بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Assalamu Alaikum.
The Sunnah (way) of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is practical and amazing. It also encompasses every aspect of life.
(Please note that I’m using “Sunnah” to mean ‘way’ and not to mean ‘recommended’. This word actually has multiple meanings which tends to confuse people.)
Some of it is obligatory and some of it is recommended. Some of it is very easy and some of it is not that easy.
This new series is dedicated to the really simple sunnahs out there.
The first really simple sunnah that I chose concerns fire. And yes, I chose that because the last post was all about fire.
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ احْتَرَقَ بَيْتٌ بِالْمَدِينَةِ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، فَحُدِّثَ بِشَأْنِهِمُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ : إِنَّ هَذِهِ النَّارَ إِنَّمَا هِيَ عَدُوٌّ لَكُمْ، فَإِذَا نِمْتُمْ فَأَطْفِئُوهَا عَنْكُمْ
Narrated Abu Musa (radiallahu anhu): One night a house in Madinah was burnt with its occupants. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) spoke about them, saying, “This fire is indeed your enemy, so whenever you go to bed, put it out to protect yourselves.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadeeth No. 309]
عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : خَمِّرُوا الآنِيَةَ وَأَجِيفُوا الأَبْوَابَ، وَأَطْفِئُوا الْمَصَابِيحَ، فَإِنَّ الْفُوَيْسِقَةَ رُبَّمَا جَرَّتِ الْفَتِيلَةَ فَأَحْرَقَتْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah (radiallahu anhuma): Allah’s Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “(At bedtime) cover the utensils, close the doors, and extinguish the lamps, lest the evil creature (the rat) should pull away the wick and thus burn the people of the house.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Hadeeth No. 310]
This sunnah will take a minute to follow and may end up saving many lives.
Now, in the past, the lamps used fire obviously, not electricity. What about the current era, you ask? Well, we don’t use those type of lamps anymore but there are still other things that produce fire that we should be wary of.
Candles are one of those things. Many people tend to leave these burning the whole night long and that’s a no-no. Some houses have burnt down because of candles that people neglected to put out.
Another thing that can cause fires are stoves. Make sure that your stove is switched off before you go to sleep.
The second hadeeth also mentions some other really simple sunnahs to do before you sleep: cover utensils (as in don’t leave your food uncovered) and close the doors. Very simple, non?
May Allah make us of those who stick to the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam).