A Lesson on Not Jumping to Conclusions
بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ The following is from ‘Umdat an-Nazir ‘ala al-Ashbah wa an-Naẓha’ir by Imam Zayn ad-Din ibn Ibrahim ibn Nujaym al-Miswri ( r.a. ). The lesson here is about not jumping to conclusions and thinking the best of people. Imam Abu Hanifah Nu’man ibn Tsabit ( r.a. ) was told by a man in the presence of his students, “I do not hope for Paradise. I do not fear Hell. I do not fear Allah ( s.w.t. ). I have eaten the dead. I have prayed without recitation, bowing, or prostration. I testify to that which I do not see, and I love tribulation.” Imam Abu Hanifah’s ( r.a. ) students were unanimous in their opinion: “This man has a problem.” Imam Abu Hanifah ( r.a. ) said, “This man hopes in Allah ( s.w.t. ), not in Paradise. He fears Allah ( s.w.t. ), not the Fire. He does not fear oppression from Allah ( s.w.t. ) in His Punishment. He has eaten fish and grasshoppers. He prays...