Gems Pearls of Wisdom of the Salaf

Yūnus reports: Maymūn b. Mihrān once wrote to me saying:
Beware of dispute and argumentation about the religion, and do not argue with a scholar nor an ignoramus. As for the scholar, he will withhold his knowledge from you, and will not be concerned with what you do. As for the ignorant person, he will only cause roughness in your heart and he will not obey you [anyway].
Al-Dārimī, Al-Sunan no. 302.
 
Umm Al-Dardâ` [the Younger] – Allâh be pleased with her – reports:
One day, Abû Al-Dardâ` came home angry, so I asked him, “What has made you so angry?” He replied, “By Allâh, I do not recognize anything from the Ummah of Muhammad except that they pray (salâh) in congregation.”
Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh, Chapter on the Virtue of Praying Al-Fajr in Congregation.
We learn from this narration:

  • Prayer (salâh) in congregation is from the characteristics of the Ummah of Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him.

  • The noble Companion Abû Al-Dardâ` was conveying the idea that deficiency and negative changes had begun to creep in to the practices of the Muslims, and he wanted to point out this evil so that people could be aware and try to keep to the original teachings. Al-Hâfidh Ibn Hajr states, “Abû Al-Dardâ` intended to point out that all the deeds of those mentioned had suffered some degree of deficiency and change, except praying in congregation. This [change] is relative, for the condition of the people during the time of the Prophet was better compared to how it changed after that time; and during the time of the Two Shaykhs (Abû Bakr and ‘Umar) it was better compared to how it was after them. It is as if this concern came from Abû Al-Dardâ` towards the end of his life – during the latter part of ‘Uthmân’s Caliphate. And just imagine, if that virtuous generation was described by Abû Al-Dardâ` as it was, then what about those who came after them up to our own time?!”

  • This narration shows us that we should be angry if some aspect of the religion is changed, and that renouncing evil can be done by showing one’s anger if one is not able to do any more than that.
Taken from Fath Al-Bârî of Ibn Rajab and Fath Al-Bârî of Ibn Hajr; both of which are commentaries on Sahîh Al-Bukhârî.
 
It is reported that ‘Amr b. Maymūn said:
The Companions of Allāh’s Messenger – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him – used to say, “The mosques are the houses of Allāh on Earth, and it is a right from Allāh that He will honor those who visit Him in [His houses].”
Ibn Al-Mubārak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq 4:159.
 
Al-Hasan Al-Basree said:“The world is a vehicle for you. If you drive it, it will deliver you to your destination. If it drives you, you will be destroyed”
 
Muslim, Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The evil eye is real and if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the evil eye. When you are asked to take a bath (to provide a cure) from the influence of the evil eye, you should take a bath.”
 
It is reported that Ibrāhīm Al-Taymī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
What a great difference there is between you and those people [of the past, the Salaf]! Worldly wealth came to them but they fled from it, whereas the world turns its back on you and you go after it.
Ibn Al-Mubārak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq article 538.
 
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.
 
It is reported that Sufyān Al-Thawrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

Whoever hears of a bidʿah, let him not tell it to those who are with him, lest he cast it into their hearts.

Commenting, Al-Dhahabī states, “The majority of the Imāms of the Salaf are upon this; they see that the hearts are weak, and specious arguments ensnare.”

Al-Dhahabī, Siyar ʾAʿlām Al-Nubalāʾ 7:261
 
Salmān Al-Fārsī – Allāh be pleased with him – once visited a sick friend. When he entered upon him he said:
Have glad tidings, for verily Allāh makes the illness of a believer an expiation [for his sins] and a cause of being pleased, whereas the illness of a sinner is like a camel that has been tied by its owners, then released by them: it knows not why it was tied up nor why it was released.
Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad in the Chapter on the Expiation [of sins through] illness. Graded ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh Al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Adab Al-Mufrad.
 
Imam ash-Shaafi`ee - rahimahullaah - said:"When it comes to my provisions, I rely upon Allah, my Creator; And I know with certainty that He will no doubt provide for me. Whatever’s in my due, will not pass me by, Even if it were to be in the depths of the sea. Allah the Exalted will bring it forth by His Grace, Even if I were to remain silent over it. So, what... can a soul feel sorrow over, When the Most Merciful has set the provisions of the creation?"
 
It is reported that Mālik – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

It is upon whoever seeks knowledge to have a solemn, dignified demeanour, fearful [of Allāh]; and to follow in the footsteps of those who went before him.
 
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 a man saw Ibn ʿAbbās – Allāh be pleased with them – holding the tip of his tongue saying:

Woe to you, say what is good and you will reap gain, and be silent from speaking evil and you will be safe.

The man asked him:

O Ibn ʿAbbās, what is the matter that I see you holding the tip of your tongue saying such-and-such?

He replied:

It has reached me that the servant of Allāh will not be as angry at anything on the Day of Resurrection as he will be at his tongue.

Imām Aḥmad, Al-Zuhd p236
 
Four Corruptions

It is reported that Muʿādh b. Jabal – Allāh be pleased with him – said:“O people, there are four characteristics to come, whoever can avoid reaching them should do so.” [People] asked, “And what are they?” He replied, “There will come a time in which falsehood will rise, and a time will come in which a man will say, ‘By Allāh, I do not know what I am’, he will neither live nor die upon insight (knowledge of what he should be). And a time will come in which a man will start his day on one religion and end it on another. And a time will come when a man will be given wealth from the wealth Allāh provides, in return for saying what is wrong and false and for which Allāh will be angry with him.”

Ibn ʿAsākir, Tārīkh Dimishq 58:442
 
'Urwah bin Az-Zubayr – may Allah have mercy on him – said:

"'Aa'ishah - may Allah be pleased with her - gave seventy thousand (dirhams) in charity, while her own skirt used to be patched."-

'Abdullaah bin al-Mubaarak in Az-Zuhd wa Ar-Raqaa'iq 1/588, #705
 
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.
 
It is reported that Sufyān b. ʿUyainah – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
The most audacious people in giving verdicts (fatwā) are those who know the least about the differences of opinion amongst the scholars.
Op. cit. 1527.​
 
Imām Sa’īd b. Al-Musayyib – Allāh have mercy on him – once saw a man praying more than two rak’ah after sunrise the beginning of Fajr, making many bows and prostrations, and so he forbade him. The man said, “O Abu Muḥammad, is Allāh going to punish me for praying?” Sa’īd said, “No, but He will punish you for contradicting the Sunnah.”
Al-Bayhaqī, As-Sunan Al-Kubraa 2:466. graded ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh Al-Albānī. See Irwā Al-Ghalīl 2:236.
Shaykh Al-Albānī writes:
This is one of the superb answers given by Sa’īd b. Al-Musayyib – Allāh have mercy on him. It is a strong weapon against heretics (mubtadi’ah) who recommend many different types of religious innovation in the name of them being dhikr and prayer. They then criticize the followers of the Sunnah for criticizing them, and accuse them of censuring dhikr and prayer, when in fact [Ahl Al-Sunnah] are only criticizing the contravention of the Sunnah in matters such as dhikr and prayer.
 
It is reported that ‘Abdullāh b. Masʿūd – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
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 Abī Al-Dunyā, Dhamm Al-Dunyā article 16.
 
Do Not Beautify Yourself with Knowledge

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.
 

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