Gems from the Salaf

Abū Ja’far (رحمه الله) said: «إِذَا امْتَلَأَ الْبَطْنُ طَغَى الْجَسَدُ» “When the stomach is filled, the body becomes rebellious.” Mawsūʿat Ibn Abī al-Dunyā (4/83) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Ibn ‘Awn (رحمه الله) said: «مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ وَالسُّنَّةِ؛ فَلَهُ بَشِيرٌ بِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ» “Whoever dies upon Islam and the Sunnah, then he has glad tidings of every good.” Sharḥ al-Iʿtiqād by al-Lālikāʾī (60) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

‘Abdullāh ibn Salām (رحمه الله) said: «إِنَّ عَمَلِي لَضَعِيفٌ، وَأَوْثَقُ مَا أَرْجُو بِهِ سَلَامَةَ الصَّدْرِ، وَتَرْكِي مَا لَا يَعْنِينِي» “Indeed, my deeds are weak, and the most certain thing I hope in for my salvation is a sound heart and leaving what does not concern me.” Jāmiʿ al-ʿUlūm wa’l-Ḥikam (1/294) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyād (رحمه الله) said: «أَفْضَلُ الْجِهَادِ الْمُوَاظَبَةُ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ، وَأَكْبَرُ الرِّبَاطِ انْتِظَارُ الصَّلَاةِ بَعْدَ الصَّلَاةِ» “The best of striving is perseverance upon the prayers, and the greatest of ribāt is awaiting one prayer after another.” Tārīkh Dimashq (48/429) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Shiqīq al-Balkhī (رحمه الله) said: «ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنَ الضَّحِكِ يُبْغِضُهَا اللهُ تَعَالَى: ١- الضَّحِكُ خَلْفَ الْجِنَازَةِ، ٢- وَالضَّحِكُ فِي الْمَقَابِرِ، ٣- وَالضَّحِكُ فِي مَجْلِسِ الذِّكْرِ» “Three types of laughter are hated by Allah, The Almighty: Laughing behind a funeral procession. Laughing in the graveyards. Laughing in a gathering of remembrance.” Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb by al-Rāzī (2/402) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Shiqīq al-Balkhī (رحمه الله) said: «ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ يُبْغِضُهَا اللهُ تَعَالَى: ١- النَّوْمُ بَعْدَ صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ وَقَبْلَ صَلَاةِ الْعَتَمَةِ، ٢- وَالنَّوْمُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ، ٣- وَالنَّوْمُ عِنْدَ مَجْلِسِ الذِّكْرِ» “Three types of sleep are hated by Allah, The Almighty: Sleeping after Fajr and before the ‘Ishā’ prayer. Sleeping during the prayer. Sleeping while attending a gathering of remembrance.” Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb (2/402) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz (رحمه الله) said: «فَلَوْ كَانَ كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ يُمِيتُهَا اللَّهُ عَلَى يَدَيَّ، وَكُلُّ سُنَّةٍ يُنْعِشُهَا اللَّهُ عَلَى يَدَيَّ، بِبِضْعَةٍ مِنْ لَحْمِي، حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ آخِرُ ذَلِكَ عَلَى نَفْسِي، كَانَ فِي اللَّهِ يَسِيرًا» “If every innovation that Allah caused to die at my hands, and every Sunnah that Allah revived through me, came at the cost of a piece of my flesh until it ultimately claimed my very life, then that would be a small sacrifice for the sake of Allah.” Ṭabaqāt Ibn Saʿd (7468) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb (رضي الله عنه) used to say: «إِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الْقِيلِ قِيلُ اللَّهِ، وَإِنَّ أَحْسَنَ الْهَدْيِ هَدْيُ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ، وَشَرَّ الْأُمُورِ مُحْدَثَاتُهَا» “Indeed, the truest speech is the Speech of Allah, the best guidance is the guidance of Muḥammad ﷺ, and the worst of affairs are the newly invented matters.” As-Sunnah by al-Marwazī (75) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (رضي الله عنهما) said to Tubayʿ ibn ʿĀmir (رحمه الله): «يَا تُبَيْعُ، أَخْبِرْنَا عَنِ الْخَيْرَاتِ الثَّلَاثِ؟» “O Tubayʿ, tell us about the three good things.” He replied: «اللِّسَانُ الصَّدُوقُ، وَقَلْبٌ تَقِيٌّ، وَامْرَأَةٌ صَالِحَةٌ» “A truthful tongue, a God-fearing heart, and a righteous wife.” Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ (4/413) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Ziyād ibn ʿAmr (رحمه الله) said: «كُلُّنَا نَكْرَهُ أَلَمَ الْجِرَاحِ، لَكِنْ نَتَفَاضَلُ بِالصَّبْرِ، هَذِهِ وَاللَّهِ خَصْلَةٌ يَعْجِزُ عَنْهَا الْعِبَادُ» “We all dislike the pain of wounds, but we surpass one another through patience. By Allah, this is a quality that people are unable to attain except by the grace of Allah.” Majmūʿ Rasāʾil Ibn Rajab (156) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Al-Barbahārī (رحمه الله) said: «وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ صَاحِبَ الْهَوَى مُتَقَشِّفًا مُجْتَهِدًا فِي الْعِبَادَةِ، فَاحْذَرْهُ وَلَا تَسْمَعْ كَلَامَهُ، فَإِنِّي لَا آمَنُ أَنْ تَسْتَحْلِيَ طَرِيقَتَهُ فَتَهْلِكَ مَعَهُ» “If you see a person of desires living an ascetic life and striving in worship, then beware of him and do not listen to his speech, for I do not feel safe that you may come to admire his way and perish along with him.” Sharḥ al-Sunnah (121) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀs (رضي الله عنهما) said: ‏«يُوشِكُ أَنْ تَظْهَرَ شَيَاطِينُ يُجَالِسُونَكُمْ فِي مَجَالِسِكُمْ، وَيُفَقِّهُونَكُمْ فِي دِينِكُمْ، وَيُحَدِّثُونَكُمْ، وَإِنَّهُمْ لَشَيَاطِينُ». “Soon there will appear devils who will sit with you in your gatherings, teach you matters of your religion, and narrate to you. Indeed, they are devils.” Al-Bidaʿ by Ibn Waddãh (2/157) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

‘Abdullāh ibn Mas’ūd (رضي الله عنه) advised his son, ‘Abd al-Rahmān, saying: «أُوصِيكَ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ، وَلْيَسَعْكَ بَيْتُكَ، وَامْلِكْ عَلَيْكَ لِسَانَكَ، وَابْكِ عَلَى خَطِيئَتِكَ» “I advise you to fear Allah. Let your home be sufficient for you. Restrain your tongue. And weep over your sins.” Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah (35666) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Mālik ibn Dīnār (رحمه الله) said: «رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا قَالَ لِنَفْسِهِ: أَلَسْتِ صَاحِبَةَ كَذَا؟ أَلَسْتِ صَاحِبَةَ كَذَا؟ ثُمَّ ذَمَّهَا، ثُمَّ خَطَمَهَا، ثُمَّ أَلْزَمَهَا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، فَكَانَ لَهَا قَائِدًا» “May Allah have mercy on a servant who says to his own soul: ‘Are you not the one who did such-and-such? Are you not the one who did such-and-such?’ Then he rebukes it, restrains it, and binds it to the Book of Allah, the Exalted, making it its guide.” Iʿtilāl al-Qulūb: 28 Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Imām Ahmad (رحمه الله) said: «اللهم مَن كان مِن هذه الأمة على غير الحق وهو يظن أنه على الحق، فرُدَّه إلى الحق ليكون مِن أهلِ الحق» “O Allah, whoever from this Ummah is upon falsehood while thinking that he is upon the truth, then return him to the truth so that he may be among the people of the truth.” Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah (10/329) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz (رحمه الله) said: من جعل دينه غرضًا للخصومات أكثر التنقل “Whoever makes his religion a target for disputes and arguments will frequently change from one position to another.” Sunan al-Dārimī (312) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) said: «أول ما يرفع من هذه الأمة الحياء والأمانة، فاسألوهما الله.» “The first things to be lifted from this Ummah are modesty and trustworthiness. So ask Allah for them.” Makārim al-Akhlāq: 178 Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Sufyan ibn ’Uyaynah (رحمه الله) said: ليس في الأرض صاحب بدعة إلا وهو يجد ذلة تغشاه وهي في كتاب الله. “There is no person upon the earth who follows an innovation except that humiliation will overtake him, and this is mentioned in the Book of Allah.” They asked, “Where is it in the Book of Allah?” He replied: أما سمعتم قوله تعالى: { إن الذين اتخذوا العجل سينالهم غضب من ربهم وذلة في الحياة الدنيا } “Have you not heard His statement: {Indeed, those who took the calf [for worship] will obtain anger from their Lord and humiliation in the life of this world.}” They said, “O Abu Muhammad, this is specific to the people who worshipped the calf.” He said: كلا، اتلوا ما بعدها: { وكذلك نجزي المفترين } فهي لكل مفتر ومبتدع إلى يوم القيامة. “No. Recite what comes after it: {And thus do We recompense those who invent falsehood.} It applies to every fabricator and every innovator until the Day of Resurrection.” Shu’ab al-Iman (7/72) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Makhūl Abū ʿAbdillāh (رحمه الله) said: “أدركتُ قَوْمًا يستحيون من الله في سوادِ الليلِ من طولِ الهجعة، وإنَّما كانوا أبدانًا قائمة، وقلوبًا ساهرة.” “I met people who felt such modesty before Allah that they were ashamed to spend long hours asleep in the darkness of the night. Their bodies would be standing in prayer, while their hearts remained awake with devotion.” Ṣifat al-Ṣafwah (4/124) Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf

Rāfi’ ibn Ashras (رحمه الله) said: «كانَ يُقال: مِن عُقوبةِ الكذّابِ أن لا يُقبَلَ صِدقُه. وأنا أقول: مِن عُقوبةِ الفاسقِ المُبتدعِ أن لا تُذكَرَ مَحاسِنُه» “It used to be said: Part of the punishment of a liar is that even when he speaks the truth, he is not believed. And I say: Part of the punishment of an immoral innovator is that his good qualities are not mentioned.” [Sharh al-‘Ilal: 1/535] Learn about the Salaf: https://t.me/gemsofthesalaf