Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Hanzala (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the scribe of the Prophet ﷺ, his cousin narrated that Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, revealed to Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him): "Indeed, your people have adorned the mosques, but have ruined the state of their hearts. And (because of excessive eating) they have become bloated just as pigs are fattened for slaughter. Seeing their (wretched state), I curse them; neither do I accept their supplications nor do I grant them what they seek."

It is narrated from Hazrat Ubaid bin Umair that Hazrat Dawood (peace be upon him) performed such a long prostration with weeping and lamentation that due to the moisture of his tears, greenery grew around him. So Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, revealed to him: O Dawood (peace be upon him), what do you desire? Do you wish that I increase your wealth, children, and lifespan? Then Hazrat Dawood (peace be upon him), with humility and meekness, complained: O my Lord! (Do You consider me among those who love the world and desire it, that in response to my prolonged lamentation and weeping) You have given me this answer? At that very moment, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, forgave him.

Hazrat Hisham bin Urwah narrated from his noble father that Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) submitted to Allah, the Blessed and Exalted: O my Lord, tell me, among Your creation, who is the most honorable in Your sight? Allah, Glorious is His Majesty, said: (In My sight) the most honorable is the one who advances towards My commands (to fulfill them, with eagerness and longing) just as a vulture rushes towards its food (with great desire and zeal). And that person (is also the most honorable in My sight) who is devoted to My righteous servants just as a small child is fond of people. And that person (is also the most honorable in My sight) who becomes angry at the violation of My commands just as a leopard becomes enraged in its own defense. And when a leopard becomes enraged, it does not care whether its opponents are many or few.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Ubaid’s respected father says: Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) submitted (in the service of Allah the Exalted): O my Lord! You have mentioned Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Yaqub (peace be upon them) among Your beloved servants. (This status and rank) You granted them — for what (deed’s blessing) did You bestow it upon them? Allah the Exalted replied: Indeed, whenever Ibrahim (peace be upon him) saw any false deity or unlawful act being set against Me or My command, and he was compelled to compare, he always chose Me (and My command) over that false deity or unlawful act. And Ishaq (peace be upon him), for My pleasure, offered his very life as a sacrifice, and in spending other things besides his life (in charity and alms for My pleasure), his generosity was even greater than that. And as for Yaqub (peace be upon him), his trust in Me was such that whenever I tested him, his good opinion of Me only increased (no ill thoughts ever arose).

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates: Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) submitted (in the court of Allah, the Lord of Honor): O my Lord! Which of Your servants is the most beloved to You? Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: The one who remembers Me the most. He again submitted: O my Sustainer! Which of Your servants is the richest? Allah, Glorious is He, said: The one who is content with My (bestowed) blessings. He again submitted: O my Lord! Which of Your servants is the best judge? Allah Almighty said: The one who judges for people just as he judges rightly and justly for himself.

Hazrat Ka'b says: Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) submitted (in the Divine Court): O my Lord! (Please tell me,) are You (so) near to me that (whenever I wish to present something in Your presence) I should speak to You in a whisper, or are You (so) far from me that (at the time of presenting my needs) I should speak to You in a raised voice? Allah, the Most Glorious and Exalted, said: O Musa! I am near to every one who remembers Me. Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) then submitted: O my Lord! Sometimes we are in such a state that we do not consider it befitting to mention You. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: What is that state (in which you do not consider it befitting to mention Me)? He (Musa) replied: In a state of impurity and at the time of relieving oneself. Allah, Glorious is His Majesty, said: O Musa, remember Me in every state (however, at the time of relieving oneself and other such occasions where it is not appropriate to mention Me with the tongue, then remember Me in your heart).

Hazrat Abdullah bin Salam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) submitted to Allah, the Exalted: O my Lord! What is the manner of gratitude (that is somewhat) worthy of You? Allah, the Most Glorious and Exalted, replied: (The manner is that) your tongue should always remain moist with My remembrance. Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) submitted: O my Lord, sometimes I am in such a state in which I do not consider it befitting to mention You, such as the state of impurity (janabah), relieving oneself, during bathing, and when without ablution—(so should I remember You even in such states)? Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, replied: Why not! (Even in such states, Allah Almighty can be remembered in the heart). Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) submitted: (On such occasions, from the words of praise and glorification) how (should I say the words) in my heart? Allah, the Most Glorious and Exalted, replied: (Say thus): Glory be to You (O Allah), and all praise is for You. There is no true deity except You, so keep me away from impurity. Glory be to You (O Allah), and all praise is for You. There is no true deity except You, so protect me from impurity.

Hazrat Khulaf bin Houshab says: Jibreel (peace be upon him), or he says: some angel, came to Hazrat Yusuf (peace be upon him) in the prison. Hazrat Yusuf (peace be upon him) said: O fragrant and pure angel! Tell me about Yaqub (peace be upon him). Or he said: What was the deed of Yaqub (peace be upon him)? The angel replied: His eyesight had gone. Hazrat Yusuf (peace be upon him) then asked: How much grief did he have? The angel replied: As much as the grief of seventy mothers whose children have been lost. Hazrat Yusuf (peace be upon him) then asked: What is the reward for him (for this)? The angel replied: (For him) the reward is equal to that of one hundred martyrs.

Hazrat Yazid bin Maisarah (who possessed knowledge of the Book of Allah) says: Among the revelations that Allah Almighty sent to Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) was this: Surely, among My servants, those whom I love the most are those who are well-wishers in the world, those who walk to attend the Friday prayers, and those who seek forgiveness at the time of dawn. When I intend to send punishment upon the people of the earth, I avert the punishment from them because of these people. And among the people, those whom I dislike the most are those who seek out the faults of a believer and do not look at his good deeds.