Gains Pleasure Of Allah By The Anger Of People

You Cannot Please Everyone. A man said to al-Hasan al-Basree (rahimahullaah): ‘The people sit around you so that they may find fault with you!’ So he said, ‘Indeed, I encouraged my soul to aspire for Paradise so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from Hellfire and so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from the people, but I didn’t find a way to do that. Indeed the people were not pleased with their Creator although He provides for them, so how can they be pleased with another creation like themselves?’ [1].

Prophet Moosaa (’alayhis salaam) said:- ‘O my Lord, the people say things about me which are not (i.e. not true)! So Allah`(azza wa jall!’) revealed to him:- ‘O Moosaa, I did not make that (privilege) for Myself, so how can I make it the case for you?’ [2]

Maalik bin Dinaar:- ‘Since I have known the reality of people, I have not taken delight in their praise nor have I hated their criticism.’ It was said to him, ‘Why is that?’
He said, ‘The one who praises from amongst them is excessive and the critic from amongst them exaggerates! ” [3]

‘Aisha (radiyallaahu `anha) wrote to Mu’aawiyah (radiyallaahu` anhu): ‘Salamun ‘alayk. Amma ba’d. I have heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) say:- ‘Whoever gains the Pleasure of Allah by the anger of the people (i.e. thereby gains their anger)

Allah suffices him of the people’s troubles. ‘ And whoever gains the pleasure of the people by the Anger of Allah (i.e. in the process he gains His Anger), then Allah leaves him to the people.’ Wa-Salaamu ‘alayk.’ [4]

Imam ash-Shaafi’ee: ‘There is nobody except that he has someone who loves him and someone who hates him. So if that’s the case, let a person be with the people who are obedient to Allah `azza wa jall!’ ( – as they love and hate for the Sake of Allah and they are not unjust) [5]

References:-
[1] Al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah (9/318 )
[2] Al-Adaab al-Shar’iyyah by Ibn Muflih (1/38 )
[3] Tarikh Dimishq (59/307)
[4] Reported by al-Tirmidhi in Kitab al-Zuhd (no. 2414), declared Saheeh by al-Albaanee
[5] Hilyat al-Awliyah (9/124)