Counsel in Three’s – Part 3
[21] Ali رضي الله عنه also said, “People before us used to advice each other of three things – the one who works for his Hereafter, Allah will take care of the matters of his din and Dunya for him; and the one who beautifies his inner self, Allah will beautify his appearance; and the one who rectifies that which is between him and Allah, Allah will rectify that which is between him and people.”
[22] Ali رضي الله عنه also said, ‘Be in Allah’s estimation the best of people, and in the estimation of your nafs the worst of people, and in people’s estimation just a man from amongst the people.’
[23] It was said that Allah revealed to Prophet ‘Uzayr (?alayhi sallam), “O ‘Uzayr! If you committed a small sin, do not look at its smallness; rather look at Whom you have sinned against. If you are granted a small blessing, do not look at its smallness; rather look at the One who has granted it to you. And if a calamity befalls you, then do not complain against Me to My creation, just as I do not complain against you to My angels when your bad deeds are raised to Me.”
[24] Hatim al-Asamm said, “There is not a morning that passes except that Satan says to me, ‘What do you eat? What do you wear? Where do you live? I say to him, ‘I eat death, I wear the shroud, and I live in the grave.”
[25] The Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم said, “The one who comes out of the humiliation of disobedience into the honour of obedience, Allah the Exalted will make him rich without wealth, strengthen him without soldiers, and honour him without a clan.”
[26] It has been reported that he صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم went out to his companions and said, “How do you find yourselves this morning?” They replied, “As believers in Allah.” He said, “What is the sign of your Imaan (belief)?” The replied, “We are patient in times of hardship, grateful in times of ease, and content with whatever has been predestined.” The Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم said, “By the Lord of the Kaaba, you are truly believers!”
[27] Allah revealed to one of the Prophets, “Whoever meets Me [on the Day of Judgement] while he loves Me, I will make him enter My Paradise. Whoever meets Me while he fears Me, I will spare him My Hell. And whoever meets Me and is ashamed because of his sins, I will make the angels who record deeds forget his sins.”
[28] Abdullah ibn Masud رضي الله عنه said, “Fulfil that which Allah has made obligatory upon you and you will be the best of worshippers; refrain from the prohibition of Allah and you will be the best of ascetics; and be pleased with what Allah has allotted for you and you will be the richest of people.”
[29] Salih al-Marqadiy once passed by some houses and said, “Where are your first inhabitants? And where are your old dwellers?” So he heard a voice saying, “Their legacy has come to an end, underneath the soil their bodies have decomposed, and their actions remain as necklaces around their necks.”
[30] Ali رضي الله عنه said, “Give to whomsoever you wish and you will become his master; ask from whomever you wish and you will become his prisoner; and do not seek help from whomsoever you wish and you will be his equal.”
