22. ADVICE TO SCHOLARS AND ASCETICS
This chapter includes advice (nasiha) to the scholar (‘ulama) and the ascetic (uhhad). You are well aware that actions are to be judged only by intentions (nijjah), and you understand His saying,
“Unquestionably, for Allah is the pure religion.” [al-Zumar (3 9): 3]
You also heard that the early Muslims did not perform or say anything unless preceded by a right intention.
Should your life, O jurists (fuqaha), be wasted in arguing (Jadl) and yelling {siyatijl Should your voices be raised at the gatherings of the laypeople, seeking competition?
Did you not hear the hadith, “Anyone who seeks knowledge in order to show off before the scholars or to argue with the foolish, or to attract people’s attention, will not smell the scent of Paradise?”
Some of you embark on issuing fatwa (legal verdicts) when you are not fit for it, while the early Muslims (Salaf) used to run away from such responsibility.
As for you ascetics (zuhhad), He knows the secret as well as what is even more hidden. Do you display poverty in your clothing, while fulfilling your soul’s desires? Do you display humbleness and weeping among people, but not in solitude?
Ibn Sirin used to laugh and roar among people, and cry most of the night when in his solitude.
Sufyan told his friend, ‘How shameless are you to pray where people can see you!’
I am seeking women of the desert who neither
chew words nor dye eyebrows
Pity the one who shows off, for on the Day when,
“All that is [hidden] within the breasts shall be made known.” [al-‘Adiyat (100): 10]
and that is the intention (niyyat).
Wake up from your slumber, repent from your error and straighten up on the way that is right,
“Lest a soul should say, ‘Oh [how great is] my regret over what I neglected in regard to Allah.’” [al-Zumar (39):56]
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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