Charity and Kindness Have an Amazing Effect in Bringing About Relaxation..

Ibnul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (رحمه الله) said in ‘Zad al-Ma’ad’ (2/22-26):

“…The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم was the most generous person in giving away what he owned, and he would never look at something as being either too big or too insignificant to give up for the sake of Allaah.

Nobody would ask him for anything except that he gave it to them, regardless of how big or small it was.  He gave things away in a way that made it seem that he never feared poverty, and generosity and charity were the most beloved things to him. His happiness and joy in giving something away was more than that felt by those who would accept his gifts. He was the most generous person, and his generosity was like the blowing wind.

The Heart of a Liar Is Far Removed from the Truth..

Ibnul-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

Beware of falsehood because it spoils your natural ability to gain information, and it spoils your information and your ability to teach people. The liar describes that which does not exist, and that which exists he says it does not exist just as he describes truth as falsehood and falsehood as truth, and good as evil and evil as good. It spoils his conception and his knowledge, which then becomes a punishment. Then he describes what is not true to the person who trusts him. The heart of a liar is far removed from the truth, and is inclined to that which does not exist and he prefers falsehood. When his ability to perceive has been spoiled as well as his knowledge, which is the basis of every voluntary deed, these deeds would also be spoiled and the principle of falsehood would come into force.

The Superiority of the Prophetic Medicine Over All Other Medicine

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله stated in his excellent work, Zaad al-Ma’aad (3/97-98), after discussing the benefits of honey in relation to the man who was advised by the Messenger صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم to treat the ailment of his stomach with honey:

“His medicine صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم is NOT like the medicine of the physicians, for the medicine of the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم is certain, definitive, emanating from (Divine) Revelation, the lantern of Prophethood, and perfection of reason. As for the medicine of others, most of it is conjecture, presumptions and experimentation.

“Indeed most children’s corruption came from their parents and their neglect of them…”

Ibnul-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah رحمه الله said:

And Al-Bayhaqi narrated from the hadeeth of Anas رضي اللّه عنـه who said that:

'A man was sitting with the Prophet, so one of his sons came to him, so the man kissed him and sat him in his lap. Then his daughter came to him so he took her and sat her to his side. So the Prophet (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) said, ‘You were not just between them.’ And the Salaf used to like to be just between their children when kissing them.'

And some of the people of knowledge said that Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى will ask the parent about his child on the Day of Resurrection before asks the child about his parent. So just as the father has a right upon his son, the son has a right upon his father, as Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى said,

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا

“And We have enjoined on man to be good and dutiful to his parents..”

[Al- ‘Ankabut:8]

What is the BEST thing to do in every time & situation???

Ibnul Qayyim   رحمه الله

 
... it is to do whatever PLEASES Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى ...!

 …They say that the best worship is to do what will please Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى at every time in accordance with what that particular time calls for.

So, the best acts of worship during the time of Jihad is Jihad, even if this leads to abandoning certain rituals such as night prayer, fasting, etc. In fact, this applies even if you are to not pray a complete obligatory prayer as you would in times of safety and calm.

And the best thing to do when you have a guest, for example, is to see to his rights as a guest and to preoccupy yourself with that instead of the recommended rituals you would usually engage in at the time.

Such is also the case in fulfilling the rights of your wife and family.

The best thing to do during the early morning hours is to be preoccupied with prayer, Qur'aan, supplication, remembrance of Allaah, and asking His Forgiveness.

“You must be willing to have hope that you can change…”

“You must be willing to change. You must be willing to break the deal you made with the devils within. You must be willing to leave the past and not be tempted to rebound when times are tough. You must be willing to let go of everything and anyone that takes you back to your sins. You must be willing to have hope. You must be willing to have hope that you can change and that you will and that you will be better. You must believe you are worthy of change and you are worthy of improvement and you are worthy of being the best. You must be willing to set aside your negative notions about life, about hardships, about people, about things, about yourself. You must be willing to stop feeling sorry for yourself while looking at the world move around you. Get up and make something of yourself.”

— Imâm Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله

Your Child's Morals & Attitude??

            

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله said:

"One thing that the child desperately needs is for care to be taken with regard to his morals & attitude, for he will grow up with whatever the one who is raising him accustoms him to when he is small, & when he grows older it becomes difficult for him to change what he has gotten used to; these attitudes & characteristics that have become deeply ingrained in him, even if he tries to suppress them, they will always surface & expose him."

{From: Tuhfat al-Mawdood (240)}

Healing with the Qur'aan vs. Natural Medicine

Ibnul-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says:

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاء وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

“And We send down of the Qur'aan that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe.”

[al-Isra’ 17:82]

The correct view is that the word min (translated here as “of”) serves to explain the nature of the Qur'aan as a whole, not to refer to parts of it and not other parts.

The Qur'aan is the complete healing for all mental, spiritual and physical diseases, all diseases of this world and the Hereafter. But not everyone is guided to use it for the purpose of healing. If the sick person uses the Qur'aan for healing in the proper way, and applies it to his disease with sincerity, faith, complete acceptance and firm conviction, fulfilling all its conditions, then no disease can resist it.

How can disease resist the words of the Lord of heaven and earth which, if He had revealed it to the mountains they would have crumbled and if He had revealed it to the earth it would have broken it apart? There is no sickness, spiritual or physical, but in the Qur'aan there is that which indicates its remedy, its cause and how to protect against it for those who are blessed with understanding of His Book.

{End quote from Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/352}

Continue to read.. 

How can these hearts stop remembering Him?

Ibnul Qayyim (رحمه الله) said:

“If we look closely at the words of the Qur'aan, we will find a Sovereign, to Whom belongs all Dominion, and all praise and thanks are due to Him. All affairs are in His grasp, and He is the source and the end of all affairs. He rose over His throne, and no secret of His kingdom shall ever be hidden from Him, as He is the Knower of the servants’ souls. He alone is the Planner of the Kingdom’s affairs. He hears, sees, grants, averts rewards, punishes, honors, abases, creates, gives and takes life, provides, estimates, judges, and conducts the affairs of man. The decrees, whether minor or major, descend and ascend by His permission. Nothing can move, even equal to the weight of an atom, except by His permission; not a leaf falls, but He knows it.

The Relief of the Heart & Body Lies in the Obedience to Allaah

by Imâm Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah رحمه الله

In this lies a great secret from the secrets of Tawheed. This is that the heart cannot become firm, it cannot find satisfaction and it cannot find tranquility except by reaching out to Him. Everything that is loved and desired besides Him then it must be desired for other than His sake. The One Who is desired, the One Who is beloved in and of Himself, with Whom all matters find their final goal is only one. It is impossible that the final goal be to two destinations just as it is impossible that the beginning of the creation be from two sources.

Marks of Hypocrisy in Prayer..!

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله writes:

“Six matters that are linked to the prayer have been indicated as marks of hypocrisy:

1. Laziness when one stands up to pray;


2. Intending to show off with one’s prayer;


3. Delaying the prayer;


4. Praying in an extremely hasty manner;


Faa'ida regarding Ibaadah

Sharing what I benefited from Umm Hyatt حفظه الله's last Dars....

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله mentioned that there are two conditions that must be present in order for a particular action to be considered ibādah.

1.     The first is 'Muhabbah' -- love for Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى;

2.     Second is 'Humility' (humble yourself before the Lord of the 'Aalameen.)

Note:

If one of these conditions are missing, then that action is NOT considered ibādah. We cannot worship Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى  if we don't have love for him and have kibr (pride).

                                                  

How many of us have been praying, fasting and doing various ibaadah without knowing the conditions of ibaadah?? Alhamdulillaah seeking ilm is the first step to erase ignorance from oneself bi'idnillaahi ta'ala.
Indeed knowledge is praiseworthy and ignorance is blameworthy!! Alhamduillaah, All the Praise is due to the Rabbil Aa'lameen for giving us the opportunity to continue our journey of seeking ilm even if we had to leave Dammaj. Qadr Allaah! There is indeed khair in everything that Allaah has decreed for a believer!

DON'T look down at people

A statement written in ink of gold...

Ibnul-Qayyim رحمه الله said: 

"If Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى opens for you (gives you success to doing that action) the door of standing for the night prayer, then DO NOT look at those who are sleeping with a look of disdain. 

And if Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى opens for you the door of fasting then DO NOT look at those who break their fast with a look of disdain.

And if Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى opens for you the door of jihad then DO NOT look at those who sit and do not participate with a look of disdain. 

Maybe the one who sleeps, breaks his fast and sits is CLOSER to Allaah than you! 

Ibnul-Qayyim رحمه الله said: 

Who is Allaah?

Ibnul-Qayyim رحمه الله described the greatness of Allaah in the Most Beautiful way:

"He is controlling the affairs of all the kingdoms. He commands and prohibits, creates and gives provision, and gives death and gives life. He raises and lowers people’s status, alternates night and day, gives days (good and not so good) to men by turns, and causes nations to rise and fall, so that one nation vanishes and another emerges. His command and decree are carried out throughout the heavens and on earth, above it and below it, in the oceans and in the air. He has knowledge of all things and knows the number of all things. He hears all voices, and does not mistake one for another; He hears them all, in all the different languages and with all their varied requests and pleas. No voice distracts Him from hearing another, He does not confuse their requests, and He never tires of hearing the pleas of those in need. He sees all that is visible, even the walk of a black ant across a solid rock in the darkest night. The unseen is visible to Him, and secrets are known to Him.

يَسْأَلُهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ    
'Whosoever is in the heavens and on earth begs of Him (its needs from Him). Every day He has a matter to bring forth (such as giving honour to some, disgrace to some, life to some, death to some, etc.)! '

(Ar-Rahman 55:29)

He forgives sins, eases worries, relieves distress, helps the defeated person back on his feet, makes the poor rich, guides the one who is astray and confused, fulfils the needs of the desperate, feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, conceals faults, and calms fears. He raises the status of some and lowers the status of others. Even if all the inhabitants of heaven and earth, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn alike, were to be as pious as the most pious among them, this would not increase His sovereignty in the slightest; if they all, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn alike, were to be as rebellious as the most rebellious among them, this would not decrease His sovereignty in the slightest. If everything in heaven and on earth, the first and the last of them, mankind and jinn, living and dead, animate and inanimate, were to stand in one place and ask of Him, and He were to give them everything that they asked for, this would not decrease what He has by even an atom’s weight.

Don’t despair..!

Sulayman ad Darani said:

“If every single person began to have doubt in the truth, I would remain certain in it by myself.”

Every time you feel disheartened by your being alone on this path, then look to those who came before you and strive to catch up with them, and turn away from everyone else,  they will not benefit you in the least with Allaah. If you happen to see them somewhere along the path that you are upon, then DO NOT turn to look at them, for if you do so they will distract you and simply delay your progress.

[Madaarij as Salikeen 1/21 by Ibnul Qayyim]

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله on Trials

Allaah afflicts a servant with trials until he becomes honorable

Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله said, 

“Were it not that Allaah the Exalted cured His servants with the medicine of tests and trials, they would transgress and commit evil. When Allaah the Exalted intends goodness for a servant, He makes him drink the medicine of tests and trials from providence according to his situation in order to cure him from deadly diseases, until He purifies him and cleans him and he achieves the most honorable status in the world, that of being a true servant of Allaah, and he is given the GREATEST reward in the Hereafter, that of seeing Allaah and being close to Him.”

Source: Zaad Al-Ma’ad 179

Trees of the Heart

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (رحمه الله) said in Al Fawa'id, Pages: 239-240:

Ikhlaas and Tawheed are a tree in the heart. Its branches are the actions, and its fruits are the good life in this Dunyah and everlasting bliss in the Aakhirah.

And just as the fruits of Jannah are neither cut off (by change of season) nor out of reach, likewise is the case with the fruits of Tawheed and Ikhlaas.

Shirk, lies, and riyaa are a tree in the heart. Its fruits in the Dunyah are fear and anxiety, grief and distress of the breast and oppression upon the heart. Its fruits in the afterlife are the tree of zaqqoom and an everlasting punishment.

And Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى has made mention of these two trees in Surah al Ibrahim:

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء 

تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا وَيَضْرِبُ اللّهُ الأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَذَكَّرُونَ

وَمَثلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبِيثَةٍ اجْتُثَّتْ مِن فَوْقِ الأَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِن قَرَارٍ

"See you not how Allaah sets forth a parable? A goodly word as a goodly
tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and its branches (reach) to the sky
(i.e. very high). Giving its fruits at all times, by the leave of its
Lord, and Allaah sets forth parables for mankind in order that they may
remember. And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree
uprooted from the surface of earth, having no stability."

[Ibrahim 14:24-26]