Articles of Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

[Muhammad]

A Brief Biography of Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (Rahimahullâh)

 

From the introduction to al-Waabil as-Sayyib min al-Kalim at-Tayyib

Translated by Micheal Abdur-Rahmân Fitzgerald and Moulay Youssef Slitine

 

For most Muslims who have heard of him, Ibn al-Qayyim al Jawziyyah's name is inseparable form that of his teacher, the 7th / 13th century Hanbalî reformer, Ibn Taymîyah. It is true, in fact, that Ibn al-Qayyim was the principle compiler and editor of his teacher's writings, and had it not been for him, that voluminous body of work might never have survived. It is also true that Ibn Taymîyah's point of view had a profound effect on the young man, who at twenty-one years age, became his student and companion. One of Ibn al-Qayyim's own students would later write, 'Above all, his love for Ibn Taymîyah was so great that he would never disagree with anything he said. Rather, he supported him in everything and was the one who edited his books and spread his teachings.' In fiqh and theology , both men wrote from a Hanbalî position, and Ibn al-Qayyim criticized the same things that his shaykh had so adamantly opposed: innovation (bid'ah), Greek influenced Muslim philosophy, Sh'ism, the doctrine of wahdat ul-wujûd, or 'oneness of being' (attributed to Ibn Arabî) and by extension, the extreme forms of Sûfism that had gained currency particularly in the new seat of Muslim power, Mamluk Egypt and Syria.

 

However, two elements set Ibn al-Qayyim's writings apart from those of his shaykh. The first is his tone. Ibn Taymîyah wrote 'with the eye', as it were, and Ibn al-Qayyim added to that 'the heart'. As a contemporary editor of his works has written, 'Although he moved within the sphere of Ibn Taymîyah's influence, following him in most of his religious rulings, he was more ready than his teacher to be lenient and amiable to those with whom he differed.' A typical example of this may be found in his magnum opus, Madârij as-Sâlikîn ('The Travelers Stages'), which is a long commentary on a treatise by the 5th / 11th century Hanbalite Sûfî, Abdullâh al-Ansarî al Harrawî. Taking exception to something al-Ansarî wrote, Ibn al-Qayyim prefaced his comments with, 'Certainly I love the shaykh, but I love the truth more.'

 

The second is Ibn al-Qayyim's great interest in Sûfism. Some of his major works, such as Madârij, Târiq al-Hijratayn ('Path of Two Migrations') and Miftah Daral-Sa'ada ('Key to the Abode of Happiness'), are devoted almost entirely to Sûfî themes, but this allusions to these themes are found in nearly all his writings. There is no doubt that Ibn al-Qayyim addressed those interested in Sûfism in particular and al-Umur al-Qalbiyya - 'The matters of the Heart' - in general. In fact, in the introduction to his short book Patience and Gratitude, he sates, 'This is a book to benefit kings and princes, the wealthy and the indigent, Sûfîs and religious scholars; (a book) to inspire the sedentary to set out, accompany the wayfarer on the path (al-sa'ir fil târiq) and inform the one journeying towards the Goal.'

 

The subjects dealt with by Ibn al-Qayyim- the way to God, the maladies of the heart, and the virtues- are undoubtedly also those of tasawwuf. Ibn al-Qayyim's role is, thus, somewhat similar to that of al-Ghazalî (d. 505H / 1111C.E) two hundred years before him: to rediscover and restate the orthodox roots of Islam's interior dimension, with the added task of correcting what he saw as new errors that had arisen due to the powerful influence of Ibn Arabî's works. In this sense, he might be descried as a reviver of what he considered to be an authentic inclination of the heart towards Allâh, and the path towards Him.

 

This is the formula which, in all likelihood, accounts for the ongoing popularity of Ibn al-Qayyim's works throughout the Arabic speaking world. His thirty or so extant books have been reprinted many times; the principle ones, including the titles cited above, have all been reprinted in both inexpensive and scholarly editions since 1990. The reader who might be attracted to the inner dimension of Islâm but not by much of what passes nowadays as Sûfism, finds in Ibn al-Qayyim an exposition of the Way to God, free of 'mythology' or the exclusive terminology of Sûfism, written for the generality of believers and with strict insistence upon the main sources of orthodoxy; the Qur'ân, the Sunnah, and the practices of the first two generations of Muslims.

The Life of Ibn al-Qayyim:

Shams ad-Dîn Muhammad ibn Abî Bakr ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah was born in 691H / 1292C.E in al-Zur'i, a small village fifty-five miles from Damascus. Little is known of his childhood except that he received a comprehensive Islâmic education thanks to the fact that his father was principle of the Madrasah al-Jawziyyah, one of the few centres devoted to the study of Hanbalite fiqh in Damascus; hence, the name by which he came to be known: Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah - 'son of the principle of the Jawziyyah school' - or simply, Ibn al-Qayyim.

 

After completing his fundamental studies at the Jawziyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim continued his learning in the circles of the shaykhs who filled the city's mosques. It appears that for some period of time, he came under the influence of Mu'tazilite teachings and probably of certain mystics. In the epic-length Ode he wrote in later years, he refers to this period as being one of confusion and misguidance: 'All these [ways] did I try, and I fell into a net, fluttering like a bird that knows not where to fly.'

 

This period came to an end in the year 712H / 1312C.E, when at twenty one years of age he met the man who would shape his life's orientation in Islâm: Taqî ad-Dîn ibn Taymîyah. Ibn Taymîyah had just returned to Damascus from a seven-year stay in Egypt, the last of which he spent under house arrest. His reputation for being an uncompromising defender of the Sunnah and of Hanbalite theology was well known to the people of Syria. Perhaps it was his certitude and strength that appealed to the young Ibn al-Qayyim, who 'like a bird caught in a net, did not know where to fly.' In any event, a bond formed between the two men which lasted for 16 years until Ibn Taymîyah's death.

 

Between 712H / 1312C.E and 726H / 1326C.E, Ibn al-Qayyim married and had three sons- Ibrâhîm, Abdullâh and Sharaf ad-Dîn. He earned his living as teacher and Imâm at the Jawziyyah school. His lessons on Hanbalite fiqh and his sermons probably showed the strong influence of his teacher for, in 726H / 1326C.E, when the authorities of Damascus ordered the arrest of Ibn Taymîyah and his followers, Ibn al-Qayyim was among them.

 

This imprisonment came after Ibn Taymîyah had been summoned before a council of religious scholars (ulamah) for questioning on a point of fiqh: was it permissible for someone visiting the Prophet's - sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam - mosques in Madînah to shorten the prayers? Since the council knew in advance that In Taymîyah strongly condemned the practise of visiting saint's tombs for the purpose of receiving blessing (tabarruk), they could easily portray his chary answer as proof that he himself propagated a dangerous innovation (bid'ah) by discouraging Muslims form visiting the burial place of their beloved Prophet - sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam. This pretext was used to remove from the public eye a man they regarded as a source of unrest. The council ruled that Ibn Taymîyah and all those in Damascus who propagated his teachings - including Ibn al-Qayyim- should be rounded up and imprisoned in the citadel of the town. Although a few days later the authorities released Ibn Taymîyah's followers, Ibn al-Qayyim alone chose to stay at the side of his teacher in prison.

 

Unlike his house arrest in Egypt, during which he was permitted to write and teach his followers, this time Ibn Taymîyah was not only locked up, but also denied both books and writing materials, a much harder condition for him to bear than prison itself. It has been recorded that during that final imprisonment he would find scraps of discarded paper and write with pieces of charcoal. In 728H / 1327C.E, however, having been separated for two years from all those things he had lived for, he passed away. Then and only then did Ibn al-Qayyim come out of prison to join the multitudes who followed the body of Ibn Taymîyah to the burial.

 

It appears that only after his teacher's death did Ibn al-Qayyim begin his own profile as a writer. This stage of his life was also marked by much travel, learning and teaching, as well as several pilgrimages to Makkah, where he lived for some time.

 

Our picture of Ibn al-Qayyim in the last twenty-five years or so of his life is derived mainly from recollections of his two most illustrious students, Ibn Rajab and Ibn Kathîr. The latter wrote, 'He recited [the Qur'ân] beautifully and was loved by a great many people. He neither envied nor harmed anyone, nor tried to find fault with them, nor harboured malice towards them. In short, there were few people like him... He was dominated mostly by goodness and a virtuous nature.'

 

Ibn Rajab writes, 'May Allâh bless him, he was a person of worship and night prayers, someone who used to make prayer last as long as possible; he was devoted to remembrance (dhikr), constant in his love of Allâh, in turning back to Allâh, in seeking forgiveness, in his dependence on Allâh and in humility before Him. He reached a level of devotion which I have never witnessed in anyone else, nor have I seen anyone more vast in learning or more knowledgeable of the meanings of the Qur'ân, the Sunnah, and the inner realities of faith. And while I know he was not infallible, yet I have never seen anyone who was closer to the meaning of this word.'

 

In addition to these isolated glimpses of the man, there is evidence that he loved books so much that after his death his sons had to sell off much of his library, keeping only what they themselves could make use of.

 

Ibn al-Qayyim died in 751/ 1350, when he was scarcely 60 years old. I t is recorded that the funeral prayer, attended by many people, was offered at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. He was buried a the cemetery of Bab al-Saghîr, near the grave of his father- Rahimahumallâh.

__________________

[xiinfaniin]

SD, thanks much brother. The man whose biography you posted was simply a good and productive Muslim; his intellectual activities unrivalled and his spirituality heartily pursued. He was friend of the truth and his moral fiber was beyond compare.

شيخ الإسلام حبيبنا ولكن الحق

أحب إلينا منه

which roughly translates to: The great Shiekh is dear to us, but the truth is more dearer than thy! was, so to say, his Ijtihaadic signature. He was knower of Allah and, as it was said, guided by His light.

 

Thank you saaxiib.

[Muhammad]

A Refutation of Naturalists

Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Men & The Universe - Reflections of Ibn Al-Qayyem

By Capt. Anas Abdul-Hameed Al-Qoz

© 2000 Darussalam

 

...Who was it who managed all that, perfected it, directed it and controlled it in the best way?

 

Someone might, if he were one of the depraved, say: "it is the work of nature; there are wonderful things in nature." To such a debater we say: if Allah had let your heart, you would yourself have refuted such a statement by replying: "Tell me about this nature, is it self-sustained, having knowledge, and having the ability to contrive those wonders? Or is it not? Is it not rather just an abstract quality and a display of the visible things around?" If the answer occurs to you: It is an independent entity with full knowledge, ability, will and wisdom," say: What you describe is the Creator, the Author and Shaper, so why do you call Him nature? Forget about what he naturalists dictate and turn to what Allah has taught humans to call Him in the words of His messengers, and if you do you will be one of the happy and wise folk. Why attribute to nature the attributes that belong to Allah?

 

If, on the other hand, the adversary says: "Nature is an abstract quality, a display in need of an agent, and all that we witness of its accomplishments s brought about without nature having knowledge, will, ability, or even the mere consciousness of what it is producing. All that we see is evidence of nature's achievements;" then the reply should be that no sane person would accept this reasoning. Do you really believe that the amazing actions and subtle contrivances that we see in this world, that no mind can fathom o fully appreciate, are made by an agent that itself has no thinking, ability, wisdom or feeling? Would anyone believe such reasoning but a madman or an animal?

 

You may further add: "If what you claim were true, I would be clear that such an abstract quality cannot have created itself or originated itself, so who is its Lord, Maker and Originator? Who enabled it to do all that? This logic is a most decisive piece of evidence in favor of believing in the Originator and Maker of nature, in the infinity of His ability, knowledge and wisdom. Indeed, this group has gained nothing by denying the Lord and His Attributes and Actions. They merely abolish the intellect and innate intuition. Nature itself would discredit such logic: it in fact contradicts mind, innate intuition, nature and even humanity, and it has caused the most ignorant and deluded attitudes that one can cause. If one does concede what the mind dictates and admits that it is not possible to have wise effects without the agency of a wise, able and knowing entity; that it is not possible to have well-controlled effects without here being a maker who is able, autonomous, in control of things, aware of what he is doing, not frustrated or overwhelmed by what he is doing - if one concedes that much then the right answer to such a person would be: What is the matter with you? When you accept the necessity of a great Creator beside whom no other god exists, and no other lord, stop calling Him nature or the 'self-active mind' or such appellations. Say instead: What I describe is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, the Shaper, Lord of the Worlds, Sustainer of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the east and the west, He who made excellent all that He created, and perfected what He crafted. Do not deny His Names and Attributes and Self and attribute His making to another and His creation to someone else. You have to concede His existence, and attribute to Him authorship, creation, lordship and control. There is no other way, praised is Allah, Lord of the Worlds.

 

The Meaning of Nature

 

By reconsidering the word 'nature' in this context, you will be led directly to the Creator, the Originator, as the common mind understands the word. That is because this word 'nature' (Arabic: tabee`ah) means that something was made by someone to behave according to a preset plan, and there is no other meaning at all. He word 'nature' is of the same class of words as 'instinct', 'disposition', 'temperament', 'an animal's or a human's nature', and the like. An animal has been made to react to stimuli, a reaction which is ingrained in it. It is self-evident that a 'nature' without a 'nature-maker' is impossibility: The very word, then, points to the Maker, the Almighty, just as its meaning indicates. Muslims believe that nature is one of Allah's creations, that it is under control, tamed and that this is part of His law operative among His creations; that He manages it the way He wills, and when He wills, so that He may deny it any aspect of its power when He wills, and reverse any of its effects when He wills, so that His servants may see that He alone is the Creator, the Originator, the Shaper, and that He creates whatever He wills, and in the way He wills. This is the meaning of the following verse from the Qur'an:

 

"But His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says unto it: Be! and it is." (36:82)

 

Nature, which his the utmost that those short-sighted lot can perceive, is no more than a creature of the Lord, equal in that to any of His creations. Considering this, how would a human, with the least bit of humanity or thinking, be blind to its being made to behave as it behaves, and how would he attribute to it making and originating! Time and again Allah halts its power, alters it and reverses it, so that it does the opposite of what it originally did, all to illustrate to His servants that it is His creation and making, that it is controlled by Him. That much can be supported by this verse from the Qur'an:

 

"His verily is all creation and commandment; blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds" (7:54)

[Muhammad]

Addressing the Believers

Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

the Magnificent Journey

© 1995 QSS

 

 

And Allah ta`ala said:

 

"Believers! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those charged with authority among you; if you differ in anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger (for judgment) if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day: that is best and most suitable for final determination." [4:59]

 

Allah ta`ala is requiring obedience to Him and to His Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). He starts the aayah with an address to the "believers", hinting that what is required thereafter is a consequence of that name with which they are addressed.

 

This is similar to saying: "You whom Allah has favored and enriched with His bounties, be good to others as Allah has been good to you." And like, "Learned men, teach people what would benefit them." And, "Ruler, rule with justice." And so on.

 

For this reason, legislative matters in the Qur'an are frequently addressed to the believers, starting the address with "Believers". For example Allah says:

 

"Believers, fasting is prescribed for you." [2:183]

 

And He says:

 

"Believers, when the call is proclaimed for prayer on Friday, hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah." [62:9]

 

And He says:

 

"Believers, fulfill the contracts." [5:1]

 

Addressing the believers like this carries the implication that: "If you are true believers, you should perform the following action, because it is a requirement for the integrity and sincerity of Iman."

[Muhammad]

Allah Grants Help and Victory to Followers of the True Deen

Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

 

Ighaathatul-Lahfaan min Masaa'id ish-Shaytaan [2/229]

Transl. islaam.com

 

 

A lot of people think that followers of the True Religion are humiliated, subdued and always defeated, unlike those who follow other paths. So they do not have certainty in Allah's promise of victory for His religion and His servants. Rather, even if they don't say it, they think that this promise is either particular to a specific group, or to a specific time, or they link it to Allah's will (not related to any rules that Allah set in His creation).

 

This (attitude and understanding) is due to absence of certainty in the Promise of Allah, the Most High, and due to a poor understanding of His Book.

 

1. Allah subhanahu has explained in His Book that He is the Helper of believers in this world and the next.

 

He said, the Most High, "Indeed We will support Our messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand." [Ghafir 40:51]

 

"And whoever is an ally of Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed - indeed, the party of Allah - they will be the predominant." [al-Ma'idah 5:56]

 

"Indeed, the ones who oppose Allah and His Messenger - those will be among the most humbled. Allah has written [i.e. decreed], 'I will surely overcome, I and My messengers.' Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might." [al-Mujadilah 58:20-21]

 

There are many such verses in the Qur'an.

 

2. Allahu subhanahu has also explained in the Qur'an that what befalls a servant from calamity, or defeat, or other than that, is because of his sins.

 

Allah subhanahu has explained both of these principles in His Book, so when you join them, the reality of the matter will become clear to you, problems will completely disappear, and you will be in no need of unnecessary, burdening explanations, or far-fetched interpretations.

 

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has explained the first principle in different ways, including what has preceded (in the verses above).

 

Likewise, He censured one who seeks help and honor from other than the believers, as in His saying::

 

"O you who have believed do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.

 

So you see those in whose hearts is disease [i.e. hypocrisy] hastening into [association with] them, saying, 'We are afraid a misfortune may strike us.' But perhaps Allah will bring conquest or a decision from Him, and they will become, over what they have been concealing within themselves, regretful.

 

And those who believe will say [i.e. about the hypocrites and their exposure], 'Are these the ones who swore by Allah their strongest oaths that indeed they were with you?' Their deeds have become worthless, and they have become losers.

 

O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.

 

Your ally is none but Allah and [therefore] His Messenger and those who have believed - those who establish prayer and give zakah, and they bow [in worship].

 

And whoever is an ally of Allah and His Messenger and those who have believed - indeed, the party of Allah - they will be the predominant." [al-Ma'idah 5:51-56]

 

So Allah rebuked those who seek help from other than His party and informed that His party – they will be the predominant.

 

In this regards, He said, "Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment. Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed, honor belongs to Allah entirely *." [al-Nisaa' 4:138-139]

 

[* Being the source of all power and honor, Allah grants them to whom He wills.]

 

“They say, 'If we return to Al-Madinah, the more honored [for power] will surely expel therefrom the more humble.' And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know.†[Al-Munafiqoon 63:8]

 

"Whoever desires honor [through power] - then to Allah belong all honor. To Him ascends good speech, and righteous work raises it *." [Fatir 35:10]

 

[*For acceptance by Allah, meaning that righteous deeds are confirmation and proof of what is uttered by tongue.]

 

That is, whoever seeks honor, let him seek it by obedience to Allah through good speech and righteous work.

 

"It is He who has sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion, although they will associate others with Allah dislike it." [at-Taubah 9:33]

 

"O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment?

 

[it is that] you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you should know.

 

He will forgive for you your sins and admit you to gardens beneath which rivers flow and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence. That is the great attainment.

 

And [you will obtain] another [favor] that you love - victory from Allah and an imminent conquest; and give good tidings to the believers." [saff 61:10-13]

 

That is, He will give them another [favor] besides forgiveness of their sins and entrance to the Paradise – help and victory:

 

“O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah, as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, 'Who are my supporters for Allah?' The disciples said, 'We are supporters of Allah.' And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction disbelieved. So We supported those who believed against their enemy, and they became dominant." [saff 61:14]

 

Allah said to Jesus, `alayhis salam, "'Indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify [i.e. free] you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in submission to Allah alone] superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection." [Aal `Imran 3:55] So because the Christians follow him, they are superior to the Jews until the Day of Resurrection, and because Muslims follow him more than the Christians, they are superior to them until the Day of Resurrection.

 

Allah ta`ala said to the believers, "And if these [Makkans] who disbelieve were to fight you, they would certainly turn their backs [in flight]. Then they would not find a protector or a helper.

 

[This is] the established way of Allah which has occurred before. And you will never find in the way of Allah any change." [Fath 48:22-23] This is addressed to the believers who fulfilled both outward and inward realities of faith.

 

“Indeed, the [best] outcome is for the righteous." [Hud 11:49] And, “The [best] outcome is for [those of] righteousness." [Taha 20:132] The intended here is the outcome in this world before the next, because He mentioned this after the story of Nooh, and his victory over his people and patience with them. So He said, "This is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muhammad]. You knew it not, neither you nor your people, before this. So be patient, indeed, the [best] outcome is for the righteous." [Hud 11:49] That is, the outcome of help for you and those with you, as it was for Nooh - `alayhis salam – and those who believed with him.

 

Likewise His saying, "And enjoin prayer upon your family [and people] and be steadfast therein. We ask you not for provision; We provide for you and the [best] outcome is for [those of] righteousness." [Taha 20:132]

 

"If good touches you, it distresses them; but if harm strikes you, they rejoice at it. And if you are patient and fear Allah, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed, Allah is encompassing of what they do." [Aal `Imran 3:120]

 

"Yes, if you remain patient and conscious of Allah and they [i.e. the enemy] come upon you [attacking] in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels having marks [of distinction]." [Aal `Imran 3:125]

 

He said, relating the words of Yusuf - `alayhis salam – that he was helped due to his taqwa and his patience. So he said, "'I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has certainly favored us. Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.'" [Yusuf 12:90]

 

"O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion and will remove from you your misdeeds and forgive you. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty." [al-Anfal 8:29]

 

The criterion is honor and help, and victory and light, which distinguish between the Truth and the falsehood.

 

“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.†[at-Talaq 65:3-4]

 

Ibn Maajah and Ibn Abi Dunya have related on the authority of Abu Dharr, radhiallahu `anhu, that the Prophet, sallallahu ta`ala `alayhi wa alihi wa sallam said: “If all people acted in accordance with this ayah, it would suffice them.†[Narrators of the hadeeth are trustworthy except that the chain is disconnected, so the hadeeth is weak] This is related to the first principle.

 

As for the second principle:

 

"Why [is it that] when a [single] disaster struck you [on the day of Uhud], although you had struck [the enemy in the Battle of Badr] with one twice as great, you said, 'From where is this?' Say, 'It is from yourselves [i.e. due to your sin].' And Allah, over all things, is competent." [Aal `Imran 3:165]

 

"Indeed, those of you who turned back on the day the two armies met [at Uhud] - it was Satan who caused them to slip because of some [blame] they had earned. But Allah has already forgiven them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing." [Aal `Imran 3:155]

 

"And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much." [ash-Shura 42:30]

 

"Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He [i.e. Allah] may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [i.e. refrain]." [ar-Rum 30:41]

 

"But if they turn away - then We have not sent you [O Muhammad], over them as a guardian; upon you is only [the duty of] notification. And indeed, when We let man taste mercy from Us, he rejoices in it; but if evil afflicts him for what his hands have put forth, then indeed, man is ungrateful." [ash-Shura 42:48]

 

"And when We let the people taste mercy, they rejoice therein, but if evil afflicts them for what their hands have put forth, immediately they despair." [ar-Rum 30:36]

 

"Or He could destroy them for what they earned; but He pardons much." [ash-Shura 42:34]

 

"What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself. And We have sent you, [O Muhammad], to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness." [an-Nisaa' 4:79]

 

This is why Allah subhanahu ordered His Messenger and believers to follow what was sent to them, that is, to be obedient to Him. This is the first principle. He also ordered them to wait for His Promise, and this is the second principle. And He ordered them to seek forgiveness and practice patience because the servant will certainly have shortcomings and seeking forgiveness will clear those shortcomings. Likewise, patience is required while waiting for the Promise. Obedience is perfected and completed with seeking forgiveness, and certainty in the Promise is perfected and completed with patience. Allah subhanahu has joined the two in His saying, "So be patient. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. And ask for forgiveness of your sin and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord in the evening and the morning." [Ghafir 40:55]

 

Allah subhanahu has mentioned in His book the stories of the Prophets and their followers and how they saved themselves with patience and obedience. Then He said, "There were certainly in their stories a lesson for those of understanding." [Yusuf 12:111]

[Muhammad]

Beneficial and Comprehensive Principles Concerning Afflictions and Trials

Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

"The Delight of Faith"

Abdullah bin Jarullah al-Jarullah, transl. J. Zarabozo

© Dar as-Salaam, 1996

 

"The affair of the believer is amazing! The whole of his life is beneficial, and that is only in the case of the believer. When good times come to him, he is thankful and it is good for him, and when bad times befall him,, he is patient and it is also good for him." [saheeh Muslim #7138]

 

1. The evil that the believers are inflicted with is less than that which occurs to the disbelievers.

 

2. When the believers are inflicted with anything it should be accompanied with pleasure with Allah's decree and hoping for His reward. Hence, if they miss anything that they want, this should lead them to patience and hoping for reward and this will, without doubt, lessen the catastrophe.

 

3. The believer will be relieved of such hardship according to the amount of his obedience, purity and the existence of the realities of Faith in his heart to the point that if this hardship had occurred to another [who has not that amount of Faith], he would not be able to bear it. This is how Allah repels hardship from His believing slave.

 

4. If the love of Allah is firmly planted in the heart, then bearing the pain from the Beloved will be pleasureful for those who love Him and will not be something hated.

 

5. What the disbeliever and evildoer attain of power and strength is also accompanied with its opposite.

 

6. Allah afflicting His believing slave is like a kand of medicine that removes a disease. If that disease were to remain, it would destroy the person or lessen his reward.

 

7. Such occurrences are part of the necessary aspects of being a human.

 

8. In such ocurrences, Allah has a great and recognized wisdom.

 

9. Those afflictions and trials make it apparent who is the truthful person and who is the liar.

 

10. Humans by their nature are social creatures. They must mix with others. However, they have different natures and desires that may cause difficulties. The believer is obliged to fulfill his responsibilities concernig them and this makes the trial much easier.

 

11. The affliction that occurs to a person cannot but be from one of four types: Either it is with respect to his life, or with respect to his wealth, or with respect to his honor, or with respect to his family and those whom he loves from among mankind. These things affect all different peoples. Those who are not believing pious people are afflicted by much more than the believing pious person, as is witnessed.

[Muhammad]

Bitter Consequences of Sin

Imaam ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah rahimahullaah

Ad-Daa' wad-Dawaa' (pp.65-67)

 

It is essential to know that sins and acts of disobedience are, necessarily, very harmful. Their harm effects upon the heart are akin to the harmful effects of poison upon the body, though the effects vary in their levels and intensities. So is there any evil or harm in this world, or in the Hereafter, except that it is due to sins and disobedience?

 

So what was it that expelled the two parents [i.e. Adam and Eve] from Paradise; the home of delight, bliss, splendor and joy; to the home of pain, sorrow and misfortune?

 

What was it that expelled Iblees [i.e. Satan] from the heavenly realms, causing him to be rejected and cursed; transforming him both inwardly and outwardly, so that his form became ugly and hideous - his inner form more hideous than his outer - replacing his nearness with remoteness, mercy with curse, his beauty with ugliness, from being in Paradise to being in the blazing Fire, from having faith to being an unbeliever, from having the patronage and friendship of Allaah, the Praiseworthy Guardian, to being the greatest enemy and opponent, from glorifying and praising Him to committing acts of unbelief, shirk, lies, deception and shamelessness, from being adorned with faith to being clothed in the garment of unbelief, sinfulness and disobedience, causing him to reach the deepest depths of despicability, plunging down in the sight of Allaah as far as it is possible to plunge; causing the anger of Allaah the Exalted to be upon him, making him an outcast - despised and humiliated - so that he became a leader for every sinner and criminal, becoming pleased with leadership for himself, after having reached the station of worship and nobility? O Allaah, we seek refuge in You from opposing Your command and falling into what You have forbidden.

 

What was it that caused the people of the earth to drown, to the extent that the water rose above even the mountaintops? What was it that caused the violent winds to overcome the people of `Aad, such that it flung them down dead upon the face of the earth - as if they were lopped-off palm trunks - and it destroyed whatever dwellings and crops it came across, thus making them an example for nations until the Day of Resurrection?

 

What was it that caused the piercing shrieks to be set loose upon the Thamood people, such that their hearts were severed within their very bodies, by which they all perished? What was it that caused the town of the homosexuals to be raised­ up and turned upside down, such that they were all destroyed? Then stones from the sky pelted down upon them so that they suffered a combined punishment, the like of which was not given to any other nation! And for their brothers will be its like; and it is not far off from the transgressors!

 

What was it that caused the clouds of punishment to overcome the people of Shu'ayb, such that when these clouds were above their heads it rained scorching fire upon them?

 

What was it that caused the Pharaoh and his people to be drowned in the ocean, and caused their souls to be transported to the Hellfire, so their bodies drowned and their souls burned?

 

What was it that caused Qaaroon, his dwelling, wealth and family to sink down into the earth?

 

What was it that caused the destruction of those generations after Noah, and how they were afflicted with various punishments that caused their annihilation?

 

What was it that caused the destruction of the companions of Yaa Seen, with the clamorous shout, which destroyed them?

 

What caused there to be sent against the Children of Israa'eel enemies of great strength and might, plundering their homes, killing their men, enslaving their women and children, burning their dwellings, seizing their wealth, and then returning again a second time, destroying what was rebuilt after the first onslaught?

 

What was it that caused the various types of punishments to be set loose upon the Children of Israa'eel? Killing them, enslaving them, destroying their land and at times causing them to be oppressed by kings, whilst at another time causing them to be transformed into apes and swines -and finally the Lord took an oath that:

 

"He would certainly keep on sending against them, until the Day of Resurrection, those who will inflict them with a humiliating torment." [soorah al-A'raaf 7:167]

 

Imam Ahmad said: al-Waleed ibn Muslim related to us; that Safwaan ibn 'Amr related to us; that `Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Jubayr ibn Nufayr related; from his father, who said: "When Cyprus was conquered and its people were dispersed and they started weeping to each other, I saw Abud-Dardaa sitting alone and weeping. So I said to him: O Abud-Dardaa! What makes you weep on this day that Allaah has granted strength and honor to Islaam and its people? So he said: Woe be to you O Jubayr! How insignificant the creation becomes to Allaah when they turn away from His command. In front of us is a nation who were evidently powerful and who had dominion, yet they abandoned Allaah's command, so look what has become of them." [Reported by Imaam Ahmad in az-Zuhd (1/86) with an authentic (saheeh) chain of narration; as stated by Shaykh `Alee Hasan al-Halabee in his verification of the book. (p.67)]

 

`Alee ibn al-Ja'd said: Shu'bah ibn `Amr ibn Murrah informed us; I heard Abul-Bukhtaree say: I was informed by someone, who heard the Prophet (saw) saying: "The people will not perish, until they have no excuse left for themselves." [Reported by Ahmad (4/260) and Abu Daawood (no.4347) with an authentic chain of narration]

 

Imaam Ahmad reports in his Musnad, from the hadeeth of Umm Salamah, who said: I heard Allaah's Messenger (saw) saying: "When acts of disobedience become widespread in my ummah, then Allaah may send punishment upon them all from Himself" So I said: 0 Allaah's Messenger! Even if there are righteous people amongst them that day? So he replied: "Indeed!" So I said: How will that be? He replied: "They will be afflicted with what afflicts the people, then they will move on to the forgiveness of Allaah and His good pleasure." [Reported by Ahmad (6/304) and one of its narrators is Layth ibn Abee Sulaym, who is weak. However the hadeeth is established due to further supporting narrations. Consult Silsilatul - Ahaadeethus-Saheehah (no.1372) of Shaykh al-Albaanee]

[Muhammad]

Dead Hearts

Imaam ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah rahimahullaah

Taken from Al Jumuah, Vol 8 Issue 4

 

While thousands of Muslims are killed all over the world, and while tens of thousands are imprisoned and tortured for calling to the path of Allah and for enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, most Muslims remain remarkably silent and have no worry except for the material things of life. Their hearts have been filled with the love of this life and the forgetfulness of the Hereafter.

 

Allah says in the Qur'an: "You will indeed find them, of all people, most greedy of life, even more than those who do not believe in Resurrection. Each one of them wishes he could be given a life of a thousand years. But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from due punishment. For Allah sees well all that they do." (Al Baqarah, 2:96)

 

Many Muslims today have become so much attached to their life that their desire is to dwell among their family, house, money and commerce. They have forgotten that matters of the Hereafter should come before matters of this life and that we must strive to follow the orders of Allah, not just those we find easy and convenient to follow. Some Muslims today claim that it is better to perform extra prayers and extra fasting rather than enjoin the good and forbid the evil or defend the lives of weak Muslims. Such people would even blame the Muslims who strive to perform these obligations.

 

This is what Ibn al-Qayyim had to say about such people: ''The Shaitan has misled most people by beautifying for them the performance of certain voluntary acts of worship such as voluntary prayers and voluntary fasting while neglecting other obligatory acts of worship such as enjoining the good and eradicating the evil, to the extent that they do not even make the intention of performing them whenever they are able to. Such people are considered by the scholars to be on the bottom of the scale of religion: For the essence of our religion is to perform what Allah ordered us to do. The one who does not perform his obligations is actually worse than the one who performs sins. Anyone having some knowledge about the revelation of Allah, the guidance of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, and the life of the companions would conclude that those who are pointed at today as the most pious people are in fact the least pious. Indeed, what kind of piety is there in a person who witnesses Allah's sanctities being violated, his religion abandoned, the Sunnah of His Messenger shunned, and yet remains still with a cold heart and a shut mouth' Such a person is like a dumb Shaitan! In the same way the one who talks falsehood is a speaking Shaitan. Isn't the misfortune of Islam due only to those who whenever their life and food are secure, would not care about what happens to the religion? The best among them would offer a sorry face. But if they were challenged in one of the things their heart is attached to like their money, they would spare no efforts to get it back. These people, besides deserving the anger of Allah, are afflicted with the greatest calamity without even knowing it: They have a dead heart. Indeed the more alive a person's heart is, the stronger its anger for the sake of Allah and the more complete his support to Islam and Muslims." (A'alaam al-Muwaqqi'een, volume 2, page 176).

[Muhammad]

The Hardened Heart

Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

 

Excerpted from the translator's footnotes to "An Explanation of Riyadh al-Saliheen"

by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen

Translated from al-Fawa'id by Sajad ibn `Abdur Rahman, © 1998 Sajad Rana

 

The slave is not afflicted with a punishment greater than the hardening of the heart and being distant from Allah. For the Fire was created to melt the hardened heart. The most distant heart from Allah is the heart which is hardened. If the heart becomes hardened, the eye becomes dry.

 

If four matters are exceeded in quantity, beyond what is necessary, the heart shall become hardened:

 

Food, sleep, speech and sexual intercourse. A body afflicted by disease does not derive nourishment from food or water, similarly a heart diseased by desire does not benefit from admonishment or exhortation.

 

Whosoever desires to purify his heart, then let him prefer Allah to his desires.

 

The heart which is clinging to its desires is veiled from Allah, commensurate to the degree that it is attached to them. The hearts are the vessels of Allah upon His earth, hence the most beloved of them to Him, are the ones most compassionate, pure and resistant to deviation.

 

They (the transgressors) preoccupied their hearts [in the pursuance] of the Dunya, would that they preoccupied them with Allah and the Hereafter, then surely they would have reflected upon the intended meaning of His poignant Words and Verses. Their hearts would have returned to their masters with a wisdom, marvelously curious and [in possession] of the rarest of precious gems.

 

If the heart is nourished with remembrance, its thirst quenched with contemplation and cleansed from corruption, it shall witness remarkable and wondrous matters, inspiring wisdom.

 

Not every individual is endowed with knowledge and wisdom, and assumes its character is from amongst its people. Rather the People of Knowledge and Wisdom are those who infused life into their hearts by slaying their desires. As for the one who slayed his heart and vitalized his desires, then knowledge and wisdom is naked upon his tongue.

 

The destruction of the heart occurs by security [in this Dunya] and negligence, its fortification occurs by fear and remembrance. If the heart renounces the pleasures of the Dunya, it settles upon the [pursuance] of the pleasures of the Hereafter, and amongst those who call towards it. Should the heart become content with the pleasures of the Dunya, those pleasures [of the Hereafter] cease [to continue].

 

Yearning for Allah and His meeting is like the gentle breeze blowing upon the heart, extinguishing the blaze of the Dunya. Whosoever caused his heart to settle with his Lord shall be in a state, calm and tranquil, and whosoever sent it amongst the people shall be disturbed and excessively perturbed.

 

For the love of Allah shall not enter a heart which contains the love of this world, except as a camel which passes through the eye of a needle.

 

Hence, the most beloved servant before Allah is the one whom He places in His servitude, whom He selects for His love, whom He causes to purify his worship for Him, dedicates his objectives for Him, his tongue for His remembrance, and his limbs for His service.

 

The heart becomes sick, as the body becomes sick, and its remedy is al-Tawbah and protection [from transgression].

 

It becomes rusty as a mirror becomes rusty, and its clarity isv obtained by remembrance.

 

It becomes naked as the body becomes naked, and its beautification is al-Taqwa.

 

It becomes hungry and thirsty as the body becomes hungry, and its food and drink is knowledge, love, dependence, repentance and servitude.

[Muhammad]

Human Beings Have a Great Capacity for Self-Delusion

Imaam ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah rahimahullaah

Taken from 'al-Jawab al-Kafi li-man sa'al `an al-Dawa' al-Shafi'

 

There are two things one should be take heed of if one wishes to attain success and felicity:

 

1) To know the details of the means of attaining good and evil, and to be clear about these through witnessing them in the world around, through one's own experience and that of others, as well as through reports one has heard about earlier and latter nations. One of the most effective means for attaining this is pondering over the Qur'an, for along with the Sunnah, it clearly explains the paths to good and evil. If you turn your attention to them, they will suffice you. They will inform you of Allah's treatment of the obedient, and of the sinners. Moreover, apply what you read to practical experience, and you will see the illustration of this - that Allah is true, the Messenger is true, the Qur'an is true, and that Allah fulfills His promise. History contains details of the paths to good and evil mentioned in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

 

2) Beware of deceiving oneself with regard to these paths. This is very important, for the servant knows that sin and heedlessness are harmful to him in his world and the Hereafter, and yet he may deceive himself through relying on Allah's pardon and forgiveness, by procrastination of repentance, by performing istighfar only verbally, by doing good deeds [after impetuously sinning], by knowledge, by justifying his sins by the argument of destiny, by citing exam ples of people committing similar sins, or by following in the footsteps of ancestors and elders.

 

Many people think that they can perform some sin, and then if they say "Astaghfirullah" the sin will disappear. Or, they may deceive themselves with ahadith such as:

 

"Whoever says "SubHaanallaahi wa-biHamdih" one hundred times in a day, his sins are taken off from him, even if they be like the foam of the ocean." Or:

 

"A servant committed a sin and then said, 'O Lord! I have committed a sin, so forgive me,' and so he was forgiven . . . . then Allah says, 'My servant knows that he has a Lord Who forgives sins, and takes [to task] for them. I have forgiven My servant, so let him do as he wishes.'"

 

Such people cling to the texts of hope, and hold fast to them with both hands, and put [all] their reliance in them, such that if they are reprimanded for committing some sin, they will recite all that they known about Allah's mercy and forgiveness. Some went to excessive limits in this, such that they claimed that to remain free of sins is being ignorant or under-estimating Allah's mercy and pardon.

 

Some deceived people cling to the notion of fatalism; that the servant has no free-will and that he is compelled to commit sins. Other cling to the notion of irja' (false hope), claiming that faith is merely affirmation, and that deeds are neither a part of faith nor have any effect upon it. According to their claim, the iman of the most sinful of believers is just like the eeman (faith) of the angels Gabriel and Michael.

 

Some are deceived by their fathers and elders, thinking that they have a rank before Allah, such that they would not leave them to perish. They take this by analogy from the behavior of worldly kings, who might grant a favor or pardon to someone based on the merits of his father or relatives. Such people are used to being taken out of difficult situations by their fathers, and are under the impression that this may happen in the Hereafter too.

 

Others deceive themselves by reasoning that Allah has no need of punishing them since He gains nothing from it, and He does not lose anything by showing them mercy. Such a person may say, 'I am in dire need of His mercy, and He is not at all needy of [anything]. if a poor, thirsty person were in dire need of a drink of water from someone in whose premises there flows a river, he would not be denied it, and Allah is more generous, and more expansive in mercy.'

 

Others are deceived by ridiculous misinterpretations / misunderstandings, e.g.:

 

"Your Lord will give you, so that you become pleased." [surah Duha, 5]

 

He says : I am not pleased to enter the Fire. This is despicable ignorance, and clear lies, for he should be pleased by what Allah is pleased by, and it is not against Allah's pleasure to punish the oppressors, wrong-doers, evil-doers, traitors and those persistent on major sins.

 

"Allah forgives all sins." [surah Zumar, 93]

 

This is also despicable ignorance, for this verse refers to those who repent; otherwise it would imply invalidation of the verses threatening punishment for the sinners. This is specified by another verse,

 

"Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, and He forgives anything beneath that to whomever He wills." [surah Nisa,48],

 

Also, "None will burn in it except the most miserable one who rejected and turned away [from the truth]." [surah Layl, 15-16].

 

This is a specific fire from among the various levels of Jahannam, and moreover the fact that only the rejecters will burn in it does not rule out that others may enter it. "[Hell] has been prepared for the unbelievers." [surah Baqarah, 24] . The fact that it has been prepared for the unbelievers does not rule out that sinful Muslims may also be punished in it, just as the fact that Heaven "...has been prepared for the pious" [surah Aali-`Imran, 133] does not rule out that people with the smallest grain of faith may enter it even if they were not pious.

 

Some are deceived by fasting the days of `Ashura and `Arafah, such that some may even say that the fast of `Ashura' expiates the whole year, and the fast of `Arafah remains as a surplus of reward. Such people have failed to realize that the fast of Ramadan and the 5 daily prayers are greater and more noble than the fasts of `Arafah and `Ashura, and that [it is understood that] sins are [only] forgiven as long as major sins are avoided. So, [fasting] from one Ramadan to another, [praying] from one Jumu`ah to the next, act in a mutually strengthening manner to achieve forgiveness of minor sins, provided major sins are avoided. So, how then can an optional fast expiate every major sin of a person while he still persists upon the sins, and has not repented from them? Also, it is possible that these two optional fasts expiate all sins in totality, but that this has certain prerequisites and conditions, such as avoidance of major sins, or that the expiation is achieved in conjunction with other good deeds, much the same as the 5 daily prayers and the fasting of Ramadan expiate minor sins in conjunction with the avoidance of major sins. "If you abjure the major things which you are prohibited from, We shall expiate you your evil deeds." [surah Nisa, 31]

 

Some are deceived by the Hadeeth Qudsi, "I am according to the good expectation/thought of My servant, so let him think of Me as he wishes." i.e. that whatever he thinks I will do to him, I will. But, good expectations can only be with good conduct, for one who does good expects that his Lord will deal with him well, will not break His promise, and will accept his repentance. As for the one of evil conduct, who persists upon major sins, oppression and other evils, the desolation of sin, wrongdoing and [other] prohibited things prevent him from having good expectations of his Lord. This is something we witness in everyday life. A disobedient employee who has run away with company property will not have a good expectation of his boss. The evil of wrong deeds cannot coexist with good expectation. The best in expectation of his Lord's mercy is the most obedient to Him. Al-Hasan al-Basri said, "The believer has good expectation of his Lord, so he make his deeds good. But, the evil person has bad expectation of his Lord, so he does evil."

 

How can someone claim to have good expectation of his Lord when he is like a runaway, and is doing things which displease and anger his Lord, and has abandoned His orders, and is at war with Him. How can one have good expectation of his Lord if he thinks that He does not see him? "And, you used not to conceal yourself, lest your hearing, sight and skin testify against you, but you though that Allah does not know much of what you used to do. And that, your expectation which you entertained about your Lord, has destroyed you, so you have become among those lost/ruined." [surah Fussilat, 23] So, these people, who thought that Allah did not know much of what they did, actually had ill-expectation of their Lord, and that destroyed them. Such people are deceived if they think they will directly enter Heaven; they are fooling themselves; Satan is leading them astray and beguiling them.

 

Ponder over this.

 

Consider : how is it possible for one's heart to be certain that one is going to meet Allah, that Allah sees and hears all that he does, and knows his secret open affairs, and that he will be made to stand before Allah, answerable for all his deeds - how can one be certain and aware of all of this, and yet persist upon things which displease Allah; persist upon abandoning Allah's orders, neglecting His rights, and yet claim that he has good expectation of Allah?!!

 

Abu Umamah Sahl ibn Hanif reports: `Urwah ibn al-Zubayr and I entered upon `A'ishah and she said : If only you had seen the Messenger of Allah in one of his illnesses; [when] he had 6 or 7 dinars. The Messenger of Allah ordered me to distribute them [in charity?], but the pain of the Messenger of Allah kept me from doing that, until Allah cured him. Then, he asked me about them : "What have you done? Had you distributed the 6 dinars?" I said, "No, by Allah. Your pain had kept me from doing so." He asked for them to be brought [to him], and put them in his hand then said, "What would be the expectation of Allah's prophet if he met Allah with these in his possession?"

 

What, then would be the expectation of the people of major sins, and the oppressors, if they were to meet Allah with these sins and forfeited rights of people on their backs? If their claim that they entertained good expectations that Allah would not punish evil and wrongdoing people, were to benefit them, then everyone could do as he wished, doing everything that Allah has forbidden, provided he kept good expectation of Allah, thinking that the fire will not touch him. Subhanallah! How deceived can one be? Prophet Ibrahim said to his people, "Is it a lie, gods besides Allah, that you desire? What then is your expectation of the Lord of the Worlds?" [surah Saffat, 86] i.e. what is your expectation of Allah, what do you expect He will do to you if you meet Him having worshipped other than Him?

 

So, if we reflect over this, we will realize that good expectation of Allah is equivalent to good deeds, for one is moved to good deeds by good hope of Allah, that He will reward him for his efforts and accept them. Otherwise, good expectation along with pursuit of whims and desires and lusts is incapacity.

 

In short, good expectation can only occur if the means for salvation are pursued. Pursuit of the means to destruction cannot accompany good expectations.

 

Someone might claim : It might, based on the expansiveness of Allah's mercy and forgiveness and generosity, and that His mercy exceeds His wrath, and that punishing does not benefit Him, nor does forgiveness harm Him. The reply is : Allah is indeed most generous and merciful, but this is in the appropriate place. Allah is also described as possessing wisdom and might and inflicting retribution, seizing with might, and punishing those deserving punishment. So, if the good expectation is based merely on some of Allah's attributes, then the righteous and the evil, the believer and the unbeliever, would equally be candidates for it. But, the names and attributes of mercy do not benefit the unbeliever or similarly one who has neglected his duty and exposed himself to Allah's curse. Rather, good expectation of Allah is for one who repents, regrets his sins and desists from the. This is good expectation, whereas the first is deception.

 

"Those who believe, and those who perform hijrah and jihad in the path of Allah - they are hopeful of Allah's mercy." [surah Baqarah, 218]

 

So, these people are the ones who can be truly hopeful of Allah's mercy; not the evil and sinful people. "...then, your Lord is, to those who make hijrah after they have been persecuted, and then perform jihad and are patient/steadfast - indeed, your Lord is, after that, Most Forgiving, Most Merciful." [surah Nahl, 119]

 

So, the knowledgeable one is he who puts hope in its correct place, whereas the deceived one is he who puts it elsewhere.

[Muhammad]

On Following Desires

 

Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

 

Al-Fawaaid

 

'Unlawful desires are usually associated with ugliness. They leave behind a lingering sensation of pain and guilt. Hence, whenever you are tempted, think about liberating yourself. Think about all the remorse that would accompany the realisation of those desires, and then make up your mind. Struggling your way through obedience is not an easy task. It is, however, associated with goodness and soothing pleasures. Whenever you overburden yourself (with unlawful desires) think about how nice it would be to repent and set yourself free. Think about the pleasures that lawful desires will provide and try to make the correct choice. The dilemma you will experience should be reduced by remembering the sweet pleasure and the ultimate happiness that your obedience (to Allah) will provide. Also make your struggle less of one by picturing the punishment that follows disobedience to Allah. Logically your mind should opt for the more rewarding option and help you to endure the pain of denying yourself the realisation of such desires.'

 

[May Allah reward the unknown translator]

[Muhammad]

The Dispraise of Hawaa

Imaam ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah rahimahullaah

Translated by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh and Published by Daar al-Bukhari

 

"Allaah will give shade to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His."

 

(These seven persons are):

 

1. A just ruler,

 

2. A youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allaah, (i.e. worships Allaah subhanahu wa ta`alaa sincerely from his childhood),

 

3. A man whose heart is attached to the mosques (i.e. he offers the five compulsory Salaat (prayers) in the mosques),

 

4. Two persons who love each other only for Allaah's Sake and they meet and part in Allaah's Cause only,

 

5. A man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illegal sexual intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allaah,

 

6. A man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity), and

 

7. A person who remembers Allaah in seclusion and his eyes become flooded with tears."

[Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. The text is that of Al-Bukhaaree: Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, V.1, Hadeeth #629.]

 

If you contemplate about the seven whom Allaah will shade in the shade of His `Arsh wherein there is no shade but His, you will find that they deserved that shade because of their opposition to al-Hawaa. Indeed the Imaam having authority and power will not be able to establish justice except by opposing his Hawaa. And with respect to the youth who prefers the sincere worship of Allaah over the urge of his youthfulness, had it not been for the opposition of his Hawaa, he would not be able to accomplish this state of worship. As to the person whose heart is attached to the mosques, the thing that drove him to this condition is the opposition of al-Hawaa which invites him tot he places of lusts.

 

Concerning the person who gives charitable gifts secretly so that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given, had it not been for his subduing of his Hawaa, he would not have been able to attain this state. And the person who was invited by a charming woman of noble birth (to have illegal sexual intercourse with her), feared Allaah and opposed his Hawaa. As to the one who remembers Allaah in seclusion and his eyes become flooded with tears for fearing Him, the thing that made him reach this state is the opposing of his Hawaa. Consequently, they were saved from being affected by the intense heat of the Al-Mawqif on the Day of Resurrection and the sweating therein. The people (adhering to) Al-Hawaa will experience the utmost degree of intense heat and sweating while they are waiting to enter the "Prison of Al-Hawaa".

 

Allaah subhanahu wa ta`aala is the One to be petitioned to grant us protection from the Ahwaas; (Sing. Hawaa) of ourselves which are inclined to evil, and that He makes our Hawaa in accordance with what He loves and is acceptable to Him. He has power over all things, and He is most worthy of answering our petition.

[Muhammad]

The Traps of Iblees

 

by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah rahimahullaah

from At-Tafseer Al-Qayyim of Shaikh Ibn Al-Qayyim [Al-Hijra magazine]

 

It is not possible to encompass one of Iblees' evils, let alone all of them. Since Iblees' evil is of six types, Iblees remains behind the son of Adam until he gets him to do one or more of these six evils.

 

THE FIRST EVIL IS THE EVIL OF KUFR AND SHIRK and enmity to Allâh and His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. If he gains this from the son of Adam, his moaning is eased, and he rests from his ordeal with this man. Further, this is the first thing Iblees wants from al-'Abd (the worshipper). If Iblees gains this, he makes this person part of his army, one of his soldiers, and he appoints him as a deputy or agent against other human beings. Then, this person becomes one of the deputies or callers of Iblees.

 

If he despairs of enticing him with the first evil, and if this person is one of those for whom it was written that he would be a Muslim in his mother's womb, Iblees tries the SECOND CLASS OF EVIL. THIS IS BID'AH (innovation). Iblees loves Bid'ah more than debauchery and disobedience because the harm of Bid'ah is in the essence of the religion. Moreover, it is an unrepentable sin and is against the call of the messengers and is a call to a message different from the one conveyed by Ar-Rasool. Bid'ah is a gate to Kufr and Shirk. Therefore, if Iblees gains the performance of Bid'ah from a person and makes him one of the people of Bid'ah, he also becomes one of his agents and a caller of his.

 

If Iblees fails and is unable to trap Al-'Abd at this class, and if he is one of those who were granted by Allâh the gift of As-Sunnah and hatred of the people of Bid'ah and error, he proceeds to the THIRD CLASS OF EVIL, which is the class of MAJOR SINS in their various forms.

 

Iblees is very covetous of letting a person fall into major sin, especially if he is a scholar who is followed. Iblees is covetous of that, so that he may repel people from him and spread his sins and disobedience amongst the people. He uses some people as his agents to spread this person's sins under the false pretence that this will help them to get closer to Allâh. But in fact this person is the deputy of Iblees without knowing it. For those who would like abomination to be spread amongst the believers there is a great torment in this life and in the Hereafter especially if they take charge of spreading about enormities, not out of advice, but by obeying Iblees and being his agent. All this is to repel people from the Scholar and from his benefit.

 

Furthermore, the sins of this person (scholar), even if they reach the sky, are less to Allâh than the sins of those who would like to spread his sins about. The scholar's sins are wrongdoing to himself. If he seeks forgiveness from Allâh and repents, Allâh will accept his repentance, and He will change his bad deeds to good deeds. However, the sin of those who spread about abominations are doing wrong to the believers by looking for their mistakes and by intending to expose them. Allâh is in close observation, and He knows about this ambuscade. Nothing hidden in the chest or soul is hidden to Allâh.

 

If Iblees is unable to snare Al-'Abd at this degree he moves him to the FOURTH CLASS, or the MINOR SINS. These sins may ruin a person if they accumulate. That is why Ar-Rasool sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, Be aware of the minor sins, because the simile of the minor sin is like the people who went to a desert. Then he sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam mentioned a Hadeeth the meaning of which is that every one of them brought a stick of wood until they had kindled a huge fire (just as the minor sins add up little by little until they become a major sin). The person continues taking the matter of minor sins easily until he considers them inconsequential. Therefore, a person who commits major sins but fears their effect is in a better condition than he is.

 

If the Al-'Abd has prevented Iblees from trapping him at this level, he moves him to the fifth level. The FIFTH LEVEL IS TO OCCUPY HIM WITH PERMISSIBLE THINGS that do not gain him reward or punishment. However, the punishment of this level is caused by passing the reward missed by being occupied with these deeds. If Al-'Abd has kept Iblees from succeeding at this level, and if he is careful about his time, being covetous with it, knows the value of moments, and knows the value of what comes of comfort or torment, Iblees transfers him to the sixth level. The SIXTH CLASS is to OCCUPY HIM WITH DEEDS OF LESSER REWARD to keep virtue away from him and to prevent him from attaining the reward of the favoured deed.

 

Therefore, he orders him to do a good action with less reward if that includes leaving a better action. Very few people are aware of this. Because if a person feels a strong urge to some kind of obedience, he does not doubt that it is true obedience and that he is getting closer to Allâh. He never thinks that this call is from Iblees because he believes that Iblees never calls one to do good. Therefore, he thinks that this call is from Allâh. Actually he is excused because he never knew that Iblees would call one to seventy doors of good deeds either to get him to one door of evil or to let a better deed than these seventy deeds pass away from him.

 

This cannot be known except by a light from Allâh, a light he instils in the heart of Al-'Abd. The source of this type of knowledge is following the way of Ar-Rasool sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and taking care of the levels of deeds with Allâh, the deeds of His favoured ones, the deeds more pleasing to Him, and those more beneficial to Al-'Abd, and deeds that have more Naseehah (guidance) from Allâh, His Rasool, His Book, and His believing worshippers. No one has this type of knowledge except the inheritors of Ar-Rasool sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, his deputies in the Ummah, and his successors on earth. In addition, most of the creation is screened from this. This call does not come to their hearts. Allâh gives His favour to whomever He wills from among His worshippers.

 

If Al-'Abd prevents Iblees from trapping him at any of these six levels, and if it becomes difficult for Iblees, he empowers his party of jinn and human beings with different kinds of harm, IMPUTING DISBELIEF TO HIM, CALLING HIM MISGUIDED AND AN INNOVATOR, WARNING PEOPLE AGAINST HIM, and intending to weaken him and to disturb his heart. Iblees, by using this method, tries to confuse this person's thinking and tries to PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BENEFITING FROM HIM. Therefore Iblees expends his utmost effort to empower the defenders of falsehood, from human beings and from jinn, against him. Then the believer is at war until death. Whenever he gives up, he is hurt or is taken captive. Hence the believer is in Jihad until he meets with Allâh.

 

RELATED (as at 3rd April 2001):

[Muhammad]

Poisons of the Heart : Unrestrained Glances

By Ibn Rajab al Hanbali, Ibn al Qayyim al Jawziyya and Abu Hamid al Ghazali

From 'The Purification of the Soul'

 

The unrestrained glance results in the one who looks becoming attracted to what he sees, and in the imprinting of an image of what he sees in his heart. This can result in several kinds of corruption in the heart of the servant. The following are a number a them:

 

It has been related that the Prophet (SAAS) once said words to the effect:

 

The glance is a poisoned arrow of shaytaan. Whoever lowers his gaze for Allah, He will bestow upon him a refreshing sweetness, which he will find in his heart on the day he meets Him.

 

Shaytan enters with the glance, for he travels with it, faster then the wind blowing through an empty place. He makes what is seen appear more beautiful then it really is, and transforms it in to an idol for the heart to worship. Then he promises it false rewards, lights the fire of desires within it, and fuels it with the wood of forbidden actions, which the servant would not have committed had it not been for this distorted image.

 

This distracts the heart and makes it forget its more important concerns. It stands between it and them; and so the heart loses it’s straight path and falls into the pit of desire and ignorance. Allah, Mighty and Glorious is He, says:

 

And do not obey anyone whose heart We have made forgetful in remembering Us – who follows his own desires, and whose affair has exceeded all bounds. [surah al-Kahf: Ayah 28]

 

The unrestrained gaze causes all three afflictions. It has been said that between the eye and the heart is an immediate connection; if the eyes are corrupted, then the heart follows. It becomes like a rubbish heap where all the dirt and filth and rottenness collect, and so there is no room for love for Allah, relating all matters to Him, awareness of being in His presence, and feeling joy at His proximity - only the opposite of these things can inhabit such a heart.

 

Staring and gazing without restraint is disobedience to Allah:

 

Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that is more purifying for them. Surely Allah is aware of what they do. [surah an-Nur: Ayah 30]

 

Only the one who obeys Allah’s commands is content in this world, and only the servant who obeys Allah will survive in the next world.

 

Furthermore, letting the gaze roam free cloaks the heart with darkness,. Just as lowering the gaze for Allah clothes it in light. After the above ayah, Allah, the Glorious and Mighty, says in the same Surah of the Qur'an:

 

Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; the likeness of His light is as if there were a niche, and in the niche is a lamp, and in the lamp is a glass, and the glass is as it were a brilliant star, lit from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it. Light upon light. Allah guides whomsoever He wants to His light. Allah strikes metaphors for man: and Allah knows all things. [surah an-Nur: Ayah 35]

 

When the heart is a light, countless good comes to it from all directions. If it is dark, then clouds of evil and afflictions come from all directions to cover it up.

 

Letting the gaze run loose also makes the heart blind to distinguishing between truth and falsehood, between the sunnah and innovation: while lowering it for Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, gives it a penetrating, true and distinguishing insight.

A righteous man once said:

 

Whoever enriches his outward behaviour by following the sunnah, and makes his inward soul wealthy through contemplation, and averts his gaze away from looking at what is forbidden, and avoids anything of a doubtful nature, and feeds solely on what is halal- his inner sight will never falter.

 

Rewards for actions come in kind. Whoever lowers his gaze from what Allah has forbidden, Allah will give his inner sight abundant reward.

[Muhammad]

On the Ways of Satan in Leading Humans Astray

Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

 

Excerpted from: al-Ashqar, Umar Sulaiman, 'The World of the Jinn and Devils'

translated by Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo

© Al-Basheer Company for Publications and Translations

 

 

One of the ways Satan leads human beings astray is by making evil look good.

 

On this point, ibn al-Qayyim wrote the following:

 

'From his strategem is that he always bewitches the mind until he can deceive the person. No one is safe from his bewitching except whomsoever Allah wills. He makes good looking to him what harms him the most, until he imagines that it is the most beneficial act for himself. And he makes him flee from the most beneficial act until he thinks it is something harmful to him. Certainly, there is no god but Allah. How many humans have been tested by such sorcery. How many hearts have been kept from Islam, faith and goodness [by such sorcery]. And how many support and present falsehood in the best form and hate truth and present it in the worst form [because of his deception]. And how much falseness is adorned and shown in a desirious manner to the alert. And how much falseness is spread among the wise. He is the one who bewitches the mind until it follows different desires and various evil opinions. He makes them follow every path of misguidance. He leads them to actions, one after another, that cause their destruction. He makes appealing to them the worship of idols, the breaking of familial relationships, the killing of daughters, marrying one's mother and so on. And he promises them the victory of paradise with their infidelity, wickedness and acts of disobedience. He presents to them polytheism in the most honorable fashion. And he presents rejection of Allah's attributes, of His transcendence and of His speech in the guise of anti-anthropomorphism of Allah. He presents abandoning ordering good and eradicating evil in the guise of having mercy for others, behaving with others in a good manner, and applying the verse, "O believers, you are in charge of your own souls" (al-Maidah 105). And he presents turning away from what has come from the Messenger in the guise of blindly following the Imams (taqleed) and the sufficiency of following one who is more knowledgeable. And he presents hypocrisy and compromising with respect to Allah's religion in the guise of being flexible and mixing admirably with the people.'