Dead Hearts and Empty Supplications

[Umm Mohammad]

It is reported that Ibrâhîm b. Adham (d162H) – Allâh have mercy on him – once passed through the market of Basrah. People gathered around him and asked


O Abû Ishâq, Allâh the Exalted says in his Book. ‘Call on me, I will answer your prayers’, but we have been calling on Him for a long time and He does not answer our prayers. [Ibrâhîm] replied, “O people of Basrah, your hearts have died in respect to ten things

First, you know Allâh but you do not give Him His rights

Second, you have read Allah's Book but you do not act by it

Third, you claim to love Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – yet you abandon his Sunnah

Fourth, you claim to be enemies to Shaytân but you conform to his ways

Fifth, you say you love Paradise yet you do not work for it

Sixth,you say you fear The Fire yet you put yourselves closer to it by sinning

Seventh, you say death is true but you do not prepare for it

Eighth, you busy yourselves with the faults of others and disregard your own

Ninth, you consume the favors of your Lord but are not grateful for them

And

Tenth, you bury your dead but take no lesson from them

Abû Nu’aym, Hilyah Al-Awliyâ’ 8: 15, 16