The greatest of deeds are three

Aa’isha (radiyAllaahu anha) said:

"The first calamity to befall this Ummah after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is overeating,because when a nation fills their bellies too much,their bodies become obese,their hearts become weak and their carnal passions get out of control."

[Targheeb wat Tarheeb]

"The battlefield is the heart of man" - Ibn Qayyim Al- Jawziyyah
Uddat as-Sabireen wa Dhakirat ash-Shakireen

"Blessed is he whose own faults keep him from seeing the faults of others."
Ali Ibn abi Talib (r.a)

Dunnun Al Misri said: " The ailment of the body is in sickness and that of the heart is in sins. A delicious meal can not benefit the body when the person is sick and likewise, the heart can not taste the sweetness of worship if it is full of sins."

Hatim Bin Al-A’sim said:

“If a respectable good man sits with you, you would be watching every word you utter so that you do not say something wrong. Yet, you know that your words are watched by Allah but you still do not watch the words you utter!” 
[Al'Daa Wa Al Dawaa, by Ibn Al-Qayyim]

Al- Shafie rahimahullah said:
'The greatest of deeds are three:"To give generously out of the few what you have , to be devoted to Allah in loneliness and to say the truth in the face of someone who is hoped and feared"'

Taken from " Don't be sad" by Aidh Al Qarni

I swear by Allaah (jalla wa a'la), and His Name I swear and I swear, that if even if your eyes were to melt down from crying in fear of Him and in yearning for Him, and even if you were to live in this world as long as it will last, making constant offering combined with every type of worship in thankfulness towards His Magnificent and countless blessing upon you, it would not be sufficient as a demonstration of gratitude for His guiding you to Islaam!'

– Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiAllaahu anhu)

Maymoon bin Mihran:

"Remembering Allah by your tongue is good, but the best remembrance of Allah is when one remembers Allah when he is doing a sin so he leaves it."

(Jaami' All-'Uloom Wa Al-Hikam 1/252-254)

Ibn Hibban: 

"Where kindness does not benefit, neither does violence."

(ar-Rawdhah, p. 216)

Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya: 

"There is no doubt that enabling women to mix with men is the basis of all calamities and evils, and it is one of the greatest causes of calamity that affects everybody, as well as being one of the causes of corruption in public and private affairs. Mixing of men with women is the cause of a great deal of immoral actions and zina, and it is one of the causes of widespread death and ongoing plagues."

(Al-Turuq al-Hukmiyyah p. 407)

Khalid ibn Ma’dan:

"Whoever seeks praise by going against the truth, Allah will throw it back upon him as blame, and whoever faces blame in order to conform to the truth, Allah will return it as praise for him."

(Al-Dhahabi, Siyar A’lam Al-Nubala' 4/540)

Ibn Taymiyyah (ra) said:" Believer doesn't seek quarrel or revenge, nor does he find blame or fault in others."

Isa Ibn Maryam passed by gathering of Jews who spoke evil words to him to which he responded with kindness. It was said to him, "Why do you reply to their evil with good?" And he answered, "Each person spends from that which he has."


Ibraaheem at Tamimi said: "When a man wrongs me, I pay him back with an act of mercy."


“When people help one another in sin and transgression, they finish by hating each other.”
-Ibn Taymiyyah


A man said to Hasan Al Basri : "Does Ibless sleep?" He said: "If he slept we would have a break !"

Source: Ibn Al Jawzi 'Talbisu Iblees' page 52


'Oh writer! An Angel watches over all you write. Make your writing meaningful for it will eventually return to you and you will be questioned about what you wrote.'
- Ali ibn Abu Talib (radiAllahu anhu)


Imam al-Shafi':

"Seek the response to your du'as when the armies meet, and the prayer is called, and when rain falls"

(al-Umm, al-Sahihah #1469)


'One, who adopts patience, will never be deprived of success though it may take a long time to reach him.'
-Ali ibn Abi Talib


Eesa Ibn Maryam:
"Piety is in three: in speech, in in sight, and in silence. Whoever's speech is not in the remembrance (of Allah) has spoken nonsense. Whoever looks without trying to learn a lesson has forgotten (his true purpose). And whoever's silence is not accompanied with reflection has been heedless" .


Abu Darda (ra) said:
" To reproach your brother for something is better than to lose him altogether"


Umar Ibn al-Khattaab:

"Whoever tries to claim something that is not theirs in order to impress others, Allah will disgrace them"

('Ilaam v2 p 432)


Imam ash-Shaafi'ee (rahimahullah) said:
" Increase in worship before your responsibilities increase. Then you won't have time to worship as much. " [Siyar v. 10 p. 49]



"There is no laughter except that it is eventually followed up with weeping." - Ibn Sirin (ra)


Imaam Ash-Shafi’ee said to Yoonus bin Abdil-A‘laa:

“O Aboo Moosa, know that pleasing all people is an unattainable goal and there is no way to be completely safe from them. Therefore, see where your righteous benefit lies, and adhere by it; and leave people and all they indulge in.”

[Al-‘Uzlah, Page 79]

Hasan Al Basri would reproach his soul

O you who believe, why do you saythat which you do not do? يأيها الذين آمنوا لم تقولون ما لا تفعلون |
This verse elicits unease from the believers, specifically those onthe forefronts of daʿwah [i.e. Muslim bloggers, lecturers, `imāms, deen-zealots].Our voices project religiosity, though often we are mired in our own spiritualdiseases: Insincerity. Tainted intentions. Laziness in worship. Arrogance.Temptation. So when he recited this verse, `Imām al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī wouldreproach his soul…

A man has preserved the Qur'an

It was said to Al-Hassan Al-Basri:

“A man has preserved the Qur'an (to memory)”. He responded by saying: “Rather, it is the Qur'an that has preserved him (from every evil)."

They have not moved except for the ake of Allah

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali mentions,

وَيَلْزَمُ مِنْ صَلَاحِ حَرَكَاتِ الْقَلْبِ صَلَاحُ حَرَكَاتِ الْجَوَارِحِ، فَإِذَا كَانَ الْقَلْبُ صَالِحًا لَيْسَ فِيهِ إِلَّا إِرَادَةُ اللَّهِ وَإِرَادَةُ مَا يُرِيدُهُ لَمْ تَنْبَعِثِ الْجَوَارِحُ إِلَّا فِيمَا يُرِيدُهُ اللَّهُ، فَسَارَعَتْ إِلَى مَا فِيهِ رِضَاهُ، وَكَفَّتْ عَمَّا يَكْرَهُهُ، وَعَمَّا يَخْشَى أَنْ يَكُونَ مِمَّا يَكْرَهُهُ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَتَيَقَّنْ ذَلِكَ.

“Soundness of the actions of the heart causes soundness of the actions of the limbs. If the heart is sound, and desires nothing except Allah and what He desires, the limbs will do nothing except what Allah desires. They will hurry to what pleases Him, and halt from what He hates, and what one fears that He might hate, even if he is not sure of it.

قَالَ الْحَسَنُ: مَا ضَرَبْتُ بِبَصَرِي، وَلَا نَطَقْتُ بِلِسَانِي، وَلَا بِطَشْتُ بِيَدِي، وَلَا نَهَضْتُ عَلَى قَدَمِي حَتَّى أَنْظُرَ عَلَى طَاعَةٍ أَوْ عَلَى مَعْصِيَةٍ؟ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ طَاعَتُهُ تَقَدَّمَتْ، وَإِنْ كَانَتْ مَعْصِيَةً تَأَخَّرَتْ.
وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ الْبَلْخِيُّ: مَا خَطَوْتُ مُنْذُ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً خُطْوَةً لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
وَقِيلَ لِدَاوُدَ الطَّائِيِّ: لَوْ تَنَحَّيْتَ مِنَ الظِّلِّ إِلَى الشَّمْسِ، فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ خُطًى لَا أَدْرِي كَيْفَ تُكْتَبُ.

al-Hasan said, “I have not looked with my eyes, nor pronounced with my tongue, nor beaten with my hand, nor risen to my feet until I see whether it is for obedience or disobedience. If it is out of obedience, then I proceed, and if for disobedience, I hold back.”

Muhammad b. al-Fadl al-Balkhi said, “I have not taken a step during the last forty years for other than [the sake] of Allah, the Exalted and Glorified.“
Further, it was said to Dawud at-Ta’i when he went from the shade into the sun, “This is a mistake for which I am not sure how it will be recorded.”

فَهَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمُ لَمَّا صَلَحَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ، فَلَمْ يَبْقَ فِيهَا إِرَادَةٌ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، صَلَحَتْ جَوَارِحُهُمْ، فَلَمْ تَتَحَرَّكْ إِلَّا لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَبِمَا فِيهِ رِضَاهُ، وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ.

Those are a people that when their hearts were sound and for whom no desire for other than Allah remained, the actions of their limbs also became sound, and they did not move except for the sake of Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, and for what pleased Him. And Allah Knows Best.”

(Jami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hikam, vol. 1, pg. 213-214)

If you don’t find me in Jannah, then ask about me

If you don’t find me in Jannah, then ask about me

Surely the people of Jannah when they enter Jannah and they don’t find those companions of theirs who were with them upon good in this world, then verily they will intercede for them in front of Allah Ta’ala and they will say:

“O Rabb we have brothers who used to read salaah and fast with us, we do not see them!”
Allaah, jalla wa’alaa, will say:
“Go to the fire and take out any person who had even an atoms amount of Imaan in their heart!” 

[A similar narration is available in both Bukhari and Muslim from the hadith of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudari concerning the intercession of the believers on the day of Judgment]

And Hassan Basri, rahimahuAllah, has said:
“Have lots of believing friends because they will be able to intercede for you on the day of Qiyaamah”

Ibnul Jawzi, rahimahuAllah, said :
“If you don’t find me with you in Jannah then ask about me, so u should say :
‘ O our Rabb so and so slave of yours used to remind us about you”

Physical well-being comes from eating little

I saw a pious man on the seashore wounded by a tiger. 
No medicine could relieve his pain; he suffered much, but he nevertheless constantly thanked Allah, the most High, 
saying, “Praise be to Allah that i have fallen into a calamity and not into sin."

[Abu Abdullah Adhami]

“Physical well-being comes from eating little , mental well-being comes from sinning little , well-being of the heart comes from worrying little , and well-being of the tongue comes from speaking little .” 
- Aidh bin Abdullah al-Qarni
If someone spoke about Hasan al-Basri in a bad way, he would welcome it saying, 

"Welcome to good deeds which I didn't perform, nor tired as a result of them, and in which there is no showing off or arrogance."
"If you make intense supplication and the timing of the answer is delayed, do not despair of it. His reply to you is guaranteed; but in the way He chooses, not the way you choose, and at the moment He desires, not the moment you desire."

[Ibn Ata’allah] in Hikam
“The sign of the love of Allah is the love of the Qur’an, and the sign of the love of Allah and the Qur’an is the love of the Prophet (ﷺ); and the sign of the Prophet’s love is the love of his sunnah, and the sign of the sunnah’s love is the love of the Hereafter; fudthe sign of the Hereafter’s love is detachment from the worldly life, and the sign of detachment from the worldly life is taking only sustenance needed to attain Paradise in the Hereafter.” - Sahl ibn Sa`d

Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd:

"When backbiting appears, brotherhood for Allah will disappear; and at that time you will be like things plated with gold and silver: wooden on the inside, [merely] looking good on the outside."

(Abû Nu’aym, Hilyah Al-Awliyâ`, Vol. 3 p395.)

These people hid their deeds

“These people hid their deeds so Allaah the Most High hid for them that which no eye has seen and no ear has heard.”
~ Al-Hasan al-Basri Rahimaullah ~

Al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Do not resent the calamities that come and the disasters that occur, for perhaps in something that you dislike will be your salvation, and perhaps in something that you prefer will be your doom.

”'Oh feet pf patience, keep going, for what remains is only a little. Remember the sweetness of worship, then the bitterness of striving will become easier for you.'

- Ibn Qayyiim Al Jawziyyah"

To speak less is wisdom, to eat less is healthy, and to mingle less with the people is safe and serene."
- Umar ibn Al-Khattab.

"Know that hearing and eyesight are two open doors, whatever enters through them reaches the heart. How many a thing does a man see or hear, which he should not have, but that once they have entered the heart, it proves difficult to remove them?”
- Imām al-Ḥaddād.Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:

“Verily the strength of (Prophet) Yusuf عليه السلام and his love for Allaah, and his sincerity towards Allaah, and his fear of Allaah were stronger than the beauty of the wife of the Azeez and her charms and his love for her.”-[Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa (10/602)]An aspirant traversed a long distance to meet the famous Tabi'ee - Uways al Qarni.

When this man finally reached him, Uways al Qarni made a very profound statement:

"If you seek Allaah, then why do you seek me and if you dont seek Him, then what is left between you and me!"

A man is pricked by a thorn

Hasan al-Basri said: "A man is pricked by a thorn and so he says:


'Most certainly i know that you are caused because of sin for indeed my Lord never oppressed me.'

Of the sings that Allah has turned away from a person

"Of the sings that Allah has turned away from a person is that he becomes occupied with that which does not concern him" 
- Hasan Al Basri (ra)

Shouldn't one of us feel shy to ask his Lord to forgive his sin,

Ibn Rajab Al Hanbali said: It was said to Hasan Al Basri :
" Shouldn't one of us feel shy to ask his Lord to forgive his sin, then do it again, then ask for forgiveness, then do it again?" He said: " The Shaytan wishes that you would have this attitude, so do not tire of asking for forgiveness"

- Jaami al-Ulum wal-Hukam, 1/165

Why are those people who pray the night prayer so beautiful?

Hassan al-Basri was once asked “Why are those people who pray the night prayer so beautiful?” He responded “Because Allah beautifies them with His light while others are sleeping in the dark.

he would have destroyed himself through pride

" if the actions of the son of Aadam were good he would have destroyed himself through pride, but Allaah tires him by showing him his deficiencies" - Hasan Al Basri

Seeking the pleasure of the people

There is no-one except that he has a lover and a hater. So if that must be the case, then you be with the people of obedience to Allaah ['azza wa jall]

Imam Ash-Shafi

O Abu Musa! Were you to strive with the utmost striving in order to please all of mankind, then there is no way of achieving that. So as that is the case, make your deed and intention purely for the sake of Allah ‘azza wa jall.

- Imam Ash-Shafi

A man said to al-Hasan al-Basri (rahimahullah):

‘The people sit around you so that they may find fault with you!’ So he said, ‘Indeed, I encouraged my soul to aspire for Paradise so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from Hellfire and so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from the people, but I didn’t find a way to that. Indeed the people were not pleased with their Creator although He provides for them, so how can they be pleased with another creation like themselves?’

Prophet Musa (’alayhisalam) said: ‘O my Lord, the people say things about me which are not (i.e. not true)! So Allah revealed to him: ‘O Musa, I did not make that (privilege) for Myself, so how can I make it the case for you?’

Malik ibn Dinar: ‘Since I have known (the reality of) people, I have not taken delight in their praise nor have I hated their criticism.’ It was said to him, ‘Why is that?’ He said, ‘The one who praises from amongst them is excessive and the critic from amongst them exaggerates!’

‘Aisha (radhiallahu `anha) wrote to Mu’awiya (radhiallahu `anhu): ‘Salamun ‘alayk. Amma ba’d, I have heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) say, ‘Whoever gains the Pleasure of Allah by the anger of the people (i.e. thereby gains their anger), Allah suffices him of the people’s troubles. And whoever gains the pleasure of the people by the Anger of Allah (i.e. in the process he gains His Anger), then Allah leaves him to the people.’ Wa-Salaamu ‘alayk.’

I never gazed with my eyes, spoke with my tongue

Al Hasan Al Basri(rahimahullah): “I never gazed with my eyes, spoke with my tongue, used my hand or stood on my feet but after contemplating if it was in obedience or disobedience of Allaah. If it is in obedience, I would move forward. Otherwise, I would take a step back.”

[Ref: Jaami’ul Al-Uloomi wal-Hikaam

O son of Adam, how is your heart ever going to be softened

"O son of Adam, how is your heart ever going to be softened by the recitation of Qur'an when all you read for is to reach the end of the surah." -Al-Hasan Al-Basree

O son of Adam!

‎"O son of Adam, how is your heart ever going to be softened by the recitation of Qur'an when all you read for is to reach the end of the surah." -Al-Hasan Al-Basre

Increase in (righteous) believing friends

قال الحسن البصري-رحمه الله: استكثروا في الأصدقاء المؤمنين فإن لهم شفاعة يوم القيامة

Al-Hasan al-Basri: "Increase in (righteous) believing friends because for them is a right of intercession on the Day of Resurrection

I never gazed with my eyes

Al Hasan Al Basri (rahimahullah): “I never gazed with my eyes, spoke with my tongue, used my hand or stood on my feet but after contemplating if it was in obedience or disobedience of Allaah. If it is in obedience, I would move forward. Otherwise, I would take a step back.”

[Ref: Jaami’ul Al-Uloomi wal-Hikaam]

Seek happiness in one of three things

Seek happiness in one of three things: in the recitation of the Qur’an, in the remembrance of Allah and in Prayer. If you do not find happiness in one of these matters, then know that the door to happiness has been shut for you.”

Hasan Al-Basri

"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)