[There are] two things that harden the heart: speaking too much and eating too much.
Category: Words of Wisdom
Total control over hunger
He who has total control over his stomach (hunger), attains total control over [the ability to perform] all righteous actions.
Dignifying and venerating the prayer
A man [once] said, from [the actions which] dignify and venerate the prayer is to arrive [for it] before the iqaamah.
Do not disturb
‘Ask for him (seek him out) at the masjid’, and don’t say to him: ‘He is not here, so as not to lie’
Eating too much
It used to be said that eating too much diminishes [the ability] to express [one’s] understanding, and leads to hardness [of the heart] and [too much] sleep.
Awake in prayer at night
I used to know Ahmad ibn Hanbal when he was [just] a little boy, and he would remain awake at night standing in prayer.
Sincere in his worship
If any member of the household entered upon ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Abee Laylaa while he was [standing the night] praying, he would immediately jump into bed [out of humility, and remaining sincere in his worship to Allaah, and being far removed from showing off].
He would quietly stand the entire night in prayer
Ayyoob as-Sikhtiyaanee used to quietly stand the entire night in prayer, and in the morning [at the time of Fajr] he would raise his voice as if [giving the impression] he had just awoken at that time.
Reciting Quraan before he died
I was with al-Junayd when death was approaching him, and he completed [reciting] the Qur.aan, then began [reciting] Soorah al-Baqarah – reciting seventy aayahs before he died.
Strength of memory
My heart has never stored (memorised) anything and then left me.