Gems Pearls of Wisdom of the Salaf

ʿAbd Allāh bin Sa‘īd bin Abū Hind reported to us on the authority of his father, on the authority of ibn ʿAbbās, may God be satisfied with them, who said: “The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: ‘There are two deceitful benefits that many people are concerned with: health and leisure (al-ṣiḥḥah wa al-farāgh).’”
 
Jaʿfar bin al-Burqān reported to us on the authority of Ziyād bin al-Jarrāḥ on the authority of ʿAmr bin Maymūn al-Awdá, who said: “The prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, said to a man while he was preaching: ‘Take advantage of these five things, before five [other things]: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your wealth before your poverty, your leisure before your preoccupation, and your life before your death.’”
 
Kahmas bin al-Ḥasan reported to us on the authority of Abū al-Salīl on the authority of ʿAnīm bin Qays, who said: “We preached in the beginning of Islam four things. We would say: ‘Put to use your youth for the sake of your old age, your leisure for the sake of your preoccupation, your health for the sake your sickness, and your life for the sake of your death.’”
 
Ḥanẓalah bin Abū Sufyān reported to us on the authority of Aṭṭā’ bin Abū Ribbāḥ who said: ʿAbd allah bin Masʿūd said: “There is nothing more uncertain in the world, than the world itself.”
 
ʿAbd al-Wārith bin Saʿīd Abū ʿUbayd reported to us on the authority of a man on the authority of al-Ḥasan, that he used to say: “Oh son of Adam! Beware of procrastination (al-taswīf)! Verily, today is upon you, so do not concern yourself with tomorrow. [After today], if you have a tomorrow, then be wise then just as you were wise today. For if you do not have a tomorrow, then you will not regret what you neglected today.” There reported to me others, regarding al-Ḥasan, who said that he used to say: “I knew people, one of whom was more cautious in regards to his life than with his dirhams and dinars.”
 
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.
https://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/which-life/

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[TR][TD]Which life to Pursue? - Sayings of the Salaf
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...[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]
 
You better get Married

It is reported that Ṭāwūs – Allāh have mercy on him – said, “The worship and devoutness of a young person is not complete until he marries.”

Ibrāhīm b. Maysurah reports that Ṭāwūs said to him, “You better get married or I will say to you what ʿUmar b. Al-Khattāb said to Abū Al-Zawā`id: ‘Nothing but incapability or sinfulness is preventing you from getting married!’”

Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`, in his biography of Ṭāwūs.

Ṭāwūs b. Kaysān was a great scholar and ascetic. He was the most renowned scholar of Yemen during his time. He is regarded as one of the senior companions and students of Ibn ‘Abbās, and reports narrations from a number of other Companions.
https://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/better-get-married/
 
[h=2]Three Traits of the Scholar[/h]It is reported that Abū Ḥāzim Salamah b. Dīnār – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
You cannot be a scholar unless you have three traits: you do not transgress against those above you, you do not look down on those lesser than you, and you do not take any dunyā in return for your knowledge.
​
Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab Al-Īmān 3:282, article 1655
 
Hafsah on Two Reasons to Marry

ʿAmr b. Dīnār reports that ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar – Allāh be pleased with them – intended not to marry after the [passing of the] Prophet – ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa salam, so Ḥafṣah (his sister) – Allāh be pleased with her – advised him:

My brother, marry, for if you have a child and it dies, it will precede you into Al-Jannah (and be a cause for you to be admitted), and if it lives, the child will supplicate for good for you.

ʿAbd Al-Razzāq Al-Ṣanʿānī, Al-Muṣannaf #10388
https://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/hafsah-on-two-reasons-to-marry/
 
It is reported that Sufyān Al-Thawrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

If you loved a man for Allāh and then he innovates in Islām and you don’t hate him for it, you never [truly] loved him for Allāh.

Abū Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyā
 
It is reported that Imām Al-Awzā’ī – Allāh have mercy on him – used to say:

Whoever hides his heresy (bid’ah) from us, his companionship is not hidden from us.

Ibn Battah, Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā article 420.

It is reported that when Sufyān Al-Thawrī – Allāh have mercy on him – came to Baṣrah he started to look into the matter of Al-Rabī’ – i.e. Ibn Ṣabīḥ
(1) – and his status amongst the people. [Sufyān] asked, “What does he believe?” [People] replied, “He believes in nothing but the Sunnah.” He asked, “Who are his companions?” They replied, “The People of Qadr (those who denied Allāh’s pre-decree).” He said, “Then he is a Qadarī (like them).”

Ibid. article 421.
 
It was said to ‘Ā`ishah – Allāh be pleased with her, “There are people who faint when they hear the Quran.” She said. “The Quran is nobler than to have people lose their minds from it. Rather, it [should be] as Allāh the Mighty and Sublime said:

Those who fear their Lord tremble with fear by it, then their skins and hearts settle to the remembrance of Allah. (Sūrah Al-Zumar: 23)

Abū ‘Ubayd Al-Qāsim b. Sallām, Faḍā`il Al-Qur`ān p214.
 
It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. ‘Urwah b. Al-Zubayr said, “I asked my grandmother Asmā` (bint Abī Bakr) – Allāh be pleased with her, ‘How were the Companions of Allāh’s Messenger – Allāh peace and praise be upon him – when they heard the Quran?’ She replied, ‘their eyes would shed tears and they would tremble (with fear), as Allāh described them (in the Quran).’ I said, ‘There are some people here who, when they hear the Quran, fall down unconscious,’ She said, ‘I seek refuge with Allāh from the accursed Shayṭān.’”

Al-Bayhaqī, Shu’ab Al-Īmān 3
 
It is reported that Anas b. Mālik was asked about people who drop unconscious when the Quran is recited to them. He said, “That is the behavior of the Khawārij.”

Al-Qāsim b. Salām, op. cit. p215.

It is reported that Muḥammad b. Sīrīn said, having been asked about a man who drops unconscious when the Quran is recited to him, “Make an appointment between us and him, we will sit on a wall, and the Quran – from beginning to end – will be recited unto him. If he falls off the wall, he is as he claims.”

Ibid., Al-Baghawī, op. cit.
 
A False testimony of Faith [hypocrisy and the shahadah]

The likeness [of the munāfiq] is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allāh took away their light and left them in darkness. So they could not see. They are deaf, dumb and blind, so they return not [to the Right Path]. (Quran 2:17)

Qatādah – Allāh’s mercy be upon him – said:

This is the likeness Allāh has given of the Hypocrite (munāfiq); he says lā ilāha illallāh and with it marries into the Muslims, inherits from the Muslims, fights alongside the Muslims, and protects his blood and wealth. But when death comes, [the testimony of faith] has no basis in his heart, and no reality in his actions, so the munāfiq is stripped of it at death and left in darkness and blindness wondering therein, just as he was blind about the right of Allāh and obedience to Him in his worldly life and deaf to the truth.

Al-Ṭabarī, Al-Tafsīr
https://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/a-false-testimony-of-faith-hypocrisy-and-the-shahadah/
 
Don’t ask the Polytheists

Abdullāh b. ‘Abbās – Allāh be pleased with them – said:
O Muslims, how can you ask the People of the Book [about their scripture] when the Book of Allāh that was revealed to your Prophet – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him – is the most recent news of Allāh; you recite it complete and unaltered? Allāh has informed you that they replaced what Allāh wrote and changed the Book with their hands and said ‘This is from Allāh,’ to purchase with it a measly price (Quran 2:79). Does not the knowledge that has come to you forbid you from asking them? By Allāh, we have not seen a single man among them asking you about what was revealed to you.
Al-Bukhārī, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ hadith 2685, Chapter on not asking the Polytheists for testimonies or anything else. He also records it in other chapters.

https://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/dont-ask-the-polytheists/
 
حَدَّثَنَا فَرْوَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ أَنَّ الْحَارِثَ بْنَ هِشَامٍ، سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَيْفَ يَأْتِيكَ الْوَحْىُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ كُلُّ ذَاكَ يَأْتِي الْمَلَكُ أَحْيَانًا فِي مِثْلِ صَلْصَلَةِ الْجَرَسِ، فَيَفْصِمُ عَنِّي وَقَدْ وَعَيْتُ مَا قَالَ، وَهْوَ أَشَدُّهُ عَلَىَّ، وَيَتَمَثَّلُ لِي الْمَلَكُ أَحْيَانًا رَجُلاً، فَيُكَلِّمُنِي فَأَعِي مَا يَقُولُ ‏"‏‏.‏
 
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ مَرِضْتُ فَلَمْ تَعُدْنِي قَالَ يَا رَبِّ كَيْفَ أَعُودُكَ وَأَنْتَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ قَالَ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ عَبْدِي فُلَانًا مَرِضَ فَلَمْ تَعُدْهُ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّكَ لَوْ عُدْتَهُ لَوَجَدْتَنِي عِنْدَهُ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ اسْتَطْعَمْتُكَ فَلَمْ تُطْعِمْنِي قَالَ يَا رَبِّ وَكَيْفَ أُطْعِمُكَ وَأَنْتَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ قَالَ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّهُ اسْتَطْعَمَكَ عَبْدِي فُلَانٌ فَلَمْ تُطْعِمْهُ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّكَ لَوْ أَطْعَمْتَهُ لَوَجَدْتَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ اسْتَسْقَيْتُكَ فَلَمْ تَسْقِنِي قَالَ يَا رَبِّ كَيْفَ أَسْقِيكَ وَأَنْتَ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ قَالَ اسْتَسْقَاكَ عَبْدِي فُلَانٌ فَلَمْ تَسْقِهِ أَمَا إِنَّكَ لَوْ سَقَيْتَهُ وَجَدْتَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي

Allah Almighty will say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit me. He will say: My Lord, how can I visit you when you are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: Did you not know that my servant was sick and you did not visit him, and had you visited him you would have found me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food but you did not feed me. He will say: My Lord, how can I feed you when you are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: Did you not know that my servant asked you for food but you did not feed him, and had you fed him you would have found me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for drink but you did not provide for me. He will say: My Lord, how can I give you drink when you are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: My servant asked you for a drink but you did not provide for him, and had you given it to him you would have found me with him.
 
Stupid: Asking for Quran without Sunnah
It is reported that ‘Imrān b. Husayn – Allāh be pleased with him – was once relating hadīth amongst a group of people, when a man said:
Leave this and give us something from the Book of Allāh. ‘Imrān said, “You are a dunce (stupid). Do you find in the Book of Allāh details of prayer. Do you find in the Book of Allāh details of fasting!? This Qur`ān prescribes those matters, and the Sunnah explains them.”
Al-Harawī, Dham Al-Kalām article 244, et al with various wordings.
https://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/stupid-asking-quran-without-sunnah/
 
[h=2]Arguing with a Scholar or an Ignoramus[/h]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.
 

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