1 00:00:00,850 --> 00:00:04,150 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 2 00:00:04,150 --> 00:00:09,599 The Life of the Salaf (Early Generations) Between Speech and Action: 3 00:00:09,599 --> 00:00:15,679 Hiding and Concealing Righteous Deeds, 4 00:00:15,679 --> 00:00:20,870 And the Eagerness for Obscurity and Avoiding Prominence and Fame. 5 00:00:20,870 --> 00:00:25,190 On the authority of Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: 6 00:00:25,190 --> 00:00:30,219 "I was present at Khaybar, and I was among those who climbed through the breach in the fortress, 7 00:00:30,219 --> 00:00:33,250 and I fought until my position was clearly seen, 8 00:00:33,549 --> 00:00:35,549 while wearing a red garment. 9 00:00:35,549 --> 00:00:41,649 And I do not know of any sin I committed in Islam that felt graver to me than that—" 10 00:00:41,649 --> 00:00:44,219 meaning, seeking fame. 11 00:00:44,219 --> 00:00:47,219 And 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), 12 00:00:47,219 --> 00:00:50,219 whenever the reinforcement contingents from the people of Yemen came to him, 13 00:00:50,219 --> 00:00:52,219 would ask them, 14 00:00:52,219 --> 00:00:54,219 "Is Uways ibn 'Amir among you?" 15 00:00:54,219 --> 00:00:58,380 until he came upon Uways and asked, 16 00:00:58,380 --> 00:01:00,420 "Are you Uways ibn 'Amir?" 17 00:01:00,420 --> 00:01:02,420 He replied, "Yes." 18 00:01:02,719 --> 00:01:03,719 'Umar asked, 19 00:01:03,719 --> 00:01:06,719 "From Murad, and then from Qaran?" 20 00:01:06,719 --> 00:01:08,879 He replied, "Yes." 21 00:01:08,879 --> 00:01:09,879 'Umar asked, 22 00:01:09,879 --> 00:01:14,879 "Were you afflicted with leprosy and then cured of it, except for the space of a dirham?" 23 00:01:14,879 --> 00:01:16,969 He replied, "Yes." 24 00:01:16,969 --> 00:01:17,969 'Umar asked, 25 00:01:17,969 --> 00:01:19,969 "Do you have a mother?" 26 00:01:19,969 --> 00:01:20,969 He replied, "Yes." 27 00:01:20,969 --> 00:01:22,159 'Umar said: 28 00:01:22,159 --> 00:01:27,159 "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, 29 00:01:27,159 --> 00:01:30,290 'There will come to you Uways ibn 'Amir 30 00:01:30,290 --> 00:01:32,290 with the reinforcement contingents from the people of Yemen, 31 00:01:32,590 --> 00:01:35,590 from Murad, and then from Qaran. 32 00:01:35,590 --> 00:01:40,750 He had leprosy and was cured of it, except for the space of a dirham. 33 00:01:40,750 --> 00:01:43,879 He has a mother to whom he is devotedly dutiful; 34 00:01:43,879 --> 00:01:46,879 if he were to swear an oath by Allah, Allah would fulfill it. 35 00:01:46,879 --> 00:01:51,069 So if you can have him seek forgiveness for you, do so.' 36 00:01:51,069 --> 00:01:53,140 Therefore, pray for forgiveness for me." 37 00:01:53,140 --> 00:01:55,140 So Uways prayed for forgiveness for him. 38 00:01:55,140 --> 00:01:57,230 Then 'Umar asked him, 39 00:01:57,230 --> 00:01:59,230 "Where do you intend to go?" 40 00:01:59,230 --> 00:02:00,230 He replied, 41 00:02:00,230 --> 00:02:02,230 "To Kufa." 42 00:02:02,689 --> 00:02:03,689 'Umar said, 43 00:02:03,689 --> 00:02:06,689 "Shall I not write on your behalf to its governor?" 44 00:02:06,689 --> 00:02:08,689 He replied, 45 00:02:08,689 --> 00:02:13,240 "To be among the obscure, common folk is dearer to me." 46 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:17,240 Bishr ibn Mansur (may Allah have mercy on him) was praying one day, 47 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,240 and he prolonged his prayer. 48 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,240 Then he noticed a man looking at him, 49 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,240 and Bishr realized what was happening. 50 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:26,240 So he said to the man, 51 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,240 "Do not be impressed by what you have seen of me, 52 00:02:29,539 --> 00:02:34,919 for indeed Iblis worshiped Allah alongside the angels for such-and-such an amount of time." 53 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:38,919 And it was mentioned to Muslim ibn Yasar (may Allah have mercy on him) 54 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:40,919 how little he glanced around during prayer, 55 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:42,949 to which he replied, 56 00:02:42,949 --> 00:02:46,560 "And what makes you know where my heart was?" 57 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,560 And on the authority of al-A'mash, who said: 58 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:53,560 "Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (may Allah have mercy on him) used to avoid fame; 59 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,719 he would not sit beside the pillar, 60 00:02:56,719 --> 00:02:59,719 and whenever he was asked about an issue, 61 00:02:59,719 --> 00:03:02,750 he would not add anything beyond answering that specific question. 62 00:03:02,750 --> 00:03:05,750 So I would say to him regarding the matter he was asked about, 63 00:03:05,750 --> 00:03:08,750 'Does it not also entail such-and-such?' 64 00:03:08,750 --> 00:03:10,750 And he would reply, 65 00:03:10,750 --> 00:03:14,300 'He did not ask me about that.'" 66 00:03:14,300 --> 00:03:18,300 Jawab al-Taymi used to tremble whenever Allah was remembered, 67 00:03:18,300 --> 00:03:21,300 so Ibrahim al-Nakha'i said to him, 68 00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:26,330 "If you can control it, then I do not care not to consider you of any account; 69 00:03:26,330 --> 00:03:29,330 and if you cannot control it, 70 00:03:29,330 --> 00:03:32,939 then you have differed from those who were better than you." 71 00:03:32,939 --> 00:03:35,939 Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (may Allah have mercy on him) also said: 72 00:03:35,939 --> 00:03:38,939 "They used not to dislike, whenever they gathered, 73 00:03:38,939 --> 00:03:41,939 that a man should bring forth the finest knowledge he possessed." 74 00:03:41,939 --> 00:03:46,449 Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 75 00:03:46,449 --> 00:03:50,990 "I have been mentioned, and I do not love to be mentioned." 76 00:03:50,990 --> 00:03:52,990 And on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Adham 77 00:03:52,990 --> 00:03:57,090 and Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani (may Allah have mercy on them), who said: 78 00:03:57,090 --> 00:04:01,439 "A servant who loves fame has not been true to Allah." 79 00:04:01,439 --> 00:04:03,439 Al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 80 00:04:03,439 --> 00:04:05,599 "The mark of a sincere person, 81 00:04:05,599 --> 00:04:09,599 who might unconsciously harbor a love for fame, 82 00:04:09,599 --> 00:04:12,599 is that whenever he is rebuked regarding it, 83 00:04:12,599 --> 00:04:15,599 he does not become enraged nor vindicate himself; 84 00:04:15,599 --> 00:04:18,600 rather, he admits it and says, 85 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,600 'May Allah have mercy on the one who points out my faults to me.' 86 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,600 He must not be conceited, oblivious to his own flaws; 87 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,600 indeed, he should not be oblivious to the fact that he is oblivious, 88 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,600 for that is a chronic disease." 89 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:36,079 Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 90 00:04:36,079 --> 00:04:40,079 "I love to know people without them knowing me." 91 00:04:40,079 --> 00:04:42,459 Al-Hasan said: 92 00:04:42,459 --> 00:04:45,459 "I was with 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak 93 00:04:45,459 --> 00:04:47,459 (may Allah have mercy on him) one day, 94 00:04:47,459 --> 00:04:49,459 and we came upon a public watering place 95 00:04:49,459 --> 00:04:52,459 where people were drinking. 96 00:04:52,459 --> 00:04:54,459 So he drew near it to drink, 97 00:04:54,459 --> 00:04:56,459 but the people did not recognize him, 98 00:04:56,459 --> 00:04:58,459 so they crowded him and pushed him aside. 99 00:04:58,459 --> 00:05:01,459 When he came out, he said to me, 100 00:05:01,459 --> 00:05:04,459 'Life is truly nothing other than this'— 101 00:05:04,459 --> 00:05:08,939 meaning, where we are neither recognized nor revered." 102 00:05:08,939 --> 00:05:11,939 'Abdah ibn Sulayman al-Marwazi said: 103 00:05:11,939 --> 00:05:14,939 "We were on an expedition with Ibn al-Mubarak 104 00:05:14,939 --> 00:05:17,939 (may Allah have mercy on him) in Byzantine territory, 105 00:05:17,939 --> 00:05:19,939 and we encountered the enemy. 106 00:05:19,939 --> 00:05:21,939 When the two battle lines met, 107 00:05:21,939 --> 00:05:23,939 a man from the enemy stepped forward 108 00:05:24,939 --> 00:05:26,939 and challenged us to single combat. 109 00:05:26,939 --> 00:05:29,939 A Muslim fighter went out to him, and the enemy killed him; 110 00:05:29,939 --> 00:05:31,939 then another went out, and he killed him too; 111 00:05:31,939 --> 00:05:33,939 then yet another went out, and he killed him as well. 112 00:05:33,939 --> 00:05:36,939 Then the enemy called out again for single combat, 113 00:05:36,939 --> 00:05:38,939 so a man went out to face him, 114 00:05:38,939 --> 00:05:40,939 skirmished with him for an hour, 115 00:05:40,939 --> 00:05:42,939 and then struck him and killed him. 116 00:05:42,939 --> 00:05:44,939 The people rushed toward this Muslim champion, 117 00:05:44,939 --> 00:05:46,939 and when I looked, 118 00:05:46,939 --> 00:05:49,939 there he was: 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, 119 00:05:49,939 --> 00:05:52,939 covering his face with his sleeve. 120 00:05:52,939 --> 00:05:56,009 So I took the edge of his sleeve and pulled it back, 121 00:05:56,009 --> 00:05:58,009 and behold, it was indeed him! 122 00:05:58,009 --> 00:06:00,009 Thereupon he said, 123 00:06:00,009 --> 00:06:02,009 'Are even you, O Abu 'Amr, 124 00:06:02,009 --> 00:06:04,009 among those who expose us?'" 125 00:06:04,009 --> 00:06:06,360 Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyad 126 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,360 (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 127 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,360 "If you are able to remain unknown, then do so. 128 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,360 What harm is it to you if you are not praised? 129 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,360 And what harm is it to you to be blameworthy 130 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,360 in the eyes of people, 131 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,360 as long as you are praiseworthy in the sight of Allah?" 132 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:24,970 And on the authority of Sahnun (may Allah have mercy on him), 133 00:06:24,970 --> 00:06:25,970 who said: 134 00:06:25,970 --> 00:06:28,029 "Some of those who came before 135 00:06:28,029 --> 00:06:31,029 would wish to utter a beneficial word, 136 00:06:31,029 --> 00:06:33,029 and had they uttered it, 137 00:06:33,029 --> 00:06:36,029 a vast multitude of people would have benefited from it, 138 00:06:36,029 --> 00:06:38,029 yet they would withhold it and not speak it, 139 00:06:38,029 --> 00:06:41,639 out of fear of ostentation." 140 00:06:41,639 --> 00:06:44,639 And Abu al-'Aliyah (may Allah have mercy on him), 141 00:06:44,639 --> 00:06:47,639 whenever more than four people sat around him, 142 00:06:47,639 --> 00:06:50,060 would stand up and leave them. 143 00:06:50,060 --> 00:06:53,060 Bishr ibn al-Harith (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 144 00:06:53,060 --> 00:06:56,060 "A man who loves to be recognized by people 145 00:06:56,060 --> 00:06:59,060 will never taste the sweetness of the Hereafter." 146 00:06:59,060 --> 00:07:02,339 And on the authority of al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him), 147 00:07:02,339 --> 00:07:03,339 who said: 148 00:07:03,339 --> 00:07:06,339 "A man might be deeply versed in fiqh, 149 00:07:06,339 --> 00:07:08,410 sitting among a gathering of people, 150 00:07:08,410 --> 00:07:11,410 such that some of them would think he was tongue-tied, 151 00:07:11,410 --> 00:07:14,410 yet he had no impediment in speech at all; 152 00:07:14,410 --> 00:07:17,759 it was only his aversion to becoming famous." 153 00:07:17,759 --> 00:07:19,759 And he (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 154 00:07:19,759 --> 00:07:22,819 "A man might have memorized the entirety of the Qur'an 155 00:07:22,819 --> 00:07:25,860 without his neighbor ever realizing it; 156 00:07:25,860 --> 00:07:28,860 and a man might have acquired vast knowledge of fiqh 157 00:07:28,860 --> 00:07:31,860 without the people being aware of it; 158 00:07:31,860 --> 00:07:33,860 and a man would perform 159 00:07:33,860 --> 00:07:36,860 long prayers in his home 160 00:07:36,860 --> 00:07:39,860 while having guests who did not even notice him. 161 00:07:39,860 --> 00:07:42,920 Indeed, we met generations of people 162 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,920 for whom there was no deed upon the face of the earth 163 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,920 that they were able to perform in secret 164 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,949 which they would ever perform openly. 165 00:07:51,949 --> 00:07:54,949 The Muslims used to strive diligently in supplication, 166 00:07:54,949 --> 00:07:57,949 yet not a sound would be heard from them; 167 00:07:57,949 --> 00:08:02,949 it was nothing but a whisper between them and their Lord, Mighty and Majestic. 168 00:08:02,949 --> 00:08:05,949 That is because Allah the Exalted says: 169 00:08:05,949 --> 00:08:09,949 'Call upon your Lord in humility and in secret.' 170 00:08:09,949 --> 00:08:14,050 And it is because Allah the Exalted mentioned a righteous servant, 171 00:08:14,050 --> 00:08:17,050 pleased with his speech, saying: 172 00:08:17,050 --> 00:08:21,050 'When he called upon his Lord, a call in secret.'" 173 00:08:21,050 --> 00:08:24,459 Al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 174 00:08:24,459 --> 00:08:28,459 "I would love for mankind to learn this knowledge from me 175 00:08:28,459 --> 00:08:31,459 without any part of it being attributed to me." 176 00:08:31,459 --> 00:08:34,850 And on the authority of Hassan ibn 'Atiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), 177 00:08:34,850 --> 00:08:39,850 who said: "A man's prayer in the presence of his family is among secret deeds." 178 00:08:39,850 --> 00:08:43,330 Ibn al-Mubarrid (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 179 00:08:43,330 --> 00:08:47,360 "I was informed on the authority of Judge 'Ala' al-Din ibn al-Lahham, 180 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,360 that he said (may Allah have mercy on him): 181 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,360 'The Shaykh— 182 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,360 meaning al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him)—once discussed 183 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,360 an issue with us and elaborated on it at great length, 184 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,360 and I was amazed by that and by his masterful grasp of it. 185 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:07,360 Later, that very issue came up in a gathering of leading scholars of the legal schools and others, 186 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:11,360 yet he did not utter a single word regarding it. 187 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,490 So when he stood up to leave, I said to him, 188 00:09:14,490 --> 00:09:18,549 "Did you not speak on that very topic with such profound words before?" 189 00:09:18,549 --> 00:09:23,679 He replied, "I only speak where I hope for Allah's reward, 190 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:27,679 and I feared speaking in this assembly."'" 191 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:32,730 Concealing Righteous Deeds: 192 00:09:32,730 --> 00:09:37,590 Al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 193 00:09:37,590 --> 00:09:42,659 "Whoever among you is able to have a hidden stash of righteous deeds, 194 00:09:42,659 --> 00:09:43,659 let him do so." 195 00:09:43,659 --> 00:09:49,169 Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) wept during his prayer, 196 00:09:49,169 --> 00:09:54,169 and when he finished, he turned around and saw a man behind him, 197 00:09:54,169 --> 00:09:58,169 so he said: "Do not inform anyone of this." 198 00:09:58,169 --> 00:10:02,519 And 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 199 00:10:02,519 --> 00:10:05,549 "When it is the day of fasting for one of you, 200 00:10:05,549 --> 00:10:08,549 let him awaken in the morning with his hair oiled and combed." 201 00:10:08,549 --> 00:10:14,000 And on the authority of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: 202 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:18,000 "We went out with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on an expedition, 203 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,000 and we were a group of six men, 204 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,000 sharing a single camel that we took turns riding. 205 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:25,000 Eventually, our feet became blistered and worn, 206 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,000 and my own feet became ulcerated, 207 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,000 and my toenails fell off, 208 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:33,000 so we would wrap rags around our feet; 209 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:36,059 and thus it was named the Expedition of Dhat al-Riqa' (the Expedition of the Rags), 210 00:10:36,059 --> 00:10:40,059 because of the strips of cloth we bound around our feet." 211 00:10:40,059 --> 00:10:42,220 Abu Burdah said: 212 00:10:42,220 --> 00:10:45,220 "Abu Musa narrated this hadith, 213 00:10:45,220 --> 00:10:47,220 but then he disliked having done so, 214 00:10:47,220 --> 00:10:49,220 and said: 215 00:10:49,220 --> 00:10:52,220 'Why did I ever mention it?!' 216 00:10:52,220 --> 00:10:56,220 as though he hated that any of his deeds should be disclosed." 217 00:10:56,220 --> 00:10:59,740 And Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) came upon 218 00:10:59,740 --> 00:11:01,740 a man in the mosque 219 00:11:01,740 --> 00:11:04,740 who was prostrating and weeping profusely in his prostration 220 00:11:04,740 --> 00:11:06,769 while supplicating to his Lord. 221 00:11:06,769 --> 00:11:08,769 Thereupon, Abu Umamah said: 222 00:11:08,769 --> 00:11:12,769 "What a wonderful thing this would be—if only it were done in your home!" 223 00:11:12,769 --> 00:11:16,019 And whenever 'Umar ibn Qays (may Allah have mercy on him) 224 00:11:16,019 --> 00:11:21,019 was overcome with weeping and emotional softness, he would turn his face toward the wall 225 00:11:21,019 --> 00:11:23,019 and say to his companions: 226 00:11:23,019 --> 00:11:25,019 "How terrible is this cold!" 227 00:11:25,019 --> 00:11:31,440 And Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani (may Allah have mercy on him) used to pray throughout the night in secret; 228 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:35,440 then, shortly before dawn, he would raise his voice, 229 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:38,440 as if he had only just awakened at that very moment. 230 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:41,860 And Ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him), 231 00:11:41,860 --> 00:11:45,860 whenever he felt deeply moved and feared that it would show, 232 00:11:45,860 --> 00:11:47,860 would stand up and leave, 233 00:11:47,860 --> 00:11:51,240 or he might deliberately start narrating another hadith. 234 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:55,240 And Hassan ibn Abi Sinan (may Allah have mercy on him) 235 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:59,240 used to attend the gatherings at the mosque of Malik ibn Dinar (may Allah have mercy on him), 236 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:01,240 and whenever Malik spoke, 237 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:05,240 Hassan would weep until he soaked the ground before him, 238 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:07,240 yet not a single sound could be heard from him. 239 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,779 And Muhammad ibn Wasi' (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 240 00:12:11,779 --> 00:12:13,779 "I have known men 241 00:12:13,779 --> 00:12:19,779 whose heads would rest alongside their wives' heads on the very same pillow, 242 00:12:19,779 --> 00:12:22,779 soaking whatever was beneath their cheeks with tears, 243 00:12:22,779 --> 00:12:25,820 without their wives even realizing it! 244 00:12:25,820 --> 00:12:27,820 And I have indeed known men 245 00:12:27,820 --> 00:12:29,820 who would stand in the prayer row, 246 00:12:29,820 --> 00:12:32,820 with tears flowing down their cheeks, 247 00:12:32,820 --> 00:12:37,299 while the person standing right next to them noticed nothing at all." 248 00:12:37,299 --> 00:12:41,299 And a man entered upon Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (may Allah have mercy on him) 249 00:12:41,299 --> 00:12:43,299 while he was reciting from the mushaf, 250 00:12:43,299 --> 00:12:45,299 so Ibrahim covered it up and said: 251 00:12:45,299 --> 00:12:50,779 "Let this person not think that I am reading from it at all hours." 252 00:12:50,779 --> 00:12:55,779 And on the authority of Abu Hazim and Bishr ibn al-Harith (may Allah have mercy on them), who said: 253 00:12:55,779 --> 00:12:59,779 "Conceal your good deeds just as you conceal your evil deeds." 254 00:12:59,779 --> 00:13:05,129 And on the authority of 'Abdullah ibn Dawud al-Khuraybi (may Allah have mercy on him), who said: 255 00:13:05,129 --> 00:13:11,129 "They used to love for a man to have a hidden reservoir of righteous deeds 256 00:13:11,129 --> 00:13:15,539 known neither to his wife nor to anyone else." 257 00:13:15,539 --> 00:13:19,539 And on the authority of al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him), who said: 258 00:13:19,539 --> 00:13:22,539 "A man would be sitting in a gathering, 259 00:13:22,539 --> 00:13:26,539 and tears would well up in him, but he would hold them back; 260 00:13:26,539 --> 00:13:29,539 and if he feared that they would overpower him, he would stand up and leave." 261 00:13:29,539 --> 00:13:32,899 He (may Allah have mercy on him) also said: 262 00:13:32,899 --> 00:13:36,899 "O son of Adam, you possess both words and actions, 263 00:13:36,899 --> 00:13:39,899 as well as a private inner state and a public outward state; 264 00:13:39,899 --> 00:13:42,899 and your actions are more defining of you than your words, 265 00:13:42,899 --> 00:13:45,899 just as your secret life is more defining of you than your public life." 266 00:13:45,899 --> 00:13:53,139 Beware of feigning asceticism, obscurity, and righteous deeds. 267 00:13:53,139 --> 00:13:58,799 On the authority of 'Alqamah (may Allah have mercy on him), who said: 268 00:13:58,799 --> 00:14:02,799 "We were in the presence of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), 269 00:14:02,799 --> 00:14:04,799 when a drink was brought to him, 270 00:14:04,799 --> 00:14:07,799 so he said: 'Serve the people.' 271 00:14:07,799 --> 00:14:10,799 They said: 'We are fasting.' 272 00:14:10,799 --> 00:14:12,799 Thereupon, he said: 273 00:14:12,799 --> 00:14:14,799 'As for me, I am not fasting,' 274 00:14:14,799 --> 00:14:16,860 and then he drank." 275 00:14:16,860 --> 00:14:21,860 “Men whom neither merchandise nor sale beguileth from remembrance of Allah and constancy in prayer and paying to the poor their due; who fear a day when hearts and eyeballs will be overturned;” (24:37) 276 00:14:21,860 --> 00:14:26,570 And 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 277 00:14:26,570 --> 00:14:30,570 "Be fond of obscurity out of a genuine aversion to fame, 278 00:14:30,570 --> 00:14:34,570 but do not display to others that you love obscurity, 279 00:14:34,570 --> 00:14:36,629 for you would thereby be exalting yourself; 280 00:14:36,629 --> 00:14:39,629 indeed, claiming asceticism stems from your ego, 281 00:14:40,629 --> 00:14:46,179 because you are subtly drawing praise and adulation to yourself." 282 00:14:46,179 --> 00:14:49,179 And Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 283 00:14:49,179 --> 00:14:52,179 "Let a man fear Allah; 284 00:14:52,179 --> 00:14:57,179 and if he chooses asceticism, let him not make his asceticism a torment for the people, 285 00:14:57,179 --> 00:15:01,179 for a man concealing his asceticism is far better than publicly proclaiming it."