Words from the Heart of Abu Bakr
The wisdoms of Abu Bakr are a selection of brief sayings that touch the heart, character, and inner discipline of a person. Although each saying may appear as a simple note on its own, behind them lie fundamental issues such as disciplining the nafs (the lower self), awareness of mortality, knowledge, adab (etiquette), and maturity of the qalb (the heart).
01
"The secret of concise speech is to abandon unnecessary words."
02
"Your secret is your blood; do not let it flow."
03
"A mature person considers forgiving as a debt and doing good as an obligation."
04
"Truthfulness is trust; lying is betrayal."
05
"Discipline your nafs (the lower self), so that people may be attached to you."
06
"A spiritual warrior has no external enemies."
07
"Do not be deceived by a life of a few days, lest you be ashamed tomorrow in the presence of Allah, the Exalted."
08
"Do not prepare a grave for yourself, prepare yourself for the grave."
09
"Do not argue with your neighbor; for the guests will leave, but he will remain."
10
"Hardness of the qalb (the heart) arises from much lying and envy."
11
"A mature person considers forgiving as a debt and doing good as an obligation."
12
"Whoever spends his life on useless things misses the time to sow seeds in the field, and when the harvest comes, he regrets it."
13
"Do not hide your state from the one who wishes to guide you; otherwise, you deceive yourself."
14
"In my view, being in well-being and showing shukr (gratitude) is more acceptable than being tested and showing sabr (patient endurance)."
15
"Keep your house away from a bad neighbor, and your visits away from a bad friend. A bad neighbor spreads secrets, and a bad friend disgraces a person."
16
"Surely my happiness is in my iman (faith). And surely my iman is in my qalb (the heart). And indeed, my qalb belongs to Allah."
17
"To understand that you are incapable of understanding you is truly to understand you."
18
"Abandoning the unlawful is better than seeking the lawful."
19
"Whoever possesses these four qualities is among the good servants of Allah: rejoicing at the repentance of another, seeking forgiveness for the sinner, making dua (supplication) for the reform of the wrongdoer, and helping the good."
20
"Let those who worship Muhammad know that he has died. Let those who worship Allah know that Allah does not die." (The saying that consoled the Muslims after the death of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him.)
21
"If I oppose Allah and His Messenger, do not obey me."
22
"Be patient; the beginning of everything is sabr (patient endurance)."
23
"Books are the gardens of the intelligent, and the fragrant flowerbeds of the virtuous."
24
"Enmity among relatives is no different from a fire that falls into a forest."
25
"Leave four things in four places: sleep in the grave, comfort on the ṣirāṭ bridge, boasting at the scale, and desires in Paradise."
26
"Do not forget what you said, to whom you said it, and when you said it."
27
"Do not boast! What use is boasting for a person who was created from earth and, when he returns to earth, will be eaten by worms!"
28
"One who enters the grave without provisions is like one who sets out to sea without a ship."