Some people tend to stress the element of punishment for sin, citing in particular whatever they heard of the horrors of hell and how those who meet that fate will suffer. Islam is more about forgiveness and the grace God bestows on His servants. He states in the Qur’an: “God forgives all sins; He alone is much-forgiving, ever-merciful.” (29: 53) Why people stress punishment more than forgiveness sounds mysterious. Perhaps they think that fear has a stronger effect on man than hope, or rather we are more strongly motivated by the need to avoid harm than to bring comfort. This is, however, shortsighted, because if we stress fear and punishment too strongly, their effect on our motivation will soon dwindle. By contrast, if we put much emphasis on forgiveness and mercy, we may cause an element of complacency to creep in. Therefore, it is important to maintain the right balance, raising always the prospect of God’s forgiveness of our sins, while at the same time we do not overlook that sinful actions merit severe punishment. Hence, in order to avoid punishment, we need to ensure forgiveness by doing more good deeds, remembering the fact God states in the Qur’an: “Good deeds will erase bad ones.” (11: 114) Thus, we keep the motivation for doing good, fresh and strong all the time.
When we read the Qur’anic accounts of the Day of Judgment and what happens in the life to come, we are bound to recognize the balance maintained throughout between the happiness enjoyed by the people of heaven and the suffering of those destined for hell. However, if we examine these accounts very carefully, we feel that the balance tilts slightly toward God’s forgiveness and mercy, which provides hope for any sinner, no matter how heavy is his burden of sin. Had this emphasis been much stronger, people would be complacent and their good deeds would slacken.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was always keen to maintain this balance, but he also kept the prospect of forgiveness of sin always alive. He intimated the breadth of God’s forgiveness to those of his companions who were certain to maintain their diligent attitude, such as Mu‘adh ibn Jabal, a learned scholar from the Ansar who was to be appointed governor of Yemen toward the end of the Prophet’s life. Mu‘adh reports: “I was riding behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) on a donkey named Ufayr when he said to me: ‘Mu‘adh! Do you know what is God’s essential right due to Him from His servants, and what is the right due to them from Him?’ I said: ‘God and His messenger know best.’ He said: ‘God’s essential right is that His servants should worship Him alone associating no partners with Him. Their essential right from Him is that He will not let those who do not associate partners with Him suffer the punishment of hell.’ I said: ‘Messenger of God! Shall I give this good news to people?’ He said: ‘Do not give them this good news, lest they should become complacent.’” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
The Prophet realized that his statement would be reported, but he did not wish that it should be given great emphasis. If we were to visualize what would have happened as a result of this statement, had there been the sort of media we have today, we would imagine that Mu‘adh would give the news to a journalist. This would mean that the Prophet’s statement would be given main headlines in the press and in all radio and television news bulletins. Interviews would be broadcast with the Prophet and with Mu‘adh, and analysts would be asked their views. Everyone would emphasize the fact that escaping punishment in the life to come only requires that people do not associate partners with God. What motivation is, then, left for people to do good deeds, when deep in our minds the notion is engraved that the real triumph in the life to come is to escape punishment? God tells us in the Qur’an: “He who shall be drawn away from the fire and brought into paradise shall indeed have gained a triumph.” (3: 185)
It is this sort of thing that the Prophet did not wish to happen when he told his companion not to give what he said to him much publicity. He wanted us to know, but not to treat his statement as a waiver of all responsibility to do what is required of us and to avoid sinful action.
Turning to a different point in the quoted Hadith, we note that the Prophet’s companion mentions that he was riding with the Prophet on the same mount, a donkey. In fact, this Hadith is mentioned in some anthologies in the section that speak of the Prophet’s use of animals, and in this case, his riding mules and donkeys. Other Hadiths in this section show that the Prophet did what people normally did in his time, using horses, mules, donkeys and camels for traveling. Thus, Ibn Abbas reports: “Negus sent a mule to the Prophet as a gift and he used to ride it; and Negus also sent him a cup which he used for drinking.” (Related by Abu Al-Shaykh.) Another Hadith is reported by Ibn Umar who says: “The Prophet came out once riding a donkey called Al-Ya‘foor.” (Related by Abu Al-Shaykh.) We learn that this donkey was also a gift given to the Prophet by Farwah ibn Amr.
Further Hadiths mention that the Prophet rode a donkey when he was at Khaybar, and that he used a saddle and a rein made of fiber. Another Hadith is reported by Ibn Umar who says: “I saw the Prophet praying while riding a donkey facing toward Khaybar.” (Related by Malik, Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood and Al-Nassaie.)
This last Hadith, which is highly authentic, is of particular importance. It makes clear that one can pray any voluntary prayer, but not obligatory ones, while riding. In this case, one prays in the direction his mount or vehicle is traveling. This may be the opposite of the direction toward the Kaaba, but the prayer is valid. In fact, the Prophet was in the case reported in this Hadith aiming toward Khaybar which was the opposite direction of Makkah and the Kaaba.
The question arises here whether this applies to modern means of transport. The answer is that it does, provided that one is careful enough not to endanger oneself or those with him, taking his eyes off the road while his vehicle is moving fast. A car driver should not pray while driving, but a bus or car passenger can do so. We should remember that only voluntary prayer is permissible. Obligatory prayer while traveling by plane or train is acceptable only if leaving the prayer until we arrive will mean that we will have missed it.