Abu Nu’aym and others record on the authority of Kumayl ibn Ziyad, from ‘Ali (radiAllāhu ‘anhu) who said,

People are of three categories: the erudite and wise scholar; a student of knowledge traversing the path to salvation; and the confused rabble, following anyone, bending along with every wind, not enlightened by the light of knowledge and having no firm support.

Then after talking about the superiority of knowledge, he proceeded to say,

Here, indeed here – pointing to his chest – there is knowledge, if only I could find bearers for it. All I have found are people who are quick to comprehend but untrustworthy, they exploit the religion for worldly ends, they try to use the proofs of Allāh against His Book, and His favours to lord over His servants.

Or I have found people, devoid of insight, blindly following the People of Truth, having no capacity to receive it, and misgivings piercing their hearts at the first appearance of doubt; none of these deserve it.

Or I have found people passionately addicted to pleasures, continuously succumbing to their lusts.

Or I have found people with a propensity to amassing wealth and hoarding it; these are not worthy of being callers to this religion, rather they are more akin to grazing cattle.

Thus knowledge passes away with the passing away of those who carry it. O Allāh! Indeed the earth will never be devoid of one who stands firm for Allāh with clear proofs. Therefore, Allāh’s clear proofs and signs will never be abolished. Such people are few in number but have the greatest standing with Allāh. Through them Allāh asserts His proofs amongst their contemporaries and cultivates them in the hearts of those like them. Through them knowledge launches forward and unveils the true state of affairs, they are then able to bear with ease what the opulent find burdensome and take comfort with what engenders consternation in the ignorant. They live in this world with their bodies but their souls are attached to heavenly matters, they are ambassadors of Allāh in His lands and His callers to His religion. O how I desire to see them! 1

Footnotes:
1. Abu Nu’aym, vol 1, pg 79.

• Transcribed from: The Journey of the Strangers; Kashf Al-Kurbah Fi Wasfi Hāli Ahli’l-Ghurbah | Ibn Rajab Al Hanbali

Indeed a time has long passed upon the Ummah of Islām when people used to enter the religion of Allāh (i.e. Islām) in crowds and groups on the part of what they saw of the people of the religion (i.e. Muslims) from the completeness of their morals, the beauty of their social graces, and the goodness of their social interaction in all aspects.

I read a statement of the great scholar, ‘Abdul ‘Azeez Ibn Baaz, may Allāh have mercy upon him and give him a place in paradise, in which he swore by Allāh and said:

The Muslims today, rather the entire world, are in more intense need of a clarification of Allāh’s religion (i.e. Islām), a demonstration of its good qualities, and an explanation of its reality. I swear by Allāh, if the people and the world truly knew its reality today, indeed they would have entered it in multitudes, just like they entered it in multitudes after Allāh had granted victory to His Prophet salAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam over Makkah. 1

By Allāh he proved to be true and he was truthful. I met a man from India whom more than a thousand Hindus accepted Islām by his efforts. All of them accepted Islām one at a time; he did not give da’wah to two people together. His da’wah only pertained to a single person.

His method in giving da’wah was that he had excellent knowledge of the religion’s good qualities, good manners, and its perfection. Then indeed whenever he encountered one of the Hindus – and in most cases he used to select whomever he noticed had anxiety, grief, and/or huzn (i.e. sorrow about what passed him by) or he noticed that he is in a specific difficulty sitting by himself. He would sit with him and ask him about his circumstance and his problem. There he would mention to him some of the beauties of the religion. And he said to me:

For many of them, it would only take fifteen minutes, or half an hour at the most. I would enumerate to him some good qualities of this religion (i.e. Islām), afterwards he would ask me, “How do I enter this religion? And how can I become a Muslim? So I demonstrated Islam to him (i.e. the two testimonies) and he embraced Islām.

Indeed we – O nation of Islām, nation of Muhammad salAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam are in great need of firstly knowing the good qualities of our religion, drinking from its sweet spring and its pure spring well. We need to seek its shade and quench our thirst from its fresh pure water.

Therefore, we should follow Islām’s moral examples. We should devote our attention to the good character which the Lord of all that exists has called us to. We should be conscious that these good characteristics are a command that the creator of this universe and the Lord of all that exists, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing subhanahu wa ta’ala of his creation has called us to.

Therefore, we should carry out his command, comply with it, submit and obey, hoping by that for our Lord’s reward and his generous promises to those who fulfill what Allāh commanded us to do from the rights and obligations.

It is a must that you pay attention to this matter; that your carrying out these rights and your performance of them is only an act of obedience to Allāh, seeking Allāh’s reward and waiting for His promises in this life as well as the hereafter, from His rewards which are given in the dunya and His subhanahu wa ta’ala blessings which are given in the Hereafter. Allāh says:

(Saying): “We feed you seeking Allāh’s Countenance only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you.” [Al-Insan 76:9]

So take caution not to include in acts of kindness that you do not give anything unless you are being compensated for it. If someone keeps ties with you, then you keep ties with them, and if they sever them, you do likewise (i.e. you also keep ties with them). One of the companions said to the Prophet salAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam:

O Messenger of Allāh, indeed I have relatives with whom I try to keep in touch with, but they cut me off; I treat them well, but they abuse me; I am patient and kind towards them but they behave foolishly towards me.

So the Messenger salAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam didn’t instruct him to sever his relationship with them although they would do so with him. He salAllāhu alayhi wa sallam only instructed him to keep the ties of kinship even though they may break them and he reminded him of the reward of Allāh and His magnificent favors. Then he said,

If you are as you say, then it is as if you are putting medicinal powder on their faces. Allāh will continue to support you as long as you continue to do that. 2

Footnotes:

1. Shaykh Ibn Baaz’s Collection of Fatawa | Volume 2 | Page 338.

2. Muslim reported it, #6640 from the hadeeth of Abee Huayrah, may Allāh be pleased with him.

• Transcribed from: The Rights of Elders in Islam | Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq bin ‘Abdil-Muhsin Al-’Abbad Al-Badr

To the contrary, the truly patient believer controls him or herself at the onset of their difficulty. Yes, they do not like that this calamity has happened to them, but they patiently control themselves. He or she refrains from uttering anything or doing anything that would anger Allah. Nor does this believer harbor ill-feelings in their heart towards the Most Wise. In spite of their trials and mishaps, this person is patient. The contented one is at ease and totally calm during their adversity as though nothing has occurred.

Patient and grateful believers express their gratitude to Allah for whatever befalls them. This was they way of the Messenger of Allah. Whenever he saw something that displeased him, he would say, “Praise belongs to Allah.”

Hence, displaying gratitude to Allah results in Allah giving this person a reward greater than the misery they suffered. Case in point, once there was a devout believing woman who possessed a serious ailment in her fingers. Despite the pain, she constantly praised Allah. “How is it that you praise Allah and you’re suffering great pain in your fingers?” she was asked.  She replied, “The sweetness of its reward causes me to disregard the bitterness of patience.” Allah is the One who grants success.

Next, the author, An-Nawawi, quotes an ayah in which Allah praises sabr and urges the believer to be patient:

“O you who believe, endure and be more patient and remain stationed and fear Allah, so that you may be successful.” Aali-Imran 3:200.

In this verse, Allah commands the believer to do four things that are both requirements and distinguishing features of their faith:

1. Patience with disobedience
2. Perseverance during obedience
3. Al-Murabitāh 1
4. Taqwa
   

Patience with acts of disobedience only occurs when the soul incites a person to commit an evil act. If the notion to commit evil does not arise in the individual, it cannot be said that this person is patient with disobedience. However, if your soul does incite you to disobey Allah and His Messenger, resist! Remain patient, and control yourself.

As for endurance and perseverance, they are intricate elements in obedience to Allah, which entail two things:

1. Consistency in performing obligatory duties.
2. Demanding on the soul. Acts of obedience are similar to acts of disobedience in that they weigh heavily on the soul – in particular the human being’s baser self which incites the person to commit evil.

For this reason, patient perseverance while obeying Allah is superior to patiently abstaining from sin. Allah says, “…and be more patient.” This is comparable to someone fighting against you as a man fights against his enemy.

As for Al-Murabitāh, it involves frequent and continuous good deeds. The Prophet salAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “Performing wudu in adverse situations, taking a lot of steps to the masjid, and waiting for another prayer afterwards, that is what you should do. That is what you should do! [Muslim]

Taqwa encompasses all of these actions because as the believer adheres to the commandments of Allah and avoids His prohibitions, Taqwa serves as a protection from Allah’s punishment.

Allah concludes His speech in this verse by stating that compliance with these four commands is a prescription for success. He says, “Perhaps you will be successful.” The word successful is a comprehensive word centered around the obtainment of something desired and security from something dreadful. So whoever possesses Taqwa acquires what they want and is safe from whatever they fear.

Footnotes:

1. Frequent and continuous good deeds

• Transcribed from: Sabr: Patience & Tolerance | From An-Nawawi’s Riyadus-Saliheen with explanation by Muhammad ibn Saalih Al-Uthaymeen

In solitude, there is sweetness.

In solitude, while intently pondering over your state and your situation, you chance upon thoughts that have gone unnoticed. Perhaps these thoughts were inactive, they lingered in your mind but were buried somewhere in the chaos that is life. Contemplation awakened these thoughts, made you conscious of them and acutely aware of their existence.

In the quietness in which your own thoughts are your company, you are made to reflect introspectively and ponder over weighty matters, at times arriving at profound conclusions. And what amazing – indeed essential – reflections one may arrive at, what meaningful ruminations one may engage in, when they are in the company of none save themselves, when their unadulterated voice shines through, when truth is brought to the fore and one may see situations as they truly are. For is it not the case that one must step away from a situation they are engrossed in to see the bigger picture? Is it not true that distance gives one perspective?

So too, you can contemplate and ponder over your actions; you can implore Allaah and remember Him much; you can repent and shed tears for sins past and present; you can taste the beauty of the Qur’aan in your heart and upon your tongue; you can ruminate upon the noble ones of the past and how they reached such a lofty standing; you can make clear your flaws, reveal your shortcomings and begin the rectification process.

Perhaps you will be of the fortunate, if Allaah wills it, who shall begin to taste the words of Ibn Al Qayyim, rahimahullaah, when he stated:

The contemplative believer who remembers Allah will begin to enjoy solitude and places of seclusion where voices and movements are hushed. There he will find strength of heart and will, and he will no longer be worried or depressed.  Then he will begin to taste the sweetness of worship, of which he cannot have enough.  In it, he will find abundance of pleasure and comfort – more than what he used to find in diversion and play, or in the satisfaction of worldly desires. (Madaarij As-Saalikeen)

There is beauty in this. There is truth in this.

Ours is a changing society, and one in which people are routinely connected and incessantly wired. People are so connected through different means and so fixated on receiving the latest updates that they do not know what it means to be alone. It is a foreign concept; for even when they are physically alone, in essence, they still remain in the company of others.

Many people constantly covet company – they wish to be surrounded by friends and engaged in conversation often and much. They yearn for this and some may even fear the opposite reality, or think it strange. Some are uncomfortable with silences, and perhaps others may fear the raw truth that may spring from solitude – truths about themselves they would rather not face. Realize the ascendancy of being alone at times and do not fear it, for its benefits are immense.

Solitude leads us to self-evaluation and allows us to take ourselves to account – a process we should willingly engage in, before it is forcibly done to us upon death’s arrival. Getting distracted by the trappings of this life is so easy (and surely it is made to look ever-appealing by the one who disguises evil for good and harm for fun, na’oothubillaah), whereas self-evaluation requires effort and discipline. We need to stop and ask ourselves fundamental questions. Where are you going, O Muslims?  Allaah ‘azza wa jall asks in the Qur’aan:

What path are you traversing, and where shall it lead you? Moreover, what is the state of your connection with Allaah? How do you spend your time, and with whom? Solitude provides an ideal environment for such essential musings.

And yet self-evaluation can only be beneficial if one is honest with themselves. In many ways, solitude is an environment in which honesty flourishes, for it is easier to truthfully examine our character while being alone than it is while in the presence of others. Being alone is an opportune setting for self-discovery and bringing to light our faults. However, it does not go unnoticed that some lie even to themselves, glazing over their faults and remaining blind to their true reality. Perhaps they have bought into a lofty self-image or cannot come to terms with their failures, so they simply do not address them. We should remember that it is only when we have a clear and earnest picture of ourselves and have admitted our shortcomings, that we can take the next crucial step to rectify them and by doing so, draw closer to Allaah.

We do not say flee from the people, but we say do not deprive yourself from the sweetness that comes from solitude. Do not get so immersed in the affairs of others that you forget to think of your own affair. Embrace the quiet that comes with such isolation, and yet, perhaps that in itself is a misnomer for the quiet soon becomes overtaken by your voice. Perhaps you are not used to intently listening to your thoughts, but we urge you to listen to them –  for they may reveal a truth that you have seldom seen.

Imaam Ibnul-Qayyim, rahimahullaah, said:

It is quite amazing how it can be easy upon a person to be cautious and wary with regards to [different impermissible acts such as]: eating from unlawful means, oppression, adultery and fornication, stealing, drinking intoxicants, looking at prohibited things and the likes, and yet quite difficult for him to be careful about the movement of his tongue. So bad that you find a person towards whom the people point to concerning his practice of the Religion, his asceticism, and worship, and despite this he says statements that anger Allaah greatly and he shows no concern about this, yet this statement will take him [to a Fire] that is farther than distance between east and west. (1)

How many people do you see from amongst those who have enough piety to abstain from lewd, indecent acts, oppression and wrong doing, but their tongues rip apart the honor of both the dead and the living and they show not a care in the least.

Footnotes:

(1) Just as al-Bukhaaree (no. 6477) and Muslim (no. 2988) have collected on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah.

• Source: “al-Jawaabul-Kaafee/adDaa wad-Dawaa”.
• Transcribed from: The Appendix of “An Explanation of the Hadeeth: “Say, ‘I believe in Allah’, and then be upright and steadfast.” | Ibn Rajab

It is reported from Al-Hasan Al-Basri that a man said to him, “You have gossiped about me.” He (Al-Hasan) said, “You have not reached such a position that you can control my hasanaat!” 1

If a man is wise and fears Allah, 

This will keep him too busy to concern himself

with the faults of others,

Just as the weak and sick person is too concerned

with his own pain,

To think of the pain of others

Footnotes:

• Transcribed from: Backbiting and Its Adverse Effects | Husayn al-Awayishah

“That you worship Allāh as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He sees you.” (1)

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, may Allāh have mercy upon him, said as a part of his commentary to the above Prophetic words:

It indicates that the servant (‘abd) should worship Allāh in this manner; namely, evoking the feeling of His nearness and of His being with him as though he sees Him. This in turn necessitates reverence, fear, awe and glorification [of Allāh]; as occurs in the narration of Abu Hurayrah: “That you revere Allāh as if you see Him.” It also necessitates sincerity in worship, as well as exerting all one’s efforts in improving, completing and perfecting it. (2)

Ibn Rajab further said: “It has been said that it [the second part of the sentence] is the cause for the first part. This is because when the servant is ordered to have vigilance (murāqabah) of Allāh whilst worshipping Him and to feel His closeness, to the point that it is as if he was seeing Him, then this may be difficult. So he seeks aid to attain this through his faith that Allāh sees him, is fully aware of his secret and public [acts], his inner and outer [states], and that nothing of his affairs is ever hidden from Him. When he actualizes this station (maqām), it becomes easier for him to move to the second station, which is where there is a continual realization, upon spiritual perception (basīrah), of Allāh’s closeness to His servant and of His being with him; to the extent that it is as if he actually sees Him.

It has further been said: Rather, it refers to the fact that whosoever finds it difficult to worship Allāh as if seeing Him, then he should worship Allāh upon the realization that Allāh sees him and is fully aware of what he is doing. So let him feel shy of Allāh due to the Divine gaze over him; as one of the gnostics (‘ārifūn) said: Fear Allāh, lest He becomes [to you] the most despised of those watching you.’ Another said” ‘Fear Allāh in proportion to His power over you, and feel shy of Allāh in proportion to His closeness to you.’ A female gnostic from the Predecessors (salaf) said: ‘Whoever acts for Allāh, due to witnessing Allāh (mushāhadah), is a gnostic (‘ārif); whoever acts for Allāh, due to knowing that Allāh sees him, is sincere (mukhlis).’ So this indicates the two stations that were previously mentioned:

The First:  the station of sincerity (ikhlās), which is where the servant acts whilst bringing to mind that Allāh observes him, that Allāh is fully conversant with whatever he is doing, and that Allāh is close to him. So when the servant brings this to mind in his actions – this being the root of his actions – then he is sincere to Allāh. This is because evoking this feeling during his actions prevents him from turning to other than Allāh, or from desiring other than Him in his actions.

The Second: the station of mushāhadah. This is where the servant acts whilst witnessing Allāh with his heart; which is when the heart is so illuminated by faith, and the spiritual perception is so heightened, it is as if the unseen is beheld with one’s eyes. (3)

Whenever a person draws closer to Allāh, Exalted is He, by [performing] the obligatory deeds, then the optional ones, Allāh draws him closer to Himself and raises him from the degree of faith to that of ihsān. Here he begins to worship Allāh, witnessing His presence and having vigilance, as if he sees Him. His heart fills with gnosis of Allāh, and with love, reverence, fear, grandeur, awe, intimacy and yearning of Him – to the extent  that the heart is so filled with gnosis of Him, that it sees Him with the eye of spiritual perception. (4)

Footnote

(1) Recorded by al-Bukhāri(no.5) and Muslim (no.9)

(2) Jami’ al-Ulūm wa’l-Hikam (1/126)

(3) Jami’ al-Ulūm wa’l-Hikam (1/128-129)

(4) Jami’ al-Ulūm wa’l-Hikam (2/345-346)

• Source: Jami’ al-Ulūm wa’l-Hikam | Ibn Rajab
• Transcribed from: Translator’s Introduction to ‘The Exquisite Peal – The Journey to Allāh & The Home of the Hereafter’ | Shaykh ‘Abd Al-Rahmān Al-Sa’di

As for delusion, it is produced by Shaytaan and the soul, and it is to trust one who is not trustworthy, and to depend upon a source which yields nothing beneficial. The Most High said:

“The work of those who disbelieve is like a mirage which appears to be water to a thirsty man. Though once he reaches it, he finds nothing. Allaah finds him there and concludes his account, and he is expeditious in this regard.” (An-Nur 24:39)

“Say: Shall we inform you of those who have suffered the greatest loss? They are those who have deviated on earth while thinking that they have done well.” (Al-Kahf 18:103-104)

Once the veil has been removed and reality becomes apparent, they will realize that they were lost.

It has appeared in a well known tradition that if you notice that Allaah the glorified is blessing you while you continue to sin, then beware. Rather, punishment has been delayed, and the Most High has said: “Once they forgot what they were reminded of, We gave them everything and they were delighted. We then overtook them while they were immersed in evil.”

It is an utter delusion for one to believe that he deserves the grace of Allaah and that the hour will not come. He is in a state of illusion concerning his lord, himseld, and the world in which he lives, and Shaytaan deceives him with his promises. The final outcome of this is destruction.

• Transcribed from: The Soul | Ibn Al-Qayyim

Ibn al-Qayyim says: “For the tongue does not keep quiet at all. It is either a tongue that remembers or a tongue that is frivolous and it has to be one of these two.

It is the (nature of the) soul; if you do not preoccupy it with truth, it will occupy you with falsehood. It is the (nature of the) heart; if you do not accommodate it with love of Allaah, it will dwell with love of creation and this is a certain reality. It is the (nature of the) tongue; if you do not preoccupy it with remembrance, it will most definitely occupy you with frivolity.

Thus, choose for your own self one of the two courses and confer upon it one of the two standings.”

• Source: Al-Waabil as-Sayyib | Pgs. 166-167 | Ibn al-Qayyim
• Transcribed from: Causes Behind the Increase and Decrease of Eemaan | ‘Abdur-Razzq al-’Abbaad

As for suspicion, it is a heart filled with bad thoughts of others, and backbiting, slander, and hatred is the result. One who is cautious intermingles with people while protecting himself, though one who is suspicious harms them while avoiding them. The former advises them while the latter despises them.

• Transcribed from: The Soul | Imaam Ibn Al Qayyim