Hadhrat Handhala رضي الله عنه ´s fear of hypocrisy

Hadhrat Handhala رضي الله عنه relates, “We were once with Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم when he delivered a sermon that caused our hearts to melt, our eyes to flow with tears and which brought reality before us. When I left Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم and returned home to my wife and children, we discussed worldly affairs, I started to laugh with the children and joke with my wife. The condition that I felt when we were with Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم had vanished. I suddenly realised that I was not whom I had been. The state I was in when with Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم was unlike that which I was in when with my Family. I then said to myself, 'O Handhala! You are a hypocrite.' In a state of distress, I left my house repeating the words, 'Handhala has turned hypocrite.'

As Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه came up to me, I said to him 'Handhala has turned hypocrite.' 'SubhanAllah!' He exclaimed, 'What are you saying? Handhala can never be a hypocrite.' I then said to him, ' when we are with Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم and listen to him speak about Jannah and Jahannam, we feel as if they are present before our very eyes but when we return home and are absorbed in the affairs of our family and property, we forget everything else.' 'This happens to me as well,' Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said. We then both went to Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم . 'I have turned hypocrite, Oh Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم,'
I said. When Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم asked for an explanation, I repeated what I had said to Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.

Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم then explained, 'I swear by the being who controls my life! If you could at all times maintain the condition you are in when you are with me, angels would shake your hands when you walk and when you are in your beds. However, O Handhala, there are times for this and times for that.’”

NOTE: People tend to their needs. Eating, drinking and seeing to the needs of our wives and children are also necessary. For this reason, the state of Spiritual elevation occurs sometimes and cannot be maintained all the time. One should not even hope to maintain it at all times because it is only the angels who can do this since they have no needs to attend to. They have neither wives, nor children, nor any concerns for earning a livelihood or anything else to do with this world. While human beings cannot aspire for this on account of their worldly commitments, yet the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم were so concerned about the change in their condition when away from Rasoolullah صلى الله على وسلم that they actually thought they had turned hypocrite. 
(Taken from Fazaa'il e Aamaal)

Meaning of Name: Handhala / حنذلا  - a kind of fruit (used for healing).

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