31st Hadith - True meaning of Asceticism (Ibn Majah: 4102)

الحديث الحادي والثلاثون  

عَنْ أَبِي الْعَبَّاس سَهْل بِنْ سَعْد السَّاعِدِي رَضِيَ الله عَنْهُ قَالَ : جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ : ياَ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ دُلَّنِي عَلَى عَمَلٍ إِذَا عَمِلْتُهُ أَحَبَّنِيَ اللهُ وَأَحَبَّنِي النَّاسُ، فَقَالَ : ازْهَدْ فِي الدُّنْيَا يُحِبُّكَ اللهُ، وَازْهَدْ فِيْمَا عِنْدَ النَّاسِ يُحِبُّكَ النَّاسُ 

[حديث حسن رواه ابن ماجة وغيره بأسانيد حسنة]

31st Hadith - Translation

On the authority of Abu Al-Abbas Sahl Bin Sad Al-Saidi (R.A.), who said:

A man came to the Prophet (S.A.W.) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act which if I do it, [will cause] Allah to love me and people to love me." He (S.A.W.) answered: "Be indifferent to the world and Allah will love you; be indifferent to what people possess and they will love you." 

(Ibn Majah: 4102)

Brief Narration

The hadith is related to one of the major concepts in Islam which is “Al-Zuhd” (a person puts more trust in Allah, more than what was is in his own hands). Unfortunately, many Muslims misunderstand and misinterpret this concept due to the influence of other cultures. We need to remove this misunderstanding or misinterpretation which is linked to this concept. 

One thing that brings us closer to Allah and to be loved by Him is Al-Zuhd. There are other actions that make Allah love us:

1. To love Allah much. If we love Allah, He will love us. 
2. The love of meeting Allah (as stated in another hadith). 
3. The love of the Prophet (S.A.W.) more than we love ourselves and our family and to love his Sunnah and to follow his model. 
4. Remembrance of Allah, and all forms of “Dzikr”. 
5. To practice the preferable good deeds.