It is reported that Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
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.
It is reported that ‘Umar b. Al-Khattāb – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
I have considered sending out men to the different regions to check on all those who are well off enough but have not made Hajj, and impose the jizyah (tax imposed on Ahl Al-Kitāb in the Muslim state) on them; they are not Muslims, they are not Muslims.
It is also reported that he said:
If the people abandoned Hajj, we would fight them for it as we fight them for the prayer and zakāh.
It is also reported that he said:
Whoever dies, being well off enough but having never done Hajj, let him die as a Jew if he wishes or as a Christian.
It is reported that Al-Aswad b. Hilāl – Allāh have mercy on him – said to a freedman of his called Miqlāṣ:
If you died and had never made Hajj, I would not pray over you.
It is reported that Sa’īd b. Jubayr – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
If a neighbor of mine died without ever making Hajj, while being well off enough to do so, I would not pray over him.
It is reported that Mujāhid b. Rūmī said:
I asked Sa’īd b. Jubayr, ‘Abd Al-Raḥmān b. Abī Laylā and Ibn Ma’qal (‘Abdullah Al-Muzanī) about a man who died, being well off enough, but never having made Hajj. Ibn Abī Laylā said, “I hope that if his next of kin does Hajj on his behalf…” Sa’īd b. Jubayr said, “The Fire, the Fire.” ‘Abdullah b. Ma’qal said, “He died in a state of disobedience to Allāh.”
Al-Khallāl, Al-Sunnah 5:43-47, articles 1572-1576.
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.
Salmān Al-Fārsī – Allāh be pleased with him – once visited a sick friend. When he entered upon him he said:
Have glad tidings, for verily Allāh makes the illness of a believer an expiation [for his sins] and a cause of being pleased, whereas the illness of a sinner is like a camel that has been tied by its owners, then released by them: it knows not why it was tied up nor why it was released.
Al-Bukhārī, Al-Adab Al-Mufrad in the Chapter on the Expiation [of sins through] illness. Graded ṣaḥīḥ by Shaykh Al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Adab Al-Mufrad.
It is reported that ‘Abdullāh b. Masʿūd – Allāh be pleased with him – said:
The example of the believer, the unbeliever and the hypocrite is that of three people who arrived at a valley. One of them descended and passed through to the other side. One of them descended until he reached half way, when the third man on the edge of the valley called to him, “Woe to you, where are you going? You will die. Come back.” The man who made it to the other side called to him, “Come and be saved.” So [the man in the middle of the valley] kept looking back and forth at the two [on each side of the valley], when a flood came into the valley and drowned him. The man who passed through to the other side is the believer; the one who drowned is the munāfiq (hypocrite) –
مُّذَبْذَبِينَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ لَآ إِلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ وَلَآ إِلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ۚ
[The Hypocrites] sway between this and that, neither [fully] with the believers nor with the unbelievers.
Quran 4:143
And the one who remained at the edge of the valley [not able to escape the flood and pass] is the kāfir (unbeliever).
Ibn Abī Ḥātim, Al-Tafsīr article 6144.
Abul-Ḥārith Aḥmad b. Muḥammad Al-Ṣā`igh, the close and respected friend of Imām Aḥmad, reports:
I asked Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imām Aḥmad) about something that had occurred in Baghdād, and [because of which] some people were considering revolting [against the ruler]. I said, “O Abū ‘Abdillāh, what do you say about taking part in the revolt with these people?” He decried it and started saying, “Subḥānallāh! The blood [of the people], the blood [of the people]! I do not believe in this and I do not tell others to do it. For us to suffer our situation in patience is better than the fitnah (tribulation) in which blood is spilt, property is taken, and the prohibited are violated (e.g. the honor of women). Do you not know what happened to the people (in the days of the previous fitnah)?” I said, “And the people today, Abū ‘Abdillāh, are they not in fitnah [because of the ruler]?” He replied, “If so, it is a limited fitnah, but if the sword is raised, the fitnah will engulf everything and there will be no way to escape. To suffer patiently this [current difficulty], where Allāh keeps your religion safe for you is better for you.” I saw him decry revolting against the leaders, and say, “[Do not spill the people’s] blood. I do not believe in this and I do not command it.”
Abū Bakr Al-Khallāl, Al-Sunnah article 89.
It is reported that Al-Aḥnaf b. Qays – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
“Restraint is praiseworthy except in three things.” People asked, “And what are they o Abū Baḥr?” He replied, “Make haste to do the righteous deed, hurry to conduct the funeral of your deceased, and marry the girl in your charge to a suitable man [as soon as you find him.]”
Abū Bakr Al-Daynūrī, Al-Mujālasah wa Jawāhir Al-‘Ilm 6:307.
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.
It is reported that a person recited in a melodious [1] way in front of Al-A’mash. He said:
A man once recited in front of Anas [ibn Mālik – Allāh be pleased with him] in this manner and he detested it.
Abū Bakr Al-Khallāl, Al-Amr bil-Ma’rūf wa Al-Nahī ‘an Al-Munkar, p110.
It is reported that Sālim [b. ‘Abdillāh b. ‘Umar b. Al-Khattāb] – Allāh have mercy on him – was asked to listen to someone leading the prayer. When he heard the recitation he turned back exclaiming:
Singing! Singing!
Ibn Al-Jawzī, Al-Qussāṣ wa Al-Mudhakkirīn article 183.
It is reported that there was a man who used to lead the prayer in Al-Madīnah. One night, he became euphoric (got carried away by emotion). [2] Al-Qāsim b. Muḥammad recited:
Verily it is a mighty and noble Book. Falsehood does not approach it, neither before it nor behind. It is a revelation from the Most Wise, Most Praiseworthy. [Al-Quran, Fussilat: 41, 42]
And he detested [the behavior of the reciter].
Ibid. article 184.
It is reported that Al-Fuḍayl b. ‘Ayyāḍ – Allāh have mercy on him – was asked about reciting the Qurān with melodies,
[1] to which he replied:
This is something they took from singing.
Ibid. article 182
Ibn Dāwūd [‘Abdullāh b. Dāwūd b. ‘Āmir Al-Khuraybī] – Allāh have mercy on him – was once asked by Bishr b. Al-Ḥārith:
If I pass by a man reciting, should I sit and listen? He asked, “Does he become euphoric [2] (because of emotional recitation)?” Bishr replied, “Yes.” Ibn Dāwūd said, “He has shown his bid’ah, do not sit with him.”
Ibid article 186.
Ḥanbal reports:
Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imām Aḥmad) used to detest this innovated recitation which is called Al-Alḥān (melodious, musical recitation).
Ibid. article 187.
And it is reported that Imām Aḥmad said:
“This innovated recitation which is called Al-Alḥān, I detest it.” He was very strict against it. He said, “I believe it resembles singing, and the Qurān is to be preserved from this.”
Ibid. article 188.
There are numerous narrations from Imām Aḥmad about this, amongst them:
When asked about it once he said:
It is something innovated. But [to recite in a beautiful voice is fine] if it is naturally his voice, as was Abū Mūsā [Al-Ash’arī – Allāh be pleased with him].
When asked about reciting with alḥān another time, he replied:
No. [It is allowed] if that is his natural voice, like the voice of Abū Mūsā. As for learning how to recite like this, then no.
He was asked about recitation with melodies and harmonies, to which he replied:
“It is a bid’ah.” It was said to him, ‘They gather to listen to it.” He said, “Allāhul-musta’ān (‘Allāh is the one whose aid is sought’; a statement of sorrow and disapproval.)”
Also, he said:
It is a bid’ah, not to be listened to.
‘Abdullāh b. Yazīd Al-‘Anbarī reports:
A man once asked Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal:
“What do you say about reciting with alḥān?” Abu ‘Abdillāh said, “What is your name?” The man replied, “Muḥammad.” Imām Aḥmad said, “So would you like to be called Mooḥammad?”
Al-Khallāl, op. cit., p99+.
Imām Mālik – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
I do not like reciting in melodies, neither in Ramadan nor at other times, because it resembles singing, and it causes the Qurān to be laughed at. It is said ‘this person is a better reciter than that person (the Quran becomes the subject of rivalry and entertainment).
It has reached me that the slave-girls are taught to recite like this as they are taught how to sing. Do you think this was the way Allāh’s Messenger – peace and blessings be upon him – used to recite?
Al-Qayrawānī, Kitāb Al-Jāmi’ p166.
[1] Arabic: Alḥān. This refers to reciting in a melodious, song-like tone. See notes.
[2] Arabic: Al-ṭarb. This refers to a state of emotional intensity which may bring about physical expression. See notes.
Notes
After relating some of these traditions, Ibn Al-Jawzī states:
Know that melodious musical recitation (Al-Alḥān) is detested for a number of reasons, amongst others: [its reciters] merge letters that are not supposed to be merged, they extend vowels (madd) where there should be no extension, and they omit the hamzah and the doubling of consonants (tashdīd) just in order to preserve the melody. Also, this kind of recitation causes people to get emotionally carried away (al-ṭarb) and it distracts people from pondering the Quran. [3]
Explaining the type of recitation that is praiseworthy and the type that is detestable, Ibn Kathīr states:
What is sought in the Sharī’ah (teachings of Islam) is the type of beautification of the voice that leads to pondering the Quran and seeking to understand it, to submission, humility and compliance with the obedience [of Allah].
As for using voices with novel melodies, composed on distracting and entertaining rhythms and musical rules, then the Quran is far removed from this and is too respected and esteemed to have this approach taken in its delivery.[4]
[3] Ibn Al-Jawzī, Al-Qussāṣ wa Al-Mudhakkirīn p335.
[4] Ibn Kathīr, Faḍā`il Al-Qurān p198.
It is reported that Imām Al-Awzā’ī – Allāh have mercy on him – said:
At the time of Fajr, or a while before it, the Salaf would be as if birds were sitting on their heads: (still ) concentrating on themselves [and their worship], so much so that even if one of their closest friends came to them after having been parted from them, they would not notice him. They would remain in this state until just before sunrise. Then, they would meet each other and sit in the circles. The first thing they would discuss is the matter of their afterlife and what would become of them in the hereafter. Then they would begin the circles of Quran and Fiqh study.
Ibn ‘Asākir, Tārīkh Dimishq 35:184, 185.