As-salamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah

Sit with the people

قال هارون بن عبد الله الحمال: جاءني أحمد بن حنبل بالليل فدق البال علي. فقلت من هذا؟ فقال: أنا أحمد. فبادرت إليه فمساني ومسيته

قلت: حاجة يا أبا عبد الله؟

قال: نعم شغلت اليوم قلبي

قلت: بماذا يا أبا عبد الله؟

قال: جزت عليك وأنت قاعد تحدث الناس في الفئ, والناس في الشمس, بأيديهم الأقلام والدفاتر. لا تفعل مرة أخرى, إذا قعدت فاقعد مع الناس

Harun ibn ‘Abdillah al-Hammal said, ‘Ahmad ibn Hanbal came to me at night and knocked on my door. I said, ‘Who is it?’ He said, ‘It’s Ahmad.’ So I quickly let him in and we exchanged greetings.

I said, ‘Did you come for any particular need, O Abu ‘Abdillah?’
He said, ‘Yes. You have preoccupied my heart all day.’
I said, ‘With what?’
He said, ‘I went past you today and you were narrating to the people whilst sitting in the shade. But the people were sitting in the sun with pens and books in their hands! Don’t do that again. If you sit, then sit with the people.’ 1

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Humbleness and Goodness

قال الإمام أحمد: الخير فيمن لا يرى لنفسه خيراً

‘Goodness lies in the person who doesn’t see goodness within himself.’ 2

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The Lone Winner

قال الإمام أحمد: يا بني! الفائز من فاز غداً ولم يكن لأحد عنده تبعة

‘O my son! The true champion and winner is he who triumphs tomorrow without having anyone follow him.’ 3

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A Sincere Supplication

‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad said, ‘I heard my father say when he was in prostration (sujud):

اللهم كما صنت وجهي عن السجود لغيرك, فصن وجهي عن المسألة لغيرك

‘O Allah, just as You have protected my face from prostrating to anything besides You, protect me from asking and begging of those besides You.’ 4

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When It Comes To ‘Aqidah (belief)

قال الإمام أحمد: من ضيق علم الرجل أن يقلد في اعتقاده رجلاً

‘It is from a man’s narrow and constricted knowledge (i.e. ignorance) that he should blindly follow another man when it comes to ‘Aqidah.’ 5

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Heedlessness

Al-‘Abbas ibn Hamza: ‘I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal say,

سبحانك! ما أغفل هذا الخلق عما أمامهم, الخائف منهم مقصر والراجي منهم متوانٍ

‘Glory be to You, O Allah! How heedless the creation is of what lies ahead of them! The one who fears (the Hereafter) is falling short and the one who has hope of it, is ever slacking.’ 6

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[1] Manaqib al-Imam Ahmad
[2] Dhayl Tabaqat al-Hanabilah
[3] Tarikh Madinat Dimishq
[4] Matalib Uli-Nuhaa
[5] Talbis Iblis
[6] Tarikh Madinat Dimishq