Keep Only a Few Friends (of benefit) ...Advice of Sufyaan Ath-Thawri

Sufyaan Ath-Thawri: A True Mountain of Knowledge & the Leader of Believers in Hadeeth

Sufyaan ath-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) said that one foolishly compromised one’s religion when one kept too many friends. Having too many acquaintances diverts one from one’s duty towards one’s Lord, for a person who has many friends is always busy socializing with them and fulfilling their rights over him; so he becomes preoccupied with people when he really should be preoccupied with his religious duties. The ill-effects of being too gregarious can last well beyond a social gathering. Sufyaan said,“I might meet a brother and as a result, remain heedless (of what I should be doing) for an entire month.”

A friend, Sufyaan insisted, should be someone who helps one to improve as a Muslim; otherwise he is not worth keeping as a friend. Sufyaan expressed this sentiment when he said, “If someone is not with you, then he is against you.”


And Yousuf ibn Asbaat reported that he heard Sufyaan ath-Thawri say, “Whenever I spoke contrary to the desires of any man, he, regardless of who he was, would inevitably become furious with me. The people of knowledge and piety have departed.

Sufyaan once advised someone to test the character of the person he wanted to befriend. Sufyaan said,“Choose whoever you want as your companion. But when you have made your choice, make him angry, and then order someone to go a nd ask him what he thinks about you-without him knowing that you sent that person.

Bakr ibn Muhammad Al-’Aabid related that Sufyaan ath-Thawri once said to him, “Direct me to a man with whom I can keep company.” Sufyaan said, “You are searching for something that cannot be found.”

Khalf ibn Ismaa’eel Al-Barzaanee reported that he heard Sufyaan ath-Thawri said,“Acquaint yourself with fewer people, and as a result, you will backbite less (frequently).”

Source: ‘Biography of Imam Sufyaan ath-Thawri ‘. This book is sold by Darussalaam and the author is Salaahud-Deen ibn Ali ibn Abd ul-Maujood.

subhanAllaah! a beautiful advice from Sufyaan ath Thawree

Sufyaan once wrote to one of his Muslim brothers

May Allaah, with His Mercy, protect both me and you from the Hellfire.

I advise both you and myself to fear Allaah.

And I warn you not to turn to ignorance after you have learned, not to turn to destruction after you have seen and recognized the truth, and not to leave the (Straight) Path after it has been made clear to you.

Do not become deceived by worldly people, and do not become unduly impressed by the way they strive for and greedily gather worldly things, for the terror (that will envelop them on the Day of Resurrection) is indeed SEVERE.

The danger (of the Day of Resurrection) is grave indeed, but what is more, is that it is near at hand.


So occupy yourself exclusively with the Hereafter, and empty your heart of all other thoughts; once you have done that, work hard! Do not waste time! And flee from the world and its temptations! Travel to the Hereafter (with your worship) before you are taken there… I have indeed given you the same advice that I gave myself.

And understand that success comes from Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala). The key to gaining His help is supplication, prayer, feeling remorse for past negligence, and complete submission to Him.

Your days and nights are numbered, so use the time you have left wisely, and do not be negligent in fulfilling the rights of your Lord.

I ask Allaah, Who has blessed us to know Him, not to entrust us and you to our ownselves; and I ask Allaah to be our Guardian and Helper, just as He is the Guardian and Helper of His beloved, righteous slaves.

Beware of doing that which will spoil your deeds, and know that it is showing off that spoils a person’s deeds; and if it is not showing off, then it is conceitedness – for you to imagine that you are better than one of your Muslim brothers, when in reality he performs more good deeds than you do; or perhaps he performs his deeds with a purer intention than you do.

And even if you are not conceited, beware of developing a love for praise.

Be ever so careful not to come to love other people’s praise of your good deeds, or the respect they feel for you and bestow upon you because of your good deeds.

And beware of desiring that others should help you in your personal affairs just because they have become impressed with your good deeds.

You surely claim (as does everyone else), after all, that you are doing good deeds only for the sake of Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala); well, then turn that claim into a reality.

If you want to be less desirous of this world – its things, wealth, and pleasures – and more desirous of the Hereafter — Paradise and its bliss – then remember death frequently.

And know that you have long term hopes for this world – which one should not have — if you fear Allaah only a little or if you recklessly perpetrate sins.

And one will be sufficiently regretful and wretched on the Day of Resurrection if he has knowledge but does not apply it.

* Transcribed from: The Biography of Sufyaan Ath-Thauree, rahimahullaah, page 181-182

advice for a lifetime

Ibn Mas’ood RadiAllaahu‘anhu said, “Certainty in Faith (Yaqeen) is that you do not make the people happy by angering Allaah, and that you do not envy anyone for that which Allaah has provided, and that you do not blame anyone for something which Allaah has not given you. Since provision will not be brought on by a persons craving after it, nor will it be repelled by a person’s disliking it. ndeed Allaah through His Justice has made joy and happiness dependent upon having certain faith and contentment, and He has made worries and sorrows spring from doubt and displeasure.

Transcribed from: The Evil of Craving for Wealth and Status | Ibn Rajab

Hasad (Envy and Jealousy) Between Those Seeking Knowledge Is The Severest Form Of Hasad!

Ash-Shaykh al-Uthaymeen, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said:

"Verily, al-Hasad (Envy, Jealousy) is an awful trait which is unfortunately found mostly between the scholars and (between) the students of knowledge; it is (also) found between the business men with regards to each other. Everyone who possesses an occupation he is envied by his colleague in it."

But sadly the hasad between the Scholars and between the students of knowledge is more SEVERE while they should have been the first (of the people) and the most worthy that they the people of knowledge be furthest of the people from Hasad and to be the closest (of the people) to the best of characters.

[The Reference: The Book of Knowledge, page 54, print: Daarul Minhaaj]


Allaah The Most High said:

"And We have made some of you as a trial for others: will you have patience? And your Lord is Ever All-Seer (of everything)." (Al-Furqan 25:20).

A Poet said:

"Remain patient upon the envy of the jealous, for indeed patience will deter them. Indeed the fire will devour itself if it does not find anything else to burn."

2: From the Sunnah is Clinging to the Jamaa'ah

From the Sunnah is clinging to the Jamaa'ah.[1] Whoever desires other than the Jamaa'ah and departs from it then he has thrown off the yoke of Islaam from his neck and he is astray, leading others astray.[2]

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NOTES
1. 'Umar, radiallaahu' anhu reports that the Prophet said, "Stick to the Jamaa'ah and beware of splitting, for Shaitaan is found along with the single person but is further from two. Whoever desires the centre of Paradise then let him stick to the Jamaa'ah. He whose good deed pleases him and his evil deed causes him to feel bad then he is a believer." Reported by Ahmad (1/18), at-Tirmidhee (no. 2165) al-Haakim (1/114) and is declared saheeh by Shaikh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no. 1116).

Anas, radiallaahu 'anhu, reports that the Prophet said, "Indeed the Children of Israa'eel divided into seventy one sects and my Ummah will divide into seventy two sects, all of them will be in the fire except one and that is the Jamaa'ah." Reported by Ibn Maajah (no. 3993) and declared saheeh by Shaikh al-Albaanee.

2. Alluding to the hadith of Ibn 'Abbaas, radiallaahu 'anhummaa, who said: Allaah's Messenger said,"He who sees from his ruler something he dislikes, let him be patient with him, for he who splits away from the Jamaa'ah by a handspan and then dies, dies a death of Jaahiliyyah" and in a narration, "then he has thrown off the yoke of Islaam from his neck." Reported by al-Bukhaaree (trans. 9/145), Muslim and Ahmad and the other narration by at-Tirmidhee (no. 2867) and Ahmad (4/130). Refer to Sharh ul-'Aqeedat-Tahaawiyyah (379-382), checked by Shaikh Naasir ud-deen al-Albaanee.