Sell Dunya, Win Aakhirah and Dunya

O son of Adam!  Sell your current life for your latter life, and you will win both.  Do not sell your latter life for this life, for you will lose them both.  The period of stay is short, and the righteous ones went away before you, so what are you waiting for? By Allah, it is about to come, and then the latter ones will join the former ones among you.—Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī [d 110H/728CE]

Sincerity for Allah

“Sincerity is not combined in the heart along with the love of being praised by the people, and being commended by them, and also having greed for what the people have, except like water being combined with fire.”[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

Constantly Conscious of Death

Those who were before you used to often consider the nearness of death. One of them would often take water for purity, fulfils the call of nature and perform ablution, fearing that Allah’s Command (death) might come to him while he is not in a state of purity.—Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī [d 110H/728CE]

Desiring Good For Others

I have never spoken to anyone without wanting success for him, and desiring that he be directed to the right way, be helped and have protection and preservation from Allah Almighty.—Imām al-Shāfi‘ī [d. 204H/820CE]

Medicine of the heart

دواء القلب خمسة أشياء

The medicine of the heart is five things:

قراءة القرآن بالتفكر

1) reading the Qur’aan along with contemplation and pondering

وخلاء البطن

2) having an empty stomach

وقيام الليل

3) praying at night (qiyaam al-layl)

والتضرع عند السحر

4) beseeching Allaah at the time of suhoor

ومجالسة الصالحين

5) keeping in the company of the righteous people

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[* As mentioned by Yahyaa ibn Mu'aadh (radiyaAllaahu 'anhu)]

Develop Good Through Patience

“You are going to face something difficult, and nothing can save you from it except the truth. Accustom yourself and those who are with you to doing good, start everything with good, and remember that for every good habit there is a means to develop it. The means of developing good is patience. If you are patient in bearing everything that befalls you or happens to you, you will gain the fear (taqwa) of Allaah.”~‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (advice to Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas)

Fill your heart with the love of Allah

“As long as the tongue is occupied in dhikr, it will be safe from unbecoming speech and lies, because it never keeps quiet. Alike it is with the heart, if it is not occupied in love of Allah then it will love the creation.”--Ibn al Qayyim 

Need Of A Servant

“The servant is never in need of any other thing as much as he is need of guidance to the straight path.” Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah 

Book of My Lord

“If our hearts were truly pure, we would never get enough of the Words of our Lord, and I hate that one day passes with me not looking in the Mushaf.”‘Uthman bin ‘Affan said:

Ibn Abi Mulaykah narrated: Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl used to press the Mushaf to his face and cry, saying: “The Book of my Lord! The Words of my Lord

CERTAIN BUT NO ACTION

We are all certain that death will come, yet we do not see those who are prepared for it. 

 We are all certain of Paradise, yet we do not see those who work to earn it. 

 We are all certain of the Fire, yet we do not see those who are afraid from it.  

Therefore, what is it that you are waiting for? Death? Certainly, death is the first comer from Allah that will bring you good or evil [news].  So brothers, take the journey back to your Lord in a good manner.—Khulaid al-’Asri Sifatu as-Safwah, v 3, p. 231

Hearts that are dead

“Even the sleeping awake when shaken. If you are still unaffected by rightful guidance and not moved to repentance when entering the gatherings of the righteous, then your hearts are not asleep but dead.”— Hasan al-Basri

On Contentment And Silence

He who remembers death often will be content with little provisions, and he who knows that his words are among his actions, will speak little.—al-Awza’i

Ibtilaa': Tests are medicine

“The ibtilaa’ (testing) of the believer is like medicine for him. It cures him from illness. Had the illness remained it would destroy him or diminish his reward and level (in the hereafter). The tests and the trials extract these illnesses from him and prepare him for the perfect reward and the highest of degrees (in the life to come).”Calamities, trials and tests are signs of love from Allaah for the believers. They are comparable to a cure; although it may be bitter, you accept it because it is from the one whom you love; and to Allaah belongs the best example.-Ibn al Qayyim

Hold firm to five issues

- Worship Allah as much as you need to worship Him

- Take from the world according to your stay in it.

- Sin according to your stamina to absorb its punishment.

- Take provisions from the world according to your stay in the grave.

- Work for Paradise as much as you desire to stay there.

—Shaqeeq Balkhi

Allah Gives Greatest Reward

When a man goes to the king of the kings of this world, he receives the treasures of this world.  What about the man who goes to the King of all the Worlds, will Allah not give him a greater reward?—Abd al-Aziz b.Umayra