Part 1

The Humility in Prayer

THE SAYING OF ALLAH,

“Tt is the believers who are successful: those who are humble in their prayer...”

[Quran - AL-MU'IMINUN (23): 1-2]

APPENDIX I-III Ibn al-Qayyim on Khushi‘ Ibn al-Qayyim on Hypocritical Khushi‘ Ibn Taymiyyah on The Ruling of Khushi‘ in Prayer

Translated from the original Arabic by Aba Rumaysah

THE AUTHOR Abi’l-Faraj ibn Rajab

Khushi‘ The Meaning of Khushi‘ Hypocritical Humility The Source of Khushi‘ The first thing to be lost is khushi‘ Beneficial Knowledge The True Slaves of Allah

Actions of prayer conducive to Khushi‘

Being Attentive in Prayer

Supplication Loving the humble and poor Arrogance

Ibn al-Qayyim on Khushi‘

Ibn al-Qayyim on Hypocritical Khushi‘

Ibn Taymiyyah on The Ruling of Khushi‘ in Prayer

INDEX OF VERSES INDEX OF AHADITH INDEX OF SECTS

INDEX OF ARABIC WORDS

THE AUTHOR Hafiz Abi’l-Faraj ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

He is the Imam and Hafiz, Zaynu’l-Din ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Abdir-Rahman ibn al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn Abt- |-Barakat Mas‘id al-Sulami al-Hanbali al-Dimashqi. His agnomen was Abi’l-Faraj, and his nickname was Ibn Rajab, which was the nickname of his grandfather who was born in that month.

He was born in Baghdad in 736H and was raised by a knowledgeable and pious family. He died on a Monday night, the fourth of Ramadan, 795H in al-Humariyyah, Damascus.

He learned and took knowledge from the greatest scholars of his time. In Damascus, he studied under Ibn al-Qayyim, Zaynu'l-Din al-‘Iraqi, ibn an-Naqib, Muhammad ibn Isma‘il alKhabbaz, Dawid ibn Ibrahim al-‘Attar, ibn Qati al-Jabal and Ahmad ibn ‘Abdu-l-Hadi al-Hanbali. In Makkah, he heard from al-Fakhr ‘Uthman ibn Yasuf al-Nuwayri. In Jerusalem, he heard from alHafiz al-‘Ala’l. In Egypt, he heard from Sadru’l-Din Abi’l-Fath al-Maydimi and Nasiru’l-Din ibn al-Mulik.

Many students of knowledge came to him to study under him.

Hafiz Abi'l-Faraj ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

Amongst the most famous of his students were: Abi’l-‘Abbas Ahmad ibn Aba Bakr ibn ‘Ali al-Hanbali; Aba’l-Fadl Ahmad ibn Nasr ibn Ahmad; Dawid ibn Sulayman al-Mawsili; ‘Abdu’lRahman ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Mugri’; Zayni’l-Din ‘Abdu’l-Rahman ibn Sulayman ibn Abi’l-Karam; Abi Dharr alZarkashi; al-Qadi ‘Ala’t’l-Din ibn al-Laham al-Ba‘li; and Ahmad ibn Sayfa’l-Din al-Hamawi.

Ibn Rajab devoted himself to knowledge and spent the vast majority of his time researching, writing, authoring, teaching, and giving legal rulings.

Many scholars praised him for his vast knowledge, asceticism and expertise in the Hanbali school of thought. Ibn Qadi Shuhbah said of him, ‘He read and became proficient in the various fields of science. He engrossed himself with the issues of the madhab until he mastered it. He devoted himself to the occupation of knowledge of the texts, defects and meanings of the hadith.”

Ibn Hajr said of him, ‘He was highly proficient in the science of hadith in terms of the names of reporters, their biographies, their paths of narration and awareness of their meanings.”

Ibn Muflih said of him, ‘He is the Shaykh, the great scholar, the Hafiz, the ascetic, the Shaykh of the Hanbali madhab and he authored many beneficial works.”

‘Ibn Qadi al-Shuhbah, 7zrikA, vol. 3, p. 195. * ibn Hajr, Jnba’u'/-Ghamr, vol. 1, p. 460.

* al-Magqsad al-Arshad, vol. 2, p. 81.

He wrote many beneficial works, some of them outstanding such as a/-Qawa‘d al-Kubra_f'l-Furi‘ about which it was said, ‘It is one of the wonders of this age.”* His commentary to Al-Tirmidhi is said to be the most extensive and best ever written so much so that al-‘Iragi; about whom ibn Hajr said, ‘He was the wonder of his age’; would ask for his help when compiling his own commentary to the same book.

= Moreover he has many valuable monographs explaining various ahadith such as: Sharh Hadith Ma Dhi’bani Jai‘an Ursila fi Ghanam, Ikhtiyar al-Awla Sharh Hadith Ikhtisam al-Mala alAla, Nar al-Iqtibas fi Sharh Wastyyah al-Nabi i ibn ‘Abbas, and Kashfu'l-Kurbah fi Wasfi Hali Abli-l-Ghurbab.

= In exegesis his works include: Tafsir Surah al-Ikblas, Tafsir seerah al-Fatibaly, Tafsir seerah al-Nasr, and al-Istighna’ bi'lQuran.

= In hadith his works include: Sharh Wal al-Tirmidhi, Fathu’lBari Sharh Sabib al-Bukharé; and Jami‘ al-Ulim wa’l-Hikam.

= In biographies his works include the monumental Dhay/ ‘ala. Tabaqati'l-Hanabilab.

= In exhortation his works include: Lata’if al-Ma‘anf and al-Takhwif min al-Nar.

‘ibn ‘Abdu’l-Hadi, Dhay/ ‘ala Tabagat ibn Rajab, p. 38.

With the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful It is His aid that we seek and “all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.”

The Hafiz and ‘Allamah, Zayn al-Din ibn al-Shaykh Aba’l-‘Abbias Ahmad ibn Rajab, may Allah fill his life with blessings, said:

This is a treatise we have written concerning humility (Abushi’') and the hearts meekness and breaking (inkisar)' before the Lord.

All praise is due to Allah, mender of hearts which have broken for His sake and, by His grace, forgiver of the sins of the penitent. | testify that none has the right to be worshipped save Allah Alone; He has no partners and there is nothing like Him. I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger; He sent him with

''The term ‘broken hear?’ refers to a heart that is filled with humility, subservience, and quietude as a result of its love and awe of Allah, Most High.

guidance and the Religion of Truth that it may reign supreme over all religions,> He gave him the choice of being a ProphetKing or a Messenger-Servant and he chose the station of servitude coupled with messengership.’

He (4) would say, “O Allah, make me live as one lowly and humble (miskin), make me die as one lowly and humble, and resurrect me amongst the ranks of the lowly and humble,’”* thereby alluding to the nobility and excellence of this station. Peace and blessings be upon him, his family, his Companions, and those who hold tightly to his rope after him.

In His Book, Allah, Glorious and Most High, has commended those who are meek (mukhbit) before Him, and those who have broken in the face of His grandeur; rendered submissive (Ahadi‘) and humble (&Aashi‘) in its presence. He, Most High, says,

On SOG Ci Cica ek;

* as Allah says, “It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth to exalt it over every other religion even though the polytheists detest it.” [a/-Tawbabh (9): 33] cf. a/-Fath (48): 28 and a/-Saff (61): 9

* The discussion on this will follow in the third chapter.

* Tirmidhi #2352 on the authority of Anas and he said it was gharib, ibn Majah #4126 on the authority of Abi Sa‘id, and Tabarani, a~Dx'‘a on the authority of ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit, all with da‘if isnads, however the hadith is sahih.

It was also recorded on the authority of Abu Sa‘id by Hakim #7911 who said it was sahih with Dhahabi agrecing; it was also ruled sahih by Suyat, a/-/ami‘ alSaphir #1454, and Albani, Sabih al-Jami‘ #1261, al-Sabibah #308, al-Inva’ #861. cf. Sakhawi, Magasid al-Hasanah #166

“They outdid each other in good actions, calling out to Us in yearning and awe, and humbling themselves to Us.”*

ROA ON SOAIIISS) Sd Guah

Leeder te cae PATS PSEA | PEN | POOR BO | 1 Crh yor ally ue Ny ally

He describes the believers as those who have husha‘ in the best action of worship they perform, and perform diligently,

ORS PeIAUiOs jal “It is the believers who are successful: those who are humble in their prayer...”

” al-Mu'iminin (23): 1-2

He describes those who have been granted knowledge as people having khushi‘ when they hear His words rehearsed to them,

BIG ree oe ia Geet it

“Certainly, when it is recited to them, those who were given knowledge fall on their faces in prostration, saying, ‘Glory be to our Lord! The promise of our Lord is truly fulfilled!’ Weeping, they fall to the ground in prostration, and it increases them in humility.”*

The Meaning of Khushi‘

The basic meaning of &hushui‘ is the softness of the heart, its being gentle, still, submissive, broken, and yearning. The Messenger of Allah (4g) said, “Of a surety there is a morsel of flesh in the body, if it is sound, the whole body will be sound, but if it is corrupt, the whole body will be corrupt. It is the heart.”

When the heart is humble, so too is the hearing, seeing, head, and face; indeed all the limbs and their actions are humbled, even speech. This is why the Prophet (4) would say in his bowing

" Bukhari #52-2051 and Muslim #1599

The Meaning of Khushi‘

(mk), “My hearing, sight, bones, and marrow are humbled to You,” '’ another narration has, “and whatever my foot carries.

One of the Salaf saw a man fidgeting in his prayer and remarked, ‘If the heart of this person was humble, so too would his limbs be.’ This is reported from Hudhayfah (radiyAMlahu ‘anhu)'* and Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib,” and it is also reported from the Prophet (4%) but is not authentic."

Mas‘adi reports on the authority of a person who narrated to him that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiyAliahu ‘anhu) said concerning His saying,

“,..those who are humble in their prayer...”

‘It refers to the humility of the heart, that you soften your shoulder for a Muslim (praying next to you), and that you do not

" Muslim #771 on the authority of ‘Ali.

"Ahmad #960 on the authority of ‘Ali and it was declared sahih by ibn Khuzaymah #607

" Tbn Nasr al-Marwazi, 7a‘zim Qadr al-Salah #150 with a da‘if isnad

'’ Marwazi #151 and ibn al-Mubarak, a/Zuwhd #419 with a da‘if isnad. "It was ruled mawdat by Albani, a/-Da'ifab #110 and a/-/nva’ #373

"* al-Mwiminin (23): 2

" Waki’, a/Zuhd #328, ibn al-Mubiarak, a/-Zuhd #1148 with a da‘if isnad. Suyiiti, a/-Durr a/-Manthir, vol. 10. pg. 557 records that ibn ‘Umar said in com-

look here and there in your prayer.”

‘Ata’ ibn al-Sa’ib reported on the authority of a person that ‘Ali (radiy Wahu ‘anhu) said, ‘Khusha‘ refers to the humility of the heart and that you do not look left and right.’

‘Aliibn Aba Talhah narrated that ibn ‘Abbas said in commentary to the above verse, ‘Those who are fearful and still.’

Ibn Shawdhab narrated that al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, ‘Humility had taken root in their hearts so their gazes were lowered and their limbs became subservient.’'*

Mansir reported that Mujahid said, “The foundation of &hushii‘ is in the heart and quietude in prayer.’