Points of Benefit

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Points of BenefitIbn Qayyim al Jawziyyah

from al-Fawaa'id of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Faid ur-Rahmaan fee al-Fawaa'id il-Hisaan no. 1 p. 30-32
Abridged by Sh. Husain al-Awaayishah

* How can anyone who has common sense trade Paradise and what is in it for the pleasure of one hour?

* When you fear the creation, you feel repelled by it and run away from it, but when you fear the Creator, you feel close to Him and run towards Him.

* If knowledge without action were of benefit, why did Allaah condemn the scholars of the People of the Book? And if action without sincerity were of benefit, why did He condemn the hypocrites?

* Repel the thought, for if you don't, it becomes an idea. So repel the idea, for if you don't it will become a desire. So fight against that (desire), for if you don't, it will become a determination and a passion. And if you don't repel that, it will become an action. And if you don't replace it with its opposite, it will become a constant habit. So at that point, it will be difficult for you to change it.

* When a decreed matter occurs to Allaah's 'abd (slave), which he dislikes, then he should have six perspectives about it

- First: The Perspective of Tawheed:

And that Allaah is the One who decreed it and willed it and created it. And whatever Allaah wills comes to pass, and whatever He doesn't will doesn't come to pass

- Second: The Perspective of Fairness:

And that He ruled this event to occur in the past and that there is fairness in His Divine ordainment.

- Third: The Perspective of Mercy:

And that the person's mercy with regard to this thing that was decreed supercedes his anger and vengeance

- Fourth: The Perspective of Wisdom:

And that it was Allaah's infinite Wisdom that brought that about. He did not decree it in vain nor did He divinely execute it for no purpose

- Fifth: The Perspective of Praise:

And that to Allaah belongs the complete and entire praise for that thing that was decreed from every angle of it.

- Sixth: The Perspective of Worship to Allaah ('Ubudiyyah):

And that he is a pure worshipper of Allaah from every standpoint. His Master's Rulings and Decrees occur to him by virtue of his being Allaah's possession and slave. So Allaah administers him under His decreed rulings just as He administers him under His religious rulings. So it (i.e. the decreed event) becomes a place for these rulings to occur to him.

* Little success (from Allaah), bad views, unawareness of the truth, corruption of the heart, laziness in making dhikr, wasting time, distaste for the creation, estrangement between the servant and his Lord, the prevention of the supplication from being answered, hardening of the heart, the termination of blessing from ones provision and lifespan, the prevention of knowledge, being covered in debasement, humiliation at the hands of the enemy, constricting of the chest, prolonged grief and sorrow, a wretchedlife of poverty, and a gloomy state of being are all produced from sins and neglecting to remember Allaah just as crops are produced from water and burning from fire. And the opposites of these things are produced from obedience to Allaah.#

* If your mind would free itself from the governorship of your desires, the state would return back to it.

* You have entered into the abode of desires, so you have put your life at stake.

* It was once to said to one devout worshipper of Allaah: "Until when will you continue to exhaust your soul?" So he responded: "It is its relaxation that I seek."

 

* The women of this world were made beautiful to those who can see in order to test which of them prefers them over the women of the Hereafter. So whoever knows the extent of differences, he will choose what deserves to be chosen.

l-Fawaa’id: Points Of Benefit

Author: Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

[1] Six Etiquettes of Learning

Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullaah - said:

"There are six stages to knowledge:-

• Firstly: Asking questions in a good manner.
• Secondly: Remaining quiet and listening attentively.
• Thirdly: Understanding well.
• Fourthly: Memorising.
• Fifthly: Teaching.
• Sixthly - and it is its fruit: Acting upon the knowledge and keeping to its limits." [Miftaah Daarus-Sa'aadah (p.283)]

[2] Fruits of Humility

Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullaah - said in Al-Waabilus-Sayib minal-Kalimit-Tayyib (p.15) that one of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) said:

"Indeed a servant commits a sin by which he enters Paradise; and another does a good deed by which he enters the Fire." It was asked: How is that? So he replied: "The one who committed the sin, constantly thinks about it; which causes him to fear it, regret it, weep over it and feel ashamed in front of his Lord the Most High - due to it. He stands before Allaah, broken-hearted and with his head lowered in humility. So this sin is more beneficial to him than doing many acts of obedience, since it caused him to have humility and humbleness - which leads to the servant's happiness and success - to the extent that this sin becomes the cause for him entering Paradise. As for the doer of good, then he does not consider this good a favour from his Lord upon him. Rather, he becomes arrogant and amazed with himself, saying: I have achieved such and such, and such and such. So this further increases him in self-adulation, pride and arrogance - such that this becomes the cause for his destruction."

[3] Purifying the Heart

Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullaah - said:

"There is no doubt that the heart becomes covered with rust, just as metal dishes - silver, and their like - become rusty. So the rust of the heart is polished with dhikr (remembrance of Allaah), for dhikr polishes the heart until it becomes like a shiny mirror. However, when dhikr is abandoned, the rust returns; and when it commences then the heart again begins to be cleansed. Thus the heart becoming rusty is due to two matters: sins and ghaflah (neglecting remembrance of Allaah). Likewise, it is cleansed and polished by two things: istigfaar (seeking Allaah's forgiveness) and dhikr." [Al-Waabilus-Sayyib (p.80)]



[4] Jihaad Against the Self

"Jihaad (striving) against the soul has four stages:

• Firstly: To strive in learning guidance and the religion of truth, without which there will be no success. Indeed, there can be no true happiness, nor any delight in this world and in the Herefater, except through it.
• Secondly: Striving to act upon what has been learnt, since knowledge without action will not benefit, rather it will cause harm.
  
  
• Thirdly: Striving to invite others towards it and to teach those who do not know, otherwise he may be considered from those who hide what Allaah has revealed of guidance and clear explanation. Such knowledge will neither benefit, nor save a person from the punishment of Allaah.
• Fourthly: Striving to be patient and persevering against those who oppose this da'wah (call) to Allaah and those who seek to cause harm - patiently bearing all these hardships for the sake of Allaah.

When these four stages are completed then such a person is considered to be amongst the Rabbaaniyyoon. The Salaf were agreed that a Scholar does not deserve the title of Rabbaanee until he recognises and knows the truth, acts upon it, and teaches it to others. So whosoever has knowledge, acts upon it, and teaches this knowledge to others, is considered from the Rabbaaniyyoon." [Zaadul-Ma'aad fi Hadee Khayril-'Ibaad (pp.9-11)]

[5] Trials of the Heart

Ibn al-Qayyirn said, whilst commenting upon the following hadeeth:

"Trials and tribulations will be presented to hearts, as a reed mat is interwoven stick by stick. Any heart which absorbs these trials will have a black mark put in it. However, any heart that rejects them will have a white mark put in it. The result is that hearts will be of two kinds: one white like a white stone, which will not be harmed by trials as long as the heavens and earth endure; and the other dark and rusty, like an over-turned vessel; not able to recognise the good, nor reject evil, but rather being absorbed with its desires." [Related by Muslim (no.144), from Hudhayfah (radi-Allaahu 'anhu)]

"The fitan (trials) which are presented to the hearts - and which are the cause of its weakness - are:

1. the trials relating to shahwah (false desire) and

2. the trials relating to shubhah (doubt) ... So the first causes intentions and desires to be corrupted, whilst the second causes knowledge and beliefs to be corrupted." [Ighaathatul-Luhfaan (p.40)]

Speaking about such trials, he - rahimahullaah - said:

"Hearts - when exposed to such fitan (trials) - are of two types:

• [The first type]: a heart, which, when exposed to such trials, absorbs it like a sponge that soaks-up water, leaving in it a black stain. Such a heart continues to soak-up the various trials that are presented to it, until it becomes dark and corrupted - which is what is meant by "an over-turned vessel", so when this occurs, two dangerous and deadly diseases take hold of it and plunge it into destruction:
  
  Firstly: confusing good with evil, so it neither recognises the good, nor rejects the evil. This disease may take hold of it to such an extent that it believes good to be evil; and evil to be good, Sunnah to be bid'ah (innovation); and innovations to be the Sunnah, and the truth to be falsehood; and falsehood the truth.
  
  Secondly: judging by its whims and desires, over and against what Allaah's Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) came with - being enslaved by its whims and desires and being led by them also.
• [The second type]: a white heart in which the light of eemaan is bright and its radiance is illuminating. So when trials are presented to such a heart, it rejects and turns away from them. This further increases its light and illumination and its strength." [Ighaathatul-Luhfaan (pp. 39-40)]

[6] Four Principles of Worship

"(The Aayah): "You alone do we worship." [Soorah al-Faatihah 1:5] is built upon four principles:- Ascertaining what Allaah and His Messenger love and are pleased with, from

1. the sayings of the heart and
2. of the tongue; and
3. the actions of the heart and
4. of the limbs.

So al-'uboodiyyah (servitude and slavery to Allaah) is a comprehensive term for all these for stages. The one who actualises them has indeed actualised: "You alone do we worship."

• The saying of the heart: It is i'tiqaad (belief) in what Allaah - the Most Perfect - informed about His Self; concerning His Names, His Attributes, His Actions, His Angels, and all that He sent upon the tongue of His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam).
• The saying of the tongue: It is to inform and convey (what Allaah has revealed), to call to it, defend it, to explain the false innovations which oppose it, to establish its remembrance and to convey what it orders.
• The action of the heart: Such as love for Him, reliance upon Him, repenting to Him, having fear and hope in Him, making the Deen purely and sincerely for Him, having patience in what He orders and prohibits, having patience with what He decrees and being pleased with it, having allegiance and enmity for His sake, humbling oneself in front of Him and having humility in front of Him, becoming tranquil with Him and other than this from the actions of the heart which are actually connected to the action of the limbs ... and actions of the limbs without the action of the heart is of little benefit, if any benefit at all.
• The action of the limbs: Such as Prayer and Jihaad, attending the Jumu'ah and being with the Jamaa'ah, aiding those who are unable and displaying goodness and kindness to the creation, and other than this." [Madaarijus-Saalikeen (1/100-101)]

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,

 "Hasten to do good deeds before you are overtaken by one of the seven afflictions.'' Then (giving a warning) he said, "Are you waiting for such poverty which will make you unmindful of devotion; or prosperity which will make you corrupt, or disease as will disable you, or such senility as will make you mentally unstable, or sudden death, or Ad-Dajjal who is the worst expected absent, or the Hour, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter".  

[At-Tirmidhi]