Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 900 [Read full issue]
Service to Other
Ibn Abbas reports that, while he was once in retreat (itikaf) to the mosque in the Masjid al-Nabi (The Messenger’s mosque) a certain man came to him, greeted him and sat down. Ibn Abbas said to him, “I see that you seem sad and troubled.” The man replied, “Yes. O son of the uncle of the Messenger, I am indeed troubled in that I have an obligation to fulfill towards someone. I swear by the holiness of the inmate of the grave of this honoured resting place that I am not able to fulfill this obligation.” Ibn Abbas inquired, “Shall I intercede with that person on your behalf?” The man replied, “By all means, if you so wish.” Ibn Abbas put on his shoes and proceeded out from the mosque. The man, seeing this, said, “Have you forgotten that you are in retreat to the mosque?” Tears filling his eyes, Ibn Abbas replied, “No, but the occasion is still fresh in my mind when I heard the esteemed inmate of this tomb say, ‘Whoever sets forth in the way of settling a necessary affair on behalf of his brother, that service shall be better for him than to perform retreat to the mosque for ten years; and whosoever performs retreat to the mosque for a day, God will spread three trenches between him and hellfire, the width of each trench being greater than the distance between heaven and earth.” [Baihaqi]
In the above tradition we are told that performing a service for one’s brother brings a reward greater than ten years of retreat to a mosque. For this reason Ibn Abbas broke off his retreat to the mosque. It was of course possible for him to continue it afterwards. The Sufis say that God has such sympathy for very few things as He has for a broken heart. It is for this reason that we have been so much warned of the appeals to God of that person whose heart has been hurt through any unjust treatment or persecution. Whenever the Messenger appointed anyone as a governor, in addition to advising him, he would also warn him to beware of the invocation (to God) of the persecuted.
Compiled From:
Ramadan: Motivating Believers To Action, "Retreat to a Mosque" - Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi