[18] Some Extraordinary Personalities of The First Three Generations

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Muaawiyah ibn Abee Sufyan, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said:

I feel ashamed of oppressing someone who has no supporter against me except Allah.” [1]

Tawus al-Yamani, may Allah have mercy upon him, entered the presence of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, addressing him with a grave warning: Beware of the Day of the Call. Hisham, said: What is the Day of the Call? Tawus replied, the statement of Allah:

فَأَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْ لَعْنةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ

And a caller will call out among them, ‘The curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers” [Al-A’raf: 44]

At this, Hisham collapsed due to shock! Tawus then said: “This is the humiliation of mere description; how will it be when faced with reality? [2]

Mubarak Abu Hamad, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: I heard Sufyan Ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy upon him, saying to Ali ibn Al-Hasan Al-Sulami, may Allah have mercy upon him: My brother, do not harbour any feeling of covetousness towards the people of vain desires due to their indulgences, nor the blessings they enjoy; for ahead of them lies a day when feet will slip, bodies will tremble, skin complexions will change, standing will be prolonged, reckoning will intensify, and hearts will flutter until they reach the throats. Oh, what regret they will feel for the pleasures they pursued! And beware of oppression, an ally to the oppressor, accompanying him, sharing a meal with him, smiling in his face, or receiving anything from him; for you would then be his supporter, and support is partnership. Do not oppose the people of piety, nor befriend the sinful, nor associate with the disobedient, and steer clear of all that is forbidden, and be wary of those who engage in it. [3]

Sa’id ibn Abd al-Aziz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

Whoever does good should expect a reward, and whoever does wrong should not be surprised by the consequences. Whoever seeks honour through unjust means will receive humiliation in truth, and whoever accumulates wealth through oppression will be left in poverty without injustice. [4]

[1] Ḥilyat al-Awliyāʾ 7/24

[2] Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 8/36

[3] al-ʿIqd al-Farīd 1/30

[1] Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 5/131