A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ   The Qur’an was Revealed in clear Arabic speech:   سُوۡرَةُ یُوسُف إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ قُرۡءَٲنًا عَرَبِيًّ۬ا لَّعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ (٢)   We have Sent It down as an Arabic Qur’an in order that you may learn wisdom. (Surah Yusuf:2)   The principles and rules that the exegete needs for comprehending the Qur’an focus on understanding Arabic rules of grammar and their foundations, as well as the style and subtleties of the language.   The scholars have stipulated that the exegete who intends to interpret the Qur’an with his independent judgement needs to know a variety of sciences by means of which he will be able to properly interpret the Qur’an.   These sciences will prevent him from falling into error and protect him from asserting things about Allah ( s.w.t. ) without knowledge.   The foundation is lexicology or semantics.   By means of this science, one can explain the established meanings o...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu Muhammad Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah ( r.a. ) said, in reference to Imam  Abu ‘Abdullah  Malik ibn Anas ( r.a. ), upon his passing, “May Allah ( s.w.t. ) have Mercy upon Imam Malik.  He only narrated authentic ahadits ; he would never report anything if it did not come from a reliable one.  Thus, in my opinion, Madina, in his absence, has only had a decrease in knowledge after his passing.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu Muhammad Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah ( r.a. ) said, “The intelligent man is not the one who knows the good from the evil.   Rather, the intelligent man is the one who knows the good, so he follows it; and he knows the evil, so he avoids it.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu Muhammad Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah ( r.a. ) said, “He who speaks a single word against the companions of Allah’s Messenger ( s.a.w. ), then he is an innovator.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu Muhammad Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah ( r.a. ) said, “Kindness is the key to attaining affection.   Good conduct is very easy: a pleasant face and gentle words.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu Muhammad Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah ( r.a. ) said, “The steps of knowledge are to listen, to be quiet and attentive, to preserve, to put it into practice, and to spread it.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It was related by Imam Shams ad-Din Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad adz-Dzahabi ( r.a. ), in Siyar A’alam an-Nubala’ , that Imam Abu Muhammad Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah ( r.a. ) said, “He, whose sin is due to desire, then have hope for him; and he, whose sin is due to pride, then fear for him.  Because Adam sinned due to desire, and he was Forgiven; and Iblis sinned due to pride, and he was Cursed.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu Muhammad Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah ( r.a. ) said, “The ahadits are misguidance for anyone, except the scholars of jurisprudence.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’i ( r.a. ) said, “If Malik and ibn ‘Uyaynah where not here, the knowledge of Hijaz would be gone.”   He was referring to Imam  Abu ‘Abdullah  Malik ibn Anas ( r.a. ), and Imam Abu Muhammad Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah ( r.a. ).