Quote for Thought (3)

17. Said the great Zāhid and Sufi or ascetic, Imām Sahl b. Abdallāh al-Tustarī (d.283), rahīmahullāh:

“The principles of our Madhhab are three: eating permissible food; following the Messenger in his words and deeds; sincerity of intentions and all actions”

 

[Source: Sahl al-Tustarī, Tafsīr p.153]

18. During the trial of Imām Ahmad, he would often say:

“Say to the heretics, the decisive factor between us and you is the day of funerals”

 

[Source: Imām Ahmad ibn Hanbal by Abuz Zubair]

19. My thoughts after reading a section of the Excellence of Du’ā from Du’ā: The Weapon of the Believer,

“Du’ā is the greatest act of worship when directed towards Allāh. It is indeed the greatest act of shirk when directed towards anyone other than Allāh.”

20. al Mu’taman reports from Abū Ismā’īl al Harawī al Ansārī(d. 418 AH):

 

“This affair is an affair for one who has no affair but this affair”

He was talking about the study of hadīth.
[Source: Abu Isma’il al Harawi al Ansari by Abu Rumaysah]

 

21. ‘Abdullaah ibn al Mubarak (b. 118 AH – d. 181 AH) said,

“A small deed may be great due to the intention behind it., while a great deed may be insignificant due to the intention behind it”

[Source: Ibn Rajab al Hanbali (d. 795 AH), Jaami’ al Uloom wal Hikam, Page 13, Umm al Qura, alMansura, Egypt]

22. Ibnul Qayyim says in his Qaseedha Nooniyyah:

If you say “Allah said, and the Messenger (SAW) said,”

the ignorant one will say “where is the saying of so and so?”

23. Shaykh Safi Khan (May Allah preserve Him and restore his health):

“Without Allah, Life is not worth living,

With Allah, Life is worth dying for!”

24. It was related from al Marroodhee that he asked Imaam Ahmad (d. 241 AH – rahimahullaah):

How are you today?

He replied :

How can one’s day be while…

 

…he is required by his Lord to perform obligatory acts of worship?

 

…his Prophet is calling him to practice the Sunnah?

 

…two angels are requiring from him to correct his deeds?

 

…his nafs urges him to follow its desires?

 

…Iblees is beckoning him to commit all types of indecent, evil deeds?

 

…the Angel of Death is observing him (waiting) to take his soul?

 

…his dependants are asking him to provide them with maintenance?

[Siyaar A’laamin Nubalaa by Al-Imaam adh-Dhahaabee; volume 11/227]