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The Wealthy Thankful Servant is Better than a Poor Worshipper

Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani

18 December 2011 Melaka, Malaysia

Private Residence

I have been coming to Malaysia since 1987. When Mawlana Shaykh Nazim used to travel to Malaysia our host always accompanied him. As-salaamu `alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh. I would like to thank Allah (swt) and His Prophet (s), and His sincere servants who invited us to this event, which is honor for us and for everyone. I never expected such an event. Wherever I meet or don't meet our gracious host, he opens his homes around the world as a favor for me and others, and he is “ghaniyyun shaakir,” a rich servant that is thankful to Allah (swt) and who gives a lot of charity to help others and so Allah gives him more, while a poor worshipper can only help himself. That is why Allah (swt) said in Holy Qur’an:

لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ

Wa la’in shakartum la-azeedanakum.

If you thank Me, I will give you more. (14:7)

Also, when the Prophet (s) mentions a group of people, whoever fits description are included in the barakah of the hadith! Don’t think the Prophet (s) doesn't know his ummah: he knows them and will make shafa`ah for them one by one on Judgment Day!

Prophet Muhammad (s) said, “Allah (swt) loves the pious, rich man who (inspite of his piety and wealth) is obscure and unknown to fame.” (Muslim)

Abu Hurairah (r) reported that Prophet Muhammad (s) said, "The generous man is near Allah, near Paradise, near men and far from hell, but the miserly man is far from Allah, far from Paradise, far from men and near hell. Indeed, an ignorant man who is generous is dearer to Allah than is a worshipper who is miserly. (Tirmidhi)

So any person who is rich and thankful is mentioned in that hadith as better than one who is faqeerun `abid, poor and worshipping, although that one also has honor because he might pray for you and it may be accepted, as Allah (swt) said, id`oonee astajib lakum, “Ask Me, I will give to you.” But sometimes because of our sins and our being far from Allah's Divine Presence, our du`a might not be accepted like that of a poor worshipper who dedicated his life to Allah, who makes a du`a that Allah might accept.

Who is higher, Sayyidina Khidr (a) or Sayyidina Musa (a)? Sayyidina Musa (a) is higher, but Sayyidina Khidr (a) did things that Sayyidina Musa didn't understand, as Allah (swt) was teaching him:

وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ

wa fawqa kulli dhi `ilmin `aleem,

Above every knower is a higher knower. (12:76)

That is Allah’s way of telling him, “I put Sayyidina Muhammad (s) above you, although you are Kaleemullah.”

Now we will recite istighfaar, as the Prophet (s) said:

Yadul-Llahi `ala al-jama`at.

Allah's Hand is over the group.

Yadul-Llahi m`a al-jama`at.

Allah's Hand is with the group.

(Khatm al-Khwajagan)

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