Abu Darda, a senior companion of the Prophet, is reported to have
said: ‘If you knew what you shall see after death, you would not eat food or
drink water with any relish; as for myself, I wish that I were a plant which
is cut down and then devoured.’
When Abu Darda was told that Abu Saad ibn Munabbih freed a hundred
slaves, he commented: ‘Certainly, this is a great act. But let me tell you of
one that is even greater: faith, which encompasses night and day, and, on
one’s tongue, the constant remembrance of God.’ (
Hilyat al-Auliya
)
After Abu Darda died, someone asked his wife what was the nature of
his worship. She replied: “He used to spend the whole day and night
engrossed in contemplation.” (
Hilyat al-Auliya
).
Rabia Basri (d. 801) once observed,‘the love of God has so absorbed me
that neither love nor hate of any other thing remains in my heart.’
There is a hadith reported by Abu Darda: ‘The Prophet once asked his
companions: “Should I not tell you of the action that is best and most pure in
the presence of your Lord; the action which will raise you up in the sight of
God, and is better for you than great expenditure of gold and silver (in
charity)?” “Do tell us,” the companions replied. “It is the remembrance of
God,” said the Prophet.’(
Al-Tirmidhi, Shamail
)
The age of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (632-661) gave way to the
oppressive rule of the Umayyads (661-750) who deviated from the path
followed by their predecessors.They preferred a life of luxury as opposed to
the life of extreme simplicity of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. The
shariah
began to be bypassed at will and twisted to suit their aims. They openly
favoured their kinsmen and supporters, and discriminated against those who
did not subscribe to their willful practices.They put undue pressure on the
Th e Ea r l y De v e l opme n t 24
