The Soothsayers Are The Messengers of Satan

The Soothsayers Are The Messengers of Satan

Ibn al-Qayyim has written,

Fortunetellers and soothsayers are messengers of Satan. This is so because the polytheists hasten to them. They rush to them in anticipation when anything important is happening and they believe in their words. They take them as the decider of their affairs and they are pleased with their rulings. This is the same behaviour that the followers of the messengers [of Allah] have towards the messengers. They believe that [these fortune tellers] have knowledge of the unseen things that no one else knows about. So for the people who make idolatry through them, they are in the place of messengers. In reality, the fortune tellers and soothsayers are truly the messengers of Satan. He sends them to his party of polytheists and makes them appear like truthful messengers until his party responds to them in order to take them away from the messengers of Allah. They consider their messengers to be truthful ones who have knowledge of the unseen. Since there is such a great difference and contradiction between the two, the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him) said, “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and believes in what he says he has disbelieved in what has been revealed to Muhammad”.

So people are of two categories: followers of the fortune-tellers and followers of the [true] messengers [of Allah]. One person cannot be of both the latter and the former. In fact, the further he goes from the Messenger by the amount that he believes in the fortune-teller.

Ibn al-Qayyim, Ighaatha al-Luhfaan, vol. 1, p. 271

Correcting the two strengths of knowledge and action

Correcting the two strengths of knowledge and action

Shaykh ul –Islaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

Taken from
‘Miftah dar as-Sa’ada’
(key to the land of happiness)

Translated by
Abbas Abu Yahya

The saying of Allaah Ta’ala :

((By Al-'Asr (the time). Verily! Man is in loss, except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth and recommend one another to patience.))


Ash-Shafiee – may Allaah be pleased with him – said: ‘If all the people
reflected over this Soorah it would be sufficient for them.’


The explanation of this is that this Soorah has four levels, and by completing
these, a person can achieve the highest goal in being complete.


The first is: Knowing the truth.


The second: his acting upon the truth.


The third: Him teaching the one who is deficient in the truth.


The fourth: Being patient in learning the truth, and acting upon it, and
teaching it.


Allaah Ta’ala mentioned these four levels in this Soorah, and Allaah
Subhanahu testified in this Soorah by al-Asr (the time) that everyone is in loss,
except those who believe and do righteous, good deeds and they are those
who knew the truth, and they testified to the truth.

So the above is a level.


They did righteous, good deeds and they are those who performed worship
with what they knew about the truth.

So this is a level.


They advise with the truth; they advise one another, teaching and guiding
each other.


So this is the third level.


They advise with patience; they were patient with the truth, and they advised
each other with patience upon the truth, and to be steadfast.


And this is the fourth level.



This is the end of completeness; indeed completeness is that a person is
complete in himself, and completes others. His completeness is by
correcting his two strengths, the strength of knowledge and the strength of
actions. Correction of the strength of knowledge is with Emaan, and
correction of the strength of actions is by doing righteous deeds, and by
completing people other than himself, and by learning this knowledge, and
being patient upon it, and his recommending with patience upon knowledge
and action.


So this Soorah, even though it is brief, is one of the most collective soorahs
of the Qur’aan for goodness from all its different angles.

Praise be to Allaah Who has made the Qur’aan sufficient for everything, a cure from every disease, a guidance to all that is good.



All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions and all those who follow his guidance.


‘Miftah dar as-Sa’ada’ vol.1 p.238
(key to the land of happiness)

Sparkles from the Pearls Of knowledge

Sparkles from the Pearls Of knowledge

Taken from ‘Miftah dar as-Sa’ada’
(Key to the land of happiness)

By Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya

Knowledge & Ignorance are not equal

Regarding the excellence of knowledge and the people of knowledge, Allaah – Subhana wa Ta'aala – negated equality between the people of knowledge and other than them.

Just like He negated equality between, the companions of Paradise and the companions of the Hell-fire.

Allaah Ta'aala said:

{ Say: "Are those who know equal to those who know not?"} [ Zumar :9 ]

He also said:

{Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise} [ Hashr :20 ]

This indicates the elevated excellence of the people of knowledge and their distinguished nobility. Vol 1 /11/221

Wisdom is knowledge

Allaah Ta'aala testifies for the one who, has been given knowledge, that He has given him lots of good.

Allaah Ta'aala said:

{ He grants Hikmah to whom He pleases, and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good} [ Baqarah :269 ]


Ibn Qootayba and the majority of the scholars said: Wisdom is to be on the truth and to act upon it, and that is beneficial knowledge and good actions. Vol 1/26/227

Knowledge is the Greatest Blessing

Allaah Ta'aala has given numerous blessings to His Messenger, and has given him excellence. Allaah Ta'aala has made the greatest blessing that He gave to him the Book and Hikmah (wisdom).

Allaah taught him that which he did not know. Allaah Ta'aala said:

{ Allaah has sent down to you the Book and Al-Hikmah and taught you that which you did not know. And Ever Great is the Grace of Allaah unto you } [Nisa: 113]

Vol 1 / 27 / 227

The Blessing of knowledge obligates thankfulness to Allaah

Allaah Ta'aala reminded His believing slaves with this blessing, and He commanded them to be thankful for it, and that they should remember Him, for the blessings He bestowed to them.

Allaah Ta'aala said:

{ Similarly, We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, reciting to you Our Verses and sanctifying you, and teaching you the Book and the Hikmah and teaching you that which you did not used to know. Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me. } [ Baqarah : 151-152 ]

Vol 1 / 28 / 227

Knowledge is Goodness in this World

Al-Hasan said regarding "the saying of Allaah Ta'aala { “Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good!" } [ Baqarah: 201] It is knowledge and worship. And regard Allaah's saying {and in the Hereafter that which is good} [ Baqarah : 201 ] It is Paradise."


This is from the best explanations of this Ayaah indeed the greatest of the goodness of this world, is beneficial knowledge and good actions.


Vol 1/102/397


All Praise belongs to Allaah, may His peace and blessings be upon our final Prophet Muhammad, his family, his Companions and all those who follow his guidance.

THE DOOR OF TAWFEEQ - 6 THINGS by Ibn Qayim al Jawziya

THE DOOR OF TAWFEEQ

Ibn ul Qayyim Al Jawziyah (Rahimahullah) mentioned in his monumental book
“Fawaa'id ul Fawaa'id” on the authority of Shaqeeq Ibn Ibrahim (Rahimahullah),
who said:

The door of Tawfeeq (i.e. success) has been closed on the people because of six things:

The First: Because they (i.e. the people) busy themselves with the Ni'mah (i.e. blessing) bestowed upon them and forget about the gratitude they should express to Allah, the One who bestowed the favor on them.

The Second: Because they have an ardent desire for knowledge however, they abandon acting upon it.

The Third: Because they hasten to commit sin but delay repentance for the sin.

The Fourth: Because they are deceived by the companionship of the righteous but fail to emulate their actions.

The Fifth: Because the life of this world is behind them but they are insistent on chasing after it.

The Sixth: Because the hereafter is in front of them but they turn away from it.

The source of all of this stems from a lack of Raja'a (i.e. hope in Allah's mercy) and Khowf (i.e. fear of Allah's punishment and the fact that He may not accept any of your deeds). And the origin of this stems from a weakness in Yaqeen (i.e. certainty). And the origin of this stems from a weakness in Baseerah (i.e. sound legislative knowledge). And the origin of this stems from humiliation and ignobility and exchanging that which is superior for that which is mediocre.

If the individual was noble and ambitious he would not settle for mediocre. The source of every good is by the Tawfeeq (i.e. success) of Allah as well as by His will, the nobility of the soul, its magnanimity and exaltedness. Subsequently, the source of every evil is the villainousness of the soul, its ignobility and lowliness, as Allah says:

قد أفلح من زكاها وقد خاب من دساها...

“Indeed he will be successful who purifies his soul and he who corrupts his own soul will fail…”

Meaning, the one who exalts his soul, multiplies it's good and nurtures it upon obedience to Allah, will be successful. However, the one who disgraces his soul and humiliates it by exposing it to sin and disobedience to Allah will utterly lose. Thus the noble souls are not satisfied except with the finer things in life, those things that reap the most praiseworthy outcome. On the other hand, the ignoble souls loiter around the lowliest affairs just as the fly that only lands on feces.

Hence the noble and superior soul is not satisfied with oppression, fornication/adultery, stealing or betrayal due to the fact that he considers himself more dignified to commit such acts. However, the ignoble soul is the total opposite. And every soul will incline towards what is in conformity with it’s desire(s) and what it deems suitable. This is consistent with the statement of Allah:

قل كل يعمل على شاكلته

“Every soul shall act according to what it inclines towards…”

Meaning, every soul will act upon what is in conformity with it's desires. The soul will act upon what it deems suitable and appropriate for it. Thus, every soul will proceed upon the path that is natural for it. So the Fajir (i.e. criminal) soul will act according to what is natural for it, of welcoming the blessing(s) of Allah with sin while turning away from Al Mun'im (i.e. The Giver of all bounty and blessing). Yet the believer acts according to what is natural for him, of gratitude
to Allah, the One who grants His bounty to whomsoever He wills. Also loving Him, praising Him, showing affection to Him and being modest before Him, while the slave is conscious of the fact that Allah is evaluating his every movement, coupled with magnification and glorification of Him

Four Principles of Worship

Four Principles of Worship

“(The Âyah): “You alone do we worship.” [Sûrah al-Fâtihah 1:5] is built upon four principles:- Ascertaining what Allâh and His Messenger love and are pleased with, from [i] the sayings of the heart and [ii] of the tongue; and [iii] the actions of the heart and [iv] of the limbs.

So al-’ubûdiyyah (servitude and slavery to Allâh) is a comprehensive term for all these for stages. The one who actualizes them has indeed actualized: “You alone do we worship.”

The saying of the heart: It is i’tiqâd (belief) in what Allâh - 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 sallallâhu ’alayhi wa sallam.

The saying of the tongue: It is to inform and convey (what Allâh 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 Dîn 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 Jihâd, attending the Jumu’ah and being with the Jamâ’ah, aiding those who are unable and displaying goodness and kindness to the creation, and other than this.”

[Madârijus-Sâlikîn (1/100-101)]

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Reference:
Fawaa'id - Points of Benefit - by Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

How to Deal With A Bad Companion

How to Deal With A Bad Companion

ibn al-Qayyim rahimullah said:

"Know that the greatest of losses is for you to be preoccupied with one who will bring you nothing but a loss in your time with Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - and being cut off from Him, a wasting your time with the person, a weakening of your energy, and the dispersing of your resolve. So, if you are tested with this - and you must be tested with this - deal with him according to how Allah would wish, and be patient with him as much as possible. Get closer to Allah and His Pleasure by way of this person, and make your getting together with him something to benefit from, not something to incur a loss from.

Be with him as if you are a man who is on a road who was stopped by another man, who then asks you to take him on your journey. Make sure that you are the one who gives him a ride, and that he is not the one giving you the ride.

If he refuses, and there is nothing to gain from travelling with him, do not stop for him, bid him farewell, and do not even turn back to look at him, as he is a highway robber, regardless of who he really is.

So, save your heart, be wary of how you spend your days and nights, and do not let the Sun set before you arrive at your destination. "

['al-Wabil as-Sayyib'; p. 45]

A Sin that Leads to Jannah

A Sin that Leads to Jannah

"Sin may be more beneficial for a person, if it leads him to repent, than doing a lot of acts of worship. This is what is meant by the words of one of the salaf:
'A person may commit a sin and enter Paradise because of it, or he may do an act of worship and enter Hell because of it.'

They said: 'How is that?'

He said: 'He may commit a sin and continues to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers his sin, so he feels ashamed and repents and seeks forgiveness and regrets it, so that will be the means of his salvation.

And he may do a good deed and continue to think about it, and when he stands or sits or walks he remembers it and it fills him with self-admiration and pride, so it is the cause of his doom.

So the sin may be the factor that leads him to do acts of worship and good deeds and to change his attitude so that he fears Allah and feels shy before Him and feels humiliated before Him, hanging his head in shame and weeping with regret, seeking he forgiveness of his Lord. Each of these effects is better for a person than an act of worship that makes him feel proud and show off and look down on people. Undoubtedly this sin is better before Allah and is more likely to bring salvation than one who admires himself and looks down on others, and who thinks that he is doing Allah a favor. Even if he says words that indicate something other than that, Allah is the Witness over what is in his heart. Such a person may feel hatred towards people if they do not hold him in high esteem and humiliate themselves before him. If he were to examine himself honestly, he would see that clearly."

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Reference:
Madarij as-Salikeen, 1/299
Ibn al-Qayyim

10 Ways of Protection from Shaytan

10 Ways of Protection from Shaytan

1. Seeking refuge with Allah from Shaytan. Allah the Most High said, “And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” [41:36]

2. Recitation of the two soorahs al-Falaq(113) and an-Nas(114), as they have wondrous effect in seeking refuge with Allah from his evil, weakening Shaytan and protection from him. This is why the Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: “No person seeks refuge with anything like the Mu`awwidhatayn (soorahs al-Falaq (113) and an-Nas (114))”. [an-Nasaa’i, 5337]

3. Recitation of Ayat al-Kursi (2:255).

4. Recitation of soorah al-Baqarah. The Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “The house in which al-Baqarah is recited is not approached by Shaytan.” [Muslim]

5. The final part of al-Baqarah. The Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “Whoever recites the two last verses of al-Baqarah at night they will suffice him.” [Muslim]

6. Recitation of the beginning of soorah Mu’min (Ghafir), until His saying, “wa ilayhi-l-maseer” (to Him is the destination). (i.e. “Ha. Meem. The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Knowing, the forgiver of sin, acceptor of repentance, severe in punishment, owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination.” [40:1-2])

7. Saying “la ilaha ill Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa `ala kulli shay’in qadir” (there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, He has no partner, His is the Dominion and Praise, and He is able to do all things) a hundred times.

8.The most beneficial form of protection from Shaytan: abundance of remembrance of Allah, the Exalted.

9. Ablution and prayer, and they are from among the greatest means of protection, especially at the time of emergence of anger and desire.

10. Abstinence from excess speech, food and mixing with people.

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Reference:

Summarized from Bida’i` al-Fawa’id (304-308)

Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Concerning obstacles and trials in the life of the believer

Concerning obstacles and trials in the life of the believer

Ibn Al-Qayyim said: Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) said to me on an occasion:

((Obstacles and trials are like warmth and cold; so if the servant knows that they are both imperative – then he does not become angry due to their occurrence and nor does he grieve due to that and nor does he become saddened.))

Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah

Jaami' al-aadaab vol 1 p.402

Translated by Aboo Haatim Muhammad Farooq

Taken from: http://www.fatwaislam.com/fis/index.cfm?scn=fd&ID=630