Part of Glimpses from the Lives of the Tabi‘un (the Successors) (series completed)
· Lesson 7 of 37
Pictures from the lives of the followers | D. Abdul Rahman Raafat Al-Basha | Episode (7) | Al-Hasan Al-Basri, may God have mercy on him
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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The best of generations in stances and exemplary deeds,
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Following the Messenger whenever he strove or spoke.
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Mawaddah Association
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Presents:
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Portraits from the Lives of the Tabi'un,
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By Dr. Abd al-Rahman Ra'fat al-Basha,
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May Allah have mercy on him.
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Al-Hasan al-Basri,
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May Allah have mercy on him.
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The bearer of glad tidings arrived to give the good news to the Prophet's wife, Umm Salamah,
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That her freedwoman, Khayrah,
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Had given birth and been delivered of a baby boy.
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Joy overwhelmed the heart of the Mother of the Believers, may Allah be pleased with her,
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And delight overflowed upon her noble and dignified face.
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She promptly dispatched a messenger to bring the mother and her newborn to her,
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So that she might spend her post-natal recovery in her house.
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For Khayrah was deeply cherished by Umm Salamah,
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Dearly beloved to her heart,
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And she was eager and longing to see her firstborn child.
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It was not long
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Before Khayrah arrived, carrying her infant in her arms.
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When Umm Salamah laid eyes upon the child,
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Her soul was filled with delight in him and deep contentment.
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For the newborn infant was handsome and graceful,
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Of radiant countenance and perfect form,
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Captivating the eye of whoever beheld him and winning over the heart of anyone who saw him.
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Umm Salamah then turned to her freedwoman and asked,
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"Have you named your boy, Khayrah?"
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She replied, "No, dear Mother,
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I left that to you, so that you may choose whatever name you wish for him."
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She said, "With Allah’s blessing, we shall name him al-Hasan."
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Then she raised her hands and prayed for him with righteous supplications.
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But the joy over al-Hasan
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Was not confined solely to the household of the Mother of the Believers, Umm Salamah, may Allah be pleased with her;
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Rather, another household of Medina shared in it as well.
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It was the household of the eminent Companion Zayd ibn Thabit,
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The scribe of the revelation of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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For Yasar, the boy's father, was a freedman of his as well,
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And was among the most favored and beloved of people to him.
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Al-Hasan ibn Yasar—who would later be known as al-Hasan al-Basri—grew up
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In one of the households of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
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And was raised in the care of one of the wives of the Prophet, peace be upon him:
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Hind bint Suhayl, known as Umm Salamah.
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And Umm Salamah, if you do not know,
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Was among the most intellectually sound of Arab women,
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Abundant in virtue, and of the most resolute determination.
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She was also among the most knowledgeable of the noble Prophet's wives, peace be upon him,
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And one of the most prolific in narrating from him,
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Having narrated 387 hadiths from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
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In addition to all of that,
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She was one of the few rare women who could write during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance.
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The fortunate boy's connection with the Mother of the Believers, Umm Salamah, did not stop at this,
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But rather extended far beyond it.
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For Khayrah, the mother of al-Hasan, would often
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Leave the house to attend to some of the Mother of the Believers' needs,
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And the nursing infant would cry out of hunger,
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His weeping growing intense.
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So Umm Salamah would take him into her lap
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And offer him her breast,
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To soothe him with it and console him during his mother’s absence.
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Out of her immense love for him,
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Her breast would flow with wholesome milk into his mouth,
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Which the boy would nurse from and grow calm.
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Thus, Umm Salamah became a mother to al-Hasan in two ways:
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She was his mother by virtue of him being one of the believers,
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And she was also his mother through suckling.
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The close bond between the Mothers of the Believers,
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And the proximity of their houses to one another,
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Allowed the blessed boy to frequent all of these households,
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To adopt the noble character of all their mistresses,
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And to be guided by their righteous guidance.
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As he would later recount about himself,
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He would fill these homes with his continuous movement
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And enliven them with his energetic play,
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To the point where his hands could touch the ceilings of the Mothers of the Believers' rooms
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As he jumped around inside them.
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Al-Hasan continued to thrive in this atmosphere, fragrant with the scents of prophecy,
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Radiant with its luminous light,
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Quenching his thirst from those pure springs
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With which the houses of the Mothers of the Believers abounded,
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And studying under the senior Companions in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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He narrated from 'Uthman ibn 'Affan,
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'Ali ibn Abi Talib,
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Abu Musa al-Ash'ari,
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'Abdullah ibn 'Umar,
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'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas,
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Anas ibn Malik,
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Jabir ibn 'Abdillah,
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And countless others,
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May Allah be pleased with them all.
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Yet, he was captivated above all by the Commander of the Believers, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him.
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He was awed by his steadfast firmness in religion,
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The excellence of his devotion in worship,
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And his ascetic detachment from the adornments and splendor of this worldly life.
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He was also mesmerized by his brilliant eloquence,
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His profound wisdom,
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And his comprehensive words.
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Thus, he mirrored his character in piety and worship,
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And fashioned himself after his manner in eloquence and rhetoric.
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When al-Hasan reached fourteen years of age
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And entered into the ranks of manhood,
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He relocated with his parents to Basra,
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Settling there alongside his family.
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From this, al-Hasan was attributed to Basra,
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Becoming renowned among the people as al-Hasan al-Basri.
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On the day al-Hasan arrived there, Basra was
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One of the greatest strongholds of learning in the Islamic lands.
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Its grand mosque
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Teemed with the senior Companions and prominent Tabi'un who had journeyed to it,
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And study circles of various disciplines
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Populated the courtyards of the mosque and its prayer halls.
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Al-Hasan dedicated himself to the mosque,
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Devoting himself exclusively to the study circle of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas,
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The learned scholar of the Ummah of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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From him, he acquired Tafsir, hadith, and the variant Qur'anic recitations,
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Just as he acquired fiqh, the Arabic language, and literature from him and others,
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Along with many other sciences,
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Until he became an encyclopedic scholar, a jurist, and a trustworthy authority.
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So the people flocked to him, drinking deeply from his abundant knowledge,
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Gathering around him to listen intently to his sermons that softened hardened hearts
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And drew forth unyielding tears.
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They took in his captivating wisdom
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And modeled their conduct after his life, which was sweeter than the scent of musk.
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Al-Hasan al-Basri's renown spread across the lands,
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And his fame became widespread among the people,
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So much so that caliphs and princes began inquiring about him
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And eagerly seeking news of him.
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Khalid ibn Safwan related:
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"I met Maslamah ibn 'Abd al-Malik in al-Hirah,
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And he said to me, 'Tell me, O Khalid, about al-Hasan of Basra,
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For I believe you know of him what no one else knows.'
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I replied, 'May Allah reform the prince,
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I am the best person to inform you of him with firsthand knowledge;
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I am his neighbor at his home, his companion in his gatherings,
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And the most knowledgeable of the people of Basra concerning him.'
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Maslamah said, 'Bring forward what you have.'
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I said, 'He is a man whose inner self is identical to his outward conduct,
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And whose words match his actions.
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Whenever he enjoins what is right, he is the foremost of people in practicing it;
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And whenever he forbids what is wrong, he is the foremost of people in avoiding it.
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I have seen him completely independent of people,
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Spurning whatever is in their hands,
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While seeing the people utterly in need of him,
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Seeking the knowledge he possesses.'
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Maslamah exclaimed, 'Enough, O Khalid, enough!
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How could a people go astray when such a man is among them?'"
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When al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi was appointed governor of Iraq,
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And transgressed with tyranny and oppression throughout his rule,
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Al-Hasan al-Basri was one of the few men
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Who stood firm against his tyranny,
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Openly denouncing his evil deeds before the people,
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And proclaiming the word of truth directly to his face.
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An instance of this occurred when al-Hajjaj built for himself
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A grand residence in Wasit.
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When he completed its construction,
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He summoned the people to come out and admire it,
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And to pray for him to be blessed.
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Al-Hasan was unwilling to let
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This gathering of people pass by,
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So he went out to them to preach to them, admonish them,
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Make them renounce the fleeting trinkets of this world,
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And instill in them a longing for what is with Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
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When he reached the place
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And looked at the crowds of people walking around the towering palace,
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Captivated by the magnificence of its construction,
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Astounded by its spacious courtyards,
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And enthralled by the splendor of its ornaments,
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He stood before them to deliver a sermon.
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Among the words he spoke was:
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"We have examined the building of the vilest of the vile,
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And found that Pharaoh built grander than what he has built,
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And erected structures taller than what he has erected;
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Then Allah destroyed Pharaoh
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And obliterated all that he had built and erected.
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Would that al-Hajjaj knew that the inhabitants of the heavens detest him,
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And that the inhabitants of the earth have deceived him!"
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He continued to speak forcefully in this vein,
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Until one of the listeners grew fearful for him
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Regarding the vengeance of al-Hajjaj,
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And whispered to him, "Enough, O Abu Sa'id!
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Enough!"
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But al-Hasan said to him,
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"Allah took a covenant from the people of knowledge
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That they must make it clear to the people and not conceal it."
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The following day,
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Al-Hajjaj entered his assembly bursting with fury,
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And said to those seated with him,
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"Woe to you, and ruin!
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A slave from among the slaves of the people of Basra stands up
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And says whatever he pleases concerning us,
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And not one among you steps forward to refute him or denounce him?!
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By Allah, I shall make you drink from his blood, you crowd of cowards!"
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He then ordered the sword and the leather execution mat,
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And they were brought forward.
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He called for the executioner,
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Who stood ready before him.
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Then he dispatched some of his guards to al-Hasan,
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and ordered them to bring him before him.
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And it was only a brief moment
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before al-Hasan arrived.
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All eyes fixed upon him,
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and hearts trembled for his sake.
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When al-Hasan saw the sword, the leather execution mat, and the executioner,
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he moved his lips,
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then approached al-Hajjaj
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with the majesty of a believer,
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the dignity of a Muslim,
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and the solemnity of a caller to Allah.
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When al-Hajjaj saw him in this state,
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he was struck with profound awe of him,
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and said to him,
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"Over here, O Abu Sa'id!
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Over here!"
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He continued to make room for him, saying,
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"Over here!"
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while the people looked on in utter astonishment and bewilderment,
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until he seated him beside himself on his own cushion.
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Once al-Hasan had taken his seat,
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al-Hajjaj turned to him
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and began asking him about various matters of religion,
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and al-Hasan answered every question
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with an unwavering heart,
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mesmerizing eloquence,
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and vast knowledge.
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Thereupon al-Hajjaj said to him,
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"You are the master of the scholars, O Abu Sa'id!"
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Then he called for ghaliyah—
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which is a type of precious perfume—
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perfumed his beard with it,
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and bid him farewell.
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When al-Hasan departed from his presence,
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al-Hajjaj's chamberlain followed him and said,
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"O Abu Sa'id!
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Al-Hajjaj summoned you for a purpose entirely different from how he treated you!
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Indeed, I saw you when you entered
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and saw the sword and the leather execution mat,
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that you moved your lips.
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What did you say?"
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Al-Hasan replied,
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"I said:
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'O Master of my blessings and my refuge in my distress,
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make his vengeance coolness and peace upon me,
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just as You made the fire coolness and peace upon Ibrahim.'"
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Many such stances were taken by al-Hasan al-Basri
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with governors and rulers;
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he would emerge from every encounter magnified
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in the eyes of those in authority,
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honored through Allah,
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and preserved by His protection.
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An example of this
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is that after the ascetic caliph,
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'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz,
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passed away to the mercy of his Lord,
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and the caliphate passed to Yazid ibn 'Abd al-Malik,
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he appointed 'Umar ibn Hubayrah al-Fazari over Iraq.
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Then he expanded his authority even further,
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annexing Khurasan to his realm as well.
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Yazid governed the people
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with a conduct quite unlike that of his great predecessor.
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He would send to 'Umar ibn Hubayrah
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letter after letter,
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ordering him to execute their contents,
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even if they were at times contrary to the truth.
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So 'Umar ibn Hubayrah summoned
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both al-Hasan al-Basri
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and 'Amir ibn Sharahbil,
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known as al-Sha'bi,
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and said to them:
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"The Commander of the Believers,
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Yazid ibn 'Abd al-Malik,
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has been appointed by Allah as caliph over His servants,
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and He has made obedience to him incumbent upon the people.
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He has granted me authority, as you see,
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over the affairs of Iraq,
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then extended it by appointing me over Persia as well.
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Yet he sometimes sends me letters
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commanding me to carry out directives
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whose justice I cannot feel assured of.
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Do you find for me, in complying with him
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and executing his commands, any religious leeway?"
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Al-Sha'bi gave an answer
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that was gentle toward the caliph
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and accommodating to the governor,
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while al-Hasan remained silent.
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So 'Umar ibn Hubayrah turned
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to al-Hasan and said,
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"And what do you say, O Abu Sa'id?"
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He said:
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"O Ibn Hubayrah!
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Fear Allah regarding Yazid,
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and do not fear Yazid regarding Allah.
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Know that Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He,
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will protect you from Yazid,
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but Yazid can never protect you from Allah.
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O Ibn Hubayrah!
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An angel, stern and severe,
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who does not disobey what Allah commands him,
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is about to descend upon you.
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He will remove you from this throne of yours
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and transfer you from the vastness of your palace
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to the narrow confines of your grave,
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where you will not find Yazid,
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but will find only your deeds
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in which you disobeyed the Lord of Yazid.
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O Ibn Hubayrah!
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If you are with Allah Almighty
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and in obedience to Him,
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He will spare you the harm of Yazid
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ibn 'Abd al-Malik in this world and the Hereafter.
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But if you stand with Yazid
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in disobedience to Allah Almighty,
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Allah will leave you to the mercy of Yazid.
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And know, O Ibn Hubayrah,
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that there is no obedience to any created being, whoever he may be,
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in disobedience to the Creator, Exalted and Glorious is He."
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Thereupon 'Umar ibn Hubayrah wept
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until his tears soaked his beard;
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he turned away from al-Sha'bi toward al-Hasan,
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and treated him with the utmost reverence and honor.
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When the two of them left his presence,
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they headed toward the mosque,
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where the people gathered around them
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and began asking them
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about their meeting with the governor of the two Iraqs.
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Al-Sha'bi turned to them and said:
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"O people!
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Whoever among you is able to prefer Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He,
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over His creation in every circumstance,
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let him do so!
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For by the One in Whose hand is my soul,
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al-Hasan did not say anything to 'Umar ibn Hubayrah
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that I did not already know;
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rather, in what I said, I sought the favor of Ibn Hubayrah,
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while in what he said, he sought the countenance of Allah.
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Thus Allah distanced me from Ibn Hubayrah,
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while drawing al-Hasan close to him and endearing him to his heart."
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Al-Hasan al-Basri lived for about eighty years,
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during which he filled the world with knowledge, wisdom, and fiqh.
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Among the greatest legacies he left to future generations
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were his heart-softening counsels, which remained across time a spring for the hearts,
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and his sermons that shook and continue to shake souls,
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draw forth tears,
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guide the lost to Allah,
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and awaken the deluded and heedless to the reality of this worldly life
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and the condition of people regarding it.
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Among these was his response to an enquirer who asked him about this world and its nature:
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"You ask me concerning this world and the Hereafter?
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The parable of this world and the Hereafter
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is like that of the East and the West:
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whenever you draw nearer to one of them,
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you grow further away from the other.
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And you say to me, 'Describe this abode to me.'
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What can I describe to you of an abode
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whose beginning is hardship,
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whose end is annihilation,
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in whose lawful matters lies an accounting,
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in whose unlawful matters lies punishment,
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wherein whoever becomes wealthy is tried,
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and whoever becomes impoverished is grieved?"
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And among them as well is his saying to another
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who asked him about his condition and the condition of the people:
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"Woe to us! What have we done to ourselves?
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We have starved our religion
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and fattened our worldly life;
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we have worn out our morals—
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meaning, we have degraded our character—
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while renewing our furnishings and garments!
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One of us reclines on his left side
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and eats from wealth that is not his own,
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his food acquired through extortion,
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demanding it through forced labor—
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meaning, unjustly and without compensation.
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He calls for sweet after sour,
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hot after cold,
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and moist after dry,
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until, when he is overcome with fullness,
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he belches from indigestion.
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Then he says,
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'Boy!
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Bring something to digest the food!'
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O foolish fool!
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By Allah, you will digest nothing but your own religion!
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Where is your needy neighbor?
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Where is the hungry orphan of your people?
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Where is your destitute one who looks to you?
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Where is that which Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, commanded you?
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If only you knew that you are merely a number of days,
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and that whenever the sun of a day sets upon you,
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a part of your count has diminished,
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and a portion of you has departed with it!"
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On the eve of Friday, the first of Rajab,
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in the year 110,
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al-Hasan al-Basri answered the call of his Lord.
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When morning came upon the people
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and the news of his death spread among them,
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Basra was shaken to its core by his death.
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He was washed and shrouded,
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and the funeral prayer was offered for him after the Friday prayer
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in the very grand mosque within whose precincts he had spent
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most of his life as a scholar, a teacher,
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and a caller to Allah.
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Then all the people followed his funeral procession,
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so that the 'Asr prayer was not held on that day
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in the Grand Mosque of Basra,
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because not a single person remained in it
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to establish the prayer.
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And people know of no instance where the congregational prayer
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was suspended in the Grand Mosque of Basra,
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ever since the Muslims built it,
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except on that singular day—
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the day al-Hasan al-Basri passed away
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into the presence of his Lord.
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How could a people go astray when among them is the likes of
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al-Hasan al-Basri?
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Maslamah Ibn 'Abd al-Malik—
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as a gentle soul and an exemplar—
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followed the Messenger
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in whatever he strived for or said.
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They were once here,
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watering our lives like rain clouds,
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and though they have passed on among us,
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their memory continues to rise high.
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They departed, leaving
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a question within our conscience:
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"Could there ever be like them
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a star that ascended and shone so bright?"
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They filled life
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with glorious achievements through their deeds,
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and the world of mankind flourished through them.