It was narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “The best of people is one whose life is long and his conduct is good”. Scholars also mentioned a bunch of deeds that prolong lifetime, those which were known from the narrated unseen, not the cognized one; from what was narrated as accredited prophetic saying or from a sharp understanding of the Holy Book given to a scholar. Some of those deeds that were mentioned by scholars are: “Fear and Devoutness towards Allah”, “Preserving Kinship ties”, “dutifulness to parents”; as the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “He who desires ample provisions and his life be prolonged, should maintain good ties with his blood relations, should remain pious to Allah and should be dutiful to his parents”
For the case of charity, even though there’s no verified text about it in relation to longevity, it has been listed by some scholars as one the deed that prolong one’s lifetime.
The Qotb Cheikh Tfyeche was one who’s distinguished by the already mentioned good manners. As The Golden Chains writer mentioned: The Qotb, May Him forgive his wrongs, was an open-handed and giving person. He never turns the beggar’s hand back and never disappoints who seeks him, except what God wills. Whoever comes to him with a dilemma or a problematic issue shall come back with a healed bitterness of his questions, full of content and delight. He was so inclined to participate in all kinds of charity and Donations. He would also ask one of his wives each day if she had donated something that day; in case the answer was positive he would leave to his work peacefully and delightedly, had it been negative he would throw all admonishment and blame words on them. That is why I described him and said: His hands are like two clouds that rain fresh water over all creatures…
Similar was his act of grace (Ihsan) towards the close and the strange. The writer said:” El-Qotb’s acts of grace (Ihsan) towards the strangers and travelers were more than the ones towards the relative and the resident guest. He also used to hold the hands of the poor people, widows and whoever seeks his help” (p 6-7)
Scholars have made different accounts to the causes of longevity, such as “blessing (El-barakah)” and “well-being”; when in fact it is Allah Who has the knowledge and control of all matters and He only is able to prolong one’s lifetime both qualitatively or quantitatively. In addition, there is no brain that can ever explain that process with logics and simple causative understanding, Glory be to Him, He is never questioned about what He does, yet we/they will all be.
Dr. Mohammed Babaammi
Translated by: Omar Bouchelaghem
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From the project of:” The Depiction of Az-Zaman (time) Concept for Qotb El-Ayimmah Mhammed son of Yusuf Tfyeche”.