Sharh Riyad as-Saliheen by Ibn Uthaymeen — Volume 1 (شرح رياض الصالحين) — Page 637

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

تَعَارَضَت مَنفَعَةُ الدِّينِ وَمَنفَعَةُ الدُّنيَا فَقَدَّمَ مَنفَعَةَ الدِّينِ؛ لِأَنَّ الدِّينَ إِذَا صَلُحَ صَلَحَتِ الدُّنيَا، أَمَّا الدُّنيَا إِذَا صَلُحَت مَعَ فَسَادِ الدِّينِ فَإِنَّهَا تَفسُدُ.

(from previous page) ⟵ This is a great hadith that a person should make a beacon for himself in his religious and worldly work; because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Be keen on what benefits you." This word is a comprehensive and general word, "on what benefits you" means: on everything that benefits you, whether in religion or in the world. So, if the benefit of religion and the benefit of the world conflict, then prioritize the benefit of religion; because if religion is sound, the world will be sound. But if the world is sound with the corruption of religion, then it will be corrupted.

وَفِي قَولِهِ: «احْرِصْ عَلَى مَا يَنفَعُكَ» إِشَارَةٌ إِلَى أَنَّهُ إِذَا تَعَارَضَت مَنفَعَتَانِ إِحدَاهُمَا أَعلَى مِنَ الأُخرَى، فَإِنَّنَا نُقَدِّمُ المَنفَعَةَ العُليَا؛ لِأَنَّ المَنفَعَةَ العُليَا فِيهَا المَنفَعَةُ الَّتِي دُونَهَا وَزِيَادَةٌ، فَتَدخُلُ فِي قَولِهِ: «احْرِصْ عَلَى مَا يَنفَعُكَ».

The Prophet’s instruction, 'Be eager for what benefits you,' implies that when two benefits conflict, we must choose the superior one. The higher benefit encompasses the lesser one and adds more, thus falling under the scope of his command.

فَإِذَا اجتَمَعَ صِلَةُ أَخٍ وَصِلَةُ عَمٍّ كِلَاهُمَا سَوَاءٌ فِي الحَاجَةِ، وَأَنتَ لَا يُمكِنُكَ أَن تَصِلَ الرَّجُلَينِ جَمِيعًا، فَهُنَا تُقَدِّمُ صِلَةَ الأَخِ؛ لِأَنَّهَا أَفضَلُ وَأَنفَعُ، وَكَذَلِكَ أَيضًا لَو أَنَّكَ بَينَ مَسجِدَينِ كِلَاهُمَا فِي البُعدِ سَوَاءٌ لَكِنَّ أَحَدَهُمَا أَكثَرُ جَمَاعَةً فَإِنَّنَا نُقَدِّمُ الأَكثَرَ جَمَاعَةً؛ لِأَنَّهُ الأَفضَلُ، فَقَولُهُ: «عَلَى مَا يَنفَعُكَ» يُشِيرُ إِلَى أَنَّهُ إِذَا اجتَمَعَت مَنفَعَتَانِ إِحدَاهُمَا أَعلَى مِنَ الأُخرَى فَإِنَّهَا تُقَدَّمُ الأَعلَى.

If you must choose between helping a brother or an uncle who are equally in need, and you cannot assist both, prioritize the brother because it is the more virtuous and beneficial act. Similarly, if you choose between two mosques of equal distance, attend the one with the larger congregation, as it is superior. His phrase 'what benefits you' indicates that when benefits collide, the greater one takes precedence.

…2 more translated lines, 21 more verbs and 48 more nouns on this page — subscribe to study every page.

Vocabulary · المفردات (24 verbs · 51 nouns)

• تَعَارَضَ — to conflict
• قَدَّمَ — to prioritize
• صَلَحَ — to be good
• مَنْفَعَةٌ — benefit
• دِينٌ — religion
• دُنْيَا — world