Staining Sacred Knowledge

"Everything has something staining it, & the stain of Scared Knowledge is covetousness (ie. wealth, fame)."

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī [d 110H/728CE]

Capital of the Believer

The capital of the believer is his religion, it is always with him, he does not leave it behind when on a journey & neither does he entrust it to another.

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī [d 110H/728CE]

“Do not ever get bored of asking for forgiveness.”

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (rahimahullaah) said:

It was said to al-Hasan al-Basri: “Shouldn’t one of us feel too shy before his Lord to ask for forgiveness of his sins then do them again, then ask for forgiveness then do them again? He said: The shaytaan would love to gain victory over you in this manner. Do not ever get bored of asking for forgiveness.”

[Jaami’ al-‘Uloom al- Hikam (1/165)]

Perspective on Dunya & Aakhira

Ḥasan al-Baṣrī once sat next to an empty grave & said:

“A matter (ie. life) that ends like this deserves to feel disinterest about its beginning.  A matter that starts like this (ie. death) deserves that its end is feared (ie. the Hereafter).”

Al-Mudhish, p. 190

Indifference of Strangers to Dunya

“In this world the believer is like a stranger, he does not despair when it humiliates him & neither does he covet its grandeur.  The people are in one state, & he is in a totally different state.”

-Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī 
[d 110H/728CE]

Reminded Yet Heedless...

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī once saw a man eating in the graveyard & commented:

“This is a hypocrite; he sees death before his eyes, yet his stomach craves for food.”

Tanbihu Al-Ghafilin, vol. 2, p. 617

Four Signs of the W-r-e-t-c-h-e-d

It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basrî  (rahimahullaah) said:

 

Four signs of wretchedness are: [having] a hard heart, dry eyes [that never cry], extended hopes [about this life], & greed & keenness to amass worldly things (the dunyâ).

Ibn Abî Al-Dunyâ, Kitâb Al-Zuhd article 36.

A Comfortable Life

It is reported that ‘Umar b. ‘Abd Al-‘Azîz once wrote to Al-Hasan Al-Basrî to get a brief exhortation from him, so Al-Hasan wrote back , 

“The dunyâ distracts and preoccupies the heart & body, but al-zuhd (asceticism, not giving importance to worldly things) gives rest to the heart and body. Verily, Allâh will ask us about the halâl things we enjoyed, so what about the harâm!”

Al-Bayhaqî, Al-Zuhd Al-Kabîr, article 26.