Hadith Translation & Commentary: “A single jurist is more severe on Shaytaan than 1000 WORSHIPPERS.”
Disclaimer: This hadith is taken from زاد الطالبين (Provisions for the Seekers) originally written by Shaykh Maulana Muhammad Ashiq Ilahi al-Bulandshehri in Arabic. Provision for the Seekers is the English version translated with additional commentary by Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf. No copyright infringement intended whatsoever. All rights belong to the publisher(s).
Original & Translation
فَقِيهٌ وَّاحِدٌ أَشَدُّ عَلَى الشَّيطَانِ مِن أَلفِ عَابِدٍ
“A single jurist is more severe on Shaytaan than a thousand worshippers.”
Note: This is an authentic hadith from Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah. Tirmidhi transmits it without the word “واحِدٌ” in it.
Sentence Analysis (Tarkeeb)
فَقِيهٌ وَّاحِدٌ is murakkab tawseefiyy as they match in definiteness, gender, plurality, and state (haal).
أَشَدُّ is ism tafdeel (superlative noun).
أَلفِ عَابِدٍ is mudhaaf and mudhaafilay, together forming a murakkab idhaafiyy.
Commentary
A jurist, in comparison to a worshipper, can more easily recognize the evil ploys of Satan. They can make people aware of Satan’s deceits and enjoin the people to do good. A jurist (faqih) has a deep understanding of the deen. On the other hand, an ordinary worshipper gets caught up more easily in Satan’s trickery because he is completely unaware of it.
Imam Hasan al-Basri has said “a faqih has an indifference to the Dunya [world] and is very attracted to the Akhirah [Hereafter]. He always looks at his own faults”.
This shows that having understanding of the deen is important. Even though not every Muslim is jurist, one should still strive to understand (and not just know) more about Islam in order to prevent themselves from falling onto a wrong path. It would be very beneficial for a person to focus on their own faults to better themselves for the Akhirah (Hereafter).
Additional Note:
In addition to the disclaimer, please note that I have not created this information. Rather, I have shared my notes on what was taught to me by my reputable teachers as I am a student of the deen (religion) Islam. All thanks to Allah, the Most High. Any mistake, misuse, or misinterpretation of the teachings would be entirely due to my lack of knowledge. If you have any questions or concerns about these notes, please feel free to leave a comment below or reach me privately through my blog here or @hadithexplained on Twitter.
