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Sayings of the Salafأقوال السلف
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Sayings of the Salaf

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ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar

Being Two Faced to the Muslim Ruler

Muḥammad b. Zayd b. ʿUmar reports from his father:

Some people said to Ibn ʿUmar, “We enter upon our rulers, and we say to them something different to what we say when we leave their company.” He said, “We used to regard this as [a type of] nifāq (hypocrisy).”

Al-Bukhārī, Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī no. 7178, and others.

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EntryBeing Two Faced to the Muslim Ruler

Some people said to Ibn ʿUmar, “We enter upon our rulers, and we say to them something different to what we say when we leave their company.” He said, “We used to regard this as [a type of] nifāq (hypocrisy).”

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Maymūn b. Mihrān

Maymun b. Mihran Describes The Salaf He Met

It is reported that Maymūn b. Mihrān – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

I have met men in front of whom I would be ashamed to speak, and I have met men who used to say nothing but the truth, or be silent. And I have met men who had never seen the sky properly, out of fear of their Lord.

Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-ʿIlm article 2039.

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EntryMaymun b. Mihran Describes The Salaf He Met

I have met men in front of whom I would be ashamed to speak, and I have met men who used to say nothing but the truth, or be silent. And I have met men who had never seen the sky properly, out of fear of their Lord.

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Imām Al-Zuhrī

The Opportunity of Fasting Ashura

It is reported that Imām Al-Zuhrī – Allāh have mercy on him – was traveling and fasted ʿĀshūrāʾ, so he was asked:

“How comes you fast the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ when traveling but not so during the fast of Ramaḍān?” He replied, “For Ramaḍān, the number of days can be made up later, but ʿĀshūrāʾ will be missed.”

Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab Al-Īmān ḥadīth 3518.

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EntryThe Opportunity of Fasting Ashura

“How comes you fast the Day of ʿĀshūrāʾ when traveling but not so during the fast of Ramaḍān?” He replied, “For Ramaḍān, the number of days can be made up later, but ʿĀshūrāʾ will be missed.”

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Yaḥyā b. Abī Kathīr

Honouring and Dishonouring Oneself

It is reported that Yaḥyā b. Abī Kathīr – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

It used to be said, “People have never honoured themselves with anything [better] than the obedience of Allāh, and they have never dishonoured themselves with anything [worse] than disobedience to Allāh.”

Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Muḥāsabatu Al-Nafs article 98.

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EntryHonouring and Dishonouring Oneself

It used to be said, “People have never honoured themselves with anything [better] than the obedience of Allāh, and they have never dishonoured themselves with anything [worse] than disobedience to Allāh.”

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Abū Ḥāzim Salamah b. Dīnār

Trust in Allāh During Inflation

It is reported that Abū Ḥāzim Salamah b. Dīnār – Allāh have mercy on him – was once asked:

“O Abū Ḥāzim, do you not see how prices have risen?” He replied, “And what is the worry? Verily, he (Allāh) who provides for us during deflation is the one who will provide for us during inflation.”

Abū Nuʿaym, Ḥilyatu Al-ʾAwliyāʾ 3:239.

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EntryTrust in Allāh During Inflation

“O Abū Ḥāzim, do you not see how prices have risen?” He replied, “And what is the worry? Verily, he (Allāh) who provides for us during deflation is the one who will provide for us during inflation.”

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Abū Al-ʿĀliyah

The Blessing of not Being a Kharijite

It is reported that Abu Al-ʿĀlyah – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

There are two blessings I have been blessed with, I know not which of them is greatest: that Allāh guided me to Islām, and that he did not make me a Ḥarūrī (from the Khawārij extremists).

ʿAbd Al-Razzāq Al-Ṣanʿānī, Al-Muṣannaf ḥadīth 18667.

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EntryThe Blessing of not Being a Kharijite

There are two blessings I have been blessed with, I know not which of them is greatest: that Allāh guided me to Islām, and that he did not make me a Ḥarūrī (from the Khawārij extremists).

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Al-Shaʿbī

Two Calamities for Fitnah

It is reported that Al-Shaʿbī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

Stay away from the sinful amongst the scholars and the ignorant amongst the worshippers, for these two are the calamity of everyone who would fall into fitnah.

Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab Al-Īmān ḥadīth 1753.

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EntryTwo Calamities for Fitnah

Stay away from the sinful amongst the scholars and the ignorant amongst the worshippers, for these two are the calamity of everyone who would fall into fitnah.

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Al-Fuḍayl b. ʿAyyāḍ

Evils of Those who Love Authority

It is reported that Al-Fuḍayl b. ʿAyyād – Allāh have mercy on him – said:

There is no one who loves authority (leadership) except that he envies, transgresses, chases the faults of others and dislikes anyone being mentioned in a good light.

Ibn ʿAbd Al-Barr, Jāmiʿ Bayān Al-ʿIlm article. 971.

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EntryEvils of Those who Love Authority

There is no one who loves authority (leadership) except that he envies, transgresses, chases the faults of others and dislikes anyone being mentioned in a good light.

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ʿUmar b. ʿAbd Al-ʿAzīz

The Correct Place of Opinion

Al-Awzāʿī reports that Caliph ʿUmar b. ʿAbd Al-ʿAzīz – Allāh have mercy on him – wrote (in his orders):

There is no place for anyone’s opinion [when it comes to] what is in the Book (revelation). The opinion of the imāms (great scholars) is only regarding what the Book did not come down with, and regarding which no Sunnah has passed from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ. And the opinion of no one is counted in the face of a Sunnah from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.

Al-Ājurrī, Al-Sharīʿah #113 et al.

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EntryThe Correct Place of Opinion

There is no place for anyone’s opinion [when it comes to] what is in the Book (revelation). The opinion of the imāms (great scholars) is only regarding what the Book did not come down with, and regarding which no Sunnah has passed from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ. And the opinion of no one is counted in the face of a Sunnah from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ.

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ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr

Three Types of Sleep

It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Al-ʿAmr b. Al-ʿĀṣ – Allāh be pleased with them – said:

There are three types of sleep: the incompetent’s sleep, proper sleep, and stupid sleep. As for the incompetent’s sleep, it is to sleep in the morning after sunrise (ḍuḥā time), when people are going about their needs (work), he is sleeping. As for the proper sleep, it is the midday nap (qaylūlah). And as for the stupid sleep, it is to sleep when it is time to pray.

Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab Al-Īmān #4409.

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EntryThree Types of Sleep

There are three types of sleep: the incompetent’s sleep, proper sleep, and stupid sleep. As for the incompetent’s sleep, it is to sleep in the morning after sunrise (ḍuḥā time), when people are going about their needs (work), he is sleeping. As for the proper sleep, it is the midday nap (qaylūlah). And as for the stupid sleep, it is to sleep when it is time to pray.

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The Hunger of the Salaf and its Merits

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…
Al-Fuḍayl b. ʿAyyāḍ, Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī, Mālik b. Dīnār, ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar, ʿUqbah b. Wassāj

Ibid. article 61.

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Knowledge143Character111Sins78Bidʿah66Dunyā66
ʿUmar b. Al-Khaṭṭāb39Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī37ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd37Al-Fuḍayl b. ʿAyyāḍ22ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib22