Imam as-Samarqandi--Tanbeeh al-Ghafileen

Ten Oppressors

Sufyan ath-Thauri, may Allah have mercy on him, said that ten people are regarded as oppressors:

1. The person who prays for himself, but forgets his parents and other believers.

2. The person who does not recite at least a hundred verses of the Qur’an daily.

3. The person who leaves the Masjid without performing at least two raka’ahs of salah.

4. The person who passes a graveyard without greeting the deceased or praying for them.

5. The person who enters a city on a Friday and leaves without performing the Friday prayer.

6. That man or woman in whose vicinity a learned person comes and none acquires any religious knowledge from him.

7. Those two people who love each other for the pleasure of Allah but are unaware of each others names.

8. That person who is invited by another but does not accept his invitation (when acceptance does not contradict the Shari`ah).

9. That youngster that has no commitments yet does not acquire any religious knowledge or manners.

10. That person who has eaten to his fill while his neighbour goes hungry.

Five Things Cause Five Others

Abu Hurayrah, radhiallahu `anhu said, "If anyone has five things then he will not be deprived of five others.

1. He who is enabled to show gratitude will never be deprived of increase of blessings.
"If you give thanks, certainly I will give you more." (14:7)

2. He who is guided to persevere will not be deprived of reward.
"Truly the persevering will be paid their reward in full without reckoning." (39:10)

3. One who is inspired to repent will not be deprived of its acceptance:
"And He is (Allah) Who accepts repentance from His servants." (42:25)

4. One who is enabled to seek forgiveness will not be deprived of receiving pardon.
"Seek forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is Ever-Forgiving." (71:10)

5. He who is spurred to make supplication is not deprived of an answer.
"Call upon Me, and I shall answer you." (40:60)

Someone else added a sixth proposition that one who is encouraged to spend will not be deprived of reward thereof.
"And whatsoever you expend (for good) He shall replace it." (34:39)

The sign of scrupulous piety (al-wara`) is considering ten things
mandatory upon oneself:

1. Guarding the tongue from backbiting due to the saying of the Most High: “Do not backbite one another.” [49:12]

2. Shunning suspicion due to the saying of the Most High: “Avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin.” [49:12] And also due to the saying of the Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, “Avoid suspicion, for airing suspicion is the most lying form of speech.” [Musnad Ahmad]

3. Shunning mockery due to the saying of the Most High: “Let not a people ridicule another people; perhaps they may be better than them.” [49:11]

4. Lowering gaze from forbidden things due to the saying of the Most High: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze.” [24:30]

5. Truthfulness of the tongue due to the saying of the Most High: “And when you speak, be just.” [6:152]

6. Recognizing the blessings of Allah the Most High upon oneself in order to avoid conceitedness due to the saying of the Most High: “Rather, Allah has conferred favor upon you that He has guided you to the faith, if you should be truthful.” [49:17]

7. Spending one’s wealth on good rather than bad things, due to the saying of the most High: “And those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly.” [25:67] Meaning, they do not spend on sinfulness and do not prevent obedience, “but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate.” [25:67]

8. Not seeking haughtiness and pride for oneself, due to the saying of the Most High: “That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption.” [28:83]

9. Maintaining with care the five prayers on time, with proper bowing and prostration, due to the saying of the Most High: “Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle [`asr] prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.” [2:238]

10. Steadfastness upon the way of Sunnah and Jama`ah, due to the saying of the Most High: “And, this is My Path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way. This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.” [6:153]