Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Saeed bin Abi Burdah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that it is said that wisdom is the lost property of the believer; wherever he finds it, he acquires it.

Hazrat Ibn Jurayj (may Allah have mercy on him) says in the explanation of Allah Almighty’s statement { اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُہُمْ } that “that which has been promised to them.”

Hazrat Sufyan (may Allah have mercy on him) says that renunciation (zuhd) in the world is by reducing hopes, not by wearing woolen clothes. And it is also mentioned that Awza'i (may Allah have mercy on him) used to say that renunciation in the world is to abandon seeking praise. He used to say: Act for the Hereafter, do not intend that people will praise you for your actions. And Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on him) used to say that renunciation in the world remains as long as the unlawful does not overcome your patience and the lawful does not overcome your gratitude.

Ayyub says that it is appropriate for a scholar to put dust on his head as an act of humility.

Hazrat Thabit says that I have such ahadith related to concessions that if I were to narrate them to you, you would become lax in practice.

Hazrat Thabit says that I have seen some men from Bani Adi who would continue to pray until they had to crawl to their beds.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Malik says that there are certain vessels of Allah on the earth, from which Allah accepts only the hard, the soft, and the pure. That is, those who are firm in His obedience, soft at the time of His remembrance, and clean from filth.

Usman bin Abdullah bin Aws (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that among the prophets, one prophet used to supplicate in this way: "O Allah! Protect me in the manner that a child is protected." He says that this made me weep.

Hazrat Abu Ayyub says that whoever wishes that his forbearance increases and his deeds become more, he should sit with people other than his own tribe.

Hazrat A’mash says that we used to go to funerals, but due to the condition of the people, we could not understand whom to offer condolences to.

Hazrat Thabit Banani (may Allah have mercy on him) said that we used to go behind the funeral processions. So, around the bier, we would only see those who were weeping with their heads covered with a sheet, or someone who was very sorrowful. It was as if birds were sitting on their heads.

Hazrat Abi Qalabah narrates that two men met each other in the market. One said, "O my brother, come, let us supplicate to Allah and seek forgiveness; perhaps, amidst the heedlessness of people, we may be forgiven." So they did so. Then, a decision was made regarding one of them, and he passed away before his companion. Afterwards, he appeared to the other in a dream and said, "O my brother, do you know that Allah Almighty forgave us on that very night when we met in the market?"

Hazrat Abi Zainab (may Allah have mercy on him) says that whoever comes to the marketplace solely to remember Allah, forgiveness is granted to him equal to the number of all the people present in the marketplace.

Hazrat Malik bin Dinar (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Hajjaj made me weep in this mosque when he was delivering a sermon. I heard him saying that some people make themselves provisions for the journey, and some people advise their own souls, and some people do not consider their souls trustworthy for themselves, and some people save a share for themselves in their own souls, and for some people, their souls prevent their hearts and tongues from Allah, that is, they make them fearful. He said that this made me weep.

Hazrat Abu Abdullah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I came to Tawus (may Allah have mercy on him), then I sought permission to go to him, when a very old man came to me. I thought that this was Tawus. I asked, "Are you Tawus?" He replied, "No, I am his son." I said, "If you are his son, then your father's mind must have deteriorated." He replied, "My father says that the mind of a scholar does not deteriorate." He says, "I said to him, 'Ask your father for permission for me.'" He says, "I was granted permission." So I went to him, and he said, "Ask, and speak quickly and briefly." I said, "If you speak quickly, I will also speak briefly." He said, "Do not ask; I will teach you in this gathering the teachings of the Qur'an, the Torah, and the Gospel: Fear Allah so much that you fear none besides Him. And hope from Him more than you fear Him. And like for people what you like for yourself."

Hazrat Abi Hurrah, may Allah have mercy on him, said that Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, liked consistency in deeds. Abi Hurrah says that Muhammad asked, "What do you think about a person who worships with enthusiasm and joy one night, and with laziness the other night?" He did not see any harm in this.

Hazrat Zaid bin Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Worship Allah as if you are seeing Him. If you do not see Him, then surely He is seeing you. And count yourself among the dead, and beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for it is surely accepted.

Hazrat Abi Muslim Khaulani, may Allah have mercy on him, says that scholars are of three types: one is he who himself benefited from his knowledge and others also gained benefit; the second is he who benefited himself but others did not gain benefit; and the third are those scholars from whom people gained benefit but they themselves were ruined.

Hazrat Zuraik bin Abi Zuraik (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I heard Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: O son of Adam! Place your feet on your land and keep this in mind that after some time, this very place will be your grave.

Hazrat Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) says: O son of Adam! You are observing your deeds, so weigh the good and bad among them and do not consider any good deed insignificant, even if it is very small, because when you see its rank, you will be pleased. And do not consider any minor sin insignificant, because when you see its position, you will feel bad. May Allah have mercy on the person who earned wealth through lawful means, spent moderately, and returned the surplus. Return this surplus to the very place where Allah has commanded it to be returned, and keep it in the place where Allah has ordered it to be kept. Indeed, those before you sold their souls in exchange for Allah’s bounty, and death drew very near to this world. Thus, it humiliated the world. By Allah, no living being has seen happiness after that.

Hazrat Abi Al-Obaidain, may Allah have mercy on him, says that even if people crush you with a roller, still take your share and demand your right, and also safeguard your religion.

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says that it is forbidden for every soul to leave the world until it knows what its end will be.

Hazrat Adi bin Arta’ah, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates about an early person of this Ummah that when people praised him and he heard it, he prayed: “O Allah! Do not hold me accountable for what they say, and forgive what they do not know.”

Hazrat Muhammad bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), son of Hanifa, says: Whoever does not lead a virtuous life is not wise, and whoever finds no way out, Allah creates for him a way out and relief.

Hazrat Mahmood bin Rabee’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “When Allah loves someone, He protects him from the world just as one of you protects his sick one from water.” Tirmidhi 2036. Ahmad 427

Hazrat Husain (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from Hilal bin Yasaf that nothing is more beloved to a believer than solitude.

Hazrat Abdullah says that the world is the home of the one who has no home, and it is the wealth of the one who has no wealth, and only a person who has no intellect acts for this world.

Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him) said: “My house is the mosque, my fragrance is water, my food is hunger, my garment is the fear of God, and my mount is my feet. In summer, the place where the sun rises is my place to warm myself in winter. My lamp is the moon, and my companions are the weak and the poor. I spend the evening with nothing in my possession, and I begin the morning with nothing in my possession, and I am perfectly content—so who could be richer than me?”

Hazrat Habib bin Abi Thabit (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that the noble companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked, "O Messenger of Allah, sometimes we do a good deed in secret, and then we hear people talking about it. We feel pleased when our good deed is mentioned among people. Is this acceptable?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, "For you there are two rewards: one for the deed done in secret and one for it being mentioned openly."

Hazrat Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that out of two companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), one passed away a week before the other, so people considered the one who died earlier to be superior. They thought in their minds that he was better than the other. Then this matter was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), so he said: "Did the second not live one more Friday than the first, and did he not perform that many more prayers?" It was as if the Prophet (peace be upon him) was giving preference to the second over the first.

Hazrat Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) says that seek refuge with Allah from hypocritical humility. It was asked, "O Abu Darda, what is hypocrisy in humility?" He replied, "You see that there is humility in the body, but there is no humility in the heart."

Hazrat Zaid Ammi narrates that when it was said to Hazrat Dawood (peace be upon him) that you have been forgiven, he said: "What will happen to that man?" It was said to him: "When We asked you from him, he gave you to Us. This is more hopeful in this world."

Hazrat Sahl bin Hanzalah Absi narrates that whenever a group of people gathers for the remembrance of Allah, a caller announces from the sky: "Rise, you have been forgiven and your mistakes have been replaced with good deeds."

Hazrat Abdullah bin Ubaid bin Umair said that it was said: Knowledge is the lost property of the believer. He sets out in the morning in search of it, and when he finds something of it, he gathers it.

Hazrat Abdul Aziz Abi Rawad (may Allah have mercy on him) says that when some jest and laughter began to appear in the habits of the Companions of the Prophet, Allah the Exalted revealed this verse: { أَلَمْ یَأْنِ لِلَّذِینَ آمَنُوا أَنْ تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُہُمْ لِذِکْرِ اللہِ } till the end of the verse. "Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah?"

Hazrat Ibn Abi Rawad says that a group accompanied Umar bin Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him), so he said: Fear only Allah, who has no partner, and avoid joking, because joking produces vile things and creates malice. And hold gatherings of the Qur'an and speak only about matters related to it. Then, if you feel burdened, you may talk about something from the people's conversations. Walk on the earth with the name of Allah.

Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) sent a letter to Muawiyah, saying: I advise you to fear Allah. Therefore, if you fear Allah, He will suffice you against the people, and if you fear the people, they will not suffice you against Allah. So, fear of Allah is obligatory upon you. "Amma ba'd"

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says that no person has drunk a gulp more rewarding in the sight of Allah than the one who, solely for the sake of Allah’s pleasure and to attain His approval, swallowed his anger.

Hazrat Sulaiman bin Musa (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Do not seek knowledge for the sake of the world, and do not acquire jurisprudence for show. And never laugh without amazement, nor travel without necessity.

Hazrat Ibn Abi Mulaikah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that I have traveled with Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) from Makkah to Madinah and from Madinah to Makkah. Whenever Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) would stop at a place, he would stay there at night and weep a lot. I asked, "What is this sound?" He replied, "It is the sound of weeping and crying," and he used to recite the verse of the Holy Qur'an { وَجَائَتْ سَکْرَۃُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِکَ مَا کُنْت مِنْہُ تَحِیدُ }.