Gems Pearls of Wisdom of the Salaf

It is reported that a group of heretics (People of Bid’ah) and their devout worship was mentioned to ʿAbd Al-Raḥmān b. Mahdī. He said, “Allāh only accepts what conforms to what has been commanded and what is in the Sunnah.” Then he recited, And a monasticism which they (Christians) innovated, We did not ordain it upon them [Al-Ḥadīd: 27]. He went on to say, “So Allāh did not accept this from them and reprimanded them for it.” He then said, “Stick to the way and the Sunnah.”

Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyah Al-Awliyā` Vol.4 p44.
 
It is reported that ‘Awn b. ʿAbdillāh, the ascetic and jurist, said, “Sit with the repentant, for they have the softest hearts.”

Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyah Al-Awliyā` Vol. 2 p192.
 
It is reported that Abū Ayyūb Al-Anṣārī – Allāh be pleased with him – said, “A person might do a single good deed, rely on it and forget sins that he regards insignificant, but then meet Allāh (on the Day of Judgment) with those sins surrounding him. And a man might commit a sin, but never stop fearing its consequences, until he meets Allāh safe and sound.”

Al-Ḥāfidh Ibn Ḥajr, Fatḥ Al-Bārī, references this narration to Asad b. Mūsā’s Al-Zuhd. A slightly different wording is reported by Ibn Al-Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq Vol.1 p170.
 
It is reported that ʿUmar b. ʿAbd Al-‘Azīz once wrote to Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī to get a brief exhortation from him, so Al-Ḥasan wrote back , “The dunyā distracts and preoccupies the heart and body, but al-zuhd (asceticism, not giving importance to worldly things) gives rest to the heart and body. Verily, Allāh will ask us about the ḥalāl things we enjoyed, so what about the ḥarām!”

Al-Bayhaqī, Al-Zuhd Al-Kabīr, article 26.
 
Which life to Pursue?

It is reported that Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī often used to say, “O youth! Seek the hereafter, for we often see people pursuing the hereafter and finding it as well as the dunyā (worldly wellbeing), but we have never seen anyone pursue the dunyā and gain the hereafter as well as the dunyā.”

Al-Bayhaqī, Al-Zuhd Al-Kabīr, article 12.
 
Abū Hurayrah – Allāh be pleased with him – once passed by the market in Medinah. He stopped at the market and said, “O people of the market, how incapable you are!” They said, “And how is that Abū Hurayrah?” He replied, “Over there the inheritance of Allāh’s Messenger – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him – is being distributed and you are here! Won’t you go and take your share?” “Where is it?” they asked. He replied, “In the Masjid.” So they hurried to the Masjid and Abū Hurayrah waited for them until they returned. When they came back, he said, “What’s the matter?” They replied, “Abū Hurayrah! We went to the Masjid but we didn’t see anything being distributed.” Abū Hurayrah asked them, “And you didn’t see anyone in the Masjid?” They replied, “Indeed we did; we saw people praying, others reciting Qur`ān and others studying the regulations of ḥalāl and ḥarām.” So Abū Hurayrah said, “Woe to you! That is the inheritance of Muḥammad – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him.”

Al-Ḥāfidh Al-Mundhirī said in Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb, “Reported by Al-Ṭabarāni in Al-Awsaṭ with a ḥasan chain of narrators.” Also graded ḥasan by Shaykh Al-Albānī. See his Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb Vol. 1 p19.
 
ʿAbdullāh b. ‘Amr – Allāh be please with them both – said:

It would be better for a person to be turned to dust than to deliberately walk in front of a person who is praying.

Ibn ʿAbd Al-Barr, Al-Tamhīd. Graded sahīh by Shaykh Al-Albānī in Sahīh Al-Targhībi wa Al-Tarhīb Vol. 1 p135.
 
It is reported from Al-Awzâ’î – Allâh have mercy on him – that he said:

I have been told that it used to be said, “Woe to those who study [their religion] for a purpose other than worship, and those who seek to permit what is forbidden through doubts and specious arguments.”

Al-Khattîb Al-Baghdâdî, Iqtdâ Al-‘Ilm Al-‘Amal, p77.
 
Ahmad ibn Yunus al-Yarbu’i said:

“Fudha’la Ibn Ubaid advised us saying: “If you can learn and not be known, do that; if you can listen and not talk, do that; and if you can sit and acquire knowledge from others, do that.’”



– Adh-Dhahabi “Siyar a’laam an-Nubalaa’”: 3/116
 
Reputation

It is reported that Al-Fuḍayl b. ʿAyyāḍ said:

If you can be unknown, be so; it doesn’t matter if you are not known and it doesn’t matter if you are not praised. It doesn’t matter if you are blameworthy according to people if you are praiseworthy with Allāh the Mighty and Majestic.

Al-Bayhaqī, Al-Zuhd Al-Kabīr p100.
 
It is reported from Abû Qilâbah – Allâh have mercy on him – that he said:

Do not sit with the People of Desires (Bid’ah), for I fear that they will immerse you in their misguidance or mix up and confuse what you already know.

Ibn Battah, Al-Ibânah Al-Kubrâ Vol.1 p377.
 
A man once asked Abū Hurayrah – Allāh be pleased with him, ‘What is al-taqwā?” He replied, “Have you ever taken a path filled with thorns?” The man replied, “I have.” Abū Hurayrah asked him, “What did you do?” He replied, “When I saw a thorn I would dodge it or pass over it or behind it.” Abū Hurayrah said, “That is al-taqwā.”

Al-Baihaqī, Al-Zuhd Al-Kabīr p351.
 
Shaqîq b. Ibrâhîm reports:

It was once said to ‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak, “After you have prayed with us you don’t sit with us?” He replied, “I go and sit with the Sahâbah and the Tâbi’în.” We said, “And how can you sit with the Sahâbah and Tâbi’în (when they have all passed away)?” He replied, “I go and read the knowledge I have collected, I find their narrations and deeds. What would I do with you? You sit around backbiting people.”

Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of ‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak.
 
Abû Bakr Al-Matû’î said:I sat in the circle of Abû ‘Abdillâh Ahmad b. Hanbal for twelve years while he read the Musnad to his children, and I never wrote a single hadîth, I only looked at his behavior, character and etiquette.
Ibn Al-Jawzî, Manâqib Ahmad, article 210.
 
‘Abdullâh b. Mubârak said:

I asked Sufyân Al-Thawrî, “When a man stands to pray, what should he intend by his recitation and prayer?” He replied, “He should intend that he is personally entreating his Lord.”

Muhammad b. Nasr Al-Marwazî, Ta’dhîm Qadr Al-Salâh Vol. 1 p199.
 
It is reported from ʿAbdullāh b. Mas’ūd – Allāh be pleased with him – that he said:

“One should get used to the idea that if everyone on Earth disbelieved, you would not disbelieve. Do not be an im’ah(characterless).” He was asked, “And what is an im’ah?” He replied, “A person who says, ‘I am with the people (I do what they do).’ Verily, there is to be no following examples in evil.”

Ibn Battah, Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā Vol.1 p33.
 
It is reported from Al-Awzāʿī that he said:

Whoever remembers death often will find a small amount (of worldly things) sufficient for him; and whoever includes his speech in his deeds will speak little.

Al-Dhahabī , Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` in his biography of Al-Awzāʿī.
 
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.
 
Ibn Abī Mulaykah – Allah have mercy on him – said:

I met thirty of the Prophet’s Companions – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – and every one of them feared falling into nifāq (hypocrisy); not one of them claimed he had the level of faith of Jibrīl or Mīkā`īl.

Quoted by Al-Bukhārī, Al-Sahīh, Chapter on the believer fearing that his deeds will be nullified without him realizing.
 
It is reported that Al-Fuḍayl b. ‘Ayyād – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
How will you be if you reach a time when you will see people who do not distinguish truth from falsehood, believer from unbeliever, trustworthy from treacherous, nor ignorant from knowledgeable, and neither recognize what is right nor censure what is wrong?

Ibn Battah, Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā 1:188.

After reporting this narration, Imām Ibn Battah (d. 387H) said:

To Allāh we belong and to Him we will return! We have reached that time, we have heard this and have come to know most of it and witnessed it. If a man to whom Allāh has bestowed sound reasoning looks and thinks carefully and ponders the matter of Islām and its people and treads the rightly guided path as regards to them, it will become clear to him that most people have turned back on their heals, deviated from the correct path, and turned away from correct proof. Many people have started to like what they used to hate, allow what they used to forbid and recognize what they used to reject. And for sure – Allāh have mercy on you – this is not the
character of the Muslims, nor the behaviour of those who have insight into this religion, and neither of those who believe in it and are certain about it.

bidʿah, fitnah, ʿaqīdahAl-Fuḍayl b. ʿAyyāḍ​
 

Similar Threads

Back
Top