Words of Wisdom Ibn al-Qayyim

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:
Some of the Salaf said:

“Were it not for the trials in this world, we would be arriving bankrupt on the Day of Judgement.”

[Zaad al-Ma’aad | 4/176]

Ibn al-Qayyim ‏رحمه الله:

“The example of obedience that grows and increases, is like a seed that you plant, which becomes a tree, then bears fruit, and you ate this fruit and planted their seeds again and whenever the tree bears fruit you eat it and plant its seeds. The exact example can be applied to sins and the way they increase.

There is an old proverb and the wise will understand it:

‘The reward for good deeds is that they are followed by other good deeds, and the punishment for bad deeds is that they are followed by other bad deeds.’”

[Al-Fawā’id | Pg. 60-61]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“The one whose soul craves disobedience but he leaves it for Allāh, those are the ones who Allāh tested their hearts with piety and for them is forgiveness and a tremendous reward."

[al-Fawā’id | 125]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

"Be pleased with everything that Allāh does with you. For indeed He does not prevent you except to give you. He does not test you except to protect and save you. He does not give you ill health except to cure you. He does not give you death except to give life to you.

So beware of not being pleased with Him even for the blink of an eye. Such that you fall in His eye."

[Madārij as-Sālikīn | 2/208]

📌 Fasting the 3 White Days:

• Monday 13th January
[13th Rajab]

• Tuesday 14th January
[14th Rajab]

• Wednesday 15th January
[15th Rajab]


The Prophet ﷺ:

‎“Fasting 3 days of each month is equivalent to fasting for a lifetime & the shining days of al-beed (white days) are 13th, 14th & 15th.”

[Sunan an-Nasa’i | 2420]

📌 Fasting the 3 White Days

• Monday 13th January
[13th Rajab]

• Tuesday 14th January
[14th Rajab]

• Wednesday 15th January
[15th Rajab]

https://www.instagram.com/ansariyyah_network

‎The Virtue of Friday:

‎Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله

‎"Friday is the day of worship, its comparison to other days like the comparison of the month of Ramadan to other months and the hour in it is like the Night of Decree in Ramadan."

‎[Zaad Al-Ma’aad | 1398]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Which life is better than the life of a person whose worries have all united and become one concern directed towards attaining the pleasure of Allāh, gathered the scattered feelings of his heart through the devotion to Allāh, whose intentions and thoughts were once divided- each scattered in a different valley- are now focused on Allāh.

So the remembrance of the Most Beloved, the love to Him and the longing to meet Him and the comfort in being near to him becomes overwhelming for him. His concern, intentions and objectives and the feelings of his heart revolve around all this.”

[The Disease & The Cure | Pg. 329]

Every Good Deed A Righteous Child Does, There Is A Share In that for his/her Father & Mother

A child is an extension of their parents’ legacy, and every righteous deed they perform continues to elevate the status of their parents with Allāh.

Reflect on this deeply:
Our prayers, acts of worship, and service to others are not just personal gains but gifts that transcend our individual lives, flowing back to those who gave us life.

A truly beneficial son or daughter is one who recognizes this profound connection and strives tirelessly to please Allāh, knowing their every act of goodness is a sadaqah jariyah for their parents.

What greater honour could we offer them than to be the reason they find shade under Allāh’s mercy?

Let us not waste the chance to be a source of goodness for them, for this is the ultimate expression of love and devotion.

Abū Ismā’īl
🖊️ https://t.me/abuismailnotes

Types of Patience

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

Patience is of two types: physical and psychological. Each type may also be optional or obligatory. Thus, we have four types of patience:

1) Optional physical patience such as doing hard labor willingly.

2) Obligatory physical patience, such as enduring the pain of beatings, illness, wounds or cold or hot weather.

3) Optional psychological patience, such as refraining from doing ill-conduct that contradicts sacred knowledge or reason.

4) Obligatory psychological patience, such as enduring the pain of separation from one's loved ones who are beyond his reach.

The obligatory types of patience can be applied to human beings and animals, whereas the optional types apply only to people. However, some people may only maintain patience for obligatory things, like animals, and forsake optional patience.

[The Way to Patience & Gratitude | Pg. 13-14]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Friday is the day when the people of Paradise will receive the ever-increasing reward. It is the day when they will see Allāh, the Exalted. Those who were the earliest to go to the mosque on Friday will be the first to receive this honor. Thus, the nearest to Allāh were those nearest to the Imam on Friday. The residents of Paradise are eager for Friday, the day of such increase, due to the honor they will receive on that day.”

[Zaad Al-Ma’ad | 1/59-65]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

”When night descends, sleep and sleeplessness struggle, of Allāh and longing for Allāh are the soldiers of wakefulness, while idleness and delaying are the soldiers of heedlessness. If determination is adopted, and negligence is defeated, then by the time day breaks, every party will take his share.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 78]

The Race Against Time: Offering Your Best to Allāh in Your Prime

A sincere advice for my brothers & sisters in Islām,

A reflection I wanted to share to all as I watch my father who is weak and recovering from his brain operation. A man who, at 87 years old, was once the most active and vibrant person, now struggles to even move a limb. Seeing him, once so full of energy and independence, now fighting to perform even the simplest of movements—like raising his hands and legs. This has made me realise the importance of our youth, our prime and good health.

Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ have repeatedly reminded us of the fleeting nature of life, the value of youth, and the urgency to act before our time is up. This only becomes a reality for many of us when we have fallen weak, ill or just too late.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said beautifully: “Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your busyness, and your life before your death.” Sunan Tirmidhī

This narration strikes at the core of my advice. Youth is not just a phase of strength and energy—it’s a divine trust, a fleeting opportunity to earn Allāh’s pleasure before the inevitabilities of life—weakness, frailty, and death—overcome us.

When we are young and healthy, it’s easy to take our strength and time for granted, but every breath is a blessing that deserves gratitude through action. What excuse will we have when Allah asks about our youth?

The time to act is now. The time to serve Allāh, support others, dedicate your wealth and energy for the sake of Allāh—is NOW!!

When old age or illness comes, you will only wish you could do what you neglected in your youth. This life is short, and our youth even shorter. Every moment wasted in heedlessness is a moment lost forever. Imagine the regret of someone who spent their best days in leisure and dunya comfort, only to be reduced to weakness, unable to do what they once could.

Imagine standing before Allāh with nothing but excuses for why we did not pray more, fast more, serve more, and give more.

The companions of the Prophet ﷺ were young when they changed the world. They carried the message of Islām on their shoulders, sacrificing their youth for the eternal gardens of Jannah.

Where are we? Why not us?

The graveyards are full of people who thought they had more time. Don’t let that be your story. Seize your youth. Seize your health. Seize your life for Allāh. Because in the end, only what you do for Allāh will remain.

The time is now. Act, before it’s too late.

Read, Implement & Share
Abū Ismā'īl
📚 https://t.me/abuismailnotes

The Overlooked Commandment: Dutifulness to Parents

In Islām, after worshiping Allāh alone, one of the greatest deeds is being dutiful to our parents. Caring for our parents isn’t just an act of kindness; it’s a form of worship that can lead directly to the pleasure of Allāh. The Prophet ﷺ said:

"The pleasure of the Lord is in the pleasure of the parent, and the displeasure of the Lord is in the displeasure of the parent." Sunan Tirmidhī

Sometimes, in our zeal to pursue acts of worship that are grand—seeking knowledge, activism, building organisations for Da'wah, fasting, or public charity—we overlook one of the simplest and most profound forms of worship: serving and honoring our parents.

How often do we pause to realise that caring for our parents when they are in need is like a door to Jannah wide open before us? So let us not neglect this command in the pursuit of other deeds especially when they are in need. Helping our parents is not only a duty; it’s a way to bring Allāh’s mercy into our own lives.

Their Love For Us is A Sign of Allāh’s Mercy in This World.

Action Plan:

Dear brothers and sisters,
❖ If your parents call upon you, respond to them with urgency.
❖ If they are in need, let nothing hold you back from supporting them.
❖ If they are old and frail, serve them with tenderness, as they once served you in your helplessness.
❖ If they are no longer with you, honor their memory with prayers, charity, and the fulfillment of their wishes.

O seeker of Allāh's mercy, never underestimate the weight of this responsibility. It is not a burden; it is a blessing. It is not a distraction from worship; it is worship itself. When you serve your parents, you are serving Allāh.

May Allāh grant us the ability to fulfill this noble duty with sincerity, love, and excellence. Amīn

Read, Implement & Share
Abū Ismā'īl
📚 https://t.me/abuismailnotes

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

‎”When the veil has been lifted on the day of judgement revealing the value of good deeds for the people they'll not see any action better in reward than the remembrance of Allāh (Dhikr).

At that time a group of people who'll sigh because they missed out and say:

There was nothing easier for us than dhikr and yet we did not do it.”

[al-Waabil al-Sayyib | 11]

Worse than the sin itself…

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

• “The small amount of shyness that you have from the one on your right and the one on your left (i.e. scribes) while you’re committing a sin is greater than the sin (itself).

• And your laughing while you don’t know what Allāh will do with you is greater than the sin (itself).

• And your happiness with sin when you commit it, is greater than the sin (itself).

• And your sadness over the sin when it (the chance to commit sin) passes you, is greater than the sin (itself).

• And your fear of the wind when it moves the door which veils you when you’re committing the sin; but your heart isn’t disturbed (by the fact) that Allāh sees you is greater than the sin (itself) and woe to the devils!.”

[al-Jawab al-Kafi by Ibn al-Qayyim]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“From the very moment of creation, mankind is on a journey. He Is a traveler and is not allowed to halt except when he reaches either Paradise or Hellfire. The wise one among them is the one who knows that traveling is based on hardship and danger. It is usually hard to seek pleasures and relief during it, which are to be acquired after it is completed.

Every footstep and every moan made during this journey will not stop him. It is proven that the traveler is preparing supplies, which will take him to his final end. And if he halts, sleeps, or rests, he is doing so while preparing himself to complete his journey.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 315-316]

📌 A simple breath…

Ibn al-Dunya mentioned that the Prophet Dawud (alayhi salam) asked
Allāh:

"What is the least of your blessings?.”

Allāh revealed to him,

"O Dawud, take a breath."

Dawud did so, and Allāh told him:

"That is the least of My Blessings on
you.”

[Excerpt from Patience and Gratitude by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah | Pg. 70]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Whoever abandons habits for the sake of someone or something other than Allāh, will surely suffer hard and difficult times.

However, whoever abandons habits for the sake of Allāh sincerely from his heart, he will not suffer from leaving it except at the beginning so that his credibility will be examined. If he bears this pain it will be turned into pleasure.”

[Al-Fawā’id | Pg. 174]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“If you want to see the extent of your Īmān then see how you are in private.

For indeed Īmān does not show its true extent in two units of prayer or in fasting during the day.

But it shows in striving against your soul and desires.”

[Madārij As-Sālikīn | 164/82]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“Do you think the righteous do not commit sins?

They simply hid them and didn’t expose them...

And sought forgiveness for them and did not insist on them...

And admitted to them and did not justify them...

And did goodness after they did wrong..

One of the salaf was asked, “How is the relationship between you and your religion?”

He said, “it is shredded by sins, and I patch it with seeking forgiveness (isitighfār).

How excellent is the question
And how deep is the answer!.”

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“He who has tested the servant is the Most Wise, the Most Merciful and He did not test him with the affliction to destroy, punish or overwhelm him. Rather, the affliction is merely a test of his patience, his contentment with Allāh and his faith.”

In addition Allāh wants to hear the servant’s pleas, supplications and humility before him, his seeking refuge with Him, his hearts humility before Him and his explaining His sadness to Him (alone).”

[Timeless Seeds of Advice, Pg. 15]

Words of Wisdom Ibn al-Qayyim pinned Deleted message

🌍 Forgotten Ummah Ansār Winter Campaign - Stand 4 Sham ❄️

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

This winter, families in Syria and refugees in Turkey face the freezing cold with little to protect them. With £30, you can provide a small essentials pack (blankets, food, warm clothing). For £60, a large pack can bring even more comfort.

Our brothers from Ansār Group will hopefully go at the end of the year to deliver aid in person, ensuring it reaches those who need it most.

Let’s be their warmth in this harsh season.

💰 £30 – Small Essentials Pack
💰 £60 – Big Essentials Pack

Every donation and share counts. Let’s bring warmth and hope to our brothers and sisters.

DONATE NOW👇🏽
https://fundraise.forgottenummah.org/t/stand-4-sham

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

‎”I once attended fajr prayer with Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله; he then sat and remembered Allāh until it was nearly midday. He then turned around and said to me,

‎This is my early morning meal, if I do not take this breakfast, my strength will drop.”

[Al-Wābil as-Sayyib | Pg. 60]

Do not take sinning lightly…

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

"Is there any evil in the life of this world and in the Hereafter except the reason for it is sins and disobedience?"

[Ad-Daa' wad-Dawaa' | Pg. 98]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

"Know that the greatest of losses is for you to be preoccupied with one who will bring you nothing but a loss in your time with Allāh - the Mighty and Majestic - and being cut off from Him, a wasting your time with the person, a weakening of your energy, and the dispersing of your resolve.

So, if you are tested with this - and you must be tested with this - deal with him according to how Allah would wish, and be patient with him as much as possible. Get closer to Allah and His Pleasure by way of this person, and make your getting together with him something to benefit from, not something to incur a loss from.

Be with him as if you are a man who is on a road who was stopped by another man, who then asks you to take him on your journey. Make sure that you are the one who gives him a ride, and that he is not the one giving you the ride. If he refuses, and there is nothing to gain from travelling with him, do not stop for him, bid him farewell, and do not even turn back to look at him, as he is a highway robber, regardless of who he really is.

So, save your heart, be wary of how you spend your days and nights, and do not let the Sun set before you arrive at your destination."

[al-Waabil as-Sayyib | Pg. 45]

Words of Wisdom Ibn al-Qayyim pinned «A cure for the hearts ✨ Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله: “There is a chaos in the heart that cannot be brought to order except by one turning to Allāh, and in one's heart is a loneliness that cannot be removed except by finding company with Allāh whilst alone, and…»

A cure for the hearts ✨

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“There is a chaos in the heart that cannot be brought to order except by one turning to Allāh, and in one's heart is a loneliness that cannot be removed except by finding company with Allāh whilst alone, and in the heart [as well] is a sadness that cannot be distanced except by finding happiness with knowing Allāh.”

[Madārij as-Sālikeen]

Reflections:

❖ The heart can only ever truly find ease by knowing Allāh and being close to Allāh

❖ No amount of distractions can fill the void a heart feels when one is far from Allāh, except by turning back to Allāh

Action Plan:

1. Set fixed times each day for focused remembrance of Allāh

2. Learn the 99 names of Allāh, know Him and become close to Him

3. Engage in istighfar throughout your day


ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ٢٨

“Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allāh. Surely in the remembrance of Allāh do hearts find comfort…” [13:28]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Indeed, sadaqah has a remarkable effect in repelling an array of tribulations, even if it (sadaqah) were to come from a wicked sinner or an oppressor – rather even from a disbeliever.

For indeed; Allāh, The Most High by way of it repels an array of tribulations, and this is an affair which is known by the people – their exclusive ones as well as the general ones, and the people of the earth – all of them acknowledge that – because they have indeed experienced it.”

[Al-Waabil as-Sayyib | P. 69]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The perfection of man is based on these two abilities: Knowledge and love. And the best knowledge is the knowledge about Allāh, and the highest love is the love for His Sake.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 83]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The person’s lifetime is judged by its end, and man’s actions are regarded by their final deeds. Whoever breaks his ablution before the final salutation, surely his prayer becomes invalid, and whoever breaks his fast before sunset, surely his fast is invalid, and whoever is sinful at the end of his life, surely he will meet Allāh in that state.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 99]

‎The Virtue of Friday:

‎Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله

‎"Friday is the day of worship, its comparison to other days like the comparison of the month of Ramadan to other months and the hour in it is like the Night of Decree in Ramadan."

‎[Zaad Al-Ma’aad | 1398]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“How strange it is that when a servant of Allāh has a problem, he seeks the help of Allāh but he never asks Allāh to cure his heart before it dies of ignorance, neglect, fulfilling one’s desires and being involved in innovations. Indeed, when the heart dies, he will never feel the significance or impact of his sins.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 180]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The greenery and verdure of this world is like a tree. The rapid manner in which the world vanishes away bit by bit is like the shade. And the slave is a traveler heading toward the meeting with his Lord. When the traveler sees a tree on a hot day, he does not deem it appropriate to build a home under the tree or take it as a permanent residence; rather he shades himself according to his need. If he exceeds this, he is cut off from his companions.”

[The Dunya & Its Reality | Pg. 18]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Following one’s desires and having extended hope is the core of evil. Following one’s desires blinds one from seeing what is right, and having extended hope makes one forget the Hereafter and prevents one from preparing for it.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 159]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Which punishment can be worse than disregarding your own self and squandering it, forgetting the matters that benefit it, forgetting its illness and cure and the reasons for its joy, success, uprightness and its eternal life in the permanent abode of bliss?.”

[The Disease & The Cure | Pg. 186]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Friday is the day when the people of Paradise will receive the ever-increasing reward. It is the day when they will see Allāh, the Exalted. Those who were the earliest to go to the mosque on Friday will be the first to receive this honor. Thus, the nearest to Allāh were those nearest to the Imam on Friday. The residents of Paradise are eager for Friday, the day of such increase, due to the honor they will receive on that day.”

[Zaad Al-Ma’ad | 1/59-65]

📌 Fasting the 3 White Days:

‎• Friday 15th November
[13th Jumada Al-Awwal]

‎• Saturday 16th November
[14th Jumada Al-Awwal]

‎• Sunday 17th November
[15th Jumada Al-Awwal]

‎The Prophet ﷺ:

‎“Fasting 3 days of each month is equivalent to fasting for a lifetime & the shining days of al-beed (white days) are 13th, 14th & 15th.”

[Sunan an-Nasa’i | 2420]

🌍 Forgotten Ummah Ansār Winter Campaign - Stand 4 Sham ❄️

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

This winter, families in Syria and refugees in Turkey face the freezing cold with little to protect them. With £30, you can provide a small essentials pack (blankets, food, warm clothing). For £60, a large pack can bring even more comfort.

Our brothers from Ansār Group will hopefully go at the end of the year to deliver aid in person, ensuring it reaches those who need it most.

Let’s be their warmth in this harsh season.

💰 £30 – Small Essentials Pack
💰 £60 – Big Essentials Pack

Every donation and share counts. Let’s bring warmth and hope to our brothers and sisters.

DONATE NOW👇🏽
https://fundraise.forgottenummah.org/t/stand-4-sham

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“If the heart is not pure or honourable enough, and distant from every evil and malice, then it is unworthy to love, know and aspire to Allāh. On the contrary, the lowest description of man’s heart is that he loves and aspires to this worldly life instead of to Allāh, the Almighty.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 48]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Nothing can be beneficial to the heart like reciting the Qur’ān meditatively. It causes one to have love for Allāh, passion, fear, beseeching Allāh, reliance upon Him, gratefulness to Allāh and patience, in addition to everything that puts life into the heart.”

[Miftāh Dār as-S’ādah | Pg. 187]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Since their creation, people have always been travelers,
‏
And they have no place to go,

Except in heaven or hell.”

‏[الفوائد (٢٧٦)]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Supplication is remembrance of the One being called upon, Exalted is He; it includes requesting from Him and praising Him by His names and attributes; thus, it is remembrance and more.”

بدائع الفوائد - (ص٥٢١)

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Which pleasantry is better than the righteousness and comfort of the heart? The knowledge of the Lord, loving Him and complying with His commands? And is there any other life in reality worth living other than the one with a sound heart?.”

[The Disease & The Cure | Pg. 215]

Ways of Strengthening Patience

Knowledge:

“The element of knowledge is necessary in order to realise the benefits of following the commands of Allāh and the sense of happiness and fulfillment that one may attain by following them; and to understand what it is in the forbidden things that causes harm, imperfection and evil.

When a person realises that, and adds strong willpower, the desire for spiritual achievement and the wish to live as a complete human being (as opposed to an animal-like existence), then it will become easy for him to attain the quality of patience.

The bitterness of patience will become sweet and the pain of patience will become joy.”

[Patience & Gratitude | Pg. 32]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“One must recall the punishments that have been set by Allāh as a punishment for perpetrating sins. Consider some of them touching you and make this a motive for the soul to abandon all sin. Here I shall list a few that should suffice the intellectual and truthful one

From it: A seal placed on the heart and the hearing, a veil over the sight, a lock on the heart and a shield over it, a covering and seal over the heart, turning away the hearts and the eyes, an intervention between the individual and his heart, heedlessness from remembering Allāh, forgetting oneself, forsaking the need for Allāh to purify your heart, the chest feeling constricted as if it is rising into the sky, diverting the hearts from the truth, increasing to its illness, falling back into error.”

[The Disease & The Cure | Pg. 209]

Tawhīd Is The Foundation of Happiness

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The greatest way to achieve happiness is through Tawhīd. The happiness of a person’s heart depends upon its perfection, strength and increase.”

[The Keys to Happiness | Pg. 33]

Tawhīd Is The Foundation of Happiness

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The greatest way to achieve happiness is through Tawhīd. The happiness of a person’s heart depends upon its perfection, strength and increase.”

[The Keys to Happiness | Pg. 33]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“From the plots of the Shaytān (satan) and his traps which he uses to influence those who possess only a small share of knowledge, intellect, and religion—and with which he captures the hearts of the ignorant, and the people of falsehood—is listening to whistling (al-mukhā), clapping (at-tasdiyyah), and singing accompanied by instruments, which are forbidden, that turns the hearts away from the Qur’ān and causes them to be preoccupied with disobedience and transgression.

So it is the Qur’ān of the Shaytān and the dense barrier that keeps people from the Most Merciful. And it is the enticement of homosexuality and illicit sexual promiscuity. Through it, the immoral lover entices his lover to the very limits of their desires.

With it, the Shaytān deceives the astray souls and makes it seem good to them through scheming and delusion. He inspires within them baseless doubts to justify its “goodness” and his suggestions are accepted; because of this, it causes the Qur’ān to become abandoned.”

[The Evils of Music | The Devil’s Voice & Instrument | Pg. 12]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Which life is better than the life of a person whose worries have all united and become one concern directed towards attaining the pleasure of Allāh, gathered the scattered feelings of his heart through the devotion to Allāh, whose intentions and thoughts were once divided- each scattered in a different valley- are now focused on Allāh.

So the remembrance of the Most Beloved, the love to Him and the longing to meet Him and the comfort in being near to him becomes overwhelming for him. His concern, intentions and objectives and the feelings of his heart revolve around all this.”

[The Disease & The Cure | Pg. 329]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Truly, a person who favours a current pleasure, whose effect will disturb his life and Hereafter, must be a person with no sense of sensibility.

For how can a person favour such pleasures that are as temporary as a dream and as short as a moment that a person spends with a good character visiting him in a dream, over an everlasting pleasure that is among the ultimate pleasures!

How could a person sell all that for such mortal lowly pleasures that come with pain and are also achieved with pain and whose result is nothing but pain!”

[Heartfelt Advice to a Friend | Pg. 37]

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Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Guidance and Tawhīd are from the greatest ways to achieve happiness, whereas Shirk and misguidance are from the greatest causes of misery and constriction.

From the affairs that cause happiness is the light that Allāh places in the heart of the servant, which is the light of Īmān (faith). Indeed, this brings happiness to the breast and expands it, and it brings joy to the heart.

If this light is lost from the servants heart, then it is miserable and annoyed and it ends up in the most distressful and difficult of prisons.”

[The Keys to Happiness | Pg. 25]

The Deep Connection: Worship with The Heart, Body, and Mind

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned:

"The actions of the heart are the foundation [of belief], and the actions of the limbs follow and complete them. Intention is like the soul, and actions like the body: if the soul leaves the body, the body dies. Therefore, knowledge of the affairs of the heart is more important than knowledge of the affairs of the limbs…

How else is a hypocrite distinguished from a believer except by deeds of the heart?"

See Badā’i’ al-Fawā’id [pp.224 & 330]

Relections:

❖ True worship occurs when the heart, mind, and actions are in harmony, leading to spiritual growth.

❖ The connection between the heart and physical acts of worship is crucial to find tranquility.

❖ Intention and sincerity [Ikhlās] make acts meaningful, and this focus enhances inner peace and strengthens our bond with Allāh.

Actionable points to help improve the connection between the heart and physical acts of worship:

1 - Renew Your Intention: Before beginning any act of worship, consciously remind yourself why you're doing it—for the sake of Allāh alone.

2 - Learn and Reflect on Meanings: Understand the meanings of the words in your prayers and other acts of worship.

3 - Remove Distractions: Create a calm, quiet space for worship, free of distractions.

4 - Practice Mindfulness: During worship, gently bring your attention back to Allāh every time your mind wanders.

5 - Focus on Gratitude: Begin each prayer or act of worship by reflecting on Allāh’s blessings.

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Abū Ismā’īl
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Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:
‏
“If you want to infer what is in the heart, then infer it by the movement of the tongue. For it reveals to you what is in the heart, whether its owner wills it or not.”

‏الجواب الكافي (ص٣٧٩)

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Nothing can be beneficial to the heart like reciting the Qur’ān meditatively. It causes one to have love for Allāh, passion, fear, beseeching Allāh, reliance upon Him, gratefulness to Allāh and patience, in addition to everything that puts life into the heart.”

[Miftāh Dār as-S’ādah | Pg. 187]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Sins prevented them from crossing the passage over to their hearts so that they can know what will be of benefit to them and what will purify them, what will corrupt them and what will make them wretched. They were prevented from crossing the distance between their hearts and their Lord so that the hearts can reach Him, triumph in victory and receive His honor, receiving the eyes delight and the pleasure of the soul. Moreover, their sins were a veil between them and their own hearts and a veil between them and their Creator.”

[The Disease & The Cure | Pg. 212]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The need or rather the necessity for the servant to ask Allāh to guide him to the straight path is extreme. The servant is not in need of anything more than a response to this request and there is nothing more beneficial to him than it.

The straight path entails knowledge and constantly implementing or relinquishing apparent or inner actions.”

[The Disease and The Cure | Pg. 217]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“Look at the Hereafter as if you see if you see it with your own two eyes and ponder over the perfect Wisdom of Allāh in both abodes, and you will surely come to know without doubt that the worldly life is a plantation for the Hereafter and it is an introduction and an example, and that all levels of people in the Hereafter with regards to the joy or torment they will receive are determined through their levels in this worldly life as it relates to their faith, righteous actions or the opposite. Allāh grants success.”

[The Disease and The Cure | Pg. 219-220]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“From the punishments of sin is: They expel a person from the realm of Ihsan, and they deny an individual the reward of Muhsinīn.

If this Ihsan is absorbed into the heart, it obstructs a person from committing sin because the one who worships Allāh as if he can see Him has only reached such a stage due to the overwhelming remembrance, love, fear and hope he has for Allāh in his heart, wherein it is as if he sees Him.

It is that state that comes between a person and his urge to sin, let alone perpetrating the sin itself. So if he exits the realm of Ihsan, he loses out on an elite and righteous companionship, a pleasant life and complete bliss.”

[The Disease & The Cure | Pg. 133]

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Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The pleasures have vanished and been followed by sorrow.

The urge has ended and resulted in distress.

They enjoyed themselves for a short while and are punished for a long time.
They indulged in luxuries and it resulted in a painful torment.

They became drunk with the intoxication of that desire and did not regain consciousness from it until they were in the abode of the tormented.

They were tranquilized by the heedlessness and didn’t wake up until they were in the abode of the doomed ones.

They regret it all —by Allāh– to the furthest degree at a time when regret is of no avail and they cried over what they used to do with tears of blood.”

[The Disease & The Cure | Pg. 315]

Temporary Pleasures vs True Happiness

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim said:

‎“O people who take pleasure in a life that will vanish, falling in love with a faded shadow is sheer stupidity!”

Purification of the Soul [Pg. 147].

Reflection:

❖ In Islām, the concepts of pleasure and happiness are distinctly different, yet interconnected.

❖ Pleasure often refers to temporary sensory experiences that may bring immediate gratification, such as indulgence in food, entertainment, or material possessions.

❖ Happiness in Islām is deeper and more profound, rooted in spiritual fulfillment and the contentment that comes from a relationship with Allāh.

❖ True happiness is achieved through worship and obedience to Allāh, as it aligns with the soul’s purpose and leads to inner peace.

Action plan

❖ Prioritise pleasing Allāh over personal pleasure.

❖ Read the following supplication:

اللهُمَّ اجْعَلْ حُبَّكَ أَحَبَّ الْأَشْيَاءِ إِلَيَّ

“O Allāh, make your love the most beloved of things to me."

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Ibrāhīm Hussain

A Precious Gem: Good Character is a part of Piety

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The Prophet ﷺ established a relationship between the fear of Allāh and good character, because fearing Allāh improves the relation between the servant and Allāh, and good character improves the relation between a person and others. Therefore, fearing Allāh makes it possible for Allāh to love him, and good manners make it possible for people to love that person.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 85]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“He values the watchfulness of other members of the creation with his entire heart and every limb. He shies away from the people but does not shy away from Allāh.”

[The Disease & The Cure | Pg. 259]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“He has not truly considered Allāh, the one who belittles the command of Allāh and disobeys Him, violates His prohibitions and partakes in them, does not fulfill His rights and squanders them, abandons His remembrance and neglects it with his heart heedless of it whilst his desires are more preferred to him than the pleasure of Allāh, and the obedience to another creation is more important to him than obedience to Allāh.

Thus, he affords Allāh with the surplus of what is left in the heart, speech and actions whilst placing his desires at the forefront because that is what is important to him. He also trivializes the watchfulness of Allāh over him whilst this individual is within His grasp.”

[The Disease and The Cure | Pg. 259]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The similitude of this world is like that of a vessel filled with honey. The flies see this vessel and fly toward it.

Some of them sit on the edge of the vessel and take from the honey until they satisfy their needs, and then they fly away.

Some of them are led by their greed to plunge themselves into the abyss of the honey. Their submersion into the honey prevents them from enjoying it, except for a brief enjoyment, until they perish in the middle of it.”

[The Dunya And Its Reality by Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله | Pg. 30]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“One must recall the punishments that have been set by Allāh as a punishment for perpetrating sins. Consider some of them touching you and make this a motive for the soul to abandon all sin. Here I shall list a few that should suffice the intellectual and truthful one

From it: A seal placed on the heart and the hearing, a veil over the sight, a lock on the heart and a shield over it, a covering and seal over the heart, turning away the hearts and the eyes, an intervention between the individual and his heart, heedlessness from remembering Allāh, forgetting oneself, forsaking the need for Allāh to purify your heart, the chest feeling constricted as if it is rising into the sky, diverting the hearts from the truth, increasing to its illness, falling back into error.”

[The Disease and The Cure | Pg. 209]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

“The hardness of the hearts has never been melted by anything like the remembrance of Allāh.”

[al-Waabil al-Sayyib | 71]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله:

‏حُبّ العِلْم، وطلبه أصل كُلّ طاعة
Love of knowledge and seeking it is the foundation of every act of obedience.

‏وحُبّ الدُّنْيا والمال، وطلبه أصل كُلّ سيِّئة
And love of the world and wealth, and seeking it, is the foundation of every sin.

‏مفتاح دار السعادة (٤١٩/١)

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“Anger is like a lion; if its owner sets it free it will eat him. Desire is like a fire; if it's owner starts it, it will burn him. Pride is like fighting against a king to take his Kingdom, if it does not destroy you it will expel you, and envy is like showing enmity to one who is more powerful than you.

Whoever overcomes his desire and anger, Satan will depart from him, and whoever's desire and anger beat him, Satan will stick to him.”

[al-Fawā’id | Pg. 267]

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Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

‎"A person should walk a number of steps after eating at night even if it is merely a hundred steps, and he should not sleep right after eating as it causes great harm (to one's body)."

‎ [زاد المعاد في هدي خير العباد ٤/٢٠٥]

Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

‎“The salāh of the hypocrites is the salāh of the body (i.e. physical movements only), not the salāh of the heart…

‎O Allāh do not make us from them.”

‎[Madarīj as-Salikeen | 1/354]