beneficial saying of the salaf

Saying of the Salaf

‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Azîz (rahimahullâh) used to say, "None can reach the station of taqwâ until he possesses neither action nor words that can be exposed to his embarrassment either in this world or the Hereafter." He was once asked, "When does the worshipper reach the peak of taqwâ? He replied, "If he put all his thoughts and desires in his heart on a plate and then wandered around in the market, he should not feel ashamed of anything there." He would frequently say, "The sign of the muttaqî (pious person who fears Allah swt much) is to bridle oneself from speaking just like one in ihrâm bridles himself from speaking. The muttaqî need to be a scholar of the Sharî‘ah, all of it, otherwise he leaves taqwâ without realising."