Sufyan reported: Wahb ibn Munabbih, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Verily, in the wisdom of the household of David it is written that it is a duty upon a wise person to not neglect four moments: a time in which to privately converse with one’s Lord Almighty, a time to hold oneself accountable, …
Wahb on Time: Four moments of the day to not neglect Read More »
Abu al-Haytham reported: Abu Darda, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Do not hold people responsible for what they cannot do, and do not get even with people to the exclusion of their Lord. O son of Adam, you must be concerned with yourself, for whoever pursues what he sees in people, his grief …
Abu Darda on Muhasabah: Hold yourself accountable first Read More »
Al-Bukhari reported: Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Set out with the world at your back and the Hereafter at your front. Each of them both has their children. Be children of the Hereafter and not children of the world, for today is for action and not reckoning, while tomorrow …
Ali on Akhirah: Be children of the Hereafter, not of the world Read More »
Thabit ibn al-Hajjaj reported: Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Hold yourselves accountable before you are held accountable and evaluate yourselves before you are evaluated, for the Reckoning will be easier upon you tomorrow if you hold yourselves accountable today.” Source: Muḥāsabat al-Nafs 2 عَنْ ثَابِتِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ قَالَ قَالَ عُمَرُ …
Umar on Muhasabah: Hold yourselves accountable before the Reckoning Read More »
Abu Nu’aym reported: Sahl ibn Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “If one knows the enemy, one knows his Lord. If one knows himself, one knows his status with his Lord. If one knows his mind, one knows his state between him and his Lord. If one knows sacred knowledge, one knows his …
Sahl on Mindfulness: One who knows himself, knows his Lord Read More »
Abu Nu’aym reported: Ibrahim ibn Adham, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Verily, whoever knows himself will be busy with himself. Whoever knows his Lord will be busy with his Lord to the exclusion of anything else.” Source: Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 8/15 عن أبي نعيم قال إِبْرَاهِيم بْن أَدْهَم رحمه الله إِنَّهُ مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ …
Ibrahim on Ma’rifah: One who knows Allah is busy with nothing else Read More »
Al-Ghazali reported: Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Let not one of you refrain from working for his provision, supplicating to Allah to provide while he knows that the sky does not rain gold and silver.” Source: Iḥyā’ Ulūm al-Dīn 2/62 عن الغزالي قَالَ عمر رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ لَا يَقْعُدُ أَحَدُكُمْ عَنْ طَلَبِ الرِّزْقِ …
Umar on Provision: Reliance upon Allah means to work for provision Read More »
Hannan ibn Kharija reported: I said to Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, “What do you say about jihad and military campaigns?” Abdullah said, “Begin with your soul and wage jihad against it. Begin with your soul and wage a military campaign against it.” Source: Muḥāsabat al-Nafs 62 عن حَنَّان بْن خَارِجَة …
Abdullah on Jihad: Start with the jihad against your soul Read More »
Ibn al-Mubarak reported: Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “Verily, the believer is a guardian over himself and he holds himself accountable to Allah Almighty. The reckoning will only be lightened on the Day of Resurrection for people who held themselves accountable in this world. Verily, the reckoning will only be grueling …
Hasan on Muhasabah: Believers hold themselves accountable in the world Read More »
Al-Hasan reported: A man said to Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, “Fear Allah, O leader of the believers! By Allah, the matter is not as you said!” The people rushed to the man and they said, “Do not criticize the leader of the believers!” When Umar saw them crowding around the man, he …
Umar on Humility: No good in us until we accept self-criticism Read More »
Ibn Rajab reported: Ibrahim ibn Abi ‘Alqamah, may Allah have mercy on him, said to his people when they returned from a military expedition, “You have come from the lesser jihad unto the greater jihad.” They said, “What is the greater jihad?” Ibrahim said, “It is the jihad of the heart.” Al-Battal said, “Courage is …
Ibrahim on Jihad: Greater Jihad is struggle to purify the heart Read More »