Imam ibn Abi Jamrah (ra) said:
“Indeed the scholars have said regarding the statement of Allah:
” … And follows other than the Path of the Believers, We will turn him to what he has turned to … ”
(Al-Qur’an 3:115)
that what is meant by it is the Companions, and the first generation, because they themselves were the first ones to encounter opposition to the sunnah. So they cured it by the best of questions about what took place in their souls due to some ambiguity. So he (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) answered them with the best of answers, and explained to them with the most complete of explanations. So they listened, and they understood, and they acted, and they perfected, and they memorized, and they mastered, and they believed. So they have a tremendous virtue over us. It is through them that we can connect our rope to the rope of our leader, Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and to the Rope of our Protector.”
GOOD MANNERS
From Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu ‘anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“The most complete of the believers in faith (iman), is the best of them in manners.”
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymin (ra) said:
‘This hadith should always be in front of the eyes of the believer. So the most complete of the believers in faith, is the best of them in manners with Allah, and with the servants of Allah.’
LEARNING AND IMPLEMENTING THE QUR’AN
‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (radiallahu ta’ala ‘anhuma) said:
‘We used to learn ten ayat, not increasing upon them until we had implemented them.’
Abu ‘Abdur Rahman as-Sulami (rahimahullahu ta’ala ‘anhu) said:
‘Verily we took this Qur’an from a people about whom it was reported to us that if they learned ten ayat, they would not move onto another ten until they had learned what was in them. So we used to learn the Qur’an and implement it. Verily the Qur’an will be inherited after us to a people who will retain it in a way that water is retained. It will not pass beyond their collar bones, rather it will not pass beyond here,’ and he put his hand upon his throat.
THE HEART KNOWING ALLAH
Imam al-Bukhari said:
The saying of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam):
“I have more knowledge of Allah than you all.”
And that ma’rifah (knowledge/realization) is an action of the heart about which Allah, the Exalted, says:
“But He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned.”
(Al-Qur’an2:225)
Al-Hafidh ibn Rajab (ra) said:
‘So hearts will not be corrected until the ma’rifah of Allah – being in awe of Him, loving Him, fearing Him, relying and trusting in Him, hoping in Him – is not firmly implanted in them. This is the reality of Tawhid and the meaning of the statement La ilaha illallah (None has the right to be worshipped except Allah). So the hearts cannot be corrected until Allah is made the ilah (deity) to be known, loved, feared and hoped for; and that He becomes the only deity worthy of this – without associating any partners with Him in this. So know that the world – whatever is above and whatever is below in the waters – will not be corrected, except when the actions of its people are all for Allah’s sake. Since the actions of the body follow from the actions and intentions of the heart, then when the heart’s actions and intentions are only to Allah alone, then it is corrected, and all the actions of the body will likewise be corrected. However, if the actions and intentions of the heart are directed to other than Allah, then it is corrupted, and likewise, all the actions of the body will be corrupted in proportion to how much the heart has been corrupted.’