Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “You must have good character and observe long periods of silence. By the One in whose hand is my soul, no behaviors are as beautifying as these two.” Source: Musnad al-Bazzār 7001 Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Albani عَنْ أَنَسِ …
Hadith on Akhlaq: Adorn yourself with good character and reflection Read More »
Al-Ghazali reported: Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, said to Sahl ibn ‘Ali as he was in silent contemplation, “Where have you gone?” Sahl said, “The Bridge over the Hellfire.” Source: Iḥyā’ Ulūm al-Dīn 4/425 عن الغزالي قال قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ يَوْمًا لِسَهْلِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ وَرَآهُ سَاكِتًا مَتَفَكِّرًا …
Ghazali on Tafakkur: Visualizing the Judgment Day in quiet reflection Read More »
‘Awn ibn Abdullah reported: I said to Umm Darda, may Allah be pleased with her, “What act of worship did Abu Darda perform most often?” Umm Darda said, “Reflection and consideration.” Source: al-Zuhd wal-Raqā’iq 286 عَنْ عَوْنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأُمِّ الدَّرْدَاءِ رضي الله عنها أَيُّ عِبَادَةِ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ كَانَ أَكْثَرَ قَالَتْ التَّفَكُّرُ …
Umm Darda on Tafakkur: Abu Darda’s habit of contemplation Read More »
Yahya ibn Sa’id reported: A man came to Zayd ibn Thabit, may Allah be pleased with him, and he said, “How do you view reciting the entire Quran in seven days?” Zayd said, “That is good, but to recite it in half a month or ten days is more beloved to me. Ask me why …
Zayd on Quran: Recitation for contemplation better than for completion Read More »
Abu Maryam al-Salt reported: Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Verily, the people of understanding continue to alternate from remembrance to reflection, and reflection to remembrance, until their hearts awaken and speak with wisdom.” Source: Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 10/19 عن أَبي مَرْيَمَ الصَّلْتُ بْنُ حَكِيمٍ قَالَ قَالَ الْحَسَنُ البصري رحمه الله إِنَّ أَهْلَ …
Hasan on Self-Talk: Hearts of believers speak with wisdom Read More »
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon, said to me on one of my nights, “O Aisha, leave me to worship my Lord tonight.” I said, “By Allah, I love to be close to you and I love what pleases you.” The Prophet stood up and performed ablution, then stood in …
Hadith on Quran: Revelation of last verses of Ali ‘Imran Read More »
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The Quran was revealed in seven modes. Each verse among them has an outward and an inward, and each limit has a horizon.” Abu Ja’far said, “We contemplated this tradition and the best of possible interpretations to come is that …
Hadith on Quran: Every verse has a deeper meaning than is obvious Read More »
Yahya ibn ‘Abbad reported: Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Verily, the jurist is truly one of understanding, who never lets people despair of the mercy of Allah, who never grants them a concession to disobey Allah, who never lets them feel secure from the punishment of Allah, and who …
Ali on Fiqh: True jurist preaches wisdom, knowledge, understanding Read More »
Abu Turab reported: Hatim al-Asamm, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “I saw that every person has an enemy, so I said I will look at who is my enemy. As for one who backbites me, he is not my enemy, or one who takes something from me, he is not my enemy. Rather, …
Hatim on Enmity: No one is a true enemy except for Satan Read More »
Al-Nawawi reported: Al-Hasan ibn Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Verily, those before you viewed the Quran as letters from their Lord, such that they would contemplate it by night and yearn for it by day.” Source: al-Tibyān fī Ādāb Ḥamalat al-Qur’ān 1/54 عن النووي وعن الحسن بن علي رضي الله عنه قال …
Hasan on Quran: The Quran is a personal letter from Allah Read More »
Humayd ibn Abdur Rahman reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, instruct me.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Do not be angry.” The man said, “I thought about what the Prophet said and it occurred to me that anger gives rise to every evil.” Source: Musnad Aḥmad 22660 Grade: Sahih …
Al-Rabia’ ibn Sulayman reported: Al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Seek help in speaking with silence, and in reasoning with reflection.” Source: al-Fawāʼid wal-Akhbār 25 عن الرَّبِيع بْن سُلَيْمَان قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ رحمه الله اسْتَعِينُوا عَلَى الْكَلامِ بِالصَّمْتِ وَعَلَى الاسْتِنْبَاطِ بِالْفِكْرِ 25 الفوائد والأخبار والحكايات
Al-Azdi reported: Ibrahim al-Khawwas, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “The cure of the heart is in five things: reading the Quran with contemplation, emptying the stomach, standing for prayer at night, humbly supplicating at dawn, and sitting with the righteous.” Source: Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 15767 عَنْ لأَزْدِي قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْخَوَّاصَ رحمه الله دَوَاءُ الْقَلْبِ …
Ibrahim on Healing: Medicine for the soul is in five things Read More »
Abu Nu’aym reported: Abu Sulayman, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Thinking about the world is a veil over the Hereafter and a punishment for people. Thinking about the Hereafter produces wisdom and life in the heart. Whoever looks to the world as his protector will come to accept its delusions.” Source: Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ …
Abu Sulayman on Dhikr: Thinking about Hereafter is life for the heart Read More »
Ibn Umar reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prohibited isolation, that a man spend the night alone or travel alone. Source: Musnad Aḥmad 5650 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Ahmad Shakir Al-Tabari said, “This is discouragement in the form of discipline and guidance, as it is feared that one alone might succumb …
Hadith on Loneliness: The Prophet forbids total social isolation Read More »
Harmalah ibn Abdullah reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, what do you command me to do?” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Harmalah, do what is good and avoid what is evil. Consider what you are pleased to hear people say to you; when you stand to leave …
Hadith on Speech: Speak as you like to be spoken to Read More »
Ibn al-Mubarak reported: Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Two moderate cycles of prayer in contemplation are better than praying the whole night with a neglectful heart.” Source: al-Zuhd wal-Raqā’iq 288 عن ابن مبارك عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ رَكْعَتَانِ مُقْتَصِدَتَانِ فِي تَفَكُّرٍ خَيْرٌ مِنْ قِيَامِ لَيْلَةٍ وَالْقَلْبُ سَاهٍ 288 …
Ibn Abbas on Prayer: Modest prayers with mindfulness are better Read More »
Al-Qushayri reported: Abu Bakr al-Farisi, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about the practice of inward silence and he said, “It is to abandon preoccupation with the past and the future.” Source: al-Risālah al-Qushayrīyah 1/247 عَن القشيرية وسئل أَبُو بَكْر الفارسي رحمه الله عَن صمت السر فَقَالَ ترك الاشتغال بالماضي والمستقبل 1/247 الرسالة القشيرية
Anas reported: A bedouin came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said, “O Messenger of Allah, teach me what is good.” The Prophet took him by the hand and he said, “Say: Glory be to Allah, all praise is due to Allah, there is no God but Allah, and Allah …
Hadith on Dua: Allah responds directly to supplications Read More »
Al-Humaydi reported: Sufyan Ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “It is said that observing long periods of silence is the key to worship.” Source: al-Ṣamt li-Ibn Abī Dunyā 433 عَنِ الْحُمَيْدِيِّ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ قَالَ رحمه الله كَانَ يُقَالُ طُولُ الصَّمْتِ مِفْتَاحُ الْعِبَادَةِ 433 الصمت لابن أبي الدنيا