“Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise.”
Saʿīd b. Jubayr – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
Tawakkul (reliance and trust in Allah) comprehends all of Īmān.
Hunād b. Al-Sarī, Al-Zuhd #534.
It is reported that Abū Bakr Al-Ṣiddīq – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
Beware of lying, for lying is far removed from īmān.
Abū Bakr Al-Ḵallāl, Al-Sunnah no. 1467, 1470; Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab Al-Īmān no. 4463.
It is reported that Imām Mālik – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
Whatever you fool around with, don’t fool around with your dīn (religion).
Al-Lālakāʾī, Sharḥ ʾUṣūl ʾIʿtiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah 1:163
Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal [Quran, Ghāfir (40):19]
يَعْلَمُ خَآئِنَةَ ٱلْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى ٱلصُّدُورُ
Hunād b. Al-Sarī, Al-Zuhd article 1428.
It is reported that Imām Al-Awzāʿī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
Learn what is not to be taken, like you learn what is to be taken.
Ibn ʿAbd Al-Barr, Jāmiʿu Bayyān Al-ʿIlm article 435.
It is reported that Ibrāhīm b. Adham – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
A person has not been true to Allāh, the mighty and sublime, if he loves recognition (fame).
Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, Al-Zuhd article 2240.
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It is reported that Imām Muḥammad b. Sīrīn – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
There were people who abandoned knowledge and sitting with the scholars, and [instead] took to their chambers and prayed until their skin dried [from exertion in worship]. Thereafter they began to contradict the Sunnah and thus were destroyed. By Allāh, never does a person act without knowledge, except that he spoils and corrupts more than he fixes and rectifies. Al-Aṣbahānī, Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb 3:98
Al-Aṣbahānī, Al-Targhīb wa Al-Tarhīb 3:98
It is reported from Al-‘Abbās b. Al-Walīd that ‘Uqbah said:
I was once with Arṭa’ah b. Al-Mundhir when one of the people in the gathering said, “What do you say about a man who sits with the followers of the Sunnah and mixes with them, but when the followers of Bid’ah are mentioned he says, ‘Spare us from mentioning them, do not talk about them?’” Arṭa’ah said, “He is one of them, do not let him confuse you about his condition.” I felt this was strange, so I went to Al-Awzā’ī – and he used to clarify these matters when they came to him. He said, “Arṭa’ah is right, the matter is as he said; this person forbids talking about [Ahl Al-Bid’ah], so how can [people] be on guard against them if they are not exposed?” Ibn ‘Asākir, Tārīkh Dimishq 8:15.
Ibn ‘Asākir, Tārīkh Dimishq 8:15.
It is reported from Abī Qilābah that when Ibn ‘Abbās – Allāh be pleased with him – went out to the masjid, the neighbors knew that he had passed due the pleasant scent [of perfume] that came from him.
It is reported that ‘Abdullāh [Ibn Masʿūd] used to use perfume that had musk in it. It is reported that ‘Uthmān b. ‘Ubaydillāh – the freedman of Sa’d b. Abī Waqqās – said: I used to see Ibn ‘Umar, Abū Hurayrah, Abū Qatādah and Abū Usayd Al-Sā’idī – Allāh be pleased with them – passing by us when we were still in school, and we could smell the scent of amber from them. It is reported that ‘Abdullāh [Ibn Masʿūd] could be recognized by the smell of his perfume as he approached. It is reported from Nufay’ the freedman of ‘Abdullāh [Ibn Masʿūd] that he said: ‘Abdullāh was one of the most pleasant scented people and wore the cleanest whitest thowb (garment). It is reported that ‘Abdullāh b. Ja’far – Allāh have mercy on him – used to crush musk and apply it in his hair. It is reported that Umm Razīn said: I used to gift perfume to Ibn ‘Abbās – Allāh be pleased with him. He said: “There is nothing the Quraysh like more.” She added, “And he would give us Al-Wars (a plant whose leaves are used to dye fabric).” Ibn Abī Shaybah, Kitāb Al-Adab, articles 92 – 99.
Ibn Abī Shaybah, Kitāb Al-Adab, articles 92 – 99.
It is reported that the wife of Imām Sa’īd b. Al-Musayyib – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
We only ever used to speak to our husbands like you address your commanders and leaders: [we would supplicate for them when talking to them] “May Allāh keep you right!”, “May Allāh keep you well!” Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyatu Al-Awliyā` 5:198. After the death of his wife Umm Ṣālih, Imām Aḥmad – Allāh have mercy on them, used to praise her. He once said: In the thirty years she was with me, we never had a single word of disagreement. Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Tārīkh Baghdād 16:626.
Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Tārīkh Baghdād 16:626.
It is reported that Imām ‘Abdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him – was asked: “Who are the [best] people?” He replied, “The scholars.” He was asked, “Who are the [real] kings?” He replied, “the ascetics.” He was asked, “And who are the dregs [of society]?” He replied, “Those who use their religion as a means of devouring [wealth].” He was asked, “Who are the rabble?” He replied, “Khuzaymah b. Khāzim and his companions.” And he was asked, “And who is the low person?” He replied, “The one who talks about the rise in prices to his guest.”
Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm 2:181.
It is reported that Imām Abū Dāwūd Al-Sijistānī – Allah have mercy on him – said:
Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal never used to involve himself in the things of this world that people involved themselves in; but when knowledge was mentioned, he would speak. Ibn Al-Jawzī Ṣifatu Al-Ṣafwah 2:519. It is reported that Al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad said: Muḥammad b. Ismā`īl Al-Bukhārī was distinguished with three qualities – in addition to the rest of his praseworthy traits: He never spoke much, he never yearned for what people had. He would never occupy himself with other people’s affairs; all his attention was towards knowledge. Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 12:449
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 12:449
It is reported that Al-Fuḍayl b. ‘Ayyāḍ – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
The believer speaks little and does alot, whereas the hypocrite (munāfiq) speaks a lot and does little. When the believer speaks, it is with wisdom, when he is silent, it is in deep thought, when he sees, he takes lessons, and when he acts, it is a cure. If this is the way you are, then you are in the constant worship [of your Lord.]
Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyatu Al-Awliyā` 8:98.
It is reported that Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
The believer does the best deeds yet is most fearful [that his deeds will not be accepted]. If he were to spend a mountain of wealth [in charity], he would not feel sure [of the reward] until he sees it. The more righteous and pious he becomes, the more he fears. But the hypocrite (munāfiq) says, ‘There are so many people, I will be forgiven, no problem.’ So he does wrong and evil deeds, yet holds foolish wishes about Allāh. Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā` 4:586.
Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`
It is reported from Ibn Sīrīn – Allāh have mercy on him – that a man once said to Ibn ‘Umar – Allāh be pleased with him:
Can we offer you some Jawārish? He inquired, “And what is Jawārish?” The man replied, “It is something that will help you digest your food if you get too full up.” Ibn ‘Umar said, “I have not eaten my fill for four months – not because I cannot find food, but because I have lived with people who used to eat their fill at times and go hungry at others. Abū Dāwūd, Al-Zuhd article 325. It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said: By He in whose Hand is my soul, I have lived amongst people who never ordered food to be prepared for themselves If [food] was presented to one of them, he would eat, otherwise, he would be silent; and he would not care if it was hot or cold. Abū Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyā` 6:270. It is also reported that he said: By Allāh, I have lived amongst people who when taking lunch, if they were about to be full, would stop eating. Ibid. It is reported that Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyād – Allāh have mercy on him – said: Two things harden the heart, too much talking and too much food. Ibn Hibbān Al-Bustī, Rawdatu Al-‘Uqalā` p45, Matba’ah Al-Sunnah Al-Muhammadīyah 1949. It is reported that Mālik b. Dīnār – Allāh have mercy on him – said: It is unfitting for a believer that his belly becomes his greatest concern, or that his desires dominate him. Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Al-Jū’ (The Book of Hunger) article 105. It is also reported that he said: Whoever controls his belly controls all good deeds. Ibid. article 99. It is reported that the Tābi’ī (Successor) ‘Uqbah b. Wassāj – Allāh have mercy on him – was once at a wedding reception where many kinds of dishes were offered and people started trying one dish after another. He started to cry, and said: “I found the first part of this Ummah fearing all this upon themselves.” And he ate only from one dish. Ibid. article 261. It is reported that Muhammad b. Sīrīn – Allāh have mercy on him – said: A man from the Companions of the Prophet – praise and peace of Allāh be upon him – would sometimes go three days without finding anything to eat, so he would grill some animal skin and eat that. If he couldn’t find anything at all, he would [tie] a rock to himself to straighten his back. Ibid. article 61.
Ibid. article 61.
‘Umar b. Al-Khattāb – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
Verily, the followers of opinion are the enemies of the Sunan (the teachings of Allāh’s Messenger as passed down in hadith): they were unable to preserve them and their meanings escaped them, and when asked [questions] they were too embarrassed to say ‘We don’t know,’ so they opposed the Sunan with their opinions. Ibn Abī Zamanīn, Uṣūl Al-Sunnah article 8; Al-Lālakā`ī, Sharḥ Uṣūl I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah article 201 et al.
Ibn Abī Zamanīn, Uṣūl Al-Sunnah article 8; Al-Lālakā`ī, Sharḥ Uṣūl I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah article 201 et al.