Ibn al-Mubarak's letter to Fudayl ibn Iyad (Ya 'Abid Al Haramayn)

It is reported that when in Tarsus, Ibn al-Mubarak wrote a letter to his friend al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyadh (who was known for his worship in Makkah and Madinah), encouraging him to partake in Jihad and not to be satisfied with simply worshiping Allah in the mosques. Ibn Abi Sukaynah said, 'In Tarsus in the year 177 AH, Ibn al-Mubarak gave me a letter with the following verses. I bid farewell to him and went to deliver it to al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyadh:

O Worshipper of the Two Holy Masjids

يا عابد الحرمين لو ابصرتنا

لعلمت انك في العبادة تلعب

من كان يخضب خده بدموعه

فنحورنا بدمائنا تتخضب

أو كان يتعب خيله في باطل

فخيولنا يوم الصبيحة تتعب

ريح العبير لكم ونحن عبيرنا

رهج السنابك والغبار الأطيب

ولقد اتانا من مقال نبينا

قول صحيح صادق لا يكذب

لا يستوي غبار خيل الله في

أنف امرئ ودخان نار تلهب

هذا كتاب الله يحكم بيننا

ليس الشهيد بميت لا يكذب


O Worshiper of the Two Holy Masjids!
Had you witnessed us in the battlefield
You would have known that, compared to our Jihad,
Your worship is child's play.
For every tear you have shed upon your cheek,
We have shed in its place, blood upon our chests.
You are playing with your worship,
While worshipers offer your worship
Mujahideen offer their blood and person (life).
The smell of nice perfume of is for you,
And our perfume is the dust and dirt (which is more pure),
And it has reached us from the sayings of our Prophet,
The martyr is not dead,
This is a true correct saying, in which there is no lie.
The dust of the people of Allah is never equal,
To a thousand men, whilst the smoke is climbing.
This is the book of Allah between us,
The martyr is not dead - and this is no lie

Ibn Abi Sukaynah said, 'So I met al-Fudhayl in the Haram (Makkah) with the letter and when he read it, tears came to his eyes and he said, 'Indeed, Abu Abdur-Rahman (Ibn al-Mubarak) has told the truth and he has certainly advised (me).

Source: The Life of ‘Abdullah Ibn al-Mubarak The scholar of the East and the scholar of the West Compiled by Farhia Yahya Based on the book 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, al-Imam al-Qudwah' By Muhammad 'Uthman Jamal
To download this book click here

To listen to the audio click here

The advise of Fudayl bin Iyad

Ar-Rashid, a first century ruler, once said to al-Fudayl bin Iyaad, "Admonish me."

"O Leader of the believers!" said al-Fudayl. "Indeed your grandfather, al-Abbaas, the uncle of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) , once went to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah(Peace be upon him) , appoint me to be a leader.' The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said, "My uncle, indeed, being a leader leads to sorrow, and regret on the Day of Resurrection. If you are able to go without ever being a leader, then do so!'"

Moved to tears, ar-Rashid said, "Give me more."

al-Fudayl looked at ar-Rashid and said, "O one who has a handsome face, if you are able to protect that face from the Hell-fire then do so. And beware of ever cheating or betraying your people."

Being much moved by al-Fudayl's words, ar-Rashid wanted to reward him.

"Do you have any debts?" he asked.

"To my Lord, yes, and He will hold me accountable for them," said al-Fudayl.

"I am of course referring to debts to other human beings," said ar-Rashid.

After al-Fudayl answered in the negative, ar-Rashid said to one of his assistants, "Give him 1000 dinars, which he can use to help his family."

Al-Fudayl was greatly offended by these words and said, "How perfect Allah is! I am guiding you to safety and you want to reward me with this paltry, worldly sum!"

He then left, having refused to take anything.

Source: Stories of repentance

Fear of Mistake In Knowledge And Guidance a Characteristic of the Salaf

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was that they would have terrible fear that mistakes would enter into their knowledge, practice and in their directing the nation (Ummah) to what is good in the world and the Hereafter. Do not think that any of them loved to be elevated in rank in any worldly matter. They hated giving religious verdicts (fataawah) because the one who gives the verdict (fatwah) has entered a station between Allah and His worshipers.

Do not say about that which your tongues put forth falsely "This is lawful (halaal) and this is forbidden (haraam)", so as to invent lies against Allah. Those who invent lies about Allah will never prosper" Suratun-Nahl (16:116)

'Abdul-Rahmaan ibn Abi Lailah (rahimahullah) said, "I have met 120 companions of the Messenger of Allah(Peace be upon him).None of them spoke without wishing his brother's speech be sufficient, and none of them gave a fatwah without wishing his brother would suffice him in it".

Fudayl ibn 'Iyaad (rahimahullaah) said, "To send dinars (money) on a people is more beloved to me than to spend on them my speech, and therefore easier on my soul".

Some people requested that Sufyaan ibn 'Uyainah (rahimahullaah) sat with them to give a lecture, but he refused them by saying, "I am not of the correct stature to relate to you neither knowledge nor you to listen. The likeness of you and I are like the saying:"Expose all your faults and them come to a mutual concealment!"

Abu Muslim al-Khawlaani (rahimahullaaah) said, "Many people live amongst the people just with their knowledge, destroying their souls" i.e., with vanity and egoism.

Abu Haazim (rahimahullaah) used to say, "The scholars of our time have been content with speech and with no practice! The Salaf use to practice but not speak. After them the people practiced and spoke being followed by a people who spoke but did not practice. There will come a time when people will not speak nor practice."

'Abdul-Raheem as-Sulami (rahimahullaah) said, "We met people who learned the Qur'an ten verses (ayaats) being followed by another ten. They would not move to another ten without practicing the first ten".

'Abdullah ibn al-Mubaarak (rahimahullaah) reported on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ziyaad that he said, "I saw Abu Umamah speaking to a person who had been weeping and crying to Allah in prostration in the mosque saying: "You would have been as yourself had this been your house!"

It was said to Ash-sha'bi (rahimahullaah) "Deliver your verdict to us O Scholar ('aalim)! He replied to them, "do not say scholar to the likes of me, but the 'aalim is the one who humbles his joints from the submissive fear (khushoo') of Allah".

Sufyaan ath-Thawri (rahimahullaah) said, "Whoever's knowledge makes him weep, then he is a scholar ('aalim). Allah the Most High said,

Verily those who were given knowledge before it, when it is recited to them they fall down on their faces in humble prostration
(Surah Bani Israel 17:107)

He also said,

"When the verses (aayaat) of Ar Rahmaan (The Most Merciful) was recited to them they fall in prostration weeping" (Suratul-Maryam 19:58)

So reflect in your soul dear Muslimoon. Have you fulfilled the rights of your knowledge and actions as they used to?

Source: From the characteristics of the Salaf by Sheikh Ahmed Fareed

Some sayings of Al-Fudayl Ibn `Iyad

- Al-Fudayl b. ‘Iyad used to be a highwayman, between Abyûrd and Sarkhas. He was in love with a girl, and the cause of his repentance was that he was once climbing a wall to meet her when he heard someone reciting the following verses:

Has not the time come for those who believe, that their hearts should be humbled and submitted (to Allah)…? [Al-Hadîd: 16]

When he heard this, Al-Fudayl said, “Indeed my Lord, it is time.” So he left, and seeking a night’s shelter he found himself at some ruins, and there he saw some travelers. Some of them said, “We should move on.” Others said, “Wait until morning, Al-Fudayl operates in this area, he will rob us.” Al-Fudayl said, “So I thought and said to myself: I spend the night in sin and there are some Muslims here who fear me; I think that Allah only led me to them so that I might take lesson and stop what I am doing. O Allah! I have repented, and as part of my tawbah I will live next to Al-Bayt Al-Harâm (in Makkah).” [1]

- A man said to Al-Fudayl Ibn `Iyad: "How are you?" And he replied: "If you are asking about the life of this world, it has diverted us from the right path and sent us in many directions." [2]

- Al-Fudayl Ibn `Iyad said, "If Iblees conquers the son of Adam with one of the three (things) he says I will not seek anything else from himself (1) Being fond of himself(2) Deeming his deeds to be plentiful(3) Forgetfulness of his sins. [3]

- It is reported that Bashr b. Al-Hârith said, “I was once with Al-Fudayl b. ‘Iyad in Makkah. He sat with us until midnight, then went and did tawâf until the morning. I said, ‘Abû ‘Alî! Won’t you sleep?’ He replied, ‘Woe to you! And is there anyone who hears a mention of the Fire and then feels like sleeping!?’”[4]

- It is reported on the authority of Ibrâhîm b. Al-Ash’ath that he said, “I asked Al-Fudayl b. ‘Iyad – Allâh have mercy on him – about patience (al-sabr) in the face of adversity and he said, ‘It is to not broadcast it.’ I asked him about asceticism (al-zuhd) and he said, ‘Al-zuhd is to be content with what you have, and that is what it means to be rich.’ I asked him about prudence (al-wara’) and he said, ‘It is to stay away from what is forbidden.’ And I asked him about humbleness (al-tawâdu’) and he said, ‘It is when you submit to the truth and comply no matter who you hear it from; even if it was from the most ignorant of people, you would be required to accept it from him.’”[5]