WEBVTT 00:00:00.850 --> 00:00:04.150 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 00:00:04.150 --> 00:00:09.599 The Life of the Salaf (Early Generations) Between Speech and Action: 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:15.679 Hiding and Concealing Righteous Deeds, 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:20.870 And the Eagerness for Obscurity and Avoiding Prominence and Fame. 00:00:20.870 --> 00:00:25.190 On the authority of Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: 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, 00:00:30.219 --> 00:00:33.250 and I fought until my position was clearly seen, 00:00:33.549 --> 00:00:35.549 while wearing a red garment. 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—" 00:00:41.649 --> 00:00:44.219 meaning, seeking fame. 00:00:44.219 --> 00:00:47.219 And 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), 00:00:47.219 --> 00:00:50.219 whenever the reinforcement contingents from the people of Yemen came to him, 00:00:50.219 --> 00:00:52.219 would ask them, 00:00:52.219 --> 00:00:54.219 "Is Uways ibn 'Amir among you?" 00:00:54.219 --> 00:00:58.380 until he came upon Uways and asked, 00:00:58.380 --> 00:01:00.420 "Are you Uways ibn 'Amir?" 00:01:00.420 --> 00:01:02.420 He replied, "Yes." 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:03.719 'Umar asked, 00:01:03.719 --> 00:01:06.719 "From Murad, and then from Qaran?" 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:08.879 He replied, "Yes." 00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:09.879 'Umar asked, 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?" 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:16.969 He replied, "Yes." 00:01:16.969 --> 00:01:17.969 'Umar asked, 00:01:17.969 --> 00:01:19.969 "Do you have a mother?" 00:01:19.969 --> 00:01:20.969 He replied, "Yes." 00:01:20.969 --> 00:01:22.159 'Umar said: 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:27.159 "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say, 00:01:27.159 --> 00:01:30.290 'There will come to you Uways ibn 'Amir 00:01:30.290 --> 00:01:32.290 with the reinforcement contingents from the people of Yemen, 00:01:32.590 --> 00:01:35.590 from Murad, and then from Qaran. 00:01:35.590 --> 00:01:40.750 He had leprosy and was cured of it, except for the space of a dirham. 00:01:40.750 --> 00:01:43.879 He has a mother to whom he is devotedly dutiful; 00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:46.879 if he were to swear an oath by Allah, Allah would fulfill it. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:51.069 So if you can have him seek forgiveness for you, do so.' 00:01:51.069 --> 00:01:53.140 Therefore, pray for forgiveness for me." 00:01:53.140 --> 00:01:55.140 So Uways prayed for forgiveness for him. 00:01:55.140 --> 00:01:57.230 Then 'Umar asked him, 00:01:57.230 --> 00:01:59.230 "Where do you intend to go?" 00:01:59.230 --> 00:02:00.230 He replied, 00:02:00.230 --> 00:02:02.230 "To Kufa." 00:02:02.689 --> 00:02:03.689 'Umar said, 00:02:03.689 --> 00:02:06.689 "Shall I not write on your behalf to its governor?" 00:02:06.689 --> 00:02:08.689 He replied, 00:02:08.689 --> 00:02:13.240 "To be among the obscure, common folk is dearer to me." 00:02:13.240 --> 00:02:17.240 Bishr ibn Mansur (may Allah have mercy on him) was praying one day, 00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:19.240 and he prolonged his prayer. 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:22.240 Then he noticed a man looking at him, 00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:24.240 and Bishr realized what was happening. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:26.240 So he said to the man, 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:29.240 "Do not be impressed by what you have seen of me, 00:02:29.539 --> 00:02:34.919 for indeed Iblis worshiped Allah alongside the angels for such-and-such an amount of time." 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:38.919 And it was mentioned to Muslim ibn Yasar (may Allah have mercy on him) 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:40.919 how little he glanced around during prayer, 00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:42.949 to which he replied, 00:02:42.949 --> 00:02:46.560 "And what makes you know where my heart was?" 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:48.560 And on the authority of al-A'mash, who said: 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:53.560 "Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (may Allah have mercy on him) used to avoid fame; 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:56.719 he would not sit beside the pillar, 00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:59.719 and whenever he was asked about an issue, 00:02:59.719 --> 00:03:02.750 he would not add anything beyond answering that specific question. 00:03:02.750 --> 00:03:05.750 So I would say to him regarding the matter he was asked about, 00:03:05.750 --> 00:03:08.750 'Does it not also entail such-and-such?' 00:03:08.750 --> 00:03:10.750 And he would reply, 00:03:10.750 --> 00:03:14.300 'He did not ask me about that.'" 00:03:14.300 --> 00:03:18.300 Jawab al-Taymi used to tremble whenever Allah was remembered, 00:03:18.300 --> 00:03:21.300 so Ibrahim al-Nakha'i said to him, 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; 00:03:26.330 --> 00:03:29.330 and if you cannot control it, 00:03:29.330 --> 00:03:32.939 then you have differed from those who were better than you." 00:03:32.939 --> 00:03:35.939 Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (may Allah have mercy on him) also said: 00:03:35.939 --> 00:03:38.939 "They used not to dislike, whenever they gathered, 00:03:38.939 --> 00:03:41.939 that a man should bring forth the finest knowledge he possessed." 00:03:41.939 --> 00:03:46.449 Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:03:46.449 --> 00:03:50.990 "I have been mentioned, and I do not love to be mentioned." 00:03:50.990 --> 00:03:52.990 And on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Adham 00:03:52.990 --> 00:03:57.090 and Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani (may Allah have mercy on them), who said: 00:03:57.090 --> 00:04:01.439 "A servant who loves fame has not been true to Allah." 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:03.439 Al-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:05.599 "The mark of a sincere person, 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:09.599 who might unconsciously harbor a love for fame, 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:12.599 is that whenever he is rebuked regarding it, 00:04:12.599 --> 00:04:15.599 he does not become enraged nor vindicate himself; 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:18.600 rather, he admits it and says, 00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:22.600 'May Allah have mercy on the one who points out my faults to me.' 00:04:22.600 --> 00:04:26.600 He must not be conceited, oblivious to his own flaws; 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:29.600 indeed, he should not be oblivious to the fact that he is oblivious, 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:32.600 for that is a chronic disease." 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:36.079 Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:40.079 "I love to know people without them knowing me." 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:42.459 Al-Hasan said: 00:04:42.459 --> 00:04:45.459 "I was with 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak 00:04:45.459 --> 00:04:47.459 (may Allah have mercy on him) one day, 00:04:47.459 --> 00:04:49.459 and we came upon a public watering place 00:04:49.459 --> 00:04:52.459 where people were drinking. 00:04:52.459 --> 00:04:54.459 So he drew near it to drink, 00:04:54.459 --> 00:04:56.459 but the people did not recognize him, 00:04:56.459 --> 00:04:58.459 so they crowded him and pushed him aside. 00:04:58.459 --> 00:05:01.459 When he came out, he said to me, 00:05:01.459 --> 00:05:04.459 'Life is truly nothing other than this'— 00:05:04.459 --> 00:05:08.939 meaning, where we are neither recognized nor revered." 00:05:08.939 --> 00:05:11.939 'Abdah ibn Sulayman al-Marwazi said: 00:05:11.939 --> 00:05:14.939 "We were on an expedition with Ibn al-Mubarak 00:05:14.939 --> 00:05:17.939 (may Allah have mercy on him) in Byzantine territory, 00:05:17.939 --> 00:05:19.939 and we encountered the enemy. 00:05:19.939 --> 00:05:21.939 When the two battle lines met, 00:05:21.939 --> 00:05:23.939 a man from the enemy stepped forward 00:05:24.939 --> 00:05:26.939 and challenged us to single combat. 00:05:26.939 --> 00:05:29.939 A Muslim fighter went out to him, and the enemy killed him; 00:05:29.939 --> 00:05:31.939 then another went out, and he killed him too; 00:05:31.939 --> 00:05:33.939 then yet another went out, and he killed him as well. 00:05:33.939 --> 00:05:36.939 Then the enemy called out again for single combat, 00:05:36.939 --> 00:05:38.939 so a man went out to face him, 00:05:38.939 --> 00:05:40.939 skirmished with him for an hour, 00:05:40.939 --> 00:05:42.939 and then struck him and killed him. 00:05:42.939 --> 00:05:44.939 The people rushed toward this Muslim champion, 00:05:44.939 --> 00:05:46.939 and when I looked, 00:05:46.939 --> 00:05:49.939 there he was: 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak, 00:05:49.939 --> 00:05:52.939 covering his face with his sleeve. 00:05:52.939 --> 00:05:56.009 So I took the edge of his sleeve and pulled it back, 00:05:56.009 --> 00:05:58.009 and behold, it was indeed him! 00:05:58.009 --> 00:06:00.009 Thereupon he said, 00:06:00.009 --> 00:06:02.009 'Are even you, O Abu 'Amr, 00:06:02.009 --> 00:06:04.009 among those who expose us?'" 00:06:04.009 --> 00:06:06.360 Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyad 00:06:06.360 --> 00:06:08.360 (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:11.360 "If you are able to remain unknown, then do so. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:14.360 What harm is it to you if you are not praised? 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:17.360 And what harm is it to you to be blameworthy 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:19.360 in the eyes of people, 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:22.360 as long as you are praiseworthy in the sight of Allah?" 00:06:22.360 --> 00:06:24.970 And on the authority of Sahnun (may Allah have mercy on him), 00:06:24.970 --> 00:06:25.970 who said: 00:06:25.970 --> 00:06:28.029 "Some of those who came before 00:06:28.029 --> 00:06:31.029 would wish to utter a beneficial word, 00:06:31.029 --> 00:06:33.029 and had they uttered it, 00:06:33.029 --> 00:06:36.029 a vast multitude of people would have benefited from it, 00:06:36.029 --> 00:06:38.029 yet they would withhold it and not speak it, 00:06:38.029 --> 00:06:41.639 out of fear of ostentation." 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:44.639 And Abu al-'Aliyah (may Allah have mercy on him), 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.639 whenever more than four people sat around him, 00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:50.060 would stand up and leave them. 00:06:50.060 --> 00:06:53.060 Bishr ibn al-Harith (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:06:53.060 --> 00:06:56.060 "A man who loves to be recognized by people 00:06:56.060 --> 00:06:59.060 will never taste the sweetness of the Hereafter." 00:06:59.060 --> 00:07:02.339 And on the authority of al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him), 00:07:02.339 --> 00:07:03.339 who said: 00:07:03.339 --> 00:07:06.339 "A man might be deeply versed in fiqh, 00:07:06.339 --> 00:07:08.410 sitting among a gathering of people, 00:07:08.410 --> 00:07:11.410 such that some of them would think he was tongue-tied, 00:07:11.410 --> 00:07:14.410 yet he had no impediment in speech at all; 00:07:14.410 --> 00:07:17.759 it was only his aversion to becoming famous." 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:19.759 And he (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:22.819 "A man might have memorized the entirety of the Qur'an 00:07:22.819 --> 00:07:25.860 without his neighbor ever realizing it; 00:07:25.860 --> 00:07:28.860 and a man might have acquired vast knowledge of fiqh 00:07:28.860 --> 00:07:31.860 without the people being aware of it; 00:07:31.860 --> 00:07:33.860 and a man would perform 00:07:33.860 --> 00:07:36.860 long prayers in his home 00:07:36.860 --> 00:07:39.860 while having guests who did not even notice him. 00:07:39.860 --> 00:07:42.920 Indeed, we met generations of people 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:45.920 for whom there was no deed upon the face of the earth 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:48.920 that they were able to perform in secret 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:51.949 which they would ever perform openly. 00:07:51.949 --> 00:07:54.949 The Muslims used to strive diligently in supplication, 00:07:54.949 --> 00:07:57.949 yet not a sound would be heard from them; 00:07:57.949 --> 00:08:02.949 it was nothing but a whisper between them and their Lord, Mighty and Majestic. 00:08:02.949 --> 00:08:05.949 That is because Allah the Exalted says: 00:08:05.949 --> 00:08:09.949 'Call upon your Lord in humility and in secret.' 00:08:09.949 --> 00:08:14.050 And it is because Allah the Exalted mentioned a righteous servant, 00:08:14.050 --> 00:08:17.050 pleased with his speech, saying: 00:08:17.050 --> 00:08:21.050 'When he called upon his Lord, a call in secret.'" 00:08:21.050 --> 00:08:24.459 Al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:08:24.459 --> 00:08:28.459 "I would love for mankind to learn this knowledge from me 00:08:28.459 --> 00:08:31.459 without any part of it being attributed to me." 00:08:31.459 --> 00:08:34.850 And on the authority of Hassan ibn 'Atiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), 00:08:34.850 --> 00:08:39.850 who said: "A man's prayer in the presence of his family is among secret deeds." 00:08:39.850 --> 00:08:43.330 Ibn al-Mubarrid (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:08:43.330 --> 00:08:47.360 "I was informed on the authority of Judge 'Ala' al-Din ibn al-Lahham, 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:49.360 that he said (may Allah have mercy on him): 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:52.360 'The Shaykh— 00:08:52.360 --> 00:08:55.360 meaning al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him)—once discussed 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.360 an issue with us and elaborated on it at great length, 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:02.360 and I was amazed by that and by his masterful grasp of it. 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, 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:11.360 yet he did not utter a single word regarding it. 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:14.490 So when he stood up to leave, I said to him, 00:09:14.490 --> 00:09:18.549 "Did you not speak on that very topic with such profound words before?" 00:09:18.549 --> 00:09:23.679 He replied, "I only speak where I hope for Allah's reward, 00:09:23.679 --> 00:09:27.679 and I feared speaking in this assembly."'" 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:32.730 Concealing Righteous Deeds: 00:09:32.730 --> 00:09:37.590 Al-Zubayr ibn al-'Awwam (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 00:09:37.590 --> 00:09:42.659 "Whoever among you is able to have a hidden stash of righteous deeds, 00:09:42.659 --> 00:09:43.659 let him do so." 00:09:43.659 --> 00:09:49.169 Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) wept during his prayer, 00:09:49.169 --> 00:09:54.169 and when he finished, he turned around and saw a man behind him, 00:09:54.169 --> 00:09:58.169 so he said: "Do not inform anyone of this." 00:09:58.169 --> 00:10:02.519 And 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:05.549 "When it is the day of fasting for one of you, 00:10:05.549 --> 00:10:08.549 let him awaken in the morning with his hair oiled and combed." 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: 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, 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:20.000 and we were a group of six men, 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:23.000 sharing a single camel that we took turns riding. 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:25.000 Eventually, our feet became blistered and worn, 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:27.000 and my own feet became ulcerated, 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:29.000 and my toenails fell off, 00:10:29.000 --> 00:10:33.000 so we would wrap rags around our feet; 00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:36.059 and thus it was named the Expedition of Dhat al-Riqa' (the Expedition of the Rags), 00:10:36.059 --> 00:10:40.059 because of the strips of cloth we bound around our feet." 00:10:40.059 --> 00:10:42.220 Abu Burdah said: 00:10:42.220 --> 00:10:45.220 "Abu Musa narrated this hadith, 00:10:45.220 --> 00:10:47.220 but then he disliked having done so, 00:10:47.220 --> 00:10:49.220 and said: 00:10:49.220 --> 00:10:52.220 'Why did I ever mention it?!' 00:10:52.220 --> 00:10:56.220 as though he hated that any of his deeds should be disclosed." 00:10:56.220 --> 00:10:59.740 And Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) came upon 00:10:59.740 --> 00:11:01.740 a man in the mosque 00:11:01.740 --> 00:11:04.740 who was prostrating and weeping profusely in his prostration 00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:06.769 while supplicating to his Lord. 00:11:06.769 --> 00:11:08.769 Thereupon, Abu Umamah said: 00:11:08.769 --> 00:11:12.769 "What a wonderful thing this would be—if only it were done in your home!" 00:11:12.769 --> 00:11:16.019 And whenever 'Umar ibn Qays (may Allah have mercy on him) 00:11:16.019 --> 00:11:21.019 was overcome with weeping and emotional softness, he would turn his face toward the wall 00:11:21.019 --> 00:11:23.019 and say to his companions: 00:11:23.019 --> 00:11:25.019 "How terrible is this cold!" 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; 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:35.440 then, shortly before dawn, he would raise his voice, 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:38.440 as if he had only just awakened at that very moment. 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:41.860 And Ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him), 00:11:41.860 --> 00:11:45.860 whenever he felt deeply moved and feared that it would show, 00:11:45.860 --> 00:11:47.860 would stand up and leave, 00:11:47.860 --> 00:11:51.240 or he might deliberately start narrating another hadith. 00:11:51.240 --> 00:11:55.240 And Hassan ibn Abi Sinan (may Allah have mercy on him) 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), 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:01.240 and whenever Malik spoke, 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:05.240 Hassan would weep until he soaked the ground before him, 00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:07.240 yet not a single sound could be heard from him. 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:11.779 And Muhammad ibn Wasi' (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:12:11.779 --> 00:12:13.779 "I have known men 00:12:13.779 --> 00:12:19.779 whose heads would rest alongside their wives' heads on the very same pillow, 00:12:19.779 --> 00:12:22.779 soaking whatever was beneath their cheeks with tears, 00:12:22.779 --> 00:12:25.820 without their wives even realizing it! 00:12:25.820 --> 00:12:27.820 And I have indeed known men 00:12:27.820 --> 00:12:29.820 who would stand in the prayer row, 00:12:29.820 --> 00:12:32.820 with tears flowing down their cheeks, 00:12:32.820 --> 00:12:37.299 while the person standing right next to them noticed nothing at all." 00:12:37.299 --> 00:12:41.299 And a man entered upon Ibrahim al-Nakha'i (may Allah have mercy on him) 00:12:41.299 --> 00:12:43.299 while he was reciting from the mushaf, 00:12:43.299 --> 00:12:45.299 so Ibrahim covered it up and said: 00:12:45.299 --> 00:12:50.779 "Let this person not think that I am reading from it at all hours." 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: 00:12:55.779 --> 00:12:59.779 "Conceal your good deeds just as you conceal your evil deeds." 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: 00:13:05.129 --> 00:13:11.129 "They used to love for a man to have a hidden reservoir of righteous deeds 00:13:11.129 --> 00:13:15.539 known neither to his wife nor to anyone else." 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: 00:13:19.539 --> 00:13:22.539 "A man would be sitting in a gathering, 00:13:22.539 --> 00:13:26.539 and tears would well up in him, but he would hold them back; 00:13:26.539 --> 00:13:29.539 and if he feared that they would overpower him, he would stand up and leave." 00:13:29.539 --> 00:13:32.899 He (may Allah have mercy on him) also said: 00:13:32.899 --> 00:13:36.899 "O son of Adam, you possess both words and actions, 00:13:36.899 --> 00:13:39.899 as well as a private inner state and a public outward state; 00:13:39.899 --> 00:13:42.899 and your actions are more defining of you than your words, 00:13:42.899 --> 00:13:45.899 just as your secret life is more defining of you than your public life." 00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:53.139 Beware of feigning asceticism, obscurity, and righteous deeds. 00:13:53.139 --> 00:13:58.799 On the authority of 'Alqamah (may Allah have mercy on him), who said: 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:02.799 "We were in the presence of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:04.799 when a drink was brought to him, 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:07.799 so he said: 'Serve the people.' 00:14:07.799 --> 00:14:10.799 They said: 'We are fasting.' 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:12.799 Thereupon, he said: 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:14.799 'As for me, I am not fasting,' 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:16.860 and then he drank." 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) 00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:26.570 And 'Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:14:26.570 --> 00:14:30.570 "Be fond of obscurity out of a genuine aversion to fame, 00:14:30.570 --> 00:14:34.570 but do not display to others that you love obscurity, 00:14:34.570 --> 00:14:36.629 for you would thereby be exalting yourself; 00:14:36.629 --> 00:14:39.629 indeed, claiming asceticism stems from your ego, 00:14:40.629 --> 00:14:46.179 because you are subtly drawing praise and adulation to yourself." 00:14:46.179 --> 00:14:49.179 And Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 00:14:49.179 --> 00:14:52.179 "Let a man fear Allah; 00:14:52.179 --> 00:14:57.179 and if he chooses asceticism, let him not make his asceticism a torment for the people, 00:14:57.179 --> 00:15:01.179 for a man concealing his asceticism is far better than publicly proclaiming it."