Man Is Essence Rather Than Appearance
The most fundamental aspects of this Fiqh is stressing the importance of essence, reality and heart rather than external manifestations.
Hence, the Glorious Quran rejected the Bedonin's pretentious faith which was uttered by the tongue but did not reach the heart and without any living evidence of it in action or striving in the Way of Allah. In this respect, Allah says:
"The desert Arab say: "We believe." Say "Ye have no faith; but ye (Only) say, `We have submitted our wills to Allah,' For not yet has faith entered Your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful. Only those are believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and have never since doubted, but have striven with their belongings and their persons in the Cause of Allah: such are the sincere ones!" (49:14-15)
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
`Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good, but if it becomes spoiled, the whole body becomes spoiled, that is the heart," [Note: Agreed upon on the authority of Al -Nu' man Ibn Basir]
And,
"Allah does not care about your looks or fortunes, He cares about your hearts and deeds." [Note: Reported by Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurairah]
Thus, the real value of man does not rest upon him having a huge body, from noble descent, an eminent appearance, fame and influence. True value, according to Allah, rests upon the level of faith in the heart and this faith is expressed in deeds rather than words which are carried out sincerely. In short, their real value lies in piety for Allah says: "Verily, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you." (49:13)
Allah, the Exalted criticizes the hypocrites saying: "And when thou lookest at them, their bodies please thee." (63:4)
There is also a hadith emphasizing this, One day Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud climbed a tree and his thin legs were seen by some of the Companions who were standing under the tree. His legs were so thin that it made them burst into laughter and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) exclaimed:
"Do you dare to mock him because of his skinny legs: By Allah in Whose Hands my soul rests, these two thin legs are heavier in Allah's Scale than the mountain of Uhud!" [Note: See Majma' Al-zawa `id, narration of `All, Ibn Masu'd and Qurab Ibn lyas, vol. 9, No.288, 289]
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said:
"On the Day of Resurrection, a huge fat man will come who will not weigh the weight of the wing of a mosquito in Allah's sight". [Note: Reported by Al-Bnkhari and Muslim, Al-Lu'lu' Wal Marjan, No. 1773]
Sahl Ibn Sa'd reported that:
"One day, a man passed by the Prophet (Peace be upon him), Allah's Prophet asked one of his Companions "what is your opinion of this man" He replied, "If he asks for a lady's hand in marriage, then he ought to be given her in marriage; and if he intercedes (for someone) then his intercession should be accepted". Allah's Prophet (Peace be upon him) kept silent and then a poor Muslim passed by, and Allah's Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked his Companion again "What is your opinion of this man?" He replied "If he asks for a lady's hand in marriage, then he does not deserve to be married to her, and if he intercedes (for someone), then his intercession should not be accepted, and if he speaks, he should not be listened to." Allab's Prophet (Peace be upon him) said "This poor man is better than so many of the first as filling the earth. [Note: Reported by Al-Bukhari]
Mus'ab Ibn Sa'd said:
Once Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with him) thought that he was superior to those who were below him in rank. On that, the Prophet said: "You only gain victory and livelihood through the blessings and invocations of the poor amongst you." [Note: This hadith indicates a very important social issue that is the lower classes of farmers, laborers and craftsmen are the factors of victory in war and production in peaceful periods. This is what can be understood from the Prophet's saying "You only gain victory and livelihood ". This hadith is reported by Al-Bukhari, Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Al-Barqani in his Sahih, and Al-Nasa'i.]
In the narration of Al-Nasa'i, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
"This Nation gains victory through invocations, Prayers and devotion of the poor."
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