Imaam Ibnu Taymiyyah رحمه الله تعالى was asked,
"What is the cure for a person
who has been gripped with illness? A person who is in the clasp of destruction?
What does a person do if he has been overcome by laziness? How can I be a
person who is assisted by Allaah? What is the solution for a person who has
been defeated by confusion, for whenever he tries turning to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى his desires
prevent him and whenever he seeks to be productive, failure haunts him?"
The Imaam رحمه الله تعالى responded,
دواؤه الالتجاء إِلَى الله ودوام التضرع وَالدُّعَاء
بِأَن يتَعَلَّم الْأَدْعِيَة المأثورة ويتوخى الدُّعَاء فِي مظان الْإِجَابَة مثل
آخر اللَّيْل وأوقات الْأَذَان وَالْإِقَامَة وَفِي سُجُوده وَفِي أدبار
الصَّلَوَات
"His cure is to turn to Allaah
سبحانه و تعالى and continue pleading with Him in Du'aah by
learning the Du'aah of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) and to carefully choose the times when Du'aah is
answered, like the last part of the night, and between the call for prayer and
Iqaama, and during prostration, and after prayer.."
وَيضم إِلَى ذَلِك الاسْتِغْفَار فَإِنَّهُ من
اسْتغْفر الله ثمَّ تَابَ إِلَيْهِ متعه مَتَاعا حسنا إِلَى أجل مُسَمّى
"He should add to this
Istighfaar (asking Allaah for forgiveness), for a person who does this and is
subsequently forgiven, Allaah سبحانه
و تعالى will give him a life of enjoyment until
an appointed time."
وليتخذ وردا من الْأَذْكَار طرفِي النَّهَار
وَوقت النّوم وليصبر على مَا يعرض لَهُ من الْمَوَانِع والصوارف فَإِنَّهُ لَا
يلبث أَن يُؤَيّدهُ الله بِروح مِنْهُ وَيكْتب الْإِيمَان فِي قلبه
"Let him also adopt a portion
of remembrances in the morning and evening and before falling asleep, and let
him patiently resist the matters that prevent and distract him from doing this,
for it will only be a matter of time before Allaah will start sending him assistance
from Him and will write 'imaan within his heart."
