Dead Hearts
Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

(A’alam al-Muwaqqi’in, volume 2, page 176)

While thousands of Muslims are killed all over the world, and while tens of thousands are imprisoned and tortured for calling to the path of Allah and for enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, most Muslims remain remarkably silent and have no worry except for the material things of life. Their hearts have been filled with the love of this life and the forgetfulness of the Hereafter.
Allah says in the Qur’an:

“You will indeed find them, of all people, most greedy of life, even more than those who do not believe in Resurrection. Each one of them wishes he could be given a life of a thousand years. But the grant of such life will not save him even a little from due punishment. For Allah sees well all that they do” (Al Baqarah, 2:96).

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Signs of Allah’s love for His slaves and the efforts for its Achievement
Imam Nawawi

Chapter 47
From Riyadh ul Saleheen

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Say (O Muhammad (PBUH) to mankind): `If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e., accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”’ (3:31)

“O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.” (5:54)

386. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Allah, the Exalted, has said: `I will declare war against him who treats with hostility a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (voluntary prayers or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) until I love him, (so much so that) I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me something, I will surely give him, and if he seeks My Protection (refuge), I will surely protect him”.
[Al-Bukhari]

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Characteristics of a Wali of Allah
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah

[This article is adapted from his Book "Criterion between the Allies of Allah and the allies of the Devil"]

From As-Sunnah Bimonthly Islamic Newsletter

The word ‘Awliya’ singular ‘wali’ comes from the root word of wilaya. Wilaya is the opposite of enmity (adawaa). The Wali is therefore the one who is close.

Allah has explained in His Book, and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallalahu alaihe wa-sallam) that He has awliya among the people and that shaitaan also has his awliya. The Qur’aan mentions the allies of Allah.

“Indeed there is no fear upon the awliya of Allah, nor shall they grieve; those who believe and used to fear Allah much. For them are glad tidings in this life and the Hereafter…” [Soorah Yunus (10): 62]

“Allah is the protector (ally) of those who believe, He takes them out of darkness into light.” [Soorah Baqarah (2): 257]

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The first three chapters taken from the book “Purification of the Soul”, one of the great books on the matters of the heart. The book is a compilation of the works of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Ibn Al-Qayyim al-Jawziayy and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Chapter 1: Sincerity
Sincerity is the freeing of one’s intentions from all impurities in order to come nearer to Allah. It is to ensure that the intentions behind all acts of worship and obedience to Allah are exclusively for His pleasure. It is the perpetual contemplation of the Creator, to the extent that one forgets the creation.

Sincerity is a condition for Allah’s acceptance of good deeds performed in accordance with the sunnah of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Allah has commanded this in the Qur’an:

“And they have been commanded to worship only Allah, being sincere towards Him in their deen and true. “[98:5]

Abu Umama has related that a man once came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said,

“What of a man who joined us in the fighting, his intention being for fame and booty?” The Prophet said, “He recieves nothing.” The man repeated the question three times and each time the Prophet said, “He receives nothing”. Then he said, “Allah only accepts actions that are intended purely for His pleasure.”[1]

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Forgiveness: The Mark of a Believer
by Shaykhu-l-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH / 1328 CE)

With the Name of Allâh, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy. Indeed Allâh – to whom belongs all praise – has bestowed upon me immense grace, great favours and generous blessings which necessitates immense gratitude, being firm upon obedience to Him, and becoming accustomed to having beautiful patience in that which He ordered. Indeed, a servant is ordered to have sabr (patience) in times of ease more so than in times of hardship. Allâh – the Most High – said:

“But if we let man taste the good favours after poverty and harm has touched him, he is sure to boastfully say: Harm has departed from me. Indeed he is exultant, boastful and ungrateful to Allâh, Except those who show patience and do deeds of righteousness and obedience to Allâh, for them will be forgiveness and a great reward.” [Sûrah Hûd 11:10-11].

And you all know that Allâh – the Most Perfect – has blessed this affair [2] with such blessings which contain the means to aid His Religion, raise high His Word, aid His Army, and grant honour to His Awliyâ (pious and righteous servants). It is also the cause for strengthening Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamâ’ah and causing humiliation to the people of innovations and sectarianism. Likewise, it is also the cause for affirming that which has been affirmed by yourselves from the Sunnah (regarding the truth of this matter), and a cause for increasing this by opening up the avenues of guidance, victory and proofs: such that the truth becomes known to the people, who none but Allâh can enumerate. It is also a cause for the masses to begin to accept the way of the Sunnah and the Jamâ’ah; as well as countless other favours. All of this must therefore be accompanied by immense gratitude to Allâh, as well as having patience – even ii this patience is in times of ease.

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