Sharh Hadith Ammar ibn Yasir - radiyallahu anhu -
- Author died
- 795 AH
- Editions
- Al-Fārūq al-Ḥadīthah lil-Ṭibā‘ah wal-Nashr
Sharh Hadith ‘Ammar ibn Yasir (Commentary on the Hadith of 'Ammar ibn Yasir) is a treatise by the Hanbali traditionist and jurist Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (736–795 AH / 1335–1393 CE), dedicated to explaining the comprehensive supplication narrated by the Companion ‘Ammar ibn Yasir from the Prophet ﷺ.
Subject and Core Hadith
The work centers on the prophetic supplication recorded in the Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal and the Sunan of al-Nasa'i, which ‘Ammar ibn Yasir recited during prayer:
اللهم بعلمك الغيب وقدرتك على الخلق أحيني ما علمت الحياة خيرا لي، وتوفني إذا كانت الوفاة خيرا لي، اللهم إني أسألك خشيتك في الغيب والشهادة، وكلمة الحق في الغضب والرضا، وأسألك القصد في الفقر والغنى، وأسألك نعيما لا ينفد، وقرة عين لا تنقطع، وأسألك الرضاء بعد القضاء، وبرد العيش بعد الموت، وأسألك لذة النظر إلى وجهك والشوق إلى لقائك في غير ضراء مضرة ولا فتنة مضلة، اللهم زينا بزينة الإيمان واجعلنا هداة مهتدين
"O Allah, by Your knowledge of the unseen and Your power over creation, grant me life as long as You know life is good for me, and take my soul when You know death is good for me. O Allah, I ask You for fear of You in secret and in public, the word of truth in anger and pleasure, moderation in poverty and wealth, bliss that does not perish, perpetual delight of the eyes, contentment after the decree, the coolness of life after death, the pleasure of gazing upon Your Face, and longing to meet You without damaging affliction or misleading trial. O Allah, beautify us with the adornment of faith and make us guided guides."
Themes and Methodology
Ibn Rajab structures his commentary around the theological, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of the supplication's clauses. He opens by classifying human requests into two categories:
- Requests that are inherently good—such as fear of God, piety, Paradise, and protection from Hellfire. These must be sought decisively and unconditionally, without conditioning them on divine knowledge of benefit or divine will.
- Requests whose outcomes are hidden—such as life, death, wealth, poverty, and other worldly conditions. Because a servant cannot foresee their ultimate harm or benefit, these matters must be conditioned upon God's encompassing knowledge and decree.
The author examines the rulings regarding wishing for death (tamanni al-mawt), noting the general prophetic prohibition against doing so due to worldly harm or hardship, while contrasting it with circumstances where the early generations (al-salaf) deemed it permissible—such as fearing trials in religious practice (fitnah fi al-din), anticipating martyrdom, or longing for God while relying on good deeds. He cites historical precedents, such as Umar ibn al-Khattab and Zaynab bint Jahsh praying for death to avoid failing in their religious obligations or facing trials.
Ibn Rajab further expounds on each successive phrase, discussing the virtues of fear of God in private and public, speaking the truth impartially across emotional states of anger and pleasure, practicing financial moderation across poverty and affluence, and seeking spiritual solace and the vision of God in the afterlife. His method blends hadith analysis, legal derivation, and devotional exhortation, drawing extensively on Quranic verses, prophetic traditions, and reports from the early generations.
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