حياة السلف بين القول والعمل

Abdul Malik bin Marwan, may God have mercy on him, said: Be fair to us, O subjects. You want us to follow the example of Abu Bakr and Umar, may God be pleased with them both! But you do not follow the example of the people of Abu Bakr and Umar in your dealings with us or with yourselves! We ask God to help everyone with everyone else. [Uyun al-Akhbar 1/53].

Ka’b, may God have mercy on him, said: The example of Islam, the Sultan, and the people is like the example of the tent, the pole, the ropes, and the pegs. The tent is Islam; the pole is the Sultan, and the ropes and pegs are the people. None of them can be fixed except with the other. [Uyun al-Akhbar 1/48].

On the authority of Amr ibn Sharhabil, may God have mercy on him: He said: People will remain in a good state as long as they do not have rulers who do not see any right for them except what they want. [Ibn Abi al-Dunya Encyclopedia 7/416].

Ibn Hisham said: Al-Ma'mun, may Allah have mercy on him, said to me: Ali, kings tolerate everything from their companions except three qualities. I asked: What are they, Commander of the Faithful? He replied: Attacking the kingship, disclosing secrets, and encroaching upon the protected household. [al-Muntazam 10/59].

High Ambition: On the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, he said: When the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, passed away, I said to a man from the Ansar: Come, let us ask the Companions of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, for they are many today. He said: How strange you are, Ibn Abbas! Do you think people need you when there are so many Companions of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, among them? He said: So I left that and began to ask the Companions of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, about hadith. If a hadith reached me from a man, I would go to his door while he was taking his midday rest, and I would use the earth as my pillow. He would come out and see me and say: O cousin of the Messenger of God, what brings you here? Why didn't you send for me so I could come to you? I would say: No, I am more deserving to come to you and ask you about hadith. That young Ansari man lived until he saw me, with people gathered around me asking me, and he would say: This young man was more intelligent than I am. (Narrated by al-Tabarani). [Sifat al-Safwa 1/369].