Having Good Thoughts About Allaah
August 29, 2020 § Leave a comment
Al-Fuḍail ibn ʿIyāḍ said, “If Allaah put me in the Fire and so I ended up there, I wouldn’t lose hope in Him.”
Ḥusnuẓ-Ẓann billāh of Ibn Abid-Dunyā, no. 81.
Going with the Crowd
August 3, 2020 § Leave a comment
“And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who engaged
[in it].” [Muddathir:45]
Qatādah said, “Every time some astray person went astray we went with him.” Tabarī.
“The Thing that You’d Like to Have with You in the Hereafter …”
July 20, 2020 § Leave a comment
The Tābiʿī Abū Ḥāzim Salamah ibn Dīnār said, “The thing that you’d like to have with you in the Hereafter, do it today, and the thing you’d hate to have, leave it today.”
Al-Maʿrifah wat-Tārīkh, 1/381.
The Ka’bah of the Seventh Heaven.
May 7, 2020 § Leave a comment
وَالْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ
“And By the Much-Frequented House.”
In his explanation of Sūrah Tūr [52:4], Ibn Kathir said, “And it is the Kaʿbah for the residents of the Seventh Heaven, and it is for this reason that [on the Night Journey] Ibrahim al-Khalil [Prophet Abraham], peace be upon him, was seen there reclining with his back against it—because he is the one who built the Kaʿbah [in Mecca] on earth—and you reap what you sow.”
Ibn al-Jawzi’s Admonition
April 25, 2020 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Jawzi said, “O you, wallowing in filth, for how long will you dictate—the scribes are exhausted.”
Al-Mudhish, p. 294.
“You there!”
May 4, 2018 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Jawzee, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “You there! Sort your religion out like you sorted your dunyaa out—if your garment got caught on a nail you’d take a few steps back to free yourself from it. Here is the nail of continuous sin stuck to your heart, if you took two steps back in regret you’d free yourself from it.
[But] how farfetched! A child given to heedlessness, every time he’s moved he falls asleep.”
Al-Mudhish p. 223.
Unrivalled Hope Followed by Utter Despair
April 27, 2018 § Leave a comment
“Sayyaaraa ash-Shaami said, ‘They will come out of their graves, all of them terror-stricken. Then a caller will announce, ‘My worshippers! No fear shall be on you this Day, nor shall you grieve!’ [Zukhruf 43:68]—and so all of creation will ardently hope on account of it, then it will be followed by, ‘Those who believed in Our verses and were Muslims!’ [Zukhruf 43:69]—and so the entire creation will lose all hope, apart from the Muslims.’”
Mowsoo’ah Ibn Abid-Dunyaa, vol. 1, p. 567.
“Say, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah.’ So he replied …”
April 5, 2018 § Leave a comment
Ibn Asaakir reported from Abdur-Rahmaan al-Muhaaribi that he said, “A man was on his deathbed and so it was said to him, ‘Say, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah.’ So he replied, ‘I can’t, I used to accompany people who would order me to abuse Abu Bakr and Umar.’”
Al-Buhoor Az-Zaakhirah fi Uloomil-Aakihrah, vol. 1, p. 78.
Uthaimeen on The Heart
April 2, 2018 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “When you are afflicted with a physical illness, you knock on every doctor’s door for a cure and are patient with any pain that you must endure due to an operation [if needed] and [you are also patient] with the bitter taste of the medicine [you take]—so why don’t you do the same concerning your heart’s illness which was caused by sinning?”
Aqidatu Ahlis-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, p. 42.
On Being Deceived
March 28, 2018 § Leave a comment
Haatim al-Asamm said, “Don’t be deceived by a virtuous place, for there is no place more virtuous than Paradise and yet Aadam faced what he faced there.
And don’t be deceived by an abundance of worship because Iblees met what he met with after lengthy worship.
And don’t be deceived by a wealth of knowledge because Bul’aam Ibn Ba’ura faced what he faced even though he knew Allaah’s Greatest Name [al-Ism al-A’dham].
And don’t be deceived by meeting the righteous or seeing them for there was no one more righteous than the Prophet ﷺ yet his enemies or the hypocrites didn’t benefit from meeting him.”
Madaarijus-Saalikeen, vol. 1, p. 510.
While You’re Asleep …
April 28, 2017 § Leave a comment
Khalaf ibn Hishaam, one of the reciters of the ten dialects, said, “I went to Sulaim ibn Isa to recite to him. One day when reciting I reached Surah Ghaafir and when I got to the Most High’s Statement:
“Those [angels] who carry the Throne and those around it exalt [Allah] with praise of their Lord and believe in Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed, [saying], “Our Lord! You have encompassed all things in mercy and knowledge! So forgive those who have repented and followed Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire!” [Ghaafir 40:7]
He started crying severely, and then said to me, ‘O Khalaf! Don’t you see how great the right of a believer is? You will see him sleeping on his bed and the Angels are seeking forgiveness for him.’”
Wafayaatul-A’yaan, 2/142.
“I’m a Scholar.”
December 16, 2015 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Everyone, no matter what level they have reached, is in need of Allaah عز وجل for guidance, so let no one say, ‘I’m a scholar,’ ‘I’m a worshipper,’ thereby relying on himself and being conceited, he must instead recognise the extent of Allaah’s Blessings on him in terms of the guidance that He has given him, for how many people there are whom Allaah has misguided despite their strength and intellect.”
Tafseer Surah as-Saaffaat, p. 268.
Hishaam ad-Dastuwaa’i said, ‘By Allaah, I am not able to say that I ever …’
December 6, 2015 § Leave a comment
Imaam adh-Dhahabi said, “Hishaam ad-Dastuwaa’i said, ‘By Allaah, I am not able to say: ‘That there was ever a single day where I went to seek hadith seeking Allaah’s Face thereby [i.e., sincerely for Allaah].’’ Imaam ad-Dhahabi said, ‘And, by Allaah, me neither.’”
As-Siyar, its summary, 2/687.
’Uthaimeen on the Heart
September 5, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “The heart is a vessel, when it is filled with something no space for anything else remains [in it], so when it is filled with the love of this world it becomes preoccupied with that instead of the love of Allaah عزوجل and His Messenger ﷺ and [thus] a person becomes such that he has no interest except to gain [more and more].”
Sharh Bulugh al-Maraam, vol. 9, p. 366.
’Uthaimeen on Bringing Solace to Someone Ill or Struck by a Calamity
April 1, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Part of lofty manners and praiseworthy characteristics is that when you find a person broken hearted either due to losing someone beloved etc., then you should try to bring him joy and happiness and [try to] lessen his calamity by reminding him of that which is greater. So if he lost some money, you say to him, ‘There are people who have lost all of their wealth,’ and if [for example] he is afflicted with an illness in his eye, you say to him, ‘Some people have been afflicted with blindness,’ [saying such things to him] so that you will ease his affairs, part of which is bringing solace to a person struck with a calamity.”
At-Ta’leeq alaa al-Qawaa’id al-Hisaan, p. 161.
’Uthaimeen on Sincerity, May Allaah Grant Us It
March 7, 2014 § Leave a comment
Shaikh ’Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “When the servant performs Allaah’s worship, sincere to Him in his statements, actions and intentions, not wanting anything but Allaah’s Countenance and the Abode of the Hereafter, not wanting glory nor praise from the people, nor wealth or any worldly thing, and continues in that sincere worship in adversity and prosperity, in times of difficulty and comfort—then Allaah will establish him firmly/give him authority in the land.”
Majaalis Shahr Ramadaan, p. 147.
’Uthaimeen when He would be Absent from His Assigned Duties at his Mosque and when Late for Work
February 14, 2014 § Leave a comment
“An amazing example of his piety was that when he would be absent from leading the prayer at the Al-Jaami’ al-Kabir [mosque] in ’Unaizah where he was the appointed Imaam and for which he would receive a monthly stipend, he would give the money equal to his absence, even if it was only one day, to the person who covered him as Imaam.
Likewise, when he was teaching at the educational academy in ’Unaizah, if he were late to work—even if it were only a few minutes—he would write his lateness down in the [signing in] register and next to it write, ‘Without an excuse.’”
Al-Jaami’ li-Hayaatil-’Allaamah Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-’Uthaimeen, pp. 24-25.
Imaam adh-Dhahabi’s Epic Advice
February 9, 2014 § Leave a comment
Imaam adh-Dhahabi said, “So may Allaah have mercy on a man who devotes himself to his own situation, restricts his tongue, dedicates himself to reciting his Quraan, cries over his time, constantly ponders over the two Sahihs, and worships Allaah before the appointed time overtakes him unawares—O Allaah, so grant success and have mercy.”
Tadhkiratul-Huffaadh, vol. 2, p. 86.
Ibn Abbaas’ Advice on How to Stop Backbiting
December 30, 2013 § 1 Comment
From Ibn ’Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him, “Whenever you want to mention your brother’s faults, mention yours.”
Hayaatus-Salaf bainal-Qawl wal-’Amal, p. 606.
Al-Qurtubi, “There is Nothing More Beneficial for the Hearts Than …”
December 16, 2013 § Leave a comment
Al-Qurtubi said, “The scholars, may Allaah have mercy on them, said, ‘There is nothing more beneficial for the hearts than visiting the graves, especially if the hearts are hard.’”
At-Tadhkirah, p. 132.
Supplicating for Your Brothers
October 14, 2013 § 2 Comments
Imaam Ibn al-Jawzi, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “[The Companion] Abud-Dardaa used to supplicate for a group of his brothers every night. And Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said to [Imaam] Shaafi’i’s son, ‘Your father is one of six for whom I supplicate every night before daybreak.’”
Saidul-Khaatir, p. 46.
Acquiring Allaah’s Love
September 24, 2013 § Leave a comment
Muhammad ibn Nu’aim al-Mowsilee said, “Indeed the heart that loves Allaah, loves being exhausted and exerting itself for Allaah—verily Allaah’s Love is not acquired through comfort/relaxation.”
Majmoo’ Ar-Rasaa’il al-Haafidh Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, vol. 3, p. 327.
Ibn Baaz on Gog and Magog and China
June 9, 2013 § 1 Comment
Questioner: Are there two tribes in China called Gog and Magog [Ya’juj and Ma’juj]? And are they the ones the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned in his hadith? And if it is not them, then who are they?
Ibn Baaz: Gog and Magog are two groups from humankind in the Far East who will come out at the end of time and it is most probable that they are from those who reside in China and its surrounding areas, because they are from the Far East and Dhul-Qarnain set up a barrier between them and the people as Allaah mentioned in the Quraan in Surah al-Kahf. They are from the Children of Adam and they will emerge at the end of time after Dajjaal. Then Allaah will send an illness down upon them in their necks which will cause them to die, and this will be in the time of Jesus, peace be upon him, because when Dajjaal emerges Allaah will send Jesus, peace be upon him, and he will kill Dajjaal and it is then that Gog and Magog will appear in the time of Jesus. Thereafter Allaah will cause them to die and put an end to them, and it is most likely and is what is apparent from the Noble Quraan and the narrations about Dhul-Qarnain that they are in the direction of the east, the direction of China and its surrounding areas.
Islaam, the Quraan and Old Age
March 29, 2013 § Leave a comment
’Abdul-Aziz Ibn Abi Ruwaad, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Whoever does not take a lesson from three things will not take a lesson from anything: Islaam, the Quraan and old age.”
Mowsu’ah Ibn Abid-Dunyaa, 7/564.
Depression
March 7, 2013 § 3 Comments
’Awn ibn ’Abdullaah, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “I accompanied rich people and there was no one more depressed/sad than me, if I saw a man with a better garment than me and a better scent it would depress/grieve me—so I accompanied the poor and [finally] relaxed.”
Al-Hilyah, Tahdheebuhu, 2/95.
Hauling Stones Vs. Reciting the Quraan
March 6, 2013 § Leave a comment
Abul-Jawzaa, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Hauling stones is easier on the hypocrite than reciting the Quraan.”
Al-Hilyah (Tahdheebuhu), 1/459.
“Don’t Sit Around Doing Nothing—Death is Seeking You Out.”
March 5, 2013 § Leave a comment
Habeeb Abu Muhammad, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Don’t sit around doing nothing—death is seeking you out.”
Mowsu’ah Ibn Abid-Dunyaa, 5/521.
’Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Shuraih رحمه الله on What a Person Should Choose for Himself
March 3, 2013 § Leave a comment
’Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Shuraih, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “If a person were to choose [something] for himself, he could choose nothing better than silence.”
Mowsu’ah Ibn Abid-Dunya, 5/222.
A Bedouin was Told, “You’re Going to Die,” So he Said …
March 1, 2013 § Leave a comment
A Bedouin became ill so it was said to him, “You’re going to die.” He replied, “Where will I be taken?” He said, “To Allaah.” He replied, “So why should I hate going to the One from whom I have not seen good to have come except from Him?”
Mowsu’atu Ibn Abid-Dunya, 5/309.