Benefit from winter: It is said that winter is a time when people suffer from Seasonal Effective Disorder, also known as ‘the Winter Blues’ or winter depression. However, it is interesting to see how the early Muslims welcomed winter, as it is clear that they saw it in a totally different light. Here are four ways that they would benefit from winter: 1 & 2 – Fasting and praying It was reported by al-Haythami in ‘Majma’ az-Zawa’id’ (3/203) with a hasan chain that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) said: “Winter is the best season for the believer. Its nights are long for him to pray in, and its days are short for him to fast in.” And Ahmad reported in ‘az-Zuhd’ (p. 118) with an authentic chain that ‘Umar bin al-Khattab said: “Winter is the prize of the worshipers.” Ibn Rajab al-Hambali said in ‘Lata’if al-Ma’arif’ (p. 276): It was reported by Ahmad (4/335) with a chain authenticated by al-Albani in ‘as-Silsilah as-Sahihah’ (1922) that the Prophet said: “Fasting in the winter is the easy prize.” Ibn Rajab commented on this in ‘Lata’if al-Ma’arif’ (p. 276): 3 – Caring for the poor Ibn Rajab said in ‘Lata’if al-Ma’arif’ (p. 281): “Taking care of the poor in the winter and protecting them from the cold is a great deed. Safwan bin Salim went out on a cold night in Madinah near the mosque, and he saw a man with little clothing on. So, he took off his coat and covered him up with it. So, someone living in Sham saw in a dream that Safwan bin Salim had entered Paradise with a shirt he had made. So, he went to Madinah and said: “Show me where Safwan is.” When he found him, he told him of the dream. At-Tirmidhi reported from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri that the Prophet said:“Whoever feeds a hungry believer will be fed by Allah on the Day of Judgement from the fruits of Paradise, and whoever quenches his thirst will have his thirst quenched from the Sealed Nectar, and whoever clothes him will be clothed from the green silk of Paradise. 4 – Remembering the realities of Hell It is reported in ‘as-Silsilah as-Sahihah’ (1457) that the Prophet said: “Hell complained to its Lord, saying: “Parts of me have consumed the other parts.” So, He allowed it two breaths of exhalation: one in winter and one in summer. As for its breath in winter, that is the bitter cold, and its breath in the summer is the extreme heat.” Ibn Rajab said in ‘Lata’if al-Ma’arif’ (p. 282): “And from the virtues of winter is that it reminds one of the extreme cold of Hell and pushes one to seek refuge from it… …How often does winter come then summer * And spring goes and autumn comes; And we go from hot to cold * And the sword of destruction is raised over your head; O you who is insignificant in this world * Till when will procrastination deceive you? You who seeks what is temporary, till when * Will your heart be busy with what is temporary? Strange is the one who humiliates himself for this world * While a piece of bread would suffice him for each day…” So, these examples show that winter time is a special time that we should mark not by being down and inactive, but rather by reviving our energy in worship and servitude to Allah.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 15:21:55 +0000
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