Counsel in Sevens

 

Abu Hurayrah (radyAllahu`anhu) narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, “Seven [types of] people are shaded by Allah in the shade of His Throne, on the Day when there will be no shade but His Shade [i.e. on the Day of Judgement] –

[1] a just ruler, a young man who grew up in the worship of Allah, [2] a person whose heart is attached to the mosque [and longs to return to it] from the moment he leaves it until he returns to it, [3] two persons who love each other for the sake of Allah, [4] meet for His sake and depart from each other for His sake, [5] a person who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes well up with tears, [6] a man whom an extremely beautiful and rich woman seduces, but he [rejecting her seduction] says, ‘I fear Allah’; and [7] a person who gives charity and conceals it [to such an extent] that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given.”

Narrated by Abu Hurairah & collected in Sahih al-Bukhari (english trans.) vol.1, p.356, no.629 & Sahih Muslim english trans.) vol.2, p.493, no.2248

 

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (radyAllahu`anhu) said, “The miser will not escape one of seven things –

[1] either he will die and the one who will inherit his wealth will spend it in that which Allah the Exalted has forbidden, or [2] Allah will empower over him a tyrant ruler who will take his wealth from him after humiliating him, or [3] He will inflame in him a desire that will cause him to loose his wealth, or [4] he will have the idea of constructing a building in an unsuitable piece of land and will thus waste his wealth, or [5] one of the calamities of the dunya such as drowning, burning, theft or similar things will befall it, or [6] he will be afflicted with permanent illness and he will spend all his wealth seeking a cure, or [7] he will bury the wealth in a place which he will forget and thus will never find it again.”

 

`Umar (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“[1] The one who laughs a lot will lose his respect; [2]the one who makes mockery of people will be mocked by others; [3] the one who is excessive in something will become known for it; [4] the one who speaks a lot will make many blunders; [5] the one who makes many blunders will lose his sense of shame; [6] the one who loses his sense of shame will lose his God-consciousness; and [7] the one who loses his God-consciousness will cause his heart to die.”

`Uthman (radyAllahu`anhu) said when discussing the saying of Allah the Exalted, “And beneath it was a treasure for them, and their father was righteous man”, “the treasure is a gold tablet and on it were written seven lines:

‘[1] I am amazed at the one who knows death is coming yet laughs; [2] I am amazed at the one who knows that all things are predestined yet becomes distressed over what he has missed; [3] I am amazed at the one who knows about accountability and yet gathers wealth; [4] I am amazed at the one who knows about the Hellfire yet sins; [5] I am amazed at the one who believes in Allah with certainty yet remembers others beside Him; [6] I am amazed at the one who believes in Paradise with certainty yet is at ease in the dunya; and [7] I am amazed at the one who knows Satan is an enemy yet obeys him.”

 

`Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) was asked,

“What is heavier than the sky? What is wider than the earth? What is richer than the sea? What is harder than rock? What is hotter than fire? What is colder than ice? What is more bitter then poison?

 

He replied, “[1] Accusing the innocent is heavier than the sky; [2] the Truth is wider than the earth; [3] a content heart is richer than the sea; [4] the heart of a hypocrite is harder than a rock; [5] a tyrant ruler is hotter than fire; [6] being in need of help from a scoundrel is colder than ice; and [7] backbiting is more bitter than poison).”

 

Ibn `Abbas (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“It is a duty on an intelligent person to choose seven things over seven others – [1] poverty over wealth, [2] lowliness over honour, [3] humility over arrogance, [4] hunger over satiety, [5] sadness over happiness, [6] inferiority over superiority, and [7] death over life.”

 

[Preparing For The Day Of Judgement By: Imaam Ibn Hajar Al‘ Asqalani, page 33-35]

8 Advises from 4 Khulafa-e-Rashideen [Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali]

 

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“There are eight things which are adornments for eight others – [1] chastity is the adornment for poverty; [2] gratitude is the adornment for blessings; [3] patience is the adornment for calamity; [4] gentleness is the adornment for knowledge; [5] humility is the adornment for the student; [6] much crying is the adornment for fear [of Allah]; [7] not boasting of one’s generosity to its recipient is the adornment for charity; and [8] complete calmness and inner concentration is the adornment for prayer.”

 

 

`Umar (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“[1] The one who abandons superfluous speech will be given wisdom, [2] the one who abandons superfluous looking will be given the tranquillity of the heart; [3] the one who abandons superfluous food will be given delight in worship; [4] the one who abandons superfluous laughter will be given veneration; [5] the one who abandons superfluous joking will be given a beautiful appearance; [6] the one who abandons the love of the dunya will be granted the love of the Hereafter; [7] the one who abandons busying himself with the faults of others will be given the ability to rectify his own faults; and [8] the one who abandons questioning the Essence of Allah the Exalted will given security from hypocrisy.”

 

 

`Uthman (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“Signs of a person who really know Allah are eight  [1] his heart is in a state of fear and [2] hope, [3] his tongue is in a state of praise and [4] gratitude, [5] his eyes are in a state of shame and [6] tears, and [7] his will is in leaving the dunya and [8] seeking the pleasure of his Lord.

 

 

`Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“[1] There is no good in prayer without concentration and calmness; [2] there is no good in fasting without refraining from idle talk; [3] there is no good in reading without any contemplation; [4] there is no good in knowledge without piety; [5] there is no good in wealth without generosity; [6] there is no good in brotherhood without caring for another; [7] there is no good in a blessing that is short-lived; and [8] there is no good in supplication without sincerity.”

 

[Preparing For The Day Of Judgement By: Imaam Ibn Hajar Al‘ Asqalani, page 36]

9 Advises from 4 Khulafa-e-Rashideen [Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali]

 

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“Worshippers are of three groups, each group has three signs by which it is known – a group who worship Allah the Exalted out of fear; a group who worship Allah out of hope; and a group who worship Allah out of love. For the first group there are three signs – they disparage themselves; deem their righteous deeds to be few; and there evil deeds to be plenty. For the second group there are three signs – They are an example to others in all situations; they are the most generous of all people in spending their wealth; and they have the best opinion amongst creatures regarding Allah. As for the third group there are three signs – they gave away what they love most and do not care as long as their Lord is pleased with them; and they do that which will displease their nafs to please their Lord, and they are with their Lord in every situation, whether it be in [following] His commandments or [avoiding] His prohibitions.”

 

`Umar (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“The progeny of Satan are nine – Zaltun, Wathin, Laqus, A`wan, Haffaf, Murra, al-Musawwit, Dasim and Walhan. Zaltun commands the markets and he unfurls his banner therein; Wathan commands catastrophes; A`wan commands rulers; Haffaf commands intoxicants; Murra commands licentious music; Laqus commands the Magians; Al-Musawwit commands [false] news which he puts in the mouths of people while they know not its origin; Dasim commands houses; if a man were to enter his house without greeting his wife and family with salam and mentioning the name of Allah the Exalted, Dasim will cause a dispute between husband and wife such that it leads to divorce, separation, or violence; as for Walhan, he whispers [in people’s ears] during ablution, prayer, and other acts of worship.”

 

`Uthman (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“The one who observes the five daily prayers in their proper times and is constant in this, Allah will honour him with nine miracles – Allah will love him, his health will be good, angels will protect him, blessedness (baraka) will descend on his house, the sign of the righteous will be  apparent on his face, Allah will soften his heart, he will cross the bridge of al-sirat al-mustaqim [in the Hereafter] at the speed of a flash of lightening, Allah will save him from Hellfire, and Allah will place him amongst the people who have no fear nor are they ever sad.”

 

`Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“Shedding tears is of three types – the first is from the fear of Allah’s punishment, the second is from the fear of Allah’s anger, and the third is from the fear of being cut off from Allah. The first one is a compensation for sins, the second is purification from faults, and the third is elevation to the ranks of sainthood accompanied by the pleasure of the Beloved. The fruit of the compensation of sins is salvation from punishment; the fruit of the purification of faults is eternal bliss and high ranks; and the fruit of the elevation to the ranks of sainthood accompanied by the pleasure of the Beloved is glad tidings from Allah the Exalted of His pleasure, of seeing Him, of the visiting of angels, and of an increase in virtue.”

 

[Preparing For The Day Of Judgement By: Imaam Ibn Hajar Al‘ Asqalani, page 37-38]

 

10 Advises from 4 Khulafa-e-Rashideen [Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali]

 

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“There is not a servant whom Allah has given the following ten traits except that he will be saved from all pitfalls and afflictions, reach the rank of those who are close to Allah, and attain the position of the pious ones – the first is perpetual truthfulness together with a content heart; the second, complete patience together with permanent gratitude; the third, perpetual poverty together with ever-present asceticism (zuhd); the fourth, uninterrupted contemplation together with an empty stomach; the fifth, lasting sadness together with continuous fear; the sixth, perpetual struggle together with a humble body; the seventh, perpetual gentleness together with ever-present mercy; the eighth, perpetual love [of Allah] together with shame; the ninth, beneficial knowledge together with perpetual patience; and the tenth, perpetual faith (iman) with an unflappable intellect.”

 

 

`Umar (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“Ten things are not right without ten others –[1] intelligence without God-consciousness, [2] superiority without knowledge, [3] success without fear, [4] power without justice, [5] noble lineage without manners, [6] happiness without security, [7] wealth without generosity, [8] poverty without contentment, [9] [having] a high and exalted position without humility, and [10] jihad without the guidance and support of Allah.”

 

 

`Uthman (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“The most futile of all things are ten – [1] a scholar who is not asked, [2] knowledge which is not acted upon, [3] a correct opinion which is not accepted, [4] a weapon which is not used, [5] a mosque wherein none pray, [6]a copy of the Qur’an which is not read, [7] wealth which is not spent, [8] a horse which is not mounted, [9] knowledge of asceticism by one who pursues the dunya, and [10] a long life in which no provisions have been prepared for the departure,”

 

 

`Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) said,

“[1] Knowledge is the best inheritance, [2] good manners are the best craft, [3] piety is the best provision, [4] worship is the best baggage, [5] righteous action is the best guide, [6] good character is the best companion, [7]gentleness is the best advisor, [8] contentment is the best wealth, [9] [divine] assistance is the best ally, and [10] death is the best teacher.”

 

[Preparing For The Day Of Judgement By: Imaam Ibn Hajar Al‘ Asqalani, page 39-40]