Take me out of this land, for this is a land where knowledge dies!”

Ibn Abi Dunya writes:

حدثنا عبد الله قال‏:‏ وبلغني عن بعض الحكماء قال‏:‏ التوكل على ثلاث درجات أولها‏:‏ ترك الشكاية والثانية‏:‏ الرضى والثالثة‏:‏ المحبة‏

“Abdullaah said: It has been narrated to us on the authority of some wise men that tawakkal (reliance on Allah) has three stages: Firstly, not complaining, secondly, being content and thirdly, loving it (by firmly believing that Allah always decrees what is best for His creation)”.

["Tawakkal 'Al-Allaah", 1/47].


Ad-Dhahabi writes:

عن عبد الرحمن بن إسحاق قال : لما مات سفيان الثوري حملته إلى المغتسل أغسله فحللت إزاره فإذا فيها رقعة فيها أطراف الحديث

“Abdul Rahman Ibn Ishaaq said: “When Sufyan Al-Thawri passed away, I brought him to the the mughtasil (so that he can be washed). I untangled a piece of his garment and found a sheet with ahadith written on it”.

["Manaqib Sufyan Al-Thawri", 24].

Ibn Abi Dunya writes:
وكان الحسن إذا رأى السحاب قال: في هذا والله رزقكم، ولكنكم تحرمونه بخطاياكم وذنوبكم

“And whenever Al-Hassan saw clouds passing by, he would say: “By Allaah, therein is your rizq (provisions), but you don’t get it due to your mistakes and your sins”.

["Al-Aql wa Fadhlih", 1/59].

Umar bin Al-Khattaab said:
لا يغرركم من قرأ القرآن إنما هو كلام نتكلم به ولكن انظروا من يعمل به
“Don’t be fooled by the recitation of Qur’an for it’s only words that we utter. Rather, look at the one who acts upon it.”

["Iqtidaa-u al'ilmi al'amal", 71].

Ad-Dhahabi writes:

وروي أن سفيان الثوري قدم عسقلان فمكث لا يسأله إنسان فقال‏:‏ اكروا لي لأخرج من هذا البلد هذا بلد يموت فيه العلم‏‏

“It’s narrated that Sufyan At-Thawri (may Allaah be pleased with him) went to ‘Asqalaan, but not a single person asked him (about the deen). He said: “Take me out of this land, for this is a land where knowledge dies!”