I borrowed a pen in the land of Syria, and it slipped my mind to return it to its owner. When I arrived in Marw, I looked and found it still with me, so I returned to the land of Syria and gave it back to its owner.
Name
ʿAbdullāh b. Al-Mubārak
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16sayings
Library
Sayings attributed to this name.
Fast Times
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.
Four Requirements for Seeking Knowledge
It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
The seeking of knowledge cannot truly be achieved except with four things: time (al-farāgh, being free to study), sufficient wealth (al-māl, to avoid preoccupation with seeking a living), preservation (al-ḥifẓ, memorization) and piety (al-waraʿ, religious cautiousness).
Al-Bayhaqī, Shuʿab Al-Īmān 3:243, article 1602.
Four Things the Wise do Not Trust
It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
The insightful and wise do not trust that they are safe from four things: a past sin about which it is not known what the Lord Almighty will do, the remaining lifespan wherein it is not known what destruction lies, some (apparent) advantage a person is given but which could be a lure (from Allāh) in recompense for his wrongdoing, a misguidance that has been beautified – so that he thinks it is guidance – and a momentary deviation of the heart, for a person can be stripped of his religion without realizing it.
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar Aʿlām Al-Nubalāʾ 8:406.
Not Speaking in Front of Elders
Samurah b. Jundub – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
I was young during the time of Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ and I had memorised things he had said; nothing stopped me from speaking except for the fact that there were amongst us men who were older than me.
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb Al-Janāʾiz #964.
Letting Elders Enter First
Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī has mentioned this heading and quotes the following general aḥādīth. He then reports narrations from some of the Salaf about letting elders enter first.
Blessings are with your seniors.
Ibn Ḥibbān et al. Graded ṣaḥīh by Al-Albānī and others. See Al-Ṣaḥīḥah no. 1778.
The Best Things a Person Can be Given
It is reported from Ḥabīb Al-Jallāb that he asked ʿAbdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him:
“What is the best thing a person is ever given?” He replied, “Innate intelligence.” He then asked, “And if not that?” He replied, “Good conduct.” He then asked, “And if not that?” He replied, “A compassionate brother to consult.” He then asked, “And if not that?” He replied, “Long silence.” He asked, “And if not that?” Ibn Al-Mubārak replied, “Then an early death.”
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar ʾAʿlām Al-Nubalāʾ 8:397.
Required Learning [What is a Muslim Required to Study?]
It is reported that Hasan b. Rabī’ asked ‘Abdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him – about the meaning of the hadith, “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim”. He replied:
It is not [the expert knowledge of hadith and fiqh] you are seeking. Seeking knowledge is an obligation when a man comes to something concerning his religion (dīn): he is to ask about it until he knows it.
Al-Khatīb Al-Baghdādī, Al-Faqīh wa Al-Mutafaqqih article 162.
From the Beauty of Knowledge
It is reported that Imām Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
Al-Shāfi’ī saw me sitting in his circle, and there was some ink on my shirt I was trying to hide. He said, “Young man, why are you hiding it? Having ink on ones clothes is a sign of lofty conduct: to the sight it is black, but to the insight it is white (with the light of knowledge).” It is reported that ‘Abdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him – said: Ink on the clothes is the perfume of the scholars. – Some put this in verse (from Arabic): The ink-pot’s ink is the perfume of men As saffron is the perfume of women So the former befits the garments of those men As the latter the garments of wives It is reported that Imām Aḥmad said, seeing the students of ḥadīth approaching with their ink-pots: These are the lanterns of Islām. Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Al-Jāmi’ li-Akhlāq Al-Rāwī, articles 508, 509, 512 .
Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī, Al-Jāmi’ li-Akhlāq Al-Rāwī, articles 508, 509, 512 .
Some of the Best and Worst People in Society
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.
Who can give a Fatwa?
It is reported that Imām Mālik – Allāh have mercy on him – was asked, “Who is allowed to give religious rulings (fatwā)? He replied:
Issuing fatwā is not allowed except for a person who knows what the people have differed in. It was said, ‘Do you mean the different views of the people of opinions (those who depend more on analogy and speculation)? He replied, “No, [I mean] the different views of the Companions of Muḥammad – Allāh’s praise and peace be upon him. And he must also know the textual evidence that abrogates [other rulings] and that which is abrogated [by other texts], both in the Quran and the ḥadīth of Allah’s Messenger – Allāh’s praise and peace be upon him. Such a person can issue fatāwā. Ibn ‘Abd Al-Barr, Jāmi’ Bayān Al-‘Ilm wa Faḍlihī article 1529. It is reported that ‘Abdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him – was asked, “When can a person issue an edict (fatwā)?” He replied, “When he is knowledgeable about the narrations (hadith and traditions of the Salaf), and has insight into [juristic] opinion. Ibid. article 1532.
Ibid. article 1532.
The scholar, the ruler, and your brother
It is reported that ‘Abdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
It is right that an intelligent person does not undervalue three [types of people]: the scholars, the rulers, and [his Muslim] brothers. Whoever undervalues the scholars will lose his afterlife, whoever undervalues the rulers will lose his worldly life, and whoever undervalues his brothers loses his good character and conduct. Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`17:251.
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`17:251.
The Borrowed Pen [trustworthiness]
It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Al-Mubārak said, “I once borrowed a pen in Al-Shām (Transjordan) and went to return it. But when I came back to Marwu (Eng. Merv , in Central Asia) I saw that I still had it, so I went back to Al-Shām to return it to its owner.”
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`, Vol. 8 p395.
The Narrations are the Religion
It is reported that Muḥammad b. Sīrīn said, “They used to consider themselves on the [right] path as long as they followed al-athar (guidance of the Sunnah and Salaf as passed down in the narrations).”
Al-Lālakā`ī, Sharḥ Usūl I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jamā’ah Vol.1 p120. It is reported that ‘Uthmān b. Ḥāḍir said, “I said to Ibn ‘Abbās: ‘advise me.’ He replied, ‘It is upon you to be upright, follow al-athar, and beware of innovating [in religion].’” Ibn Battah, Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā Vol. 1 p214. It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Al-Mubārak said, “Let it only be the narrations (al-athar) that you rely upon, and take from reasoning and opinion that amount that will help you to understand and explain ḥadīth.” Ibn ʿAbd Al-Barr, Jāmi’ Bayān Al-‘Ilm wa Faḍlihi Vol. 3 p329. It is reported that Sufyān Al-Thawrī said, “The narrations (al-āthār) are the religion.” And it is reported that he also said, “A man should not even scratch his head except based on a narration.” Al-Harawī, Dhamm Al-Kalām wa Ahlihī Vol. 2 p264. It is reported that Al-Musayyib b. Rāfi’ Al-Asadī said, “We only follow, we do not innovate; we follow behind and do not start anything [in the religion], and we will never stray as long as we adhere to the narrations.” Al-Harawī, Dhamm Al-Kalām wa Ahlihī Vol. 2 p265.
Al-Harawī, Dhamm Al-Kalām wa Ahlihī Vol. 2 p265.
Giving to spread Knowledge
It is reported that ʿAbdullāh b. Al-Mubārak – Allāh’s mercy be upon him – was criticized for spending on [other people in] other lands and not his own. In response, he said, “I know the locations of virtuous, sincere and truthful people who seek and study ḥadīth and do it well because people are in need of them. They are needy, and if we leave them, their knowledge will be lost; but if we help them, they will spread knowledge to the Ummah of Muḥammad – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him. I do not know of anything more virtuous, after Prophecy, than spreading knowledge.”
Al-Dhahabī, Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā`, in his biography of ʿAbdullāh b. Al-Mubārak.
I sit with the Salaf
It is reported from Nu’aym b. Hammâd:
‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak used to often stay at home, so he was asked, “Don’t you get lonely?” He replied, “How could I get lonely when I am with the Prophet – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him (i.e. I read his hadîth)?” Also on the authority of Nu’aym b. Hammâd: It was once said to ‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak, “O Abû ‘Abd Al-Rahmân, you often sit alone at home.” He said, “I am alone? I am with the Prophet – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – and his Companions.” Meaning: reading hadîth. Ibn ‘Asâkir, Târîkh Dimishq Vol. 32 p458. Shaqîq b. Ibrâhîm reports: It was once said to ‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak, “After you have prayed with us you don’t sit with us?” He replied, “I go and sit with the Sahâbah and the Tâbi’în.” We said, “And how can you sit with the Sahâbah and Tâbi’în (when they have all passed away)?” He replied, “I go and read the knowledge I have collected, I find their narrations and deeds. What would I do with you? You sit around backbiting people.” Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of ‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak.
Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of ‘Abdullah b. Al-Mubârak.