Question
Respected scholars
Who is the following attributed to and please mention the reference:
عبدت الله خمسين سنة، فما وجدت حلاوة العبادة حتى تركت ثلاثة أشياء: تركت رضى الناس حتى قدرت أن أتكلم بالحق، وتركت صحبة الفاسقين حتى وجدت صحبة الصالحين، وتركت حلاوة الدنيا حتى وجدت حلاوة الآخرة
Answer
Hafiz Dhahabi (rahimahullah) has cited this as the statement of Ahmad ibn Harb (rahimahullah) -demise: 234 A.H.-. He was a senior Jurist [Faqih] and Saint. He acquired Hadith from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah (rahimahullah) and other senior Muhaddithun.
(Tarikhul Islam, vol. 10, pg. 756, Siyaru A’lamin Nubala, vol. 11, pg. 34)
Translation
I worshipped Allah for fifty years, but I only found the sweetness and true enjoyment of worship after abandoning three things:
- I stopped worrying about people’s happiness/hurting their feelings, which enabled me to speak the truth
- I desisted from spending time with open sinners, which allowed me to enjoy the company of the righteous
- I stopped pursuing the pleasures of this world, which allowed me to experience the sweetness of the Hereafter
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Mawlana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar