💎 Sound Advice: [Distinguishing between Adversaries, Associates, Intimate Friends & Trustworthy Confidants]

Ahmad ibn Ata' al-Rudhbarī (d. 369 AH رحمه الله) said:

مُجَالَسَةُ الأَضْدَادِ ذَوَبَانُ الرُّوحِ، وَمُجَالَسَةُ الأَشْكَالِ تَلْقِيحُ العُقُولِ،

“Sitting with adversaries drains the soul, while being with like-minded people stimulates the mind.

وَلَيْسَ كُلُّ مَنْ يَصْلُحُ لِلْمُجَالَسَةِ يَصْلُحُ لِلْمُؤَانَسَةِ، وَلَا كُلُّ مَنْ يَصْلُحُ لِلْمُؤَانَسَةِ يُؤْمَنُ عَلَى الأَسْرَارِ،

Not everyone fit to sit with is fit for close friendship, and not everyone fit for close friendship can be trusted with secrets.

وَلَا يُؤْمَنُ عَلَى الأَسْرَارِ إِلَّا الأُمَنَاءُ فَقَطْ.

Only trustworthy people can be trusted with secrets.”

[Al Bidāyah wal-Nihāyah]

💎 Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751 AH رحمه الله) said:

‏[ أربعةٌ تَهْدِمُ البَدَنَ: الهَمُّ، والحُزْنُ، والجُوعُ، والسَّهَرُ.

"Four things destroy the body: worry, sorrow, hunger, and sleeplessness.

وأربعةٌ تُفْرِحُ: النَّظَرُ إلى الخُضْرَةِ، وإلى الماءِ الجاري، والمحبوبُ، والثِّمَارُ ]

And four things bring joy: looking at greenery and at running water, a beloved person, and fruits."

📚 Zad al-Ma'ad (4/368)

💎 {{Sincerity & Tawakkul is the Foundation of Worship}}

🖊️Shaykh al Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH رحمه الله) said:

«فَكُلُّ عَمَلٍ يَعْمَلُهُ الْعَبْدُ وَلَا يَكُونُ طَاعَةً لِلَّهِ وَعِبَادَةً وَعَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ

"Every action performed by a servant that is not an act of obedience to Allah, an act of worship, and a righteous deed is futile.

فَإِنَّ الدُّنْيَا مَلْعُونَةٌ مَلْعُونٌ مَا فِيهَا إلَّا مَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ

Indeed, the world is cursed and everything in it is cursed except that which is for Allah.

وَإِنْ نَالَ بِذَلِكَ الْعَمَلِ رِئَاسَةً وَمَالًا فَغَايَةُ الْمُتَرَئِّسِ أَنْ يَكُونَ كَفِرْعَوْنَ وَغَايَةُ الْمُتَمَوِّلِ أَنْ يَكُونَ كقارون.

Even if one attains leadership and wealth through that action, the ultimate end of the one seeking leadership is to be like Pharaoh, and the ultimate end of the one seeking wealth is to be like Qarun.

وَقَدْ ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ فِي سُورَةِ الْقَصَصِ مِنْ قِصَّةِ فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَارُونَ مَا فِيهِ عِبْرَةٌ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ.

Allah has mentioned in Surah Al-Qasas the stories of Pharaoh and Qarun, which contain lessons for those of understanding.

وَكُلُّ عَمَلٍ لَا يُعِينُ اللَّهُ الْعَبْدَ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَكُونُ وَلَا يَنْفَعُ

Every action that Allah does not assist His servant in performing neither comes to pass and nor does it benefit.

فَمَا لَا يَكُونُ بِهِ لَا يَكُونُ وَمَا لَا يَكُونُ لَهُ ‌لَا ‌يَنْفَعُ ‌وَلَا ‌يَدُومُ»

What is not done for Him does not exist, and what is not for Him neither benefits nor endures."

["Majmoo' Al-Fatawa" (8/76)]

💎The Tābi'ī Mālik ibn Dīnār (d. 127 AH) said:

"مُنْذُ عَرَفْتُ النَّاسَ لَمْ أَفْرَحْ بِمَدْحِهِمْ وَلَمْ أَكْرَهْ مَذَمَّتَهُمْ.

"Since I came to know people, I have neither rejoiced in their praise nor disliked their blame."

قِيلَ وَلِمَ ذَاكَ؟

It was asked, "And why is that?"

قَالَ لِأَنَّ حَامِدَهُمْ مُفْرِطٌ وَذَامَّهُمْ مُفْرِطٌ".

He said, "Because their praiser exaggerates and their critic exaggerates."

[See: Al-‘Uzlah by Al-Khattābī (61); Az-Zuhd al-Kabīr by Al-Bayhaqī (154); Az-Zuhd by Al-Khaṭīb al-Baghdādī (62); Tārīkh Dimashq (418/56)]

Ibn al-Qayyim (رحمه الله) said: And some of the Salaf said:

"رُبَّ مُسْتَدْرَجٍ بِنِعَمِ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ لا يَعْلَمُ

"There may be someone who is led to destruction by the blessings of Allah while he does not know it.

وَرُبَّ مَغْرُورٍ بِسَتْرِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ لا يَعْلَمُ

And there may be someone who is deluded by Allah's concealment of his faults while he does not know it.

وَرُبَّ مَفْتُونٍ بِثَنَاءِ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ لا يَعْلَمُ!

And there may be someone who is deceived by the praise of people for him while he does not know it!"

[Al-Jawāb al-Kāfī (36)]


Read more:

https://www.umarquinn.com/articles/the-rarity-of-sincerity-4-curing-the-sickness-of-clout-chasing-amp-understanding-its-nature

💎Privately Work on Personal Virtue & Wisdom without Needing External Validation

🔘 Al Khattābī (d. 388 AH رحمه الله) said:

قَالَ بَعْضُ الْحُكَمَاءِ: إِنَّمَا يَسْتَوْحِشُ الْإِنْسَانُ بِالْوَحْدَةِ لِخَلَاءِ ذَاتِهِ وَعَدَمِ الْفَضِيلَةِ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ

Some wise men have said: "A person only feels discomfort in solitude because of the emptiness within themselves and the lack of virtue in their soul.

فَيَتَكَثَّرُ حِينَئِذٍ بِمُلَاقَاةِ النَّاسِ وَيَطْرُدُ الْوَحْشَةَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ، بِالْكَوْنِ مَعَهُمْ

Thus, they seek to fill this void by interacting with others, driving away their loneliness by being in the company of people.

فَإِذَا كَانَتْ ذَاتُهُ فَاضِلَةً طَلَبَ الْوَحْدَةَ لِيَسْتَعِينَ بِهَا عَلَى الْفِكْرَةِ وَيَتَفَرَّغَ لِاسْتِخْرَاجِ الْحِكْمَةِ.

However, if a person possesses virtue within themselves, they will seek solitude to aid in reflection and to devote themselves to the pursuit of wisdom."

وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: الِاسْتِئْنَاسُ بِالنَّاسِ مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ الْإِفْلَاسِ.

And some of them said: "Finding comfort in the company of others is a sign of bankruptcy."

[Al ‘Uzlah, p. 17]

💎Most People Love Controversy for the Sake of Controversy & Are Unappeasable

🖊️Abu Sulayman Al Khattābi ( رحمه الله) said:

وَقَالَ بَعْضُ الْحُكَمَاءِ: الشَّرُّ فِي النَّاسِ طِبَاعٌ، وَحُبُّ الْخِلَافِ لَهُمْ عَادَةٌ، وَالْجَوْرُ فِيهِمْ سُنَّةٌ

Some of the wise have said: "Evil is inherent in the nature of people, the love of differing is their norm, and injustice among them is a tradition.

وَلِذَلِكَ تَرَاهُمْ يُؤْذُونَ مَنْ لَا يُؤْذِيهِمْ وَيَظْلِمُونَ مَنْ لَا يَظْلِمُهُمْ وَيُخَالِفُونَ مَنْ يَنْصَحُهُمْ

For this reason, you see them harming those who do not harm them, wronging those who do not wrong them, and opposing those who advise them."…

وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: إِنَّ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُولِعُ بِالْخِلَافِ أَبَدًا حَتَّى إِنَّهُ يَرَى أَنَّ أَفْضَلَ الْأُمُورِ أَنْ لَا يُوَافِقَ أَحَدًا وَلَا يُجَامِعَهُ عَلَى رَأْي وَلَا يُوَاتِيهِ عَلَى مَحَبَّةٍ

…And some of them said: "Among people, there are those who are perpetually obsessed with differing, to the extent that they believe the best course of action is never to agree with anyone, never to align with anyone’s opinion, and never to unite with them in affection.

وَمَنْ كَانَ هَذَا عَادَتَهُ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُبْصِرُ الْحَقَّ وَلَا يَنْصُرُهُ وَلَا يَعْتَقِدُهُ دِينًا وَمَذْهَبًا إِنَّمَا يَتَعَصَّبُ لِرَأْيِهِ وَيَنْتَقِمُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَيَسْعَى فِي مَرْضَاتِهَا

Whoever has this habit will neither perceive the truth, support it, nor adopt it as a belief or doctrine. Instead, they are biased towards their own opinion, seeking vengeance for themselves, and striving to satisfy their own desires.

حَتَّى إِنَّكَ لَوْ رُمْتَ أَنْ تَرْضَاهُ وَتَوَخَّيْتَ أَنْ تُوَافِقَهُ عَلَى الرَّأْيِ الَّذِي يَدْعُوكَ إِلَيْهِ تَعَمَّدَ لِخِلَافِكَ فِيهِ وَلَمْ يَرْضَ بِهِ حَتَّى يَنْتَقِلَ إِلَى نَقِيضِ قَوْلِهِ الْأَوَّلِ

Indeed, if you tried to please them and endeavored to agree with them on the opinion they were promoting, they would deliberately oppose you in that very matter and would not be satisfied until they shifted to the opposite of their first stance.

فَإِنْ عُدْتَ فِي ذَلِكَ إِلَى وَفَاقهِ عَادَ إِلَى خِلَافِكَ

If you then returned to agreeing with them, they would return to opposing you.

قَالَ أَبُو سُلَيْمَانَ فَمَنْ كَانَ بِهَذِهِ الْحَالِ فَعَلَيْكَ بِمُبَاعَدَتِهِ وَالنِّفَارِ عَنْ قُرْبِهِ فَإِنَّ رِضَاهُ غَايَةٌ لَا تُدْرَكُ وَمَدَى شَأْوِهِ لَا يُلْحَقُ

Abu Sulayman said: So, if someone is in such a state, you should distance yourself from them and avoid being near them, for their satisfaction is an unattainable goal, and the extent of their stubbornness cannot be matched."

📚[Al ‘Uzlah]