Thursday, 12 January 2012

"Seize the benefit of five things from the people of your time..."

Ibn Abee Haatim (d. 328 Hijri), raheemahullah, said:

"I entered Damascus and came upon the students of hadeeth, and I passed by the circle of Qaasim al-Joo'ee (d.248H). I found a group sitting around him and he was speaking. Their appearance amazed me; and I heard him saying: "Seize the benefit of five things from the people of your time: when you are present, you are not known; when you are absent, you are not missed; when you are seen, your advice is not sought; when you say something, your saying is not accepted; and when you have some knowledge, you are not given anything for it. I also advise you with five matters: when you are treated unjustly, do not behave unjustly; when you are praised, do not become happy; when you are criticized, do not become upset; when you are not believed, do not become angry; and if people act deceitfully towards you, do not act deceitfully towards them." Ibn Abee Haatim said: So I took that as my benefit from Damascus."
(Related by Ibn al-Jawzee in Sifatus-Safwaa (2/200))

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