Part 1

HEAVEN'S DOOR Part Two of Tazkiyat an-Nufus wa Tarbiyyatuha kama Yuqarriruhu 'Ulama as-Salaf The Purification of the Soul according to the earliest sources compiled from the works of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya, and Abu Hamid al-Ghazali collected and arranged by Ahmad Farid Al-Firdous Ltd, London Contents INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................4 AUTHOR'S PREFACE .............................................................................................................7 ENJOINING GOOD AND FORBIDDING EVIL ....................................................................9 FIGHTING IN THE WAY OF ALLAH .................................................................................13 REMEMBERING DEATH .....................................................................................................17 PUNISHMENT AND BLESSINGS IN THE GRAVE...........................................................23 THE DAY OF RISING............................................................................................................28 HEAVEN AND HELL ............................................................................................................36 CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................47 COUNSEL ON DEATH..........................................................................................................50 DEDICATION This book is dedicated to the memory of Jihad Hozayien, born on the 5th Dhu'l-Qida 1405 / 23rd July 1985 and died on the 2nd Shawwal 1423 / 6th December 2002, may Allah have mercy on him. ( Do not suppose that those killed in the Way of Allah are dead. No indeed! They are alive and well provided for in the very presence of their Lord, delighting in the favour Allah has bestowed on them, rejoicing over those they left behind who have not yet joined them, feeling no fear and knowing no sorrow, rejoicing in blessings and favour from Allah and that Allah does not let the wage of the muminun go to waste. )(3: 169-171) I This book comprises the secon Tarbiyyatuha kama Yuqarriru which has already been publis concerned with assisting the tr into the next — and should be Whereas The Purification of th and purifying the heart — on w concerned firstly, with outwar of inward intention, and secon action — which we meet both Actions are known and evalua on knowledge. The actions of if outwardly they may appear it is only once the heart has be the actions of others. If the tea the teacher's words — and how As we have seen in The Purifi on being detached from the w gives shaytan the opportunity Desire for this world and what world appear to be all there is existent. If this is your view of wants. Detachment from this world d awareness that wherever you a are awake and shaytan has no dream. Ahmad ibn Amir, may Allah b Shaytan : and his weap Desire : and its weapon This world : whose wea INTRODUCTION nd part of the English translation of Tazkiyat uhu 'Mama as-Salaf compiled by Ahmed Fari shed under the title The Purification of the So raveller in life to pass smoothly through this w e read together. he Soul is concerned primarily with the scien which good inward intentions depend, Heave rd action — which is the manifestation and ou ndly, with the consequences of inward intentio h in this life and after we have died. ated by the intentions behind them and intenti a wise man are very different to those of an i to be similar. Good actions are dependant on een purified that a person can concern themse acher's heart is not sound, how can the teache w can he or she teach others? ication of the Soul, this soundness of the hear orld, since desire for the world is what distrac to cause mischief. t it contains can possess the self and blind the , and the next world just a dream or a fairy ta f existence, then you are asleep and shaytan h depends largely on knowledge of the next wor are, Allah is present. If this is your view of ex power over you — and it is this world which be pleased with him, said, "You have four ene ons are a full belly, and his prison is hunger. n is speech, and it is imprisoned by silence. apon is to meet people, and it is imprisoned b an-Nufus wa d, the first part of oul. Both books are world and safely nce of awakening en's Door is utward expression on and outward ions are dependant ignorant fool, even n a clean heart, and elves with guiding er's actions mirror rt depends largely cts the self and e heart, making this ale and Allah nonhas you where he rld — and on xistence, then you h seems like a emies : by retreat. The self : whose weapon is sleep, and it is imprisoned by sleeplessness."1 It has been related by sayyedina 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that once when he visited the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who was lying on a mat in his small room, he was moved to tears when he saw how little the Prophet possessed. When the Prophet asked him why he was weeping, sayyedina 'Umar replied, 'O Messenger of Allah, how can I not cry?