Our Salaf at the time of Earthquake

It is authentically reported that the Rightly-Guided Caliph, Amir Al-Mu’minin (Commander of the Believers), ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz (رحمه الله), when there was an earthquake during his era, wrote to his agents in the different countries and ordered them to tell the Muslims to make Tawbah to Allaah, humble themselves to Him, and seek His Forgiveness from their sins.

[Source: Mentioned by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (رحمه الله) in his Majmoo’ Fataawwa, (2/129)]

Arabic Text:

وقد ثبت عن الخليفة الراشد – رحمه الله- أمير المؤمنين عمر بن عبد العزيز أنه لما وقع الزلزال في زمانه كتب إلى عماله في البلدان وأمرهم أن يأمروا المسلمين بالتوبة إلى الله والضراعة إليه والاستغفار من ذنوبهم.

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As if Hellfire has been created for them

Ali bin Zaid said:

وَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ زَيْدٍ: مَا رَأَيْتُ رَجُلَيْنِ كَأَنَّ النَّارَ لَمْ تُخْلَقْ إِلَّا لَهُمَا مِثْلَ الْحَسَنِ وَعُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ.

“I never saw two men behave as if the Hellfire had been created purposefully for them like al-Hasan [al-Basri] and ‘Umar bin Abdul Azeez”

[Source: al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, (9/205)]

Like the sun is to the world, and like good health is to mankind – ash-Shafi’ee

It is mentioned about al-Imam ash-Shafi’ee (رحمه الله تعالى):

وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بنُ هَارُوْنَ الزَّنْجَانِيُّ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ بنُ أَحْمَدَ، قُلْتُ لأَبِي:

أَيَّ رَجُلٍ كَانَ الشَّافِعِيُّ، فَإِنِّي سَمِعتُكَ تُكْثِرُ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ لَهُ؟

قَالَ: يَا بُنِيَّ، كَانَ كَالشَّمْسِ لِلدُّنْيَا، وَكَالعَافِيَةِ لِلنَّاسِ، فَهَلْ لِهَذَيْنِ مِنْ خَلَفٍ، أَوْ مِنْهُمَا عِوَضٌ ؟

[“سير أعلام النبلاء”, (10/45) و “تاريخ ابن عساكر” (14/415/1)، و”تهذيب الكمال” لوحة 1162]

Muhammad ibn Haroon az-Zinjaani relates: ‘Abdullaah ibn Ahmad reported to us:

I said to my father (Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله تعالى)), “What sort of man was ash-Shafi’ee, for I hear you frequently supplicate for him?”

He (Imam Ahmad (رحمه الله تعالى)) said,

“O my son, he was like the sun is to the world, and like good health is to mankind. Is there anything that can take their place or any alternative that can be found for them.”

[Source: Siyar A’lam an-Nubala, (10/45) [Checked by Shaykh Shua’ib al-‘Arnaoot] , “Tareekh ibn Asaakir”, (14/415/1) and “Tahdheeb al-Kamaal”, (1162)]

Ameer al-Mu’mineen in Hadeeth [Leader of the Believers in Hadeeth]

al-Hafidh ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (رحمه الله تعالى) said in his book “Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb”:

قال الحافظ ابن حجر في تهذيب التهذيب :” قال شعبة وابن عيينة وأبو عاصم وابن معين وغير واحد من العلماء : ” سفيان أمير المؤمنين في الحديث. “

[تهذيب التهذيب , ( 4/113 ) و أخرجه الخطيب في الجامع لأخلاق الراوي وآداب السامع , (1250) ]

Shu’bah [ibn al-Hajjaj], ibn ‘Uyaynah, Abu ‘Aasim, [Yahya] Ibn Ma’een and many others from the scholars said:

“Sufyan is the ‘Ameer al-Mu’mineen’ in Hadeeth”

[Source: Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb, (4/113) (Publisher: Matbaat Dairat al-Maarif al-Nizamiya (India) First Edition 1326 A.H.]

[The above was also recorded by al-Khateeb al-Baghdadee in “al-Jami’ li Akhlaqi ar-Rawi wa Adabi as-Sami’ (1250)]

The Young man of Baghdad

al-Muzani said: “ash-Shafi’i (رحم الله) said: “I saw a young man in Baghdad, who, if he said: “Haddathana…” [1] the people would all say: “He has spoken the truth.” I asked him: “And who was he?” He replied: “Ahmad bin Hanbal (رحم الله)”

قال المُزَنيّ: قال لي الشّافعيّ: رأيتُ ببغداد شابًا إذا قال: حدَّثنا، قال النّاس كلّهم: صَدَق. قلت: من هو؟ قال: أحمد بن حنبل.

[تاريخ الإسلام ووفيات المشاهير والأعلام, (5/1013), {الطبعة: الثانية، 1413 هـ}]

[Source: Tareekh al-Islam (5/1013) {2nd Edition 1413 A.H.}]

Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal  (رحم الله) said about himself :

“طلبتُ الحديثَ وأَنا ابن ستّ عشرةَ سنة”

[مناقب الإمام أحمد بن حنبل لابن الجوزي , (ص 26)]

“I began to study Hadeeth when I was sixteen years old”

[Source: Manaqib al-Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal of Ibn al-Jawzee (رحم الله) , page 26]

He (رحم الله) also said:

“أنا أطلب العلم إلى أن أدخل القبر“

[مناقب الإمام أحمد بن حنبل لابن الجوزي , (ص 37)]

“I will seek knowledge until I enter the grave”

[Source: Manaqib al-Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal of Ibn al-Jawzee (رحم الله) , page 37]

Footnote:

[1] “Haddathana” means “I was told”. This is an expression commonly used by scholars of Hadeeth to indicate that they heard a Hadeeth directly from someone.