- To eat less is healthy, to speak less is
wisdom, and to sleep less is worship.
- To speak less is wisdom, to eat less is healthy
and to mingle less with the people is safe and serene.
- The one who steps back will not progress.
- Nothing is worst than avarice that destroys the
mind, not even Alcohol.
- It is unbecoming of that person who sits with
his hands folded and prays to ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala for sustenance.
ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala does not rain down gold and silver from the
heavens.
- To earn a suspicious living is worse than
begging.
- The biggest gift after Iman (Faith) is your
wives.
- Attain knowledge before old age settles in.
- Extravagance is also when a person eats
whatever he wishes.
- Whosoever hides his secret keeps his safety,
safeguarded with himself.
- The person who calls himself learned, indeed he
is ignorant, and the one who calls himself from the dwellers of Paradise
surely he is from the dwellers of Hell.
- Tawbatun-NasooHa (Accepted forgiveness) is the
name of that forgiveness that is asked for a bad deed committed, in such
a manner that he never returns to or commits that bad deed again.
- The Strength in action is, never to put of what
you can do today for tomorrow.
- It is not becoming of a Muslim to sit down and
start praying for sustenance without attempting to earn it, he is well
aware that gold and silver does not rain from the skies.
- If it wasn’t for the claim of knowledge of the
unknown then I would say five people are from the dwellers of Paradise:
1. That family man who is poverty stricken but is
patient
2. That women with whom her husband is happy and
accepting.
3. That woman who forgives he husband’s duty of Mehr
(Dowry approved by Muslim law)
4. That person with whom his parents are Happy
5. And that person who honestly repents from his sins
- Once a sheep was slaughtered and Syeduna 'Umar
al-Farooq Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho persistently asked his servant if he
had first sent meat to his neighbor who was a Jew. The slave asked why
you are asking the same question persistently. He answered that ALLAH
SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala and his Rasūl Sallallaho Alaihi wa Sallam had
constantly stressed the importance of neighbors therefore I too am
persistent in stressing the same.
- Three things build love:
1. To make Salam (greeting)
2. To make space for a person in a gathering
3. To address a person in a respectable and good manner
- There are four types of Regrets:
1. Regret that spans over a day e.g. When a person
leaves his home without eating.
2. Regret that spans over a year, just like the
negligence shown when cultivating.
3. Regret that spans over a lifetime, when a man and his
wife are unsuited to each other.
4. Regret that is eternal, which is when your Creator is
unhappy with you.
- There are three types of people:
1. Successful: he who listens to the advice of people
and ponders over it.
2. Lazy or Lethargic: he who does what he wants without
consultation or advice of people.
3. Corpse: who neither gives nor listens to advice and
consolation.
- Sayyiduna 'Umar Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho on many
an occasion asked this du'a (supplication) to ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala
so that certain situations should always remain with him and some things
should be removed, the Du'a is: “O ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala! Make me
such that I may speak with intellect or reap tolerance with silent. O!
ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala do not bestow upon me too many favours, so
that I may not be confused by it, not too little that I may forget You.
Hence, little yet sufficient in comparison to having plenty thereby
becoming indulgent and committing sin.”
- If ever you see a learned person ('Aalim)
leaning towards this World, then know this he is blameworthy for his
Religion, because the universal harm is that if a person desires
something then he is constantly engrossed in its quest.
- Faith (Iman) is to regard the Oneness of ALLAH
SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala in ones heart proclaim it with your tongue and to
obey the fundamental Islamic Instructions.
- The relationship of true humility and genuine
fear of ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala is with the heart and not by a show of
outward actions.
- Why have you made slaves of those whose mothers
had given birth to them free?
- Judgments or Settlements in any cases should be
done quickly, so that the accused, due to a prolonged period of time are
not compelled to withdraw their accusation.
- It is absolutely necessary not to associate
with a beast for though he wishes or means well, yet he would still be
accused of committing a crime.
- ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala, shower your
Blessings of Mercy on that person who informs me of my faults.
- When a learned man takes a false step then he
ensnares himself in a World of wrongdoings.
- One day a man was praising Hadrat 'Umar Radi
ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho, he replied by saying why are you destroying me even
more with my desires (Nafs).
- I am not a fool, but I pretend to be a fool, in
order to fool the fool. And just when the fool thinks I am a fool, I
will expose the fool and show to him that he is the fool.
- I do not look at anything, except, that I see
everything with ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala.
- If I die in this condition that I have strived
to earn an honest living then it is more beloved to me than even dying
as a Martyr.
- Good behavior towards people is equivalent to
wisdom, to request politely is half of knowledge, and to ascribe to
sound policies is half of one’s livelihood.
- To educate a material person is like placing a
sword in the hands of a robber.
- Do not have Faith in a person’s compassion and
politeness when he cannot keep his anger under control.
- Do not have Faith in a religious person who is
not tested during temptation.
- He is a friend who brings to your attention
your faults and to sing praises of a person in his presence is similar
to slaughtering him.
- Laughing decreases ones age, while politeness,
glamor, pomp and show which ease living standards are indications of
people who are unaware of death.
- To show greed and avarice is impoverishing, to
be unselfish is enriching and to wish compensation in patience.
- Good deeds are the fulfillment of one’s rights
and to do good deeds is a substitute for bad deeds.
- To speak less is wisdom, to eat less is
healthy, to sleep less is a prayer and there is peace in solitude.
- Youth before old age and old age before death
is a blessing of life.
- A generous person is the beloved of Almighty
ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala even though he is a transgressor. A miser is
the enemy of Almighty ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala although he may pray and
remember Almighty ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala excessively.
- To forgive an oppressor is oppression upon the
oppressed.
- When you combine lawful with unlawful gains
then the unlawful contaminates the lawful gains though it may be little.
- A Mu'min does not keep as his friend one who is
opposed to Almighty ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala and his Prophet Sallallaho
Alaihi wa Sallam even though that person may be his mother or father.
- The sound of music and that of a mourner are
two of the worst sounds.
- There is tranquility and peace in anonymity and
confidentiality.
- We should leave the other nine portions out for
the fear of Haram (unlawful). (i.e. if in ten portions one is Haram a
Muslim would leave the other nine portions out meaning anything unlawful
would be completely left out).
- Desire is never achieved without fear, nor
manners and etiquette without formality, or happiness without peace or
wealth without gifts or poverty without contentment, or dignity without
politeness or Jihad (holy war) without diving guidance and assistance.
- Respite before preoccupation and old age before
death is a blessing of life.
- Honour and dignity in this World is measured by
wealth while honour and dignity in the Hereafter is measured by good
deeds.
- Save yourself from the Fires of Hell even if it
means by doing a favour with half a date (fruit). If this too is not
possible then with sweet words.
- After Iman (Faith), there is no greater gift
than a pious wife.
- Not to postpone is strength in action.
- Whosoever shows you your faults, he is your
friend. Those that pay you lip service in praise are your executioners.
- One who guards his secrets is surely safe.
- The person who constantly discloses my faults
to me is dearest to me.
- Fear that person who you dislike.
- When Sayyiduna 'Umar Radi ALLAHu Ta'ala Anho
camped on the outskirts of Jerusalem to conquer Bait al-Maqdas, the
Christian Crusaders were terrified of his presence and requested a
meeting with him before handing over the keys of the city. The Crusaders
met him whilst he wore a patched garb. They asked him the reason as to
why his name generated such immense awe and fear that captured the
hearts of his enemies. He replied; “Your kings taught you to love the
World (Duniyah) and its wealth and our Prophet Sallallaho Alaihi wa
Sallam taught us to fear ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala and love death.
- He is an intelligent person who can translate
his actions into good.
- Never put off for tomorrow what you can do
today.
- There is never a chance of pain in the neck if
one does not raise his head too high in the air.
- Do not forget about yourself whilst being
concerned for others.
- To stop sinning is easier than to bear the
burden of seeking repentance.
- Remove your gaze from the splendor of the
World. Do not let the love of this World enter your heart. Beware! The
love of this World does not perhaps destroy you, just as it had
destroyed previous nations.
- Victory is gained through strategy and trust in
ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala, not by wishful thinking.
- The most intelligent amongst you is he who
fears ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta'ala the most.
- Be sympathetic towards the poor so that they
may be able to speak and build courage.
- Extend a hand of friendship to a foreigner
because if his stay is extended then he would leave his valuable
possessions to return to his own country and leave that person
responsible for his valuables who had been most worthy of his attention
- Do not taunt and curse anyone for this gives
rise to collective evils in a person.
- One should not judge a person by the number of
Salaat (prayer) or Roza (fasting) but by his wisdom and honesty.
- To die for the right is better than to live for
falsehood. Courage is recommend, cowardice is detestable, and falsehood
is vulnerable to vanish!
- Prayer is connected to the heart not by mere
apparent actions.
- To educate a seeker of materialism is to place
a sword in the hands of a highway robber.
- Do not trust the character of one who cannot
control his temper.
- To laugh excessively is a sign of no remorse
for death.
- To side with the oppressor is oppression on the
oppressed.
- Death is the best teacher.
- The dearest of you as long as you have not met
us are the best in names. But after we had seen you, the best of you to
us are the best of you in character. When we scrutinize you, the dearest
of you to us are the most truthful of you in speech.
- People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing
of a Divine Inspiration during the lifetime of Allah’s Apostle
(SallAllahu Alaihi wa Sallam) but now there are no longer any new
revelations. Now we judge you by the deeds you practice publicly, so we
will trust and favor the one who does good deeds in front of us, and we
will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret,
for Allah will judge him for that; but we will not trust or believe the
one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his
intentions were good.
- The best days we ever lived were by virtue of
patience, and if patience were to take the shape of a man, he would be a
noble and generous man.
- Take yourself to account before you are taken
to account, weigh your actions before they are weighed, and beautify
yourself for the ultimate presentation. On that day not the slightest
secret will be hidden.
- It was Sayyiduna Umar’s daily routine to visit
the homes of soldiers who were on the battlefield and ask their womenfolk
if they had to make any purchases from the market, and he would do it
for them. They would send their maids and Sayyiduna Umar would make the
purchases and hand over to them. When a messenger came from the
battlefield, bringing letters from soldiers, the Caliph would himself
deliver them at their homes and tell them the messenger would return on
such and such date, and they should keep their letters ready by that
time, He would himself supply paper, pen, and ink, and when there was no
literate person in a family, he would himself sit outside the door and
write to their dictation.
- There is no goodness in you if you do not say
‘Fear Allah’ and there is no goodness in us if we do not listen.
- When Sayyiduna Umar appointed anyone as a
governor, he wrote down for him a covenant to which a group of muhajirs
(up to ten in number) bore witness. The conditions and terms were: He
would not ride a workhorse, not eat luxurious food, not wear fine
garment and not shut his door to the needy. If he did any of these things
then he was liable to punishment.
- Lower your gaze from the world and turn your
heart away from it.
- I will inform you about what is lawful for me
from the wealth of Allah: An outfit for the winter, an outfit for the
summer, mount that I can ride upon for Hajj and Umrah, and food for my
family, such as given to a man from the Quraish who is neither the
richest nor the poorest among them. I am simply a man among the Muslim;
I go through what they go through.
- Allah never obliterates evil with evil, but He
erases evil with goodness.
- O Allah, you indeed know that I eat only my
food, that I wear only my own clothing, and that I take only what is
rightfully mine.
- The death of a thousand worshipers is easier to
bear than the death of a scholar who has knowledge of what Allah has
permitted and forbidden.
- Lo! By Allah, if I remain alive to help the
widows from the people of Iraq, I will leave so much for them that they
will never need to ask for help from any ruler who comes after me.
- Beware of bribery, and of ruling based on your
desires.
- Do not be fooled by one who recites the Qur’an.
His recitation is but speech, but look to those who act according to it.
- Once Sayyiduna Umar was in his garden, when
coming back, he found that the people had performed the Asr Prayer. Thereby,
he said, ‘We will surely return to Allah! I missed the Asr Prayer in
congregation. May you witness that I gave my garden in charity to the
needy so as to expiate what Umar had done.
- The most beloved of people to me is he that
points out my flaws to me.
- Learn knowledge and teach it to the people.
Learn how to have yourselves an aura of dignity and peace. Be humble to
those that have taught you knowledge, and be humble to those that you
have taught knowledge. And do not be haughty scholars; otherwise, your
knowledge will not rise due to your ignorance.
- O Allah, if You have written me down as being
someone who is miserable, then erase that for me; and instead write me
down as being happy. For indeed, You erase whatever You wish, and You
write down and uphold .
- The Islam of Sayyiduna Umar was a victory , his
migration [to Madinah] was a triumph, and his caliphate was a mercy . I
remember the time when we were not able to pray or perform tawaf around
the Ka’bah. That was before Sayyiduna Umar embraced Islam. After he
embraced Islam, we fought against them until they left us alone; and
thus we began to be able to pray .
- Know that every habit comes by getting used to
it. Get used to being patient and doing good. Be patient against
whatever befalls you. It will make you fear Allah.
- Never think ill of the word that comes out of
your believing brother’s mouth, as long as you can find a good excuse
for it.
- Dedicate yourself to remembering Allah, for
remembering Allah is a cure. And beware of remembering people, for the
act of remembering people is a disease.
- By Allah! If I had gold equal to the earth, I
would have ransomed myself with it from the punishment of Allah.
- Each day is proclaimed, ‘So and so has died!’
And with no doubt it will be said one day, ‘Umar died.’
- The one who laughs too much loses dignity; one
who jokes too much loses respect; whoever does something a great deal,
becomes known for it; one who speaks a great deal makes mistakes; one
who makes many mistakes loses his sense of dignity. Whoever loses his
sense of dignity loses his God-fearing and whoever loses his God-fearing
is spiritually dead.
- Beware of filling your stomachs with food and
drink, for it is harmful to the body and causes sickness and laziness in
performing prayers. Be moderate in both food and drink, for that is
healthier for your bodies and furthest removed from extravagance. Allah
will hate the fat man (one who revels in a life of luxury), and a man
will not be condemned until he favours his desires over his religion.
- During the year of the Ashes (drought and
famine), Sayyiduna Umar ibn Al-Khattab’s stomach would make rumbling
sound. He forbade himself from eating Ghee, and so he would eat olive
oil. And he would poke his stomach with his fingers and say, ‘Rumble as
much as you want, for indeed, I will feed you nothing other than this
until the situation of the people improves.
- Strive to listen to what comes out of the mouth
of people who are obedient to Allah. Listen to what they have to say,
for indeed, truth things are made manifest to them.
- On one particular Friday, Sayyiduna Umar did
not come out to Friday prayer on time; and since he was to deliver the
Friday sermon the people had to wait until he came out to them. When
Sayyiduna Umar finally did come out to them, he came out to them, he
apologized, explaining that, ‘I was prevented from coming out because
this garment I am wearing was being washed; and I own no other outfit.’
- After Sayyiduna Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala Anhu
became Khalifah of the Muslim Nation, he was once seen delivering a
sermon while wearing a lower garden that was patched in 12 different
places.
- Help me against myself by enjoining good,
forbidding evil, and sincerely advising me.
- O Allah, I am indeed harsh, so make me gentle;
I am weak, so make me strong; and I am miserly, so make me generous
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