وَمِمَّاAnd from whatيَدُلُّindicatesعَلَىonمَاwhatهُمْtheyفِيهِin itمِنَofالْجَهْدِhardshipوَعَلَىand onامْتِدَاحِهِمْtheir praisingبِالْأَثَرَةِwith selflessness
And from what indicates their hardship and their praise for selflessness is the saying of al-Ghanawi:
لَقَدْIndeedعَلِمَتْknowsقَيْسُQaysبْنُibnعَيْلَانَ‘Aylanأَنَّنَاthat weنُضَارُwe struggle
Qays ibn ‘Aylan indeed knows that we struggle (in hardship)
وَأَنَّاand that weحَيْثُwhereرُكِّبَis placedعُودُهَاits wood
and that we are where its wood is placed (i.e., the origin of the matter)
إِذَاwhenالْمَاءُthe waterبَعْدَafterالْيَوْمِthis dayيُمْذَقُis mixedبَعْضُهُsome of itبِبَعْضٍwith some
When the water is mixed with water after this day
وَيُبْلَىand is testedشُحُّthe stinginessنَفْسٍof a soulوُجُودُهَاits existence
and the stinginess of a soul is tested by its existence (i.e., by what it has)
وَأَنَّاand that weمُقَارٍare providersحِينَwhenيُبْتَكَرُis cutالْغَضَاthe ghada tree
and that we are providers when the ghada is cut
إِذَاwhenالْأَرْضُthe earthأَمْسَتْbecomesوَهِيَwhile itجَدْبٌbarrenجُنُودُهَاits troops
when the earth becomes barren and its troops (i.e., people) are in need
وَقَالَand saidفِيinذَلِكَthatالْعُجَيْرُal-‘Ujayrالسُّلُولِيُّas-Sululi
And al-‘Ujayr as-Sululi said on that:
مِنَofالْمُهْدِيَاتِthe sendersالْمَاءَwaterبِالْمَاءِwith waterبَعْدَafterمَاwhatرَمَىhitبِالْمَقَارِيwith the wellsكُلُّeveryقَارٍone drawing waterوَمُعْتَمٍand one seeking to draw
Among those who send water for water after every drawer and seeker has hit the wells (i.e., they share water generously)
وَقَالَand saidآخَرُanotherفِيinمِثْلِlikeهَذَاthis
And another said in similar fashion:
لَنَاfor usإِبِلٌcamelsيَرْوِينَthey waterيَوْمًاone dayعِيَالَنَاour dependents
We have camels that water our dependents one day
ثَلَاثٌthreeفَإِنْand ifيَكْثُرْنَthey become manyيَوْمًاone dayفَأَرْبَعُthen four
Three (days) and if they become many, one day then four
تَمُدُّهُمْthey provide themبِالْمَاءِwith waterلَاnotمِنْfromهَوَانِهِمْtheir humiliation
They provide them with water, not out of their humiliation
وَلَكِنْbutإِذَاwhenقَلَّlittleشَيْءٌsomethingيُوَسَّعُis widened
but when something is scarce, it is widened (i.e., they share generously)
عَلَىonأَنَّهَاthat theyتَغْشَىcoverأُولَئِكَthoseبَيْتَهَاits house
Although they cover those (people) with their house
عَلَىwithاللَّحْمِmeatحَتَّىuntilيَذْهَبَgoes awayالشَّرُّthe evilأَجْمَعُall
with meat until all evil goes away
وَقَالَand saidأَبُوAbuسَعِيدٍSa'idالْخُدْرِيُّal-Khudri
And Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said:
أَخَذْتُI tookحَجَرًاa stoneفَعَصَبْتُهُand bound itعَلَىonبَطْنِيmy belly
I took a stone and bound it to my belly
مِنَfromالْجُوعِhungerوَأَتَيْتُand I cameالنَّبِيَّthe Prophetصَلَّىmay blessاللهُAllahعَلَيْهِupon himوَسَلَّمَand grant him peace
due to hunger, and I came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace
أَسْأَلُهُasking him
asking him (for something)
فَلَمَّاand whenسَمِعْتُهُI heard himوَهُوَwhile heيَخْطُبُis giving a sermon
When I heard him giving a sermon
مَنwhoeverيَسْتَعِفُّseeks chastityيُعِفَّهُAllah makes him chasteاللهُAllah
Whoever seeks chastity, Allah makes him chaste
وَمَنْand whoeverيَسْتَعِنْseeks helpيُعِنْهُAllah helps himاللهُAllah
and whoever seeks help, Allah helps him
رَجَعْتُI returnedوَلَمْand notأَسْأَلْهُI asked him
I returned and did not ask him
Footnotes
- 1.الْغَنَوِيُّ
Al-Ghanawi
- 2.عُودُهَا: أَصْلُهَا وَمَعْدِنُهَا
Its wood: its origin and source
- 3.يُبْلَى شُحُّ نَفْسٍ وُجُودُهَا: أَيْ يُخْتَبَرُ بُخْلُ النَّفْسِ بِوُجُودِ الْمَالِ عِنْدَهَا
The stinginess of a soul is tested by its existence: i.e., the soul's stinginess is tested by the presence of wealth with it
- 4.جَدْبٌ جُنُودُهَا: أَيْ قَحْطٌ أَهْلُهَا
Barren its troops: i.e., its people are in drought
- 5.الْعُجَيْرُ السُّلُولِيُّ
Al-‘Ujayr as-Sululi
- 6.الْمَقَارِي: جَمْعُ مَقْرَاةٍ، وَهِيَ مَوْرِدُ الْمَاءِ
Al-maqari: plural of maqra, which is a watering place
- 7.يَسْتَعِفُّ: يَطْلُبُ الْعَفَافَ وَالتَّعَفُّفَ
Yasta'iff: seeks chastity and self-restraint