Ibraaheem bin Aadam (may Allah have mercy upon him) was passing by the market place of al-Basrah and the people gathered around him and said: “Oh father of Ishaaq, why is it that we supplicate but our supplications are not answered?” He said: “That’s because your hearts have died by way of 10 things!” They said: “What are they?!”

He said:

(1) You know Allah but you haven’t fulfilled His right (over you).
(2) You claimed you love the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), then you abandoned his Sunnah.
(3) You have read/recited the Qur’aan but you didn’t implement it.
(4) You have eaten (from) the favor of Allah (upon you) but didn’t fulfill showing gratitude for it.
(5) You said: Indeed the Shaytaan is your enemy but you agreed with him (by obeying him when he calls you to do evil).
(6) You said: Indeed the Paradise is the truth but you didn’t work for it.
(7) You said: Indeed the Hell-Fire is true, but you didn’t flee from it.
(8) You said: Indeed death is true but you didn’t prepare for it.
(9) You woke up from the (state of) sleeping and busied yourself with the faults of the people leaving off your own faults.
(10) You buried your dead but didn’t take a lesson from them.

Source: Jaami’ Bayaan al-‘Ilm wa Fadlih, vol. 2, p. 12.

Translated by Abu Yusuf Khaleefah
24th of Rabee’ al-Awwal, 1436 H (01-15-2015)
Masjid Nur Allah, Queens, NYC

Original Arabic

قلوبنا ماتت بعشرة أشياء

مر إبراهيم بن أدهم – رحمه الله – بسوق البصرة ؛ فاجتمع الناس إليه ، وقالوا : يا أبا إسحاق : ما لنا ندعوا فلا يستجاب لنا ؟
!قال : لأن قلوبكم ماتت بعشرة أشياء
:قالوا : وما هي ؟! ، قال
.الأول : أنكم عرفتم الله ؛ فلم تؤدوا حقه
.الثاني : زعمتم أنكم تحبون رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ،ثم تركتم سنته
.الثالث : قرأتم القرآن ، ولم تعملوا به
.الرابع : أكلتم نعمة الله ، ولم تؤدوا شكرها
.الخامس : قلتم إن الشيطان عدوكم ، ووافقتموه
.السادس : قلتم إن الجنة حق ، فلم تعملوا لها
.السابع : قلتم إن النار حق ، ولم تهربوا منها
.الثامن : قلتم إن الموت حق ، فلم تستعدوا له
.التاسع :انتبهتم من النوم ، واشتغلتم بعيوب الناس ، وتركتم عيوبكم
.العاشر : دفنتم موتاكم ، ولم تعتبروا بهم

(المصدر : جامع بيان العلم وفضله (2/12