*Ten Lessons Ibn al-Mubarak Taught Us*

[Alima]

Bismillah,


[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]{10 Minutes... Many Lessons... If not given time to be contemeplated over, they may stop you from gaining a lot of Ajr and if contemplated over... May put you in a new direction... For the better inshaAllaah}

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]Ten Lessons Ibn al-Mubarak Taught Us[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Abdullah bin al-Mubarak was a scholar known for simultaneously combining numerous traits of virtue. In fact, his friends would sit and count all of the good things that were part of his character and personality. adh-Dhahabi related that they said: “Let’s sit and count the good traits that Ibn al-Mubarak has.” So, they ended up listing: “Knowledge, [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]Fiqh, [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif], literature, grammar, language, [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]zuhd[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif], eloquence, poetry, praying at night, worship, [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]Hajj[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif], [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]Jihad[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif], bravery, instinct, strength, speaking little in what doesn’t concern him, fairness, and lack of conflict with his companions.”[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]Reading through his life story, one sees exactly this and cannot help but to derive brief yet heavy lessons from how this man lived:[/font]

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[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]1- No matter how bad you think you are, you can always become better.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Tartib al-Madarik’[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif] (1/159), al-Qadi ‘Iyad mentioned that Ibn al-Mubarak was asked about the circumstances in which he began studying. He replied: “I was a youth who drank wine and loved music and singing while engaging in these filthy acts. So, I gathered some friends to one of my gardens where there were sweet apples, and we ate and drank until we passed out while drunk. At the end of the night, I woke up and picked up the stringed oud and began singing:
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[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]Isn’t it time that you had mercy on me * And we rebel against those who criticize us?[/font]

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[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]And I was unable to pronounce the words as I intended. When I tried again, the oud began speaking to me as if it were a person, saying the verse: {[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]“Isn’t it time for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allah’s reminder?”[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]} [[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]al-Hadid[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]; 16] So, I said: “Yes, O Lord!” And I smashed the oud, spilled the wine, and my repentance with all its realities came by the grace of Allah, and I turned towards knowledge and worship.”[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]2 - You should associate with honorable people.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Sifat as-Safwah’[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif] (2/323), Ibn al-Jawzi mentioned: “Ibn al-Mubarak’s home in Marw was vast. It measured fifty square yards. There was no person known for knowledge, worship, manhood, or high status in Marw except that you saw him in this house.”[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]3 - You should be a helpful guest.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Sifat as-Safwah’[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif] (2/324), it is narrated that when an-Nadr bin Muhammad’s son got married, he invited Ibn al-Mubarak, “and when he arrived, Ibn al-Mubarak got up to serve the guests. an-Nadr did not leave him and swore that he would tell him to leave until he finally sat down.”[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]4 - You should give money to the poor.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Sifat as-Safwah’[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif] (2/327), Ibn al-Jawzi mentions that Ibn al-Mubarak “would spend a hundred thousand [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]dirham[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]s a year on the poor.”[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]5 - You should always return borrowed items to their owners.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Sifat as-Safwah’[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif] (2/329), al-Hasan bin ‘Arafah said that ‘Abdullah bin al-Mubarak told him: “I borrowed a pen from someone in Sham, and I intended to return it to its owner. When I arrived in Marw (in Turkmenistan!), I saw that I still had it with me. Abu ‘Ali (al-Hasan’s nickname), I went all the way back to Sham to return the pen to its owner!”[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]6 - You should be brave, and hide your good deeds:[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Sifat as-Safwah’[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif] (2/329), ‘Abdah bin Sulayman said: “We were on an expedition in the lands of the Romans with ‘Abdullah bin al-Mubarak. We met the enemy, and when the two armies met, a man came out from their side calling for a duel. One of our men went out to him and dueled with him for an hour, injuring him and killing him. Another came out, and he killed him. He called for another duel, and another man came out. They dueled for an hour, and he injured and killed him as well. The people gathered around this man, and I was with them, and saw that he was covering his face with his sleeve. I took the edge of his sleeve and pulled it away to find that it was ‘Abdullah bin al-Mubarak,” and in the version reported by adh-Dhahabi, he made him swear not to reveal his identity until the day he died.
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[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]7 - You should have a tender heart.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Sifat as-Safwah’[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif] (2/330), al-Qasim bin Muhammad said: “We were on a journey with Ibn al-Mubarak, and I was always asking myself: what is so special about this man that he is so famous? If he prays, so do we. If he fasts, so do we. If he fights, so do we. If he makes [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]Hajj[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif], so do we.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]One night, we spent the night in a house travelling on the way to Sham. The lamp went out, and some of us woke up. So, he took the lamp outside to light it, and stayed outside for a while. When he came back in with the lamp, I caught a glimpse of Ibn al-Mubarak’s face, and saw that his beard was wet with his tears. I said to myself: “This fear of Allah is what has made this man better than us. When the lamp went out and we were in darkness, he remembered the Day of Resurrection.”"[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]8 - You should be generous to your friends.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Sifat as-Safwah’[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif] (2/329), Isma’il bin ‘Ayyash said: “I don’t know of a single good trait except that Allah has placed it in ‘Abdullah bin al-Mubarak. My friends told me that they were travelling with him from Egypt to Makkah, and he was serving them [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]khabis [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif](a sweet flour dish) while he was fasting the entire trip.”[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]9 - You should not give in to Satan’s whispers.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Tartib al-Madarik’ [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif](1/159), it is related that Ibn al-Mubarak was making ablution, and Satan came to him and said: “You did not wipe over this part of your body.” Ibn al-Mubarak said: “I did.” Satan said: “No, you didn’t.” So, Ibn al-Mubarak said: “You are the one making the claim, and you must therefore bring proof to back the claim up.”[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]10 - You should sincerely pray for people to accept Islam.[/font]

[font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]In [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]‘Tartib al-Madarik’ [/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif](1/162), it is related that al-Hasan bin ‘Isa bin Sirjis would walk by Ibn al-Mubarak, and he was a Christian. Ibn al-Mubarak asked who he was, and was told: “He is a Christian.” So, Ibn al-Mubarak said: “O Allah, grant him Islam.” So, Allah answered his supplication and al-Hasan became an excellent Muslim, and he travelled to seek knowledge and became one of the scholars of the[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif]Ummah[/font][font='trebuchet ms', sans-serif].”[/font]

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Translated by Abu Sabaya

[Umm Husnain]

SubhanAllah some excellent reminders here for everyone to ponder over...

...sometimes shaitaan gets the better of us & says what is the difference between you & the Scholars??!!!

But Alhamdullilah with reminders like these you truly understand the difference between the layman and the Scholar.

JazakAllah khair for posting these lessons.

inshAllah ta'la i pray we all benefit and gain success in this life & th hereafter.

[Nisaa]

Abdullah ibn Mubarek
Subhanallah, what a great hero of Islam
I suggest we all find out about him since he was one of the heroes of Islam!

[Ahmed Ibn Hassan]

Wow mashaAllah I'm stunned shocked, and thankful to be muslim. These reminders of our past scholars & examples should really keep us motivated to earn Allah's pleasure.

A HUGE Jazakallah kahir for that post.

[Sarah Mushtaq]

MashaAllah, he is just... wow, mashaAllah.
JazakiAllahu Khayrn for sharing!
Have more?

[TawhidFirst]

Subhana Allah, thank you for the reminder.

I love the part about his hard work to hide his good deeds.

And the part where the lamp went off, masha Allah.

And the whole post actually!!