[خصلتان تُقَسِّيانِ القَلْبَ]
‏قال الإمامُ الفُضَيلُ بنُ عِياضٍ:
‏"خَصْلتانِ تُقسِّيَانِ القَلْبَ:
‏كَثْرَةُ الكلامِ، وكَثْرَةُ الأكلِ"
‏(سير أعلام النّبلاء)(٨/ ٤٤٠)

Al-Imām al-Fudayl ibn ‘Iyād:

Two qualities and traits that harden the heart:

Excessive speech and excessive eating

Source: Sīyar ‘Alām an-Nubalā’ (8/440)

Translated by: أبو عبد الرحمن خليل بن درويش ربيع العناني الفلسطيني

Ibn Taymiyyah: “The scholars are agreed that Muʿāwiyah (رضي الله عنه) is the best of the kings of this Ummah...”

‎ [مجموع الفتاوى ٤\٤٧٨]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“I hate to find a lazy, empty man, who neither works for his worldly living nor for the Hereafter. He whose prayer did not command him to do right and did not forbid him from doing wrong. It will not be of any use to him; it will only increase the distance between him and Allāh.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 247]

‎قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : السحور كله بركة ؛ فلا تدعوه ولو أن يجْرع أحدكم جرعةً من ماء ؛ فإن الله عز وجل وملائكته يصلون على المتسحرين.

The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “as-Suḥoor (the pre-dawn meal), ALL OF IT contains blessing so do not leave it EVEN IF that one of you has a MOUTHFUL OF WATER for indeed Allāh ‘Azza Wa Jall and His Angels send blessings upon those who take Suḥoor.”

‎[رواه أحمد وقال المنذري : إسناده قوي وأيضا صححه الألباني]

سَيِّدُ الاِسْتِغْفَارِ
The most superior way of asking for forgiveness

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

Ya Allāh, You are my Rubb. There is no true god except You. You have created me, and I am Your slave, and I hold to Your Covenant as far as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me, and I confess my sins. Pardon me, for none but You has the power to pardon.

(Sahih al-Bukhari 6306)

Al-Hasan Al-Basrī said:

“Whoever is afflicted with a calamity and conceals it for three days without complaining about it to anyone, Allāh will reward him with His mercy!”

[Al-Maradh Wa Al-Kaffārāt: 229]

Ibn Qayyim (rahimahullah) stated:

Four things that bring joy to the heart:

1. Looking at loved ones
2. Looking (and reflecting) at the blue sky
3. Looking (and reflecting) at flowing water
4. Looking (and reflecting) at greenery.

[Summarised from Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah), Zaad al-Ma'ad, Riyad: Mu'assasah ar-Risalah, pg. 614]

Shaykh Muhammad Bin Salih Al-Uthaymeen رحمه الله: As regards to the one who lays down legislative laws, despite his knowing the judgement of Allāh and that these laws are contrary to Allāh’s judgement – then this person has substituted these laws in place of the Sharī'ah. Therefore, he is a kāfir this is because he does not choose these laws and turn away from Allāh’s Sharī'ah except due to his belief that they are better for the people and the land than the law of Allāh. But when we say that he is a kāfir, then the meaning of this is that this action leads to disbelief.

However the one who [legislates these rules] may have an excuse – for example he may be one who has been deluded: such that it has been said to him that this does not conflict with Islām, or that it is something allowable as a case of benefiting the people [maṣāliḥ al-mursala], or that it is something that Islām has left up to the [custom of] the people.

[Qawl Al-Mufid Ala Kitaab At-Tawhid].

Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله said:

“By Allāh; if it were said to the inhabitants of the graves: ‘wish’ – they would indeed wish for a day from Ramaḍān.”

[At-Tabsirah | Pg. 84-85]

Ahmad ibn Hanbal said:

“We are masākīn! Had it not been for Allāh concealing us, we would have been exposed!”

[Hilyatul Awliyā: 9/181]

Ash-Shāfi’ī said:

“After performing the obligatory prayers, there is nothing better than seeking knowledge!”

[Al-Madkhal Lil Bayhaqī: 475]

Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said,

"As for fasting specifically on the fifteenth of Shaban, then this is baseless."

[Iqtida al-Sirat al-Mustaqim pg. 302]

Jarīr ibn ‘Abdillāh رضي الله عنه said:

"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not look at me since I accepted Islam except that he smiled."

[Sunan Sa’īd ibn Mansūr: 6234]

The Fundamentals Which Cause Mahabbah (Love) of Allāh (The Lord).

Imām Ibn Al Qayyim – رحمة الله عليه – says:
“The reasons which cause mahabbah of Allâh to develop, are ten:

١. Reciting the Qur‘ân, reflecting and understanding its meaning and its intent.

٢. Drawing closer to Allāh – the Most High – through optional deeds, after fulfilling the obligatory duties.

٣. Being continuous in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allāh, with the tongue, the heart and the limbs – under all circumstances. The more constant the dhikr, the more mahabbah develops and intensifies.

٤. Giving precedence to what Allāh loves over personal loves, when being overcome by desires.

٥. Contemplating and deliberating over the Names and Attributes of Allāh.

٦. Recognising and remembering the favours and bounties of Allāh – both the manifest and hidden.

٧. To be humble and submissive before Allāh – and this is the greatest matter.

٨. To be in seclusion reciting the Qur'ān, during that time in which Allāh descends to the lowest heaven (which is the last third of every night), finishing this recitation with seeking Allâh’s forgiveness and repenting to Him.

٩. To sit in the gatherings of true and sincere lovers of Allāh, reaping the fruits of their speech, and not to speak except if there is benefit in it and that you know that such talk will increase you in goodness and that it will benefits others as well.

١٠. To stay clear of all those causes which distances the heart from Allāh – the Mighty and Majestic.

So these are the ten reasons which cause the person to develop true love for Allāh and to reach the rank of al-muhabbah, by which he reaches his Beloved.”

[مدارج السالكين ٣: ١٧-١٨]

Ibn al-Jawzi (Rahimahullah) said:

"I wonder at you! Allah draws near to you though He is in no need of you, whereas you are arrogant with Him though you are in need of Him. When you are far, He draws you near to Him; and when you are negligent, He reminds you. He did not favour any other creation over you, but nevertheless you still favour everything over Him!

Lower the head of your regret before the commencement of the day at which you are blamed; because then you will not have the face to answer any of that."

[Kitaab Al-Lataa’if Fil-Waa’iz, p.38]

And the devilish sweetness in [sins] prevents the divine sweetness [in acts of worship]

Whoever enjoys disobeying Allah, has prevented his heart from enjoying obeying Allah.

- Shaykh Sulayman ar-Ruhayli حفظه الله | Recording