Part 2. When Allah Laughs: What it Means When Allah Laughs & A Beautiful Hadith on 3 Allaah Loves, Is Pleased with and Rejoices Over

Shaykh al-Islām Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH/1328 CE) said:

“The aḥādīth concerning Allah’s laughter are mutawātir from the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, and they have been narrated by the leading Imāms.” Al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā, vol. 5, p. 297.

The following ḥadīth mentions three categories of people who are honoured with an extraordinary distinction: Allah ﷻ loves them, laughs at them, and rejoices over them.

Abū al-Dardāʾ narrated that the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said: “There are three whom Allah ﷻ loves, laughs at, and rejoices over: A man who remains behind after his companions have retreated and continues fighting solely for the sake of Allah ﷻ. If he is killed, or if Allah ﷻ grants him victory and suffices him, Allah ﷻ says: ‘Look at My servant, how he remained patient for My sake.’ A man who has a beautiful wife and a comfortable bed, yet he rises during the night, abandoning his desire in order to remember Me and converse privately with Me. Had he wished, he could have remained asleep. And a traveller who journeys with a group. After they remain awake and become exhausted before sleeping, he rises during the pre-dawn hours to pray, whether in ease or hardship.”

This narration was recorded by al-Ḥākim al-Naysābūrī (d. 405 AH/1014 CE) in Al-Mustadrak (vol. 1, p. 25) and by al-Bayhaqī (d. 458 AH/1066 CE) in Al-Asmāʾ wa al-Ṣifāt (vol. 2, p. 408). Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (d. 1420 AH/1999 CE) graded it ḥasan in Al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah (no. 3478).

The Virtue of the One Who Rises to Pray in the Depth of the Night

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī (d. 795 AH/1393 CE) said: “Among the virtues of the night prayer is that Allah ﷻ loves those who perform it, boasts of them before the angels, and answers their supplications.” Laṭāʾif al-Maʿārif, p. 43.

Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (d. 241 AH/855 CE) also narrated from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Fasting and the Qurʾān will intercede for the servant on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: ‘My Lord, I prevented him from food and desires during the day, so allow me to intercede for him.’ The Qurʾān will say: ‘I prevented him from sleeping at night, so allow me to intercede for him.’ Thus, they will both be permitted to intercede.”

This narration was recorded by Imām Aḥmad (ḥadīth no. 6589) and authenticated by Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ (no. 7329).

ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd narrated that the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said: “Our Lord ﷻ is amazed by two men. One is a man who rises from his bed and blanket, leaving his family and loved ones to stand in prayer. Allah ﷻ says: ‘Look at My servant. He has left his bed and his blanket, departing from his loved ones and family to stand in prayer, hoping for what is with Me and fearing what is with Me.’ The other is a man who fought in the cause of Allah ﷻ. When his companions fled, he knew the sin of fleeing from battle and the reward of returning. So he returned until his blood was shed. Allah ﷻ says: ‘Look at My servant. He returned, hoping for what is with Me and fearing what is with Me, until his blood was spilled.'”

This narration was recorded by Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (d. 241 AH/855 CE), Abū Yaʿlā al-Mawṣilī (d. 307 AH/919 CE), al-Ṭabarānī (d. 360 AH/971 CE), and Ibn Ḥibbān (d. 354 AH/965 CE) in his Ṣaḥīḥ. Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (d. 1420 AH/1999 CE) graded it ḥasan li-ghayrihi in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb wa al-Tarhīb (no. 630).

Al-Ṭabarānī also narrated it as a mawqūf report from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd with a ḥasan chain of transmission. Shaykh al-Albānī judged this wording to be ṣaḥīḥ li-ghayrihi as a mawqūf narration.

The wording recorded by al-Ṭabarānī from Murrah, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd, is as follows: “O people! Hold fast to truthfulness, for it leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. Beware of lying, for it leads to wickedness, and wickedness leads to the Fire. The truthful person will continue to be recorded as truthful and righteous, while the liar will continue to be recorded as a liar and wicked. Indeed, the angel has an inspiration (lammah), and Satan also has an inspiration. The inspiration of the angel is a promise and encouragement towards goodness, whereas the inspiration of Satan is a promise of evil. Whoever experiences the inspiration of the angel should praise Allah ﷻ, and whoever experiences the inspiration of Satan should seek refuge with Allah ﷻ from it.”

He then recited the statement of Allah ﷻ:

ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلًا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ۞

“Satan threatens you with poverty and commands you to commit faḥshāʾ (evil deeds), whereas Allah ﷻ promises you forgiveness from

Himself and bounty. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing.” (Sūrat al-Baqarah 2:268)

He then said: “Indeed, Allah ﷻ laughs at two men. One is a man who rises on a cold night, leaving his bed, blanket, and warm covering. He performs wuḍūʾ and then stands in prayer. Allah ﷻ says to His angels: ‘What prompted My servant to do this?’ They reply: ‘Our Lord, hoping for what is with You and fearing what is with You.’ Allah ﷻ then says: ‘Indeed, I have granted him what he hoped for and have given him security from what he feared.’ The other is a man who was among a military company. He knew the consequence of fleeing from battle and the reward awaiting him with Allah ﷻ if he remained steadfast. So he fought until he was killed. Allah ﷻ says to the angels: ‘What prompted My servant to do this?’ They reply: ‘Our Lord, hoping for what is with You and fearing what is with You.’ Allah ﷻ then says: ‘I call you to witness that I have granted him what he hoped for and have given him security from what he feared,’ or words to that effect.”

This narration was recorded by al-Ṭabarānī (d. 360 AH/971 CE) in Al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr (ḥadīth no. 8532).

Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (d. 1420 AH/1999 CE) graded the marfūʿ version of this narration as ḥasan li-ghayrihi and the mawqūf version as ṣaḥīḥ li-ghayrihi. See Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb wa al-Tarhīb (no. 630) and Al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah (no. 3478).

What Does Allah’s Laughter Mean for the Servant?

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked: “Which of the martyrs is the most virtuous?” He ﷺ replied: “Those who, when they meet the enemy in the battle line, do not turn their faces away until they are killed. They will dwell in the lofty chambers of Paradise, and their Lord laughs at them. When your Lord laughs at a servant in this world, there will be no reckoning for him.”

This ḥadīth was recorded by Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal and Abū Yaʿlā al-Mawṣilī. Its narrators are trustworthy, and Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī authenticated it in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb wa al-Tarhīb (no. 1371).

Likewise, Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The best jihād in the sight of Allah ﷻ on the Day of Resurrection belongs to those who stand in the front rank and do not turn their faces away until they are killed. They will dwell in the lofty chambers of Paradise, and your Lord laughs at them. When Allah ﷻ laughs at a people, there will be no reckoning for them.”

This narration was recorded by al-Ṭabarānī (d. 360 AH/971 CE) with a ḥasan chain of transmission. Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (d. 1420 AH/1999 CE) graded it ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb wa al-Tarhīb (no. 1372).

These authentic aḥādīth demonstrate the immense virtue of those who sacrifice their personal comfort and worldly desires for the sake of Allah ﷻ. Whether standing firm in battle when others retreat, rising from a warm bed to worship during the stillness of the night, or forsaking much-needed rest while travelling in order to pray before dawn, each of these servants gives precedence to the pleasure of Allah ﷻ over the inclinations of the soul.

The repeated descriptions that Allah ﷻ loves them, laughs at them, and rejoices over them are among the greatest glad tidings mentioned in the Sunnah. They affirm, according to the understanding of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah, the divine attributes as they have come in the Qurʾān and the authentic Sunnah, without distortion (taḥrīf), denial (taʿṭīl), asking how (takyīf), or likening Allah ﷻ to His creation (tamthīl).

Likewise, these narrations encourage every believer to strive for sincerity (ikhlāṣ), perseverance, patience, and hidden acts of worship known only to Allah ﷻ. The believer who rises while others sleep, who remains steadfast when others falter, and who remembers his Lord in times of hardship is promised a station of honour known only to those whom Allah ﷻ has favoured.

May Allah ﷻ make us among those whom He loves, is pleased with, and honours through His mercy.

References

• Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (d. 241 AH/855 CE), Al-Musnad, edited by Shuʿayb al-Arnaʾūṭ et al., Muʾassasat al-Risālah, Beirut, 1st ed., 2001.
• Al-Albānī, Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn (d. 1420 AH/1999 CE), Al-Silsilah al-Ṣaḥīḥah, Maktabat al-Maʿārif, Riyadh.
• Al-Albānī, Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn (d. 1420 AH/1999 CE), Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ al-Ṣaghīr wa Ziyādatuh, Al-Maktab al-Islāmī, Beirut.
• Al-Albānī, Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn (d. 1420 AH/1999 CE), Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb wa al-Tarhīb, Maktabat al-Maʿārif, Riyadh.
• Al-Bayhaqī, Aḥmad ibn al-Ḥusayn (d. 458 AH/1066 CE), Al-Asmāʾ wa al-Ṣifāt, edited by ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Ḥāshidī, Maktabat al-Sawādī, Jeddah, 1993.
• Ibn Ḥibbān, Muḥammad ibn Ḥibbān al-Bustī (d. 354 AH/965 CE), Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān, edited by Shuʿayb al-Arnaʾūṭ, Muʾassasat al-Risālah, Beirut.
• Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Aḥmad (d. 795 AH/1393 CE), Laṭāʾif al-Maʿārif, Dār Ibn Kathīr, Damascus.
• Ibn Taymiyyah, Aḥmad ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm (d. 728 AH/1328 CE), Al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā, Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah, Beirut.
• Al-Ḥākim al-Naysābūrī, Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh (d. 405 AH/1014 CE), Al-Mustadrak ʿalā al-Ṣaḥīḥayn, Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah, Beirut.
• Al-Ṭabarānī, Sulaymān ibn Aḥmad (d. 360 AH/971 CE), Al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr, Maktabat Ibn Taymiyyah, Cairo.
• Abū Yaʿlā al-Mawṣilī, Aḥmad ibn ʿAlī (d. 307 AH/919 CE), Musnad Abī Yaʿlā, edited by Ḥusayn Salīm Asad, Dār al-Maʾmūn li al-Turāth, Damascus.