Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله authored the following as an advice to his son,
Abu’l-Qasim Badr al-Dīn ‘Alī al-Nasikh.1
You
should know, my son, may Allāh guide you to what is right, that man has
been distinguished by intellect only so that he would act according to it.
Bring it to the fore, use it in contemplation and spend time alone with
yourself. You will conclude that you are a created being who has
responsibilities and obligations and that the two angels are counting your
every word and glance. Every breath is a step closer to death. The time we
spend in this world is short, the time we are held in our graves is long,
and the punishment for following our base desires is calamitous (disastrous)!
Where
is the delight of yesterday? It has departed leaving only regret in its wake.
Where is the soul’s desire? How many has it brought low, how many has it caused
to slip and falter? People have only attained happiness
by going against their lusts and desires. People
have only become wretched by giving preference to the life of this world.
Learn from the lives of kings and ascetics: where is the delights of the kings
and where is the weariness of the ascetics? The only thing left is the abundant
reward and beautiful mention for the pious, and the malicious words and
calamitous punishment for the disobedient. It is as if those who starved never
starved and those who ate to their fill never did so. Laziness in
virtuous deeds is an evil companion indeed, and love of comfort causes
regret greater than any enjoyment. So take heed and tire yourself for yourself.
Know, that performing the obligatory and avoiding the
forbidden is a MUST;
whenever a person
transgresses the limits let him beware of the Fire. Then know
that aspiring to virtuous deeds is the HIGHEST goal
of those who strive yet virtuous deeds vary in status and ranks; some people
consider them to mean abstaining from worldly vanities and others think they
stand for dedicating oneself for worship. The truth, however, is that complete virtue is nothing but joining knowledge with
action. When these two are combined they raise a person to the level
of truly knowing the Creator, Exalted and Most High, causing him to love, fear
and yearn for Him. This is the true goal. People also vary in
determination: not everybody who wants is wanted and not everybody who seeks
finds what he is looking for. Still, everyone must strive to reach their goals
because “everyone is eased towards what he is created for.”2
Allaah is the source of all help!!
Footnotes:
1. He used to mistreat his father who was not pleased with his ways and finally abandoned him for years. He died in 630.
2.
The wording of this sentence is a sahīh hadīth of the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم from ‘Alī ibn Abī Talib (al-Bukhārī:
Kitab al-Jana’iz, 1362, Chapter: Preaching by the while one’s
companions are sitting around oneself , 1362, Muslim: Kitab al-Qadr, Chapter: How man was created,
2467, 6).
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