The words of Masruq

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: There is nothing better for the believer than a grave-niche in which he finds rest from the worries of this world and is safe from the punishment of Allah.

It is narrated from Abu Ishaq that he said: Masruq performed Hajj, and he slept only in prostration.

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: There is nothing of this world that I would grieve over except prostrations to Allah.

It is narrated from Murrah that he said: No woman of Hamdan has given birth to a child like Masruq.

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: Whenever a servant takes a step, a good deed or an evil deed is written for him.

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: With Allah there is no spending greater than speech.

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: A person deserves to have some sittings in which he is alone, in which he remembers his sins and then seeks forgiveness for them.

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: My thoughts are at their best when the servant says: "There is not a qafiz of wheat in the house, nor a dirham."

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: A servant is at his nearest to Allah in the state of prostration.

Masruq said: Whoever would be pleased to have the knowledge of the first and the last, and the knowledge of this world and the Hereafter, should recite Surah al-Waqi'ah.

It is narrated from Amir that a man used to sit with Masruq; the narrator knew him by his face but was not acquainted with his name. The narrator said: Then he went out to see him off. The narrator said: He was the last of those who bade him farewell. He said: "You are the greatest of all the reciters and their leader. In your honour lies their honour, and your disgrace is their disgrace. So do not talk to yourself about poverty or long life."

It is narrated about Masruq that when he returned from the place called Silsilah, the people of Kufah came to him, and merchants came to him, and they began to praise him, saying: "May Allah Almighty give you the best reward. How free of need you were from our wealth!" At this he recited this verse: "Is he whom We have promised a good promise, which he will obtain, like him whom We have given the enjoyment of the life of this world?" [Al-Qasas: 61]

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: It is enough ignorance for a person that he becomes vain about his knowledge, and it is enough knowledge for a person that he fears Allah.

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: There was a man living in the wilderness who had a dog, a donkey and a rooster. He said: The rooster would wake them for prayer, on the donkey they would carry water from place to place and benefit from it, and it carried their tent for them, and the dog guarded them. Then a fox came and seized the rooster. Those people grieved at the loss of the rooster, but the man was righteous, so he said: "Perhaps there is good in this." He said: These people remained in that state for as long as Allah willed. Then a wolf came, tore open the donkey's belly and killed it. So they grieved at the loss of the donkey as well, but the righteous man said: "Perhaps there is good in this." Then the dog died too. The righteous man said: "Perhaps this is better." Then, when those people woke in the morning, they saw that the people around them had been taken captive, while they themselves had been spared. He (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Those people were seized because they had noises and clamour, whereas these people had nothing to make any noise. Their dog, donkey and rooster had died.

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: A righteous man went out in the darkness of the night with a purse of dirhams, wishing to give it in charity. He met a very wealthy man and gave him this purse of dirhams. When morning came there was an uproar: "Are you people not amazed at so-and-so and his wealth? A man came to him with a purse of dirhams and gave it to him." This reached the man who had given it, and it weighed heavily on him. He said: "I do not think it has been accepted from me, since I gave the purse to this wealthy man." 2. The narrator said: This man went out another night with a purse and gave it to a woman who committed fornication. When the people woke in the morning they began to say: "Are you not amazed at such-and-such a woman? So-and-so came to her and gave her a purse, although this woman does not turn anyone away from coming to her." This reached the man, and it weighed heavily on him. He said: "I do not think this charity has been accepted from me." 3. The narrator said: Then this man had a dream, and it was said to him: "The charity you gave to the wealthy man has been accepted from you, for We wanted to show him that there are people who give charity, so that he too would desire it. As for the woman, she only committed fornication out of need, and We wanted to make her chaste."

It is narrated from Anas bin Sirin that he said: Masruq would pray to such an extent that his wife would sit behind him and weep.

It is narrated from Masruq that he said: On the Day of Resurrection, the people of afflictions will wish that they had been cut with scissors.