Which of the favours of Thy Lord do you deny? (6)

 by Imâm Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

(Reminder 6)

 

Ibn Abi’d-Dunyâ mentioned that Dâwûd (peace be upon Him) asked Allâh:

“What is the least of Your blessings?” Allâh revealed to him: “O Dâwûd, take a breath.” Dâwûd did so, & Allâh told him: “This is the least of My blessings on you.”

 Taken from “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen”

Explanation of the Hadeeth: ''Were You To Depend upon Allaah with True Dependence...''

 

Explanation of the Hadeeth from 'Umar, رضي الله تعالى عنه that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 

"Were you to depend upon Allaah with true dependence, He would have provided for you like He provides for the bird; early in the morning he leaves hungry, but returns at the end of the day with a full stomach."

(At-Tirmithi no. 2344, Ibn Majah no.4I64, Ahmad 1/30,52, Ibn Hibban no. 2548 and Al-Hakim 4/318) & was recorded by Imaam Ahmad, At-Tirmithi, An-Nisa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, and Al-Hakim, and At-Tirmithi said, "This Hadeeth is Hasan Sahih."

The (Arabic) word (in the Hadeeth is) "Tawakkul," means to depend sincerely in one's heart upon Allaah Almighty, for bringing blessings & warding off harms, for this world & the Hereafter. If people were to sincerely trust & depend upon Allaah to bring them that which benefits them & to keep away that which harms them, & if they take reasonable, practical steps themselves, Allaah will send their provision to them by the simplest of means. Just as Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى gives the bird provision when it simply leaves in the morning, seeking its sustenance, & returns at the end of the day. Yes, it does go out to search, but it is an easy effort. Tawakkul in reality does not deny actually working & striving for provision, for Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى has decreed that we should work & it is from His ways that He gives people when they strive. 

Speaking about the worldly / scientific benefits of the acts of worship

 How many times have you heard in reply to the question, “What is the benefit of, or reason for fasting or praying?”, that prayer is a kind of exercise and calms the nerves, and that fasting helps to remove toxins and organize one’s eating, and many similar things, instead of the actual religious benefit of praying and fasting? The answer will obviously be – “many times”.

This brief note is a piece of advice to those who when asked about any acts of worship in Islaam, they give its worldly aspects and scientific benefits first, rather than the actual religious aspect for what it was ordained. Many of them don’t even know the religious aspect and benefits of the acts of worship in Islaam, but are only knowledgeable of its worldly/scientific benefits.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) said in an answer to one of the question:

"By Allaah, one should implement what he knows.."

Ibn ul-Jawzi (rahimahullaah),

By Allaah, one should implement what he knows for it is indeed the greatest foundation. And the miskeen (poor) , the true miskeen is the one who wasted his life learning that which he does not practice, thus he loses the pleasures of the dunyaa (world) and the goodness of the aakhirah (Hereafter), coming forth bankrupt (on the Day of Judgment) with strong evidences against himself.

[Saydul-Khaatir (138)]

Ponder O Son of Aadam!!

 

"O you of little resolve, where do you stand upon His path?

 Adam found it difficult and Nuh lamented because of it, while Allaah's Khaleel Ibraaheem was thrown into a pit of fire due to it. Isma'eel was laid upon his side ready to be sacrifices for its sake, and while upon it, Yusuf was sold for a cheap price and then falsely cast into prison for many years. Zakareeyah was sawed in half, and Yahya was slaughtered due to it. Ayyub suffered great distress, while Dawud cried copiously, and Isaa cured the wretched poor of their diseases and walked with the beasts, due to it. And how many forms of difficulty and hardship did the Messenger Muhammad face while proceeding upon it, yet you live your life through amusements and distractions!" 

- Sheikh al-Islaam ibnul Qayyim rahimuallaah Al-Fawaid page 41"

Fasting Fatawaa

1.   The ruling on using perfume during the days of Ramadhan.

2.   Fast what is upon you from missed fasts first.

3.   The obligation of fasting even when work circumstances are not conducive to fasting..

4.   Fasting after the journey has finished

5.    She Fasted During Her Days of Menstruation

6.   Slept on the First Night of Ramadan Before Ramadan was Confirmed.

Answers to the Questions...

Which of the favours of Thy Lord do you deny? (5)

by Imâm Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

(Reminder 5)

 

A man said to Abû Hâzim: 

“What is the gratitude of the eyes?” He said, “If you see good things, you speak about them, and if you see bad things, you keep quiet about it.” He asked, “What is the gratitude of the ears?” He said, “If you hear something good, you accept it, and if you hear something bad, you reject it.” Then he asked, “What is the gratitude of the hands?” He said, “Do not take what which does not belong to you, and do not hold back from paying the dues of Allâh (zakât).” Then he asked, “What is the gratitude of the head?” He said: “To have knowledge in it.” Then he asked, “What is the gratitude of one’s private parts?”

Sheikh Uthaimeen’s Encouragement to Feed the Fasting

Sheikh Uthaimeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, 

 

“Whoever has the ability should be keen on providing people who are fasting with iftaar, either in the mosques or in any other place, because, “Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of the fasting person.”So when a person feeds his fasting brothers he will have a reward like theirs, thus whoever Allaah the Most High has enriched [from His Bounty] should seize the opportunity to attain this great reward.”

48 Su’aal Fis-Siyaam, p. 20.

"Whoever is mainly concerned about the Hereafter..."

It was narrated that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:

“Whoever is mainly concerned about the Hereafter, Allaah will make him feel independent of others & will make him focused & content, & his worldly affairs will fall into place. 

 But whoever is mainly concerned with this world, Allaah will make him feel in constant need of others & will make him distracted & unfocused, & he will get nothing of this world except what is decreed for him.”

(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2389; classed as saheeh by Sheikh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6510)

Fear Allaah With The Right That He Should Be Feared With

Al-Allaamah Shaykh Rabee‘ ibn Haadi al-Madkhalee (may Allaah preserve him) stated:

 

“I’m going to speak about two or three verses from this Soorah (Aali ‘Imraan). They are the statements of Allaah:

“Oh you who believe fear Allaah with the right that He should be feared with & do not die unless you are Muslimoon* And hold fast to the rope of Allaah all together & do not be divided. Remember the favor of Allaah upon you when you use to be enemies to one another then He (Allaah) brought harmony between your hearts. Then you became brothers by His (Allaah’s) favor. And you were on the brink of a pit of fire & He (Allaah) saved you from it. Thus Allaah makes clear to you His Aayaat (proofs, verses, signs etc…) in order that you may be guided.”

(Aali ‘Imraan: 102-103)

In these verses there is an encouragement from our Lord The Magnificent, The Majestic, The great to fear Him & that we fear Him with the right that He should be feared with.

“Fear Allaah with the right that He should be feared with”