Quotes #1

I have compiled some quotes of the akaabireen. So many pearls have been passed down from them and so I have put a selection of some of my favourites. Inshallah more will come in future. The source of these quotes are from the following books: Futuhushaam, Ta'teerul Anfaas min Hadeethil Ikhlaas, Diwaan, Ahsan al Qasas, Chosen Souls, and Scattered Pearls.

Hazrat Abu Ubaydah radiallahu ta’ala anhu moments before his death: "Let me give you some advice, which will cause you to be on the path of goodness always. Establish prayer, fast [in] the month of Ramadan, give charity, perform the Hajj and Umrah, remain united and support one another. Be sincere to your commanders and do not conceal anything from them. Don't let the world destroy you for, even if man were to live a thousand years, he would still end up with this state that you see me in. Peace be upon you and the mercy of God."

Hazrat Muadh ibn Jabal radiallahu anhu moments after his (Hazrat Abu Ubaydah's radiallahu anhu) death: "O people, you are stricken by the death of a man. By God, I don't know whether I have seen a man who had a more righteous heart, who was further from all evil and who was more sincere to people than he. Ask God to shower His mercy on him and God will be merciful to you."

Hazrat Khalid bin Walid radiallahu anhu when he would call out the enemy: “O Enemies of Allah! By Allah, I have come with a group of people who love death the way you love life.”

Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud radiallahu anhu: “O people! Be the springs of knowledge and the lamps of guidance! Stick to your homes and be like a light in the night, revivers of hearts, wearing worn-out clothes, you will then be known by the people of the heavens and be hidden among the people of the earth.”

Hazrat Abu Muhammad Ja’far Saadiq Rahmatullah alayh: Beware of the company of five persons: A liar for you will always be misled by him. A stupid person for even if he intends to benefit you, he will harm you. A miser for he will destroy your valuable time. A coward for he will leave you in the lurch at the time of need. A faasiq (open sinner) for on account of greed, he will betray you for a morsel of food.

He would also say: “Whoever struggles against his evil desires (nafs e ammaarah) for the sake of Allah, finds Allah.”

Hazrat Malik ibn Dinaar rahmatullahi alayh asked, “In what lies the corruption of the people?” Hazrat Hasan Basri rahmatullahi alayh replied, “In the death of the heart.” Hazrat Malik then asked, “What is the death of the heart?” Upon which Hazrat Hasan replied, “The love of the world.”

Hazrat Maulana Ahmad Rashid Gangohi rahmatullahi alayh would say, “Those who wipe the Dunya away from their lives find that the Dunya falls at their feet. And those who go after the Dunya find that they fall at its feet and are then wiped away by the Dunya.”

Hazrat Malik ibn Dinaar rahmatullahi alayh would say: “A man who indulges in idle conversation and remembers Allah little lacks knowledge. His heart is blind and his life is ruined.”

Hazrat Muhammad Waasi’ ramtullahi alayh would say: “It is more difficult guarding the tongue than guarding gold and silver.”

Hazrat Bishr Haafi rahmatullahi alayh would say: “If you are unable to engage in Allah’s worship, at least refrain from disobeying Him.”

A man said to Bishr: “Advise me!” So he said, “Let your mention be unknown…” And Hushib would be found crying saying, “My name has reached the Masjid!”

Hazrat Ibrahim ibn Adham rahmatullahi alayh: “A slave who loves fame has not been truthful to Allah.”

Hazrat Fuzail ibn Iyyaz rahmatullahi alayh: “If you can get by without being known, then do so. What does it bother you that people will not praise you, and what does it bother you that you may be blameworthy in the sight of people if in the Sight of Allah you are praiseworthy?”

Hazrat Imam Shaafi rahmatullahi alayh: “If one of you were to strive with utmost striving to make all the people pleased with him then there is no way for him (i.e. he’ll never be able to do that). So let the servant purify his actions which are between him and Allah Ta’ala.”

He also said: "If a man spreads his secret with his own tongue and blames another... then he is a fool. If his own breast is too narrow to conceal his own secret, then the breast of the one in whom he places it is even narrower."

Qadhi Sanaullah Panipati rahmatullahi alayh: “I do not fear Shaytaan as much as I fear women.”

Hazrat Zunoon Misri rahmatullahi alayh: “He who fears Allah, turns to Allah.”

He would also say: “The sign of sincerity is that you do not become pleased when praised nor are you grieved when criticised.”

Hazrat Bayaazid Bustaami rahmatullahi alayh: “When a man becomes aware of his fault, he attains excellence. I asked Allah for the way to enter into His path. He said, “Abandon your ego and you can enter.””

Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mubarak rahmatullahi alayh: “Behave humbly with those who occupy a lower level than you here on the earth.”

Hazrat Sufyaan Thauri rahmatullahi alayh: “A good act extinguishes the Anger of Allah.”

Hazrat Imam Shaafi rahmatullahi alayh: “Whoever taught you even a little respect, consider him to be your Ustaadh (teacher).”

Hazrat Abu Sulaiman Daaraaee rahmatullahi alayh: “One who speaks without thinking always regrets.”

“Silence is the beautification of the Ulama.”

Hazrat Yazid ibn Abi Habib rahmatullahi alayh: “Indeed from the fitnah of a scholar is that speech should become more pleasing to him than silence and listening.”

A poet says: “Love refuses to hide, although I have tried to conceal it at countless times. It just returns and settles itself in my courtyard. When my yearning intensifies, my heart revolves around his remembrance. Then when I want to get closer to my beloved, he himself draws closer to me.”