآنِ، غَيْرِ الْغَالِي فِيهِ، وَلاَ الْجَافِي عَنْهُ، وَإِكْرَامَ ذِي السُّلْطَانِ الْمُقْسِطِ‏.‏

Adab Al-Mufrad 18.6
Same as 354.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلامٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ‏:‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَمْ يَرْحَمْ صَغِيرَنَا، وَيُوَقِّرْ كَبِيرَنَا‏.‏

Adab Al-Mufrad 18.7
Rafi' ibn Khudayj and Sahl ibn Abi Hathama reported that 'Abdullah
ibn Sahl and Muhayyisa ibn Mas'ud came to Khaybar and parted when they
were among the palm trees. 'Abdullah ibn Sahl was murdered. 'Abdu'r-Rahman
ibn Sahl and Huwayyisa and Muhayyisa, the sons of Mas'ud came to the Prophet,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and spoke to him about their (murdered)
companion. 'Abdu'r-Rahman, the youngest of those present, began to speak,
but the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Let the
oldest speak first." (or "Exalt the eldest.") They spoke about their companion
and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, "Will
fifty of you take an oath that you are entitled to the blood-money of your
murdered man?" They replied, "Messenger of Allah, this is something which
we did not see." He said, "Then will the Jews exonerate themselves by the
oaths of fifty of them?" They protested, "Messenger of Allah, they are
unbelievers!" So the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace, himself paid his blood money."

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ بُشَيْرِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ مَوْلَى الأَنْصَارِ، عَنْ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، وَسَهْلِ بْنِ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ، أَنَّهُمَا حَدَثَا، أَوْ حَدَّثَاهُ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ سَهْلٍ، وَمُحَيِّصَةَ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ، أَتَيَا خَيْبَرَ فَتَفَرَّقَا فِي النَّخْلِ، فَقُتِلَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ سَهْلٍ، فَجَاءَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَهْلٍ، وَحُوَيِّصَةُ وَمُحَيِّصَةُ ابْنَا مَسْعُودٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي أَمْرِ صَاحِبِهِمْ، فَبَدَأَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، وَكَانَ أَصْغَرَ الْقَوْمِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ كَبِّرِ الْكِبَرَ، قَالَ يَحْيَى‏:‏ لِيَلِيَ الْكَلاَمَ الأَكْبَرُ، فَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي أَمْرِ صَاحِبِهِمْ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ اسْتَحِقُّوا قَتِيلَكُمْ، أَوْ قَالَ‏:‏ صَاحِبَكُمْ، بِأَيْمَانِ خَمْسِينَ مِنْكُمْ، قَالُوا‏:‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، أَمْرٌ لَمْ نَرَهُ، قَالَ‏:‏ فَتُبْرِئُكُمْ يَهُودُ بِأَيْمَانِ خَمْسِينَ مِنْهُمْ، قَالُوا‏:‏ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، قَوْمٌ كُفَّارٌ‏.‏ فَفَدَاهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ قِبَلِهِ‏.‏

Adab Al-Mufrad 18.8
Ibn 'Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, said, 'Tell me which tree is like the Muslim? It gives
fruits at all times by the permission of its Lord and its leaves do not
fall.' It occurred to me that it was the palm tree, but I did not want
to speak as Abu Bakr and 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, were both
present. When they did not speak, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, said, 'It is the palm tree.' When I left with my father,
I said, 'Father, I thought that it was the palm,.' He asked, 'What kept
you from saying that? If you had said so, I would have preferred that to
such-and-such.' I said, 'What kept me from doing so was that I did not
see you or Abu Bakr speak, so I did not like to speak out.'"

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنِي نَافِعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ‏:‏ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ أَخْبِرُونِي بِشَجَرَةٍ مَثَلُهَا مَثَلُ الْمُسْلِمِ، تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا، لاَ تَحُتُّ وَرَقَهَا، فَوَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي النَّخْلَةُ، فَكَرِهْتُ أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ، وَثَمَّ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، فَلَمَّا لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ هِيَ النَّخْلَةُ، فَلَمَّا خَرَجْتُ مَعَ أَبِي قُلْتُ‏:‏ يَا أَبَتِ، وَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي النَّخْلَةُ، قَالَ‏:‏ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَقُولَهَا‏؟‏ لَوْ كُنْتَ قُلْتَهَا كَانَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ كَذَا وَكَذَا، قَالَ‏:‏ مَا مَنَعَنِي إِلاَّ لَمْ أَرَكَ، وَلاَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ تَكَلَّمْتُمَا، فَكَرِهْتُ‏.‏

Adab Al-Mufrad 18.9
Hakim ibn Qays ibn 'Asim reported that then his father was dying.
he enjoined his sons:
"Fear Allah and make the oldest among you your leaders.
When people make the oldest among them their leaders, they follow their
fathers. When they make the youngest among them their leaders, that lowers
them in the sight of their peers. You must have wealth and use it well.
It is an impetus for the generous and it will make you independent of critics.
Beware of asking people. It is a man's last source of earning. When I die,
do not wail. There was no wailing for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace. When I die, bury me in land where the Bakr
ibn Wa'il will not know where I am died. I used to waylay on the roads
in the time of the Jahiliyya."

حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ مَرْزُوقٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ‏:‏ سَمِعْتُ مُطَرِّفًا، عَنْ حَكِيمِ بْنِ قَيْسِ بْنِ عَاصِمٍ، أَنَّ أَبَاهُ أَوْصَى عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ بَنِيهِ فَقَالَ‏:‏ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَسَوِّدُوا أَكْبَرُكُمْ، فَإِنَّ الْقَوْمَ إِذَا سَوَّدُوا أَكْبَرَهُمْ خَلَفُوا أَبَاهُمْ، وَإِذَا سَوَّدُوا أَصْغَرَهُمْ أَزْرَى بِهِمْ ذَلِكَ فِي أَكْفَائِهِمْ‏.‏ وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمَالِ وَاصْطِنَاعِهِ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْبَهَةٌ لِلْكَرِيمِ، وَيُسْتَغْنَى بِهِ عَنِ اللَّئِيمِ‏.‏ وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَمَسْأَلَةَ النَّاسِ، فَإِنَّهَا مِنْ آخِرِ كَسْبِ الرَّجُلِ‏.‏ وَإِذَا مُتُّ فَلاَ تَنُوحُوا، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يُنَحْ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ وَإِذَا مُتُّ فَادْفِنُونِي بِأَرْضٍ لاَ يَشْعُرُ بِدَفْنِي بَكْرُ بْنُ وَائِلٍ، فَإِنِّي كُنْتُ أُغَافِلُهُمْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ‏.‏