Latest AnswersMarch 24, 2026

Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) on the Nature of People

Question

Question Where does this come? It was said to Hasan Basri (rahimahullah): “People attend your gatherings, picking up slips of your speech and then speaking ill of you.” He replied: “When I saw that people are not even pleased with their Creator, I realised that they will certainly not be pleased with a creation like themselves.”

Answer

Imam Bayhaqi (Rahimahullah) has recorded this narration in Az Zuhdul Kabir. The complete narration is as follows: Hasan Basri (rahimahullah) was once told, “People attend your gatherings, picking out mistakes from your speech and then use them to criticise you.” He replied, “Do not take it too seriously. I aspired to seek the closeness of Allah, and I hope to attain it. I aspire Jannah, and I hope to attain it. I aspired the maidens of Jannah [Hur] and I have hope of attaining it. But when I sought safety from people’s harm and criticism, I found no way to it. When I saw that people are not even satisfied with their Creator, I realised that they will never be satisfied with a creation like themselves.” (Az Zuhdul Kabir: 173) And Allah Ta’ala Knows best. Mawlana Suhail Motala Approved by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar __________ التخريج من المصادر العربية: الزهد الكبير للبيهقي: (١٧٣) – أخبرنا عبد الله بن يوسف الأصبهاني، حدثنا أبو العباس أحمد بن محمد بن يزيد اللبان بهمذان قال: سمعت محمد بن حمدان الطرائفي يقول: سمعت الربيع بن سليمان يقول: أنبأنا أسد بن موسى، أنبأنا جرير بن حازم قال: قيل للحسن البصري: إن الناس يأتون مجلسك ليأخذوا سقط كلامك فيجدون الوقيعة فيك، فقال: هون عليك فإني أطمعت نفسي في جوار الله، فطمعت ، وأطمعت نفسي في الجنان فطمعت ، وأطمعت نفسي في الحور العين، فطمعت ، وأطمعت نفسي في السلامة من الناس، فلم أجد إلى ذلك سبيلا، إني لما رأيت الناس لا يرضون عن خالقهم علمت أنهم لا يرضون عن مخلوق مثلهم. Bayhaqi Kitabuz Zuhd Moulana Suhail Motala Statements of the pious Moulana Suhail Motala Prev Next