بِسْمِIn the name ofاللَّهِAllahالرَّحْمَنِthe Most Graciousالرَّحِيمِthe Most Merciful
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
وَلَهُAnd for Himالْأَمَانُis the safetyمِنَfromالْخِذْلَانِ.forsakenness.
And to Him belongs safety from being forsaken.
الْحَمْدُPraiseلِلَّهِis to AllahرَبِّLord ofالْعَالَمِينَthe worlds
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
وَلَاAnd there is noحَوْلَmightوَلَاand noقُوَّةَpowerإِلَّاexceptبِاللَّهِby Allahالْعَلِيِّthe Most Highالْعَظِيمِthe Magnificent
And there is no might and no power except by Allah, the Most High, the Magnificent.
وَصَلَّىAnd may Allah send blessingsاللَّهُAllahعَلَىuponمُحَمَّدٍMuhammadالنَّبِيِّthe Prophetالْأُمِّيِّthe Unletteredالْهَاشِمِيِّthe Hashimiteالْأَبْطَحِيِّthe Abtahiالْمَكِّيِّthe Meccanالْمَدَنِيِّthe Medinanالْهَادِيthe Guideالْمَهْدِيِّthe Guidedالسِّلَاجِthe lampالْمُضِيءِilluminatingوَالْقَمَرِand the moonالْمُنِيرِradiantالتَّقِيِّthe righteousالنَّقِيِّthe pure
And may Allah send blessings upon Muhammad, the unlettered, Hashimite, Abtahi, Meccan, Medinan Prophet, the guide, the guided, the illuminating lamp, the radiant moon, the righteous, the pure,
وَعَلَىand uponأَهْلِthe people ofبَيْتِهِhis houseالطَّيِّبِينَthe goodالْأَخْيَارِthe bestالسَّادَةِthe mastersالْأَطْهَارِthe pureالْمُقْسِطِينَthe justالْأَبْرَارِthe piousالَّذِينَwhoخُلِقُواwere createdمِنْfromطِينَةٍa clayوَاحِدَةٍsingleوَجُبِلُواand were fashionedعَلَىuponفِطْرَتِهِhis natural dispositionوَدَرَجُواand walkedعَلَىuponحَوْزَتِهِhis domainوَمُيِّزُواand were distinguishedبِحِكْمَتِهِby his wisdomوَعَلَىand uponمِنْهَاجِهِhis methodوَمِلَّتِهِand his religionوَفَازُواand succeededبِطَاعَتِهِby his obedienceوَسَلَّمَand granted peaceتَسْلِيماًa greetingكَثِيراًabundantدَائِماً.everlasting.
and upon his good, best household, the masters, the pure, the just, the pious, who were created from a single clay, fashioned upon his nature, walked upon his domain, were distinguished by his wisdom, upon his method and religion, and succeeded through his obedience, and may He grant them abundant and everlasting peace.
مَحَاسِنُThe beauties ofالْكُتُبِbooks
The Beauties of Books
قَالَSaidالشَّيْخُthe ShaykhإِبْرَاهِيمُIbrahimبْنُson ofمُحَمَّدٍMuhammadالْبَيْهَقِيُّ:al-Bayhaqi:قَالَSaidمُصْعَبُMus'abبْنُson ofالزُّبَيْرِ:al-Zubayr:إِنَّIndeedالنَّاسَpeopleيَتَحَدَّثُونَspeakبِأَحْسَنِwith the best ofمَاwhatيَحْفَظُونَthey memorize
Shaykh Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Bayhaqi said: Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr said: Indeed, people speak with the best of what they memorize,
وَيَحْفَظُونَand they memorizeأَحْسَنَthe best ofمَاwhatيَكْتُبُونَthey writeوَيَكْتُبُونَand they writeأَحْسَنَthe best ofمَاwhatيَسْمَعُونَ،they hear.
and they memorize the best of what they write, and they write the best of what they hear.
فَإِذَاSo ifأَخَذْتَyou takeالْأَدَبَAdab (literature/manners)فَخُذْهُthen take itمِنْfromأَفْوَاهِthe mouths ofالرِّجَالِmenفَإِنَّكَfor indeed youلَاdo notتَسْمَعُhearمِنْهُمْfrom themإِلَّاexceptمُخْتَاراً.the chosen.
So if you acquire Adab, acquire it from the mouths of men, for you will not hear from them except the choicest.
وَقَالَAnd saidلُقْمَانُLuqmanلِابْنِهِ:to his son:يَاOبُنَيَّmy little sonتَنَافَسْcompeteفِيinطَلَبِseekingالْأَدَبِAdab
And Luqman said to his son: O my son, compete in seeking Adab,
فَإِنَّهُfor it isمِيرَاثٌan inheritanceغَيْرُnotمَسْلُوبٍplunderedوَقَرِينٌand a companionغَيْرُnotمَغْلُوبٍdefeatedوَنَفِيسُand a preciousحَظٍّshareفِيamongالنَّاسِthe peopleمَطْلُوبٍ.sought after.
for it is an unplundered inheritance, an undefeated companion, and a precious, sought-after share among people.
وَقَالَAnd saidالزُّهْرِيُّ:al-Zuhri:الْأَدَبُAdabذَكَرٌis masculineلَاdoes notيُحِبُّهُlove itإِلَّاexceptذُكُورُthe males ofالرِّجَالِmenوَلَاand does notيُبْغِضُهُhate itإِلَّاexceptمُؤَنَّثُهُمْ.their effeminate ones.
And al-Zuhri said: Adab is masculine; none love it except the manly men, and none hate it except their effeminate ones.
وَقِيلَ:And it was said:إِذَاIfسَمِعْتَyou hearأَدَباًan item of Adabفَاكْتُبْهُthen write it downوَلَوْeven ifفِيonحَائِطٍ،a wall.
And it was said: If you hear a piece of Adab, write it down, even if on a wall.
قَالَ:He said:وَقَالَAnd saidالْمَنْصُورُal-Mansurبْنُson ofالْمَهْدِيِّal-Mahdiلِلْمَأْمُونِ:to al-Ma'mun:أَيَحْسُنُIs it fittingبِمِثْلِيfor the likes of meطَلَبُto seekالْأَدَبِ؟Adab?
He said: Al-Mansur ibn al-Mahdi said to al-Ma'mun: Is it fitting for the likes of me to seek Adab?
قَالَ:He said:لَأَنْThatتَمُوتَyou dieطَالِباًseekingلِلْأَدَبِAdabخَيْرٌis betterمِنْthanأَنْthatتَعِيشَyou liveقَانِعاًcontentبِالْجَهْلِ.with ignorance.
He said: For you to die while seeking Adab is better than for you to live content with ignorance.
قَالَ:He said:فَإِلَىThen untilمَتَىwhenيَحْسُنُis it fittingبِيfor meذَلِكَ؟that?
He said: Then until when is that fitting for me?
قَالَ:He said:مَاAs long asحَسُنَتْis fittingبِكَfor youالْحَيَاةُ.life.
He said: As long as life is fitting for you.
وَقَالَAnd saidالزُّهْرِيُّ:al-Zuhri:مَاI have notسَمِعْتُheardكَلاماًspeechأَوْجَزَmore conciseمِنْthanكَلَامِthe speech ofعَبْدِAbdالْمَلِكِal-Malikبْنِson ofمَرْوَانَMarwanلِوَلَدِهِto his childحَيْثُwhenيَقُولُ:he says:اُطْلُبُواSeekمَعِيشَةًa livelihoodلَاthat cannotيَقْدِرُpowerعَلَيْهَاover itسُلْطَانٌa sultanجَائِرٌ.tyrannical.
And al-Zuhri said: I have not heard a speech more concise than the speech of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan to his child when he says: Seek a livelihood that no tyrannical sultan has power over.
قِيلَIt was saidمَاWhatهِيَ؟is it?قَالَ:He said:الْأَدَبُ.Adab.
It was said: What is it? He said: Adab.
وَقَالَAnd saidبُزُرْجْمِهْرَ:Buzurjmihr:يَاOلَيْتَwould thatشِعْرِيI knewأَيَّwhatشَيْءٍthingأَدْرَكَhas attainedمَنْhe whoفَاتَهُmissedالْأَدَبُAdabأَمْorأَيَّwhatشَيْءٍthingفَاتَmissedمَنْhe whoأَدْرَكَattainedالْأَدَبَAdabوَمَادَّتُهُand its materialمِنَis fromالْكُتُبِ!books!
And Buzurjmihr said: O would that I knew what thing he has attained who missed Adab, or what thing has missed him who attained Adab, while its material comes from books!
وَقَدْAnd indeedأَهْدَىgiftedبَعْضُsomeالْكُتَّابِscribeإِلَىtoصَدِيقٍa friendلَهُof hisدَفْتَراًa notebookوَكَتَبَand wroteلَهُ:to him:هَدِيَّتِيMy giftهَذِهِ،this,أَعَزَّكَmay He honor youاللَّهُ،Allah,تَزْكُوgrowsعَنِbeyondالْإِنْفَاقِspendingوَتَرْبُوand increasesعَلَىoverالْكَدِّ،toil,لَاdoes notتُفْسِدُهَاcorrupt itالْعَوَارِيborrowed itemsوَلَاand does notتُخْلِقُهَاwear it outكَثْرَةُabundance ofالتَّقْلِيبِ،turning pages,وَهِيَand it isأُنْسٌcomfortفِيinاللَّيْلِthe nightوَالنَّهَارِand the dayوَالسَّفَرِand travelوَالْحَضَرِand presenceتُصْلِحُit suitsلِلدُّنْيَاfor the worldوَالْآخِرَةِ،and the hereafter,تُؤْنِسُit comfortsفِيinالْخَلْوَةِseclusionوَتُمَتِّعُand gives enjoymentفِيinالْوَحْدَةِ،solitude,مُسَامِرٌa nocturnal companionمُسَاعِدٌa helpful oneوَمُحَدِّثٌand a speakerمِطْوَاعٌobedientوَنَدِيمٌand a drinking/companioningصَدِيقٌ.friend.
And indeed some scribe gifted a notebook to a friend of his and wrote to him: This gift of mine, may Allah honor you, grows beyond spending and increases over toil; it is not corrupted by borrowed items nor worn out by frequent page-turning. It is a comfort in the night and day, in travel and presence; it suits the world and the hereafter, comforts in seclusion and gives enjoyment in solitude, a nocturnal companion, a helpful assistant, an obedient speaker, and a companionable friend.
وَقَالَAnd saidبَعْضُهُمْ:some of them:الْكُتُبُBooksبَسَاتِينُare gardens ofالْعُلَمَاءِ.scholars.
And some of them said: Books are the gardens of scholars.
وَقَالَAnd saidآخَرُ:another:الْكِتَابُThe bookجَلِيسٌis a companionلَاnoمُؤْنَةَburdenلَهُ.for him.
And another said: The book is a companion that has no burden upon you.
وَقَالَAnd saidالْفَضْلُal-Fadlبْنُson ofسَهْلٍSahlلِلْمَأْمُونِto al-Ma'munوَهُوَwhile heبِدِمَشْقَwas in Damascusبِدَيْرِat the monastery ofمَرَّانَMarranمُشْرِفٌoverlookingعَلَىitsغَوْتِهَا:Ghouta:يَاOأَمِيرَCommander ofالْمُؤْمِنِينَthe Faithfulهَلْhaveرَأَيْتَyou seenفِيinحُسْنِهَاits beautyشَبِيهاًan equalفِيinشَيْءٍanythingمِنْofمُلْكِthe kingdom ofالْعَرَبِ؟the Arabs?يَعْنِيmeaningالْغَوْطَةَ.the Ghouta.
And al-Fadl ibn Sahl said to al-Ma'mun while he was in Damascus at the monastery of Marran overlooking its Ghouta: O Commander of the Faithful, have you seen in its beauty an equal in anything of the kingdom of the Arabs? Meaning the Ghouta.
قَالَ:He said:بَلَىYesوَاللَّهِ،by Allah,كِتَابٌa bookفِيهِin it isأَدَبٌAdabيَجْلُوthat polishesالْأَفْهَامَunderstandingsوَيُذْكِيand sharpensالْقُلُوبَheartsوَيُؤْنِسُand comfortsالْأَنْفُسَsoulsأَحْسَنُis betterمِنْهَا.than it.
He said: Yes, by Allah, a book containing Adab that polishes understandings, sharpens hearts, and comforts souls is better than it.