The Hated Muezzin

It is reported that a man once came to ‘Abdullâh b. ‘Umar – Allâh be pleased with him – and said:

I love you for Allâh.

Ibn ‘Umar replied:

Then bear witness that I hate you for Allâh!

The man asked, “Why?”

He replied, “Because you sing in your adhân (call to prayer), and you take a wage [for calling it]!”

Al-Tabarânî, Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabîr, article 13059; from Shaykh Al-Albânî, Al-Sahîhah 1:104, where he grades it authentic.

December 22, 2011 | love, mosque, prayer

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The Recommendation for Men to Smell Pleasant [wearing perfume]

It is reported from Abî Qilâbah that when Ibn ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with him – went out to the masjid, the neighbors knew that he had passed due the pleasant scent [of perfume] that came from him.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh [Ibn Mas'ûd] used to use perfume that had musk in it.

It is reported that ‘Uthmân b. ‘Ubaydillâh – the freedman of Sa’d b. Abî Waqqâs – said:

I used to see Ibn ‘Umar, Abû Hurayrah, Abû Qatâdah and Abû Usayd Al-Sâ’idî – Allâh be pleased with them – passing by us when we were still in school, and we could smell the scent of amber from them.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh [Ibn Mas'ûd] could be recognized by the smell of his perfume as he approached.

It is reported from Nufay’ the freedman of ‘Abdullâh [Ibn Mas'ûd] that he said:

‘Abdullâh was one of the most pleasant scented people and wore the cleanest whitest thowb (garment).

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b. Ja’far – Allâh have mercy on him – used to crush musk and apply it in his hair.

It is reported that Umm Razîn said:

I used to gift perfume to Ibn ‘Abbâs – Allâh be pleased with him. He said: “There is nothing the Quraysh like more.” She added, “And he would give us Al-Wars (a plant whose leaves are used to dye fabric).”

Ibn Abî Shaybah, Kitâb Al-Adab, articles 92 – 99.

July 22, 2011 | Attire, Manners and Conduct

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The Hunger of the Salaf and its Merits

It is reported from Ibn Sîrîn – Allâh have mercy on him – that a man once said to Ibn ‘Umar – Allâh be pleased with him:

Can we offer you some Jawârish? He inquired, “And what is Jawârish?” 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.

Abû Dâwûd, Al-Zuhd article 325.

It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basrî – Allâh 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.

Abû Nu’aym, Hilyatu Al-Awliyâ` 6:270.

It is also reported that he said:

By Allâh, 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. ‘Ayyâd – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

Two things harden the heart, too much talking and too much food.

Ibn Hibbân Al-Bustî, Rawdatu Al-’Uqalâ` p45, Matba’ah Al-Sunnah Al-Muhammadîyah 1949.

It is reported that Mâlik b. Dînâr – Allâh 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 Abî Al-Dunyâ, Al-Jû’ (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 Tâbi’î (Successor) ‘Uqbah b. Wassâj – Allâh 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. Sîrîn – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

A man from the Companions of the Prophet – praise and peace of Allâh 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.

January 29, 2011 | dunyâ, food, zuhd

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Lowering the Gaze

It is reported that Salmân Al-Fârsî – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

I would rather die and be resurrected, die and be resurrected, and again die and be resurrected than to see the private part of a Muslim’s body or for a Muslim to see mine.

Imâm Ahmad, Al-Zuhd p192. 1st ed. 1983. Dâr Al-Kutub Al-’Ilmîyah. Beirut, Lebanon.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b, ‘Umar – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

Verily, part of disregarding the trust upon you is to look inside [other people's] apartments and houses.

Ibn Abî Al-Dunyâ, Kitâb Al-Wara’ article 71.

It is reported that Anas b. Mâlik – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

If a woman passes in front of you, lower your eyes until she has passed by.

Ibid. article 72.

It is reported that Al-’Alâ b. Ziyâd – Allâh have mercy on him – said:

Let not your sight follow the nice looking back of a woman [as she passed], for indeed the look causes the desire in the heart.

Ibid. article 77.

It is reported on the authority of Al-Wakî’ b. Al-Jarrâh:

We went out one Eid with Sufyân Al-Thawrî and he said, “The first thing we will do on this day of ours is to lower our gaze.”

Ibid. article 66.

It is reported that Hassân b. Abî Sinân – Allâh have mercy on him – went out one Eid and when he returned home his wife said, “How many beautiful women have you looked at today?” After she kept asking him, he said, “Woe to you! I have looked at nothing but my toe from when I went out to when I returned to you.”

Ibid. article 68.

December 7, 2010 | love, Manners and Conduct, sins, women, zinâ

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How the Salaf were (and weren’t) when hearing the Quran and Dhikr

It was said to ‘Â`ishah – Allâh be pleased with her, “There are people who faint when they hear the Quran.” She said. “The Quran is nobler than to have people lose their minds from it. Rather, it [should be] as Allâh the Mighty and Sublime said:

Those who fear their Lord tremble with fear by it, then their skins and hearts settle to the remembrance of Allah. (Sûrah Al-Zumar: 23)

Abû ‘Ubayd Al-Qâsim b. Sallâm, Fadâ`il Al-Qur`ân p214.

It is reported that ‘Abdullâh b. ‘Urwah b. Al-Zubayr said, “I asked my grandmother Asmâ` (bint Abî Bakr) – Allâh be pleased with her, ‘How were the Companions of Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh peace and praise be upon him – when they heard the Quran?’ She replied, ‘their eyes would shed tears and they would tremble (with fear), as Allâh described them (in the Quran).’ I said, ‘There are some people here who, when they hear the Quran, fall down unconscious,’ She said, ‘I seek refuge with Allâh from the accursed Shaytân.’”

Al-Bayhaqî, Shu’ab Al-Îmân 3:417; Ibn Al-Mubârak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqâ`iq 3:54 with a slightly variant wording.

It is also reported that Asmâ` was asked, “Did any of the Salaf used to faint out of the fear of Allâh?” She replied, “No, but they used to cry.”

Al-Qâsim b. Salâm, op. cit. p214.

It is reported that Ibn ‘Umar – Allâh be pleased with him – once passed by a man from Iraq who had dropped unconscious. He asked, “What is wrong with him?” [People] replied, “When the Quran is recited to him or he hears the remembrance of Allâh he falls unconscious out of his fear of Allâh.” Ibn ‘Umar said, “We fear Allâh and we do not drop unconscious!”

Ibid p214; Al-Baghawî in his Tafsîr, Sûrah Al-Zumar: 23 with a slightly variant wording.

It is reported that Anas b. Mâlik was asked about people who drop unconscious when the Quran is recited to them. He said, “That is the behavior of the Khawârij.”

Al-Qâsim b. Salâm, op. cit. p215.

It is reported that Muhammad b. Sîrîn said, having been asked about a man who drops unconscious when the Quran is recited to him, “Make an appointment between us and him, we will sit on a wall, and the Quran – from beginning to end – will be recited unto him. If he falls off the wall, he is as he claims.”

Ibid., Al-Baghawî, op. cit.

September 11, 2009 | Bid'ah, Quran, remembering Allah, The Companions, the heart

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