Jami' al-Saghir / Jam' al-Jawami' (al-Suyuti) 2-2051b

Translation

Machine translation, not reviewed

"It is narrated from Zakariyya ibn Yahya al-Warraq, who said: It was read to 'Abd Allah ibn Wahb while I was listening: al-Thawri said: Mujalid said: Abu al-Waddak said: Abu Sa'id said: 'Umar ibn al-Khattab said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: My brother Musa (peace be upon him) said: O Lord, show me the one You showed me in the ship. So Allah revealed to him: O Musa, you will see him. He did not stay long until al-Khidr came to him, and he was a young man of good scent and fine white garments. He said: Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah, O Musa ibn 'Imran. Indeed your Lord sends you His peace and mercy. Musa said: He is Peace, and from Him is peace, and to Him is peace, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, whose blessings I cannot count, and I cannot fulfill His thanks except by His help. Then Musa said: I wish you would give me a counsel by which Allah may benefit me after you. Al-Khidr said: O seeker of knowledge! Indeed, the speaker's weariness is less than the listener's. So do not bore your companions when you speak to them, and know that your heart is a vessel, so look at what you fill your vessel with. Turn away from this world and cast it behind you, for it is not a home for you, and you have no lasting dwelling in it; it was only made a provision for the servants, that they might take provision from it for the Hereafter. O Musa, accustom yourself to patience and you will meet forbearance (you will be freed from sin), and make your heart feel piety and you will gain knowledge, and train yourself to patience. O Musa, devote yourself to knowledge if you want it, for knowledge belongs only to those who devote themselves to it. Do not be a frequent talker or a constant babbler, for abundance of speech disgraces scholars and exposes the faults of the foolish. Rather, hold to moderation, for that is part of success and right guidance. Turn away from the ignorant and their falsehood, and be forbearing toward the foolish, for that is the act of the wise and the ornament of scholars. If the ignorant man insults you, then be silent toward him in forbearance and firmness, for what remains of his ignorance against you and his insult of you is greater and more severe. O son of 'Imran! Do not consider that you have been given only a little knowledge, for error and harshness are from rashness and affectation. O son of 'Imran! (Do not open a door whose locking you do not know, and do not lock a door whose opening you do not know!) O son of 'Imran! Whoever is not sated with the world, and whose desire for it is never fulfilled, how can he be a worshipper? And whoever belittles his state and accuses Allah concerning what He decreed, how can he be an ascetic? Will one who is overcome by his desires refrain from lusts? Or will the pursuit of knowledge benefit one whom ignorance has embraced? For his journey is toward his Hereafter while he is intent on his worldly life. O Musa, learn what you learn in order to act by it, and do not learn it to talk about it, lest its burden be upon you and its light be for others. O son of 'Imran! Make asceticism and piety your garment, and knowledge and remembrance your speech, and increase good deeds, for you will surely commit evil deeds. Shake your heart with fear, for that pleases your Lord. Do good, for you will surely do evil. You have been admonished if you remember." Then al-Khidr departed, and Musa remained grieved, distressed, weeping."

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