The Intelligent Tongue

The intelligent person’s tongue is behind his heart: when he wants to speak, he first thinks. If [his words] will be in his favor, he says them, and if they will be against him, he does not speak. The ignorant person’s heart is behind his tongue; when he merely thinks of saying something, he says it, whether it is for or against him.--Al-Hasan Al-Basri

The Knowledgeable

‘A person does not stop being knowledgeable so long as he seeks knowledge. The moment he thinks that he is knowledgeable, he becomes ignorant.’-Abdullah Ibn Mubarak

The Knowledgeable

‘A person does not stop being knowledgeable so long as he seeks knowledge. The moment he thinks that he is knowledgeable, he becomes ignorant.’-Abdullah Ibn Mubarak

Sadness Over Sins And Heedlessness

Know that the heart of a person of sound mind cannot be free of sadness, because he remembers his previous sins, therefore becomes sad, he thinks about his negligence, reflects on what the scholars and the righteous have said, as a result he becomes sad for not taking heed.—Ibn al-Jawzī [d. 597H/1201CE]

Become Righteous, Others Will Follow

Were the people of the Qur’an to be righteous, all people would be righteous.—Maymoon b. Mihran

Drawing Close To Allah

Were you to go to the door of the governor, he would not receive you or give you any attention, perhaps he will even prevent you from getting near him.  But the King of kings is saying ‘Whoever comes to me walking, I will go to him running,’ yet you turn away from Him and run after another!—Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī