Ibnul Mubaarak [rahimahullaah] was asked about the statement of Luqmaan [alayhis-salaam] to his son: ‘’If speech is from silver, then silence is from gold.” So he said: ‘’It means that if speech in obedience to Allaah is from silver, then silence [in order to refrain from] disobedience to Allaah is gold.”
[Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page: 155]
Alqamah [rahimahullaah]
Yusuf Bin Asbaat
Nadr Bin Shameel [rahimahullaah] said: ”I have not seen one with more mercy to the needy than Shu’bah [rahimahullaah]. Whenever he saw a needy person, he would not stop looking at him until he disappeared from his presence. [Hiyah 7/146]
Ath-Thawri [rahimahullaah]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Imaam Ibn Katheer [rahimahullaah] stated: Ibn Abee Haatim [rahimahullaah] narrated with his own chain of transmission from Amr Bin Murrah [rahimahullaah], who said: I did not come across an Ayah from the Book of Allaah and did not understand it, except that it grieved me.’ [That] is because I heard the statement of Allaah [The Most High]:
[وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡأَمۡثَـٰلُ نَضۡرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِۖ وَمَا يَعۡقِلُهَآ إِلَّا ٱلۡعَـٰلِمُونَ- And these similitudes We put forward for mankind, but none will understand them except those who have knowledge (of Allah and His Signs, etc.).”[29:43]
[Tafseer Ibn Katheer 4/424]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Allaah [The Most High] said:
فَلَوۡلَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرُونِ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ أُوْلُواْ بَقِيَّةٍ۬ يَنۡہَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡفَسَادِ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً۬ مِّمَّنۡ أَنجَيۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡۗ وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَآ أُتۡرِفُواْ فِيهِ وَكَانُواْ مُجۡرِمِينَ
If only there had been among the generations before you, persons having wisdom, prohibiting (others) from Al-Fasad (disbelief, polytheism, and all kinds of crimes and sins) in the earth, except a few of those whom We saved from among them. Those who did wrong pursued the enjoyment of good things of (this worldly) life, and were Mujrimun.. [11:116]
After Allaah mentioned the destruction of the nations that belied the Messengers [in Surah Hud Aayaat 25 – 115] and that the majority of them ifwere deviants, [including] even those who received the Scripture, then all of this necessitates that the religion [ordained by Allaah] would have vanished had Allaah not placed a righteous group amongst the pervious nations, who called to guidance and forbade [the people] from mischief, and thus the benefit they left behind preserved parts of the religion. However, these people were very few. They were saved due their adherence to the way of the Messengers [of Allaah] and established what the Messengers established. As for the wrong doers, they carried on enjoying the good things of the worldly life [i.e. whilst persisting in wrongdoing], so they deserved punishment.
This Ayah compels the Muslim Ummah to have in place those who rectify the affairs when people become corrupt-those who will establish the religion ordained by Allaah and call the misguided people to guidance, whilst exercising patience due to the harm they will receive [in the path of rectification and calling to the path ordained by Allaah]. This is a high station desired by those who desire [good] and the person upon such a path becomes an [upright and rightly guided] leader in the religion [ordained by Allaah] if he performs this deed sincerely for the sake of Allaah. [Ref 1]
The Scholars Are the Rectifiers of the Affairs
Shaikh Abdullah Bukhaari [may Allaah preserve him] said:
It is obligatory to attach the Ummah to the Rabbaani Scholars- those who are well known for their goodness, steadfastness, leadership and sound advice to the Ummah, and they are those who teach the smaller affairs of knowledge before the greater affairs. Therefore, their status must be made known amongst the people because the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, as reported in the narration from the Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam]. Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said in his explanation of this hadith: This is from the greatest virtues of the people of knowledge. And because the Prophets are the best of the creation, so their inheritors are the best after them. And when it is the case that everyone who is inherited from passes on inheritance to his inheritor, then the inheritors are those who take the place of those they inherit from. And none will take the place of the Messengers in propagating what they have been sent with, except the Scholars. They are the most worthy of their inheritance. [Ref 2]
[Ref 1: Source: Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan Fee Tafseer Kalaam Al-Mannaan’ by Imaam As-Sadi (rahimahullaah). Abridged & slightly paraphrased]
[Ref 2: Source:المقالات الشرعيّة page 15-16. slightly paraphrased]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said:
Every competitor compete the other and is happy when joined in it, just as the companions of the Messenger of Allaah [sallal-laahua-alayhi-wasallam] used to compete in good and they were pleased when others joined them; rather they used to encourage one another whilst competing. This is part of seeking to be foremost in [good deeds]. Allaah [The Most High] said: [ ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ-So hasten towards all that is good]. Allaah [The Most High] said:
[سَابِقُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ – Race one with another in hastening towards Forgiveness from your Lord (Allah), and towards Paradise, the width whereof is as the width of heaven and earth]. [57:21]
Umar Ibnul Khattaab [radiyallaahu-anhu] used to hasten towards [good deeds to compete] Abu-Bakr [radiyallaahu-anhu], but he never won. [Ref 1]
Umar [radiyallaahu-anahu] said: One day the Messenger of Allah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] commanded us to give sadaqah. At that time I had some property, so I said: Today I shall surpass Abu-Bakr if I am to surpass him any day. So I brought half of my property. The Messenger of Allaah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said: What did you leave for your family? I replied: The same amount. Then Abu-Bakr brought all that he had with him. So the Messenger of Allah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said to him: What did you leave for your family? He replied: I left Allah and His Messenger for them. I [Umar] said: I shall never [excel you] in competing you in anything. [Ref 2]
[Ref 1: Source: Ar-Rooh of Imaam Ibnul Qayyim 431-432) abridged]
[Ref 2: Abu Dawood and graded Hasan by Sh Albaani’ Hadeeth Number: 1678’ kitaab Az-Zakaah (page: 259)]
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy
Imaam Ibn Rajab [rahimahullaah] said about the Salaf:
There is not to be found in the statements of those who came after the Salaf (any) truth, except that it is found in their statements with a more concise wording and a shorter expression. There is not to be found in the statements of those who came after them (any) falsehood, except that there is in their statements that which clarifies its falsity, for the one who understands and contemplates [i.e. the one who understands the statements of the Salaf]. There are wonderful meanings found in their statements and precise observations, which those who came after them were neither guided to nor knew about it. The one who does not take knowledge from their statements will miss all that goodness, alongside the numerous (affairs) of falsehood he will fall into due to following those who came after them [i.e. those who came after the Salaf].
[Source: (Fadl Ilm As-Salaf Alaa Ilm Al-Khalaf’ page 61 by Imaam Ibn Rajab). abridged and slightly paraphrased]