30/06/2024
The one who remembers Allah vs. the one who doesn't \[Hadith\]
Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet ﷺ said: “The example of the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not remember his Lord is like the example of the living and the dead.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (6407), Sahih Muslim (779).
\[Explanation\]
“The example of the one who remembers his Lord” means someone who engages in the remembrance of Allah, whether it is making dua, thinking about Allah, doing dhikr, praying, reciting the Quran, and the like. “And the one who does not remember his Lord” means someone who fails to remember Allah.
“Like the example of the living and the dead.” In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ compares two types of people. The first is someone who frequently remembers Allah, engages in dhikr, makes supplication, thanks Allah for His favors, and the like. The second is a person who does not do these things, and rather neglects Allah’s remembrance or rejects Him (Allah). So the Prophet ﷺ says: “Like the example of the living and the dead.” What is meant by this is that when one passes away and is in their grave, as they are dead, they do not make supplication or pray nor do they remember Allah as they are dead! So someone who doesn’t remember Allah is like someone who is dead, while the one who remembers Allah is like the living. Such a person is aware of Allah and they engage in acts of worship that keep them connected to Allah. While the one who doesn’t, their heart is dark and lifeless, they are disconnected from Allah.
For example, there is a person who wakes up in the morning, they pray Fajr, they do dhikr throughout the day, they frequently remember Allah. Such a person is like the living. That’s because their heart is alive with the remembrance of Allah. Just as the living are active in life and engaged, this person tries their best to get closer to Allah through acts of worship.
And the dead is like a person who spends their entire life without remembering Allah. Their heart is disconnected from Allah as they do not try to remember Allah. So like the dead, who are unaware of what’s happening in the world, such people are spiritually unaware. A person who wakes up, spends their day, and their entire life without remembering or caring about Allah, the Creator, is like the dead because their heart is empty of the remembrance of Allah. Just as the dead are unaware of the world, such people are unaware and fail to get closer to Allah through remembrance.Those who don’t remember Allah end up having a depressed life, as Allah says: {And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed \[i.e., difficult\] life} \[Surat Taha, 20:124\]. But for those who frequently remember Allah, Allah says: {Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah, hearts are assured} \[Surat Ar-Ra’d, 13:28\]
Ibn al-Malik explained this hadith saying: “He likened the one who remembers Allah to the living, whose outward appearance is adorned with the light of life and who acts as they wish, and whose inner self is illuminated with the light of knowledge and understanding. Similarly, the one who remembers Allah is adorned outwardly with the light of obedience and knowledge, and inwardly with the light of knowledge and understanding, whereas the one who does not remember Allah is like the dead, whose outward self is useless and whose inner self is void.” \[Sharh al-Masabih 1618, 3/83\]
See also: Fath al-Bari bi Sharh al-Bukhari (11/210-211) and Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim (779).May Allah make us among those who frequently remember Allah, our Lord. Allah Knows Best.
End quote from Sharh Majmu’ al-Ahadith al-Sahihah by Muhammad ibn Javed (15).