Good health and free time

Ibn Al-Jawzi رحمه الله said:

 “It happens that a person has good health, but does not have free time because of his being engaged in earning his livelihood; or he is rich but has no good health. So, if these two (good health and free time) are gathered in a person, but laziness overtakes him from fulfilling his duties, then he is a loser. (Know that) this world is the harvest field of the hereafter; and in it there is business, the profit of which will be visible in the hereafter. So, whoever utilizes his free time and good health in the obedience of Allaah, he is the blessed one. And he who utilizes them in the disobedience of Allaah, he is the one who is unjust to himself, because the leisure time is affected by business and health is affected by sickness.” 

[Fath al-Bari 11/230]

The Sweetest Word Ikhlas

It is reported that the son of Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd – Allâh have mercy on him – said to his father:

Father! How sweet (beautiful) the speech of the Companions is! [Al-Fudayl] said, “Son, do you know why it was so sweet?” He replied, “No father, I do not.” He said, “Because they sought Allâh the Exalted when they spoke.”

 Al-Bayhaqî, Shu’ab Al-îmân 2:299

Helping sinners repent or insulting them Shaykh Saalih Aal ash-Shaykh

It has been relayed that Shaykh Saalih Aal ash-Shaykh (may Allaah bless and preserve him) said:

From the sayings of Aboo ad-Dardaa’ -(may Allaah be pleased with him)

Once when Aboo ad-Dardaa’ passed by a man who had committed a sin and the people became aware of it and were insulting him because of it – and Aboo ad-Dardaa’ was so keen and insightful in helping people recovering from their religious ills and reviving sickened hearts –so he said:

“Had you found him at the bottom of a well, wouldn’t you be helping him up and out of it?”

They said, “Of course!”

So he replied:

“Then praise Allaah who has excused you (from his trial), and do not insult your brother!”

He said, “Praise Allaah who has excused you (from his trial) and do not insult your brother!” Look at this parable – that the believers would surely help someone in sin and they would not abandon him like how people would naturally help someone stuck in a well. Would believers insult someone who is in physical need and say to them, “Why have you gone into this well? or such-and-such situation?” No, they would only struggle and try their best to help such a person!

Thus, insulting someone is negativity, and it is not permissible in the Sharee’ah (Islaamic legislation). Instead, we ask Allaah to guide our brothers and we praise Allaah for excusing us (from what they are being tried with), and then we work to save them from the evil of their sins and disobedience. They have only sinned due to their giving in to the plots of Iblees, Allaah’s enemy and our enemy.

So this admonition – dear believer – is a great one! When you see someone who has committed a sin, you must work to help him!

Dear brothers, if we were to think about our times, we would find that many people speak about others’ sins. They say, “This guy did such-and-such, that one travels and does such-and-such, this family has gone through such-and-such…” You find them extremely critical and insulting, perhaps even mocking people, and Allaah’s Refuge is sought. When you ask them what they have done to help your brother stop these sins, they say: Nothing.

As a result, he has actually become one of Shaytaan’s devices (to keep people sinning) as well, since the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“Whoever says that the people are destroyed, he is the one who destroyed them.”

Meaning: He has become a reason for their destruction. And the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) forbade use from speaking about everything we hear. He (sallallaahu ‘alayhe wa sallam) said:

“Whoever speaks about everything he hears is one of the two liars (or one of the liars).”

So we must work hard to fix mistakes, advise sinners and conceal their (hidden) sins, and spread good reports. When we see someone who has done good, we say, “He has done such-and-such good thing,“ since, by behaving this way, we spread good behavior, and the people will follow each other’s good leads. However, if we were to spread evil, then people would be lenient in their approach to those things and in doing them, saying, “Yea, So-and-So has done this sin, and this guy has done such-and-such, and that guy has done such-and-such!” People would then be led to assume that there is so much more evil than good, and thus weaken their stance against bad things and begin doing them.

May Allaah be pleased with Aboo Ad-Dardaa’ and reward him well for his dealings with his companions and the Ummah after him!

Source: A recording entitled: Admonitions of Aboo ad-Dardaa’(a khutbah by Shaykh Saalih Aalash-Shaykh)|InArabic:(http://www.sahab.net/forums/showthread.php?t=376019)|Translated by: Moosaaibn John Richardson

Call yourSelf to Account; say to it.. Shaykh Abdul-Qaadir Al-Junayd

His ﷺ authentic and established statement:

“The Muslim is the brother of the Muslim. He does not oppress him; he does not abandon him; he does not look down upon him. It is a sufficient amount of evil for a person that he looks down upon his Muslim brother. All of the Muslim is Haraam for the Muslim; his blood, his wealth, and his honor.”

Call it (yourself) to account; for indeed calling oneself to account brings about salvation. The servant will continue to be in a state of good as long as he admonishes himself and he is concerned with calling himself to account. Say to it (yourself); say to it: O self, how many Muslims have you abused, and cursed, and backbitten, and falsely accused; slandered and lied on?

Say to it: O self, how many people’s wealth you have consumed; and their earnings; and their (hard earned) wages and property without right or justice?

Say to it: O self, how much cheating, trickery, and deceiving the people have you done? How many bribes have you taken? How many rights have you violated? How much mockery, ridicule, scorning, and harm have you meted out?

Say to it: O self, how many a worker, housekeeper, or weak person have you caused to fear or terrorized or beaten or harmed?

Say to it: O self, how many people has the evil reached from your heart; from malice and envy?

Say to it: O self, how many a brother have you wronged in dispute and argumentation?

Say to it: O self, how many have you angered; how many have you humiliated; how many have you saddened; how many have you made to suffer; and how many people have you caused pain?

Say to it: O self, how many Muslims have we caused to be estranged from his mother and father? Or we caused his son or daughter to be estranged from him? And we caused them to enter into disrespect and evil? How many a husband have we corrupted and caused to be estranged from his spouse or caused problems between them?

Say to it: O self, how many people have we harmed by way of music playing from our cars? Or how many an elder or worker or driver have we frightened or caused fear to by speeding in our cars?

 Say to it: O self, the rights of the people are not something light nor are they insignificant nor are they unimportant with Allaah, the Majestic and High. Rather, He, Glorified be He, has made for them an appointment for retribution. It has been authentically narrated from the Prophet ﷺ that he said:

“The rights will be returned to those whom they are due on the Day of Judgment; even to the point that the hornless sheep will receive retribution from the one with horns.”

Say to it: O self, have you seen a settling of the score as it relates to the rights or a reckoning as intricate as this? Perhaps it will repent. Perhaps its transgressions will desist. Perhaps its deceptions will cease. Perhaps its arrogance will be cut off. Perhaps it heart will yield and repent. Perhaps its eye will redden and flow with tears.

Translated By Raha ibn Donald Batts
Posted from: http://mtws.posthaven.com

Subhan’Allaah the humility of Shaykh al-Albaani (rahimahullaah)

Are you Shaykh al-Albaanee?

Once the Imaam of Hadeeth, the Shaykh – Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee (rahima-hullaah), whilst sitting in his car, was approached by a man who asked:

“Are you Shaykh al-Albaanee?”

At this, the Shaykh was reduced to tears, and when he was asked as to the reason for him crying, he replied:

“It is befitting for a person to strive hard with himself and not to feel proud as a result of the people’s statements (praises)”.

Muhaddith al-‘Asr Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee – Page 40

Deviation is in Leaving the Sunnah Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (Radiallahu’anhu)

Abû Bakr Al-Siddîq – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

I will not leave anything Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – did, except that I will also do it; for I fear that if I were to leave any of his commands and ways I would deviate.

Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh 2:386 hadîth no. 3093; Ibn Battah, Al-Ibânah article 77, and others.

http://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/index.php/tag/abu-bakr-al-siddiq/#ixzz2Ge9p3ZGQ

“THE ONE WHO LOVES FAME WILL NOT BE TRUTHFUL TO ALLAAH”

Ibraaheem Ibn Adham (rahimahullaah):

“A slave (i.e. a Muslim) who loves fame will not be truthful to Allaah” Al-Haafidh Adh-Dhahabee (rahimahullaah) added a commentary (on the above statement), saying, “The signs of the sincere one who loves fame and is unaware of it, is that when he is scolded about it he neither becomes furious nor does he free himself from it; rather he acknowledges and says: May Allaah have mercy upon the one who shows me my faults. He does not become amazed with himself, being unaware of those faults, rather being unaware that he is unaware; for this is a chronic illness.”

[Source: Siyar A’laam Nubulaa 7/393]

The Call of Bilâl and the Tears of Al-Shâm

It is reported that Bilâl – Allâh be pleased with him – never used to call the adhân for anyone after the death of Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh’s peace and blessing be upon him. He wanted to go for al-jihâd but Abû Bakr didn’t want him to go. So Bilâl said, “If you freed me [when I was a slave] for Allâh’s pleasure, then let me go.” So he went to Al-Shâm. When ‘Umar arrived in Al-Jâbiyah [during his Caliphate], the Muslims requested him to ask Bilâl to do the adhân for them, so ‘Umar asked him. He called the adhân one day, and never were as many people heard crying as on that day, as they remembered the Prophet – Allâh’s peace and blessing be upon him.

It is said that the adhân of the people of Al-Shâm was taken from this adhân.

Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ`, in his biography of Bilâl b. Abî Rabâh.

Source: http://www.sayingsofthesalaf.net/call-of-bilal-tears-of-sham/#ixzz2nfcD13Zh

Third Attribute of the Believer: They do not argue with the foolish- Taken from Sh. Rabee’s book- MUST READ!

The Third Attribute – They dont argue with the foolish

They don’t compete with the foolish ones nor do they argue with them. If an ignorant or foolish one addresses them, they know that he does not deserve to be argued with even if they harm him but:

“وإذا خاطبهم الجاهلون قالوا سلاماً”

“When the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness.” [8]

They keep away from disputing with them and dont give importance to their insults and abuse.

“وإذا خاطبهم الجاهلون قالوا سلاماً”

“When the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness.” [9]

This is the case of the true believer that he doesn’t argue with the foolish ones. 

“سلامٌ عليكم لا نبتغىِ الجاهلين”

“Peace be on you, we do not desire the foolish” [10]

“خذ العفو وأمر بالعرف وأعرض عن الجاهلين”

“Take to forgiveness and enjoin good and turn away from the foolish” [11]

“ليس الشديد بالصرعة , إنما الشديد الذي يملك نفسه عند الغضب”

“The strong one is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong one is the one who controls himself while at the point of anger” [12]

يقول الشاعر : 
وللحلم أوقات وللجهل مثلها             ولكن أوقاتي الى الحلم أقرب
أصول على أبناء جنسي وارتقي         ويعجم في القائلون وأعرب
يرون احتمالي عفة فيريبهم         توفر حلمي انني لست اغضب

The poet said:

Patience and forbearance has its times and likewise foolishness is similarly given its time, 
But my time given to patience and forbearance is closer.

I stick to those like me and rise above it, 
And those that speak (foolishly) of me are not able to express themselves properly but I am able to be eloquent.

They see that maybe my outlook is due to my modesty and it shows them
That my patience and forbearance leads me to not get angry.

Many disputes and quarrels occur due to replying to the foolish ones and answering them back. However, if you turn away from them as if you didn’t even hear what they said, you will succeed by not being harmed in many things.

ولقد أمر على سفيه يسبني        فمررت ثمة قلت لا يعنيني

I may pass by a foolish one abusing me,
As I passed him, I said to myself “this doesn’t concern me”.

This is the case of the sincere believers.

“وإذا خاطبهم الجاهلون قالوا سلاماً”

“When the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness.”[13]

Footnotes:
[8] Surat al Furqan:63
[9] Surat al Furqan:63
[10] Surat al Qassas:55
[11] Surat al A’raaf:199
[12] Saheeh al Bukhaari (6114)
[13] Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al Madkhali said, “This is a lesson in manners where Allah is educating us and clarifying to us the attributes of His close companions and the few. He is mentioning to us their noble manners, so just as we benefit from the scholars’ understanding of this religion and belief. Likewise, we must benefit from their manners, tread their path and follow their example.” Majaalis Tadkeeriya, Tafseeriya, Qur’aaniyyah’ p.43.

Taken from pages 10, 11, 12 and 13 of 15 Attributes of the slaves of the Most Beneficent – by Shaykh Saalih as Suhaymee, translated by our brother Abdulillah Lahmaamee.

{I take the truth/good and leave the false/bad: No such thing!!!}

Bismi Allaahi RaHman ir RaHeemSheikh ‘Alee ar Ramlee hafidahu Allaah explains:Somebody says:”I will only take from him [i.e. somebody that somehow differs with the salaf] his words that are truth and leave the falsehood”Sheikh answers: “It is not permissible for you to do that”

Q: “Why not?”

Ans: “Because your situation will not fail to be one of two possible cases: either you are a student of the religion and you can distinguish truth from falsehood or you are not able to distinguish truth from falsehood and the latter is the situation of most people.

If you are unable to distinguish then there is not point in asking your question, but if you are able to distinguish then still you are not able to assure that your heart will not be overcome with doubts, and this is a matter of religion, no playing games is allowed, besides the truth you would take from him [i.e. the one that somehow opposed the salaf] you can take from others that are trustworthy”

And then Sheikh ar Ramlee goes on to remind the stories of some of the greatest scholars in the first generations that would not allow themselves, or their families, to listen to even a verse of the qur’an recited by a caller to innovation. Like the example of Ibn Tawus, Abu Kulabah as well as the example of Muhammad ibn Sirin. Then the Shaikh refutes many other common excuses like “but he has sincerity and piety” or “isnt this ghiba?”

For the original in Arabic please visit:
http://www.albaidha.net/vb/archive/index.php/t-13335.html