Ibn al-Mubarak: Words of Wisdom

As-salamu `alaykum

Some nice quotes of Ibn al-Mubarak (rahimahullah), taken from the upcoming biography:

Ibn al-Mubarak said:

‘How many people carry the Qur’an in the hearts but the Qur’an curses them from inside their hearts! If the bearer of Qur’an disobeys his Lord, the Qur’an calls him from inside his chest saying, ‘By Allah, you have not carried me (i.e. memorised me) for this! Will you not be shy from your Lord?’

‘There is nothing in this world for a person except one’s daily portion of food.’

‘If a person’s goodness outweighs his errors, then his errors are not mentioned, and if his errors outweigh his goodness, then his goodness is not mentioned.’

A man once said to Ibn al-Mubarak: ‘Is there anyone who will advise us?’ He replied, ‘Rather, is there anyone who will accept the advice?’

‘This world is a prison for the believer and the best of deeds in prison is to have patience and to overcome one’s anger. The believer has no country in this world, indeed his country lies in the Hereafter.’

A man said to him, ‘Advice me.’ So he said, ‘Abandon looking at things for long periods of time and you shall be granted Khushu’ (humbleness), abandon excessive speech and you shall be granted wisdom, abandon excessive food and you shall be guided to ‘Ibadah (worship), abandon looking towards the faults of others and you shall be guided to seeing your own faults and abandon delving into the issues that concern the Being of Allah `azza wa jall, and you shall be guided away from doubts and hypocrisy.’

Another man once said to him, ‘I see myself as being in a better state than someone who killed a person wrongfully.’ He said to him, ‘Indeed the security you feel for yourself (and have given yourself) is worse than a person who killed another wrongfully!’

‘Make your places of gathering to be with the poor and be cautious of sitting with the people of innovation.’

He loved to spend on others and assist his companions when they were in financial difficulties. It is reported that he once said to al-Fudhayl ibn ‘Iyyadh, ‘Were it not for you and your companions, I would never have done business.’

And this quote is just a beauty:

‘Indeed the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, but if they fall into covetousness and greed, who shall be taken as leaders? The merchants and businessmen are the trustees of Allah, so if they are treacherous, who can be trusted? The warriors are the guests of Allah so if they become extreme (or take spoils without right), with whom can we defeat the enemies? The righteous and ascetic ones are the kings of the earth but if they become insincere (i.e. have riya’), who shall be followed? The governors/rulers are the shepherds (protectors) of the people, but if the shepherd becomes a wolf, who shall protect the flock?’

From the Wise Words of Ibn al-Mubarak « |-| Fajr |-|

_________________________

Sources include: Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’, Tanbih al-Mughtarin, Tadhkirat al-Huffadh, Hilyat al-Awliya’ and Dhayl Jawahir al-Mudhiyyah.

Abdullah Azzam’s Encounter with Hypocrite Jinn’s in Ramadan

A Simple Ramadhan

By Shaykh Abdullah Azzam

O you who believe! Fasting was prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become pious. Fast 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, they have to feed a poor person. 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 knew.’ [al-Baqarah, 183-184]

It is, as the Lord of Glory Said, a fixed number of days. Rather, it is a fixed number of hours! The month of Ramadhān is either 720 hours, or 696 hours, and every minute of it has a price and a value. The Salāf and the Companions – may Allah be Pleased with them – used to await these days of Ramadhān from the year to year, as it has been reported in a narration that the Companions used to say, when Rajab had arrived:

‘O Allāh, assist us in worshiping You in Rajab and Sha’bān, and allow us to witness Ramadhān.’

Because Ramadhān is the annual occasion of the cleansing of the soul, spirit, and body, its effect on the human spirit and body is not that profound. The acts of worship of the soul are many, and as much as the body receives its share of pain during the course of its worship, it will receive its share of light. That is why Jihād is the uppermost peak of Islām; because it is the most painful and difficult of the acts of worship. Its reward is greater, its effect on the soul deeper, and its result in building the spirit and in ingraining Tawhīd in it is great.

Therefore, there are acts of worship dealing with one’s wealth. However, its effect on the soul is usually less than the effect of an act of worship dealing with the body. So, Zakāh has a deep effect on the soul, as it purifies it from covetousness. However, you cannot truly sympathize with the poor person unless you feel his pain, live as he lives, and starve as he starves. If you starve, then you feel your body becoming stronger and more durable. At that time, you become joyous that you were able to sacrifice something and purify yourself from covetousness.

Jihād is the same way: Jihād with one’s wealth does not purify one’s soul in the same way as Jihād with one’s self does. And because of this, Islām did not relieve any of the Companions of the obligation of Jihād with his self, no matter what his position in society, and no matter how good his reputation, such as in the case of ‘Uthmān.

And the Salaf – may Allah be Pleased with them – would calculate Ramadhān by the minute. They were praying behind Ubayy bin Ka’b – and ‘Umar bin al-Khattāb was praying Tarawih behind him – and they would require sticks to support themselves on as a result of his long standing in the prayer, and the Companions would say: ‘We fear that we will miss the suhur praying behind Ubayy, and we fear that the Fajr time will come, causing us to miss the Blessed Meal [suhur] so, let our children rush to prepare the meal.’

And it was reported from some of the Tabi’in, and those who came after them, in regards to their Qur’ān and prayer, that some of them would complete reciting the Qur’ān sixty times in Ramadhān, and this was specifically narrated in regards to al-Imām ash-Shafi’ī; he used to complete it once during the day, and once during the night. Some of them would complete it once during the night and day, and others would complete it once every three days, until they reached the last ten days, in which they would seclude themselves in the mosque, completing it once a day.

And to complete the Qur’ān in a day is easy, if we keep in mind that to recite the Qur’ān slowly (tartil) takes about 24 hours, and a quicker recitation takes about ten hours. It is possible for the one who has memorized the Qur’ān to complete one juz’ in 20 minutes, allowing him to complete all thirty ajzāh in ten hours. I was told by Abū al-Hasan an-Nadawi, ‘I saw my teachers, and some of them would not speak at all in Ramadhān. Rather, they would only engage in worship; either Qur’ān or prayer. If someone were to speak to them, they would count out their words, and calculate them by the minutes and seconds.’

So, Ramadhān consists of fasting and prayer.

Because of this, the Salaf, such as al-Imām Mālik, would seclude themselves until the time of giving a class, saying: ‘Verily, Ramadhān is for praying and reciting the Qur’ān.” Some of them would say: ‘Ramadhān is praying, giving charity, and reciting the Qur’ān.’

And in Ramadhān, the Gates of Paradise are opened, and the Gates of Hell are shut, and the devils are chained up. This is something that actually happens, as one of my trustworthy friends who used to have contact with the jinn – but has since repented – informed me,

‘When I would ask the jinn who I would work with to relay to me any news, they would say: ‘We are inactive in Ramadhān.’ I used to think that they were believing jinn, as they would pray and fast with me. However, I realized from their answer, that they were devils [i.e., disbelieving jinn].

Later, after an experiment, I confirmed for myself that they were disbelievers: I requested from them one day that they heal my cousin, so, they said: ‘She will not be cured unless she puts on a cross.’

So, I said to them, ‘You really are devils. You are from the disbelieving jinn.’

They said, ‘We are from the believing jinn.’

I said, ‘From now, we have nothing to do with each other.’

They said, ‘We will hurt you, then.’

I said, ‘I dare you to try to hurt me. We will meet at midnight at the graveyard, the most secluded and frightening place I can think of,’ and at midnight, I made ablution and prayed two rak’āhs, and went to the graveyard. I did this for three nights in a row, but the jinn were unable to even come near me.’

So, it is something physical, not simply metaphoric. The devils are chained, and they are unable to move about and cause evil between the people. The major jinn are the ones who are chained, while the minor devils are left to move about.

And Ramadhān is the Ramadhān of Jihād, so, I advise everyone of you to not fall short in a single day in Ramadhān.

I was in Qatar, or the Emirates, and I was told, ‘The brothers in America called, asking if you could go spend the last ten nights with them.’ I said, ‘Subhān Allāh! I spend the last ten nights in America, and I leave Jalalabad, Qandahar, and Kabul erupting? The hour in these places is better than standing in prayer for sixty years, and I go and enter America, even if in Ramadhān?’ And because of this, for the duration of my stay here, especially in the last five years, I always loved to spend every Ramadhān outside of Peshawar, and to not enter Peshawar unless it was necessary. I would spend it either in the training camp in Sada, Jadji, or any other place, so that it would be written for me as a Ramadhān of ribāt, and the Ramadhān in the land of ribāt is a thousand times better than Ramadhān outside of the land of ribāt, as the Prophet [saw] said, ‘Ribāt for one day in the Path of Allāh is better than a thousand days in any other place, even if one were to fast all day and pray all night.’ [at-Tirmidhī and an-Nasa'ī]

So, brothers, whoever of you stays in Peshawar, then let him comply with the following daily program;

Do not stay up late in Ramadhān, as Ramadhān is the time of praying, fasting, and seeking Allāh’s forgiveness during the morning hours. So, break your fast in your homes on some dates or water, or in the mosque, and provide some dates and water in the mosques for those who might break their fast there, and glad tidings to the one who provides food for the one breaking his fast; ‘Whoever provides food for the fasting person, then, he will have the same reward as the fasting person, without the fasting person’s reward being diminished at all,’ even if it is only on a piece of a date, so, for this, let the competitors compete for this great reward.

I was in Qatar, and some of the good-doers said to me, ‘We wish to provide food for a thousand fasting Mujāhidin for all of Ramadhān. How much does each Mujāhid require in Ramadhān?’ I said, ‘He requires three Qatari Riyal or Dirham.’ Suddenly, a check was being written for 90,000 Qatari Riyal, with him saying, ‘This is the cost of food for a thousand Mujāhidin in Jalalabad, and I ask that you alert me of its arrival.’ When it arrived the next day, I was surprised to hear the phone ring, with him telling me, ‘The money for the food of two thousand more is on the way. Feed them rice and meat, as they are the best of foods.’

Comply with this program, and it is easy: break your fast in the mosque, then pray the Maghrib. Return to your homes, eat as much as Allah has Willed for you to eat, and after that, make istighfar while you are awaiting the time for ‘Isha’. Then, pray the ‘Isha’ and Tarawih in the mosque, then, return to your homes. Eat the suhur, and be particular about this time. In addition to it being a blessed meal, the best time to make istighfar is in these early morning hours.

So, after the suhur, rush to make ablution and perform some Tahajjud, and increase in your connection with the Lord of Glory, ‘Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, Asking, ‘Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?’

So, take advantage of these times – the early morning hours – in which an answered supplication is almost certain.

‘Those who are patient, those who are true, the obedient with sincere devotion in worship to Allah, and those who spend in the Way of Allah, and those who pray and beg Allah’s Pardon in the last hours of the night.’ [al-‘Imran, 17]

‘They used to sleep but little by night, and in the hours before dawn, they were asking for forgiveness.’ [adh-Dhariyāt, 17-18]

So, when the Fajr time enters, go to the mosque and pray there. And try, if you do not have work, to not sleep during the time between Fajr and sunrise, ‘For me to sit with a group of people after the morning prayer, remembering Allāh – the Mighty and Majestic – until the Sun rises is more beloved to me than freeing four slaves from the children of Ismā’īl…” [Reported by Abū Dawūd]

After this, go and rest until midday. From midday until ‘Asr, attend to the needs of your family.

Try to generally decrease in eating, drinking, and consuming sweets, keeping in mind that you are surrounded by widows, children, and orphans who are unable to afford plain rice. Set aside your sweets, bread, and rice for such people.

Your women are also in need of cleansing their souls, and they are in need of freeing themselves for the recitation of the Qur’ān and worship. Their preoccupation with preparing food is a preoccupation from the essential activities of Ramadhān; it is a preoccupation from istighfar, recitation, and worship. So, if you pray the ‘Asr, and you have no other obligations to keep you busy, seclude yourself in the mosque until the Sun sets, and indulge in the recitation of the Qur’ān, ‘…and for me to sit with a group of people after the ‘Asr prayer, remembering Allāh – the Mighty and Majestic – until the Sun sets is more beloved to me than freeing four slaves from the children of Ismā’īl.’ So, when it is time for Maghrib prayer, pray it, and return to your home.

This is a program that anyone can follow, either most or all of it. Pay close attention to these days, in particular, and pay attention to these hours. In Ramadhān, there is no time for ‘he said, she said,’ or watching television, or socialization. Do not visit one another in your houses during the nights of Ramadhān, as this constitutes wasting and theft of time of this blessed month. There is the mosque in which you are able to meet and chat in after praying Tarawih, and any of your brothers who need something from you, your meeting place is in the mosque, and your place of departure is the mosque. Do not preoccupy the people with your presence in their homes during the nights of Ramadhān…”

['at-Tarbiyāh al-Jihādiyyah wal-Bina', 3/86-93]

http://forums.islamicawakening.com/f20/shaykh-abdullah-azzam-simple-ramadhan-28060/

Read more of his amazing works here;
http://forums.islamicawakening.com/f17/words-abdullah-azzam-3280/?highlight=azzam

From the Sayings of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood…

From the Sayings of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood
Ash Shaykh Al Imaam Al ‘Alaamah Ibnu Qayyim Al Jawzeeyah (رحمه الله)

http://www.islamicboard.com/words-wisdom/5080-sayings-abdullaah-ibn-masood-1-a.html

A man in the company of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood said: “I do not wish to be from amongst the companions of the Right Hand, I wish to be from amongst the Muqaraboon (those who are brought close (to Allaah)!

So ‘Abdulllaah said: “But here is a man who wishes that if he died he would not be resurrected [from fear of Allaah].” Meaning himself.

“There is nothing on the face of the earth that is more in need of being imprisoned for a lengthy period of time than the tongue”

A man said to him: “Teach me some words that are concise and beneficial!”
So he said:

“Worship Allah and do not associate any partners with him. Follow the Qur-aan wherever it directs you. Whoever comes with the truth, accept it from him even if he was distant and hated by you and whoever comes with falsehood, then reject it even if he was close and beloved to you.”

“Be the springs of knowledge, the lamps of guidance, attached/bound to your homes, lights of the night, refreshers of the hearts, Khulqaan (best/cleanest?) of clothes, known in the heavens, unknown to those on earth.”

“As long as you are in prayer, you are knocking at the door of a king, and whoever knocks at the door of a king will have the door opened for him.”

“There will be a people at the end of times called ‘Al Nataan’. Constantly blaming one another will be the best of their actions.”

“If a person would like to be just to himself, let him treat others in the same way that he would like to be treated.”

He left his house one-day and people followed him, so he said to them: “Is there anything that you need?”

They said: “No, but we want to walk with you.”

He said: “Go back, because it is lowly /dishonorable for the follower and a Fitnah for the one being followed.

He also said “If you knew about me what I know about myself, you would pour sand over my head.”

“None of you should make Taqleed (blindly follow) another man in regards to his religion, if he [one being followed] believes then he believes and if he disbelieves then he disbelieves. If you had to blindly follow someone, then take those who have passed away as examples, for indeed those who are alive are not safe from Fitnah.”

“Look for you heart it three places:

1. When you are listening to the Quraan,

2. in the circles of remembrance [of Allaah]

3. and when you are alone.

If you don’t find it in these places, then ask Allaah to bless you with a heart for indeed you have no heart.”

“Indeed people have become proficient in speech, so he whose deeds are in accordance to his speech, then he is the one that will attain his portion of reward, and he whose deeds are in opposition to his speech, then he is one that only rebukes himself.”

“Truly I believe that a man forgets knowledge that he once possessed due to a sin that he practices.”

“Knowledge is not in narrating a lot, but knowledge is fear [of Allaah].”

Al Fawaaid: P.162

Translated by: Abu ‘Abdul Waahid, Nadir Ahmad

>From the Sayings of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood…

>

From the Sayings of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood
Ash Shaykh Al Imaam Al ‘Alaamah Ibnu Qayyim Al Jawzeeyah (رحمه الله)

http://www.islamicboard.com/words-wisdom/5080-sayings-abdullaah-ibn-masood-1-a.html

A man in the company of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood said: “I do not wish to be from amongst the companions of the Right Hand, I wish to be from amongst the Muqaraboon (those who are brought close (to Allaah)!

So ‘Abdulllaah said: “But here is a man who wishes that if he died he would not be resurrected [from fear of Allaah].” Meaning himself.

“There is nothing on the face of the earth that is more in need of being imprisoned for a lengthy period of time than the tongue”

A man said to him: “Teach me some words that are concise and beneficial!”
So he said:

“Worship Allah and do not associate any partners with him. Follow the Qur-aan wherever it directs you. Whoever comes with the truth, accept it from him even if he was distant and hated by you and whoever comes with falsehood, then reject it even if he was close and beloved to you.”

“Be the springs of knowledge, the lamps of guidance, attached/bound to your homes, lights of the night, refreshers of the hearts, Khulqaan (best/cleanest?) of clothes, known in the heavens, unknown to those on earth.”

“As long as you are in prayer, you are knocking at the door of a king, and whoever knocks at the door of a king will have the door opened for him.”

“There will be a people at the end of times called ‘Al Nataan’. Constantly blaming one another will be the best of their actions.”

“If a person would like to be just to himself, let him treat others in the same way that he would like to be treated.”

He left his house one-day and people followed him, so he said to them: “Is there anything that you need?”

They said: “No, but we want to walk with you.”

He said: “Go back, because it is lowly /dishonorable for the follower and a Fitnah for the one being followed.

He also said “If you knew about me what I know about myself, you would pour sand over my head.”

“None of you should make Taqleed (blindly follow) another man in regards to his religion, if he [one being followed] believes then he believes and if he disbelieves then he disbelieves. If you had to blindly follow someone, then take those who have passed away as examples, for indeed those who are alive are not safe from Fitnah.”

“Look for you heart it three places:

1. When you are listening to the Quraan,

2. in the circles of remembrance [of Allaah]

3. and when you are alone.

If you don’t find it in these places, then ask Allaah to bless you with a heart for indeed you have no heart.”

“Indeed people have become proficient in speech, so he whose deeds are in accordance to his speech, then he is the one that will attain his portion of reward, and he whose deeds are in opposition to his speech, then he is one that only rebukes himself.”

“Truly I believe that a man forgets knowledge that he once possessed due to a sin that he practices.”

“Knowledge is not in narrating a lot, but knowledge is fear [of Allaah].”

Al Fawaaid: P.162

Translated by: Abu ‘Abdul Waahid, Nadir Ahmad

‘Abdullah ibn alMubarak (d.181AH)’s Letter to Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (d.187AH)

‘Abdullah ibn alMubarak (d.181AH)’s
Letter to Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (d.187AH)

Download Audio:
http://media.ribaat.org/audio/anashid/ya_3abed_al_haramayn.mp3

SOURCE:
http://www.islamicboard.com/islamic-history-biographies/43735-abdullaah-ibn-al-mubarak-al-khorasanee.html#post849292

يا عابد الحرمين

يا عابدَ الحرمين لو أبصرتْـَنا … لعلمتَ أنَّكَ في العبادةِ تلعبُ
مَنْ كانَ يخضبُ خدَّه بدموعِه … فنحورنُـا بدمـائِنا تَتَخْضَبُ

أوكان يتعبُ خيله في بـاطل … فخيـولنا يوم الصبيحة تتعبُ

ريحُ العبيرٍ لكم ونحنُ عبيرُنا … رَهَجُ السنابكِ والغبارُ الأطيبُ

ولقد أتـانا مـن مقالِ نبيِنا … قولٌ صحيحٌ صادقٌ لا يَكذبُ

لا يستوي غبـارُ أهلِ الله في … أنفِ أمرئٍ ودخانُ نارٍ تَلهبُ

هذا كتابُ الله ينـطقُ بيننا … ليسَ الشهيدُ بميـتٍ لا يكذبُ

This is an amazing poem written by the Imam, Zaahid, and Mujahid ‘Abdullah ibn alMubarak (d. 181 AH) to another great Imam and Zaahid Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (d. 187 AH). Both from amongst the Imams of the salaf.

The audio above starts off by quoting the narration of this poem/letter found in the Tafseer of alHafidh Ibn Katheer (d. 774 AH) which is quoted below:

Al-Hafiz ibn `Asakir mentioned in the biography of `Abdullah bin al-Mubarak, that Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Abi Sakinah said,

“While in the area of Tarsus, `Abdullah bin al-Mubarak dictated this poem to me when I was greeting him goodbye. He sent the poem with me to al-FuDayl bin`Iyad in the year 170,

‘O ye who worships in the vicinity of the Two Holy Masjids!

If you but see us, you will realise that you are only jesting in worship.

He who brings wetness to his cheek with his tears should know that our necks are being wet by our blood.

He who tires his horses without purpose, now that our horses are getting tired in battle.

Scent of perfume is yours, while ours is the glimmer of spears and the stench of dust [in battle].

We were narrated about in the speech of our Prophet, an authentic statement that never lies.

That the dust that erupts by Allah’s horses and which fills the nostrils of a man shall never be combined with the smoke of a raging Fire.

This, the Book of Allah speaks among us that the martyr is not dead, and the truth in Allah’s book cannot be denied.’

“I met al-Fudayl ibn `Iyad in the Sacred Masjid and gave him the leter. When he read it, his eyes became tearful and he said, ‘Abu `Abdur-Rahman (`Abdullah bin al-Mubarak) has said the truth and offered sincere advice to me.’ He then asked me, ‘Do you write the Hadeeth?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Write this Hadeeth as reward for delivering the letter of Abu `Abdur-Rahman to me.’ He then dictated,

‘Mansur bin al-Mu`tamir narrated to us that Abu Saalih narrated from Abu Hurayrah that a man asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Teach me a good deed that will earn me the reward of the Mujahideen in Allah’s cause.’

The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said, ‘Are you able to pray continuously and fast without breaking the fast?’ The man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I cannot bear it.’

The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said,

‘By He in Whose Hand is my soul! Even if you were able to do it, you would not achieve the grade of the Mujahideen in Allah’s cause. Did you not know that the horse of the Mujaahid earns rewards for him as long as it lives?’”

[Musnad Ahmad]

‘Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak said,

“Whomsoever is given something of love and is not given its equivalent of awe and veneration (khashyah), then he is deceived.”

‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, said:

“The beginning of knowledge is the intention, then listening, then understanding, then action, then preservation and then spreading it.”

‘Abdullah ibn alMubarak (d.181AH)’s Letter to Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (d.187AH)

‘Abdullah ibn alMubarak (d.181AH)’s
Letter to Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (d.187AH)

Download Audio:
http://media.ribaat.org/audio/anashid/ya_3abed_al_haramayn.mp3

SOURCE:
http://www.islamicboard.com/islamic-history-biographies/43735-abdullaah-ibn-al-mubarak-al-khorasanee.html#post849292

يا عابد الحرمين

يا عابدَ الحرمين لو أبصرتْـَنا … لعلمتَ أنَّكَ في العبادةِ تلعبُ
مَنْ كانَ يخضبُ خدَّه بدموعِه … فنحورنُـا بدمـائِنا تَتَخْضَبُ

أوكان يتعبُ خيله في بـاطل … فخيـولنا يوم الصبيحة تتعبُ

ريحُ العبيرٍ لكم ونحنُ عبيرُنا … رَهَجُ السنابكِ والغبارُ الأطيبُ

ولقد أتـانا مـن مقالِ نبيِنا … قولٌ صحيحٌ صادقٌ لا يَكذبُ

لا يستوي غبـارُ أهلِ الله في … أنفِ أمرئٍ ودخانُ نارٍ تَلهبُ

هذا كتابُ الله ينـطقُ بيننا … ليسَ الشهيدُ بميـتٍ لا يكذبُ

This is an amazing poem written by the Imam, Zaahid, and Mujahid ‘Abdullah ibn alMubarak (d. 181 AH) to another great Imam and Zaahid Fudayl ibn ‘Iyaad (d. 187 AH). Both from amongst the Imams of the salaf.

The audio above starts off by quoting the narration of this poem/letter found in the Tafseer of alHafidh Ibn Katheer (d. 774 AH) which is quoted below:

Al-Hafiz ibn `Asakir mentioned in the biography of `Abdullah bin al-Mubarak, that Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Abi Sakinah said,

“While in the area of Tarsus, `Abdullah bin al-Mubarak dictated this poem to me when I was greeting him goodbye. He sent the poem with me to al-FuDayl bin`Iyad in the year 170,

‘O ye who worships in the vicinity of the Two Holy Masjids!

If you but see us, you will realise that you are only jesting in worship.

He who brings wetness to his cheek with his tears should know that our necks are being wet by our blood.

He who tires his horses without purpose, now that our horses are getting tired in battle.

Scent of perfume is yours, while ours is the glimmer of spears and the stench of dust [in battle].

We were narrated about in the speech of our Prophet, an authentic statement that never lies.

That the dust that erupts by Allah’s horses and which fills the nostrils of a man shall never be combined with the smoke of a raging Fire.

This, the Book of Allah speaks among us that the martyr is not dead, and the truth in Allah’s book cannot be denied.’

“I met al-Fudayl ibn `Iyad in the Sacred Masjid and gave him the leter. When he read it, his eyes became tearful and he said, ‘Abu `Abdur-Rahman (`Abdullah bin al-Mubarak) has said the truth and offered sincere advice to me.’ He then asked me, ‘Do you write the Hadeeth?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘Write this Hadeeth as reward for delivering the letter of Abu `Abdur-Rahman to me.’ He then dictated,

‘Mansur bin al-Mu`tamir narrated to us that Abu Saalih narrated from Abu Hurayrah that a man asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Teach me a good deed that will earn me the reward of the Mujahideen in Allah’s cause.’

The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said, ‘Are you able to pray continuously and fast without breaking the fast?’ The man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I cannot bear it.’

The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam said,

‘By He in Whose Hand is my soul! Even if you were able to do it, you would not achieve the grade of the Mujahideen in Allah’s cause. Did you not know that the horse of the Mujaahid earns rewards for him as long as it lives?’”

[Musnad Ahmad]

‘Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak said,

“Whomsoever is given something of love and is not given its equivalent of awe and veneration (khashyah), then he is deceived.”

‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, said:

“The beginning of knowledge is the intention, then listening, then understanding, then action, then preservation and then spreading it.”

‘Abdullaah Ibn al-Mubarak al-Khorasanee.

Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem

http://www.islamicboard.com/islamic-history-biographies/43735-abdullaah-ibn-al-mubarak-al-khorasanee.html

This is the brief Sirah of the Imaam, al-Mujaahid and Zaahid,

‘Abdullaah Ibn al-Mubarak al-Khorasanee.

[Taken from at-Tarteeb al-Madarik of Qadhi Iyad al-Andalousi]

Who he was

He was the client of the Banu Tameem, then the Banu Hanifa. His kunya was Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman.

He listened to Ibn Abi Layla, Hisham ibn ‘Urwa, al-A’mash, Sulayman at-Tamimi, Humayd at-Tawil, Yahya ibn Sa’id, Ibn ‘Awn, Musa ibn ‘Uqba, the two Sufyans, al-Awza’i, Ibn Abi Dhib, Malik, Ma’mar, Shu’ba, and Haywa ibn Shurayh, and he studied with Abu ‘Amr ibn al-’Ala’, al-Layth and others.

Ibn Mahdi, ‘Abdu’r-Razzaq, Yahya ibn al-Qattan, Ibn Wahb and others related from him.

Ibn Wahb said, “Ibn al-Mubarak listened to all our shaykhs except ‘Amr ibn al-Harith.”

Ash-Shirazi said, “He learned fiqh with Malik and ath-Thawri, and he was the first of Abu Hanifa’s companions. Then he left him and abandoned his madhhab.”

Ibn Waddah said, “In the end, he avoided mentioning Abu Hanifa in his books, and he did not read his work to people.”

Concerning his position in knowledge and praise of him

Abu Ishaq al-Fazzari said, “Ibn al-Mubarak was the Imam of the Muslims.” Al-Fazzari used to sit in front of him and ask him questions.”

**

Ibn Mahdi said, “I met four fuqaha’: Malik, Shu’ba, Sufyan and Ibn al-Mubarak. (One of them had ‘Hammad’ in place of Shu’ba.) I did not see anyone with better counsel for the community than Ibn al-Mubarak. If Ibn al-Mubarak did not acknowledge a hadith, we would not acknowlege it.”

**

Ibn Mahdi was asked about him and and ath-Thawri and which of them was better. He said, “Ibn al-Mubarak.”

He was asked, “And if the people disagree with you?” He replied, “The people have not made any tests. I have not see the like of Ibn al-Mubarak.”

He said, “Ibn al-Mubarak related to us, and he was unique.”

**

When Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna was told that Ibn al-Mubarak had died, he said, “May Allah have mercy on him. He was a man of fiqh, knowledge, worship, asceticism, and generosity. He was courageous and a poet.”

He also said, “No one has come to us like Ibn al-Mubarak and Ibn Abi Ziyada.”

Muhammad ibn al-Mu’tamir said, “When ath-Thawri died, I asked my father, ‘Who is the faqih of the Arabs?” He replied, “Ibn al-Mubarak.”

**

Al-Awza’i said to Abu ‘Uthman al-Kalbi about him, “If I had seen him, I would have been delighted.”

An-Nasa’i said, “There was not known in the time of Ibn al-Mubarak anyone more glorious or excellent than him nor anyone who had more virtues than he possessed.”

Salam ibn Muti’ said, “No one like him came in the east afterwards. I prefer Ibn al-Mubarak to ath-Thawri.”

Ibn Waddah said, “I listened to a group of the people of knowledge relate, ‘Knowledge, taqwa, hadith, recognition of the men, poetry, generosity, worship and scrupulousness were combined in Ibn al-Mubarak.

The Beginning of his quest, the reason for his asceticism and the sum of his virtues and knowledge

Qadi Abu’l-Fadl said that as-Sadafi mentioned, “When Ibn al-Mubarak came of age, his father sent him 50,000 to use for commerce. He sought after knowledge until he had spent the money. When it was gone, his father met him and said, ‘What have you bought?’ He brought out his books for him and said, ‘This is my trade.’ His father went into the house and gave him 30,000 dirhams more and said, ‘Take this and follow your trade with them,’ and he spent them.”

**

Ibn al-Mubarak said, “I studied adab for thirty years and I studied knowledge for twenty years.”

**

Ibn Hanbal said, “In the time of Ibn al-Mubarak, there was no one who sought after knowledge more than him. He went to the Yemen, Egypt, Syria, the Hijaz, Basra and Kufa, and whoever related knowledge and was worthy of it. He wrote from young men and old men. He omitted what was rare. He gave hadiths from books.”

**

Ibn Waddah said, “Ibn al-Mubarak related about 25,000 hadiths. He was asked, ‘Up until when did you study knowledge?’ He said, ‘I hope that you will find me doing that until I die.”

**

Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi said, “A man with good deportment came one day to Malik. I used to see Malik say to him, ‘Come here.’ Then he made room for him in his assembly, and I did not see Malik make room for anyone else. He sat Ibn al-Mubarak near him. Sometimes Malik was asked about a question and he answered it. Then he would lean over to the man and say to him, ‘What do your companions say about it?’ The man would reply softly so we could not hear or understand. I saw him do that for some days, and I admired the adab of the man. I did not see him ask about anything until he departed. He was content with what he heard and Malik told us, ‘This is Ibn al-Mubarak, the faqih of Khorasan.’”

**

One day Ibn al-Mubarak prayed at the side of Abu Hanifa. Ibn al-Mubarak began to lift his hands in each takbir. Abu Hanifa said to him, ‘Do you want to fly?’ He replied, ‘If I had wanted to, I would have flown in the first one.’”

**

He said, “The ascetic is the one who is not happy when he gets this world and is not sad if he lacks it.”

**

Ibn Shahin said, “Ibn al-Mubarak was with Hammad ibn Zayd and greeted him. The people of hadith went to Hammad to ask Ibn al-Mubarak to give them hadith. Ibn al-Mubarak said, ‘Glory be to Allah! Shall I give hadith while you are present?’ He said, ‘I beg you to do it,’ or words to that effect. He said, ‘Abu Isma’il Hammad ibn Zayd related to us,’ and did not give any hadith except from him.”

**

Ibn al-Mubarak used to say, “The beginning of knowledge is the intention, then listening, then understanding, then action, then preservation, and then spreading it.”

**

It was said, “He went on hajj one year and raiding the next year. Whenever he came to Madina, he said to its shaykhs among the people of knowledge and decrease. Whoever wants to go on hajj, come out with me. Their provision is enough for them. He did the same when he went on raids.”

**

Al-Fasawi the worshipper said, “I was with Ibn al-Mubarak raiding on a cold, rainy night. He wept and I said, ‘Are you weeping for the like of this?’ He said, ‘I am weeping for the previous nights which did not have the like of this hardship so that we could be rewarded for them.’”

**

Ibn al-Musayyab said, “Ibn al-Mubarak sent 70,000 dirhams to Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash and said, ‘Use it to stop the lack of censure of you.’”

**

Nu’aym ibn Hammad said, “Ibn al-Mubarak used to stay in his house a lot. He was asked, ‘Are you isolating yourself?’ He said, ‘How can I isolate myself when I am with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions?’”

**

He related that Iblis came to Ibn al-Mubarak when he was doing wudu’ and said, “You did not wipe.’” He said, “I did wipe.” He said, “You did not wipe.” He said, ‘You are a claimant, so present your proof.’”

**

Ibn al-Mubarak said to one of his companions, “Do not neglect a day which Allah has mentioned in 63 places in His Book.”

**

A man said to Ibn al-Mubarak, “Yesterday I read the entire Qur’an in a single rak’at.” Ibn al-Mubarak said, “But I know a man who did not cease to recite ‘Rivalry’ (102) yesterday until the Subh prayer. He could not get past it,” i.e. himself.

**

He and another man mentioned that Ibn al-Mubarak was asked about the beginning of his quest for knowledge. He said, “I was a young man who drank nabidh-wine, loved wealth and rejoiced in those foul things. I invited some brothers of mine to a garden when the apples and other fruits were ripe, and we ate and drank until we were overcome by drunkenness and sleep. I woke up at the end of the period before dawn. I took up the lute which I played and composed:

Is it not time that you had mercy on us

and defied the critics and censors?

“Then I could not make it rhyme as I wished. When I repeated it to it, the lute spoke to me as a man speaks, ‘Is it not time that the hearts of those who believe should be humbled to the remembrance of Allah?‘ (57:15) I said, ‘Yes, Lord.’ I broke the lute and spilled out the nabidh, and repentance came by Allah’s favour with its realities, and I turned to knowledge and worship.”

**

He related that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak entered Kufa when he was intending to go on the hajj. There was a woman sitting on a rubbish-heap plucking a duck. It occurred to him that it was carrion. He stopped on his mule and said to her, ‘Women! Is this duck carrion or sacrificed?’ She said, ‘Carrion.’ He said, ‘Then why are you plucking it?’ She said, ‘So that my family and I can eat it.’ He said, ‘Woman! Allah Almighty has forbidden you carrion while you are in a land like this!’ She said, ‘Man, go away.’ They continued to exchange words until he said to her,’Where in Kufa do you live?’ She said, ‘In the quarter of the Banu so-and-so.’ He said, ‘By what is your house known?’ She said, ‘The Banu so-and-so.’ He left her and went to the inn. Then he asked about the tribe and they directed him to it. He said to a man, ‘You have a dirham if you come with me to the place.’

“He went until he came to the tribe which the woman had mentioned. He said to the man, ‘Go.’ Then he went to the door and knocked on the door with a stick that he had. The old woman said, ‘Who is it?’ He said to her, ‘Open the door.’ She opened it part way. He said, ‘Open it all the way.’ Then he got off his mule and hit it with the stick and the mule went into the house. Then he said to the woman, ‘This mule and the provision, money and clothes on it is yours, and you will have what is halal from it in this world and the Next.’

“Then Ibn al-Mubarak remained hidden until the people returned from the hajj. Some of the people of his land came to him to greet him and congratualate him on the hajj. He turned to say to them, ‘I had an illness and did not go on hajj this year.’
“One of them said, ‘Glory be to Allah! Did I not leave you my goods with you while we were at Mina and we were going to ‘Arafat?’ Another said, ‘Did you not buy for me in the same way?’ He turned to say, ‘I do not know what you are saying. As for myself, I did not go on hajj this year.’

“He dreamt of someone saying in the night to him, ”Abdullah, rejoice! Allah accepted your sadaqa and He sent an angel in your form who performed the hajj for you.’”

Some of His Wisdoms, Poetry and Wit

He said:

Fight your tongue. The tongue is quick to kill a man.

The tongue is the posting of the heart. It shows man his intellect.

He said:

I see that some people are content with the least of the deen, but I do not see them pleased with meagerness in this life.

Be rich with Allah, independent of the world of the kings as the kings are free of the deen with their worldly things.

He said:

People’s enjoyment of worship and taqwa is the sweetest bliss,
not the pleasure of the wine.

Their sources enjoy it for all their lives, and they, by Allah,
have provision until they reach the graves.

In a moment they obtain might and taqwa.
Does not the enjoyment of life lie in piety and steadfastness?

He said:

I see every life as unhappy and miserable
except for planting the spear in the shade of the horse

And standing in the dark nights, vigilant,
guarding the people in the furthest outpost.

A man came to Ibn al-Mubarak and said to him: “May Allah be pleased with you! Describe for me those who are wild and distracted by love of Allah. He replied: “They are as I will tell you:

Alert, on mounts as if they were a caravan desiring to pass,
that is how they are moved.

Their limbs are restrained from every foul action.
Truthfulness is their school, as well as zuhd and fear.

Another person asked him to describe the fearful. He said:

When the night is darkest, they endure it,
and it travels from them while they are still bowing.

Fear dispelled their sleep, so they stood alert while the people of security
in this world were sleeping peacefully.

While they are prostrating under the cloak the darkness,
their groan pierces their ribs.

They are mute in the day by the length of their silence.
They have tranquillity from their humility.

He also composed:

Seize the two rak’ats of nearness if you are free and at rest.

When you desire to speak about the false, put glorification in its place.

Seizing silence is better than plunging,
even if you are eloquent in speech.

Ibn al-Mubarak has a lot of poetry in more than one subject. He had a short poem in rajaz-metre on the Companions and the Followers and long qasidasjihad which are famous. He has the Kitab ar-Raqa’iqJihad which is famous, and The Book of the Objectives of Jihad.

**

Ibn al-Mubarak was asked, “Who are the people?” “The scholars,” he replied. He was asked, “Who are the kings?” He said, “The men of detachment (zuhd).” He was asked, “Who are the rabble?” “Harthima and Khuzayma ibn Hazim,” he answered. It was said, “Who are the fools?” He said, “The one who sells the Next World for the worldly portion of someone else.”

He used to say, “The trace of ink on the garment of the master of hadith is better than the perfume on the bride’s garment.”

He was asked, “Which person has the best state?” He said, “The one who devotes himself to his Lord.”

**

Ibn al-Mubarak said, “I passed by a weaver when I had broken the throng of my sandal and he gave me with a strap. I asked, ‘Did you do it for pay?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ When I passed by him, I leaned towards him and greeted him. Then I missed him and found that he had closed his shop. I asked one of the neighbours about him. I said, ‘If he is sick, I will visit him. If he is busy, I will help him. If he is poor, I will share with him.’

“They said, ‘We have no knowledge of him.’ I asked permission to enter his house and he came out to me. I asked him, ‘What has kept you from your shop?’ He said to me, ‘You, Ibn al-Mubarak. People see you inclining to me, so they have put a shirt on me which I do not deserve.’

“I took his sleeve and went with him to the graves. I said, ‘This is the grave of so-and-so. His business was such-and-such. This is the grave of so-and-so. His business was such-and-such.’

“He said to me, ‘Ibn al-Mubarak, I do not know what you are saying. The man is not all the man whom the tongues describe and the man is not all the man whom the eyes see. The man is the one whom Allah veils in his life and makes him enter the grave veiled and then He brings him out on the Day of Rising when there is no abasement or rebellion on him. That is the man.’”

**

Abu Bakr al-Khatib related that al-Hasan ibn ‘Isa ibn Masrajis used to pass by Ibn al-Mubarak while he was a Christian. Al-Hasan had a very beautiful face. Ibn al-Mubarak asked about him and was told, “He is a Christian.” He said, “O Allah, provide him with Islam.” Allah answered his supplication and al-Hasan became an excellent Muslim. He was one of the scholars of the Community and one of those who travelled in quest of knowledge and the Sunna in all regions and people studied with him. He possessed scrupulousness, intellect and reliability.

**

One of the men who kept the company of Ibn al-Mubarak inclined to this world and kept the Sultan’s company. He met him one day and greeted him. He said to him:

“My brother!

All is from rice, wheat and barley bread,
And it crushes. O person! Allah has guided you from the amir’s abode,

So do not visit it! Avoid it it! They are false sparks.
It takes away the deen and brings you near to great wrong action.”

The man was ashamed and left the Sultan’s company and returned to his company.

Concerning his position in riwaya and hadith

One of the Sufis who had heard him say that one of the transmitters of hadith was weak, said to him: “Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman, do you slander?” He said: “Be quiet. If we do not clarify, who will know the true from the false?”

Ibn al-Mubarak died in Hit, returning from a naval expedition and was buried in Hit in Ramadaan in 181 AH.

Al-Bukhari said that he was born in 118 AH.

When he was near death, he told Nasr, his client, “Put my head on the earth.” Nasr wept. He said, “Why do you weep?” He said, “I remember what you had in it of blessing and now you are dying a stranger and a pauper.” He told him, “Be quiet. I asked Allah to let me live the life of the rich and to make me die the death of the poor.” Then he said, “Put me down and do not address me again unless I speak again. Put me down so that it is my last words.”

May Allah have mercy upon ‘Abdullah Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn al-Mubarak, and reward him for his good deeds and grant us scholars and offspring’s from the likes of him.

Ameen.

>’Abdullaah Ibn al-Mubarak al-Khorasanee.

> Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem

http://www.islamicboard.com/islamic-history-biographies/43735-abdullaah-ibn-al-mubarak-al-khorasanee.html

This is the brief Sirah of the Imaam, al-Mujaahid and Zaahid,

‘Abdullaah Ibn al-Mubarak al-Khorasanee.

[Taken from at-Tarteeb al-Madarik of Qadhi Iyad al-Andalousi]

Who he was

He was the client of the Banu Tameem, then the Banu Hanifa. His kunya was Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman.

He listened to Ibn Abi Layla, Hisham ibn ‘Urwa, al-A’mash, Sulayman at-Tamimi, Humayd at-Tawil, Yahya ibn Sa’id, Ibn ‘Awn, Musa ibn ‘Uqba, the two Sufyans, al-Awza’i, Ibn Abi Dhib, Malik, Ma’mar, Shu’ba, and Haywa ibn Shurayh, and he studied with Abu ‘Amr ibn al-’Ala’, al-Layth and others.

Ibn Mahdi, ‘Abdu’r-Razzaq, Yahya ibn al-Qattan, Ibn Wahb and others related from him.

Ibn Wahb said, “Ibn al-Mubarak listened to all our shaykhs except ‘Amr ibn al-Harith.”

Ash-Shirazi said, “He learned fiqh with Malik and ath-Thawri, and he was the first of Abu Hanifa’s companions. Then he left him and abandoned his madhhab.”

Ibn Waddah said, “In the end, he avoided mentioning Abu Hanifa in his books, and he did not read his work to people.”

Concerning his position in knowledge and praise of him

Abu Ishaq al-Fazzari said, “Ibn al-Mubarak was the Imam of the Muslims.” Al-Fazzari used to sit in front of him and ask him questions.”

**

Ibn Mahdi said, “I met four fuqaha’: Malik, Shu’ba, Sufyan and Ibn al-Mubarak. (One of them had ‘Hammad’ in place of Shu’ba.) I did not see anyone with better counsel for the community than Ibn al-Mubarak. If Ibn al-Mubarak did not acknowledge a hadith, we would not acknowlege it.”

**

Ibn Mahdi was asked about him and and ath-Thawri and which of them was better. He said, “Ibn al-Mubarak.”

He was asked, “And if the people disagree with you?” He replied, “The people have not made any tests. I have not see the like of Ibn al-Mubarak.”

He said, “Ibn al-Mubarak related to us, and he was unique.”

**

When Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna was told that Ibn al-Mubarak had died, he said, “May Allah have mercy on him. He was a man of fiqh, knowledge, worship, asceticism, and generosity. He was courageous and a poet.”

He also said, “No one has come to us like Ibn al-Mubarak and Ibn Abi Ziyada.”

Muhammad ibn al-Mu’tamir said, “When ath-Thawri died, I asked my father, ‘Who is the faqih of the Arabs?” He replied, “Ibn al-Mubarak.”

**

Al-Awza’i said to Abu ‘Uthman al-Kalbi about him, “If I had seen him, I would have been delighted.”

An-Nasa’i said, “There was not known in the time of Ibn al-Mubarak anyone more glorious or excellent than him nor anyone who had more virtues than he possessed.”

Salam ibn Muti’ said, “No one like him came in the east afterwards. I prefer Ibn al-Mubarak to ath-Thawri.”

Ibn Waddah said, “I listened to a group of the people of knowledge relate, ‘Knowledge, taqwa, hadith, recognition of the men, poetry, generosity, worship and scrupulousness were combined in Ibn al-Mubarak.

The Beginning of his quest, the reason for his asceticism and the sum of his virtues and knowledge

Qadi Abu’l-Fadl said that as-Sadafi mentioned, “When Ibn al-Mubarak came of age, his father sent him 50,000 to use for commerce. He sought after knowledge until he had spent the money. When it was gone, his father met him and said, ‘What have you bought?’ He brought out his books for him and said, ‘This is my trade.’ His father went into the house and gave him 30,000 dirhams more and said, ‘Take this and follow your trade with them,’ and he spent them.”

**

Ibn al-Mubarak said, “I studied adab for thirty years and I studied knowledge for twenty years.”

**

Ibn Hanbal said, “In the time of Ibn al-Mubarak, there was no one who sought after knowledge more than him. He went to the Yemen, Egypt, Syria, the Hijaz, Basra and Kufa, and whoever related knowledge and was worthy of it. He wrote from young men and old men. He omitted what was rare. He gave hadiths from books.”

**

Ibn Waddah said, “Ibn al-Mubarak related about 25,000 hadiths. He was asked, ‘Up until when did you study knowledge?’ He said, ‘I hope that you will find me doing that until I die.”

**

Yahya ibn Yahya al-Laythi said, “A man with good deportment came one day to Malik. I used to see Malik say to him, ‘Come here.’ Then he made room for him in his assembly, and I did not see Malik make room for anyone else. He sat Ibn al-Mubarak near him. Sometimes Malik was asked about a question and he answered it. Then he would lean over to the man and say to him, ‘What do your companions say about it?’ The man would reply softly so we could not hear or understand. I saw him do that for some days, and I admired the adab of the man. I did not see him ask about anything until he departed. He was content with what he heard and Malik told us, ‘This is Ibn al-Mubarak, the faqih of Khorasan.’”

**

One day Ibn al-Mubarak prayed at the side of Abu Hanifa. Ibn al-Mubarak began to lift his hands in each takbir. Abu Hanifa said to him, ‘Do you want to fly?’ He replied, ‘If I had wanted to, I would have flown in the first one.’”

**

He said, “The ascetic is the one who is not happy when he gets this world and is not sad if he lacks it.”

**

Ibn Shahin said, “Ibn al-Mubarak was with Hammad ibn Zayd and greeted him. The people of hadith went to Hammad to ask Ibn al-Mubarak to give them hadith. Ibn al-Mubarak said, ‘Glory be to Allah! Shall I give hadith while you are present?’ He said, ‘I beg you to do it,’ or words to that effect. He said, ‘Abu Isma’il Hammad ibn Zayd related to us,’ and did not give any hadith except from him.”

**

Ibn al-Mubarak used to say, “The beginning of knowledge is the intention, then listening, then understanding, then action, then preservation, and then spreading it.”

**

It was said, “He went on hajj one year and raiding the next year. Whenever he came to Madina, he said to its shaykhs among the people of knowledge and decrease. Whoever wants to go on hajj, come out with me. Their provision is enough for them. He did the same when he went on raids.”

**

Al-Fasawi the worshipper said, “I was with Ibn al-Mubarak raiding on a cold, rainy night. He wept and I said, ‘Are you weeping for the like of this?’ He said, ‘I am weeping for the previous nights which did not have the like of this hardship so that we could be rewarded for them.’”

**

Ibn al-Musayyab said, “Ibn al-Mubarak sent 70,000 dirhams to Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayyash and said, ‘Use it to stop the lack of censure of you.’”

**

Nu’aym ibn Hammad said, “Ibn al-Mubarak used to stay in his house a lot. He was asked, ‘Are you isolating yourself?’ He said, ‘How can I isolate myself when I am with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions?’”

**

He related that Iblis came to Ibn al-Mubarak when he was doing wudu’ and said, “You did not wipe.’” He said, “I did wipe.” He said, “You did not wipe.” He said, ‘You are a claimant, so present your proof.’”

**

Ibn al-Mubarak said to one of his companions, “Do not neglect a day which Allah has mentioned in 63 places in His Book.”

**

A man said to Ibn al-Mubarak, “Yesterday I read the entire Qur’an in a single rak’at.” Ibn al-Mubarak said, “But I know a man who did not cease to recite ‘Rivalry’ (102) yesterday until the Subh prayer. He could not get past it,” i.e. himself.

**

He and another man mentioned that Ibn al-Mubarak was asked about the beginning of his quest for knowledge. He said, “I was a young man who drank nabidh-wine, loved wealth and rejoiced in those foul things. I invited some brothers of mine to a garden when the apples and other fruits were ripe, and we ate and drank until we were overcome by drunkenness and sleep. I woke up at the end of the period before dawn. I took up the lute which I played and composed:

Is it not time that you had mercy on us

and defied the critics and censors?

“Then I could not make it rhyme as I wished. When I repeated it to it, the lute spoke to me as a man speaks, ‘Is it not time that the hearts of those who believe should be humbled to the remembrance of Allah?‘ (57:15) I said, ‘Yes, Lord.’ I broke the lute and spilled out the nabidh, and repentance came by Allah’s favour with its realities, and I turned to knowledge and worship.”

**

He related that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak entered Kufa when he was intending to go on the hajj. There was a woman sitting on a rubbish-heap plucking a duck. It occurred to him that it was carrion. He stopped on his mule and said to her, ‘Women! Is this duck carrion or sacrificed?’ She said, ‘Carrion.’ He said, ‘Then why are you plucking it?’ She said, ‘So that my family and I can eat it.’ He said, ‘Woman! Allah Almighty has forbidden you carrion while you are in a land like this!’ She said, ‘Man, go away.’ They continued to exchange words until he said to her,’Where in Kufa do you live?’ She said, ‘In the quarter of the Banu so-and-so.’ He said, ‘By what is your house known?’ She said, ‘The Banu so-and-so.’ He left her and went to the inn. Then he asked about the tribe and they directed him to it. He said to a man, ‘You have a dirham if you come with me to the place.’

“He went until he came to the tribe which the woman had mentioned. He said to the man, ‘Go.’ Then he went to the door and knocked on the door with a stick that he had. The old woman said, ‘Who is it?’ He said to her, ‘Open the door.’ She opened it part way. He said, ‘Open it all the way.’ Then he got off his mule and hit it with the stick and the mule went into the house. Then he said to the woman, ‘This mule and the provision, money and clothes on it is yours, and you will have what is halal from it in this world and the Next.’

“Then Ibn al-Mubarak remained hidden until the people returned from the hajj. Some of the people of his land came to him to greet him and congratualate him on the hajj. He turned to say to them, ‘I had an illness and did not go on hajj this year.’
“One of them said, ‘Glory be to Allah! Did I not leave you my goods with you while we were at Mina and we were going to ‘Arafat?’ Another said, ‘Did you not buy for me in the same way?’ He turned to say, ‘I do not know what you are saying. As for myself, I did not go on hajj this year.’

“He dreamt of someone saying in the night to him, ”Abdullah, rejoice! Allah accepted your sadaqa and He sent an angel in your form who performed the hajj for you.’”

Some of His Wisdoms, Poetry and Wit

He said:

Fight your tongue. The tongue is quick to kill a man.

The tongue is the posting of the heart. It shows man his intellect.

He said:

I see that some people are content with the least of the deen, but I do not see them pleased with meagerness in this life.

Be rich with Allah, independent of the world of the kings as the kings are free of the deen with their worldly things.

He said:

People’s enjoyment of worship and taqwa is the sweetest bliss,
not the pleasure of the wine.

Their sources enjoy it for all their lives, and they, by Allah,
have provision until they reach the graves.

In a moment they obtain might and taqwa.
Does not the enjoyment of life lie in piety and steadfastness?

He said:

I see every life as unhappy and miserable
except for planting the spear in the shade of the horse

And standing in the dark nights, vigilant,
guarding the people in the furthest outpost.

A man came to Ibn al-Mubarak and said to him: “May Allah be pleased with you! Describe for me those who are wild and distracted by love of Allah. He replied: “They are as I will tell you:

Alert, on mounts as if they were a caravan desiring to pass,
that is how they are moved.

Their limbs are restrained from every foul action.
Truthfulness is their school, as well as zuhd and fear.

Another person asked him to describe the fearful. He said:

When the night is darkest, they endure it,
and it travels from them while they are still bowing.

Fear dispelled their sleep, so they stood alert while the people of security
in this world were sleeping peacefully.

While they are prostrating under the cloak the darkness,
their groan pierces their ribs.

They are mute in the day by the length of their silence.
They have tranquillity from their humility.

He also composed:

Seize the two rak’ats of nearness if you are free and at rest.

When you desire to speak about the false, put glorification in its place.

Seizing silence is better than plunging,
even if you are eloquent in speech.

Ibn al-Mubarak has a lot of poetry in more than one subject. He had a short poem in rajaz-metre on the Companions and the Followers and long qasidasjihad which are famous. He has the Kitab ar-Raqa’iqJihad which is famous, and The Book of the Objectives of Jihad.

**

Ibn al-Mubarak was asked, “Who are the people?” “The scholars,” he replied. He was asked, “Who are the kings?” He said, “The men of detachment (zuhd).” He was asked, “Who are the rabble?” “Harthima and Khuzayma ibn Hazim,” he answered. It was said, “Who are the fools?” He said, “The one who sells the Next World for the worldly portion of someone else.”

He used to say, “The trace of ink on the garment of the master of hadith is better than the perfume on the bride’s garment.”

He was asked, “Which person has the best state?” He said, “The one who devotes himself to his Lord.”

**

Ibn al-Mubarak said, “I passed by a weaver when I had broken the throng of my sandal and he gave me with a strap. I asked, ‘Did you do it for pay?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ When I passed by him, I leaned towards him and greeted him. Then I missed him and found that he had closed his shop. I asked one of the neighbours about him. I said, ‘If he is sick, I will visit him. If he is busy, I will help him. If he is poor, I will share with him.’

“They said, ‘We have no knowledge of him.’ I asked permission to enter his house and he came out to me. I asked him, ‘What has kept you from your shop?’ He said to me, ‘You, Ibn al-Mubarak. People see you inclining to me, so they have put a shirt on me which I do not deserve.’

“I took his sleeve and went with him to the graves. I said, ‘This is the grave of so-and-so. His business was such-and-such. This is the grave of so-and-so. His business was such-and-such.’

“He said to me, ‘Ibn al-Mubarak, I do not know what you are saying. The man is not all the man whom the tongues describe and the man is not all the man whom the eyes see. The man is the one whom Allah veils in his life and makes him enter the grave veiled and then He brings him out on the Day of Rising when there is no abasement or rebellion on him. That is the man.’”

**

Abu Bakr al-Khatib related that al-Hasan ibn ‘Isa ibn Masrajis used to pass by Ibn al-Mubarak while he was a Christian. Al-Hasan had a very beautiful face. Ibn al-Mubarak asked about him and was told, “He is a Christian.” He said, “O Allah, provide him with Islam.” Allah answered his supplication and al-Hasan became an excellent Muslim. He was one of the scholars of the Community and one of those who travelled in quest of knowledge and the Sunna in all regions and people studied with him. He possessed scrupulousness, intellect and reliability.

**

One of the men who kept the company of Ibn al-Mubarak inclined to this world and kept the Sultan’s company. He met him one day and greeted him. He said to him:

“My brother!

All is from rice, wheat and barley bread,
And it crushes. O person! Allah has guided you from the amir’s abode,

So do not visit it! Avoid it it! They are false sparks.
It takes away the deen and brings you near to great wrong action.”

The man was ashamed and left the Sultan’s company and returned to his company.

Concerning his position in riwaya and hadith

One of the Sufis who had heard him say that one of the transmitters of hadith was weak, said to him: “Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman, do you slander?” He said: “Be quiet. If we do not clarify, who will know the true from the false?”

Ibn al-Mubarak died in Hit, returning from a naval expedition and was buried in Hit in Ramadaan in 181 AH.

Al-Bukhari said that he was born in 118 AH.

When he was near death, he told Nasr, his client, “Put my head on the earth.” Nasr wept. He said, “Why do you weep?” He said, “I remember what you had in it of blessing and now you are dying a stranger and a pauper.” He told him, “Be quiet. I asked Allah to let me live the life of the rich and to make me die the death of the poor.” Then he said, “Put me down and do not address me again unless I speak again. Put me down so that it is my last words.”

May Allah have mercy upon ‘Abdullah Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn al-Mubarak, and reward him for his good deeds and grant us scholars and offspring’s from the likes of him.

Ameen.