Haqq and Sabr

    Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī – Allah have mercy on him – said:  Faith (īmān) is not by embellishment or wishful thinking, but it is what settles in the heart and is verified through your works. Whoever says good but does not do good will have his words compared to his deeds by Allah. Whoever says good and does good will have his words raised by his deeds. This is because Allah ‘azza wa jalla said: To Him ascends the good word, and the righteous deed raises it. [Sūrah Fāṭir: 10]

    The Prophet Muhammad – Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – said:   Actions are but by intentions, and everyone will have what he intended. So whoever migrated to Allah and His Messenger, he migrated to Allah and His Messenger.  But whoever migrated for some worldly benefit, or to take a woman in marriage, then his migration was only to what he migrated to.   Sahih Al-Bukhāri & Muslim

    It is reported that Ibrāhīm b. Adham – Allāh have mercy on him – said:   A person has not been true to Allāh, the mighty and sublime, if he loves fame.   It is reported that Masrūq – Allāh have mercy on him – said:   Everyone should have times when they sit alone, remember their sins, and thus seek [Allāh’s] forgiveness for them.   It is reported that ʿIkrimah – Allāh have mercy on him – said:   Everyone gets happy and gets sad, but you should turn your happiness into gratitude (to Allāh) and your sadness into patience (ṣabr).

    Imam Al-Awzaa’i (RA) said:   “You must follow the footsteps of those who came before, even if the people reject you. Beware of personal opinions even if people make them attractive. The clear way is that of the Straight Path.”   And Ayyoob as-Sakhtiyaani (RA) added:   “The more the innovator increases his efforts in innovation, the further away he becomes from Allah.”   May Allah SWT save us from misguidance. Aameen

  ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab is reported to have said: “Remember the fire a great deal; for its heat is intense, its bottom is deep, and the stay therein is long.”   One of the Salaf said, “One of the punishments of bad deeds is more bad deeds, and one of the rewards of good deeds is more good deeds.“   Shurayh said: “If I am afflicted with a calamity, I praise Allaah for it four times: I praise Him because it wasn’t worse than it was, I praise Him when He gives me the patience to bear it, I praise Him for enabling me to say al-istirjâ’ (‘To Allaah we belong and to him we will return’; see Al-Baqarah: 154-156) in hope of a great reward, and I praise Him for not making it a calamity in my religion.”   Al-Qaasim Ibn Muhammad, the grandson of Aboo Bakr, said: “In my time the people were not impressed by speech, they were impressed by actions. Anyone can say whatever he wants.”   ‘Umar ibn Abdil-’Aziz said: “Become a scholar if you are able. If you are ...

  It is reported that Al-Ḥasan Al-Baṣrī said: Son of Ādam, you will never find the reality of īmān as long as you fault people for doing what you yourself are guilty of, until you clear yourself of that fault and correct it. Then, you will not correct a fault in yourself except that you will notice another, so your occupation will become correcting yourself, and this is the most beloved thing to Allāh, when you are like this.

  Here are some selected verses and hadiths to inspire us to maximize this glorious opportunity from our Lord. Enjoy!   "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious. (Fasting) for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, (i.e. an old man, etc.), they have (a choice either to fast or) to feed a poor person (every day). But whoever does good of his own accord, it is better for him. And that you fast, it is better for you if only you know." (2:183-84)   Abu Huraira related that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. (Bukhari, Muslim).   Abu Huraira related that Rasulullah said: If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan with...