The seven types of people whom Allah will shade under His Shade

All praise be to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger (peace be upon him). I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone who has no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Seven types of people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. They are: (1) a just ruler;(2) a young man who has been brought up in the worship of Allah, (i.e. worship Allah (Alone) sincerely from his childhood),(3) a man whose heart is attached to the mosque (who offers the five compulsory congregational prayers in the mosque);(4) two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only;(5) a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for an illegal sexual intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah;(6) a person who practices charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity). (7) a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes get flooded with tears."[1]

Allah shall collect the creatures on the Day of Recompense: The former and the later "that He may requite those who do evil with that which they have done (i.e. punish them in Hell), and reward those who do good, with what is best (i.e. Paradise)." [Surat An-Najm: [31]. In a long day which terror is great and its anguish is revere, from which Allah warned His Servants and commanded them to get ready for it. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "O mankind! Fear your Lord and be dutiful to Him! Verily, the earthquake of the Hour (of Judgment) is a terrible thing. * The Day you shall see it, every nursing mother will forget her nursling, and every pregnant one will drop her load, and you shall see mankind as in a drunken state, yet they will not be drunken, but severe will be the Torment of Allâh." [Surat Hajj: 1 - 2].

On that great day, the sun draws nearer from the heads of the creatures until there will be a distance of one mile so the people will sink in sweat according to their actions: The sweat will reach the ankles of some of them, others the sweat will cover their knees, some of them the sweat will reach their chest, and others will sink in their sweat.[2]

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The people will sweat so profusely on the Day of Resurrection that their sweat will sink seventy cubits deep into the earth, and it will rise up till it reaches the people's mouths and ears." [3]

In that great situation, Allah will shade those seven kinds of people under His Shade, so ponder over their actions which entail that great reward.

The first is: A just ruler who judges between people with the truth and does not follow whims, as Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "O Dâwûd (David)! Verily, We have placed you as a successor on the earth; so judge you between men in truth (and justice) and follow not your desire - for it will mislead you from the Path of Allâh. Verily, those who wander astray from the Path of Allâh (shall) have a severe torment, because they forgot the Day of Reckoning." [Surat Sad: 26].

He follows the command of his Lord (Glory be to Him) who says: "Verily, Allâh commands that you should render back the trusts to those to whom they are due; and that when you judge between men, you judge with justice. Verily, how excellent is the teaching which He (Allâh) gives you! Truly, Allâh is Ever All-Hearer, All-Seer." [Surat An-Nisa': 58].

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Behold! the dispensers of justice will be seated on the pulpits of light on the right hand of the Most Gracious (Glory be to Him). Both hands of Allah are right. (The dispensers of justice are) those who do justice in their rules, in matters relating to their families and in all that they undertake to do." [4]

This is the reward of those who judge justly among people, but those who judge unjustly among people; Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Consider not that Allâh is unaware of that which the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers) do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror." [Surat Abrahim: 42].

Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "The person who takes command of ten person or more will come to Allah (Glory be to Him) while his hand is chained to his neck on the Day of Recompense and his piety will break his chain or his sin will increase his chains. The first of princedom is reproach, its middle is regret, and its end is disgrace on the Day of Recompense." [5]

Ma`qil ibn Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "There is no person who is entrusted with the affairs of his subjects and he dies while being dishonest in his dealings with those over whom he ruled but the Paradise shall be forbidden for him."[6]

The second is: A young man was raised in the worship of Allah, and since his young age, Allah guided him to righteous deeds, made them beloved to him, made him hate the evil deeds, and helped him to leave them either because of a good rearing, good company, or because something else. Moreover, Allah protected him from the misdeeds of many youth who loved fun and play, wasting Salah, and indulgence in desires and lusts. Allah praised the young people who were raised well by saying: "Truly, they were young men who believed in their Lord (Allâh), and We increased them in guidance." [Surat Al Kahf: 13].

When youth is a strong reason for loving desires, it is strange that a young man abides by obedience and piety, therefore he deserves to be one of the seven kinds of people whom will be shaded under the shade of Allah. A person knows that he is responsible for his youth and about his actions, so he acted according to the recommendation of his Prophet (peace be upon him) which he gave to the nation, where he said: "Seize the opportunity of five things before other five: Your youth before your old age, your leisure before your work, your life before your death, your health before your illness, your wealth before your poverty."[7]

The third is: A man whose heart is attached by masjids, so when he leaves the masjid, he does not feel rest until he gets back to it again because masjids are the houses of Allah. So, anyone enters masjids, he is the guest of the lord, moreover no heart is more kind and no soul is happier than a man whom was entertained by the Lord in His House and under His Custody.

Those are the true visitors of masjids about whom Allah says: "The Mosques of Allâh shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allâh and the Last Day, perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and give Zakât and fear none but Allâh. It is they who are on true guidance." [Surat At-Tawbah: 18].

Abu Ad-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "A masjid is the house of every pious and Allah has granted comfort and mercy for everyone for whom the masjid is his house, and that they will traverse the bridge (As-Sirat) to Allah's Pleasure and Paradise."[8]

This hospitality in the world is achieved by comfort, happiness, and rest; and in the Hereafter, it is achieved by the honor righteous servants shall get in Paradise.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Allah will prepare for him who goes to the mosque (every) morning and in the afternoon (for the congregational prayer) an honorable place in Paradise with good hospitality for (what he has done) [9]every morning and afternoon goings."[10]

The fourth is: Two men who love each other for the sake of Allah, gather for His Sake and depart for His Sake because the strongest bond of faith is to love and hate for the sake of Allah.

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islâm), Allâh will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the Way of Allâh, and never fear of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allâh which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allâh is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 54].

It was reported in the Hadith of Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "If anyone loves for Allah's Sake, hates for Allah's Sake, gives for Allah's Sake and withholds for Allah's Sake, he will have perfect faith."[11]

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:"You shall not enter Paradise so long as you do not affirm belief (in all those things which are the articles of faith) and you will not believe as long as you do not love one another. Should I not direct you to a thing which, if you do, will foster love amongst you: (i.e.,) give currency to (the practice of paying salutation to one another by saying) As-Salamu `Alaykum." [12]

This is one of the qualities by which a person finds the sweetness of faith. Those men were not gathered by blood relationship, kinship, nor worldly benefits, but only the love of Allah (may He be Exalted) which combined between their hearts until death then separated between them in that case.

Abu Malik Al Ash`ary (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Verily, there are servants of Allah who are not Prophets nor martyrs but Prophets and martyrs envy them because of their closeness and seats which are near to Allah. Thereupon, a bedouin came from a far distance and pointed at the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: "O Prophet of Allah, a group of people who are not Prophets nor martyrs, but Prophets and martyrs envy them for their seats and nearness from Allah? Describe them for us. The face of the Prophet (peace be upon him) became happy for the question of the bedouin. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: They are People from different groups and conflicting tribes who have no connection or blood relationships in between, but they love one another for the sake of Allah. Such people, Allah would put for them on the Day of Recompense pulpits of light to sit on and would make their faces and clothes bright. The people will feel terror on the Day of Recompense but they do not; those are the righteous servants of Allah who should not taste fear and should not be sad.[13]

The fifth is: A man who refuses the call of a woman for an illegal sexual intercourse with her. She is not like any other woman, but she is a woman of high status and from a noble family in addition to her beauty. How would such a person be safe of such a situation except through deep faith and deep insight?

Al Qady `Iyad said: "And he mentioned the status and the beauty because everyone desires them despite it is hard to get both of them. That woman combines between the high rand and beauty and she calls a man to have illegal sexual intercourse with her and she facilitated everything for him. However, that man fears Allah in spite of all these facilities, therefore Allah (may He be Exalted) granted him a reward which is to be covered by the shade of the Merciful on that Day. [14]

Allah (Glory be to Him) says about such people: "But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts. * Verily, Paradise will be his abode." [Surat An-Nazi`at: 40 - 41].

Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Three persons set out on a journey. They were overtaken by rain and they had to find protection in a mountain cave where at its mouth there fell a rock of that mountain and thus blocked them altogether. One of them said to the others: Look to your good deeds that you performed for the sake of Allah and then supplicate Allah, the Exalted, that He might rescue you (from this trouble). One of them said: O Allah, I had a female cousin whom I loved more than the men love the women. I wanted to have sexual intercourse with her; she refused but on the condition of getting one hundred dinars. It was with very great difficulty that I could collect one hundred dinars and then paid them to her and when I was going to have a sexual intercourse with her, that she said: Servant of Allah, fear Allah and do not break the seal (of chastity) but by lawful means. I got up. O Allah, if You are aware that I did this in order to seek Your Pleasure, rid us from this trouble. The situation was somewhat eased for them."[15]

The sixth is: A person who gives in charity, and how many people who give in charity and how great their reward are with their lord. However, the merit of this giver which granted him that great reward [i.e., the shade of Allah]

is his sincerity in giving charity where he reached the peak until he was about to conceal it from him own self if he could do that. Allah praised those who give in charity when He said: "If you disclose your Sadaqât (alms-giving), it is well." Then he singled out those who conceal it: "If you disclose your Sadaqât (alms-giving), it is well; but if you conceal them, and give them to the poor, that is better for you. (Allâh) will expiate you some of your sins. And Allâh is Well-Acquainted with what you do." [Surat Al Baqarah: 271].

`Abdullah ibn Ja`far (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Secret charity puts off the wrath of the Lord."[16]

The seventh is: A man whose heart was filled by love, reverence, and glorification toward Allah, for that he mentioned Allah in an empty place where no one can see him: He mentioned His Greatness, His Favors, and His Mercy, so his eyes shed tears out of yearning to Him. About such people, Allah (Blessed and Exalted be He) says:"The believers are only those who, when Allâh is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur'ân) are recited to them, they (i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone)." [Surat Al Anfal: 2].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "And when they (who call themselves Christians) listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him), you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognized. They say: Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 83].

Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "(There are) two eyes that the Fire will never touch, the eye that wept from fear of Allah and the eye that stood guard in the night in Allah's path." [17]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was frequent crying from the fear of Allah and likewise were the righteous before and after him. Allah threatened the people who have stone hearts with the worst threat, when He said: "So woe to those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allâh! They are in plain error!" [Surat Az-Zumar: 22].

Praised be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds [i.e., people] and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions!