I accompanied Ibn ‘Umar (radhi-yAllaahu ‘anhumaa) for 34 months, and [during this time] whenever he was asked a question, he would respond with: I do not know. He then turned to me and said: Do you know what these [people] wanted, they wanted to use our backs as a bridge for themselves to Hell.
Category: Sincerity
A secretive man
And I never saw him openly glorifying Allaah, nor [openly doing] any acts of charity.
Humility even in front of his family
It was reported regarding ar-Rabee’ ib Kuthaym that when a family member would enter his room, he would [hasten to] cover his Qur.aan.
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’
Don’t follow behind me
[It was reported] regarding ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Mahdee that he rose from a gathering and the people [too arose and] followed [behind] him. So [out of humility] he said to them: ‘O people, don’t follow behind me.’
Never had to pay zakaah on his wealth-1
The yearly income of al-Layth ibn Sa’d was 80,000 deenaars, [and despite this immense wealth] never did Allaah obligate upon him to extract even one dirham in zakaah.
Reward for charity done in secret
Indeed, charity done in secret will prevent the anger of the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic.
To cry out of fear of Allaah is more beloved to me
To cry out of fear of Allaah is more beloved to me than to give my weight in gold to charity.
Charity done in secret
When ‘Alee ibn al-Husayn died, they washed him and noticed a black mark on his back.