Discover the story of Sya'ban, a companion of the Prophet who chose to live far from the home of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to earn more rewards. However, he also had regrets at the end of his life. What were his regrets? Read on to find out.
Sya'ban, the Devoted Companion Who Walked a Long Path to the Mosque
One of the remarkable companions of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was Sya'ban. He was known for his unwavering presence at the mosque even before the call to prayer and his choice to pray in a corner of the mosque during congregational prayers, ensuring he didn't disturb others with his movements.
However, Sya'ban's distinction lay in one particular choice. He decided to live far from the home of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), which was adjacent to the Masjid Nabawi. Many companions were willing to pay a high price for homes close to the Prophet's residence.
What motivated Sya'ban to make this decision? Did he not love Prophet Muhammad (SAW)? Did he not wish to be close to him?
Sya'ban's Reason for Living Far from the Prophet's Home
As it turns out, Sya'ban's decision to live far from the Prophet's home was driven by his desire for greater rewards. He had heard the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) say that every step a person takes towards the mosque erases one sin or elevates their status by one degree.
Thus, Sya'ban chose to reside in a home distant from the mosque, requiring a three-hour journey on foot. His hope was to accumulate more rewards than his fellow companions.
Ubay bin Ka'ab, a former Jewish priest who had converted to Islam and become a companion of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), learned of Sya'ban's situation. He felt compassion for Sya'ban and offered to buy him a donkey to make his journey faster and more comfortable.
However, Sya'ban firmly declined, saying, "By Allah, I do not want my house to be near the Prophet's house. I prefer to live in a distant house."
Ubay bin Ka'ab was astonished by Sya'ban's response and promptly reported the incident to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The Prophet summoned Sya'ban and inquired about the reasoning behind his choice.
Sya'ban explained that he wanted to earn more rewards by walking a long distance to the mosque. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) smiled and commended Sya'ban's noble intentions. He also prayed for Allah's blessings on Sya'ban's efforts.
Regrets Echo in Sya'ban's Final Moments
Despite his virtuous intentions, Sya'ban had some regrets as he approached the end of his life. This became evident during his final moments.
At that time, Sya'ban's wife informed Prophet Muhammad (SAW) of her husband's passing. She also recounted that he had cried out loudly as death approached.
His cries were as follows:
"Oh, why wasn't it farther? Oh, why wasn't it brand new? Oh, why wasn't it all?"
The first cry, "Oh, why wasn't it farther," revealed that Sya'ban regretted not having a home even farther from the mosque. He felt that the rewards he had earned were still insufficient compared to others.
The second cry, "Oh, why wasn't it brand new," indicated that Sya'ban regretted not giving someone a brand-new garment when he had the opportunity. On one occasion, he had given his old clothing to someone in need, but he felt it was inadequate.
The third cry, "Oh, why wasn't it all," showed that Sya'ban regretted not giving all of his bread to a hungry person. Once, he had shared a portion of his bread with a hungry man he encountered, but he believed he should have given the man all of his bread since he could obtain more at the mosque.
Lessons from Sya'ban's Story
Sya'ban's story teaches us that we should continually strive to draw nearer to Allah SWT and Prophet Muhammad (SAW). We should also engage in righteous deeds and give to charity with sincerity.
However, we must recognize that we cannot measure rewards and sins by human standards. Only Allah SWT knows what is best for us. We should also be grateful for the blessings bestowed upon us by Allah SWT, without feeling superior or inferior to others.
May Sya'ban's story inspire all of us to become better Muslims. Ameen.
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