Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله:
“…is such a person not nourished night and
day by his Beloved?”
There is an interesting section of ‘Zad
al-Ma’ad’ (2/33 of the printing with al-Arna’ut’s checking) where Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله
talks about Sawm al-wisal, which is that the Prophet صلّى
اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم would sometimes fast
an entire 24-hour day without breaking his fast. When asked by the Companions
why he had forbidden them from doing so while he himself would practice it, he
replied: “I am not like anyone of you. During the night, my Lord provides me
with food and drink.”
Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله mentions that there
are two interpretations to what the Prophet صلّى
اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم meant
when he said this. The first is that he is literally provided with food and
drink, and the second is that he is being nourished spiritually by Allaah. The
stronger of the two interpretations is the second, because if the Prophet صلّى
اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم was
being provided with actual food and drink, he would no longer be fasting at
all, let alone continuously.
He
then proceeded with a beautiful exposition of how it is that the servant can be
nourished by Allaah without eating or drinking anything. Although Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله wrote this in regards to the Prophet’s continuous fasting, it
is something that can actually apply to any fasting person, such as ourselves:
“…and those who have even the slightest bit
of experience and longing know how little the body needs much physical nourishment
when it is instead provided with the nourishment of the heart and soul, let
alone when it comes to the one who is joyous, happy, and victorious because he
has reached the One he has sought out, and whose eye is cooled by his Beloved,
and feels blessed with His closeness, and is pleased with Him and the bounties
and gifts of his Beloved.
And His protection showers him at all
times, and his Beloved is constantly tending to his affairs, being as Generous
as can be with complete Love towards him – is this not the greatest nourishment
for the one who loves his Lord? So, how would it be when love of the Beloved –
than Whom nothing is more exalted, and nothing is greater in might, and nothing
is greater in beauty, and nothing is more complete, and nothing is greater in
kindness – when love of Him fills the heart, and love of him takes over all
regions of his heart and limbs, and love of Him is as firmly established as can
be?
And this is his condition with the One he
loves…
So, is such a person not nourished night
and day by his Beloved?”
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