The intelligent person’s tongue is behind his heart: when he wants to speak, he first thinks. If [his words] will be in his favor, he says them, and if they will be against him, he does not speak. And the ignorant person’s heart is behind his tongue: when he merely thinks of saying something, he says it, whether it is for or against him. Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm article 2049.
Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm article 2049.
Whoever does not think that his speech is part of his deeds and that his character is part of his religion will be destroyed without even realizing. Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā Dham Al-Kadhib wa Ahlī article 94.
Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā Dham Al-Kadhib wa Ahlī article 94.
Whoever exposes himself to suspicion, let him blame only himself for whoever suspects him. He who covers his secret is in a position to choose [to correct himself]. Assume the best about your brother until what comes to you from him overcomes you [and you have to change your opinion]. You can never pay back someone who disobeys Allāh in his dealings with you with anything better than obeying Allāh in your dealings with him. Take righteous brothers [as friends]; acquire them in plenty, for they are a beautification in prosperity and an aid during calamity. Do not ask about what has not yet happened until it actually happens, for what has happened is enough of an occupation to worry about what has not happened. Let not your speech be given freely except to those who want to hear it and will value it. Do not seek help in fulfilling a need you have except from someone who wants success for you in that endeavor. Do not consult except people who fear Allāh, and do not accompany the sinner, [lest] you learn his sinfulness. And be humble at the graves. Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb Al-Zuhd article 89.
Abū Dāwūd, Kitāb Al-Zuhd article 89.
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.
Sleeping in the first part of the day is ignorance, and in the middle of the day [good] character, and in the last part of the day stupidity. Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad. Shaykh Al-Albānī graded its chain of transmission ṣaḥīḥ. See Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Adab Al-Mufrad hadith #947.
Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad. Shaykh Al-Albānī graded its chain of transmission ṣaḥīḥ. See Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Adab Al-Mufrad hadith #947.
Did the Companions of Allāh’s Messenger – Allāh’s peace and blessings be upon him – used to laugh? He replied, “Yes, and the īmān (faith) in their hearts was greater than the mountains.” ʿAbd Al-Razzāq Al-Ṣan’ānī, Al-Muṣannaf 11:327.
ʿAbd Al-Razzāq Al-Ṣan’ānī, Al-Muṣannaf 11:327.
Stay away from mentioning women and food in our gatherings, for I hate a man to constantly be talking about his private parts and his belly. It is from higher conduct and religiousness that a man [sometimes] leaves eating food while he desires it.
Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm, 3:44, 45.
Al-Bukhārī, Al-Ṣaḥīḥ ‘What is hated about making supplications rhyme.’ Notes In this narration, the illustrious Companion ʿAbdullāh b. ‘Abbās gives some guidelines about being wise and aware of people’s condition when teaching them and calling them to Allāh. He advised that a person should not address the people and give talks to them too often, lest they become bored or fed up of hearing the Quran. This consideration is taken from the Sunnah of the Prophet – Allāh’s praise and peace be upon him – as related by Ibn Mas’ūd. This tradition also expresses the dislike of trying to disseminate knowledge in a way that might be detrimental to its purpose. We are discouraged from spreading knowledge to those who do not desire it or those who are not enthusiastic to receive it and interrupting people while they are speaking. We are encouraged to teach knowledge to those who express their desire for it, because all this means it is more likely that the recipient will benefit from this knowledge. The narration also warns against the practice of trying to make du’ā (supplication) rhyme. This is because occupying oneself with putting together rhyming prayers conflicts with the state of being humble and imploring Allāh, which is how a person should be when supplicating. There is no contradiction between this disliked behavior and the fact that some of the Prophetic supplications and statements rhyme, because the Prophet never used to have to try and make them rhyme, but was effortlessly eloquent and at the same time fully humbled in front of Allāh. Adapted from Ibn Ḥajr, Fatḥ Al-Bārī.
Adapted from Ibn Ḥajr, Fatḥ Al-Bārī.
Al-Bayhaqī, Al-Madkhal ilā Al-Sunan Al-Kubrā 2:74.
He is also reported to have said, “Do not learn the speech of the non-Arabs (unbelievers) and do not enter upon the polytheists in their churches during their holidays, for the wrath [of Allāh] descends upon them then.” It is also reported that ʿAbdullāh b. ‘Amr b. Al-‘Āṣ – Allāh be pleased with him – said, “Whoever takes residence in the lands of the non-Arabs (unbelievers) and takes part in their Nayrūz and their Mahrijān (two Persian festivals) and copies them until the day he dies will be resurrected and gathered with them on the Day of Resurrection.” Al-Bayhaqī, Al-Sunan Al-Kubrā Vol. 9 p234. Ibn Taymīyah (see reference below) states that the chain of transmission for the second statement of ʿUmar is ṣaḥīḥ. Commenting on these narrations, Shaykh Al-Islām Ibn Taymīyah (Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā Vol. 23 p325) states, “So ʿUmar forbade the learning of their language and merely entering upon them in their churches on their festivals, so what about one who does what they do? Or what about someone who wants to do something that is part of their religion? Isn’t agreeing with them in actions even more serious than agreeing with them in their language? Isn’t doing some of the things they do in their festivals even more serious than just entering upon them during their festivals? And if the wrath [of Allāh] descends upon them during their festivals because of the things they do, isn’t the person who partakes in their actions or some of their actions exposing himself to the punishment for this? And the statement of [ʿUmar], ‘Stay well away from the enemies of Allāh during their festivals,’ isn’t this a prohibition from meeting with them and getting together with them? So what about a person who actually does what they do?”
Commenting on these narrations, Shaykh Al-Islām Ibn Taymīyah (Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā Vol. 23 p325) states, “So ʿUmar forbade the learning of their language and merely entering upon them in their churches on their festivals, so what about one who does what they do? Or what about someone who wants to do something that is part of their religion? Isn’t agreeing with them in actions even more serious than agreeing with them in their language? Isn’t doing some of the things they do in their festivals even more serious than just entering upon them during their festivals? And if the wrath [of Allāh] descends upon them during their festivals because of the things they do, isn’t the person who partakes in their actions or some of their actions exposing himself to the punishment for this? And the statement of [ʿUmar], ‘Stay well away from the enemies of Allāh during their festivals,’ isn’t this a prohibition from meeting with them and getting together with them? So what about a person who actually does what they do?”