Pearls of Wisdom of the Salaf

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It is reported that before his death, Abû Mûsâ Al-Ash’arî – Allah be please with him – used to exert himself intensely in worship. It was said to him, “If only you would slow down and go easy on yourself.” He replied, “When steeds are let loose and come close to the end of their course they finish by giving it all they have, and what remains of my life is less than that.”

Al-Dhahabî , Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of Abû Mûsâ Al-Ash’arî.

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Sufyaan ath-Thawree said that:

"Indeed the deen is in the athaar not in the opinions"

- Reported by al-Khateeb in his Sharah as-haabul Hadeeth.

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Ibn 'Abbaas (radhi-yallaahu 'anhumaa) said:

((Indeed the most detestable of things to Allaah are the innovations)).
al-Bayhaqee in as-Sunan al-Kubraa (4/316)

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Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahima-hullaah) said:
Indeed the people of Truth and the Sunnah do not follow anyone [unconditionally] except the messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam), the one who does not speak from his desires - it is only revelation revealed to him.
Majmoo'ah al-Fataawaa Ibn Taymiyyah, vol 3, page 216, Daar Ibn Hazm Print

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On the authority of Sufyaan ath-Thowree, who said:
We do not know of anything better than seeking knowledge with (a sincere) intention (for the sake of Allaah).
Siyar A'laam an-Nubalaa. - Volume 7, Page 244


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Shaykh Abdul-Azeez ibn Baaz said:

"And we are of the opinion that it is obligatory to demolish it (the house) and in its place expand the road - closing all the doors to the evils of Shirk and excessiveness"

Ref: The Obligation of Demolishing the House of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdil-Wahhaab



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Life is nothing but an accumulation of many breaths. So every breath is just a precious diamond which cannot be purchased with anything in the world. It is a priceless jewel which has got no substitute in value. So in movements and talks, and in sorrows and happiness, such a priceless breath should not be spent in vain. To destroy it is to court destruction. An intelligent man cannot lose it. When a man gets up at dawn, he should enter into an agreement with himself just as a tradesman contracts with his partner. At that time, he should address his mind thus: O mind, you have been given no other property as precious as life. When it will end, the principal will end and despondency will come in seeking profit in business. Today is a new day. Allah has given you time, that is, He has delayed your death. He has bestowed upon you innumerable gifts. Think that you are already dead. So don't waste time. Every breath is a precious jewel. Man has got for each day and night twenty-four treasure houses in twenty-four hours. Fill up these then find them filled up with divine sights in the world next. If they are not filled up with good works, they will be filled up with intense darkness wherefrom a bad stench will come out and envelop them all around. Another treasure house will neither give him happiness nor sorrow. That is an hour in which he slept, or was careless, or was engaged in any lawful work of this world. He will feel grieved for its remaining vacant.

[Taken from al-Ghazali: Meditation and Introspection, The Book of Constructive Virtues, Ihya Ulum-id-din.]

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Actions speak louder.

Al-Qâsim b. Muhammad, the grandson of Abû 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. Abû Dâwûd, Kitâb Al-Zuhd p354

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The Dislike of answering Hypothetical Questions.


Whenever asked about a matter, Zayd b. Thâbit – Allah be pleased with him - would himself ask, “Has this happened?” If they told him that the matter had not yet occurred he would not inform them of an answer, but if they told him it had happened he would answer them.
Al-Âjurrî, Akhlâq Al-‘Ulamâ` no.81; Al-Khatîb, Al-Faqîh wa Al-Mutafaqqih Vol2. P13.


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Steps to Knowledge




Sufyân b. ‘Uyainah – Allah have mercy on him – said:
The first step in knowledge is to listen, then to be quiet and attentive, then to preserve it, then to put it into practice and then to spread it.
Abû Nu’aym, Hilyah Al-Awliyâ` Vol.3 p283.

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Knowledge transforms the student



Al-Hasan Al-Basrî – 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-Mubârak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqâ`iq Vol.1 p.156.



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‘Abdullah b. Mas’ûd – Allah be pleased with him – said:

The believer sees his sins as if he is sitting at the foot of a mountain fearing that it might fall on him, while the sinner (fâjir) sees his sins as a fly that lands on his nose, he just waves it away.

Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh, The Book of Supplications, Chapter on Tawbah.

Ibn Hajr quotes in his commentary, Fath Al-Bârî:

Ibn Abî Jumrah said, “The reason for this [fear] is that the heart of a believer is illuminated; so when he sees from himself something that goes against what he illuminates his heart with, it is very distressing to him. The wisdom behind giving the example of a mountain is that a person might find some way to escape from other dangers, but if a mountain falls on a person he does not survive. In short, the believer is dominated by fear (of Allah) due to the strength of îmân he has; he does not therefore feel falsely secure about being punished because of his sins. This is the way of the Muslim: he always fears and checks on himself, his good deeds are little to him and he fears even the small bad deeds he has done.”

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The Companions' Sincerity in Kbowledge.

‘Abd Al-Rahmân b. Abî Laylâ – Allah have mercy on him – said:

I have met one hundred and twenty Companions of the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him; there was not one amongst them who would narrate a hadîth except that he wished his brother would suffice him instead, and there was not one amongst them who gave a fatwâ except that he wished his brother would suffice him instead.
Ibn Al-Mubârak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqâ`iq Vol.1 p140, no.49.


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The Knowledge of 'A' ishah

It is reported from Abû Mûsâ Al-Ash’arî – Allah be pleased with him - that he said:
We the Companions of Allah’s Messenger – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – never had difficulty in understanding a hadîth except that when we asked ‘Â`ishah we found she had some knowledge about it.
It is reported from Masrûq – Allah have mercy on him – that he said:
We swear by Allah, we have seen senior Companions of Allah’s Messenger – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – asking ‘Â`ishah about inheritance laws.
Ibn Al-Jawzî, Sifah Al-Safwah Vol.1 p319.








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Four People we shouldn't take knowledge from

Imâm Mâlik – Allah have mercy on him – said:

Knowledge is not to be taken from four types of people: a foolish person who openly acts foolish, even if he reports the most narrations; an adherent of bid’ah who calls to his desires; a person who lies, even if I don’t accuse him of lying in hadîth; and a righteous pious worshipper who does not accurately retain what he narrates.
Al-Dhahabî , Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of Imâm Mâlik.





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Sunnah, Bid'ah and Arabic

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‘Abdullah b. Zayd Al-Numayrî reports that Al-Hasan Al-Basrî said:

They (the heretics) were destroyed by their inability in Arabic (al-‘ujmah).
Al-Bukhârî, Al-Târîkh Al-Kabîr Vol.5 p99.

And Imâm Al-Shâfi’î said:
People didn’t become ignorant and didn’t differ amongst themselves except because they left Arabic and leaned towards the language of Aristotle.

Quoted by Al-Suyûtî in Sawn Al-Mantiq p15. He said on p22:
I have found Salaf before Al- Shâfi’î indicate what he did:
That the cause of heresy (al-ibtidâ’) is ignorance of Arabic language.

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A Sign of Knowledge and a Sign of Ignorance

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Masrûq - Allah have mercy on him - said:
Sufficient as knowledge for a person is that he fears Allah, and sufficient as ignorance for a person is that he feels impressed with the knowledge he has.
Al-Âjurrî in Akhlâq Al-‘Ulamâ’ no.40.

Masrûq was one of the major Tâbi’în, or students of the Companions. He accompanied Ibn Mas’ûd and was one of his students who became senior teachers and muftis after him. He reported from numerous other Sahâbah. It is said that he was called Masrûq (literally: stolen) because he was kidnapped as a child but later recovered. He died in 62H or 63H

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Son, have you put it into practice?

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'Atâ' narrates that there used to be a young man who used to go to Mother of the Believers 'Â'ishah to ask her questions and she would narrate to him. One day, he came to her to ask her some questions. She said, "Son, have you put into practice what you hear from me yet?" He replied, "No mother, I have not." So she said, "Son, why do you them seek to increase Allah's proof against us and you?!"

Al-Khatîb Al-Baghdâdî in Iqtidâ' Al-'Ilm Al-'Amal no. 92



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Loftier Goals in Life

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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-Basrî – Allah have mercy on him – said:

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

Al-Âjurrî in Akhlâq Al-'Ulamâ' no. 30 and Ibn Jarîr in his Tafsîr of this verse.

Scholars of tafsîr like Ibn Jarîr and Ibn Kathîr 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.


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Sufyaan Ibn Uyaiynah (Rahimahullah) said:

"A scholar is not one who knows the good from the evil, rather the scholar is the one who knows the good so follows it, and knows the evil so (he) abstains from it."

Kitab az-Zuhud of Imaam Ahmad p. 246