Sayings

كتاب الأقوال

Chapter 1: Someone's words, "So-and-so with the curly black hair" or someone "tall" or "short" when he intends to describe him and does not mean to slander him

Abu Ruhm, one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who had offered his allegiance to the Prophet under the Tree [i.e. at Hudaybiyya] was heard to say, "I went on the expedition to Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. While we were travelling at night at al-Akhdar, I was near to the Prophet. A deep sleepiness overcame us, but I began to wake up when my camel wandered near to the Prophet's camel. I was worried that when it came close, it would his foot in the stirrup. I began to pull my camel back, but at a certain point in the night I feel asleep. Then my camel jostled against the camel of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while his foot was in stirrup, hitting his foot. I did not wake up until he exclaimed, 'Ow!' I said, 'Messenger of Allah, ask for forgiveness for me!' The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Never mind.'

'A'isha said, "A man asked for permission to come in to see the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Prophet remarked, 'He is a bad brother of his tribe.' When the man came in, the Prophet was cheerful towards him. I asked the Prophet about that and he said, 'Allah does not love anyone who is obscene and coarse.'"

'A'isha said, "Sawda, who was a heavy, sluggish woman, asked for permission to come in (to see the Prophet) on the night of Jam' (Muzdalifa) and he gave her permission."

Chapter 2: Someone who does not see any harm in a historical story

Ibn Mas'ud said, "When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, divided the booty of Hunayn at Ji'rana, the people crowded up against him. Then the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Allah sent on of His slaves to a people and they rejected him and wounded him in the head. He wiped the blood from his brow, saying, "O Allah, forgive my people for they do not know."'"

Chapter 3: Someone who shields a Muslim

Abu'l-Haytham said, "Some people came to 'Uqba ibn 'Amir and said, 'We have some neighbours who drink (wine) and behave incorrectly. Shall we bring them before the ruler?' 'No,' he replied, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, "Whoever sees the fault of a Muslim and then veils it, it is as if he brought girl buried alive back to life from her grave.''"

Chapter 4: Someone saying, "People are destroyed."

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When you hear a man saying, 'People are destroyed,' then he has destroyed them."

Chapter 5: Do not call a hypocrite "master (sayyid)"

'Abdullah ibn Burayda reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Do not call a hypocrite 'master'. He is not your master and you will have angered your Lord, the Mighty and Exalted."

Chapter 6: What someone says when he is praised

'Adi ibn Arta' said, "When one of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was praised, he said in supplication to Allah), 'Do not take me to task for what they say and forgive me for what they do not know.'"

Abu Qilaba reported that 'Abdullah said to Abu Mas'ud - or Abu Mas'ud said to 'Abdullah, "What did you hear the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say about '(false) assertion?" He said, "It is a bad mount for a man."

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr said, "Abu Mas'ud, what did you hear the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say about 'People who make false claims?" He replied, "I heard him say, 'A bad mount for a man' and I heard him say, 'Cursing a believer is like killing him.'"

Chapter 7: One should not say about something he does not know, "Allah knows it"

Ibn 'Abbas said, "None of you should say about a thing which he does not know, 'Allah knows it' when Allah may know that it is other than what he said and thus he (tries to) teach Allah what he does not know. That is something terrible in Allah's sight."

Chapter 8: The rainbow

Ibn Abbas said, "The Milky Way is one of the gates of the heavens. The rainbow is security from being destroyed by flood after the people of Nuh, peace be upon him."

Chapter 9: The Milky Way

Ibn al-Kawwa' asked 'Ali about the Milky Way. He said, "It is the water-trough (or loop of the bag) from which the heaven opens up flowing water."

Ibn 'Abbas said, "The rainbow is security for the people of the earth that they will not be drowned. The Milky Way is the door of the heavens and forms a furrow through it."

Chapter 10: Someone who dislikes for it to be said, "O Allah, place me in the Abiding Abode of Your mercy"

Abu'l-Harith al-Kirmani heard a man say to Abu Raja', "I greet you and I ask Allah to join both of us together in the Abiding Abode of His mercy." Abu Raja' said, "Is anyone capable of that?" He continued, "What is the Abiding Abode of His mercy?" "The Garden," the man replied. "That is not correct," he said. The man asked, "Then what is the Abiding Abode of His mercy?" "The Lord of the Worlds," he replied.

Chapter 11: Do not curse time

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "None of you should say, 'May time (ad-Dahr) be disappointed. Allah is time (ad-Dahr)."

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "None of you should say, 'May time be disappointed!' Allah Almighty said, 'I am time (ad-Dahr). I send the night and the day. If I so wished, I could take them away.' None of you should the grape-vine 'karm" (instead of 'inab). Karm* is the Muslim man."

Chapter 12: A man should not look sharply at his brother when he turns away

Mujahid said, "It is disliked for a man to stare at his brother or let his eye follow him when he turns his back or to ask, 'Where have you come from? Where are you going?'"

Chapter 13: Someone saying to someone else, "Bother you"

Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a man driving a sacrificial camel. "Ride it," he told him. The man replied, "It is a sacrificial camel." "Ride it," he repeated. The man said again, "It is a sacrificial camel." "Ride it," he repeated. The man said, "It is a sacrificial camel." The Prophet said, "Ride it, and bother you!"