Gems from 'Sifat us-Safwah'

Since I found some translations of this book online - Insha-Allah, in this thread, we will be going through the book 'Sifat us-Safwah' (The Characteristics of the Most Excellent) - which is a priceless collection of biographies of the best personalities of this ummah, by al-Imam Ibn al-Jawzi.

Since information on the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Companions are already available for anyone to find, I will mention those that have been translated which are those personalities that are less well-known to us.

Hope you enjoy these, and one more thing: do not read anything on this thread if it is not your intention to imitate these amazing people in the way they lived their lives.

May Allah teach us what will benefit us, and benefit us by what we learn.

Name: 'Ata' bin Yasar
Kunyah: Abu Muhammad
Status: Successor (Tabi'i)
Location: Madinah

'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam narrated:

"'Ata' and Sulayman (his brother) bin Yasar went to run an errand outside Madinah along with some companions of theirs. When they reached the outskirts of the city, they stopped at a house to rest. Sulayman and his companions went to see to some of their needs, and 'Ata' stayed in the house alone, praying. Suddenly, a beautiful bedouin woman entered upon him, so when 'Ata' saw her, he assumed that she needed something from him, so he sped up his prayer a little and then asked her: "Is there something you need?"

She answered: "Yes."

He said: "And what is that?"

She replied: "Come and have your share of me, for I am filled with desire and I am without a spouse."

So, he said to her: "Get away from me, and do not cause me to burn in the Fire along with you!"

She then continued to intice 'Ata' until he started weeping and repeating: "Woe be to you! Get away from me!" and his weeping intensified until the woman herself saw his weeping and the grief that was inside of him, so she herself began to weep because of his weeping. While they were both sitting and weeping, his brother Sulayman returned from seeing to his needs, and when he saw his brother 'Ata' weeping and the woman on the other side of the house weeping, he himself began to weep as a result of their weeping without asking them about anything. When the weeping intensified and grew louder, the woman got up and left the house.

Their companions, who were standing outside of the house, then got up and came in, and Sulayman remained after that without ever asking his brother about the woman out of respect for him, as he (Sulayman) was younger the younger of the two.

They then proceeded to Egypt to see to their errand, and they remained there as long as Allah Willed. One night, 'Ata' was sleeping and woke up crying, so Sulayman said to him: "Why are you crying, brother?" So, 'Ata's weeping intensified, and he said: "Because of a dream that I had tonight." Sulayman asked him: "And what was it?"

'Ata' said: "Do not inform anyone of it as long as I am alive! I saw Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him) in my dream, so I went to look at him along with others who were looking at him. So, when I saw his beauty, I wept. He then looked at me out of all the people and said: "Why are you weeping?" I replied: "May my father and mother be ransomed for you, O Prophet of Allah! I remembered the wife of al-'Aziz and how you were tested with her, and what you experienced of imprisonment and separation from Ya'qub; I remembered all of this and wept and was amazed by it all." So, he (Yusuf) said: "Will you not then be even more amazed by the one who was with the beautiful bedouin woman on the outskirts of the city but rejected her?" I realized to whom he was referring, so I wept and woke up weeping."

At that point, Sulayman asked: "My brother, and what was the situation with this woman?" So, 'Ata' told him the story, and Sulayman did not tell anyone about it until 'Ata' had died, where he informed a woman of their family who later said: "And this story did not spread in Madinah except after the death of Sulayman bin Yasar."

Ibn 'Abiz-Zinad narrated:

"'Ata' bin Yasar used to fast every other day."

'Ata' heard and narrated hadith from Ubayy bin Ka'b, Ibn Mas'ud, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, and many other Companions of the Prophet.

He died in the year 103 (some say 94) after the Hijrah.

Mashallah, another Giant continuing from the confrence theme.
Thank you so much Yasmin for putting all that great effort into teahcing us about our the great Successors (Tabi'i).
Ladan

Anytime habibtee. May Allaah reward the translator, ameen.

This next one is nice;

Name: Mas'ud ad-Darir
Kunyah: Abu Juhayr
Status: Later generations
Location: al-Basrah, Iraq

Salih al-Mirri narrated:

"Malik bin Dinar said to me: "Come by tomorrow, O Abu Salih, for I have promised a group of the brothers that we would go visit Abu Juhayr Mas'ud ad-Darir in al-Jiban so that we could give him our greetings."

And this man, Abu Juhayr, had secluded himself in a nearby village and devoted himself to worship, and he never used to enter al-Basrah proper except on Fridays during the time of the prayer, then he would return to his home as soon as it was over.

The next day, I made my way to Malik's home on the way to al-Jiban to find that he was already ahead of me on the way, and with him was Muhammad bin Wasi', Thabit al-Binani and Habib. When I saw them all together, I said to myself "By Allah, this is indeed a day of joy!"

So, we left together to go see Abu Juhayr.

Whenever Malik would come across a clean area, he would say to Thabit: "Pray here, because it might be that tomorrow, this piece of earth will testify on your behalf," and then Thabit would pray there.

We then kept walking until we arrived to Abu Juhayr's residence, where we asked about him. We were told that he was just about to come out to leave for the prayer, so we waited for him. Eventually, a man that you could say had just emerged from his grave came out of the house, came to a man standing nearby, and took him by the hand to the nearby masjid. They stood at the door of the masjid briefly talking, then he (Abu Juhayr) entered and prayed for as long as Allah Willed, then he called the Iqamah and we prayed behind him.

When he completed his prayer, he sat as if he was heading an important meeting, and the people unanimously came by to greet him. So, Muhammad bin Wasi' stepped forward to greet him, as well. Abu Juhayr replied to his greeting and said: "Who are you? I do not recognize your voice." He said: "I am from the people of al-Basrah." Abu Juhayr replied: "What is you name, may Allah have Mercy upon you?" He said: "I am Muhammad bin Wasi'." Abu Juhayr said: "Welcome; you are the one whom these people - and he pointed towards al-Basrah - say is the best of them? Sit down." So, he sat down.

Then Thabit al-Binani got up and greeted him, so he returned his greeting and asked: "Who are you, may Allah have Mercy upon you?" He replied: "I am Thabit al-Binani." Abu Juhayr said: "Welcome, Thabit al-Binani. You are the one that the people of this town say stand the longest in prayer? Sit, for I had been wishing from my Lord to meet your likes."

Then Habib Abu Muhammad got up and greeted him, so he returned his greeting and asked: "Who are you, may Allah have Mercy upon you?" He replied: "I am Habib Abu Muhammad." Abu Juhayr said: "Welcome, Abu Muhammad. You are the one that these people claim never asks Allah anything except that it is given to you? Sit, may Allah have Mercy upon you." So, he took his hand and sat him down next to him.

Then Malik bin Dinar got up and greeted him, so he returned his greeting and asked: "Who are you, may Allah have Mercy upon you?" He replied: "I am Malik bin Dinar." Abu Juhayr said: "Bakh bakh (an Ethiopian expression of happiness) Abu Yahya! If you are as they say, then are you, as these people claim, the most abstentious from the worldly life of them all? Sit now, for everything that I have ever wanted from my Lord in this world has now been given to me."

Then I got up to greet him, and the others began speaking over my voice, so Abu Juhayr said to them: "Remember how you will be tomorrow between the Hands of Allah on the gathering of the Resurrection." I then greeted him, so he returned my greeting and asked: "Who are you, may Allah have Mercy upon you?" I replied: "I am Salih al-Mirri." He said to me: "You are the young reciter? You are Abu Bishr?" I said: "Yes."

He told me: "Recite, Salih." So, I began to recite, and I did not get past seeking refuge with Allah except that he had already become overwhelmed. He then told me to start again, so I did and recited {"And We shall turn to whatever deeds they did, and We shall make them as scattered floating particles of dust."} [al-Furqan;23]

He then collapsed and turned over on his face, and part of his body was exposed as it began moving around as a bull would, then his body became still. We looked at him and saw that his soul had been extracted (he had died).

So, we went out and asked if there was anyone that would tend to him. We were told that there was an elderly woman who used to come and serve him on some days, so we sent for her. She came and said: "What happened to him?"

We said: "The Qur'an was recited in his presence, so he died."

She said: "It was befitting of him, by Allah. Who was the one who recited for him? It might be that he is a righteous reciter."

We said: "Do you know who Salih is?"

She said: "I do not know him, except that I used to often hear him (Abu Juhayr) say: "If Salih recites in front of me, he will kill me.""

We said: "Well, he (Salih) is the one who recited in front of him," and they pointed to me.

So, we prepared his body and buried him, may Allah have Mercy upon him."

Name: al-Yaman al-Aswad
Kunyah: Abu Mu'awiyah
Status: Later generations
Location: Tarsus (located between present-day Syria and Turkey)

He is Abu Mu'awiyah bin al-Aswad, from the greatest of the awliya' (allies) of Allah. He was a companion of the great scholars Sufyan ath-Thawri, Ibrahim al-Adham, and others.

Ahmad bin Wadi' said:

"I heard Abu Mu'awiyah al-Aswad say: "My brothers are all better than me." So, it was said to him: "And how is this, Abu Mu'awiyah?" He replied: "They all see me as being better than them, and whoever sees me as being better than him, then, in reality, he is better than me.""

Ahmad bin Fudayl narrated:

"Abu Mu'awiyah went out for Jihad and took part in a battle in which the Muslims had surrounded a fortress on top of which a 'ilj (Roman disbeliever) was standing who would not throw an arrow or a stone except that he would strike his target. The Muslims complained about this to Abu Mu'awiyah, so he recited: {"And it was not you who threw when you threw. Rather, it was Allah who threw..."} [al-Anfal; 17] Then, he said: "Shield me from him."

Then he got up and said: "Where do you wish for me to strike him?"

They said: "In his private parts."

Abu Mu'awiyah said: "O Allah! You have heard what they have asked of me, so grant me what they ask of me!" Then he said 'bismillah' and shot the arrow. The arrow went straight for the wall of the fortress, seemingly about to miss the disbeliever. Then, right when it was about to hit the wall, it changed course and shot straight up, striking the 'ilj in his private parts.

Abu Mu'awiyah then said: "Your problem with him is over."

Abu az-Zahiriyyah narrated:

"I went to Tarsus, so I entered upon Abu Mu'awiyah al-Aswad after he had become blind. In his house, I saw a Mushaf hanging from the wall, so said to him: "May Allah have Mercy upon you! A Mushaf while you cannot even see?"

He replied: "My brother, will you keep a secret for me until the day I die?"

I said: "Yes." Then, he said to me: "Verily, when I want to read from the Qur'an, my eyesight comes back to me."

Abu Hamzah Nasir bin al-Faraj al-Aslami - and he was a servant of Abu Mu'awiyah al-Aswad - narrates something similar:

"Abu Mu'awiyah had lost his eyesight. So, if he wished to read from the Qur'an, he would grab around the room for the Mushaf until he would find it. As soon as he would open it, Allah would return his eyesight to him. As soon as he closed it, his eyesight would leave him."

It is not known who Abu Mu'awiyah narrated hadith from.

His story is also featured in 'Siyar A'lam an-Nubala'' [8/43]

Name: 'Ali bin Bakkar al-Basri
Kunyah: Abul-Hasan
Status: Tabi'i
Location: al-Masisah, Syria

He was detached from the worldly pleasures. He became a fighter and guarder of the Muslim lands; a truthful worshipper.

He lived in al-Masisah (in Sham) as a fighter, and he was a scholar of Fiqh.

Musa bin Turayf said: "'Ali bin Bakkar's slave-girl used to spread his bed for him, so he would touch it with his hand and say: "By Allah, you feel good; by Allah, you feel cool; by Allah, I will not lay on you tonight," and he would pray until the next morning with the same wudu'."

Abul-Hasan bin Abi al-Ward said: "A man said to us: "We came to 'Ali bin Bakkar and said to him: "Hudhayfah bin al-Mar'ashi sends you his greetings." So, he said to us: "May peace be upon you and him. I know of him that he has only eaten that which is lawful for over thirty years, and I would love to meet Satan more than I would love to meet him." I asked him why this was, and he said: "I am afraid that I would try to beautify myself for him out my respect for him, and then be guilty of beautifying myself for other than Allah, and as a result, have my status lowered in the Eyes of Allah - the Mighty and Majestic.""

Yusuf bin Muslim said: "'Ali bin Bakkar wept until he became blind, and his tears would leave marks on his cheeks."

Fayd bin Ishaq said: "I came to 'Ali bin Bakkar, seeking to go out in the Path of Allah, so asked him to advise me. He said: "Fear Allah and stay in your dwelling, guard your tongue, and avoid unnecessarily mixing with the people, and wisdom will be poured on you from above you."

Yahya bin Zakariyyah said: "We were with 'Ali bin Bakkar, so some clouds passed by overhead. I asked him about something, so he said to me: "Be quiet! Do you not fear that these clouds will be followed by rocks that will be poured down on us?"

It has been narrated to us that 'Ali bin Bakkar was stricken with an injury during a battle that he fought in, as a result of which his intestines spilled out of his stomach. He then gathered his intestines and pushed them back into his stomach, then tied the wound up with his turban. He then jumped back into the battle and was killed after he himself had killed thirteen disbelievers.

'Ali bin Bakkar narrated hadith from Hisham bin Hassan, Abu Ishaq al-Fizari, Abu Khaldah, etc. He was a close companion of Ibrahim bin Adham.

He was killed in al-Masisah in the year 199 H.

Name: Shaqiq bin Ibrahim al-Balkhi
Kunyah: Abu 'Ali
Status: Later generations
Location: Balkh, Northern Afghanistan

He was considered the shaykh of Khurasan.

He was in his mother's womb for thirty-six months.

'Ali bin 'Abdullah bin Shaqiq (his grandson) reported:

"My grandfather had travelled to the lands of the Turks in his youth for the purpose of business. He entered a temple filled with some idols that they would worship, and he said to the servant of the temple: "Verily, what you are upon is falsehood! These creations have a Creator Who is different from everything else, and He provides for everything else!"

So, the servant said to him: "Your words do not match your actions."

Shaqiq said to him: "And how is that?"

The servant said to him: "You claimed that you have a Creator Who is able to do all things, yet you have tired yourself by travelling all the way over here in order to seek your provision!"

Shaqiq later said: "The inspiration for me abandoning the pleasures of this world and turning back to Allah were the words of this Turk." He then returned to Khurasan and gave all of his wealth away in charity, and preoccupied himself with seeking knowledge."

Abu 'Abdullah said:

"I heard Shaqiq bin Ibrahim say: "I used to make one thousand dirhams from three hundred (i.e., I would engage in usury), then I wore wool (i.e., I repented) for twenty years without knowing anything (about Islam) until I met 'Abdil-'Aziz bin Abi Rawad. He said to me: "O Shaqiq! The point is not simply eating barley or wearing wool. The point is that you have intimate knowledge of Allah and that you worship him without associating partners with him."

So, I said: "Explain this to me."

He replied: "It is that everything that you do be solely for Allah," then he recited: {"So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord."} [al-Kahf; 110]"

Hatim al-Asamm said:

"We were with Shaqiq al-Balkhi while we were fighting the Turks, and that day I saw nothing except for heads rolling and swords slicing, so Shaqiq said to me: "We are between the two rows of the armies. O Hatim! How do you see yourself on such a day? Do you see yourself just like the night on which you wed your wife?"

So, I said: "No, by Allah."

Shaqiq then said: "By Allah, on this day, I feel as good as I felt on the night in which I wed my wife." Then he laid down between the two rows of fighters (as he was overtaken by sakinah) and put his leather shield underneath his cheek until I could hear him snoring.

Shaqiq also once said to me: "Befriend people just as you would befriend fire: take from them what you need, but beware of being burned."

He also said to me: "The believer is like a man who plants a palm-tree and fears that it will have a single thorn growing on it, while the hypocrite is like the one who plants a thorny tree in hopes that it will bear fruit. Anyone who does good will be rewarded good by Allah, and the righteous will never descend to the level of the sinners.""

Shaqiq narrated hadith from 'Ubad bin Kathir, and he was a close companion of Ibrahim bin Adham.

He was killed in the Battle of Kulan in the year 194 H.

His story is also featured in 'Siyar A'lam an-Nubala' [8/200]