Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Sha'bi says that some people will look from Paradise into Hell and will see some people there. They will say to them, "Why are you in Hell? We used to act upon the things you taught us!" They will reply, "We used to teach you, but we did not act upon them ourselves."

Hazrat Sha'bi, in the commentary of the verse { وَمَعَارِجَ عَلَیْہَا یَظْہَرُونَ } of the Holy Qur'an, says that it refers to ladders.

Hazrat Sha'bi, in the commentary of the verse { وَمَعَارِجَ عَلَیْہَا یَظْہَرُونَ } of the Holy Qur'an, says that by this is meant stairs. And by suqufan is meant trunks, and by zukhrufan is meant gold.

Hazrat Ubaidullah bin Aizar says that on the Day of Judgment, feet will be like arrows in a quiver. On that day, fortunate will be the one who finds a place to put his foot. Near the scale, an angel will be announcing that so-and-so, son of so-and-so, has his book of deeds heavy; today he has become fortunate and after today he will never be unfortunate. And so-and-so, son of so-and-so, has his scale of deeds lightened and he has become unfortunate, and after today he will never see the face of happiness.

An Ansari companion used to say that the worldly blessing of Allah which He has not granted me feels greater to me than the blessing which He has granted me.

Hazrat Abdul Malik bin Iyas was among those who would listen and remain silent.

Hazrat Mujahid says that among the people of Kufa, the four most beloved to me are: Talha, Zubaid, Muhammad bin Abdur Rahman, and Yahya bin Abbad.

Hazrat Laith says that I said to Hazrat Talha that Hazrat Tawus used to dislike the sound of weeping. He said that the sound of his weeping was not heard until his death.

Hazrat Mas’ar says that Zaid Ammi gave me a letter in which it was written that a man advised his son: O my son! Become such a person who stays away from people out of independence and chastity, so that gentleness and mercy may be close to him. His staying away should not be due to arrogance or pride. His being close should not be for the sake of deceiving or betraying. He should not be hasty in doing doubtful things. He should forgive as much as possible. He should not be deceived by the praise of those who do not know him, and he should not forget what he has already done. If it is mentioned, people’s words should make him fearful, and for what they do not know, he should seek forgiveness. He should ask questions to acquire knowledge, speak to benefit others, remain silent to attain safety, associate with others to understand matters. If he is among the heedless, he should be counted among those who remember (Allah), and if he is among those who remember, he should not be counted among the heedless, because he remembers (Allah) when people are heedless, and when people remember, he does not forget his Lord. Ibn ‘Utaybah has added to this that he should combine knowledge with forbearance, and his lack of interest in perishable things should be like his interest in things that are everlasting.

Hazrat Suwaid bin Ghaflah narrates that when Allah Almighty intends to abandon the people of Hell, a coffin will be made for each of them according to his size, then it will be locked. There will be nails of fire in this coffin. Then this coffin will be placed inside another coffin of fire. Then more locks of fire will be put on it. Then fire will be kindled between them. Then each person will think that there is no one else in the fire except him. This is the meaning of Allah the Exalted’s statement { لَہُمْ مِنْ فَوْقِہِمْ ظُلَلٌ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمِنْ تَحْتِہِمْ ظُلَلٌ} and this is the meaning of this divine command { لَہُمْ مِنْ جَہَنَّمَ مِہَادٌ وَمِنْ فَوْقِہِمْ غَوَاشٍ وَکَذَلِکَ نَجْزِی الظَّالِمِینَ }.

Hazrat Muhammad bin Munkadir says that Allah Almighty, because of a servant’s righteousness, grants goodness to his children and his grandchildren as well. In this way, He also grants goodness to his household and to the households surrounding his home. As long as that righteous servant is among them, they remain under Allah’s protection.

Hazrat Abu Harb bin Abi Aswad Deeli narrates that a man will be stopped at the gate of Paradise for one hundred years because of his sin, and he will see his wives and servants in Paradise.

Hazrat Bukhtari Tai says: Envy the living for that which the dead are envied for. Remember that worship is not correct without asceticism. Be humble at the time of obedience, feel hardship at the time of sin, and love people according to their piety.

Hazrat Qasim bin Waleed, in the commentary of the verse { فَإِذَا جَائَتِ الطَّامَّۃُ الْکُبْرَی } of the Holy Quran, states that this refers to the occasion when the people of Paradise will be taken towards Paradise and the people of Hell will be taken towards Hell.

Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) says that Allah Almighty will clothe every person with the garment of his deeds.

Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) says that Allah Almighty will clothe every person with the garment of his deeds. If they are good, then a good garment; and if they are bad, then a bad garment.

Hazrat Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), in the explanation of the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَجَائَتْ کُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَعَہَا سَائِقٌ وَشَہِیدٌ}, says that a driver will drive every soul towards the command of Allah, and a witness will bear witness to its deeds.

Hazrat Adi bin Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the most blessed and the most unfortunate thing of a person is that which is between his jaws.

Hazrat Adi bin Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him) says that you are in such a time whose goodness is the evil of the previous era, and its evil will be the goodness of the coming era.

Hazrat Zaid bin Wahb narrates that once I went to a graveyard and sat down beside a wall. In the meantime, a man came and straightened a grave and then sat down next to me. I asked him, "Whose grave is this?" He replied, "This is my brother's grave." I said, "Your brother's?" He said, "He is my Islamic brother." I saw him in a dream at night and I said to him, "O so-and-so, may you remain alive! All praise is due to Allah." He said, "The sentence you have uttered, if I were able to say it, and if I had to give away the whole earth in charity to be able to say it, I would do so." Did you see that when people were burying me, a man stood up and performed two rak'ahs of prayer? If I were able to perform those two rak'ahs, they would be dearer to me than the world and whatever is in it.

Hazrat Ata bin Yasar says that those who despair of Allah's mercy will be detained on the Day of Resurrection, and people will trample on their faces.

Hazrat Khabbab said: Soon there will be cries; prepare for them.

Hazrat Ibn Abi Bakrah says that I have traveled through these cities, but I have not seen anyone more devoted to Tahajjud and more engaged in remembrance (dhikr) than the people of Basra.

Hazrat Abu Abdur Rahman Salmi says that every morning an angel comes to you with a white record of deeds and has goodness written in it. When the sun rises, the angel departs for his need, and when you perform the Asr prayer, he has goodness written in it. Thus, if there is goodness at the beginning and end of the record of deeds, it is hoped that the goodness of these two parts will suffice for the middle part as well.

Hazrat Khalid bin Ma'dan says that people will pass by the Fire and it will be extinguished. They will say, "Where is the Fire that was promised to us?" It will be said to them, "When you passed by it, it was extinguished."

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Sabit narrates that Hazrat Saeed bin Aamir bin Huzaym was the governor of Egypt. Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) came to know about him that there were times when his stove would not be lit. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sent some wealth for the support of him and his family. Hazrat Saeed bin Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his wife, "Why don't we give this wealth to such a trader who will earn profit for us from it?" His wife said, "You may do so." Then he gave that wealth in charity and did not keep anything for himself. After some time, he became needy and required wealth, so his wife said, "If you had kept some of those dirhams with you, it would have been good, today we are in need of them." Hazrat Saeed bin Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) did not pay attention to her words. His wife repeated the same thing, but he again turned away. When she saw that he was not paying attention, she began to reproach him. Hazrat Saeed bin Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) sought help from Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (may Allah be pleased with him). Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke to her and said, "You have caused distress to Saeed." The wife of Hazrat Saeed said the same thing to him as well. When the person who had received the dirhams came to know about this, he sat down on his knees and said, "I do not like at all that on the Day of Judgment I should be prevented from entering the first group, even if in exchange I am given everything in the world. And if a single houri were to reveal her fingers to the people of the earth, her fragrance would be perceived by all."

Hazrat Malik bin Mughul narrates that a man passed by Rabee’ bin Rashid, who was sitting near a cobblers’ stall. That man said to him, “It would be good if you go to the mosque and converse with your Muslim brothers.” Hazrat Rabee’ replied to him, “If the remembrance of death departs from my heart even for a moment, I think my heart would become corrupted.”

Hazrat Ismail bin Shoaib narrates that Hazrat Abu Zumail Rabee’ bin Rashid was once traveling towards Makkah. He said, “If I come to know which of my deeds is most beloved to my Lord, I will pay great attention to it.” Then, in a dream, he saw gratitude and remembrance (of Allah).

Hazrat Umar bin Zar says that Hazrat Rabee’ bin Abi Rashid met me in a market of Sadah. He shook hands with me and said, “O Abu Zar! Whoever asks Allah for His pleasure is, in fact, asking Allah for a very great thing.”

Hazrat Awn bin Shaddad says that when the time of death of Harm bin Hayan Abdi approached, people said to him, "O Harm! Please make a will." He said, "I advise you to pay off my debt." Then people asked, "How do you advise us to live our lives?" He recited from Surah An-Nahl { ادْعُ إِلَی سَبِیلِ رَبِّکَ بِالْحِکْمَۃِ وَالْمَوْعِظَۃِ الْحَسَنَۃِ } to {إنَّ اللَّہَ مَعَ الَّذِینَ اتَّقَوْا وَالَّذِینَ ہُمْ مُحْسِنُونَ }.

Hazrat Harm used to supplicate with this prayer: O Allah! I seek refuge from the evil of a time in which their youth are victims of rebellion, their elders are entangled in hopes, and their deaths have drawn near.

Hazrat Abu Nazrah narrates that Hazrat Umar sent Hazrat Harm bin Hayan as the leader of an army. Then Harm became angry with one of the enemies and ordered him to be killed. After that, he turned to his companions and said, "May Allah deprive you of goodness! When I did this, why did you not advise me, and why did you not restrain me from my anger? By Allah, I will not be the leader of any of your affairs." Then he wrote a letter to Hazrat Umar, saying, "O Commander of the Faithful! I do not have the strength to handle the affairs of the people. Please send someone else for this task."

Hazrat Harm bin Hayan used to say that I do not consider Hell to be something from which one who is fleeing can sleep, nor do I consider Paradise to be something for which one who is seeking it can sleep.

Humaid bin Hilal (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Haram bin Hayan was the governor of some villages in the region of Ahwaz. One of his companions asked him for permission to go home, but he refused to grant permission. Humaid bin Hilal says that Haram bin Hayan was delivering the Friday sermon when suddenly a man put his hand on his nose and asked for permission. Haram signaled to him with his hand to go. He left, went to his house, fulfilled his need, and then returned. Haram asked him, "Where were you?" He replied, "Did you not see that when I stood up holding my nose, you told me to go?" So Haram said, "Leave bad people for a bad time."

Bakr says that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah Almighty will fulfill every need of the believer. And he will be questioned according to his wish.

Saeed Jariri (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Mouriq Al-Ajli passed by the gathering of the tribe of Hai and greeted them with salam. They replied to his salam, and a man asked him, "Is your condition completely fine?" He replied, "I only wish that even a tenth of it would be fine."

Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that a person cannot be pious until he refrains from anger and greed.