[7] Salaf aspired to see that one closely examines his character

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “I find that the majority of Muhadditheen and students of hadeeth focus on acquiring hadeeth with the closest chain of transmission from the Prophet and gathering authentic Ahaadeeth on a specific subject in religion. On the other hand, most jurists concentrate on the science of debate and gaining an advantage. How can the heart be softened only through these pursuits?! Indeed, the pious predecessors aspired to see that a righteous individual should examine his character and guidance and not only give consideration to knowledge he has acquired, as his character and upright guidance are the fruits of his knowledge. Therefore, in order to soften their hearts, the students of Hadeeth and Fiqh should also study the lives of the pious predecessors and those pious ones who sufficed with the necessities of this life and abandoned those things which one can do without. Books have been compiled on the lives of well-known figures such as Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Sufyaan Ath-Thawri, Ibraaheem Bin Ad’ham, Bishr Al-Haafiy, Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Ma’roof, and others among the scholars.

An Excerpt from ‘Saydul khaatir’ Page 171. Daar Ibn Rajab. 1st edition 2003