It was said: "The repentance of Adam was accepted for five reasons, and the repentance of Iblis was not accepted for five reasons. As for the repentance of Adam, then it was accepted because he admitted his sin, regretted it, blamed himself, was quick to repent, and did not lose hope of attaining Allah's Mercy. As for Iblis, then his repentence was not accepted because he refused to admit that he had committed a sin, he did not regret it, did not blame himself, was not quick to repent, and lost hope in attaining the Mercy of Allah. Therefore, whoever's situation is similar to that of Adam, then his repentance will be accepted. Likewise, whoever's situation is similar to that of Iblis, then his repentence will not be accepted."

['Tanbih ul-Ghafilin' (Informing the Heedless) - Imam Abul-Layth Nasr as-Samarqandi]

It was said:

Are you pleased to weep while your tears are of water? * Verily, the tears of the sinners are of blood

For sins are the disease * And weeping is the cure

Beware of your desires, and you will find pleasure * For the basis of all misguidance is the desire

['Tanbih ul-Ghafilin' (Informing the Heedless) - Imam Abul-Layth Nasr as-Samarqandi]

“Knowledge is what comes from the Companions of Muhammad (sal-Allaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) and that which does not come from a single one of them is not knowledge.

It was once asked: "Who is the sincere one?" It was answered: "The sincere one is the one who hides his good deeds the same way he hides his bad deeds."

['Tanbih ul-Ghafilin' (Informing the Heedless) - Imam Abul-Layth Nasr as-Samarqandi]

It was said: "Preserving an act of obedience is more difficult than performing it, because it is like a glass lamp that is easily broken and cannot withstand rough treatment. Likewise, the good action, if it is exposed to show-off, it breaks. And if it is exposed to its performer being pleased with himself, then it breaks. If a person wants to perform an action and fears that he will show-off with it, then if he is able to throw out this riya' from his heart, then he should exert all efforts in doing so. If he is unable to do so, then he should not abandon performing this act because of the possibility of showing off; rather, he should perform it, then seek Allah's forgiveness for what he might have had of riya'. It might be that Allah will guide him to having sincerity in other actions of his."

['Tanbih ul-Ghafilin' (Informing the Heedless) - Imam Abul-Layth Nasr as-Samarqandi]

Know that you were created to die, and there is no way around this, as Allah says: {"...you will die and they will die..."} [az-Zumar; 30], and He says: {"Say: running away will not save you if you attempt to escape from death or killing."} [al-Ahzab; 16].

It was narrated: "Verily, the people of the Fire will be tortured for one thousand years, then they will say: "During our lives, if we were patient, we were eventually given a way out of our troubles." So, they will be patient for one thousand more years without their punishment being lightened for them. Then, they will say: {"It does not matter whether we rage or patiently endure; we have no place of refuge."} [Ibrahim; 21] Then, they will call upon Allah - the Exalted - for one thousand years to send some rain upon them out of their extreme thirst and intense torture so that they would be relieved of the intense temperatures and extreme thirst. So, after they supplicate for one thousand years, Allah - the Exalted - will say to Jibril: "What do they ask for?" Jibril will answer: "O Lord, You are more Knowing of them. They ask for rain." So, red clouds will appear above them, and they will think that rain will pour from these clouds. Instead, blackened scorpions will pour down upon them, one sting of which throbs with pain for over one thousand years. Then, they will again ask Allah - the Exalted - for one thousand years to provide them with rain, and then black clouds will appear above them. They will say: "These are rain clouds!" But instead, snakes like the necks of camels will pour out of the clouds, one bite of which throbs with pain for over one thousand years, and this is the meaning of the saying of the Exalted: {"We will add torment upon torment for them because of the corruption that they used to perform."} [an-Nahl; 88]."

['Tanbih ul-Ghafilin' (Informing the Heedless) - Imam Abul-Layth Nasr as-Samarqandi]

It was said: "The ground in Paradise is made of silver, its dust is made of musk, the trunks of its trees are made of gold and silver, the branches of its trees are made of pearls and gems, with its leaves and fruits growing out from them. So, whoever eats standing will not be harmed, whoever eats sitting will not be harmed, and whoever eats laying down will not be harmed, as Allah says: {"...and the bunches of fruit thereof will hang low within their reach."} [al-Insan; 14] That is, these fruits will be within their reach whether they are standing, sitting, or laying down."

['Tanbih ul-Ghafilin' (Informing the Heedless) - Imam Abul-Layth Nasr as-Samarqandi]

"If the knowledge of 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) were to be placed on one scale of a balance and the knowledge of all the inhabitants of the world (at that time) were to be placed on the other scale, the knowledge of 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) would surely outweigh it."

"Whenever a man would ask Zayd Ibn Thaabit (radyAllaahu ‘anhu) concerning a matter, he would say: ‘Is this for the sake of Allaah?’ So if the person would say: ‘Yes’, then he would speak about it. And if not, then he would not speak."

"We prayed behind Abu Dhibyaan one day during the morning Fajr prayer. We were all young except for the mu'adhdhin who was an older man. So after making the tasleem, he drew near us and began asking the youth:

'Who are you?' 'Who are you?'

When he finished asking them, he said:

'Indeed, there was no prophet sent except that he was a young man. And the knowledge was not given to anyone better than a young man.'"

"That a man spend his entire life in ignorance is better for him than to issue rulings (fataawaa) without knowledge."

"I truly believe that a man forgets some knowledge that he used to know due to some sin he committed."