“The strangeness of the people of Allah, and the people of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah from amongst the Creation…it is the strangeness whose possessors were praised by the Messenger of Allah, and he informed us that the religion that he was brought with “…began as something strange,” and that it will “…return to being strange as it began,” and that its adherents will become strangers.

And this type of strangeness can occur in one location in exclusion to another, and in one era in exclusion to another, and amongst one group of people in exclusion to another. However, those who are described with this strangeness are the true people of Allah. This is because they do not lean towards anything but Allah, do not ascribe themselves to anyone besides His Messenger, and do not call to anything other than what he was brought with. They are the ones who abandoned the people when they needed them most. So, when the people go about behind their deities on the Day of Resurrection, they will remain where they are, and it will be said to them: ‘Will you not go along with the people?’ And they will reply: ‘We abandoned the people when we were more in need of them than we are today, and we are instead waiting for our Lord Whom we used to worship.’

So, this strangeness does not result in any loneliness for its possessor. In fact, he is as happy and sociable as can be when he abandons the deviant people, and as lonely as can be when he socializes with them. So, his allies are Allah, His Messenger, and the believers, even if the majority of the people oppose him and push him aside…

…And al-Hasan al-Basri said: “The believer in this world is like a stranger: he does not become upset when it puts him down, and he does not compete for it to make him honorable. The people are in a certain state, and he is in another state: the people are relieved of him, and he is exhausted of himself.”

And from the characteristics of these strangers who were praised by the Prophet are:

• holding tightly to the Sunnah, even if the people abandon it;

• leaving what they have introduced into the Religion, even if it is something good in their eyes;

• freeing oneself completely and purely for Tawhid, even if most people criticize him for this;

• not ascribing oneself to anyone other than Allah and His Messenger – not a shaykh, a path, or a group. Rather, these strangers ascribe themselves to Allah by serving Him, and to His Messenger by following only what he came with;

And such people are the ones who are truly holding onto the burning piece of coal, and most people will criticize them. Due to their strangeness between the Creation, these people consider them to be odd and innovators, and accuse them of separating themselves from the majority…

…And how can it not be that this one sect (the people of the Sunnah) be very small and strange between seventy-two other sects who have followers and leaders, position and alliances, and do not gain power except by going against that which the Messenger came with? The essence of what he came with goes against their whims, and what they are upon of the doubts and innovations that are the end result of their actions, and the desires that are their goal and intention.

So, how can the believer who is travelling to Allah upon the road of adherence to the Sunnah not be strange between those who have followed their whims, obeyed their lusts, and have each become impressed with their own opinion? And because of this, Allah will give to the truthful Muslim in such a time – if he holds tightly to his religion – the reward of fifty of the Companions, as both Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi report that the Prophet said: “After you, there will be days that require much patience, such that the one who holds onto his religion in such a time will have the reward of fifty of you.” And this great reward is due only to their strangeness between the people, and the fact that they held tightly to the Sunnah despite the dark clouds of desires and whims they were surrounded with.

So, if the believer who has been provided by Allah with insight into His Religion, understanding of the Sunnah of His Messenger, comprehension of His Book, and has been shown what the people are upon of desires, innovations, deviance, and turning away from the straight path that the Messenger of Allah and his Companions were upon – if such a person wishes to traverse this path, he must prepare himself for how the innovators and ignorant people will criticize him, insult him, turn the people away from him, and warn against him, just as their predecessors from the kuffar used to do with the one he has chosen to follow, peace and blessings be upon him…

…So, he is strange in his practice of the Religion because of the corrupt manner in which they practice it, and he is strange in his firm adherence to the Sunnah because of their adherence to innovations, and he is strange in his beliefs because of the corruption in their beliefs, and he is strange in how he prays due to the bad manner in which they pray, and he is strange in his ways due to the misguidance and corruption of their ways, and he is strange in what he has ascribed himself to because of what they have ascribed themselves to, and he is strange in how he deals with them because he does not deal with them in accordance with what their desires dictate.

Basically, he is strange in both the matters of this world and the next. He does not find any of the common people who will help and assist him. He is a learned one amongst ignorants. He is a person of the Sunnah amongst people of innovation. He is a caller to Allah and His Messenger amongst callers to desires and innovations. He commands that which is good and forbids that which is bad amongst people who see the good as being bad, and the bad as being good…”

['Madarij as-Salikin'; 3/182-185]

1. Al Ma’thur

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).

2. Al ‘ADB

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami, Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).

3. Dhu al Faqar

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami, Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).

4. Al Battar

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami, Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).

Figure engraving the names of the prophets in it:

5. Hatf

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992)

6. Al Mikhdham

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).

7. Al Rasub

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).

8. Al Qadib

Photos taken by Muhammad Hasan Muhammad al-Tihami,
Suyuf wa al-Apostles’ uddah harbi-hi (Cairo: Hijr, 1312/1992).

9. Qal’a

“And the labels fill your pockets. Every pocket is labelled with a characteristic or title; this pocket is filled with labels that say ‘Disbeliever,’ and everytime you see someone that you don’t like, you hand him a label. Another pocket is filled with labels that say ‘Innovator,’ and a third pocket is filled the labels that say ‘Poor,’ and another says ‘Ignorant,’ etc. This way, you have given everyone a label from one of your labels…There are families in Peshawar who cannot find enough Clorox bleach in the marketplaces, so, they send off to Islamabad to purchase this bleach, so that they can use it to clean their clothing and the clothing of their families. So, you are also in need of searching for bleach; you are in need of success in finding that which will clean your heart and purify your insides. If you are part of a particular Islamic group, then beware of assuming that all of the truth rests with that group, and that all falsehood rests with everyone else, as some of the earlier zealous people said: “All of our statements are correct, with a possibility of a mistake, while all the statements of others are mistaken, with a possibility of being correct.” This is the destructive type of allegiance! How many groups have been torn apart, and how many people who were close to each other became divided because of such a mindset?!Pay attention to your heart, beware of raising yourself above others, and beware of belittling others. How many of these people have given for the sake of this Religion – but have kept it secret between them and the Lord of the Worlds – from he whose statement is belittled and his appearance mocked, and he might even have given more for this Religion than an Earthful of people like you ever would? So, pay attention to yourself, and may Allah have Mercy on a man who knows his limits and stays inside those limits. The virtuous people are those who acknowledge the virtue of the people of virtue, especially the scholars, and especially those who are old in age, and especially the parents…

So, my brother, it is enough for your good deeds to be annulled that you look to your actions as if they are great, as Allah Said:“Woe to al-Mutaffifin! Those who, when they have to receive by measure from men, demand full measure, and when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than their due.” [al-Mutaffifin; 1-3]

So, if he mentions himself, he only mentions his good deeds, and if he mentions the others, he only mentions their mistakes, as the Prophet said: “One of you sees a small speck of dirt in the eye of his brother, but fails to see the large piece of dirt in his own eye.” ['at-Targhib wat-Tarhib'; 3/236]…

Just because you are part of a particular group doesn’t mean that you are better than the people. Just because you read a particular book doesn’t mean that you are better than the people. There is some good with the Ikhwan, and there is some good with the Tabligh, and there is some good with the Salafiyyah; every one of them has a portion of the good, so, try – if you are able – to collect all of the good from these groups. They used to study from a large group of the scholars, so, his Hadith instructor is different from his Tafsir instructor , and his instructor in spiritual nurturing is different from his Arabic language instructor. Take from the Tabligh their manners…and imagine if we were to follow their path in respecting the people, and their manners with the scholars… The Tabligh have very good speech, as they convey what they say and work magic on the hearts with their manners, and cause any envy one might have against them to vanish. Take from the Ikhwan their historical movements and revolutionary ideas, and take from the Salafiyyah their beliefs. Collect within yourself all that is good, become a student, and do not restrict the truth to your own shaykh… Take from this person, and take from that person; respect the people, and give them the credit they are due, and put them in their proper categories…”

[From a khutbah entitled 'an-Nas Asnaf' (People Are of Various Types), given on September 26, 1986]

Kumail ibn Ziyaad said: ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib took hold of my hand and took me off towards the desert. When we reached it, he sat down, took a deep breath and then said:

“O Kumail ibn Ziyaad! The hearts are receptacles, so the best of them is the one which preserves the best. So memorise what I say to you.

The people are of three (types): the Scholar who is rabbaanee, the one learning being upon the path of salvation, and the confused rabble who follow everyone who calls out – bending along with every wind – they are not enlightened by the light of knowledge, nor do they lean upon a firm support.

Knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge is a protection for you, whereas it is you that has to protect wealth. The zakaat of knowledge is action, whereas spending decreases wealth. And love of the Scholar is part of the Religion. Knowledge brings about obedience for the Scholar in his own lifetime and causes him to have good repute after his death, whereas the benefit of wealth ceases when it passes away. The hoarders of wealth have died even though they are still alive, whereas the Scholars remain for as long as time remains – their persons are lost, but their examples remain in the hearts.

Here, indeed here – (and he pointed to his chest) – there is knowledge, if only I could find carriers for it. But instead I have found them quick to comprehend, but not trustworthy. They use what pertains to the Religion for worldly ends. They seek to use Allaah’s proofs against His Book, blindly following the people of truth, but having no insight regarding receiving it.

Doubt pierces their hearts when anything problematic arises. They are neither this nor that. They do not know where the truth lies, and if they are mistaken then they do not know why. They are ardently in love with something the true state of which they do not know – so they become a trial for others.

And indeed, the utmost good is for the one to whom Allaah grants understanding of the Religion and it is enough ignorance for a person that he does not know about his Religion. Such a person is passionately addicted to pleasures, accustomed to following desires, or is one given to amassing wealth and piling it up. Such people are not from the callers to the Religion rather they are more like the grazing cattle. And thus knowledge passes away with the passing away of those who carry it.

Oh Allaah! The earth will not be without one who stands upright for Allaah, with proof – so that Allaah’s proofs and clear signs are not abolished. They are the ones who are few in number, but having the most value to Allaah. With them, Allaah asserts His proofs amongst their contemporaries and cultivates them in the hearts of those similar to them. With them, knowledge assaults and comes upon the true state of affairs, so that which those accustomed to easy living find difficult therein, they find easy; and they are at home with that which causes consternation to the ignorant ones. They live in this world with their bodies, whereas their souls are attached to higher things. They are Allaah’s ambassadors in His land and the callers to His Religion. Oh how I would like to see them, and I seek Allaah’s forgiveness for myself and for you. If you wish then you may leave.”

Reported by Abu Nu’aym in Hilyatul-Awliyaa (1/79-80), al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee in al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih (1/49-50) and Ibn Katheer in al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah (9/47).

It is narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hajjaj al-Marwadhi that he said:

‘I was sitting one day on an arched bridge (al-Tabanain) when I was approached by two men who were escorting a bedouin man on a camel of his. They stopped by me and said, ‘This is him, here he is sitting.’ The bedouin said to me, ‘Are you Ahmad ibn Hanbal?’ I said, ‘No, I am his friend, what do you need?’ He said to me, ‘I want him.’ So I said, ‘Shall I take you to him?’ He said, ‘Yes, by Allah.’

So I led the way in front of him until I reached the door of Abu ‘Abdillah (Ahmad ibn Hanbal) whereupon I knocked the door and they said, ‘Who is it?’ I said, ‘I am al-Marwadhi.’ They said, ‘Come in’ so I said, ‘I and the one with me?’ They said, ‘(Yes) You and the one with you.’ When he saw Abu ‘Abdillah, the bedouin said, ‘Yes, by Allah’ – three times – and he greeted him. He (Ahmad) said, ‘What do you need?’ He said, ‘I am the messenger of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam).’ He said, ‘Woe to you, what are you saying?’ He said, ‘I am a bedouin man, between my village and al-Madinah is 40 miles and my family sent me to al-Madinah to purchase some wheat and dates for them. Night fell over me so I prayed ‘Isha in the Mosque of the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) then I lied down. As I was sleeping, a person came to me and shook me saying, ‘Will you carry out a task for the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam)?’ I said, ‘Yes, by Allah!’ So he seized my left arm by his right hand and took me to the wall of the grave of the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). He stood me at the head (of the grave) and I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah…’ Then I heard a caller from behind the wall saying, ‘Will you carry out a task for us?’ I said, ‘Yes, by Allah. Yes, by Allah.’ So he said, ‘Go forth until you reach Baghdad (or al-Zawraa’ – al-Marwadhi was unsure which), and when you reach Baghdad ask for the house of Ahmad ibn Hanbal. When you meet him, say ‘The Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) sends you his salaam and he says to you: Indeed Allah will test you with a great test, and surely he shall place you in a trial, but I have asked Him to make you patient therein, so do not worry.’

Abu Bakr: ‘There was 25 days between the time the bedouin departed and the start of the Mihna (trial of Imam Ahmad).’

It is narrated from Rabi’ ibn Sulayman that he said:

‘Al-Shafi’i wrote a letter to Abu ‘Abdillah Ahmad ibn Hanbal, then he said to me, ‘O Abu Sulayman, go to ‘Iraq with this letter of mine and do not read it.’ So I took the letter and left Egypt until I arrived at ‘Iraq and came to the mosque of Ahmad ibn Hanbal. I caught up with him praying salat al-Fajr so I prayed with him but I did not pray the Sunnah so I stood up after the prayer to pray it. He began to look at me until he recognised me, so when I finished praying I greeted him and gave him the letter. He began to ask me about al-Shafi’i for a long while before looking at the letter. Then he opened it and read it until he reached a certain place whereupon he started to cry. Then he said, ‘I hope that Allah Ta’ala fulfils what Al-Shafi’i has said.’ I said, ‘O Abu ‘Abdillah! What did he write to you?’ He said, ‘He mentions in his letter that he saw the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) in his dream and he said, ‘O Ibn Idris (al-Shafi’i), give glad tidings to this young man Abu ‘Abdillah Ahmad ibn Hanbal that he will soon be tested in the Deen of Allah. He will be called to say: ‘The Qur’an is created’ so let him not say that and he will indeed be beaten with a whip but Allah will surely spread for him knowledge that will not disappear until the Day of Judgement.’ So I said, ‘This is a glad tiding!’…

Abu Bakr al-Khuffaf: Husayn said, ‘I saw the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) in a dream and I said to him, ‘O Prophet of Allah! What is the state of Ahmad ibn Hanbal?’ He said, ‘Musa `alayi al-salam will come to you so ask him.’ And behold there I was with Musa, so I asked him. He said, ‘Ibn Hanbal has been tested in ease and difficulty and he has been found to be truthful so he has been ranked with the Siddiqin (the Truthful).’ I said, ‘So what is the state of Bishr?’ He said, ‘Bishr has been taken from the face of the earth and there is no slave more pious than him.’ So I said, ‘O Prophet of Allah! What is the state of those who speak (falsehood) regarding the Qur’an?’ He said, ‘Upon those is the Curse of Allah.’ Then I heard a response in the air saying, ‘Yes, upon those is the Curse of Allah.’

Muhammad ibn Ishaq: In my dream, I saw as if the Day of Judgement had come and I saw Allah, the Lord of Glory, hearing His speech and seeing only Light. He said, ‘What do you say about the Qur’an?’ I said, ‘(They are) Your Words O Lord of the Worlds.’ So He said, ‘Who has informed you?’ I said, ‘Ahmad ibn Hanbal.’ He said, ‘Ahmad is thiqah (reliable and trustworthy).’ Ahmad was then called and it was said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’an?’ He said, ‘Your Words, O Lord of the Worlds.’ He said, ‘Where did you learn this?’ Ahmad then laid out two papers, on one of them was written ‘(the isnad) Shu’bah from al-Mughirah’ and in the other was written ‘ ‘Ataa from Ibn ‘Abbas’ So Shu’bah was called and Allah jall wa ‘alaa said to him ‘What do you say about the Qur’an?’ He said, ‘Your Words, O Lord of the Worlds.’ He said, ‘Where did you learn this?’ He said, ‘It was narrated to me from ‘Ataa from Ibn ‘Abbas – ‘Ataa wasn’t called – and (instead) Ibn ‘Abbas was called, so Allah Ta’ala said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’an?’ He said, ‘Your Words O Lord of the Worlds.’ He said, ‘Where did you learn this?’ He said, ‘Muhammad the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) has informed us.’ Then the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) was called and Allah Ta’ala said to him, ‘What do you say about the Qur’an?’ He said, ‘Your Words O Lord of the Worlds.’ He said, ‘Who has informed you?’ He said, ‘Jibril, from You.’ Allah Ta’ala then said, ‘You have spoken the truth and they have spoken the truth.’

Abu Bakr al-Marwadhi: ‘A man from Tarsus said to me, ‘One night, I thought about Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal, his patience over being whipped and how he showed strength in that despite his (physical) weakness. Then I wept and (that night), I saw in my sleep as if a voice was calling out saying, ‘So what then, were you to see the Angels in the skies whilst he was being beaten, and they were boasting about him.’ I said, ‘And did the Angels know of Ahmad’s beatings?’ He said, ‘There remains no Angel in the sky except that it has witnessed over him whilst he was beaten.’

‘Ali ibn al-Madini: ‘Allah `azza wa jall has given honour to this Deen by two men, of whom there is no third; Abu Bakr al-Siddiq during the days of al-Ridda (apostasy) and Ahmad ibn Hanbal during the days of al-Mihna (trial).’

Ibn al-Madini (rahimahullah) also said: ‘No-one has stood up for Islam after the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) like Ahmad ibn Hanbal did.’ Al-Maymuni said, ‘O Abal-Hasan! Not even Abu Bakr al-Siddiq?’ He said, ‘Not even Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, because Abu Bakr had helpers and supporters around him.’

Ishaq ibn Rahawayh: ‘I went out with Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his final Hajj and when we reached the end of al-Madinah we were approached by an old man being carried on a stretcher. His eyebrows had drawn over his eyes due to old age and he had tightened over them with a headcloth. There were young and old men around him and someone said: ‘Which of you is Ahmad ibn Hanbal?’ The people pointed their fingers at Ahmad and the man approached him until he stood in front of him. He said, ‘Are you Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal?’ He said, ‘That’s what my mother affirms’ He said, ‘Do you recognise me?’ He said, ‘By Allah, no.’ He said, ‘I am from the sons of ‘Ubayd’Allah ibn Musa ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. I saw in a dream yesterday the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam), Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. They were crossing the canal of Baghdad when the cloak of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) fell from his right shoulder. Then you, O Ahmad rushed forth and brought the cloak until you placed it on the shoulder of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). So the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) turned to you and so did Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (radhiallahu `anhuma) and they said to you, ‘Rejoice, for you are our companion tomorrow in Paradise.’ The old man then said to those who were with Ahmad, ‘The cloak that Ahmad returned to the shoulder of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, which Ahmad will return to the people.’

Out of his humbleness and fear, whenever this incident was mentioned, Imam Ahmad would say, ‘I wish a mountain could come over me and I never heard this!’

Abu ‘Abdillah Muhammad ibn Khuzaymah in Alexandria said:

‘When Ahmad ibn Hanbal died, I fell into a deep sorrow and night came to pass. So I saw him in my dream and he was walking in pride. I said to him, ‘O Abu ‘Abdillah! What is this walk?’ He said, ‘This is the walk of the servants of the Home of Peace (i.e. Paradise).’ I said, ‘What did Allah do to you?’ He said, ‘He has forgiven me and turned to me and adorned me with shoes of gold and He said to me: O Ahmad, all this is for your statements regarding the Qur’an being my Speech.’ Then He said, ‘O Ahmad, call upon Me with the supplications that have reached you from Sufyan al-Thawri which you used to supplicate with in the life of the world.’ So I said: ‘O Lord of everything, by Your Power over everything, do not ask me anything but instead forgive me for everything.’ So He said to me, ‘O Ahmad, this is Paradise. Stand and enter it.’ So I entered it and behold there was Sufyan al-Thawri and he had two green wings flying from one date palm tree to another saying,

‘وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي صَدَقَنَا وَعْدَهُ وَأَوْرَثَنَا الْأَرْضَ نَتَبَوَّأُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ حَيْثُ نَشَاء فَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ’
And they will say: “All the praises and thanks be to Allah Who has fulfilled His Promise to us and has made us inherit this land. We can dwell in Paradise where we will; how excellent a reward for the workers!” [al-Zumar: 74]

So I said, ‘What happened to ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Warraq?’ He said, ‘I have left him in a sea of Light, in a water of light whereby he visits the King of Forgiveness.’ I said, ‘And what happened to Bishr?’ He said, ‘Bakh bakh! And who can be like Bishr? I have left him in front of al-Jalil (Allah Himself), and in front of him is a table filled with food. Allah, the Majestic comes to him and says, ‘Eat, O one who did not eat (in the world)! Drink, O one who did not drink! Enjoy yourself and take delight, O one who did not take delight!’

[Kitab Mihnat Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Maktabat al-Hady al-Muhammadia, pg. 9-24]

Some statements regarding al-Tafakkur (Thought and Contemplation):

Salim ibn Abi al-Ja’d: I asked Umm al-Darda (radhiallahu `anha), ‘What was the best of Abu al-Darda’s deeds?’ She said, ‘al-Tafakkur (contemplation).’

Al-Hasan al-Basri: ‘Contemplation is a mirror that shows you your good and bad deeds.’

Wahb ibn Munabbih: ‘The believer is the one who contemplates, remembers and restrains (himself from evil). He contemplates such that tranquility raises him and he remains calm and peaceful such that it humbles him. He (the believer) was content so he did not fall into distress, he refused his desires so he became free, he cast off jealousy so love became widespread for him and he was ascetic in every temporal thing so his intelligence became complete. His heart is connected to his aspirations and his aspirations overlook his Hereafter. He does not take delight when the people of the world take delight; rather the reality of eternity has saddened him so he remains sad in his life. But when eyes fall asleep, then he takes delight; reciting the Book of Allah Ta’ala and repeating it in his heart – at one point his heart feels fear and at another point, his eyes weep. The night passes him by while he is reciting, and the day passes him by while is in seclusion, pondering over his sins and belittling his good deeds. Such a person will be called on the Day of Judgment in that great gathering at the head of all creation: ‘Stand up O’ noble one and enter Paradise!’

Ibn Abi al-Hawari: I said to Abu Safwan (‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan), ‘Which of these two is better: That a man should go hungry and sit in contemplation or that he should eat and get up to pray?’ He said, ‘That he should (first) eat then get up and contemplate in his prayer is more beloved to me.’ So I told that to Abu Sulayman and he said, ‘He (Abu Safwan) has told the truth. Contemplation during the prayer is better than contemplation outside of the prayer, because contemplation in the prayer is in reality two deeds (combined), and two deeds are better than one.’

Al-Hasan said to Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah: ‘Tafakkur is the key to Mercy. Don’t you see how a person contemplates and consequently repents?!’

Al-Fudhayl: ‘The speech of the believer is wisdom; his silence is contemplation and his vision is a lesson (for him). If you are like that, then you will not cease being in a state of worship.’ Then he read the verse, “I have not created Mankind or Jinn except to worship Me.” [al-Dhariyat: 56]

Ka’b al-Ahbar: ‘Whoever wishes to attain the honour of the Hereafter, let him increase in contemplation for he will then become knowledgeable.’