Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that a man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said:
“Advise me.” He replied: “Do not become angry,” the man repeated his request and he said [each time] : “Do not become angry.”
Narrated by al-Bukhārī 1Imām Ibn Rajab (d. 795 AH) commented:
There are two possibilities regarding his (ﷺ) saying: “Do not become angry” :
He is ordering [the man] to take the necessary actions by which good conduct, manners, and a respectable bearing is attained. These include graciousness, generosity, forbearance, shame, humility, tolerance, endurance, refraining from overtly ha…
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Nāṣir al-Saʿdī (d. 1376 AH) was asked:
[Q]: I want you to guide me towards a path that combines happiness in this world and in the hereafter. For the souls and the conduct of those who have been raised [in the falsehood of agnosticism] do not return from it without a strong stimulus. Rather, it is only through a strong desire in their hearts [for change] that they would be attracted [to a different way], or if fear and a terror is awakened within them such that they are subdued [from their ideology].
[A]: By Allāh, you have come upon the object of your search in …
Invocations upon Entering the Lavatory
[Upon entering upon the toilet] it is sunnah to say ‘bismillāh’ [In the Name of Allāh]. [The evidence of this] is what has been narrated from ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (رضي الله عنه) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
‘[In order to] cover that which is before the eyes of the jinn and the private areas of the [bodies of] the Children of Ādam, if one of them should enter the toilet he should say: “بسم الله” “Bismillāh’’1
Then, it is sunnah to say: ‘I seek refuge in Allāh from al-khubth and al-khabāʾith.’ [The evidence of this is] what has been narrated by Anas (رضي الل…
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) said:
“An imām leading the prayer may leave—based on his own research—what the ones praying behind him believe to be obligatory. For example, the imām may not hold that reciting the basmalah [aloud] is wājib, or he may not be from among the ones who perform a [new] wūdūʿ from bleeding, or coughing, or touching his wives. However, the ones praying behind this imām (maʿmūm) are of the opinion that wuḍūʿ is required in these instances. The opinion taken by Imām Mālik in this issue is that the ṣalāh of these maʿmūm is valid. This is also one of the opi…
Narrated by Abū Ḥamzah Anas ibn Mālik (may Allāh be pleased with him), the servant of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), said that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
‘None of you truly has full īmān until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.’
Narrated by al-Bukhārī and Muslim.
Imām Ibn Rajab [d. 795 AH] said in explanation of the aforementioned ḥadīth:
[In the same vein is what has been] narrated by al-Nuʿmān ibn Bashīr (may Allāh be pleased with him) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
‘The parable of the believers as regard the love, mercy and compassion [that exists amongst them] is like tha…
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
‘Guide us to the straight path (of beneficial knowledge coupled with righteous action). The path of those (Prophets and their truthful, righteous followers) upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who earn Your anger (by not acting upon what they know) and nor of the astray (who act without knowledge).’
[Al-Fātiḥah, 1:6-7]
Shaykh Muḥammad Amīn al-Shanqīṭī [d.1393 AH] explained:
Concerning Allāh’s saying:
غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّ…
لْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
All praises be to Allāh, the Lord of the worlds (for His perfect attributes and benevolent and just actions).
[Al-Fātiḥah, 1:1]
Imām Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar al-Ṭabarī [d. 310 AH] said:
The meaning of ‘All praises be to Allāh’ is: All gratitude is sincerely for Allāh, Exalted in praise, besides all that is worshipped in His stead, and besides what is put forth by His creation. For He has bestowed on His servants bounties above enumeration, the true number of which cannot be fully comprehended by any being save for Him. He is the One who has made the facultie…
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah [d. 728 AH] said:
Some people say: ‘O my Lord! I fear those who do not fear You.’
These are false, baseless words, the utterance of which is impermissible. Rather, the slave [of Allāh] must harbor fear of Allāh alone and should never be afraid of anyone [else]. For the one who does not fear Allāh is most despicable and not deserving of fear. This is because he is an oppressor, one from among the close allies of Shayṭān. Thus, fearing [such an individual] has been made impermissible by Allāh.
If it is then said: ‘[This individual] may harm me.’
We say: ‘He o…
Imām Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 721 AH) said:
“If it is said: ‘we should [think only good thoughts of Allāh], for such is the subsequent nature of His magnanimous forgiveness, mercy, pardon, and goodness. Truly, His mercy precedes His anger. He does not derive benefit from punishing [his slaves] and forgiving them does not harm Him in the least.’
We say [in response]: This matter is [as described]. Nay, Allāh is above even this narrative. For He is more exalted, generous, full of goodness, and more merciful [than that]. However, these [attributes] must be applied to the correct context. For He…
