A set of thought-provoking quotes by Shumayt ibn ‘Ajlan. He was from the early Tabi’in and was particularly known for his piety and wisdom.

Shumayt ibn ‘Ajlan: “You have been given that which suffices you but you desire that which will ruin you. You’re not content with a little nor are you quenched with a lot. How can a person ever work for the Hereafter when he can’t sever his desires from the Dunya (world)? The strangest of affairs is that of a person who believes firmly in the Home of Truth (Paradise) but yet strives only for the Home of Delusion (Dunya).”

He also said, “Certainly, Allah `azza wa jall put the strength of the Mu’min (believer) in his heart and He didn’t place it in his limbs. Don’t you see how the old man who is weak, fasts through the midday heat and stands through the night, but a young man is incapable of doing that.”

Another gem of his: “Whoever is pleased with fisq (disobedience and sin) then he is from its people and whoever is pleased that Allah should be disobeyed, then deeds are not lifted up for him.”

Ja’far said that he heard Shumayt saying, “The capital of a believer’s wealth is his Deen (religion); wherever he goes, he takes it with him. He doesn’t leave it behind with others and he never entrusts it with men.” – In other words, protect your faith and don’t rely on others with regards to it. Don’t tie it to personalities and don’t be careless with it.

Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Malik said that Shumayt ibn ‘Ajlan said: “Allah `azza wa jall made the mark of Dunya to be loneliness so that those who are close to Him and obey Him may find the bliss of company with Him alone.”

And here’s a reminder for all of us… When I read this quote, I couldn’t help but think about all the times I and others have shared pics of our food, drinks, and luxuries. Perhaps these images have travelled to people around the world whose state we do not know:

He said, “You see a person who has excess of things (food and drink etc) close his door to his neighbour and relatives, then he comes out to the people and tells them what he ate and drank. But perhaps his poor neighbour or his needy relatives are in the crowd hearing all that he says. Woe to you! Wasn’t it enough that you closed your door to them and you neither shared with them nor remembered them? But then after that, you went and informed them of what you ate and drank? You have indeed gathered evil upon evil.”

And he used to supplicate so beautifully, saying: “O Allah, raise our longing to You and sever our hope from others. O Allah, make Your obedience sweeter to us than food at the time of hunger and drink at the time of thirst. O Allah, make the heedlessness of people an opportunity for us to remember, and their merriment an opportunity for us to be grateful. O Allah, when the people take delight in the Dunya, let us take delight in You.”

[Translated from ‘al-Atqiya’ al-Akhfiya’, by Shaykh Sa’id ‘Abd al-‘Adhim]