In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Uqbah Ibn Aamir [may Allaah be pleased with him] said, “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! What is salvation [i.e. to be protected from Allaah’s punishment on the Day of Judgement]?’ He said, ‘Restrain your tongue, keep to your house and weep over your sin'”.

Restrain your tongue: Meaning, do not speak, except based on that which benefits you and that which concerns you, as the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, ‘’Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day, then let him say what is good or remain silent.”

Keep to your house: Some people may think that this necessitates keeping away from the people completely; rather this is an advice of the Prophet that one stays in his house when Fitan becomes rife, so a person realises that there is no benefit in intermingling with the people; rather it becomes obligated on him [or her] to save himself [or herself] by staying indoors. However, this is not permissible in every era and place, because Islaam is established based on the foundation [ قُمۡ فَأَنذِرۡ – Arise and warn [i.e. call to Tawheed and warn against shirk(Surah Al-Mud-dath-thir’ Aayah 2], and this necessitates that one intermingles with the people to give them dawah. And this why the Messenger said: ”The believer who mixes with people and patiently bears their harm is better than the one who does not mix with people and does not patiently bear their harm.’’ However, if intermingling with the people will result in harming the Aqeedah, manners and religion of the Muslim, then he [or she] should adhere to this noble advice of the Prophet that one “Stays in his [or her] house”.

And weep over your sins: This is a constant obligation, whether Muslim lives in isolation from the people [i.e. when the need arises] or intermingles with them. One should take himself [or herself] to account and contemplates on what he [ or she] did during day and night, so that he [or she] remembers his Lord and hopes that he [or she] will be included amongst those seven people [i.e. those who will be provided with shade on the day of judgement when there will be no shade], and amongst them is ‘’the one who remembers Allaah when he is alone, and his eyes fill up with tears.’’ [Al-Bukhaari, no. 620] https://safeshare.tv/x/zoThA-C4aDw By Imaam Al-Albaanee [may Allaah have mercy upon him]

Allaah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said:

“Allah loves a slave who is pious, self-sufficient and unnoticed”.

[Saheeh Muslim 2965]

Taqiy- Pious: Fears Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic], so he fulfils Allaah’s commands and keeps away from what Allaah has prohibited. Fulfils Allaah’s commands, such as performance of the prayer and performs it in congregation in the Masjid, pays the zakaat and gives it to the one entitled to it, fasts the month of Ramadhaan, treats orphans with kindness and other types of acts of piety, righteousness and means to doing good.

Ghaniy- self-sufficient: Has no need of the people and suffices himself with Allaah. He does not ask the people anything (I) and does not lower himself to the people (i.e due to being in need of them) (II); rather he is not in need of the people. He knows himself, suffices himself with his Lord and does not pay attention to other than his Lord.

Khafiy- hidden or unnoticed: He does not make himself manifest and does not give importance to manifesting himself amongst the people, to be pointed out or for people to speak about him. You find him between his house and his (local) Masjid vice versa- from his house to his relatives and his brothers, whilst being unnoticed, and makes himself unnoticed. However, this does not mean that if Allaah grants a person knowledge, he confines himself in his house and does not teach the people. This is in opposition to piety (because) teaching the people is better for him than being confined in his house and does not benefit the people with his knowledge, (III) or he sits in his house and does not benefit the people with his wealth; rather if the affair is between being conspicuous- to manifest himself or make himself visible, and between hiding himself (i.e. without a need to make himself manifest), then he chooses to hide himself; but if it is the case that he must make himself apparent, then he has to make himself apparent. This is beloved to Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic]. [Explanation of Riyaadus Saaliheen. Chapter 69. Vol 3. Page 509. Publisher: Al-Maktabah Al-Arabiyyah As-Su’oodiyyah Edition 1425AH. By Imaam Muhammad Ib Saaleh al-Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy upon him) slightly paraphrased]

Footnotes:

(I) Asking the people: Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee [may Allaah preserve him] quoted Shaikhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allaah have mercy upon him] who stated, “The initiate affair with regards to asking the creation is that it is forbidden to do so, but it is permissible in when there is a necessity, but it is better to abandon doing so out of reliance on Allaah. [See Qaa’idah Jaleelah Fee at-tawassul Wal-Waseelah. page 7. Publisher Maktabah al-Furqan. 1st Edition 1422 (Year 2001)]

(II) Lowering Oneself: Imaam Ibn Hibbaan [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “It is obligated on a sensible person that he adheres to humility and avoids pride. Humility is of two types- the first one is praiseworthy and the other is blameworthy. Praiseworthy humility is that one abandons insolence and mockery. Blameworthy humility is that a person humbles himself in the presence of one who possesses the things of the worldly life and desiring what such a person possesses. Therefore, a sensible person maintains his abandonment of blameworthy humility in all circumstances and he does not depart from praiseworthy humility. [An Excerpt from Rawdatul Uqalaa page 58]

(III) The Scholars are three types: Shaikh Abdullah Al-Bukhaari [may Allaah preserve him] stated, Shaikh Abdullah Al-Bukhaaree [may Allaah preserve him] stated, “Ibn Abee Shaybah [may allaah have mercy upon him] reported in Al-Musannaf and Abu Nu-aym [may Allaah have mercy upon him] in Al-Hilya [5/12] with an authentic chain from Abu Muslim Al-Khawlaani [may Allaah have mercy upon him], who said, ‘The scholars are three types- a man who lives with his knowledge and the people live with it alongside him; a man who lives with his knowledge and none else lives with it alongside him, and as for the third man, the people live with his knowledge and it destroys him’. The intent behind this speech: Indeed the first (man) knows, acts and teaches. As for the second, he knows and acts, but does not teach. As for the third, he knows and teaches, but does not act! We ask Allaah for steadfastness and well-being”. [ المقالات الشرعية– pages: 23-24]

Imaam Fudayl Ibn Iyaadh [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “If you are able not to be known, then do so. Is there anything against you if you are unknown? Is there anything against you if you are not praised? Is there anything against you if you are considered blameworthy in the sight of the people but praiseworthy in the sight of Allaah [The Mighty and Majestic]?” [Hilyatul Awliyaa 8/89]