Sometimes we say things without paying much attention to their significance. We may be used to saying them, or we may have heard others saying them time after time. This familiarity tends to make us overlook their subtle meanings. As we need to observe certain values in the way we talk, it is important to know what is the real significance of whatever we say.
One such point is the way we attribute some action or decision or deed to God in addition to someone else. This person may be involved in accomplishing that particular action or taking that decision, but the way we attribute the matter to him could have some very significant effects.
It is reported that Abdullah ibn Umar asked someone to tell him the name of his master. The man said: “My master is God and so-and-so”, naming a certain person. Ibn Umar said to him: “Do not say it like that. You must not join anyone with God. You should say: “so-and-so after God.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad).
Of course the man who responded to Ibn Umar’s question had not thought of his master as a partner with God. However, the fact that he mentioned him with God, separated by the conjunction, “and”, suggests such partnership. It is like when we refer to a company of two partners, mentioning the two names with “and” in between. Hence Ibn Umar, a scholar with a keen sensitivity to what is contrary to Islamic practices and behavior, drew his attention to the irregularity in the way he spoke. He also told him how to put his answer. He should mention his master’s name, but he should add that he comes after God. Thus, he assigns to God the fact that He is the overall master of all situations.
The same applies to any form in which we mention someone’s name second to God. We should make it clear that God’s position is that of overall superiority to everyone and everything. Abdullah ibn Abbas mentions that a man came to the Prophet and told him: “Whatever God wishes and you wish.” The Prophet said to him: “You have set someone as equal to God. It is what God alone wishes.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Ahmad, Al-Nassaie and Ibn Majah). In fact Ibn Majah gives a slightly different version, relating that the Prophet said: “When any of you takes an oath, he must not say, ‘Whatever God wishes and you wish. He should say: Whatever God wishes, then as you wish’.” In both versions, the Prophet is clearly teaching us to place the wish of any person as completely secondary to God’s wish. This is the proper Islamic attitude.
The Prophet wanted to inculcate this point into the minds of his companions and followers. Thus, he points to the fact that the conjunction “and” signifies partnership without ranking; thus it makes whatever it joins together equal. In this it is different from the word, “then”, which signifies a secondary position. Thus, then makes the wish of a person subservient to God’s will.
All this obviously applies to things in which people’s wishes or actions play an actual part. Needless to say, there are things no one other than God can influence. These may not be attributed to anyone other than God, even if we use the conjunction, “then”. To attribute them to anyone in addition to God signifies that God cannot accomplish them on his own. This detracts from God’s ability. Hence, we should be very careful. In fact, it is always better to speak of God’s will and His wishes as being the ultimate, without adding anyone as involved.
If the above Hadiths tell us that we should watch our speech, other Hadiths simply alert us to avoid particular words in speech. Thus, the Prophet is quoted as saying: “Do not call grapes karm, but call it habalah.” The last word is the name of certain types of grapes. Karm on the other hand is a word used to refer to grapes in certain communities. In other usage, it refers to the vineyard as a whole, not to grapes. It is derived from a root that signifies generosity. Perhaps the Prophet was thinking of this when he said this Hadith, considering that wines are made of grapes. Hence, he did not wish wine to be associated with generosity, even in a very implicit way. Needless to say, in some communities where wines and intoxicants are part of the social habits, certain manners are observed, including drinking hospitality.
Similarly, the Prophet advises us to consider carefully what we say when expressing strong wishes. If we are requesting God to grant us something, we should be clear that it is good for us. If we are in doubt, then we should ascertain its benefit first. Abu Hurayrah quotes the Prophet as saying: “If any of you expresses a wish, he should consider what he is hoping to have. He may not know what he will be granted.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Ahmad and Al-Bayhaqi).
The Prophet’s instruction merely alerts us to being careful so that we know for certain what we are requesting God to grant us. It may be that we wish for something and pray for it. Then when we are granted that very thing, we may regret it because it turns out to be disadvantageous. A good practice to make sure that we are only given what is good is to pray to God to grant us our wish if He knows that it will bring us benefit.
Some people, however, think that we should not be praying for too much, so that we do not show ourselves to be greedy. This may be true if we are seeking a gift from a human being like us. But when we pray God for a favor, we know that we are asking the One who owns the whole universe. He will not be any poorer for granting us whatever we ask Him. It is to this aspect that the Prophet points in the Hadith reported by his wife, Aishah: “When anyone expresses his wish, he should ask for plenty. He is only asking God Almighty.” (Related by Al-Tabarani). So if we are seeking riches or benefits from God, we need not feel shy to seek much, because whatever God gives us will not decrease His dominion in anyway.