Al-Zuhd - Ahmad Ibn Hanbal - (206)

1424 – ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; Hārūn ibn ʿAbd Allah narrated to us; Sayyār narrated to us; Jaʿfar ibn Sulaymān al-Ḍubāʿī narrated to us; Abū Sinān al-Qasmalī narrated to us. He said: I heard Wahb ibn Munabbih—he turned toward ʿAṭāʾ al-Khurasānī and said to him:

“Woe to you, ʿAṭāʾ! Have I not been informed that you take your knowledge to the gates of kings and the devotees of this world? O ʿAṭāʾ, you go to those who shut their doors in your face, parade their poverty before you, and conceal their wealth from you, yet you abandon the One who opens His door for you, shows you His abundance, and says, ‘Call upon Me and I will answer you’ (40:60).

Woe to you, ʿAṭāʾ! Be content with a modest share of this world together with wisdom, and never be content with a modest share of wisdom even if you possess the world.

Woe to you, ʿAṭāʾ! If what suffices you does not make you independent, then nothing in this world will ever suffice you.

Woe to you, ʿAṭāʾ! Your belly is but an ocean among oceans, a valley among valleys; nothing will fill it except dust.”

١٤٢٤ - حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سَيَّارٌ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ الضُّبَعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سِنَانٍ الْقَسْمَلِيُّ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ وَهْبَ بْنَ مُنَبِّهٍ، وَأَقْبَلَ، عَلَى عَطَاءٍ الْخُرَاسَانِيِّ فَقَالَ لَهُ: وَيْحَكَ يَا عَطَاءُ أَلَمْ أُخْبَرْ أَنَّكَ تَحْمِلُ عِلْمَكَ إِلَى أَبْوَابِ الْمُلُوكِ وَأَبْنَاءِ الدُّنْيَا، يَا عَطَاءُ تَأْتِي مَنْ يُغْلِقُ عَنْكَ بَابَهُ وَيُظْهِرُ لَكَ فَقْرَهُ وَيُوَارِي عَنْكَ غِنَاهُ وَتَدَعُ مَنْ يَفْتَحُ لَكَ بَابَهُ وَيُظْهِرُ لَكَ غِنَاهُ وَيَقُولُ ﴿ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾ [غافر: ٦٠] وَيْحَكَ يَا عَطَاءُ ارْضَ لَكَ بِدُونٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا مَعَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَلَا تَرْضَ بِالدُّونِ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ مَعَ الدُّنْيَا، وَيْحَكَ يَا عَطَاءُ إِنْ كَانَ لَا يُغْنِيكَ مَا يَكْفِيكَ فَلَيْسَ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا يَكْفِيكَ وَيْحَكَ، يَا عَطَاءُ إِنَّمَا بَطْنُكَ بَحْرٌ مِنَ الْبُحُورِ وَوَادٍ مِنَ الْأَوْدِيَةِ لَا يَمْلَؤُهُ شَيْءٌ إِلَّا التُّرَابُ "