Al-Barr

How the scholars invoke Al-Barr.

1. "The hadith about the levels between the knowledgeable and the worshipper was reported by al-Asfahani and others, also with weak chains. The hadith "It was said, O Messenger of Allah, which deeds are best? was reported by Ibn Abd al-Barr from Anas with a weak chain. Lastly, the hadith about Allah resurrecting the scholars on the Day of Judgment was narrated by al-Tabarani from Abu Musa with a weak chain. The Virtue of Learning His dedication to learning made him lose awareness of worldly concerns, much like how overwhelming fear can numb the pain of real wounds."

   — Imam al-Ghazali, Book 1: The Book of Knowledge

2. "Ibn A'is, Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Ansari al-Awsi, one of the Banu Amr ibn Awf. He was present at al-Aqaba, Badr and what followed. He has a hadith with Ahmad and Ibn Maja on cleansing oneself with water. Ibn Abd al-Barr said: He died in the lifetime of the Prophet, God's peace and blessings be upon him, or, it is said, in the caliphate of Umar; and Umar said, standing at his grave: "No one can say, 'I am better than the occupant of this grave.' No banner was ever raised for the Prophet, God's peace and blessings be upon him, but he was standing beneath it.""

   — Ibn Kathir, Umar ibn al-Khattab

3. "This is narrated by Malik in Al-Muwatta' as mursal from Ata ibn Yasar. Ibn Abd Al-Barr connected it in Al-Tamhid from Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri, including 'Ubadah ibn Kathir Al-Thaqafi, who is weak in hadith. Al-Bayhaqi has it from Abu Huraira: "Allah Almighty says, 'If I test My believing servant and he does not complain about Me to his visitors, I release him from my captivity, replace him with flesh better than his flesh and blood better than his blood, then I grant him to resume his deeds again,' and its chain is good.""

   — Imam al-Ghazali, Book 15: Friendship and Brotherhood

4. "I have not seen the Hafiz Ibn Asakir mention this grave at all in his biography of him, and God knows best. Ibn Abd al-Barr said: They do not differ that he was found dead in his washing place, his body having turned green, and they did not know of his death until they heard a voice saying: "We have slain the chief of the Khazraj, Sa'd ibn Ubada; we shot him with an arrow that did not miss his heart." Ibn Jurayj said: I heard Ata say: I heard that the jinn spoke these two verses about Sa'd ibn Ubada."

   — Ibn Kathir, Umar ibn al-Khattab