Sayings of the Salaf

The other Fire

A fire once broke out in a house where ‘Alī b. Husayn – Allah have mercy on him – was prostrate in prayer. He didn’t raise his head until the fire went out. When asked about this he said:

The other Fire kept my mind busy.

Al-Dhahabī in Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā’ under the biography of ‘Alī b. Husayn Zayn Al-‘Ābidīn.

‘Alī b. Husayn, known as Zayn Al-‘Ābidīn for his devout worship, was the great-grandson of the Prophet – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. He was the only surviving son of Husayn, son of ʿAli b. Abī Tālib – Allah be please with them.

ʿAlī b. Ḥusayn Zayn Al-ʿĀbidīn

Prayer The Fire Worship
Thinking Ahead for Prayer

Abū Al-Dardā’ – Allah be pleased with him – said:

It is from a person’s knowledge and understanding that he sees to his needs first in order to turn to his prayer with a heart free of distractions.

Ibn Al-Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā’iq Vol.2 p726

Abū Al-Dardāʾ

Dunyā Prayer Worship
Imām Mālik and Heretics

Imām Al-Shāfi’ī said:

Whenever any people of desires (heretics) came to Mālik he would say to them, “As for me, I am upon clarity as regards my religion. As for you, you are a doubter, go and argue with another doubter like yourself.”

Al-Dhahbī in Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā’ under the biography of Imām Mālik.

Imām Mālik

Bidʿah
More time for the Hereafter

Al-Hārith b. Qays – Allah have mercy on him – said:

When intending to do something good, do not delay it until tomorrow. When involved in something to do with the hereafter, keep yourself involved as long as you can. When involved in some worldly matter, put your mind to it (so as to get it done). And if you are praying and Shaytān whispers, ‘You are showing off,’ then make your prayer even longer.

Ibn Al-Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Rqā’iq Vol.1 p126

Al-Hārith b. Qays was a student of the Companions ‘Alī and Ibn Mas’ūd – Allah be pleased with them. He was a scholar and devout worshipper.

The last bit of advice about prayer serves to repel one of Shaytān’s plots, which is to turn people away from worshipping Allah by making them feel they are showing off if they try to perfect their worship.

Al-Ḥārith b. Qays

Dunyā Intentions Worship
Take the Quran

Abu Al-‘Āliyah reports that a man once asked ‘Ubay b. Ka’b – Allah be pleased with him – for advice. He said:

Take the Book of Allah as your leader (imām) and be pleased with it as a judge and ruler. It is what your Messenger left amongst you. It will be an intercessor for you. It is to be obeyed. It is a witness never doubted. In it is a mention of you and those before you, and judgment for whatever happens amongst you. And in it is news about you and whatever will come after you.

Al-Dhahabī in Siyar A’lām Al-Nubalā’, in the biography of ‘Ubay b. Ka’b

ʿUbay b. Kaʿb

Advice Qurān
Son, have you put it into practice?

‘Aṭā’ narrates that there used to be a young man who used to go to Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah to ask her questions and she would narrate to him. One day, he came to her to ask her some questions. She said, “Son, have you put into practice what you hear from me yet?” He replied, “No mother, I have not.” So she said, “Son, why do you then seek to increase Allah’s proof against us and you?!”

Al-Khatīb Al-Baghdādī in Iqtidā’ Al-‘Ilm Al-‘Amal no. 92.

Mothers of the Believers ʿĀʾishah

Knowledge
The Cure for Death

A man once asked Ka’b, “Which illness cannot be treated?” “Death”, he replied. The son of Zayd b. Aslam [d136H] said:

My father said, “There is one treatment for death: gaining the pleasure of Allah ‘azza wa jall.”

Ibn Abī Al-Dunyā in Dhikr Al-Mawt no. 418.

Zayd b. Aslam

Death
A Realistic Faith

Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī – Allah have mercy on him – said:

Faith (īmān) is not by embellishment or wishful thinking, but it is what settles in the heart and is verified through your works. Whoever says good but does not do good will have his words compared to his deeds by Allah. Whoever says good and does good will have his words raised by his deeds. This is because Allah ‘azza wa jalla said:

To Him ascends the good word, and the righteous deed raises it. [Sūrah Fāṭir: 10]

Ibn Battah in Al-Ibānah Al-Kubrā Vol. 3 p120, and Al-Khaṭīb Al-Baghdādī in Iqtiḍā’ Al-‘Ilm Al-‘Amal no.56.

Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī

Īman Tafsīr
Respect for Hadīth

Ma’n b. ‘Īsa Al-Qazzāz reports:

Whenever Mālik b. Anas – Allah have mercy on him – would sit to narrate ḥadīth he would bath and perfume himself. If anyone raised his voice in the gathering [Imām Mālik] would reprimand him and say, “Lower your voice, for Allah tabāraka wa ta’ālā said:

O Believers! Do not raise your voices over that of the Prophet [Sūrah Al-Ḥujarāt: 2]

Whoever raises his voice over the sound of the ḥadīth of Allah’s Messenger – peace and blessing be upon him, then it is as if he is raising his voice over that of the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him.”

Nasr b. Ibrāhīm Al-Maqdisī in Mukhtasar Al-Hujjah ‘alā Tārik Al-Mahajjah Vol.1 p121.

Imām Mālik

Sunnah Tafsīr
Who speaks Wisdom?

Abū ‘Uthmān Sa’īd b. Ismā’īl Al-Naysābūrī (d290H) said:

Whoever governs himself by the Sunnah – in word and deed – will speak with wisdom. But whoever governs himself according to his own desires will speak heresies (bid’ah); because Allah tabāraka wa ta’ālā said:

And if you obey him (the Messenger) you will be guided. [Sūrah Al-Nūr: 54]

Abū Nu’aym in Al-Ḥilyah Vol.10 p244, and others.

After mentioning this and other similar narrations Shaykh Al-Islām Ibn Taymīyah said (Minhāj Al-Sunnah Vol.5 p117):

It is as they said, for if a person does not follow what the Messenger came with he will act according to his own wishes. Thus he will be one who follows his desires without guidance from Allah.

Abū ʿUthmān Al-Naysābūrī

Bidʿah Sunnah