ibn al Qayyim
…Let us return to the commentary on the hadith of Harith, where he Prophet speaks of what will rescue a servant from the Foe: “And [God] enjoins upon you the fast. Verily, the similitude of that is a man carrying a sack-full of musk in a crowd of people, all of them marvelling at its fragrance—for the breath of someone lasting is more fragrant to God, Most High, than the scent of musk.” [Tirmidhi, Amthal, 2790; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 16542.]
The Prophet uses the image of someone carrying a sack-full of musk concealed from view, hidden under his garments, after the habit of those who carry musk. Fasting is, likewise, hidden from the eyes of men and unperceived by their senses.
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Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah
Ikhlaas (sincerity) cannot coexist in a heart which [embraces] the love of praise and commendation, [nor] the yearning [to obtain] that which is possessed amongst the people, save in the [manner] that fire and water, or a lizard and fish may coexist.
If your soul informs you to quest for Ikhlaas, turn first towards your yearning and slaughter it with a knife [in a state] of desperation. Then turn [in a state of] asceticism upon praise and commendation, the asceticism of the [one] who loved the Dunya for the sake of the Hereafter. If your quest in the [act] of slaughtering the yearning, and [the acquisition of] asceticism [against] praise and commendation is successful, your [journey] shall be facilitated in your [quest] for Ikhlaas.
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Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah
And Allah ta`ala said:
“Believers! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those charged with authority among you; if you differ in anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger (for judgment) if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day: that is best and most suitable for final determination.” [4:59]
Allah ta`ala is requiring obedience to Him and to His Messenger (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam). He starts the aayah with an address to the “believers”, hinting that what is required thereafter is a consequence of that name with which they are addressed.
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Requirements of the Journey
by Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
One of the best ways of mutual support (in righteousness and piety) is to help one another on the journey of migration to Allâh and to ar-Rasûl (peace be on him) with hands, tongues and hearts, and by teaching, educating and caring. A person having the attitude toward al-`Ibâd (the worshippers) of Allâh will see prosperity rush to him from all directions. Allâh will move toward him the hearts of His `Ibâd, will open for his heart the gates of knowledge, and will make smooth for him the path bliss. Conversely, one with an opposite attitude will receive opposite consequences.
If one then asks,
“You have described a very great journey and a very important matter; but what provisions should be taken along? What’s the way to follow? And what are the means to be used for transportation?”
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The Supplication and Al-Qadar
Imaam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah
Here there occurs a very popular question and it is:
If the thing that is being supplicated for is already decreed for the servant, then there is no doubt that it is going to come to pass for him, regardless of whether he supplicates for it or not. And if it has not been decreed for him, then it will not come to pass, regardless of whether he asks Allaah for it or not.
There is one group that perceives this question to be valid and so they have abandoned the supplication and are of the view that there is no benefit in doing it. These people, along with their excessive ignorance and misguidance are in clear contradiction, for if we were to follow their opinion, it would require us to reject all the different means for attaining something (desired).
So it can be said to one of them:
If satisfying your appetite and quenching your thirst were already decreed for you, then there is no doubt that they are going to come to pass, whether you eat and drink or you don’t. And if they were not decreed for you, they will not come to pass, whether you eat and drink or you don’t.
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