THE COMPENDIUM
of Knowledge and Wisdom

IBN RAJAB AL-HANBALI

Translated by Abdassamad Clarke


Pg. 264

Ali ibn Abi Talib appointed a man to lead a military expedition and he said to him, “I advise you to have taqwa of Allah the One Whom you must meet, and the One Whom you have no other goal than Him, and He Who possesses the world and the hereafter.”
Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz wrote to a man, “I advise you to have taqwa of Allah for He does not accept anything else, and He only shows mercy to its people, and He only rewards for its sake. Those who will advise those to have it are many, but those who act by it are few. May Allah make us and you of the people of taqwa.”
When he was appointed khalifah, he gave a khutbah , praised Allah and said, “I advise you to have taqwa of Allah because taqwa of Allah is a substitute for everything but there is no substitute for taqwa of Allah.” A man said to Yunis ibn Ubayd, “Advise me.” He said, “I advise you to have taqwa of Allah and ihsan, because Allah is with the ones who have taqwa and the ones that act with ihsan.” A man who intended to go on Hajj said to him, “Advise me.” He said, “Have taqwa of Allah, for the one who has taqwa of Allah will never be lonely.”

Someone said to one of the men of the Followers at his death, “Advise me.” He said, “I advise you [to read] the conclusion of Surat an-Nahl:

‘Allah is with those who have taqwa of Him and with those who are good doers (muhsinun).

Pg. 265

The Prophet Mohammad (SAW) is reported to have said – “Oh Allah, I ask You for guidance, taqwa, abstinence, and freedom from need.