How Do You Benefit From the Qur’aan
Ibn al-Qayyim

Source: Al-Fawaa’id

Ibn Al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said in al-Fawaa’id:

Allaah the Exalted said:

Verily, therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful. (Qaaf 50:37)

When you desire benefit from the Qur’an, then bring your heart together during its recitation, listen heedfully and have the presence of the one who is being addressed and spoken to, since it is a speech from Him, the Sublime, to you, upon the tongue of His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam).

This is because the best and most complete effect is suspended between the following:

1. That which produces the required effect,

2. A place which receives this effect,

3. The condition which is necessary to receive such an effect and

4. The absence of that which prevents this effect from being obtained.

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The Easiest Form of Worship
Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

35. Remembrance is easy for the servant-whether he lies in bed or journeys, in health or in illness, in comfort and luxury, in his daily work, standing, sitting or lying down, on his way or at home. No [other] act can be performed so often and in so many situations. In fact, it is so easy that he could sleep in his bed and still be ahead of the one who stands [in worship] but is heedless. The sleeper rises having traversed a great distance, all the while stretched out on his bed; whereas the one standing heedlessly rises seated on his mount. ‘And that is the grace of God which He gives to whomever He pleases.’ [57:21]

It is recounted that there once was an ascetic [rajul min al-`ibad] who stayed the night with a man as a guest. The ascetic spent the entire night standing in prayer, while the host was stretched out in his bed. When he rose in the morning, the ascetic said to the host, ‘The caravan has gone on before you,’ [sabaqak al-rakb, by which he meant, ‘I have surpassed you in the journey to God’] or words to that effect. To which the [host] replied, ‘It is unimportant that one spend the night travelling and then wake up with the caravan. What is important is that one spend the night in bed but wake up having crossed a great distance.’

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Patience at the time of bereavement
by Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
The loss of a loved one is a time when a person may be overwhelmed with grief, and many customs surrounding bereavement reflect the depth of the feeling of loss. Wailing, eulogizing (i.e. praising the deceased excessively) and tearing one’s garments are all customs which were well known at the time of Jâhiliyyah, and are still common among some Muslims. Such conduct is not permitted in Islâm, as the believer is required to face bereavement, like all the other trials of life, with patience.

It is permitted to cry or weep, softy, before death, at the time of death, and after the person has died. According to ash-Shâfi‘î, however, it is makrûh to cry after the person has died, but permissible before the soul has departed.

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Wrestling is From the Sunnah
Al-Furoosiyyah by Imaam Ibnul-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

CHAPTER: HIS(SAW) WRESTLING

And as for his (SAW) wrestling, in the Sunan of Aboo Daawood, upon the authority of Muhammad Ibn ’Alee Ibn Rukaanah, who said, “Verily Rukaanah wrestled the Prophet (SAW), and the Prophet (SAW) took him down.” And this hadeeth has a story surrounding it that we will now mention. Our Shaykh, Abul-Hajjaaj al-Haafidh in his book Tahdheebul-Kaamil mentions:

‘‘Rukaanah Ibn ’Abd-Yazeed al-Qurayshee was from those who accepted Islaam upon the conquering of Makkah. And he was the one who wrestled the Prophet (SAW), and the Prophet (SAW) took him down twice or three times. That was before he accepted Islaam. It is said that this was without a doubt the reason he accepted Islaam. This hadeeth is the most firmly established report of the Prophet’s (SAW) wrestling, however, as for what has been mentioned about the Prophet(SAW) wrestling Aboo Jahl, that is baseless.’’

Az-Zubayr Ibn Bukkaar said in his book an-Nasab, ‘‘Rukaanah Ibn ’Abd-Yazeed was the one who wrestled the Prophet(SAW) in Makkah before he embraced Islaam. He was from the strongest and harshest of the people. He said, “If you can take me down, I will believe in you.” So the Prophet (SAW) wrestled him and took him down. He then proclaimed, “I testify that you are a magician!” Later he accepted Islaam.

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The effect of sins
Excerpt from Imam Ibn Qayyims “Al-Jawaab al-Kaafee”

1. The Prevention of Knowledge: Knowledge is a light which Allah throws into the heart and disobedience extinguishes this light.
Imaam Shaafi’ee said: “I complained to Wakee’ about the weakness of my memory, so he ordered me to abandon disobedience. And informed me that the knowledge is light. And that the light of Allah is not given to the disobedient ”

2. The Prevention of Sustenance: Just as Taqwaa brings about sustenance, the abandonment of Taqwaa causes poverty. There is nothing which can bring about sustenance like the abandonment of disobedience.

3. The prevention of obedience (to Allah). If there was no other punishment for sin other than that it prevents one from obedience to Allah then this would be sufficient.

4. Disobedience weakens the heart and the body. Its weakening the heart is something which is clear. Disobedience does not stop weakening it until the life of the heart ceases completely.

5. Disobedience reduces the lifespan and destroys any blessings. Just as righteousness increases the lifespan, sinning reduces it.

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