Imām Ibn al-Qayyim [d. 751 AH] said:
From among mankind are those whose implemented actions are encompassing [of all forms of worship], traversing the path towards Allāh in every valley, utilising every path before them in their attempt to reach Him. They have made the various forms of His worship the object of their heart’s longing, the apple of their eye. They have taken [His worship] as their leader. They follow it wherever it takes them, participating with every group [specialising in a form of worship]. Wherever you find worship occurring, you will find them. If it is [the disseminati…
Allāh said:
وَإِنَّهُ لَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“And indeed, it is guidance and mercy for the believers.”
[Al-Naml, 27:77]
ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ
“(This is) that Book (containing knowledge of previous scriptures) about which there is no doubt (that it is from Allāh)—it contains guidance for the pious (who benefit from its admonitions and abide by its teachings).”
[Al-Baqarah, 2:2]
كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
“Thus do We detail the verses for a people who use reason.”
[Al-Rūm, 30:28]
كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لِقَوْم…
Allāh says:
خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ ۖ وَعَلَىٰ أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
‘Allāh has placed a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil (because they showed no desire for truth, goodness and guidance after it had been made clear to them). And for them is a great punishment (for their stubborn disbelief).’
[Al-Baqarah, 2:7]
Imām Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Shawkānī [d. 1250 AH] explains:
Narrated by Ibn Jurayj who said: A seal is placed on their hearts and their hearing, and a veil is placed on their vision…
Allāh says:
اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا ۖ فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَىٰ عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الْأُخْرَىٰ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
‘Allāh takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who give thought.’
[Al-Zumar, 39:42]
Narrated by Al-Suddī concerning the saying of the Most High:
وَالَّتِي…
Shaykh ʿUbayd al-Jābirī (d. 1443 AH) said:
Ibn Abī al-ʿIzz al-Ḥanafī said in his commentary on ‘al-ʿAqīdah al-Ṭaḥāwiyyah:’ The tawḥīd that the Messengers of Allāh (عليهم السلام) invited to, and concerning which His books were revealed, are of two types:
1. Oneness in Confirmation and Recognition
As for the first, it is to confirm the reality behind the Lord, the Most High’s Existence, His Attributes, Actions, and Names. He possesses no likeness in all of these articles just as He and His Messenger (ﷺ) have related regarding Him. For the Qurʾān has eloquently highlighted this type of tawḥīd…
Allāh said:
وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ دِينًا مِّمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ وَاتَّبَعَ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا ۗ وَاتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ خَلِيلًا
“And who can be better in religion than one who submits his face (himself) to Allāh (i.e. follows Allāh’s Religion of Islamic Monotheism); and he is a Muḥsin (a good-doer). And follows the religion of Ibrāhīm (Abraham) Hanīfā (Islamic Monotheism – to worship none but Allāh Alone). And Allāh did take Ibrāhīm (Abraham) as a Khalīl (an intimate friend).”
(Al-Nisāʾ, 4:125)
Imām Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 751 AH) comments:
How can one w…
Ramaḍān is extremely virtuous, and the last ten nights are even more virtuous. Therefore, Muslims must take the time to learn exactly how to spend these nights so that they can capitalise on this auspicious occasion, especially when many Muslims are either clueless of how to spend this time or uncertain of what exactly they should be doing during this time.
Supplicating excessively in the last ten nights of Ramaḍān is definitely one of the best ways, if not the best way, a Muslim can spend these nights.
ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) said: “O Allāh’s Messenger, what do you think I should say in…
Imām Abū al-Farj ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597 AH) said concerning calamities, misfortune, and despair]:
One should know that the patience exhibited [in response to despair] is but a moment in time. Eventually absentmindedness [surrounding the source of despair] will occur such that the pain subsides. It is most suitable for a person [in such a situation] to embolden himself saying: It is but a moment then everyone who faces an affliction will feel just as we have mentioned.
If the feelings are drowned by the waves, the true seaman forgets past deception.
Know also that the one who constantly ful…
Imām Ibn Rajab (d. 795 AH) mentioned:
Indeed, a servant of Allāh may concern himself with a matter relating to trade or statesmanship, wishing for ease in his attainment of it. Allāh observes him and then says to the angels: Keep him away from it. For, truly, if I was to make it easy for him he will enter the Fire. So Allāh keeps him from its attainment. Then, he becomes persistently pessimistic saying: So-and-so has preceded me! So-and-so has outsmarted me! All the while it is nought but the blessing of Allāh, the Exalted in Might.
Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه)
Al-Ṭabarānī narrates from the…
