Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Excerpted from “The Dispraise of Hawaa”
Translation: Dr. Saleh as-Saleh
© 1998 Daar al-Bukhaari

“Allaah will give shade to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His. (These seven persons are):

1. a just ruler,
2. a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allaah (i.e. worships Allaah subhanahu wa ta`alaa sincerely from his childhood),
3. a man whose heart is attached to the mosques (i.e. he offers the five compulsory Salaat (prayers) in the mosques),
4. two persons who love each other only for Allaah’s sake and they meet and part in Allaah’s Cause only,
5. a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illegal sexual intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allaah,
6. a man who gives charitable gifts so Secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity), and
7. a person who remembers Allaah in seclusion and his eyes become flooded with tears.”
[Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. The text is that of Al-Bukhaaree: Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, V.1, Hadeeth #629.]

If you contemplate about the seven whom Allaah will shade in the shade of His `Arsh wherein there is no shade but His, you will find that they deserved that shade because of their opposition to Al-Hawaa.

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ibn al Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned ten causes that result in Allah’s love for His slave and the slave’s love for his Lord. [These ten are:]

First, reciting the Qur’an while pondering over its meanings and what is meant by it.

Second, getting closer to Allah by performing voluntary deeds after completing obligatory deeds. This is as is stated in a Hadith Qudsi: “My slave continues getting closer to Me by performing voluntary deeds until I love him.” [al-Bukhari]

Third, continual remembrance of Allah under all circumstances, with one’s tongue, heart and actions. The extent of one’s love of Allah is determined by this.

Fourth, giving precedence to what He loves over what you love when you are overtaken by your desires.

Fifth, the heart being avid of Allah’s Names, and Attributes and the heart roaming in that garden of knowledge.

Sixth, observing Allah’s kindness, goodness and bounties, both hidden and open.

Seventh, and this is the most wonderful, the heart being soft, subdued and meek before Allah.

Eighth, being alone with Allah during the time when the Lord descends during the last portion of the night while reading His Book and ending that by asking for forgiveness and repenting.

Ninth, sitting with the beloved and sincere, benefitting from the most fruitful of their speech. And not to speak unless speaking is more beneficial and you know that it will improve your state and be beneficial to others.

Tenth, remaining away from every cause that comes between the heart and Allah.

These ten causes take the lovers to the station of true love and bring them to their Beloved.

10 Ways of Protection from Shaytan
Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Summarized from Bida’i` al-Fawa’id (304-308)

1. Seeking refuge with Allah from Shaytan. Allah the Most High said, “And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” [41:36]
2. Recitation of the two soorahs al-Falaq and an-Nas, as they have wondrous effect in seeking refuge with Allah from his evil, weakening Shaytan and protection from him. This is why the Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: “No person seeks refuge with anything like the Mu`awwidhatayn (soorahs al-Falaq and an-Nas)”. [an-Nasaa’i, 5337]
3. Recitation of Ayat al-Kursi (2:255).
4. Recitation of soorah al-Baqarah. The Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “The house in which al-Baqarah is recited is not approached by Shaytan.” [Muslim]
5. The final part of al-Baqarah. The Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “Whoever recites the two last verses of al-Baqarah at night they will suffice him.” [Muslim]
6. Recitation of the beginning of soorah Mu’min (Ghafir), until His saying, “wa ilayhi-l-maseer” (to Him is the destination). (i.e. “Ha. Meem. The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Knowing, the forgiver of sin, acceptor of repentance, severe in punishment, owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination.” [40:1-2])
7. Saying “la ilaha ill Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa `ala kulli shay’in qadir” (there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, He has no partner, His is the Dominion and Praise, and He is able to do all things) a hundred times.
8. The most beneficial form of protection from Shaytan: abundance of remembrance of Allah, the Exalted.
9. Ablution and prayer, and they are from among the greatest means of protection, especially at the time of emergence of anger and desire.
10. Abstinence from excess speech, food and mixing with people.

ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

From among the stations of worshipping Allah and seeking His help is the station of fear.

Fear is one of the most important stations on the path and most beneficial for the heart. Fear is an obligation upon everyone, Allah said, “So fear them not, and fear Me alone, if you are believers.” [3:175] (The actual word used for fear in this verse is ‘khawf.’) Another verse says, “And Me alone you all should fear,” [2:40] the actual word being a derivative of ‘rahba.’ And, “So do not fear people, but fear Me,” [5:44] the actual word in Arabic being ‘khashya.’ Different connotations of these various terms in Arabic for fear will be discussed shortly.

Allah has praised those who possess the attribute of fear saying, “And such (are the believers) who are humbled by the fear of their Lord…” [23:57]

Fear (of Allah’s displeasure or punishment) is not only for grave sinners, but also for the pious, observant believers, as in the following hadeeth: Aisha said, “O Messenger of Allah, is the verse “And those who dispense their charity while their hearts fear that to their Lord they must return” [23:60] referring to someone who commits fornication, drinks alcohol and steals and still fear Allah? The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, “No, O daughter of as-Siddiq, but it refers to one who fasts, perform salah and gives charity, and fears that it may not be accepted from him.” (Tirmithi) Al-Hasan, commenting on this, said, “By Allah, they (the Companions) obeyed Him and strove hard in it, yet they feared it might be rejected. A believer combines righteousness with fear in his heart, while a hypocrite combines evil with impunity.”

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Ten Things You Will Never Benefit From
Imaam Ibn ul Qayyim

There are ten things you will never find benefit in:

The First: Knowledge which is void of action.

The Second: Actions which are void of sincerity to Allah, and void of exemplification of the Sunnah. (Note: These two conditions constitute the act being accepted by Allah i.e. Ikhlaas and Ittiba`a)

The Third: Wealth which is not spent in the way of Allah, so the one who exhausted all of his energy amassing it will not benefit from it in this life, nor will he see the fruits of it in the hereafter.

The Fourth: A heart which is void of the love of Allah and the ardent desire to meet him.

The Fifth: A body which is void of obedience to Allah.

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