On one occasion, the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) were seated in the blessed presence of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) when he said, “In a few moments, a man from the people of Jannah will appear before you.” Just then, an Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) appeared, carrying his sandals in his left hand, with his beard dripping with the water of wudhu.
This continued for another two days, where Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) made the same announcement to the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), and the very same Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) appeared.
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin ‘Aas (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) wished to spend some time in the company of this Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), hoping to observe his conduct and actions and identify the special quality or action he possessed on account of which Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) had given him the glad tidings of Jannah.
Hence, on the third day, after Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) departed from the gathering, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) stood up and followed the Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) in order to speak to him. On meeting him, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) asked, “I had a disagreement with my father, due to which I took an oath that I will not return home for three days. Do you think that you could give me a place to stay until the three days have passed?”
The Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) agreed and Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) accompanied him home and began to stay with him. However, despite observing him closely during these three days, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) did not see any action which he considered outstanding or remarkable. In fact, the Ansaari Sahaabi would not even wake up and perform Tahajjud Salaah during the night, and would only rise at the time of fajr. However, when his eyes opened during the night, he would turn over in his bed and recite some zikr before falling off to sleep again.
Nevertheless, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) noticed that this Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) possessed one good quality in particular – he only spoke of good things (and never indulged in evil speech or spoke of things that were shameful or sinful).
Eventually, the three days elapsed, and Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) had not identified any remarkable action of this Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) which had earned him the glad tidings of Jannah in this world.
At that time, he revealed the true reason for staying with the Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) saying, “O servant of Allah! There was no disagreement or severing of relations between my father and myself. However, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) announced, on three occasions, that a man from the people of Jannah was about to appear, and on all three occasions, you were the person who appeared. For this reason, I wished to stay with you so that I could observe your actions (and conduct) and emulate your good qualities. However, (on observing you,) I did not find you performing many nafl actions, so which special action or quality is it that earned you the special glad tiding issued by Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)?”
The Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “The only actions which I carry out are those which you observed.” Hearing this, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) turned to depart. However, just as he was leaving, the Ansaari Sahaabi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) called him back and said, “The only actions which I carry out are those which you observed. However, the only other actions (which perhaps could be the reason for my receiving the glad tidings) are that I do not harbour any malice in my heart for any Muslim, nor do I harbour any jealousy in my heart for a bounty that Allah Ta‘ala has blessed to another person.”
Hearing this, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) remarked, “These are the actions that elevated you to the high rank which you acquired, and these are the actions which we are unable to practice upon.”
(Musnad Ahmad #12697)
Lessons:
1. To keep a clean heart, free of malice, grudges, jealousy and other toxic qualities, is not just the sunnah – it is a Deeni obligation, while harbouring malice and jealousy is a sin. Furthermore, compared to other sins which are committed within a few moments, these sins are prolonged and sometimes continue for years and years, until a person may even leave this world with a filthy heart. Additionally, harbouring malice and jealousy will not change the decree of Allah Ta‘ala or improve one’s situation. Rather, it consumes a person’s heart, leaving it hollow and bereft of any happiness. It even blinds him from enjoying the great favours that he has been blessed with. Hence, we should be content and pleased with what Allah Ta‘ala has decreed for us. We should also wish well for every person and should have the heart to overlook and forgive others.
2. At times, we trivialize or regard certain good deeds to be unimportant, failing to realize the weightiness and immense value of the action. Hence, the hadeeth teaches us that we should never consider any good deed to be small or insignificant.
3. The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) were such that on learning of any person possessing any good quality, they immediately wished to emulate him and imbibe that quality into their own lives. They were always seeking opportunities to improve themselves and draw closer to Allah Ta‘ala.