Who is 'TRULY' fortunate?

Sheikh-ul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) mentioned in his Majmū’:

“The (truly) fortunate one (is he who) seeks forgiveness for the mistakes, and is patient upon the calamities, just as Allāh says: {So be patient. Verily, the Promise of Allāh is true, and ask forgiveness for your fault}in [Sūrah Ghāfir 40:55].”

[Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā 8/454]

The Sunnah is like the Ark of Noah

 

Imaam Maalik said,

"The Sunnah is like the Ark of Noah. Whoever embarks upon it reaches salvation and whoever refuses is drowned." 

{Sheikh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taimiyyah in Majmoo' ul-fataawaa (4/57)}

Rejecting The Truth

قال شيخ الإسلام (رحمه الله) فإن الإنسان قد يعرف أن الحق مع غيره ومع هذا يجحد ذلك لحسده إياه, أو لطلب علوه عليه أو لهوى النفس, ويحمله ذلك الهوى على أن يعتدي عليه ويرد ما يقول بكل طريق وهو في قلبه يعلم أن الحق معه

 

**Sheikh-ul-Islaam (رحمه الله تعالى):

"So indeed a person may know that the truth is with other than him and, in spite of this, he rejects that due to his envy of him or due to seeking to be above him or due to the desire of the soul. And that desire causes him to transgress against him, reject that which he says by any way whilst in his heart, he knows that the truth is with him."
**Source: Majmoo al Fataawa, vol. 7, pg. 191

The Description of Ilm (Knowledge)

Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله

There are many from the students of knowledge whose intention in seeking knowledge is nothing except for the attainment of leadership or wealth, and for every person is that which he intended. As for the people of knowledge and religion, they are the (true) people of knowledge.  This is what’s intended with them due to its benefit for them and their need for it in this life as well as in the hereafter. Just as Mu’aadh ibn Jabal (رضي اللّه عنـه) stated regarding the description of knowledge:

Indeed the seeking of it for the sake of Allaah is Ibaadah (worship). Reviewing it is a means of glorifying (Allaah).  The research of it is striving (for the sake of Allaah.)  Teaching it to the one who does not know it is sadaqah (charity). By way of it Allaah it is known and they worship Him.  Also (by way of it) Allaah is magnified and singled out (for all that which is specifically for Him). Based upon this we find the people who benefit from it and their souls are purified by way of it. They intend with it the following of the truth and not the following of desires. The traverse on it: the path of justice and fairness. They love it and find delight with it. They love an abundance of it and the abundance of its people. 

The Straight Path

What does external closeness between creatures gradually lead do?

Ibn Taymiyyah said:

“… Allaah fashioned the human, as well as every type of creature, to naturally interact with similar creatures. The closer these two creatures are, the more they will interact and become similar to each other in their manners and characteristics, to the point that one would be unable to distinguish between them except in terms of their physical appearance.

Since human beings are closest to each other, their interaction with and imitation of each other is the strongest. Although not as strong, the closeness of humans to animals is intermediate, and there must be interaction and imitation between them to a certain degree as well. Although extremely weak, there is also a degree of closeness between humans and plants, and there must also be interaction and imitation between them to a certain degree.

Return The Blame To Yourself & Seek Forgiveness

Sheikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله stated: 

'When you see the servant talking about the people who have harmed him whilst he  (the servant) doesn’t return the blame back to himself and seek forgiveness (from Allaah), then know that his calamity is a true calamity. However when he repents, seeks forgiveness and says, “this is due to my sins,” then this matter (of being harmed by the people) will become a blessing for him.'

{Jaam’i al-Masaa-il, 1/169}

Beware O women of being ungrateful to your husbands...!!

Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) said:

 “If a woman’s tongue is long then her days with her husband will be short.”

{Arkân-ul-Islam, pg.116}

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abbas (رضي اللّه عنـه) said: The Messenger of Allaah (صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم) said:

 

“I was shown Hell and I have never seen anything more terrifying than it. And I saw that the majority of its people are women.”

They said, “Why, O Messenger of Allaah?”

He said,

“Because of their ingratitude (kufr).”

It was said, “Are they ungrateful to Allaah?”

He said,

“They are ungrateful to their companions (husbands) and ungrateful for good treatment. If you are kind to one of them for a lifetime then she sees one (undesirable) thing in you, she will say, ‘I have never had anything good from you.’”

(Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1052)

Making mankind excessive & wasteful is a plot of Shaitaan...

Sheikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:

Shaitaan wants mankind to be excessive and wasteful in all his matters. Indeed, if the Shaitaan sees him inclining towards mercy excessively, then the Shaitaan beautifies mercy so much so that the human does not hate that which Allaah hates, nor is he protective over that which Allaah is protective.

DON’T RELY ON YOUR INTELLECT ALONE!!!

Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:

'A man can be from the most intelligent of people and among the sharpest of them as far as how he perceives affairs and it will make him blind of the most clearest of things and also you can have a man who is the most slow of people and the weakest of them of how he perceives and sees matters and Allaah will guide him to what was differed in of the truth. There isn’t any might or strength except with Allaah.

Punishment for Sins Can Be Removed by Ten Causes..!

Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله stated as occurs in Majmu' al-Fatawa (7/487):

The texts of the Book and the Sunnah have indicated that the punishment (due) for sins can be removed from the servant by around ten causes. They are:

 

The first: Repentance, and this is agreed upon amongst the Muslims.

The second cause: Seeking forgiveness.

The third cause: Good deeds which wipe out (evil deeds).

Which is MORE beneficial: First 10 days of Dhul Hijjah OR last 10 days of Ramadhan?

Sheikh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله was asked

(as mentioned by Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله):

Question: Which is MORE virtuous & beneficial, the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah or the last 10 days of Ramadhan?

Answer: The 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are more virtuous than the last 10 days of Ramadhan, and the last 10 nights of Ramadaan are more virtuous than the last 10 nights of Dhul Hijjah.

Thereafter, his illustrious student and great scholar Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله commented on this verdict and said,

“And if the intelligent and noble one was to reflect upon this answer, he would find it satisfactory and sufficient. For indeed there are no days (in the year) more beloved to Allaah that righteous actions are done within them than the 10 days of Dhul Hijjah, since within them are the days of Ara’faah (9th day of Dhul Hijjah) and the day of Nahr (10th day) and the day of Tarwiyah (8th day). As for the 10 nights of Ramadhan they are the nights of revitalization which the Messenger صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم used to be up and awake within them all, and within it is a night which is better than a 1000 months. So, whoever answers without such an elaboration then he is incapable to prove his statement with authentic evidences.”

[Taken from the book Bada’ee Al-Fawaaid of Ibnul Qayyim, under the chapter, ‘The preference between Aa’isha & Faatimah’]

Preserving Good Deeds From Envy

Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله mentions in his explanation of the saying of Allaah  تعالى:

ادْعُواْ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ
"Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret..."
 [al-A'araaf 7:55]

There are ten benefits of hiding your Du'aa, and from amongst these benefits he said:

‘Indeed the greatest of blessings is turning to Allaah and worshiping Him. Every blessing has the equivalent of it being envied by an envious person, whether openly or secretly. There is no greater blessing than of turning to Allaah and worshiping Him [making Du'aa], indeed the souls of the envious are attached to that blessing.

There is nothing more secure for the person who is envied than hiding his blessing from the envious person. Indeed Yaqoob said to Yusuf عليه السلام:

The Whispering of the Devil to the One Who Remembers Allaah

Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:

“Waswaas is something that happens to everyone who turns to Allaah in Dhikr. It will inevitably happen to him. So he should be steadfast and remain patient, and persist in his Dhikr and prayer and not give up, for, by persisting in it he will foil the plot of the Shaytaan and, ‘ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytaan.’ 

[Surah an-Nisa 4:76]

“Every time a person wants to turn his heart to Allaah, whispers of other matters come to him. The Shaytaan is like a bandit; every time a person wants to travel towards Allaah, he wants to intercept him.”

“Hence, it was said to one of the Salaf, ‘The Jews and the Christians say, we don’t experience waswaas. He replied, ‘They are right! What would Shaytaan do with a ruined house?’”

Source: Majmoo` al-Fataawa (22/608)