Don't conceal your muslim brother's sins

من اسباب الستر يوم القيامه ان لاتفضح مسلماً ولاتفرح ابدا بان يفضح مسلم ولاتسعى في خطوه ولافي كلمة ولابيدك ولا بلوتوث تنشره ولا باي شي في فضيحه احد وقع في معصيه فإن باب التوبه مفتوح لاتدري لعل الله يتوب عليه فيبقى عليك اثم فضيحته ، كلما استطعت ان تستر على مسلم ، استر

 "From the causes of your sins being concealed on the Day of Judgement is that you do not expose another Muslim, nor do you ever take joy in a Muslim being exposed, and you do not hurry to spread it by word or through your actions. Never rush to expose anybody who has fallen into sin because the door of repentance is open, and you don't know, perhaps Allah will forgive him but the sin of exposing him remains over you. Every time you're able to conceal another Muslim, conceal him

"What terrible companions ...

"What terrible companions are the dirham and dinar. They do not benefit you until they leave you."
(Al-Hasan Al-Basree, May Allah azza wa 'jal be pleased with him. Ameen)

I should cast a spear at a man is more beloved to me

Sufyan al-Thawri said: “That I should cast a spear at a man is more beloved to me than that I should cast him with my tongue because the spear may miss target, but a word never does.”

Whoever recites Qur'an, his value is amplified

Imam Ash-Shaafi'ee Rahimahullah said: 

"Whoever recites Qur'an, his value is amplified. Whoever records hadith, his proof is strengetherned. Whoever learns Arabic, his disposition becomes gentle. Whoever learns mathematics, his opinion will be copious. And whoever fails to defend his honour will not benefit from his knowledge."

Whoever wants his heart to be filled with fear of Allah

"Whoever wants his heart to be filled with fear of Allah, and for his tears to flow, then let him stop eating when his stomach is half full." [Hasan al-Basri]

I’m not here to be on display

"I’m not here to be on display. And my body is not for public consumption. I will not be reduced to an object, or a pair of legs to sell shoes. I’m a soul, a mind, a servant of God. My worth is defined by the beauty of my soul, my heart, my moral character. So, I won’t worship your beauty standards, and I don’t submit to your fashion sense. My submission is to something higher." [Sr. Yasmin Mogahed]

Because the joy of living is in striving.

Travel! You will find a replacement for what you leave behind,
And strive! Because the joy of living is in striving.'
- Imam al-Shafi'i

Anger begins with madness and ends with regret.

Anger begins with madness and ends with regret.–Ali RA

People are the same in health

Al-Hasan Al-Basree said: “People are the same in health but when hardship befalls them they show distinction.”

"We smile in the face of some people even though our hearts curse them

"We smile in the face of some people even though our hearts curse them." 
(Abu Darda r.a)

If you know yourself

Imam Sufyan At Thawri said: " If you know yourself, then you'll not be harmed by what is said about you"


Biography of Imam Sufyan At Thawri

"The sinner does not feel any remorse over his sins.

"The sinner does not feel any remorse over his sins. That is because his heart is already dead."

{Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah}

When a man stands to pray

Abdullâh b. Mubârak said: I asked Sufyaan ath-Thawri, “When a man stands to pray, what should he intend by his recitation and prayer?” He replied, “He should intend that he is personally entreating his Lord.”

There is nothing on the face of earth that is more in need of being imprisoned

"There is nothing on the face of earth that is more in need of being imprisoned for a lengthy period of time than the tongue " [ibn Al Qayyim Al Jawziyyah]

“Any type of knowledge and action that doesn't increase the strength of faith (Iman) and certitude (Yaqeen) has been corrupted by ostentation (Riya or showing off).”

- Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya

‘Knowledge is not what is memorized.

‘Knowledge is not what is memorized. Knowledge is what benefits’ – Imam Shaafi’ee

‎"Fear your sins more than you fear the enemy as your sins are more dangerous to you than your enemy" [Umar ibn Khattab - May Allah be pleased with him]

‎"Fear your sins more than you fear the enemy as your sins are more dangerous to you than your enemy" [Umar ibn Khattab - May Allah be pleased with him]

Sins need to be burnt..

‎"Sins need to be burnt, either with the pain of regret in this world or with the fire of hell in the hereafter."- Ibn al-Qayyim


Perhaps it is most surprising to know that while you are in need of Him (Allah), you are still reluctant to move toward Him(Allah) because you seek others" 
Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah

"O tongue, say good and you will profit

Abdullâh ibn Mas'îd said: "By Allâh, besides Whom no god exists, nothing deserves a long prison sentence more than my tongue." He also used to say: "O tongue, say good and you will profit;desist from saying evil things and you will be safe; otherwise you will find only regret."

Say what you wish in abuse of me, for my silence towards the idiot is indeed an answer. I am not at a loss for a response but rather, It does not befit the lion to answer the dogs. - Imam Ash-Shafi'i (Rahimahullah).

Say what you wish in abuse of me, for my silence towards the idiot is indeed an answer. I am not at a loss for a response but rather, It does not befit the lion to answer the dogs. - Imam Ash-Shafi'i (Rahimahullah).

Ibn Hazm al-Andalūsi on knowledge

Ibn Hazm al-Andalūsī [رحمه الله]:

إذا حضرت مجلس علم فلا يكن حضورك إلا حضور مستزيد علماً وأجراً لا حضور مستغن بما عندك طالباً عثرة تشيعها أو غريبة تشنعها فهذه أفعال الأرذال الذين لا يفلحون في الع
لم أبداً . فإذا حضرتها على هذه النية فقد حصلت خيراً على كل حال وإن لم تحضرها على هذه النية فجلوسك في منزلك أروح لبدنك وأكرم لخلقك وأسلم لدينك

"If you attend a study-session, behave only like someone who wishes to
increase his knowledge and to win greater recompense from God. Do not behave
like someone who is content with what he has, who is looking for some fault to
criticize or a curious detail to hawk around. This would be the behaviour of vile
men who never succeed in their studies.

If you come to it with good intentions, you will always obtain the best results.
Otherwise, to stay at home would be less tiring for your body, more worthy of
your moral conduct and more salutary for your religious life."

[الأخلاق والسير]

‘To admonish your brother in private is to advise him and improve him. But to admonish him publicly is to disgrace and shame him’. – Imam Shaafi’ee

‘To admonish your brother in private is to advise him and improve him.
But to admonish him publicly is to disgrace and shame him’. – Imam Shaafi’ee

The revival of knowledge is reviewing.

‘Alqamah [رضي الله عنه]:

إِحيَاءُ العِلمِ المــُذَاكَرَة
"The revival of knowledge is reviewing."

‘A friend cannot be considered as friends until he is tested in three occasions; in time of need, behind your back and until after your death.’ – Hazrat Ali Ibn Abu Talib

‘A friend cannot be considered as friends until he is tested in three occasions; in time of need, behind your back and until after your death.’ – Hazrat Ali Ibn Abu Talib

"The iman that is in your heart today, will be your light tomorrow." -Sh. Anwar al awlaki

"The iman that is in your heart today, will be your light tomorrow."

-Sh. Anwar al awlaki

"Do not be deceitful towards others for that is the characteristic of the lowly ones, and give pure sincere advice to your brother, be it good or ugly. Help him in all his affairs, and go with him wherever he goes." - 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra)

"Do not be deceitful towards others for that is the characteristic of the lowly ones, and give pure sincere advice to your brother, be it good or ugly. Help him in all his affairs, and go with him wherever he goes." - 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra)

Ibn Qayyim: Feeling powerless is a deceptive excuse - Ibn Qayyim: Do not feel weary of standing by His door (i.e. Allah) even if you are driven away, and never stop asking His forgiveness even if you feel it is rejected. When the door is opened for the accepted ones, do not miss this chance and rush therein intruding, and stretch forth your hands saying, وَتَصَدَّقۡ عَلَيۡنَآ‌ۖ "Be charitable to us" Yusuf v. 88.

Ibn Qayyim: Feeling powerless is a deceptive excuse 

- Ibn Qayyim: 

Do not feel weary of standing by His door (i.e. Allah) even if you are driven away, and never stop asking His forgiveness even if you feel it is rejected. When the door is opened for the accepted ones, do not miss this chance and rush therein intruding, and stretch forth your hands saying, 

وَتَصَدَّقۡ عَلَيۡنَآ‌ۖ 

"Be charitable to us" Yusuf v. 88.

We are a people who don't compromise

ونحن أناسٌ لا توسطَ بيننا *** لنا الصدرُ دون العالمين أو القبر
تَهونُ علينا في المعالي نفوسُنا *** ومن يَخْطُب الحسناءَ لم يُغْلِها المهر
أَعَزُّ بني الدنيا وأعلى ذوي العلا *** وأكرمُ مَن فوقَ التراب ولا فخر
أبو فراس الحمداني

We are a people who don't compromise: *** Chests out facing all the nations of the world, or the grave.
Our souls become dispensable in pursuit of glory *** for he who is engaged to a belle doesn't consider any dowry to be too much.
The most honorable people in this world and the highest of the high, *** and the most noble of those above the ground - and this isn't to boast.

-Abu Firas al-Hamdani

Excessiveness from speech removes (ones) dignity.’”

On the authority of Muhammad bin an-Nadhr al-Haarithi said, “It was said, ‘Excessiveness from speech removes (ones) dignity.’”
[As-Samt wa Adaab al-Lisaan by al-Haafidh Ibn Abid-Dunyaa/52

I always call for knowledge

Ibn Jawzee: “I always call for knowledge, because knowledge is the light one is guided with. I have however seen that the women are in greater need to wake up from this nightmare than the men. They are so far away from knowledge and they let themselves be driven by desires.” (Ahkaam-un-Nisaa, p. 9)

How good is life in this world for a believer

Al-Hasan said: "How good is life in this world for a believer because he uses it to prepare his provisions for Paradise. And how evil it is for a disbeliever who uses it to prepare his provisions for Hell."

Allah concealed their faults

‎"I noticed people who seemed to be faultless and were considered to be good people, but they began disclosing the faults of others. As a result, people started finding faults in them. And I noticed people who seemed to be bad and sinful people. But they refrained from exposing others faults. And as a result, Allah concealed their faults." 

{Imam Malik rahimahullah}

"Silence is the best reply..

"Silence is the best reply to a fool." {Ali ibn Abi Talib radiyAllahu'anhu}

"They used to learn manners..

"They used to learn manners just as they used to learn knowledge." 
(Muhammad Ibn Sireen)

Whoever wishes to know what Allah has prepared for him

The Messenger of Allah ( sallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Whoever wishes to know what Allah has prepared for him, then he should look at what he has prepared for Allah.”
Saheeh Al-Jami 6006

Fear the love of status..

Ath Thawree stated: “Fear the love of status, for indeed abstaining from it is more difficult than abstaining from worldly life

"Exercise justice between your ears and your mouth.

Abu Darda' radiyaAllaahu 'anh once said: "Exercise justice between your ears and your mouth. The only reason why you were blessed with one mouth and two ears is so you could listen more than you speak."

And verily for everything that a slave loses there is a substitute

"And verily for everything that a slave loses there is a substitute,
but the one who loses Allah will never find anything to replace Him."
[Related by Ibn al-Qayyim in ad-Dâ' wad-Dawâ Fasl, 49]


"Verily the life of man is in the life of his heart and his soul.And there is no life in the heart except by knowing its creator,having love for Him,worshipping Him solely,turning to Him in times of need, and seeking tranquility with His remembrance."
Ibn Qayyim Al jawziyyah


‎"There are no means of attaining Faith and Certainty except through the Qur'an." 
{Ibn al-Qayyim rahimahullah}

When a young man is devout..

"Do not let the temporary and little charms of this world distract you and entice you and do not say tomorrow and tomorrow, for indeed you do not know when you will be heading to Allah.”
 — Hasan Al Basri


‎"When a young man is devout, we do not recognize him by his speech. We recognize him by his actions. That is beneficial knowledge." Hasan Al Basri

O you who spends his lifetime disobeying his Lord,

O you who spends his lifetime disobeying his Lord, no one amongst your enemies 
is wicked to you more than you are to yourself " Ibn Qayyim ...

Such a person is like a dumb Shaytan!

‎"Indeed,what kind of piety is there in a person who witnesses Allah's sanctities being violated, his religion abandoned, the Sunnah of His Messenger shunned, and yet remains still with a cold heart and a shut mouth? Such a person is like a dumb Shaytan!" 
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah 
A'alam al-Muwaqqi'in, volume 2, page 176).

Do not rush to perform sins

The poet said : "Do not rush to perform sins you would like to. Think about repentance beforehand."

I have not treated anything more difficult then my intention

"Don't depend too much on anyone in this world because even your own shadow leaves you when you are in darkness." - Ibn Taymiyyah (Rahimahullah).

Yahya bin Abu Katheer said, "Learn your intention for it is more serious than the action."

‎"I have not treated anything more difficult then my intention, because it keeps changing." -Imam Sufyaan at Thawri

It was said knowledge is three spans

Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd wrote:

فقد قيل: العلم ثلاثة أشبار، من دخل في الشبر الأول، تكبر ومن دخل في الشبر الثانى، تواضع ومن دخل في الشبر الثالث، علم أنه ما يعلم
“It was said knowledge is three spans: Whosoever enters the first span will become arrogant, and whosoever enters the second span will become humble, and whosoever enters the third span will know that he knows nothing”.

["Hilyat Talib-ul-Ilm", 41


the one who shows off has 3 characteristics :
he is lazy when by himself, he is lively and energetic when with others, and he increases in his actions when he is praised and decrease in them when he is criticised"[az-Zuhd of A. Ibn al-Mubaarak by Ali(ra)].

"Knowledge (Ilm) is a comforting friend in times of loneliness, it is the best companion during travels, & it is the inner friend who speaks to you in your privacy" Mua’dh ibn Jabal (RA)

Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said:"knowledge is more important than food without food the worst that will happen is death,but without knowledge the worst thing that will happen is eternity in the Hellfire."

Imam Ahmad's saying:

الناس أحوج إلى العلم منهم إلى الطعام و الشراب ، لأن الطعام والشراب يحتاج إليه في اليوم مرة أو مرتين ، والعلم يحتاج إليه في كل وقت
“People need knowledge more than they need food and drink, because they need food and drink two or three times a day, but they need knowledge all the time.”

["Majmu' Al-Zawaid", 1/201].

“Sit with the repentant

It is reported that ‘Awn b. ‘Abdillâh, the ascetic and jurist, said,

“Sit with the repentant, for they have the softest hearts.”
Abû Nu’aym, Hilyah Al-Awliyâ` Vol. 2 p192.

Yahyaa Ibn Mu’aadh said:

الليل طويل فلا تقصره بمنامك والنهار مضيء فلا تكدره بآثامك
“The night is long don’t shorten it with your sleep and the day is pure so do not make it filthy with your sins.”

["Sifatus-Safwah", 4/94]

How strange! You loose a little from you and you cry

" How strange! You loose a little from you and you cry. And your whole life is wasting and you're laughing" Ibn al-Jawzi

It is reported that Makhul (may Allah have mercy on him) said


The people with the softest hearts are those who sin the least.”
– Abu Nu’aym, Hilyah Al-Awliya’, vol. 2, pg. 344

Remember death often

Remember death often: it will prevent you from sinning and help you to repent for your sins. 
[Ibn Abi Dunya]

"O you, who spends his lifetime disobeying his Lord, no one amongst your enemies is wicked to you more than you are to yourself " Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Do not learn what...

Sufyan At- Thawri said: "Do not learn what you don't know until you act upon what you already know."


Do not think yourself great because you have met with righteous people, for there is no man more righteous than the Prophet (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him), yet the disbelievers and hypocrites did not benefit by simply knowing him." [Hasan Basri's [may Allah have mercy on him] advice to some of his students admonishing them about avoiding the state of being proud.]

What is best for the women?

Fatimah r.a was asked: What is best for the women? She said: "That men don't see her". Narrated by Al-Bazar 488

Listen to the Book of Allaah

Ibn Qutaibah said: "Listen to the Book of Allaah, while your heart and understanding are present, not while you are unmindful and forgetful."

A believer plants a palm tree

When someone offends me, i think it's a gift from Allah. He (swt ) is teaching me humility" Ibn Taymiyyah (ra)

Fudayl ibn ‘Iyâd (rahimahullâh) said,
“A believer plants a palm tree and fears that thorns will grow. The hypocrites plant thorns expecting ripe dates to grow!”


Shaykhul- Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said:"If every time two Muslims have a dispute they part ways as a consequence, then no affection or brotherhood will remain among Muslims!" (Majmoo' al-Fatawaa Vol. 24, page 173)

"Do not think about how small the sin is, but think about who you have just disobeyed"
Ibn Al-Mubaarak, Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqaa`iq Vol.1 pg.150.

Put aside your pride

Put aside your pride, set down your arrogance and remember your grave. Ali (RA)

The eye reveals

Amr ibn Muhammad An Nasaa'ee recited (these words) to me:

"The eye reveals what is within the soul, or hatred or love if present;
Indeed one who harbours hatred has an eye (look) which is apparent unable to conceal it by what lies within his heart.

The eye speaks even though the mouth moves not;
To the point whre you would clearly see what lies within the heart."

(Rawdhatul 'Uqalaa p.49)

Ibrahim Ibn Adam said:
"if kings knew the blessing we have they would have faught us by swords for it"

Al-Hasan al-Basri said when he heard a group of people arguing:
"These people have become bored with worship, and speech has become light upon (their tongue), and their piety has decreased and that is why they speak"
Narrated by Ahmad in az-Zuhd and Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah

Umar ibn al Khattaab used to say:
"I do not care in what state i wake up in the morning whether it is good or bad, since i do not know what is good for me or what is bad."

‎"Guard against having a bad opinion of people"
Al-Hasan Al-Basree

If our hearts were truly pure..

bn Qayyim:
"Allaah drove our parents out of paradise and damned Shaytaan because of one sin, while we, stupid humans, sin all the time."
(ad-Da', p.104)

Muhammad b. Sîrîn said, “I have never envied anyone over anything: if a person is going to be in the Fire, how could I envy him over some worldly matter when he is destined for the Fire?! And if he is going to Paradise, how could I be envious of a man of Paradise with whom Allâh tabâraka wa ta’âlâ is pleased?!” Muslim said, “We have never heard anything better than this from the words of Ibn Sîrîn.”

"If our hearts were truly pure, we would never get enough of the Words of our Lord, and I hate that one day passes with me not looking in the Mushaf."

['al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah'; 7/215

‘AbduLlah bin al-‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما once said, “Whoever wants to know if Allah سبحانه و تعالى loves him or not then let him see if he loves to recite the Word of Allah then Allah سبحانه و تعالى loves him but if he neglects then he should know that he is far away from the Love of Allah سبحانه و تعالى.”


Ibn Al-Qayyim:Never do the love of song and the love of Qur`ân come together in a person’s heart except that one expels the other. (Madârij Al-Sâlikîn, Vol.1 p487)


Ahmad ibn Harb (rahimahullâh) said, “There is nothing more beneficial to a Muslim’s heart than to mix with the righteous and to watch their actions, while nothing is more harmful to the heart than mixing with the sinners and watching their actions"

One of the Salaf said, “Accompanying the righteous people gives rise to righteousness in the heart.”

Bishr bin as-Sirri said:

"Verily, each verse is like a date: the more you chew it, the more of its sweetness is released." Abu Sulayman heard this and commented: "True. It is the case with one of you that if he begins one chapter of it, he wants to read it to the end."

['al-Hadith fi 'Ulum al-Qur'an'; p. 70]


Indeed those who came before you saw the Qur'an as personal letters from their Lord. So they would ponder over it by night and yearn for it by day" - Hasan al-Basri (rahimahullah)

Start a business of worshiping Allah

Start a business of worshiping Allah, and all types of profits will come to you without needing any capital. — Malik ibn Dinar


Al-Husayn ibn ‘Abdillah:
لا يكتم السر إلا من له شرف *** والسر عند كرام الناس كتوم
None can keep a secret except a dignified one
For secrets are ever hidden by the people of nobility
السر عندي في البيت له غلق *** ضلت مفاتيحه والباب مختوم
......And secrets with me are kept in a house, locked up
Whose keys are lost and its door is forever sealed!

Abu Hatim: ‘The intelligent one must adhere to salvation by staying away from probing into the faults of people, and instead should preoccupy himself with his own faults. Surely, whoever preoccupies himself with his own faults instead of the faults of others, will find peace and relaxation in his being and his heart wi...ll not be exhausted. Whenever he looks to his faults and errors, then the similar faults of his brother will be easy for him to bear. However, whoever preoccupies himself with the faults of others instead of his own, then his heart will become blind, he will become tired out and he will forget his own shortcomings. The weakest of people is the one who criticizes others for what is in them, and the weakest from amongst them is the one who criticizes others for what is also within himself. And whoever criticizes others, will be criticized by them.’

from Rawdhat al-'Uqalaa' by Ibn Hibban


Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood said:
لا يصلح الكذب في جدٍّ ولا هزل، ولا أن يعد أحدكم ولده ثم لا ينجز له

“Lying is not correct, neither in seriousness nor in seriousness nor in jest. None of you should promise his child something and then not give it to him.”

["Al-Adab Al-Mufrad", 387].


Imaam Al-Bukhaari narrated:
وقد سئل الحسن البصري عن الجار فقال: أربعين دارا أمامه وأربعين خلفه وأربعين عن يمينه وأربعين عن يساره

Al-Hasan Al-Basri was asked about the term neighbor and said: “The term ‘neighbor’ includes the forty houses in front a person, the forty houses behind him, the forty houses on his right and the forty houses on his left.”
["A-Adab A-Mufrad", 109].

Ibn Hibaan wrote:

الواجب على العاقل أن ينصف أذنيه من فيه ، يعلم أنه انما جعلت له أذنان وفم واحد ليسمع أكثر مما يقول

“It is obliged for the bright person to use his ears twice as much in stead of his tongue and to realise that he has received two ears and just one mouth, so that he will be listening more than that he speaks.”

["Rawdah Al-Uqala", 1/45].

...you will never truly love Allah ...

"Know that you will never truly love Allah until you love obeying Him." — Hasan Al-Basri

know that knowledge is light.

Imaam ash-Shaafi`ee once said:
I complained to Wakee`about my poor memory.
So he advised me to abandon disobedience.
and he said, ‘know that knowledge is light.
And the light ofAllaah is not bestowed upon a disobedient

Glad tidings to the one

"Glad tidings to the one who leaves the dunya before it leaves him, prepares for his grave before he enters it, and pleases his Lord before he meets Him."
[Yahya ibn Muadh]


Ma’n ibn ‘Awn once said, ‘How often has a person faced a new day but yet failed to complete it, and how often has a person waited for tomorrow but yet failed to reach it? Were you to look carefully at the matter of death and its paths, you would have come to hate having hopes and its delusions.’


Hafiz Ibn Kathir narrated:

كان نقش خاتم عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه : كفى بالموت واعظاً ياعمر
"The print on ‘Umar ibn al Khataab’s ring was: "Sufficient is death as an admonisher O Umar".
["Al-Bidaayah", 7/151].

...you seek others

"Perhaps it is most surprising to know that while you are in need of Him (Allah), you are still reluctant to move toward Him(Allah) because you seek others" 
Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Eid is not for the one who wears new clothes

Imam Ibn Rajab wrote: 

ليس العيد لمن لبس الجديد، إنما العيد لمن طاعاته تزيد، ليس العيد لمن تجمل باللباس والركوب، إنما العيد لمن غفرت له الذنوب
“Eid is not for the one who wears new clothes. Eid is for the one whose obedience rises. Eid is not for the one with beautiful clothes and fine means of transport, Eid is for the one whose sins are forgiven.” 

["Al-Lataa'if", 371].

I was fatherless

Imaam Mu'ammar said:

أقام قتادة عند سعيد بن المسيب ثمانية أيام، فقال له في اليوم الثالث: ارتحل يا أعمى فقد أنزفتني
"Imaam Qataadah stayed with Sa'eed Ibn Musayyab for eight days and after the third day Sa'eed said to him: "O blind man, go elsewhere now, you have acquired all the knowledge I have".

["Siyar A'lam An-Nubala", 5/271].

Ash-Shaafi'ee:

"I was fatherless and my mother couldn't afford paper for me. When I found a bone, I wrote on it."

["Jami' Bayan-il-'ilm", 157].

I never tasted the sweetness of life

Al-Qadi ‘Ali ibn Abdul Aziz al-Jurjani said: 


ما تطعمت لذة العيش حتى .. صرت للبيت والكــتاب جليسا
ليس شيء أعز من العــلــــم ... فما أبتغي سواه أنيسا
......إنما الذل في مخالطـةِ الــنـا س ... فدعهم وعش عزيزاً رئيسا

“I never tasted the sweetness of life until
I became a companion of home and book,
There is nothing more honourable than knowledge,
So I seek in no other an associate,
Truly the only degradation is in mixing with people,
Therefore leave them and live nobly and stately.

One should treat money

Sheik Ul-Islam Ibn Taimiyyah said:

"One should treat money with grace so that it is blessed for him, not take it with greediness and fear that it might be lost. Rather, money should be like using the toilet. You go to it when you need it and never let it reside in your heart."

{Majmu' Al-Fatawa, vol.10, p.662}


Ibn Taymeeyah said:

The servant is always between a blessing from Allah that requires his thanks and a sin that requires the seeking of forgiveness. Both of these circumstances, by necessity, are always with the servant. For that reason, the chief of all humans and the leader of the pious, Muhammad (SAW), would seek forgiveness in all situations."

Majmoo al fatawaa. Vol. 10/88

So they were a people, when they changed the state of their hearts

Imaam ash-Shaafi`ee once said:
I complained to Wakee` about my poor memory.So he advised me to abandon disobedience.and he said, ‘know that knowledge is light.And the light of Allaah is not bestowed upon a disobedient.


Ali Ibn Abi Talib said:
قال علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه: ليس الزهد ألا تملك شيئًا، ولكن الزهد ألا يملكك شيء

“Asceticism [zuhd] is not that you should own nothing, but that nothing should own you”.["Hadhihi Hiya Zawjati", ].


Imam Al-Safarini writes:

وفي فروع الإمام ابن مفلح : حدث رجل للإمام أحمد ما قيل : العافية عشرة أجزاء تسعة منها في التغافل ، فقال الإمام أحمد رضي الله عنه : العافية عشرة أجزاء كلها في التغافل

“A man said to Imam Ahmad: “A state of well-being is achieved through ten, and nine of them are overlooking people’s faults”. Imam Ahmad then said: “Rather, a state of well-being is achieved through ten, and ten of them are overlooking people’s faults”.
["Ghidha Al-Albab", ].

Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali writes:

عقب ابن رجب رحمه الله : فهؤلاء القوم لما صلحت قلوبهم ، فلم يبق فيها إرادة لغير الله عز وجل ، صلحت جوارحهم ، فلم تتحرك إلا لله عز وجل ، وبما فيه رضاه

“So they were a people, when they changed the state of their hearts, they did not do anything except for the sake of Allaah. The actions of their limbs also changed for the better, for they did not move, except for the sake of Allaah and except for the pleasure of Allaah”.
["Jami Uloom Wal Hikam", 86].