Answered by Not Assigned
Is there a hadith that, “Be scrupulous and you’ll be the most worshipful of people” ? What does it mean?
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
Yes, this is an authentic hadith related by Ibn Maja and Bayhaqi, on the authority of Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) who reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Be scrupulous, and you’ll be the most worshipful of people.”
Imam Abd al-Wahhab al-Sha`rani said, “A scrupulous person is the most worshipful of people because those who eat things that are absolutely lawful (al-halal al-khalis) cease to tire from worship, and those who don’t tire from worship are more worshipful than those who do ”[Sha`rani, al-`Uhud al-Muhammadiyya, 1.137]
Renunciation and Scrupulousness
Ibn Ajiba explained that the definition of renunciation (zuhd) is:
For the heart not to be attached to other than Allah.
Then, he stated that,
Renunciation is a means for Love, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Have renunciation of worldly matters, and Allah will love you.” [Ibn Maja, Hakim, and Bayhaqi]
Renunciation is the means of travelling to Allah and reaching Him, for there is no spiritual travelling for a heart that is attached to anything other than the Beloved. [Ibn Ajiba, Mi`raj al-Tashawwuf, 14]
As for scrupulousness (wara`), Ibn Ajiba defined it as,
Restraining oneself from anything whose end result may be blameworthy.
He quotes Ibn Ata’illah’s Tanwir, in which the latter said,
It is not vast knowledge or consistency in spiritual practices that points to a person having deep understanding. Rather, what points to their spiritual illumination and deep understanding is their finding sufficiency in their Lord; their fleeing to Him with their hearts; their being free from the slavehood of avidness; and their adorning themselves with the adornment of scrupulousness. [Ibn Ajiba, Mi`raj al-Tashawwuf, 12-13]
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani