All praise is due to Allah The Exalted, and may Allah raise the rank of our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, his kind relatives and companions, and protect his nation from that which he feared for them thereafter;

The context of the hadith: “Shall I not direct you to what is more beneficial for you than having a servant?”

Brothers in belief and in Islam,

I urge you as I urge myself to adhere to the obligations and to avoid the prohibitions and to fear Allah. Let one be concerned with only one thing, that is, the Hereafter. Allah, the Exalted, is clear of imperfection and is truthful in what He revealed.

Ayah 17 Surat Al-A^la means: {The Hereafter is more beneficial and everlasting}.

There is no doubt and no question about the rewards in the hereafter being magnificent and everlasting. This means that the pleasures of Paradise are superior in quality and quantity and longer lasting than the pleasures of this world. Also undoubted is the fact that the one who is clever and intelligent will discipline one’s self and work towards gaining the pleasures of life after death, applying the traditions of goodness urged by the Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him.

On that note, it was related that our master ^Aliyy, may Allah reward him greatly said:

“Fatima complained about the unpleasant traces that making dough and kneading it had left on her hands, so she went to the Messenger of Allah [her father] asking him for permission to obtain a servant, but she did not find him home. She mentioned her problem to Lady ^A’ishah (may Allah raise her rank) who then mentioned it to the Prophet when he returned home. The Prophet then came to ^Aliyy’s house as Fatima and ^Aliyy were lay in bed.  ^Aliyy wanted to get up off his bed, but the Prophet said to him: ‘Stay in your place’, then he sat between them and said: “Shall I not direct you to what is more beneficial for you than having a servant?”Every night you go to bed recite 33 times the phrase-‘Subhanallah’ (i.e. ‘Allah is Exalted and clear of imperfection’), 33 times – ‘Al-Hamdu lillah’ (i.e. ‘All praise is due to Allah) and 33 times – ‘Allahu Akbar’ (i.e. Allah is the Greatest). This will be more beneficial for you than having a servant. (Related by Al-Bukhariyy, Muslim and Al-Bayhaqiyy). The word servant in Arabic can refer to a female or a male servant, however, in this case it is referred to a female servant.

The hadith of the Prophet of Allah is undoubtedly in agreement with the Qur’an. The servant is a worldly benefit, but to praise and glorify Allah in the manner described will bring the person a greater and everlasting benefit in the Hereafter, evidenced in the meaning of the previously mentioned Ayah of the Qur’an: {The Hereafter is more beneficial  and everlasting}.

In those early days, people used to grind the wheat and knead the dough at home, to make their bread. It was not as easy as today. Even Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet, complained of the effects that grinding the wheat and kneading, had left on her hands.

Some scholars who explained the meanings of the Holy Qur’an interpreted the Ayah in the context of the hadith and added that Fatimah will experience as a result of the habitual recitations a physical power that will enable her to fulfil the chores more efficiently than a servant.”

Allah has the Power over everything. Absolutely nothing incapacitates Him. Isn’t it related as a fact that the righteous steadfast Muslim (at–Taqiyy), by virtue of that Muslim’s religiosity, will not feel hunger when the sedition of famine will spread during the time of Ad-Dajjal? Yes, it is. So, there is no doubt in the truthfulness of the directive of Prophet Muhammad, may Allah raise his rank.

Indeed beautiful is the family who is reliant totally on the Lord of the worlds. Today, in the current economic circumstances obvious to all, most men have become unable to hire an in-house maid for their wives. The wife finds herself patiently fulfilling the chores in the house day and night. Hence it is proper and timely for the husband to remind his wife of what the Prophet advised and what is more in her favour for the Hereafter. It is indeed proper and timely for both the husband and wife to aid one another in acts of obedience like awaking for night prayers.

Despite the fact that Prophet Sulayman was not one who used to sleep for long hours at night, his mother still reminded him of the better deed. The Prophet, may Allah raise his rank said in a hadith: “The mother of Sulayman Ibn Dawud said to Sulayman, ‘O son, do not sleep for long hours at night as sleeping for long hours at night leaves the person poor on the Day of Judgement” (Related by An-Nasa’iy, Ibn Majah and Al-Bayhaqiyy).

So, wake up at night and awaken your wife to perform prayers. Definitely, the number of breaths is limited and life will inevitably end. The honest and truthful Prophet, may Allah raise his rank, said in a hadith: “Allah will bestow mercy upon the husband who wakes up at night and prays as well as awakens his wife to pray and if she is overcome by sleep, he sprinkles water on her face” (i.e. sprays a few droplets of water to help her wake up).

Similarly, he, may Allah raise his rank said in a hadith: “Allah will bestow mercy upon the wife who wakes up at night and prays as well as awakens her husband  to pray and if he is overcome by sleep, she sprinkles  water on his face” (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’iy, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim).

O Allah, aid us to habitually mention You, to praise You and be pious Ameen
We humbly ask Allah to enlighten us with the light of Knowledge, and keep us steadfast to the path of truth and righteousness. Ameen.