Gems from the Writings of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (01)

Ø  There is a vacuum in the heart which nothing can ever fill except Allah, the most High; and in it there is disorder which nothing can rectify except turning to Him; and there is sickness in it that nothing can heal other than sincerity to Him and worshiping Him alone.

Ighaathah al-Lahfaan

Ø  Whenever wants become great, the hindrances and obstacles towards it become numerous. This is the way of Allah regarding His creatures.

                                                                                                             Taariq al-Hijratayn

Ø  The one who loves Allah and His Messenger will be jealous for Allah and His Messenger in accordance to his love and veneration of Him. And if his heart is devoid of jealousy for Allah and His Messenger, then he is very much devoid of love.

Rawdah al-Muhibbeen

Ø  Whoever fears anything other than Allah will be overcome by it; and whoever hopes in anything other than Allah will be disappointed regarding it and be deprived of its good. This is Allah’s way regarding His creatures, and no change will you find in Allah’s way of dealing.

 Madaarij as-Saalikeen

The Salaf and Congregational Prayers

Shaykh Abdullaah bin Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) wrote:

The pious predecessors used to pay great attention to their prayer and hasten towards it no matter what the situation is, because they knew its importance in the sight of their Lord. Truly, they are excellent models after our prophet and model Muhammad bin Abdullaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam). Below are some of their narrations:

Sa’eed bin al-Musayyib used to be present in the masjid before the Adhaan and he persisted in that for a period not less than thirty years. Imaam Ibn Abee Shaybah reported from Sa’eed Ibn al-Musayyib that he said: ‘For the past thirty years, the Mu’adhdhin has never pronounced the Adhaan except that I was in the masjid.’[1]

He did not miss congregational prayer throughout forty years. Ibn Sa’d reported from him that he said: “For the past forty years, I did not miss congregational prayers nor look at their back.”[2] What this means is that he used to be in the first row and not in the second row whereby he would be looking at the back of the worshippers.

In spite of his old age, al-A’mash used to strive for the first takbeer. Wakee’ said: “I visited him frequently for almost two years and I did not see him making up a rak’ah. And he did not miss the first takbeer [with the Imaam] in spite of the fact that he was close to ninety years.”[3] [4]

The reliable scholar of hadeeth, Bishr al-Hasan used to be called, as-Saffee because, for fifty years, he used to stick to the first row in the masjid of Basrah.[5]

The Qaadee of Shaam Sulaymaan bin Hamzah al-Maqdisee, who was among the offspring of Ibn Qudaamah the author of al-Mughnee, said: “I have never performed the obligatory prayers alone except twice and it was as if I didn’t perform them,” even though he was close to ninety years

Source: Ahkaam Hudoor al-Masaajid, p. 45-46 by Shaykh Abdullaah bin Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him)

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[1] Al-Musannaf, 1/351

[2] Tabaqaat Ibn Sa’d, 5/131

[3] Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb, 4/151

[4] Benefit of Catching the First Takbeer with The Imaam:  The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘Whoever prays to Allaah for forty days in congregation, catching up with the first takbeer, he will be recorded as being free from two things: free from the Fire and free from hypocrisy.” Recorded by at-Tirmidhee (241) and classified hasan (sound) by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhee.

[5] Tahdheem at-Tahdheeb, 1/391

Gems From the Salaf

Al-Hakeem at-Tirmidhee said: “The rectitude of five lie in five: The rectitude of a child lies in the study-room. The rectitude of a youth lies in (seeking and acquiring) knowledge. The rectitude of the mature, middle-aged man lies in the masjid. The rectitude of a woman is in her house. And the rectitude of one who harms others is in the prison.” [Siyar A'laam an-Nubalaa (13/441)]  

Fudayl bin Iyaad said: A servant does not reach (taste, acquire) the reality of eemaan until he considers tribulation (calamity) to be a blessing and comfort (opulence) to be a calamity, and until he loves not that he should be praised for worship of Allaah.” [Siyar A'laam an-Nubalaa (8/434)] 

Ibn Qayyim said: “Whatever Allaah has decreed for His believing slave is a blessing even if that is in the form of withholding; it is a favour even if that is in the form of a trial, and the calamity decreed by Him is fair even if it is painful.”[Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 4/215]

The Salaf and Taqwa

The righteous predecessors used to advise one another to have the fear of Allah. Aboo Bakr used to say in his sermon, ‘I advise you to have the fear of Allâh.[1]’ When he was on the verge of death, he called ‘Umar and advised him thus, ‘Fear Allâh O ‘Umar[2].’ In the same vein, ‘Umar wrote to his son saying, “To proceed: I advise you to have the fear of Allâh.[3]” ‘Alee bin Abee Tâlib employed a man to be in charge of a brigade and said, ‘I advise you with the fear of Allâh whom it is inevitable that you will meet.[4]’

Umar bin Abdul-Azeez wrote to a man: “I advise you to have the fear of Allâh, which He does not accept other than it or shower mercy except on its people or reward except for it. Those who admonish about it are many but those who do it are few, may Allâh make us and you among the pious.[5]” When he was appointed as the leader, he praised and extolled Allâh and said, ‘I advise you to have the fear of Allâh for the fear of Allâh replaces everything, and nothing replaces the fear of Allâh’.[6] It is possible for the fear of Allâh to make up for everything; but if it is missing, nothing can make up for it.

A man said to Yoonus bin ‘Ubayd, ‘Advise me.’ He said, ‘I advise you to have the fear of Allâh and be good, for Allâh is with those who have taqwâ and those who are the good doers.’[7] A man from among the salaf wrote to his brother: ‘I advise you and us to have the fear of Allâh for it is the best provision for the Hereafter and this world; and He (Allâh) has made it your way to every good and your way out from every evil. Allâh has indeed guaranteed its people salvation from what they fear and provision from sources they do not expect.’[8]

Ibn As-Sammâk al-Wâ‘iz wrote to a brother of his: ‘To proceed, ‘I advise you to have the fear of Allâh Who is your intimate confidant in your secret and who watches over you in your public affair. Put Allâh in your consciousness at all times: in your night and day. Fear Allâh according to the measure of His nearness to you and His power over you. Know that you can never exit from His authority to the authority of someone else nor from His kingdom to the kingdom of someone else. Let your watchfulness of Him be great, and let your shyness before Him increase. Was-Salâm’[9]

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[1] Recorded by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (2/415) no. 3447 and he said the isnaad of the hadeeth is authentic

[2] Recorded by Aboo Nu’aym in Hilyah al-Awliyâ’ (1/36) and Aboo Ja’far at-Tabaree in Riyâdh an-Nadrah (4/244)

[3] Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee mentioned it in Jâmi’’ al-Uloom wal-Hikam (1/161) and he attributed it to Umar regarding his advice to his son (may Allaah be pleased with them)

[4] Recorded by al-Khilâl in Kitâb As-Sunnah

[5] Recorded by Aboo Nu’aym in Hilyah al-Awliyâ’ (5/267)

[6] Recorded by Aboo Nu’aym in Hilyah al-Awliyâ’ (5/297) and Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee mentioned it in Jâmi’’ al-Uloom wal-Hikam (1/161)

[7] Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee mentioned it in Jâmi’’ al-Uloom wal-Hikam (1/161)

[8] Ibn Rajab mentioned it in  Jâmi’’ al-Uloom wal-Hikam (1/161)

[9] Recorded by Aboo Nu’aym in Hilyah al-Awliyâ’ (8/206), Ibn Jawzee mentioned it in Sifatus-Safwah (3/175) and Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee in Jâmi’’ al-Uloom wal-Hikam (1/162)