O you who evaluate the matters, do you know the value of yourself?

Yahya ibn Muadh said:

"The life of this world is the wine of Shaytan, and whoever is intoxicated by it only wakes up once he is amongst the hordes of the dead, lamenting among the losers."

Source: The Purification of the Soul, Page 142

"The wind doesn't blow to make trees dance but to test their roots" -Ali ibn Abi Talib radiallahu anhu

“The servant is never in need of any other thing as much as he is need of guidance to the straight path.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Stay away from mentioning women and food in our gatherings, for I hate a man to constantly describe his private parts and his stomach. It is an aspect of higher conduct and religiousness that a man [sometimes] leaves eating food while he desires it."

Al-Ahnaf b. Qays (Allâh have mercy on him)
Abû Bakr Al-Daynûrî, Al-Mujâlasah wa Jawâhir Al-‘Ilm 3:44, 45.

”…the satisfaction of people is a goal that cannot be attained, so abide strictly by that which rectifies you, for indeed there is no way to [gain] their satisfaction; and know that the one who learns the Qur’an becomes great in the sight of the people; and the one who learns Hadith, his argument is strengthened; and the one who learns Nahw (Arabic grammar) is revered; and the one who learns Arabic, his nature softens; and the one who learns Hisaab (arithmetic), his opinion becomes exalted/great; and the one who learns Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), his standing is elevated; and the foundation of all of that is Taqwa (fearing Allah and being conscious of Him).”

قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ: [...] رِضَى النَّاسِ غَايَةٌ لا تُدْرَكُ ، فَعَلَيْكَ بِمَا يُصْلِحُكَ فَالْزَمْهُ ، فَإِنَّهُ لا سَبِيلَ إِلَى رِضَاهُمْ ، وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ جَلَّ فِي عُيونِ النَّاسِ ، وَمَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْحَدِيثَ قَوِيَتْ حُجَّتُهُ ، وَمَنْ تَعَلَّمَ النَّحْوَ هِيبَ ، وَمَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ رَقَّ طَبْعُهُ ، وَمَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْحِسَابَ جَلَّ رَأْيُهُ ، وَمَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْفِقْهَ نَبُلَ قَدْرُهُ ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُضِرْ نَفْسَهُ لَمْ يَنْفَعْهُ عِلْمُهُ ، وَمِلاكُ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ التَّقْوَى.

– al-Imam ash-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy upon him
(Hilyat al-Awliyaa’

"Keep yourself busy in remembering your faults so that you have no time to remember the faults of others"
- Imam Sufyan at Thawri rahimahullah

"We have found that the best life is that is accompanied by Patience."- Umar (r.a)

Fudayl ibn Iyad said: "Doing an action for the sake of people is shirk and leaving an action for the sake of people is riya."

Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah:

"O you who evaluate the matters, do you know the value of yourself? The universe was created for your sake."

(al-Fawaa'id, p. 117)

My Lord tests me occasionally, but favors me daily.

- (Urwah ibn Zubair R.A)

Once a pious man was asked, "Teach me how to love Allah," to which he said, "Loving Allah is not brought about by teaching."
- Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah

Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah said :
" Whoever becomes accustomed to tasbiḥ before sleeping, will be given energy and strength in performing his worldly and religious duties."

Source: فرائد الفوائد من مجالس العلم

"A staunch friend and true medicine are hard to find, waste not your time."
- Imâm al-Shâfi’î rahimahullah

'Desires make slaves out of kings and patience makes kings out of slaves.'
- Imam Ghazali

"Do not allow your heart to take pleasure with the praises of people, nor be saddened by their condemnation." - Al Ghazali

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]

Whatever is not done by the permission of Allah will not happen

Ibn Taymiyyah:

"Whatever is not done by the permission of Allah will not happen, and what is not done for the sake of Allah will not benefit or remain. "

(Al-Hadiyyah Fi Mawa'ith Al-Imam Ibn Taymmiyah, Pg. 25)

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!"

And all of them will come to Him (Allah) as a slave"

Ibn Taymiyah wrote some lines of poetry saying:

"And neediness is a never ending description of me
As richness is the ultimate description of Him (Allah)
And this is my state and the state of all creation
And all of them will come to Him (Allah) as a slave"

If you correct your hidden deeds..

" If you correct your hidden deeds subsequently Allah will correct your outward deeds."

 - Ibn Taymiyyah ' Al fatawa 3/277

Remembrance of Allaah

'In this world, man finds remembrance of Allaah, praising Him and worshipping him, a delight that is incomparable to anything else. '
-Ibn Taymiyyah (Minhaj as-Sunnah, 5/389)

The more the servant loves his Master

' The more the servant loves his Master, the less he will love other objects and they will decrease in number. The less the servant loves his Master, the more he will love other objects and they will increase in number' - Ibn Taymiyyah (ra)

Whenever the sincerity of the slave of Allaah strengthens

Whenever the sincerity of the slave of Allaah strengthens, his worship becomes more complete.
 (Ibn Taymeeyah – 'al-Fatawa' 10/198)

asking Allah for Help on what pleases Him

Shaikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“I thought of the most beneficial supplication, and found it to be: asking Allah for Help on what pleases Him”.

Trials and tribulation are like feeling the heat and cold

Trials and tribulation are like feeling the heat and cold, when one knows that they cannot be avoided, he will not feel anger at their onset, nor will he be distressed or disheartened.” [Ibn Taymiyyah]

If you don't find sweetness and joy in the deed you perform

‎"If you don't find sweetness and joy in the deed you perform, then doubt its sincerity, for Allah is Shakur (Most Appreciative and Rewarding)" Ibn Taymiyyah

lowering one's gaze and guarding one's modesty

Allah has made lowering one's gaze and guarding one's modesty the strongest means of purifying one's soul!

[Ibn Taymiyyah]

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].

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.

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

The sign of the people of bid’ah

"If you desire Allah to be persistent in granting you the thing you love, be persistent in doing the things He loves" Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal

Imaam Maalik said: "The Sunnah is like the Ark of Noah. Whoever embarks upon it reaches salvation and whoever refuses is drowned." 
Quoted by Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah in Majmoo' ul-fataawaa (4/57).

Be content with what you have, Be satisfied with your dwelling place to accommodate your enterprise, Restrain your tongue, And shed tears of regret regarding past sins you committed knowingly, and those you do not recognize… ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud

The sign of the people of bid’ah is that they do not follow the salaf. (Ibn Taymiyyah Majmoo’ al-Fataawa 4/155)

Know that if you can’t pray at night

I once attended fajr prayer with Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, he then sat and remembered Allaah until it was nearly midday. he then turned around and said to me, ‘This is my early morning meal, if I do not take this breakfast, my strength will drop.’
[Al-Waabil as-Sayyib of Ibn al-Qayyim, pg. 60, Daar al-Bayaan.]



Know that if you can’t pray at night and you can’t fast during the day, you are prevented, and what prevents you is your number of sins, so look into your heart.
Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyaad

If you ever have time and find yourself in ease, then take advantage of praye

Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak - rahimahullaah - said:
"If you ever have time and find yourself in ease, then take advantage of prayer, to draw near to Allah; If you ever wish to speak ill a word of falsehood, then instead put in its place, a word of glorification; Because taking advantage of silence is better than speaking frequently, even if you are eloquent in speech."

Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah - rahimahullaah - said:

“Get yourself out of this limited world of diseases to the wide world of the hereafter, which has what the eyes have never seen. Nothing is impossible there, and love is not lost. O you who sold yourself for the sake of something that will cause you suffering and pain, and which will also lose its beauty, you sold the most precious item for the cheapest price, as if you neither knew the value of the goods nor the meanness of the price. Wait until you come on the Day of mutual loss and gain and you will discover the injustice of this contract. “There is no God but Allah” is something that Allah is buying. Its price is Paradise, and the Messenger is its agent, and you will be pleased to part with a small part of this worldly life to obtain it. The part you lose is a small part of something that as a whole is not worth a mosquito’s wing.”

Shaykh Al-Islam ibn Taymiyyah says, regarding the Allies of Allah:
"The allies of Allah do not have any special appearance with which they differ from other people. They have no special dress other than just being permissible dress, and are not distinguished by shaving of hair, or cutting it short, or braiding it, as long as it is within the permissible. Thus it has been said: "So many truthful believers in rough dress, and so many apostates in beautiful cloaks." Rather, the allies of Allah are to be found in all categories of the nation of Muhammad, except for the fact that they may not be found among the people of blatant innovations (bid'a) and moral corruption. They are found among people of the Qur'an, scholars, just as they are found among the fighters of jihad with weapons, and they are found among the businessmen, the manufacturers, and the farmers."
Taken From: The Criterion Between the Allies of the Merciful and the Allies of the Devil, pg. 37

Imam al-Hassan Al Basri said: "We laugh and yet – who knows? – perhaps Allah has looked at some of our works and said: “I will not accept anything from you.” Woe to you, son of Adam! Can you fight Allah? Whoever disobeys Allah is fighting Him. By Allah! I have met seventy veterans of Badr. Most of their garments were wool. Had you seen them you would have said they are crazy, and had they seen the best among you they would have said: “Those people will have no part in the Hereafter.” Had they seen the worst among you they would have said: “Those people do not believe in the Day of Reckoning.” I have seen people for whom this world was cheaper than the dust under their feet. I have seen people the like of whom would come home at night, not finding more than his own portion of food, and yet say: “I shall not put all of this into my belly. I shall certainly give some away for Allah’s sake.” Then he would give away some of his food in charity, even if he were more in need of it than its recipient." Narrated from `Alqama ibn Marthad by Abu Nu`aym in Hilya al-Awliya’ (1985 ed. 2:134).

"None in this age will amass wealth except those having five traits of character: high hopes, abnormal greediness, excessive miserliness, lack of fearing Allah, and forgetfulness of the coming world " Sufyaan Ath Thawree