The Rarity of Sincerity (3): Prefer to Be Unknown & Flee from Popularity

﷽

• Narrated by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:

((إن الله يحب العبدَ التقيَّ الغنِيَّ الخفيَّ))

"Indeed, Allah loves the pious, rich (i.e., self-content), and obscure servant." (Narrated by Muslim)

The eminent scholar Muhammad bin Ṣāliḥ al ‘Uthaymīn explained in "Sharh Riyadh al-Salihin" (3/511):

«الخفي: هو الذي لا يظهر نفسه، ولا يهتم أن يظهر عند الناس، أو يشار إليه بالبنان، أو يتحدث الناس عنه، تجده من بيته إلى المسجد، ومن مسجده إلى بيته، ومن بيته إلى أقاربه وإخوانه خفي، يخفي نفسه.

"The obscure: he is the one who does not display himself, nor does he care to be seen by people, pointed out by fingers or talked about. You find him going between his house to the mosque and the mosque to his house, and from his house to his relatives and brothers, keeping to himself.

ولكن لا يعني ذلك أن الإنسان إذا أعطاه الله علماً أن يتقوقع في بيته ولا يُعلم الناس، هذا يعارض التقى، فتعليمه الناس خيرٌ من كونه يقبى في بيته ولا ينفع الناس بعلمه، أو يقعد في بيته ولا ينفع الناس بماله.

However, this does not mean that if Allah gives a person knowledge, he should isolate himself at home and not teach people. This contradicts piety, for teaching people is better than sitting at home without benefiting others with his knowledge or wealth.

لكن إذا دار الأمر بين أن يلمَّع نفسه ويظهر نفسه ويبين نفسه، وبين أن يخفيها، فحينئذٍ يختار الخفاء، أما إذا كان لا بد من إظهار نفسه فلا بد أن يظهرها، هذا ممن يحبه الله عز وجل،

But if the matter is between promoting and manifesting oneself or making oneself obscure, then one should choose concealment. However, if it is necessary to show oneself, it must be done. He is among those whom Allah loves.

وفيه الحث على أن الإنسان يكون خفياً، يكون غنياً عن غيره عن غير الله عز وجل، يكون تقياً لربه سبحانه وتعالى حتى يعبد الله سبحانه وتعالى في خير وعافية

In this is an encouragement for a person to be obscure, to be independent of all others besides Allah, and to be pious to his Lord so that he worships Allah in goodness and well-being."

• Narrated by Al-Bukhari, from Abu Huraira, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

" طُوبَى لِعَبْدٍ آخِذٍ بِعِنَانِ فَرَسِهِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ ، أَشْعَثَ رَأسُهُ مُغْبَرَّةٍ قَدَمَاهُ ، إِنْ كَانَ فِي الْحِرَاسَةِ ، كَانَ فِي الْحِرَاسَةِ ، وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي السَّاقَةِ كَانَ فِي السَّاقَةِ إِنْ اسْتَأذَنَ لَمْ يُؤْذَنْ لَهُ ، وَإِنْ شَفَعَ لَمْ يُشَفَّعْ "

"Glad tidings to a servant who takes hold of the reins of his horse in the path of Allah, with his hair unkempt and his feet dusty. If he is in the vanguard, he remains in the vanguard; if he is in the rear guard, he remains in the rear guard. If he seeks permission, he is not granted permission, and if he intercedes, his intercession is not accepted."

Ibn al-Jawzi said:

وَقَوله: ((إِن كَانَ فِي الحراسة، وَإِن كَانَ فِي السَّاقَة)) الْمَعْنى أَنه ‌خامل ‌الذّكر ‌لَا ‌يقْصد السمو، فَأَيْنَ اتّفق لَهُ كَانَ فِيهِ.

"His saying: 'If he is in the vanguard, he remains in the vanguard; and if he is in the rear guard, he remains in the rear guard' means that he is obscure in mention, not seeking prominence, so wherever he happens to be, he remains in that position." [Kashf al-Mushkil min Hadith al-Sahihayn (3/539)]

Ibn Hajar added in "Fath al-Bari" (6/83, Salafiyya edition):

«فإن أتفق له السير سار ; فكأنه قال: إن كان في الحراسة استمر فيها، وإن كان في الساقة استمر فيها»

"So if he is permitted to proceed, he proceeds; it is as if he said: If he is in the vanguard, he remains there, and if he is in the rear guard, he remains there."

[Some of the Greatest Heroes Die Unknown to Most People]

Many people dedicate their lives to the religion, unknown to anyone, but Allah knows them. The important thing is that Allah knows them; it is not necessary for them to be famous or to be pointed out.

Jubayr b. Hayyah reported that in the aftermath of the great battle of Nahawand:

وكان عمرُ بالمدينةِ يدعو اللهَ وينتظرُ مثلَ صيحةِ الحُبْلى فكتَب حُذيفةُ إلى عمرَ بالفتحِ مع رجُلٍ مِنالمسلمينَ، .

`Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was in Madinah, praying to Allah and waiting with the anxiety of a pregnant woman in labor (in great anticipation and worry). Hudhayfah wrote to `Umar about the victory, sending the letter with a Muslim man (he wrote a message informing `Umar of the Muslims' victory and sent it with one of them).

فلمَّا قدِم عليه قال: أبشِرْ يا أميرَ المؤمنينَ بفتحٍ أعزَّ اللهُ فيه الإسلامَ وأهلَه وأذلَّ فيه الشِّرْكَ وأهلَه، 

When the man arrived, he said: "Rejoice, O Commander of the Faithful, for Allah has granted a victory in which He honored Islam and its people and humiliated disbelief and its people."

وقال: النُّعمانُ بعَثك؟ قال: احتسِبِ النُّعمانَ يا أميرَ المؤمنينَ  فبكى عمرُ واسترجَع.

`Umar asked, "Did al-Nu`man send you?" He replied, "Seek reward (in grieving) for al-Nu`man, O Commander of the Faithful" (meaning al-Nu`man died in battle). `Umar wept and said, "To Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return."

قال: ومَن ويحَكَ؟  فقال: فلانٌ وفلانٌ وفلانٌ حتَّى عدَّ ناسًا

• He then asked, "Who else, woe to you?" (Who else was killed in Allah’s path). The man listed several names.

ثمَّ قال: وآخَرينَ يا أميرَ المؤمنين لا تعرِفُهم فقال عمرُ وهو يبكي: 

Then he said, "And others, O Commander of the Faithful, whom you do not know." `Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, while weeping, said,

 ((لا يضُرُّهم ألَّا يعرِفَهم عمرُ لكنَّ اللهَ يعرِفُهم.))

"It does not matter if `Umar does not know them; Allah knows them."

This was narrated with an authentic chain of transmission in Sahih Ibn Hibban and by al-Ṭabari in his Tārīkh. (Graded Sahih by Al Albanī)

The Sahāba, by and large, did not care in the slightest about having notoriety and status. It's remarkable that even though over one hundred thousand companions performed Hajj with the Prophet (ﷺ), and despite Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani's incredible memory, extensive knowledge, and research skills, he could only document a little over eight thousand companions in his book "Al-Isabah." So, what happened to the rest? Unknown to us; Allah knows them all.

Even more remarkable is the fact that there were over three hundred messengers and more than one hundred thousand prophets sent, yet the Quran has recorded only the names of twenty-five of them. If fame were a virtue that noble souls should crave, Allah would have granted it to the most honored leaders of humanity.

[Seeing Fame As a Calamity & Making Dū’ā to Remain Unknown]

Among the predecessors there were those who would invoke Allah for fame upon their enemy! Just as Ammar ibn Yasir invoked against a man, saying:

«اللهم إن كان كاذباً فابسط له الدنيا، واجعله موطّأ العقبين»

"O Allah, if he is lying, then spread the world before him and make him well-followed,"

Meaning: afflict him with wealth and popularity. This is narrated by Abu Dawood in "Az-Zuhd." So fame and craving popularity can be forms of torment and internal strife.

- And among them were those who would ask Allah for obscurity for themselves, as narrated by Abu Dawood in "Az-Zuhd" from Urak ibn Malik, who said:

«اللهم إني أسألك ذكرا خاملاً لي ولولدي من بعدي لا ينقصنا ذلك مما عندك شيئاً».

"O Allah, I ask You for obscurity for myself and my children after me that does not diminish anything from what is with You (of reward)."

[The Attitude of the Salaf towards Fame & Popularity]

Ibn Abi Al-Dunya, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned many reports about the Salaf’s hatred of popularity in  his book "Al-Tawadhu` wal Khumul" (Humility and Being Unknown); including the following:

• - Ayyub said:

ما صدق الله عبد إلا سره أن لا يشعر بمكانه.

"No servant has been truthful to Allah unless he is pleased that his location is not noticed."

• Muhammad ibn Alaa said:

يا أخي من أحب الله أحب أن لا يعرفه الناس

"If one loves Allah, he loves not to be known by people."

• - Sufyan said:

كثرة الإخوان من سخافة الدين.

"A large number of companions is a sign of superficiality in religion."

• - Uthman ibn Zaidah said:

كان يقال إذا رأيت الرجل كثير الأخلاء فاعلم أنه مخلط.

"It was said, if you see a man with many friends, know that he is insincere."

• - Fudala ibn Saifi said: "Aban ibn Uthman wrote to some of his brothers:

إن أحببت أن يسلم لك دينك فاقل من المعارف.

If you want your religion to remain sound, minimize your acquaintances."

• - Yahya ibn Sa'id narrated from Khalid ibn Ma'dan:

أنه كان إذا كثرت حلقته قام مخافة الشهرة.

When his circle of students grew large, he would stand up out of fear of fame.

[Al-Dhahabi commented:

ينبغي للعالم أن يتكلم بنية وحسن قصد، فإن أعجبه كلامه فليصمت، فإن أعجبه الصمت فلينطق، ولا يفتر عن محاسبة نفسه، فإنها تحب الظهور والثناء .

"It is appropriate for a scholar to speak with good intention and purpose. If he becomes pleased with his speech, he should remain silent. If he becomes pleased with his silence, he should speak, and he should not stop evaluating himself, for it loves popularity and praise."]

• Thabit Al-Bunani said:

قال لي محمد بن سيرين: لم يكن يمنعني من مجالستكم إلا خوف الشهرة

"Muhammad ibn Sirin said to me: 'The only thing that prevented me from sitting with you was the fear of fame.'"

• - Abu Al-Aliya stated:

أنه كان إذا جلس إليه أكثر من ثلاثة قام.

If more than three people sat with him, he would stand up (and leave).

• - Abu Bakr ibn Ayyash said:

كم رأيت أكثر ما رأيت عند إبراهيم قال أربعة خمسة.

"I asked Al-A'mash, what is the most you have seen with Ibrahim? He said, four or five."

• - Abu Raja said:

رأى طلحة قوما يمشون معه أكثر من عشرة فقال ذبان طمع وفراش النار.

"Talha saw a group of people walking with him more than ten, and he said: 'They are flies of greed and moths of the fire.'"

• - Sulaim ibn Hanzala said:

بينا نحن حول أبي بن كعب نمشي خلفه إذ رآه عمر فعلاه بالدرة فقال انظر يا أمير المؤمنين ما تصنع فقال إن هذا ذلة للتابع وفتنة للمتبوع.

"While we were around Ubayy ibn Ka'b, walking behind him, Umar saw him and struck him with a stick. (Ubayy) said: 'What are you doing, O Amir al-Mu'minin.' He said: 'This is a humiliation for the follower and a trial for the followed.'"

• - Al-Hasan said:

خرج بن مسعود ذات يوم من منزله فاتبعه الناس فالتفت إليهم فقال علام تتبعوني والله لو تعلمون ما أغلق عليه بابي ما اتبعني منكم رجلان.

"Ibn Mas'ud went out from his house one day, and people followed him. He turned to them and said: 'Why are you following me? By Allah, if you knew what I conceal behind my door, not even two men among you would follow me.'"

• - He also said:

إن أقواما جعلوا الكبر في قلوبهم والتواضع في ثيابهم فصاحب الكساء بكسائه أعجب من صاحب المطرف بمطرفه ما لم تفاقروا.

"Indeed, some people have placed arrogance in their hearts and humility in their clothes. The one with the coarse garment is more amazed by his coarse garment than the one with the luxurious garment, unless they humble themselves."

• - Al-Hasan ibn Ubayd said:

قال قال رجل لبشر بن الحارث أوصني قال أخمل ذكرك وطيب مطعمك.

"A man said to Bishr ibn Al-Harith, 'Advise me.' He said: 'Conceal your reputation and improve your food.'"

• - Abdul-Samad ibn Abdul-Warith said:

كان حوشب يبكي ويقول بلغ اسمي مسجد الجامع.

"Hawshab used to cry and say, 'My name has reached the congregational mosque.'"

• - Bishr ibn Al-Harith, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

لا أعلم رجلا أحب أن يعرف إلا ذهب دينه وافتضح قال وقال بشر بن الحارث لا يجد حلاوة الآخرة رجل يحب أن يعرفه الناس.

"I do not know a man who loved to be known except that his religion was lost and he was disgraced." He also said: "A man does not find the sweetness of the Hereafter who loved to be known by the people.”

• Ata bin Muslim said:

كُنْتُ وَأَبُو إِسْحَاقَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ عِنْدَ سُفْيَانَ وَهُوَ مُضْطَجِعٌ فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ إِلَى أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ فَقَالَ: «إِيَّاكَ وَالشُّهْرَةَ» قَالَ:

One night, Abu Ishaq and I were with Sufyan while he was lying down, and he raised his head towards Abu Ishaq and said: "Beware of fame."

وَقَالَ أَبُو مُسْهِرٍ،: «بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْهَالِكِينَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِينَ»

And Abu Musher said: "Between you and being among the destroyed is nothing but being well-known."

• Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

رأيتُ الوحدة أروح لقلبي.

"I found solitude more comforting for my heart."

• Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

قد بليت بالشهرة.

"I have been afflicted with fame."

• Imam Al-Marwadhi, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

سمعت أبا عبدالله يقول: من بُلي بالشهرة لم يأمن أن يفتنوه.

"I heard Abu Abdullah say: 'Whoever is afflicted with fame is not safe from being led astray.'"

• Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

أشتهى مكاناً لا يكون فيه أحد من الناس. أريد أن أكون في بعض الشعاب بمكة, حتى لا أعرف.

“I long for a place where there is no one. I want to be in some of the valleys of Mecca, so that I would not be known."

• Al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

إن الرجل ليكون فقهياً جالساً مع القوم, فيرى بعض القوم أن به عيّاً وما به من عيّ, إلا كراهية أن يشتهر.

"A man may be a scholar sitting with the people, and some of them think he is ignorant, but he is not ignorant, except that he dislikes fame."

• Bishr ibn Al-Harith Al-Hafi, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

من ابتلي بالشهرة...فمصيبته جليلة, فجبرها الله لنا ولك بالخضوع والاستكانة والذل لعظمته.

"Whoever is afflicted with fame... his calamity is great. May Allah mend it for us and you with submission, humility, and humbleness to His greatness."

• Hibatullah ibn Sa'd ibn Tahir Al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

الشهرة آفة, وكل يتحراها, والخمول راحة, وكل يتوقاها.

"Fame is a calamity, and everyone seeks it, while obscurity is a relief, and everyone avoids it."

• Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

طوبى لمن أخمل الله ذكره.

"Blessed is he whose mention Allah has hidden."

• Ibn Al-Mubarak said:

قال لي سفيان رحمهما الله: إياك والشهرة، فما أتيت أحدًا إلا وقد نهى عن الشهرة.

Sufyan, may Allah have mercy on them both, said to me: "Beware of fame, for I have not come across anyone except that he warned against fame."

• Abu Hazim Al-Madani, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

اكتم حسناتك كما تكتم سيئاتك.

"Hide your good deeds as you hide your bad deeds."

• Abdulrahman ibn Mahdi, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

كنت أجلس يوم الجمعة، فإذا كثر الناس فرحت، وإذا قلوا حزنت، فسألت بشر بن منصور، فقال: هذا مجلس سوء، فلا تعدإليه، فما عدت إليه.

"I used to sit on Fridays, and when the people increased, I would be happy, and when they decreased, I would be sad. So, I asked Bishr ibn Mansur, and he said: 'This is a bad gathering, do not return to it,' and I did not return to it."

[Concluding Advice]

Imam Al-Dhahabi said:

قُلْتُ: عَلاَمَةُ المُخْلِصِ الَّذِي قَدْ يُحبُّ شُهرَةً، وَلاَ يَشعُرُ بِهَا، أَنَّهُ إِذَا عُوتِبَ فِي ذَلِكَ، لاَ يَحرَدُ وَلاَ يُبرِّئُ نَفْسَه،

I said: The sign of a sincere person who may love fame without realizing it is that if he is criticized for it, he does not get angry or defend himself.

بَلْ يَعترِفُ، وَيَقُوْلُ: رَحِمَ اللهُ مَنْ أَهدَى إِلَيَّ عُيُوبِي،

Rather, he acknowledges it and says: "May Allah have mercy on the one who shows me my faults."

وَلاَ يَكُنْ مُعجَباً بِنَفْسِهِ؛ لاَ يَشعرُ بِعُيُوبِهَا، بَلْ لاَ يَشعرُ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَشعرُ، فَإِنَّ هَذَا دَاءٌ مُزْمِنٌ.

Let him not amazed with himself, unaware of his flaws, much less unaware that he is unaware, which is a chronic disease.”