Gems Pearls of Wisdom of the Salaf

Responsibility in Knowledge and Da’wah‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib – Allah be pleased with him – said:


Narrate to people what they can understand; do you want Allah and His Messenger to be disbelieved?


Quoted by Al-Bukhārī, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ, Chapter about a person preferring some people with certain knowledge to the exclusion of others.
 
Al-Qāsim b. Muhammad, the grandson of Abū Bakr – Allah have mercy on him – said:
In my time the people were not impressed by speech, they were impressed by actions. Anyone can say whatever he wants.
Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb Al-Zuhd p354.
 
Children of the HereafterIt is reported from ‘Alī b. Abī Tālib –Allah be pleased with him – that he said:


The thing I fear for you most is following desires and having extensive hopes (about this worldly life). Following one’s desires blocks you from the truth, and having extensive hopes makes you forget the hereafter. Verily, this worldly life is departing and the hereafter is approaching and each of them has its children. So be children of the hereafter, not children of this world, for today there are (opportunities to do) deeds and there is no reckoning, but tomorrow there will be reckoning and no deeds.


Quoted by Al-Bukhārī, Al-Sahīh, The Book of Raqā`iq without the first sentence. Reported in its entirety by Abū Nu’aym, Hilyah Al-Awliyā` Vol.1 p40, and others.
 
Al-Muzanī reports:
I heard Al-Shāfiʿī say:

A man once asked Ubay b. Kaʿb – Allāh be pleased with him, “Exhort me with something I can benefit by and by which I will be rewarded.” He replied, “Be brotherly with brothers according to how righteous they are, do not expend your speech on those who are not interested in it, do not seek anyone to meet your need who does not care if he does not fulfil it, and do not envy the living except for something you would envy the dead.”

Al-Ājurrī, Juz fīhi Ḥikāyāt ʿan Al-Shāfiʿī article 24.
 
It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

How fast these days are in doing away with our lifespans, and how fast this year is in doing away with its months, and how fast this month is in doing away with its days.

Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Al-ʿUmr was Al-Shayb article 25.
 
Attributing words to the ProphetAbū ʿUmar Al-Shaybānī reports:


I would sit with Ibn Mas’ūd a whole year without him saying “Allah’s Messenger – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – said…” When he did actually say “Allah’s Messenger – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – said…” he would tremble and add, “…or something similar to this” or “words to that effect.”


Al-Dhahabī, Tadhkirah Al-Huffādh Vol.1 p15.


Imām Al-Dhahabī said:


[Ibn Mas’ūd] was one of those who were very careful and conscientious in the delivery of narrations and he was very strict in reporting; he used to reprimand his students for any negligence in precisely narrating the wordings of narrations.
 
This world (the dunyā) is [only taken as] a home by those who will have no real home [in Jannah], and it is the wealth of those who will have no real wealth, and it is gathered and collected for by those who have no real intelligence. (Ibn Mas'ud; reported by Ibn Abi Dunya in Dhamm al Dunya')
 
Al-Muzanī reports:
I heard Al-Shāfiʿī say:

A man once asked Ubay b. Kaʿb – Allāh be pleased with him, “Exhort me with something I can benefit by and by which I will be rewarded.” He replied, “Be brotherly with brothers according to how righteous they are, do not expend your speech on those who are not interested in it, do not seek anyone to meet your need who does not care if he does not fulfil it, and do not envy the living except for something you would envy the dead.”

Al-Ājurrī, Juz fīhi Ḥikāyāt ʿan Al-Shāfiʿī article 24.
 
Knowledge transforms the studentAl-Hasan Al-Basrī – Allah have mercy on him – said:


When a man sought knowledge, it would not be long before it could be seen in his humbleness, his sight, upon his tongue and his hands, in his prayer, in his speech and in his disinterest (zuhd) in worldly allurements. And a man would acquire a portion of knowledge and put it into practice, and it would be better for him than the world and all it contains – if he owned it he would give it in exchange for the hereafter.


Ibn Al-Mubārak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq Vol.1 p.156.
 
Al-Muzanī reports:
I heard Al-Shāfiʿī say:

A man once asked Ubay b. Kaʿb – Allāh be pleased with him, “Exhort me with something I can benefit by and by which I will be rewarded.” He replied, “Be brotherly with brothers according to how righteous they are, do not expend your speech on those who are not interested in it, do not seek anyone to meet your need who does not care if he does not fulfil it, and do not envy the living except for something you would envy the dead.”

Al-Ājurrī, Juz fīhi Ḥikāyāt ʿan Al-Shāfiʿī article 24.
 
The life of this world is made up of three days: yesterday has gone with all that was done; tomorrow, you may never reach; but today is for you so do what you should do today. Al-Bayhaqi, Al-Zuhd Al-Kabir
 
Thinking Ahead for Prayer
Abū Al-Dardā’ – Allah be pleased with him – said:

It is from a person’s knowledge and understanding that he sees to his needs first in order to turn to his prayer with a heart free of distractions
.Ibn Al-Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā’iq Vol.2 p726
 
It is reported that Ḥabīb b. ʿUbayd – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

Learn knowledge, understand it and benefit from it (live by it); and do not study it in order to decorate yourself with it, for if you live long you will likely see a time when knowledge will be used for beautification like a man beautifies himself with his garments.

Ibn Al-Mubārak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqāʾiq no. 1056.
 
Al-Hārith b. Qays – Allah have mercy on him – said:
When intending to do something good, do not delay it until tomorrow. When involved in something to do with the hereafter, keep yourself involved as long as you can. When involved in some worldly matter, put your mind to it (so as to get it done). And if you are praying and Shaytān whispers, ‘You are showing off,’ then make your prayer even longer.
Ibn Al-Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Rqā’iq Vol.1 p126
Al-Hārith b. Qays was a student of the Companions ‘Alī and Ibn Mas’ūd – Allah be pleased with them. He was a scholar and devout worshipper.
The last bit of advice about prayer serves to repel one of Shaytān’s plots, which is to turn people away from worshipping Allah by making them feel they are showing off if they try to perfect their worship.
 
Abu Al-‘Āliyah reports that a man once asked ‘Ubay b. Ka’b – Allah be pleased with him – for advice. He said:
Take the Book of Allah as your leader (imām) and be pleased with it as a judge and ruler. It is what your Messenger left amongst you. It will be an intercessor for you. It is to be obeyed. It is a witness never doubted. In it is a mention of you and those before you, and judgment for whatever happens amongst you. And in it is news about you and whatever will come after you.
Al-Dhahabī in Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā’, in the biography of ‘Ubay b. Ka’b
 
Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī – Allah have mercy on him – said:
Faith (īmān) is not by embellishment or wishful thinking, but it is what settles in the heart and is verified through your works. Whoever says good but does not do good will have his words compared to his deeds by Allah. Whoever says good and does good will have his words raised by his deeds. This is because Allah ‘azza wa jalla said:
To Him ascends the good word, and the righteous deed raises it. [Sūrah Fāṭir: 10]
Ibn Battah in Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā Vol. 3 p120, and Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī in Iqtiḍā’ Al-‘Ilm Al-‘Amal no.56.
 
Al-Muzanī reports:
I heard Al-Shāfiʿī say:

A man once asked Ubay b. Kaʿb – Allāh be pleased with him, “Exhort me with something I can benefit by and by which I will be rewarded.” He replied, “Be brotherly with brothers according to how righteous they are, do not expend your speech on those who are not interested in it, do not seek anyone to meet your need who does not care if he does not fulfil it, and do not envy the living except for something you would envy the dead.”

Al-Ājurrī, Juz fīhi Ḥikāyāt ʿan Al-Shāfiʿī article 24.
 
Commenting on 2:201 of the Quran which states:

Our Lord! Give us the good of this world and the good of the hereafter…

Al-Hasan Al-Baṣrī – Allah have mercy on him – said:

The good of this world is knowledge and worship, and the good of the hereafter is Paradise.

Al-Ājurrī in Akhlāq Al-‘Ulamā’ no. 30 and Ibn Jarīr in his Tafsīr of this verse.

Scholars of tafsīr like Ibn Jarīr and Ibn Kathīr point out that ‘the good of this world’ is general and includes all those things which have been allowed for us to enjoy and which are considered useful by people for day-to-day living. And they point out that above this; the good of this world includes those things which will lead to success in the hereafter. This narration reminds us of these loftier things we should ask Allah for, and that the good of this life embraces what is required or recommended for a worshipper of Allah to acquire on this Earth, like knowledge of his religion and good deeds.
 
Ma’n b. ‘Īsa Al-Qazzāz reports:
Whenever Mālik b. Anas – Allah have mercy on him – would sit to narrate ḥadīth he would bath and perfume himself. If anyone raised his voice in the gathering [Imām Mālik] would reprimand him and say, “Lower your voice, for Allah tabāraka wa ta’ālā said:
O Believers! Do not raise your voices over that of the Prophet [Sūrah Al-Ḥujarāt: 2]
Whoever raises his voice over the sound of the ḥadīth of Allah’s Messenger – peace and blessing be upon him, then it is as if he is raising his voice over that of the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him.”


Nasr b. Ibrāhīm Al-Maqdisī in Mukhtasar Al-Hujjah ‘alā Tārik Al-Mahajjah Vol.1 p121.
 
[h=2]Advice from Abu Darda on Thinking and Remembering[/h]A man once asked Abū Al-Dardāʾ – Allāh be pleased with him – for advice. He said:
Remember Allāh in good times and He will mention you in hard times. When you remember those who have passed away, consider yourself like one of them. And when you think of involving yourself in some worldly matter, consider first what it will lead to in the end.
​
Al-Dhahabī in Siyar Aʿlām Al-Nubalāʾ, under the biography of Abū Al-Dardāʾ.
 

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