Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah
Madaarij as-Saalikeen
AlJumuah Magazine
The state of repentance, tawbah, is at the beginning, the middle and the end of all states of submission to the will of Allah. The servant who seeks the pleasure of Allah never abandons tawbah. He remains in the state of tawbah until his death. Whatever his state of belief, the servant makes tawbah his constant companion. Thus, tawbah is at the beginning and at the end of his servitude to his Creator. His need for tawbah at the end, just as at the beginning, overrides, and supersedes all other needs. Allah says: “And turn to Allah altogether (make tawbah), O you who believe so that you may succeed,” (24:31)
The verse above is contained within a Madinan Surah (revealed after the migration to Madinah), in which Allah addresses the people of emaan, who are the best of His creation. He calls upon them to make tawbah “turn in repentance” to Him after they had already believed, gone through hardships, trials of faith, executed patience, migrated and performed jihad. Allah then made success conditional on perfecting such tawbah, as the effect is often conditional on the cause. No one can hope for success, except: those who make tawbah. Allah says: “And those who do not make tawbah are indeed the dhaalimoon (wrongdoers).” (49:11)
Allah divides His servants into two categories only: the repentant and the wrongdoers. There is no third category. Allah calls those who do not make tawbah, “dhaalimoon” (wrongdoers and transgressors) and no one is more of a wrongdoer and a transgressor than a person who does not repent for his evil actions. This state is a result of a person’s ignorance of his Lord and the rights due to Him, as well as, his own defects and the evil of his deeds. The Prophet, sallallahu alayeh wa sallam, is reported to have said: “O people, make tawbah to Allah. By Allah, I make tawbah to Him more than seventy times each day.” (Bukhari)
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Author: ibn Taymiyyah| Size: 1MB | Pages: 139 | Format: PDF
One of the works on this subject is his “al-Fatwaa al-Hamawiyyah” which he wrote as an answer to a question presented to him in the Hijrah year of 698 from Hamaah, a place in ash-Shaam. In it, he was asked what the scholars and Imaams of the religion say concerning the Aayaat and the Ahaadeeth of the Siaat, or the attributes and characteristics of Allah. So he answered in about 83 pages and due to which, he suffered trials and afflictions.
Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah
Al-Fawa’id
Achieving high aims depends upon having a firm intention and a strong will. Whoever loses them will never attain one’s goals, because when one’s intention is firm, it adheres to the plan, and if one’s will is strong, the servant will walk along the right way that leads to that aim. Having a strong will opens the way and a resolute intention focuses one on the aim. If one’s aim coincides with the way that reaches to it, one will be successful.
If one’s intention is weak, one will not have a high aim. If one’s will is not strong, it will (also) not lead one to the aim. The whole matter depends upon the will and the intention of the servant, and they will never be achieved without the following:
- First, neglecting innovations which people make.
- Second, abandoning worldly benefits and vain pleasures, which hinder one from one’s way and aim.
- Third, purification of one’s heart from any vain desires that will distract one’s intention.
Author: Mohammed al Sha’rawii | Size: 500kb | Pages: 68 | Format: PDF
The meaning of Al-Qadaa and Al-Qadar: when mentioned separately both mean the predestination (pre-decree) of an action or event. When used together Al -Qadar refers to the pre-decree of an action or event before it occurs and Al-Qadaa refers to the act or event after it took place. If our actions are already pre-decreed, where is the free will? Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala sent Messengers to guide mankind to the truth, and we are given the choice of believing and obeying the command or rejecting the truth. Allah already knows which path we will take, as it is recorded in the Lawh Al-Mahfuz. If Al- Qadar is already written for us, what is the benefit of making Dua? The answer to this question by the scholars is that, since we know that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala is in charge of all affairs and is able to do all things, we ask Him and Him Alone when we are in need. He already knows who will ask Him and who will not and how He is going to answer our Dua. On the other hand we do not know if our Dua will be accepted, will it be answered immediately or a trial removed or differed to the Hereafter. The scholars have further explained events that will take place if the appropriate steps are taken to make them happen. This book will inshAllah shed essential light on what is an obligatory belief for all muslims.
Imâm Ibn al-Qayyim
Taken from ‘al-Muntaqâ min Ighâthatul Lufhân fî Masâyid ash-Shaytân’ [pp.’s 102-105] of Ibn al-Qayyim, summarised by ‘Alî Hasan al-Halabî
Allâh, the Exalted said,
“Say to the believing men that they should lower their sight and guard their private parts; that will make for greater purity for them. Indeed Allâh is well acquainted with all that they do.” [an-Nûr (24):30]
So Allâh made purification and spiritual growth to be the outcome of lowering the sight and guarding the private parts. It is for this reason that lowering one’s sight from (seeing) the prohibited things necessarily leads to three benefits that carry tremendous value and are of great significance.
THE FIRST: Experiencing The Delight And Sweetness Of Faith:
This delight and sweetness is far greater and more desirable that which might have been attained from the object that one lowered his sight from for the sake of Allâh. Indeed, “Whosoever leaves something for the sake of Allâh then Allâh, the Mighty and Magnificent, will replace it with something better than it.”[1]
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Imam Al-Bayhaqi
The Seventy-Seven Branches of Faith
The Quilliam Press, © 1990, 1996
Allah Most High has said: Say: Praised be Allah! [27:59] and: If you would count the blessings of Allah you would not be able to reckon them, [14:34] and: Of the blessings of your Lord, speak out, [93:11] and: Remember Me, and I will remember you, give thanks to Me, and reject Me not, [2:152] together with other verses concerning Allah’s gifts to His slaves, and His reminding them thereof.
Bukhari relates that Abu Dharr, radhiallahu `anhu, said, “Whenever the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, went to bed at night, he would say, ‘In Thy name do I doe and am I given life again,’ and when he awoke he would say, ‘Praised be Allah Who gave me life after He caused me to die. And unto Him shall be the resurrection.’”
Muslim relates the following hadith from Suhayb, radhiallahu `anhu, “The affairs of a believer are astonishing, and are all good; this is something which is true of him alone. For when something good comes to him he gives thanks, while when something bad comes he is steadfast, which is good for him also.”
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