Definition Of Taqwaa

Talq Ibn Habeeb was asked to define taqwaa so he said:

“Taqwaa is acting in obedience to Allaah, hoping for His Mercy, upon light from Him; and leaving acts of disobedience to Allaah, out of fear of Him, upon light from Him.”

[Kitaab Al-Eemaan, by Ibn Abee Shaybah, #99]

Sufis And Their Songs, By Al-Qurtubee

Al-Qurtubee said:

“As for that which is done in our day, by way of the [blameworthy] innovations [bidah] of the Sufi mystics in their addition to hearing songs to the accompaniment of melodious instruments such as flutes, string instruments, etc., such is haraam [forbidden].”

[Al-Jaami'u Li Ahkaam Al-Quraan, 14/54]

Recognising A Scholar, By Bin Baaz

“A scholar is recognise by his perseverance  his taqwaa and his fear of Allaah, striving to what Allaah has made obligatory and keeping well away from what Allaah and His Messenger (saw) have forbidden.

These are the characteristics of a scholar, whether he is a teacher, a judge, a daa’eeyah, or holds any other position. He is obligated to be an example and a model in righteousness; he acts upon his knowledge; has taqwaa of Allaah wherever he may be; and he guides the people to good.

He is a good example for his students, members of his family, neighbours and other who know him.”

[Al-'Ilm Wa Akhlaaqu Ahlih [Knowledge And The Characteristic Of Its People], By Bin Baaz, p. 20]

Quotes From The Salaf Regarding Following The Sunnah And Avoiding Innovations

Al-Awzaa’ee said, “It used to be said that there were five things that the companions of Muhammad (saw) and those who followed them in goodness were upon: (1) sticking to the jamaa’ah, (2) following the sunnah, (3) maintaining the masjids, (4) reciting the Quraan, and (5) making jihaad in Allaah’s cause.” [Hilyah, 8/142]

‘Ubaydullaah Ibn Waasil said, “I heard Ahmad As-Sirmaaree saying once after he pulled out his sword, ‘Know for sure, I have killed 1000 Turks (from the disbelievers) with this sword and if it wasn’t for my fear of it being an act of innovation, I would order for it to be buried with me.” [As-Siyar, 13/39]

Fudayl Ibn ‘Iyaad said, “Follow the paths of guidance and be harmed not by the small number of those who are guided. Beware of the paths of misguidance and don’t be deceived by the great number of those who are in ruin.” [Al-'Itisaam, p.62]

Sufyaan Ath-Thawree said, “Treat the people of the sunnah kindly, for indeed they are strangers.” [Sharh Usool 'Itiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah, 2/64]

Sufyaan Ath-Thawree also said, “If one man is in the east and another in the west, and they are both from the people of the sunnah, then send them the salaams and make du’aa for them. How few are the people of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa’ah.” [Sharh Usool 'Itiqaad Ahlis-Sunnah, 2/64]

‘Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abee Az-Zinaad said, “A man was not considered a real man until he knew the sunnah.” [Al-Hilyah, 2/184]

Ayoob As-Sakhtiyaanee said, “Indeed the death of a man from the people of the sunnah reaches me and I feel as if I have lost one of my limbs.” [Al-Hilyah, 3/9]

Ibn Mubaarak said, “Beware of sitting with a person of innovation.” [As-Siyar, 8/411]

Aboo Qilaabah said, “Do not sit with the people of desires (i.e. the people of innovation), nor debate with them, for indeed, I don’t feel safe that they won’t drench you in their misguidance and confuse you with regards to that which you used to know.” [Ash-Shu'ab, 7/60]

The Zuhd Of ‘Alee Ibn Abee Taalib

Haroon Ibn ‘Antar narrated that his father said:

“I entered upon ‘Alee Ibn Abee Taalib in Khoornaq (a place in Koofah) and found him shivering beneath an old, worn out cloak. I said, ‘O Ameer Al-Mu’minen, Allaah has allocated to you and your family a share of this wealth, and you are doing this to yourself!?‘

He said, ‘By Allaah, I do not take anything from your wealth; rather this is my old cloak that I came out with from my house‘ – or he said, ‘from Madeenah.‘ ” [Hilyat Al-Awliyaa', 1/82 & Sifat As-Safwah, 1/316]

Lessons Learned:

We may wonder; what made Ameer Al-Mu’mineen ‘Alee live the life of the poor and put up with the bitter cold when he was able to buy the best and warmest of clothes on earth? This is an example of true zuhd (asceticism), as he shunned worldly conveniences even though he was able to afford them.

He was a student of the prophetic school in which he was raised, with no interest in the fleeting conveniences if this world; instead, he had a spirit of competing for the eternal blessings of the hereafter. The Messenger of Allaah (saw) lived the life of the poor, even though he could have been like the best of the rich. ['Alee Ibn Abee Taalib, by Dr. 'Alee Muhammad As-Sallaabee, p. 360-1]

Also, I may add that it was this character of his that made the people love him and trust him with their wealth. Unfortunately, in this day and age, it is only a few handful of brothers who have given up the luxuries of this ever fleeting dunyaa. And fewer indeed are the number of sisters who are characterised with zuhd. May Allaah guide us all, ameen.

Sh. ‘Abdul-Muhsin’s Unity With Sh. Al-Albaanee Despite Their Differences

Shaykh ‘Abdul-Muhsin’s states:

“From the scholars of our time is As-Shaykh, Al-‘Allaamah, Al-Muhaddith Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen Al-Albaani. I do not know of anyone like him in our time who had such a painstaking and meticulous (interest and service to) hadeeth. Nor do I know of anyone else who had such a vast knowledge of hadeeth. However, he was not free from some (opinions in matters of fiqh) that are considered by many to be mistakes. Such as:

1) His keen interest in the issue of hijaab, and his opinion that it is not waajib for the woman to cover her face rather it is only mustahabb for her to do so. Even if what he said were true, then it would be a truth better concealed because some women would use it as a pretext to uncover themselves.

2) Likewise, the Shaykh’s opinion that is mentioned in Sifatu Salaat An-Nabiyy (saw): “Placing the hands upon the chest after ruku’ is a bid’ah and a going astray.” However this is a mas-alah ikhtilaafiyyah (i.e. there is difference of opinion amongst the scholars about this issue and taking the other opinion doesn’t constitute a bid’ah and a going astray).

3) Also, what the Shaykh mentioned in Silsilat-ul-Ahadeeth Ad-Da’eefah that not cutting off from your beard what exceeds the length of your fist is a bid’ah idaafiyyah (i.e. something that has a basis in the Sunnah but is distorted in such a way that it became a bid’ah).

4) Also, the Shaykh said that it is haraam for women to wear gold if the item of jewelry forms a complete circle (i.e. such as a ring or a bangle).

Despite the fact that I disagree with the Shaykh’s opinions in these issues, I cannot do without his books and the benefits that they contain, nor can anyone else (i.e. from the students of knowledge or the scholars). Imam Maalik made a wonderful statement when he said: “Everyone’s opinion’s may be accepted or rejected, except the (the statements of) the one buried over there.” – and then he pointed to the grave of the Prophet (saw).”

[Taken from "People Of The Sunnah be Kind Towards One Another", by Shaykh 'Abdul-Muhsin, p.31, translated by Shaykh Aboo Rumaysah]

Teaching And Disciplining Children

Al-Hasan Al-Basree said:

“The effect of learning in early age is like engraving on a stone.” [Bahjat Al-Majaalis, 1/109]

Ibn Al-Jawzee said:

“Parents should teach the child about religious purity and how to pray, and they should lightly discipline the child for not praying after they reach nine years of age. In addition, they should encourage children to memorize the Quraan and make them listen to the hadeeths, and they should teach them whatever they can handle from knowledge.

Moreover, they should show them the ugliness of all that is ugly, and encourage them to acquire good morals and they should not slacken in teaching them as much as they can bear, for this is the stage of plantation.” [Awakening From The Sleep Of Heedlessness, by Ibn Al-Jawzee, pp. 22-23]

A poet said:

“If you straighten the branches of a plant, they will straighten up.
But the wood of a tree does not soften if you amend it.
Discipline might benefit a little boy in his cradle,
But it does not benefit an old man.”

‘Abdul-Maalik Ibn Marwaan used to love his son Al-Waleed too much but he overlooked disciplining him.Because of that, Al-Waleed ended up making mistakes in grammar and syntax. So ‘Abdul-Maalik said, “Our love for Al-Waleed harmed him!“