Part 3

Abu Turab an-Nakhshabi (annum WOuld say, “If a person resolved to leave sinning, Allaah would send him reinforcements from all sides. What indicates the blackness of the heart are three.

1. surah Ar-Rahmaan (55) : 46

2. surah Aali-’Imraan (3): 175

3. Collected by Al-Tirmidhi (10/227) in Sifat-ul-Qiyaamah saying: This hadith is Hasan Ghareeb. Also collected by al-Haakim (4/308) in arRigaaq who said: The chain of narrators is sahih although al-Bukhaari and Muslim did not collect it in their books. Adh-Dhahabi and al-Albaani agreed.

Not to find an escape from sinning, nor a place for obedience to

occur, nor a haven for the sermon that warns."

Hasan al-Basri wumnua; Would say, "From the signs that one has drowned in sins is lack of delight in fasting in the day and praying through the night.”

One of them said, "If the only quality of obedierice was light appearing on the face and its radiance, love in the heart, strength in the limbs, security of the soul (nafs),...all these would have been enough for leaving sins. And if sins only produce ugliness in the face, darkness in the heart and fear over the soul, then all this would have been enough for leaving sins. For both the obedient and disobedient Allaah has left indications and signs to

please one and make the other sorrowful.”

Allaah the Most High said, “(Those who say) Allaah is our Lord then they were upright, the angels descend upon them

saying do not fear nor grieve”!

One person from the Salaf said, "The angels only say that to the ore who prolonged his fear of Allaah and his sorrow for his deficiencies or what he neglected. The one who did not fear Allaah nor grieved of what good he forfeited, would not have these

1. Sooratul-Fussilaat : 30

words said to him (e., at death)."

Fear of being unjust to anyone:

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was their fearfulness before their Lord that He might punish them for maltreatment to themselves and others, even if this harm was just a prick of a needle. This. fear was éspecially there when one of them would reduce the goodness of his own actions from his own sight..His fear and consttaint would intensify when he would deem that there would be no good deeds for him on the Day of Judgement from which he can give to those he had wronged. On the Day of Judgement maybe one of those disputants would demand. his full right, so that he would remain dissatisfied even after taking all of the persecutor’s good reward (as compensation) fora (dispute over even a) single money matter or (an act of) def-

The Messenger asus ve oum Said, “Whoever has done a wrong to his brother with regards to his wealth or honour, then he must solve it today, before there is neither dinaar nor

dirham, except for good and bad deeds.”!

On the authority of Abu Hurairah amatuu mw, the Messenger

(amtaia sani ne vai ASO Said, "Do you know who is the one who is

1. Collected by al-Bukhaari (5/101) in al-Madhaalim and Al-Tirmidhi (9/254) in Sifat al-Qiyaamah,

broke (or the poor man)?" They replied, "To us the broke is the oné who has no money nor belongings." The Messenger of Allaa use ustinuem then replied, "The broke in my nation is the one who will come on the Day of Judgement with his prayers and charity (zakah) and fasting whilst having abused one person and consumed the wealth of another, and spilling the blood of somebody else. So each of the disputants will receive from his good deeds, but if his good deeds run out before he could repay the rights of the contestants, he will take (from) their sins; be-

ing thrown at him. Then he would be thrown in the Fire."!

Hasan al-Basri (aims Said, "It has been narrated that it was upon the Messenger of Allaah (ntenas sum that it was revealed: Whoever does bad will be recompensed for it and will not find

anyone besides Allaah as a friend nor supporter.”

Abu Bakr (adinuins amy Said, "By Allaah! This verse was revealed

as a terrible blow."

Tf Abu Bakr (aeauatusamy Who was declared as one of the inhabitants of Paradise said that then what should those besides him say (about such a verse). O believers! Consider deeply and be on guard in order that you find salvation from the punishment of a

1. Collected by Muslim (16/136) in Al-Birr was-Silah, and Al-Tirmidhi (9/ 253-254) in Abwaab-uz-Zuhd. 2. Sooratun-Nisaa (4) : 123

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was that they would keep their hearts aloof from their bodies whenever they were sick, with the lingering possibility that their illness was an exit from life to death, unable to,repent nor satisfy the unfulfilled rights. Journeying towards the Afterlife as sinners, like a slave who has escaped from his master after frequent disobedience in turn to be captured from all sides and returned to his Master.

Some people visited Utbah Al-Ghulam anmansm) at his death bed and asked him, “How do you find yourself?" So he recited the following (poetry):

"Lhave slipped out of the world, my Day of Judgement has come; In the morning the bearers of my funeral will be few; Ina hurry my family dig my grave to make; . My leaving and my rush to it as an honour to me; As if my face they had never known;

In the morning my day comes as my night.”

When death came to Ibraheem an-Nakha’ee janoanami he wept. On being asked the reason he replied, "I am waiting for a messen-

ger to.come from my Lord to welcome me to Paradise or the Hell-

Dear brother, reflect over your soul, and know that you are constantly at the verge of death as you do not even own your next breath of air. Increase in seeking forgiveness throughout the night and at the ends of the day and Allaah will be our Guardian, yours and mine, in guidance, and the One Who will grant to us the ways to His Mercy.

Being reminded of death due to funerals:

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was their frequent reflecting, weeping and concern over death, on seeing a funeral procession, on remembering death and its agony and fear of an evil end. All this would make their hearts tremble. When Abu Hurairah would see a funeral (janaazah) he would say to it, "Pass

onto your Lord and immediately after you, we too will be gone."

“Amash jarmnmiy, WOuld say, “We used to attend the funerals and not know who we should. console, because the sorrow had

prevailed over all the people,"

Thabit (inns) WOuld say, "We would witness the funerals

and all whom we would see were wrapped up and weeping."

That was because they would reflect upon their own funerals, so they would not weep over the dead person, but they would weep over themselves.

For the one to whom death will be his wrestler, the grave his couch, the worm his friend, munkar and nakir his companions, the tomb his. dwelling, the heart of the earth his abode, the arising his appointment, Paradise or Hell his harvest, then the meritorious

one does not think of anything but that, and likewise is his preparation. Realise that well and ponder as they used to consider. Increase in weeping and lamentation, because in front of you are terrific scenes beyond description, We ask Allaah to protect us in the world and in the Hereafter.

Forgive and overlook the harms:

From the morals and manners of the. Salaf was that they would pardon and overlook the harms endured at the hands of the others, ie., being hit, or robbed or their honour being maligned etc.

in accordance with the Quran.

Pardon them and overlook - Allaah loves those who do

..anid those who restrain their anger and pardon the peo-

ple, Allaah loves those who do good.”

They adopted the pattern of the Messenger of Allaah junsism-san war) Who never retaliated on his own behalf but only when the

boundaries set by Allaah were violated.

Whoever adopt’s these noble manners is closer to the Mercy of the Most Merciful, His pardon and forgiveness, as mentioned in the two authentic collections (Al-Bukhaari & Muslim):

There was a merchant who would lend money to people. If

he saw anyone in difficult circumstances he would say to his

1. Sooratul-Maa‘idah (5) < 13 2. surah Aali-’Imraan (3): 134

children, "Pardon him his debt, perhaps Allaah will pardon us." Then Allaah did pardon him.!

gret after punishing someone."

Qataadah was asked, "Which person has the highest stand-

ing?" He replied, "The one most abundant in his pardon."

It is reported on the authority of one of the Salaf, that his slave enraged him terribly. He considered. taking revenge on which the slave said, "Those who restrain their anger." He replied, “I have restrained my anger.” The slave then continued, "And those who pardon the people." So the man said, "I have pardoned you." The slave then said, "And Allaah loves those who do good." To which the man said, "Go! For the sake of Allaah I have freed you."

1. Collected by al-Bukhaati (6:494) in al-Anbiyaa‘, and Muslim (10/226) in al-Mussaaqah.

Expanding the Muslims’ sanctity and loving for them all goodness:

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was their magnifying the Muslims’ sanctity arid loving for them all goodness, as their sanctity is from the symbols of Allaah.

Whoever honours the symbols of Allaah, such is from the hearts of piety (taqwa).!

Abu Bakr as-Siddique imavaiunwi WOuld say, "Let none of you patronise another Muslim, since a small Muslim is to Allaah big."

‘Abdullaah ibn ’Abbaas (nasauuns stuns SAId, "The best deed is

1. Sooratul-Hajj (22) : 32

2. A section of the Khutbatul-widaa’ (farewell speech), Also collected by Muslim (9/182-184) in al-Hajj and Abu Daawood (5/375-377) in al-Manaasik,