Love of Allah

Love of Allaah, tabaarak wa ta’alaa
By: Imaam Ibn-ul-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah
From the book Madarij as-Saalikeen, Vol. 3, pp. 17-18.

 Imaam Abu `Abdillah, Shamsuddin Muhammad, ibn Abu Bakr, ibn Ayyub, ibn Sa`d, ibn Hurayz, al-Jawziyyah, al-Hanbali mentioned ten causes that result in Allah’s love for His slave and the slave’s love for his Lord. These ten are:

First, reciting the Qur’an while pondering over its meanings and what is meant by it.

Second, getting closer to Allah by performing voluntary deeds after completing obligatory deeds. This is as is stated in a Hadith Qudsi: “My slave continues getting closer to Me by performing voluntary deeds until I love him.” [al-Bukhari]

Third, continual remembrance of Allah under all circumstances, with one’s tongue, heart and actions. The extent of one’s love of Allah is determined by this.

Fourth, giving precedence to what He loves over what you love when you are overtaken by your desires.

Fifth, the heart being avid of Allah’s Names, and Attributes and the heart roaming in that garden of knowledge.

Sixth, observing Allah’s kindness, goodness and bounties, both hidden and open.

Seventh, and this is the most wonderful, the heart being soft, subdued and meek before Allah.

Eighth, being alone with Allah during the time when the Lord descends during the last portion of the night while reading His Book and ending that by asking for forgiveness and repenting.

Ninth, sitting with the beloved and sincere, benefitting from the most fruitful of their speech. And not to speak unless speaking is more beneficial and you know that it will improve your state and be beneficial to others.

Tenth, remaining away from every cause that comes between the heart and Allah.

These ten causes take the lovers to the station of true love and bring them to their Beloved.

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Types of Hearts | Ibn Al Qayyim

Just as the heart may be described in terms of being alive or dead, it may also be regarded as belonging to one of three types; these are the healthy heart, the dead heart, and the sick heart.

The Healthy Heart

On the Day of Resurrection, only those who come to Allah with a healthy heart will be saved. Allah says:

“The day on which neither wealth nor sons will be of any use, except for whoever brings to Allah a sound heart. (26:88-89)”

In defining the healthy heart, the following has been said: “It is a heart cleansed from any passion that challenges what Allah commands, or disputes what He forbids. It is free from any impulses which contradict His good. As a result, it is safeguarded against the worship of anything other than Him, and seeks the judgement of no other except that of His Messenger salallaahu ‘Alaihi wa salaam. Its services are exclusively reserved for Allah, willingly and lovingly, with total reliance, relating all matters to Him, in fear, hope and sincere dedication. When it loves, its love is in the way of Allah. If it detests, it detests in the lght of what He detests. When it gives, it gives for Allah. If it withholds, it withholds for Allah. Nevertheless, all this will not suffice for its salvation until it is free from following, or taking as its guide, anyone other than His Messenger salallaahu ‘Alaihi wa salaam.”

A servant with a healthy heart must dedicate it to its journey’s end and not base his actions and speech on those of any other person except Allah’s Messenger salallaahu ‘Alaihi wa salaam. He must not give precedence to any other faith or words or deeds over those of Allah and His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Allah says:

“Oh you who believe, do not put yourselves above Allah and His Messenger, but fear Allah, for Allah is Hearing, Knowing. (49:1)”

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The Virtue of the First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah

The Superiority and Virtues of the First 10 Days of the Month of Dhul-Hijjah and the Deeds Legislated in Those Days

Verily, the praise belongs to Allah Most High, and may the blessings of Allah and Peace be upon His Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and his family and companions, all of them.Ibn Abbas (radhiAllaahu ‘anhumaa) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said,

“There are not any days in which righteous deeds done in them are more beloved to Allah than these days, i.e. the ten days (of Dhul-Hijjah). They said, “O, Messenger of Allah, not even Jihad in the path of Allah?” He said, “Not even Jihad in the path of Allah Most High, except if a man goes out (for Jihad) with his self and his wealth, then he doesn’t return with anything from that.” [Bukhari]

Imam Ahmad narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (radhiAllaahu ‘anhumaa) that the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said,

“There aren’t any days greater, nor any days in which deeds done in them are more beloved to Allah Most High, than these ten days (of Dhul-Hijjah). So, increase saying Tahlil (Laailaaha illallaah), and Takbir (Allahuakkbar) and Tahmid (alhumdulillaah) in them.”

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Music: The Wisdom Behind Its Prohibition

“From among the artful machinations and entrapments of Allah’s enemy [Satan], with which he has snared those possessing little good sense, knowledge and deen [faith], and by which he has stalked the hearts of the false and ignorant people, there is the listening to whistling, wailing, handclapping and song to the accompaniment of forbidden [musical] instruments. Such things block the Quraan from people’s hearts and make them devoted to sin and disobedience. For song (to musical accompaniment) is the Quraan of Ash Shaytaan (Satan). It is a dense veil and barrier, preventing nearness to Ar-Rahmaan! (Allah) By way of such song, Satan deceives vain souls, making it appear pleasing to them through his cunning appeal to their vanities. He insidiously whispers false, specious arguments suggesting the’ goodness’ in song. These arguments are accepted, and as a result, the Quraan becomes an object of neglect and abandonment.”

 

Ibn Al Qayyim

Ighaathatul Lahfaan (1/224)

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