The Hadith of Shaddad Ibn ‘ad Ibn Iram

Auf bin Kunana bin Auf bin Uzrah bin Zaid bin Thaur bin Kalb lived for three hundred years. When his final moments arrived, he gathered his children and willed: “Fear Allah, do not mourn or grieve (for loss of wealth). Keep away from distrust. Do not disturb wild animals otherwise all of them will come out of their shelters and you will be disgraced. Do not hurt people and live with peace and harmony. Do not ask excessive questions so that people do not consider you a burden. Do not speak except truth so that people praise you. Treat people with love so that their hearts become spacious for you. Do not deprive people of benefiting from you. Otherwise, their hearts will become full of complaints for you and include yourselves among those who give gifts to their children secretly. Do not spend much time with people lest you would be considered lowly. Be patient during the time of difficulty and make the time wear its clothes. Certainly speaking nice with difficulty is better than speaking bad with ease. Bow in front of the person who bows in front of you, for people come closer because of love. If someone expresses hatred and dislike do not move away from promise and commitment. If someone seeks excuse from you, accept his excuse. Keep your promises and do not break them. Lift your status by keeping away from falsehood because human misfortune is in falsehood and speaking against the will. Do not express your helplessness to people. Otherwise, you will lose respect in their eyes. Fear poverty because it is a disgrace. Treat your equals honorably and wish that you are uplifted. The beauty of women should not separate you from healthy lineage and involve you in worry because marriage with virtuous women is a cause of respect and honor. Bow down while meeting your community. Do not betray them and do not show indifference in a matter, in which they are united because opposition is against obedience of a leader. First do good to your people and then to others and do not fear the wishes of your near and dear ones because it is a cause of extinguishment of fire of hard work and non-fulfillment of duties. And leave the one who sleeps and become their helpers during the time of their difficulties and pains so that you will conquer and fear from asking that, whose benefits did not reach them. Treat your neighbors with respect who comes to you with freshness. Give preference to the right of weak over your right. Tolerate fools so that your sorrow and grief is reduced. Keep away from groupism because it is a disgrace. Do not trouble yourself more than your capacity except during the time of difficulty so that your are not condemned for inspite of your helplessness; and you should have such a strength, which is better than supporting them through apologies in the state of helplessness (i.e. you should assist them before it is time to seek forgiveness) and make effort and do not be sluggish because effort keeps away from poverty and helplessness. You all should shout one slogan because it is a cause of respect and keep your edges sharpened. Do not pay attention to disrespectful people nor bring them near you and do not meet wicked people because you will be hurt by them. Do not be jealous among yourselves else you will be destroyed. Miserliness is a disease. Keep away from it. Elevate your status through generosity, kindness and by respecting the purity of excellent people. Spend and gain love. Take care of knowledge and respect of knowledgeable and excellent persons. Benefit from the experience of the experienced persons. They would not stop you even from a smallest deed, which contains reward and do not consider people lowly. Otherwise the same would be returned to you because a person is judged by the purity of his heart and purity of his tongue and when you are involved in fear of something then it is necessary for you to be steadfast instead of hurrying up. Also, see to it that you make your place near rulers through love because whoever tried to disrespect them was disrespected himself and whoever elevated them was elevated. Show courtesy because eyes are pointing you out. Show humility with dignity to people so that your Lord likes you.” Then he said: “And every intelligent and shrewd will not advise you Nor every advisor is intelligent However, if both things are collected in one person Then it is necessary for you to obey him.”