Sayings of Ibn Al-Qayyim al-Jawzziya:

[Abu Juwairiya]

A Precious Gem: No Place for Two Contradictions, By Ibn Qayyim

In order for a place to contain something, it must be free from whatever contradicts it. This principle apples to mankind and all creation as well as to belief and desires.

So, if the heart is obsessed by belief in falsehood, there will be no place for truth. Accordingly, if the tongue is involved in trivial discourse, one shall be incapable of useful speech, unless falsehood is abandoned.

Hence, if the body is busy doing wrong actions, then acts of worship will be inapplicable unless these contradictory actions are abandoned.

This is how this principle is applied to concrete objects, and it is also applied to belief and religion.

If the heart deviates from loving Allah, lacks yearning for Him and longing for His closeness, then the removal of contradictory feelings, like being related to other than Allah, is the only way for this heart to be overwhelmed by love for Allah.

For the tongue to remember Allah, and the body to serve Him, one should be free of the impact of others like being busy remembering and serving them. Thus, if the heart is overwhelmed by the servants rather than the master, and is preoccupied with futile knowledge, surely there will be no place for being closer to Allah, or being acquainted with His Names, Attributes and judgments.

If the heart listens to trivial discourse, there will be no place for listening or understanding the words of Allah. Besides, if the heart is inclined to love others, there will be no room to love Allah, and if the heart remembers others rather than Allah, no place will be found to remember Him, and the same applies to the tongue.

Al-Bukhari recorded that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ” It is better for any of you that the inside of his body be filled with pus which may consume his body, than it be filled with poetry”’ (10)

This Prophetic tradition explained that it is possible that the inside of one’s body may be filled with poetry, which means that it might be exposed to suspicion, doubts, illusions, uncertainties, futile knowledge, and trivial discourse.

So, if the heart is filled with such things, the facts of the Quran and precious knowledge, which cause happiness and perfection in mankind, will find no room in that heart.

If a heart receives advice but it is filled with what contradicts it, there will be no place in that heart to accept this advice. The advice will simply pass over this heart and not be able to settle in it.
____
10 Recorded by AI-Bukhari, in His Sahib, Book of AI-Adab (Good Manners and Form), Chapter on not recommending poetry, no. (6154), and recorded by Muslim in His Sahib no. (2258). [Source: 'Al Fawa'id]

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

This Worldly Life is like an unchaste woman, Ibn Qayyim

"This worldly life is like an unchaste woman, who is not satisfied with one husband. So! be satisfied with whatever Allah grants you from this worldy life.

Walking thereon is like walking in a land that is filled with beasts, and water that teams with crocodiles.

That which causes delight, turns to be the source of grief. Pain is found in the midst of pleasures, and delights are derived from its sorrows.

As a bird sees the wheat, so does one’s insight perceive polytheism, while vain desires render its holder blind. Lusts were granted in abundance to humans, but those who believed in the unseen turned away from them! while those who follow their lusts were caused to regret.

The first category, are those, in which Allah says,which means, “They are on (true) guidance from their Lord, and they are the successful.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:5)

However, the other category, are those to whom Allah says which means, “(O you disbelievers)! Eat and enjoy yourselves (in this worldly life) for a little while. Verily, you are the Mujrimun (polytheists, disbelievers, sinners, criminals, etc.)” (Al-Mursalat,77:46)

When the successful ones are aware of the reality of this worldly life being sure of the inferiority of its degree, they overcame their vain desires for the sake of the Hereafter.

They have been awakened from their heedlessness to remember what their enemies took from them during their period of idleness. Whenever they perceive the distant journey they must undertake, they remember their aim, so it appears easy for them.

Whenever life becomes bitter, they remember this verse, in which Allah says, which means, “This is your Day which you were promised”. (Al Anbiya’, 21:103) [Source: 'Al-Fawaid' by Ibn Qayyim]

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

The Body and the Soul, Ibn Qayyim

"The body of the son of Adam was created from the earth and his soul from the government of Heaven and then they were joined.

If he is hungry, stays awake, and keeps his body busy in serving Allah, his soul will find itself lighter and more peaceful so that it would long for the place from which it was created and miss its heavenly world.

But if he secures food, blessings, sleep, and rest, the body will incline to remain at the place from which it was created and the soul would be pulled along with it and be in a prison.

If it was not for the fact that it would get used to that prison, it would ask for help, as a tortured person does, to find relief from the pain resulting from the separation and departure from its own world from which it was created.

In general, the more the body is light, the more the soul will be light and seek its heavenly world, and the more the body is heavy and seeks desires and relief, the heavier the soul will be and it will come down from its heavenly world and become lower and more earthly.

You may see the soul of a man in Heaven while his body is on the earth.

Another person serves Allah with his body and his soul is low and wandering about in lowly matters. When the soul separates from the body, it would either catch up with its high or low place. With the high, it would find every blessing, happiness, beauty, pleasure, and good living while with the low it would find every distress, grief, suffering, sadness, and bad and difficult thing.

Allah says, which means,
“But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur’an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship.”(Taha, 20:124)

“My Reminder” is His words, which He revealed to His Messenger, and “turns away” is by neglecting and abandoning working according to these words, and the majority of explanations saw that “life of hardship” is torture in the grave. Ibn Mas’ud, Abu Hurairah, Abu Sad AI-Khudry, and Ibn ‘Abbas agreed on that and it has a traceable hadith.

This life of hardship is in return for relieving the body and soul with pleasures, desires and relief.

The more you enrich the soul, it will restrain the heart until you live a life of hardship, and the more you restrain the soul, it will enrich the heart until that heart will be delighted and relieved.

Hardship in this worldly life, following piety will find its relief in partition and the Hereafter, and relief in this worldly life following desires will find its hardship in the partition and the Hereafter.

You should choose one of the two: the better, more pleasant, and more lasting. You may distress the body in order to relieve the soul but do not distress the soul to relieve the body; relief and distress of the soul is greater and more lasting while relief and distress of the body is shorter and easier." (Source, 'Al Fawa'id, Ibn Qayyim)

 

[Abdur_Rahman1]

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (rahimahullaah):

"Calamities, trials and tests are signs of love from Allah for the believers.They are comparable to a cure; although it may be bitter, you accept it because it is from the one whom you love; and to Allah belongs the best example.”

( Ighaathatul Lahfan p. 286 )

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"A pure heart is that which is free of polytheism, hatred, miserliness and pride; that is free from any ailment, which might prevent one from devoting one's worship to Allah Alone.

The purity of the heart is accomplished when it is free of five things:

Polytheism, which contradicts the concept of the Oneness of Allah;

Innovation in religion, which contradicts the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW);

Desire, which contradicts the Commandments of Allah;

Heedlessness, which contradicts the Remembrance of Allah; and Passion, which contradicts sincerity." (Source: "Spiritual Disease and its Cure" by Ibn Qayyim, P 148)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"A Sin can be defined in two ways:

Turning away from a Commandment of Allah, or Committing a prohibited deed....which are divided into four categories:

1. Kingly Sins: when a person assumes some godly attributes, such as greatness, pride, omnipotence, subjugation, highness, exaltedness etc. he falls into polytheism, by associating himself with Allah. This type is the most serious sin of all, because one tries to compete with Allah in His Attributes and His Sovereignty, which is unforgiveable.....

2. Devilish Sins: when a person imitates the devil with his attributes, such as envy, oppression, cheating, treason, enjoining misdeeds, forbidding righteous deeds, innovating in religion, inviting people to misguidance.

3. Predatory Sins: when a person becomes a tyrant and acts oppressively other weak people, inflicting them with harm and suffering.

4. Animalistic Sins: when a person becomes possessed by his passion for lust, which leads to adultery and immoraliy. This type of sin is the most common among people as they are unable to assume those kingly or predatory attributes.

However, it is through this type that they aim to acquire recognition for possessing those other attributes, from the predatory to the devilish, then even trying to compete with Allah in His Divinity and Oneness." (Source ""Spiritual Disease and its Cure" by Ibn Qayyim, P 150-51)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

HE LOST THE WOMAN & LOST HIS RELIGION

Ibn al-Qayyim narrated:

"It is reported that in Egypt, there was a man who would maintain the mosques, making the call to prayer, etc. He was, by all outward means, an obedient person and devout worshipper.

One day, as he usually would, he ascended the minaret to make the call to prayer. At the base of the minaret, there was a Christian woman standing. He saw her, and was seduced by her looks. So, he descended the minaret, went to her, and entered her home. She said to him: “Who are you, and what do you want?”

He replied: “I want you.”

She said: “Why?”

He said: “You have enslaved my eyes, and you have captured my heart.”

She said: “I will never answer your desire in a doubtful or suspicious manner.”

He said: “Ok, so, I will marry you, then.”

She said: “You are a Muslim, and I am a Christian. My father will never allow me to marry you.”

He said: “So, I will become a Christian.”

She said: “If you wish to do so, go ahead.“

So, the man became a Christian in order to marry this woman, and lived with the woman’s family in her house.

Later on that day, however, he was on the roof of the house. He fell from the roof and died without even having enjoyed his new bride. So, he lost the woman, and he lost his religion.” (Source: "Ad-Da’ wad-Dawah, P 127, Ibn Al-Qayyim Al Jawziyyah)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

Ibn al-Qayyim said,

“Sin may be more beneficial for a person, if it leads him to repent, than doing a lot of acts of worship. This is what is meant by the words of one of the salaf:

‘A person may commit a sin and enter Paradise because of it, or he may do an act of worship and enter Hell because of it.’

They said: ‘How is that?’

He said: ‘He may commit a sin and continues to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers his sin, so he feels ashamed and repents and seeks forgiveness and regrets it, so that will be the means of his salvation.

And he may do a good deed and continue to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers it and it fills him with self-admiration and pride, so it is the cause of his doom.

So the sin may be the factor that leads him to do acts of worship and good deeds and to change his attitude so that he fears Allah and feels shy before Him and feels humiliated before Him, hanging his head in shame and weeping with regret, seeking he forgiveness of his Lord. Each of these effects is better for a person than an act of worship that makes him feel proud and show off and look down on people.

Undoubtedly this sin is better before Allah and is more likely to bring salvation than one who admires himself and looks down on others, and who thinks that he is doing Allah a favour.

Even if he says words that indicate something other than that, Allah is the Witness over what is in his heart. Such a person may feel hatred towards people if they do not hold him in high esteem and humiliate themselves before him. If he were to examine himself honestly, he would see that clearly.” [Source: Madarij as-Salikeen, 1/299]

 

[Abdur_Rahman1]

A Beautiful Description of Paradise - Must Read

Ibn al-Qayyim said, in regards to the description of the Paradise and the delights that it contains:

"And if you ask about its ground and its soil, then it is of musk and saffron.

And if you ask about its roof, then it is the Throne of the Most Merciful.

And if you ask about its rocks, then they are pearls and jewels.

And if you ask about its buildings, then they are made of bricks of gold and silver.

And if you ask about its trees, then it does not contain a single tree except that its trunk is made of gold and silver.

And if you ask about its fruits, then they are softer than butter and sweeter than honey.

And if you ask about its leaves, then they are softer than the softest cloth.

And if you ask about its rivers, then there are rivers of milk who’s taste does not change, and rivers of wine that is delicious to those who drink it, and rivers of honey that is pure, and rivers of water that is fresh.

And if you ask about their food, then it is fruits from whatever they will choose, and the meat of whatever birds they desire.

And if you ask about their drink, then it is Tasneem, ginger, and Kaafoor.

And if you ask about their drinking cups, then they are crystal-clear and made of gold and silver.

And if you ask about its shade, then a fast rider would ride in the shade of one of its trees for a hundred years and not escape it.

And if you ask about its vastness, then the lowest of its people would have within his kingdom and walls and palaces and gardens the distance that would be travelled in a thousand years.

And if you ask about its tents and encampments, then one tent is like a concealed pearl that is sixty miles long.

And if you ask about its towers, then they are rooms above rooms in buildings that have rivers running underneath them.

And if you ask about how far it reaches into the sky, then look at the shining star that is visible, as well as those that are far in the heavens that the eyesight cannot possibly reach.

And if you ask about the clothing of its inhabitants, then they are of silk and gold.

And if you ask about its beds, then its blankets are of the finest silk laid out in the highest of its levels.

And if you ask about the faces of its inhabitants and their beauty, then they are like the image of the Moon.

And if you ask about their age, then they are young ones of 33 years in the image of Adam, the father of humanity.

And if you ask about what they will be hearing, then it is the singing of their wives from among theHoor al-‘Ayn, and better than that are the voices of the Angels and the Prophets, and better than that is the Speech of the Lord of the Worlds.

And if you ask about their servants, then they are young boys of everlasting youth who resemble scattered pearls.

And if you ask about their brides and wives, then they are young and full-breasted and have had the liquid of youth flow through their limbs; the Sun runs along the beauty of her face if she shows it, light shines from between her teeth if she smiles; if you meet her love, then say whatever you want regarding the joining of two lights; he sees his face in the roundness of her cheek as if he is looking into a polished mirror, and he sees the brightness from behind her muscles and bones; if she were to be unleashed upon the World, she would fill what is between the Heavens and the Earth with a beautiful wind, and the mouths of the creation would glorifiy, praise, and exclaim greatness, and everything between the East and the West would be adorned for her, and every eye would be shut from everthing but her, and the light of the Sun would be outshone just as the light of the Sun outshines the light of the stars, and everyone on the face of the Earth would believe in the Ever-Living, the One who Sustains and Protects all the exists.

And the covering on her head is better than the World and all that is in it, and she does not increase with age except in beauty; free from an umbilical cord, childbirth and menses, and pure of mucous, saliva, urine and other filthy things; her youth never fades, her clothing is never worn out, no garment can be created that matches her beauty, and no one who is with her can ever become bored; her attention is restricted to her husband, so she desires none but him, just as his attention is restricted to her so she is the sole object of his desire, and he is with her in utmost safety and security, as none has touched her before of either humans or Jinn.

And if you ask about the Day of Increase (in reward) and the visit of the all-Mighty, all-Wise, and the sight of His Face - free from any resemblance or likeness to anything - as you see the Sun in the middle of the day and the full Moon on a cloudless night, then listen on the day that the caller will call: 'O People of Paradise! Your Lord - Blessed and Exalted - requests you to visit Him, so come to visit Him!' So they will say: ‘We hear and obey!’

Until, when they finally reach the wide valley where they will all meet - and none of them will turn down the request of the caller - the Lord - Blessed and Exalted - will order His Chair to be brought there. Then, pulpits of light will emerge, as well as pulpits of pearls, gemstone, gold, and silver. The lowest of them in rank will sit on sheets of musk, and will not see what those who are on the chairs above them are given. When they are comfortable where they are sitting and are secure in their places, and the caller calls: 'O People of Paradise! You have an appointment with Allaah in which He wishes to reward you!' So they will say: ‘And what is that reward? Has He not already made our faces bright, made our scales heavy, entered us into Paradise, and pushed us away from the Fire?’

And when they are like that, all of a sudden a light shines that encompasses all of Paradise. So, they raise their heads, and, behold: the Compeller - Exalted is He, and Holy are His Names - has come to them from above them and majestified them and said: 'O People of Paradise! Peace be upon you!' So, this greeting will not be responded to with anything better than: ‘O Allaah! You are Peace, and from You is Peace! Blessed are You, O possessor of Majesty and Honor!’ So the Lord - Blessed and Exalted - will laugh to them and say: 'O People of Paradise! Where are those who used to obey Me without having ever seen Me? This is the Day of Increase!'

So, they will all give the same response: ‘We are pleased, so be pleased with us!’ So, He will say: 'O People of Paradise! If I were not pleased with you, I would not have made you inhabitants of My Paradise! So, ask of Me!' So, they will all give the same response: ‘Show us your Face so that we may look at it!’ So, the Lord - Mighty and Majestic - will remove his covering and will cover them with His Light, which, if Allaah - the Exalted - had not Willed not to burn them, would have burned them.

And there will not remain a single person in this gathering except that his Lord - the Exalted - will speak to him and say: 'Do you remember the day that you did this and that?' and He will remind him of some of his bad deeds in the Worldy life, so he will say: ‘O Lord! Will you not forgive me?’ So, He will say: 'Of course! You have not reached this position of yours (in Paradise) except by my forgiveness.'

So, how sweet is this speech to the ears, and how cooled are the righteous eyes by the glance at His Noble Face in the Afterlife…

{Some faces that Day will be shining and radiant, looking at their Lord…} (al-Qiyaamah:22-3)

[ Haadi al-Arwaah ilaa Bilaad il-Afraah by Ibn al-Qayyim, pg. 193 ]

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

THE HEART WILL REST AND FEEL RELIEF

"The heart will rest and feel relief if it is settled with Allah and it will worry and be anxious if it is settled with people" (Ibn Qayyim, Al-Fawa'id, P 158]

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"The one who is (truly) imprisoned is the one whose heart is imprisoned from Allaah and the captivated one is the one whose desires have enslaved him". (Ibn Qayyim)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"The benefit from the Qur'an will not be sound unless one's heart perceives the reflections of His Lord's Names and Attributes in His Laws within himself and in everything around him within this universe." (Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"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?" (Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"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." (Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"Had Allah lifted the veil for His slave and shown him how He handles his affairs for him, and how Allah is more keen for the benefit of the slave than His own self,

his heart would have melted out of the love for Allah and would have been torn to pieces out of thankfulness to Allah.

Therefore if the pains of this world tire you do not grieve. For it may be that Allah wishes to hear your voice by way of Dua. So pour out your desires in prostration and forget about it and know, that verily Allah does not forget it." [Ibn Qayyim]

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"The Shaytan 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." (Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"A tear that runs down a believers cheek is more beneficial than a thousand rain drops on earth." (Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"The best and most beneficial remembrances are those where the heart agrees with what is said on the tongue." (Ibn Qayyim Al Jawziyyah)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"The one who loves the life of this world and prefers it to the next life is the lowest of creation and the least intelligent. Such a person prefers illusion to reality." Ibn Qayyim)

 

[Abu Juwairiya]

"Whoever insults his brother for a sin will not die until he falls into it (himself)." (Ibn Qayyim, Madaarij Vol 1 P. 177)