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It is reported that Ibrāhīm b. Ad-ham – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
Zuhd (abstinence from materialism, asceticism) is of three types: (i) obligatory zuhd, (ii) virtuous zuhd and (iii) zuhd for safety. Obligatory zuhd is to abstain from what is forbidden (harām); virtuous zuhd is to be disinterested in what is allowed (of this world); and zuhd for safety is to stay away from doubtful matters. Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm article 905.
Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm article 905.
It is reported that Muhammad b. Al-Hanafīyah – Allāh have mercy on him – said: Whoever has self respect does not give any value to the worldly life (dunyā).
Ibn Al-Jawzī, Sifatu Al-Safwah 2:77.
It is reported that Ibrāhīm Al-Taymī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
What a great difference there is between you and those people [of the past, the Salaf]! Worldly wealth came to them but they fled from it, whereas the world turns its back on you and you go after it. Ibn Al-Mubārak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā`iq article 538. It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said: By Allāh, never was a person given an abundance of worldy wealth and then not feared this might be a plot against him [for his wrongdoing] except a person lacking intelligence and sound opinion. And never has Allāh held back worldy wealth from a person and that person has not thought that a good choice has been made for him except a person who [also] lacks intelligence and sound opinion. Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Dham Al-Dunyā article 42.
Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Dham Al-Dunyā article 42.
It is reported that ‘Abdullāh b. Masʿūd – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
This world (the dunyā) is [only taken as] a home by those who will have no real home [in Jannah], and it is the wealth of those who will have no real wealth, and it is gathered and collected for by those who have no real intelligence. Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Dhamm Al-Dunyā article 16.
Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā, Dhamm Al-Dunyā article 16.
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 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.
It is reported that Wahb b. Munabbih – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
A scholar once asked another greater than him in knowledge, “How much should I build?” He replied, “As much as shelters you from the sun and the rain.” He asked, “How much food should I eat?” He replied, “More than what keeps you hungry and less than what makes you full.” He asked, “How much should I wear?” He replied, “As the Messiah (Jesus) did.” He asked, “How much should I laugh?” He replied, “As much as appears on your face but does not make audible your voice.” He asked, “How much should I cry?” He replied, “Never tire from crying out of the fear of Allāh.” He asked, “How much should I hide my deeds?” He replied, “Until people think you had not done a good deed.” He asked, “How much should I make public my deeds?” He replied, “As much as will let the keen follow your example but not have the people talk about you.” Wahb said. “Everything has two ends and a middle. If you grab one end, the other will slant, but if you take the middle, both ends will balance. Stick to the balanced middle in all affairs.” Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyatu Al-Awliyā` 4:45.
Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyatu Al-Awliyā` 4:45.
It is reported that ‘Awn b. ‘Abdillāh – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
Those before you used to give to their worldly affairs what was left over from their pursuit of the hereafter. But today, you give to the matters of the hereafter the left-overs from your pursuit of worldly affairs. Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyat Al-Awliyā` 10:242.
Abū Nu’aym, Ḥilyat Al-Awliyā` 10:242.
It is reported that Ḥafṣah – Allāh be pleased with her – once said to her father (‘Umar, during his Caliphate):
Allāh has increased the provisions; if only you would eat better food than the food you eat now and wear softer clothes then those you wear now?! He said, “I will argue [against] you with your own self: Was not the condition of Allāh’s Messenger – praise and peace be upon him – such-and-such [when you were his wife]!?” He kept reminding her until she cried. He continued, “I have told you, by Allāh, I will share in their hard living (in this world, referring to The Prophet and Abū Bakr) so that I may partake in their good life (in Paradise).” Hunād b. Al-Sarī, Al-Zuhd article 687; Imām Aḥmad, Al-Zuhd article 201, et al. (1) (1) Shaykh Abd Al-Raḥmān Al-Farīwā`ī explains in his edition of Hunād’s Al-Zuhd that this narration is ṣaḥīḥ if it is confirmed that Muṣ’ab b. Sa’d heard it from Ḥafṣah; otherwise its chain of transmission is mursal ṣaḥīḥ (i.e. it is authentic except there is a missing link between Mus’ab and Ḥafṣah)
(1) Shaykh Abd Al-Raḥmān Al-Farīwā`ī explains in his edition of Hunād’s Al-Zuhd that this narration is ṣaḥīḥ if it is confirmed that Muṣ’ab b. Sa’d heard it from Ḥafṣah; otherwise its chain of transmission is mursal ṣaḥīḥ (i.e. it is authentic except there is a missing link between Mus’ab and Ḥafṣah)