Yaḥyā bin Ma'īn (رحمه الله) said,

"When you hear a Jahmī say,

أنا كفرت برب ينزل

“I disbelieve in a Lord who descends.”

Then say,

أنا أومن برب يفعل ما يريد

“I believe in a Lord that does whatever He Wills.”

[شرح أصول اعتقاد أهل السنة والجماعة ٧٧٦]

Abdullah bin Amr رضي الله عنه narrated that: The Messenger of Allah ‎ﷺ said:

“No Muslim dies on the day of Friday, nor the night of Friday, except that Allah protects him from the trials of the grave.”

Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1074, Hasan

—————————————

Note: the night of Friday (Jummuah) is considered to be from Maghrib time of Thursday until Fajr of Friday!

WHEN THE BELIEVER AND THE DISBELIEVER DIE

Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib رضي الله عنه reported: The Prophet ‎ﷺ said, “Verily, when the believer is ready to depart the world and is facing the Hereafter, angels from heaven descend with bright faces, as if their faces were the sun, with them are the shrouds and perfumes of Paradise, until they sit from him a distance as far as the eye can see. Then, the angel of death, upon him be peace, comes until he sits by his head and he says: O pure soul, come out to the forgiveness of Allah and His pleasure! He takes it out like a drop from a water-skin and holds it, never to leave his hand for the blink of an eye until he places it in that shroud and perfume. The scent coming from it is more pleasant than any musk you would find on the face of the earth. He ascends and passes by no gathering of angels but that they say: What a pure spirit! They say he is this person, son of this person, calling him by the best names by which he was known in the world, until he stops at the lowest heaven and seeks entry and it will be opened for him. The company of each heaven bring him closer to the heaven following it until he stops at the seventh heaven. Allah ﷻ will say: Write the record of My servant in the righteous register and return him to the earth, for from it I created them, to it I return them, and from it I will take them out once again. His spirit will be returned to his body and two angels will come to sit by him, saying to him: Who is your Lord? He will say: My Lord is Allah. They will say: What is your religion? He will say: My religion is Islam. They will say: Who is this man sent you? He will say: He is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. They will say: How did you know? He will say: I read the Book of Allah ﷻ, had faith in it, and believed in it. A heavenly announcement will be made: My servant has spoken the truth! Spread out carpets for him in Paradise, clothe him for Paradise, and open a gate for him to Paradise! Its comforts and fragrances will come to him and his grave will become spacious as far as his eye can see. A handsome man, with fine clothes and wonderful fragrance, will come and say: Glad tidings of what pleases you, for this was your Day you were promised! He will say: Who are you with such a handsome face? He will say: I am your righteous deeds! He will say: O Lord, begin the Hour that I may return to my family and property!”

The Prophet ‎ﷺ continued, “Verily, when the unbeliever is ready to depart the world and is facing the Hereafter, angels descend from heaven with darkened faces and with them sack-cloth. They will sit away from his as far as the eye can see. Then, the angel of death approaches until he sits by his head and he says: O filthy soul, come out to the displeasure of Allah ﷻ and His wrath! He will be separated from his body like the tearing of skewers from wet wool and he holds it in his hand, never to leave it for the blink of an eye, until he places it in this sack-cloth. The scent coming from it is like the most foul corpse found upon the face of the earth. They will ascend with him and not pass by a gathering of angels but that they say: What a filthy spirit! They say he is this person, son of this person, calling him by the ugliest names by which he was known in the world, until he stops at the lowest heaven. They will request it to be opened for him but it will not open.” Then, the Prophet ‎ﷺ recited the verse, “The gates of heaven will never open for them, nor will they enter Paradise, until the camel goes through the eye of the needle,” (7:40). The Prophet said, “Allah ﷻ will say: Write his record in the wicked register in the lowest earth. His spirit will be thrown down,” then the Prophet recited the verse, “It is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place,” (22:31). The Prophet ‎ﷺ said, “His spirit will return to his body and two angels will come to sit by him, saying to him: Who is your Lord? He will say: Uh, uh, I do not know! They will say: What is your religion? He will say: Uh, uh, I do not know! They will say: Who is this man sent to you? He will say: Uh, uh, I do not know! A heavenly announcement will be made: He has lied! Spread carpets for him in Hellfire and open a gate for him to Hellfire! Its heat and its flames will approach him, and he will be squeezed in his grave until his ribs press together. An ugly man, with hideous clothing and a foul stench, will approach him and say: Glad tidings of what despairs you, for this is your Day you were promised! He will say: Who are with your evil face? He will say: I am your wicked deeds! He will say: O Lord, do not begin the Hour!”

Source: Musnad Aḥmad 18534

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Arna’ut

Ibn Hazm رحمه الله:

“I never cease to be amazed by someone who claims to love at first sight.

I find it hard to believe, and I say that this "love" is actually just a sexual impulse!”

[Tawq al-Hamamah (Pg. 125)]

Shāfi’ī رحمه الله said:

“Whoever wants Allāh to open his heart for him or enlighten his sight, then:

- he must stop talking excessively about what does not concern him,

- and avoid sins,

- and that he has a secret [righteous] action between him and Allāh.

If he does that, Allāh will grant him knowledge that will occupy him from other than it!”

[Manāqib Ash-Shāf’ī: 1/22]

Hasan Al-Basri رحمه الله has said:

“People are not pleased with their Creator although He provides for them,

so how can they be pleased with another creation like themselves?”

(Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah v. 9, p. 318)

Humility & Self Respect

Ash-Shāf’ī رحمه الله said:

“I never presented the truth and proof to anyone, and they accepted it for me, except I respected them and I loved them!

And no one became stubborn with me regarding the truth and repelled the proof except he dropped in my eyes and I rejected him!”

Sifatu As-Safwa: 2/552

Waki’ ibn al-Jarrah رحمه الله said:

“Zakat al-Fitr is to the month of Ramadan like the prostration of forgetfulness is to prayer.

It makes up for deficiencies in fasting just as the prostration makes up for deficiencies in prayer.”

[al-Majmoo’ Sharh al-Muhadhab 6/140]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“I hate to find a lazy, empty man, who neither works for his worldly living nor for the Hereafter.

He whose prayer did not command him to do right and did not forbid him from doing wrong. It will not be of any use to him; it will only increase the distance between him and Allāh.”

[al-Fawāid p. 247]

Distinguishing the Believer & Hypocrite

Hasan al-Basri [d.110H] (رحمه الله) said:

“The believer (al-mu'min) does the best deeds yet is most fearful, that his deeds will not be accepted. If he were to spend a mountain of wealth in charity, he would not feel sure of the reward until he sees it (in the afterlife). The more righteous and pious he becomes, the more he fears.

But the hypocrite (munafiq) says ‘There are so many people (worse than me), I will be forgiven, no problem.’ So he does wrong and evil deeds, yet holds foolish wishes about Allah.”

Siyar A’lam an-Nubala’ 4/586

Imām S'aeed ibn al-Musayyib (d.94AH) رحمه الله mentioned,

“Whoever prays Maghrib and 'Isha in congregation has indeed taken his share of Laylatul-Qadr.”

[Tafseer al-Baghawi, Sūrah al-Qadr, vol.4, pg.658, Dār Taybah print, 2nd edition]

Abū Sa’īd Al-Khudrī and Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنهما said:

“If a man wakes his wife at night and they pray together, they are written among the men and women who remember Allah often.”

[Musannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 6675]

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

"It is reported that in Egypt, there was a man who would maintain the mosques, making the call to prayer, etc. He was, by all outward means, an obedient person and devout worshipper.

One day, as he usually would, he ascended the minaret to make the call to prayer. At the base of the minaret, there was a Christian woman standing. He saw her, and was seduced by her looks. So, he descended the minaret, went to her, and entered her home. She said to him: “Who are you, and what do you want?”

He replied: “I want you.”

She said: “Why?”

He said: “You have enslaved my eyes, and you have captured my heart.”

She said: “I will never answer your desire in a doubtful or suspicious manner.”

He said: “Ok, so, I will marry you, then.”

She said: “You are a Muslim, and I am a Christian. My father will never allow me to marry you.”

He said: “So, I will become a Christian.”

She said: “If you wish to do so, go ahead.“

So, the man became a Christian in order to marry this woman, and lived with the woman’s family in her house. Later on that day, however, he was on the roof of the house. He fell from the roof and died without even having enjoyed his new bride. So, he lost the woman, and he lost his religion.”

● [الداء والدواء للإمام ابن قيم الجوزية صحفة ١٢٧]

Ibn al-Mubarak رحمه الله said:

“How many small actions become great by niyyah,

And how many great actions became small by niyyah”

[ جميع العلوم ٧١ ]

Mālik ibn Dinār رحمه الله said:

"Make the obedience of Allāh your profession; you will earn profits without (having to sell) anything."

[Rawdatul-'Uqalā' | p. 27]

Shaykh Uthaymeen [رحمه الله] said:

“Focus on asking Allaah in abundance for four habits in Ramadan, two which are pleasing to Allaah and two which are a necessity.

As for the two which are pleasing to your Lord:

• The first is the Shahada, La ilaha ilallaah.

• The second is seeking repentance.

As for the two which are a necessity, they are:

• Asking Allah for Paradise and

• Seeking refuge in Allah from the fire.

Make sure that you focus on supplications.”

[Ad-Diyya Al-Laamih, (Page: 362) | Translated By Umm Yahya | Abbas Abu Yahya]

Shaykh Bin Bāz رحمه الله said:

“It is obligatory to be diligent in spreading knowledge with all zeal and energy; and the people of falsehood must not be more active in their falsehood.”

Majmu' Fatawa (9/225)