The Salaf and Worship

It was said to Al-Ahnaf: You are old and fasting weakens you. He replied: I am preparing for a long journey. He would then put his hand on a hot lantern, and say ‘Hasi’ (a word said in time of pain), and then he would say: What carried you O Ahnaf to commit that (sin) on that day.

Ibn ‘Alaa reported that a man said: I went to Timim Al-Dari and he spoke to us. After that, I asked him, ‘How many Juz’ do you read?’, He replied: Are you one of those who reads the Quran and in the morning tell others what you have read at night, I swear by He whose hands controls my soul, It is more beloved to me that I pray three voluntary rak’aat then to read the entire Quran and wake up telling people about it.

Asad bin Wada’a reported that Shadad bin Aws would turn all night in his bed and couldn’t find sleep, he would then say: O Allah, [remebering] hellfire has made my sleep vanish. He would then stand up and pray until the morning.

Ibrahim bin Sufyan said that He ‘Asim bin ‘Esam Al-Bayhaqi said: I spent a night at Ahmad bin Hanbal’s house, and he came with a glass of water and placed it beside me. He returned in the morning and saw the water untouched as remained the same, he then said: Subhanna Allah! A man seeking knowledge doesn’t have a wurd (reading section from the Quran) at night?!

Al-Fudayl said: If you are unable to pray at night and fast in the morning, understand that you are being restrained by your sins.

Translated from a book called, “Where are we from the manners of the salaf”