True Goodness

It is reported that ‘Alî b. Abî Tâlib – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

Goodness is not in your wealth and offspring being plentiful; true goodness is when your [good] deeds are plenty and you have great understanding and forbearance, and when you compete to worship your Lord. If you do good you praise Allâh and thank Him, and if you sin you beg Allâh’s forgiveness. There is no good in this life except with two types of men: A man who sins but then corrects himself through repentance, and a man who strives and hastens to get [the good] of the hereafter.

Ibn ‘Asâkir, Al-Tawbah article 13.

February 18, 2010 - الخميس 05 ربيع الأول 1431 | Character, Good deeds, dunyâ, repentance

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The Complete Man

Imâm Al-Buwaytî – Allâh have mercy on him – reports:

I heard Al-Shâfi’î say, “A man does not become complete in this life except when he has four [qualities]: religiousness (al-diyânah), trustworthiness (al-amânah), safeguarding [from sin] (al-siyânah) and sobriety (al-razânah).”

Al-Bayhaqî, Manâqib Al-Shâfi’î 2:189.

February 5, 2010 - الجمعة 21 صفر 1431 | Character, Good deeds, sins

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The Integrity of a Man and his Prayer

It is reported that Abû Al-‘Âliyah – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

I would travel for days to a man to hear [knowledge/hadîth ] from him, and the first thing I would check about him is his prayer: if he performed it properly I would stay and hear [knowledge] from him, but if he neglected it, I would return without hearing from him, and I would say, ‘He will be even more neglectful of other matters.’

Al-Khatîb Al-Baghdâdî, Al-Rihlah fî Talab Al-Hadîth article 22; Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` 4:209.

December 4, 2009 - الجمعة 18 ذو الحجة 1430 | Character, hadîth, knowledge

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I’m the Man [the youngster who puts himself forward]

It is reported that there was a young man who was from the people of knowledge who used to put himself forward, speak and behave haughtily with his knowledge in front of those older than him. This angered Sufyân [Al-Thawrî] and he said, “The Salaf were never like this; they never used to claim leadership, or sit at the head of the gathering until they had sought this knowledge for thirty years, and you act haughty in front of those who are older than you. Get up, I never want to see you even come close to my circ le.”

Al-Bayhaqî, Al-Madkhal ilâ Al-Sunan Al-Kubrâ 2:74.

September 6, 2009 - الأحد 17 رمضان 1430 | Character, Manners and Conduct, knowledge

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Secret Devotion

It is reported that Shurayh the Judge used to have a house in which he would spend time alone on Fridays; no one knew what he did in it.

Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` Vol.4 p105.

It is reported that Abû Al-‘Âliyah said, “I learned writing and the Qur`ân without my family noticing, and not a drop of ink was ever seen on my garment.”

Abû Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyâ` Vol. 2 p217.

It is reported that when Ibn Abî Laylâ prayed [at night], if someone entered [his house], he would lie down on his bed [as if he was sleeping].

Ibid. Vol. 4 p351.

It is reported that Ayyûb Al-Sakhtiyânî used to pray all night and hide it. In the morning, he would raise his voice as if he had just woken up.

Al-Dhahabî, op. cit. Vol. 6 p17.

It is reported that Dâwûd b. Abî Hind fasted for forty years without his family knowing, he would take his lunch out with him and donate it in the street.

Ibid. Vol. 6 p378.

July 27, 2009 - الاثنين 06 شعبان 1430 | Character, Good deeds, intentions, worship

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