Sayings of the Salaf

‘Urwah b. Al-Zubayr – Allah have mercy on him – said:

‘Ā’ishah – Allah be pleased with her – gave seventy thousand (dirham) in charity, while her own skirt used to be patched.

‘Abdullah b. Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā’iq Vol. 1 p588, no.705.

A man once asked Abū Al-Dardāʾ – Allāh be pleased with him – for advice. He said:

Remember Allāh in good times and He will mention you in hard times. When you remember those who have passed away, consider yourself like one of them. And when you think of involving yourself in some worldly matter, consider first what it will lead to in the end.

Al-Dhahabī in Siyar Aʿlām Al-Nubalāʾ, under the biography of Abū Al-Dardāʾ.

‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar – Allah be pleased with them both – said:

Every bid’ah (religious innovation) is misguidance, even if people think it is good.

Al-Lālakā’ī in Sharh Usūl I’tiqād Ahl Al-Sunnah wa Al-Jamā’ah Vol 1. P134, no.111; and Ibn Battah in Al-Ibānah Al-Kubraa Vol.1 p219, no. 213

Nu’aym b. ‘Abdillah, the scribe of the righteous Caliph ‘Umar b. ‘Abd Al-‘Azīz – Allah have mercy on him, narrates that ‘Umar b. ‘Abd Al-‘Azīz said:

The fear of showing off and vying with others prevents me from saying much of what could be said.

Abdullah b. Mubārak in Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqā’iq Vol. 1 p193, no. 126.

Anas b. Mālik – Allah be pleased with him – said:

You people do things today that you regard as less significant than a strand of hair, whereas we, during the time of the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him – used to consider them destructive sins.

Al-Bukhārī in his Ṣaḥīḥ, Chapter on sins that are seen as insignificant but which should be kept away from.