Gems Pearls of Wisdom of the Salaf

It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
It is part of sure belief (yaqīn) [in Allāh] that you do not please the people by angering Allāh, and do not praise anyone [else] for what Allāh has provided you, and do not blame anyone for what Allāh has not given you. For verily, the provision of Allāh is not gained by the keenness of those who are keen [for you to have it], nor is it prevented by the hatred of those who hate [for you to have it]. And verily Allāh, in His justice, made happiness and joy in being certain and content [with Allāh], and made worry and sadness in doubt and anger.
Hannād b. Al-Sarī, Al-Zuhd, article 535.
 
It is reported that Ibrāhīm b. Adham (d162H) – Allāh have mercy on him – once passed through the market of Baṣrah. People gathered around him and asked:
O Abū Isḥāq, Allāh the Exalted says in his Book. ‘Call on me, I will answer your prayers’, but we have been calling on Him for a long time and He does not answer our prayers. [Ibrāhīm] replied:
“O people of Baṣrah, your hearts have died in respect to ten things:
First, you know Allāh but you do not give Him His rights;
second, you have read Allāh’s Book but you do not act by it;
third, you claim to love Allāh’s Messenger – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him – yet you abandon his Sunnah;
fourth, you claim to be enemies to Shayṭān but you conform to [his ways];
fifth, you say you love Paradise yet you do not work for it;
sixth, you say you fear The Fire yet you put yourselves closer to it [by sinning];
seventh, you say death is true but you do not prepare for it;
eighth, you busy yourselves with the faults of others and disregard your own;
ninth, you consume the favors of your Lord but are not grateful for them; and
tenth, you bury your dead but take no lesson from them.”
Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyah Al-Awliyā’ 8: 15, 16.
 
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The Revival of Knowledge

It is reported that Imām Al-Zuhrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:Those of our scholars who went before us used to say,”Adherence to the Sunnah is salvation, but knowledge is taken away quickly, so the revival of knowledge means the stability of religion and worldly affairs, and the loss of knowledge means the loss of all that.”

Al-Lālakā`ī, Sharh Usūl I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah article 136
 
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.
 
‘Umar b. Al-Khattāb once entered upon Abū Bakr – Allāh be pleased with them both

– and found him pulling at his tongue. He said, “Oh, what are you doing?” Abū Bakr replied, “It is this (i.e my speech) that has brought me so much trouble.”

Mālik, Al-Muatta 2:988
 
Umar ibn Al-Khattab, Al-Fârûq (the one who distinguishes truth from falsehood)



In the Name of Allâh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful



All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Aalamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists). Prayers and peace of Allah be upon the seal of the Prophets and Messengers; our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions.
 
Al-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.
 
It is reported that Sufyān b. ‘Uyainah – Allāh have mercy on him – said:Verily, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ is the highest standard; things are measured by him: his character, lifestyle and behavior. Whatever agrees with [these] is true and correct, and whatever contradicts [them] is wrong.Al-Khatīb Al-Baghdādī, Akhlāq Al-Rāwī wa Ādāb Al-Sāmi’ article 8.
 
It is reported that Ṭalq b. Ḥabīb – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
The right of Allāh is too great and heavy for the creation to fulfill and the blessings of Allāh are too many to enumerate, but you should remain repentant, morning and evening.
Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Al-Tawbah article 62.
 
It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd – Allāh be pleased with him – said:

If you see a man amongst you having committed a sin, do not supplicate Allāh against him and do not revile him; instead, pray to Allāh to cure him and accept his repentance, for when we used to see a man die upon something good, we would have hope for him, and when we used to see a man die upon wrongdoing, we would fear for him.

Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Kitāb Al-Tawbah article 112.
 
It is reported that ‘Abd Al-Rahmān b. Mahdī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
If it were not for the fact I hate that Allah is disobeyed, I would have wished that no one remain in this city except that he had spoken ill of me and backbitten me; for what is nicer than a good deed a man finds in his records on the Day of Resurrection without having done a thing or even having known?
Abū Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyā` 4:45.
 
It is reported that Muhammad b. Sīrīn – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

If the Dajjāl appears, I believe the heretics (People of Desires, Bid’ah) will follow him.

Al-Lālakā`ī, Sharh Usūl I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah 1:131
 
It is reported from Al-Sha’bī that he said:

Zayd b. Thābit – Allāh be pleased with him – once mounted [his horse or camel] to ride it, so Ibn ‘Abbās – Allāh be pleased with them – took hold of the reins [to serve him by leading his ride]. When he did this, Zayd said (out of respect for him), “Don’t do this o cousin of Allāh’s Messenger – Allāh’s praise and peace be upon him.” Ibn ‘Abbās said, “This is what we have been told to do with our scholars (i.e. respect them and serve them).” Zayd said, “Show me your hand.” Ibn ‘Abbās held out his hand, and Zayd kissed it and said, “And this is what we have been told to do with the Ahl Al-Bayt (Family) of our Prophet – Allāh’s praise and peace be upon him.”

Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawaāhir Al-‘Ilm 4:146
 
The Influence of Companionship

It is reported that Sufyān Al-Thawrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:There is nothing that corrupts a person or rectifies him more than [his] companion.

Ibn Battah, Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā article 504.
 
It is reported that Sufyān Al-Thawrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

Knowledge is only learned to [apply it and] put into practice the Taqwā of Allāh the mighty and sublime.

Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-ʿIlm article 943.
 
Beyond Words

It is reported that ‘Alī b. Abī Tālib – Allāh be pleased with him – said:Mention what you will of the greatness of Allāh, but Allāh is greater than anything you say. And mention what you will of the Fire, but it is more severe than anything you say. And mention what you will of Paradise, but it is better than anything you say.Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm article 853.
 
Imam Qurtubi quoted a hadith in his tafsir of the Quran and quoted it in regards to the verse 45 of Surah Al Isra:

Saeed Ibn Jubayr narrated: "When surah tabbat yada (111) was revealed, the wife of Abu Lahab came looking for the Prophet while Abu Bakr was sitting with him. Abu Bakr said to the prophet: "I wish that you get aside, as she is coming towards us, she may cause you harm". The prophet said: "There will be a screen between me and her". So she did not see him. She said to Abu Bakr,: "Your companion is saying poetry against me". Abu Bakr said: "By Allah,he does not say poetry". She said: "Do you believe that?" and then left. Abu Bakr then said:" Oh Allah's messenger, she did not see you". The prophet said: " There was an angel screening me from her". (Musnad Abu Yala).
 
Zayd b. Wahb reports:
We were once sitting in the masjid with Ḥudhayfah (ibn Al-Yamān) – Allah be pleased with him, when a man entered from the gates of Kindah and stood to pray; but he did not complete the bowing or prostration postures. When he had finished praying, Ḥudhayfah asked him, “How long have you been praying in this manner?” The man replied, “For forty years.” Ḥudhayfah said, “You have not prayed for forty years! And if you were to die praying in this manner you would die upon a way (fiṭrah) other than the way of Muḥammad – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.”
Al-Bukhārī, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ,
The Book of Adhān, without the mention of 40 years.
A version in Al-Nasā`ī, Chapter on the Deficient Prayer, mentions the question and reply about 40 years.
Shaykh Al-Albānī graded its chain of transmission ṣaḥīḥ in Sahīh Sunan Al-Nasā`ī no. 1312.
https://sunnah.com/nasai/13/134
 
Between You and the One in the Grave

It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basrī – Allāh have mercy on him – once said during the funeral of a man:


May Allāh have mercy on the man who works for the likes of this day; for today you are able to do what these brothers of yours, the residents of these graves, cannot do. So make full use of your health and free time before the day of distress and accounts comes upon you.


Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Dhamm Al-Dunyā article 53.
 
It is reported that Sufyān Al-Thawrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
Wealth is the disease of this Ummah, and the scholar is the doctor of this Ummah. So if the doctor brings the disease to himself, how will he cure the people?
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`, Vol. 7 p243.
 

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