Zahid
Definition
A zahid is one who has genuinely embodied zuhd — not as a performance or a temporary practice, but as a stable character trait in which the heart is free from the pull of worldly desires. Al-Ghazali notes that the zahid may be found in the palace as readily as the desert, since what defines them is not their material condition but their interior freedom. True zahids are rare precisely because zuhd is so easily counterfeited: it is simple to appear austere while remaining inwardly greedy, and it is equally possible to appear comfortable while remaining inwardly free. Al-Ghazali urges his reader to look at their own heart — does the thought of losing their wealth cause inner distress? That distress is the measure of how far they are from zuhd.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Zahid.
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"during the conquest by Al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, as historians recorded during the conquest of Sindh. I was informed by Sheikh Imam Alim Zahid Abd Rukh Naldin, son of Sheikh Fakih Saleh Shams Aldin, and Sheikh Imam Abid Zahid Baha Aldin Zakaria Al-Qurashi, one of the three whom the pious Sheikh Wali Saleh Burhan Aldin Al-Araj informed me I would meet on my journey, which I did, praise be to God, that his great ancestor was named Muhammad ibn Qasim Al-Qurashi."
— Ibn Battuta, Volume Two: From India to the Lands of the West
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"Take the Sudanese, for three of them are among the people of Paradise, Luqman the wise, the Najashi, and Bilal the muezzin. This hadith is noted as strange and weak, but it is mentioned in Imam Ahmad's book Al-Zahid, which contains many important benefits. Regarding the verse, and indeed we gave Luqman wisdom from the Quran, it is said that this wisdom was understanding and accuracy without prophethood. Luqman was described as a black slave. It is also narrated that he was a tailor. Luqman advised his son, O my son, make obedience to Allah your trade and you will receive profits without any merchandise. He also said, O my son, fear Allah and do not let the people think"
— Ibn Kathir, Volume 2 — From the Israelite Prophets to Pre-Islamic Arabia
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"on the irony of laughter when one's shrouds might already be prepared. Abu Muhammad bin Ali al-Zahid narrated an encounter with Dawud al-Tayyi at a funeral in Kufa. Dawud spoke about the importance of fearing the warning and the nearness of what is to come. He emphasized that distractions from God are ominous and that people in the graves regret what they left behind. It was also narrated that Maruf al-Kharki, may God have mercy on him, established prayer. When asked to lead, Muhammad bin Abi Tubah declined, reflecting on the futility of long hopes that prevent the best deeds. Umar bin Abdul Aziz"
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 40: The Book of the Remembrance of Death and the Afterlife
Appears in
1 book in the library
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