37/59. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2516 — Ask Allah and Seek His Aid
The Hadith of Hanzalah
Hadith About Tawakkul and Asking Allah
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2516
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2516
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، أَخْبَرَنَا لَيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، وَابْنُ، لَهِيعَةَ عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ، قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، حَدَّثَنِي قَيْسُ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ الْمَعْنَى، وَاحِدٌ، عَنْ حَنَشٍ الصَّنْعَانِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا فَقَالَ " يَا غُلاَمُ إِنِّي أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ احْفَظِ اللَّهَ يَحْفَظْكَ احْفَظِ اللَّهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَكَ إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الأُمَّةَ لَوِ اجْتَمَعَتْ عَلَى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوكَ إِلاَّ بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ لَكَ وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَضُرُّوكَ إِلاَّ بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ رُفِعَتِ الأَقْلاَمُ وَجَفَّتِ الصُّحُفُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
I Was Behind The Prophet(S.A.W) One Day When He Said: 'O Boy! I Will Teach You A Statement: Be Mindful Of Allah And He Will Protect You. Be Mindful Of Allah And You Will Find Him Before You. When You Ask, Ask Allah, And When You Seek Aid, Seek Allah'S Aid. Know That If The Entire Creation Were To Gather Together To Do Something To Benefit You- You Would Never Get Any Benefit Except That Allah Had Written For You. And If They Were To Gather To Do Something To Harm You- You Would Never Be Harmed Except That Allah Had Written For You. The Pens Are Lifted And The Pages Are Dried.'
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2516In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 102English translation : Vol. 4, Book 11, Hadith 2516
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2516
This hadith about tawakkul is a direct lesson given by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما. He said, "Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him before you." He then taught that when you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek aid, seek Allah's aid. The narration also teaches belief in what Allah has written. Even if all creation gathered to benefit or harm someone, they could only do what Allah had already written. This hadith builds reliance on Allah without making people the center of fear or hope.
What we learn from this hadith
- Be mindful of Allah in your life.
- Ask Allah when you need help.
- Do not place ultimate fear or hope in creation.
- Benefit and harm occur only by what Allah has written.
