Part 10

True Fear of Allah Results in all Good

third one said: “Allah, I was in love with a cousin of mine but when I approached her she said: ‘Fear Allah and do not break the seal without right,’ so I got up, off her. If I did that for Your sake, help us now.” The whole rock was lifted and they were able to escape.”*”

Somebody had seen Sufyan al-Thauri” in his dream and he was asked: “What did Allah do to you?” He replied: “I had only been put into the grave and there I was, in front of Lord of the Worlds. T entered and straight away met someone who said: ‘Sufyan?’ I said: ‘[Yes, I am] Sufyan.’ He said: ‘Do you remember a day you preferred Allah over your desires?” I said: ‘Yes’ [upon answering] I was immediately served with big food plates from Paradise”

The Lives of Our Pious Predecessors

OU SHOULD AIM TO BE PERFECT and as motivated as man can be, as many people are restricting themselves either to isolation from worldly matters or studying Sacred Knowledge, and only very few combine complete knowledge with complete action. I have acquainted myself with the lives of the Tabi‘un and those after them and found the most complete of them to be four: Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib,” alHasan al-Basri, Sufyan al-Thauri and Ahmad ibn Hanbal” may

% Said ibn al-Musayyib Aba Muhammad al-Qurashi al-Makhziimi: The great Imam and scholar of Madinah and the best of the Tabi‘in in his time (d. 73). AL-Hafiz al-Dhahabi said (a/Siyar, 4/219): ‘He had outstanding knowledge and application of it. For his biography, refer to: Hihyatw’l-Auliya’, 2/161, Siar alAllim al-Nubula’, 4/217, 246, Tathkirat al-Huffaz, 1/51, Ibn Sa‘d: al-Tabagat 5/ 119, Ibn al-Jawzi has dedicated a two volume book for his life and virtues as mentioned in Siyar al-A'lém al-Nubula’, 21/369, and al-Dhayl, 1/418.

The Lives of Our Pious Predecessors

Allah be pleased with them. These were only men but they had high ambitions and determination which we are lacking. Many of our predecessors were highly motivated, and if you wish to learn about them just read through Siat al-Safwa.? You can ponder over the lives of Sa‘id, al-Hasan, Sufyan and Ahmad” if you wish as I have dedicated a whole book for each one of them.

knowledge on it” (p. 52, 53), Al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab described them as ‘The Rabbani scholars, the scholars of Afterlife.’

Memorisation is Your Actual Capital

Y SON, you are awate that I have written a hundred books” and from amongst them is a/-Zafsir al-Kabir which consists of twenty volumes”, a/-Tarikh which is twenty volumes as well. The rest of them are big and small, some five volumes, some four, some three, some two, and some more or less. By authoring these books I have left you in no need of

% Al-Dhahabi said (a/-Siyar, 21/368): ‘In safiir he authored the large al-Mughni and then abridged it to four volumes and entitled it Zéd al-Masir? Ibn Rajab said (Tbail Tabagat al-Hanabila, 1/416): ‘A\-Mughni, the tafsir, consists of 81 parts, and Zad al-Masirfi ‘Win al-Tafsir of four parts. The latter has been printed by al-Maktab al-Islam (1364 AH) in nine parts with the verification of Zubayr alShawish.

Memorization is Your Actual Capital

borrowing books or focusing on writing them yourself. Therefore, you should focus on memorising, for memorisation is your main capital and using what you have memorised is your profit. Sincerely seek refuge in the Truth (Allah) in both affairs and stay well within His boundaries. Allah says:

If you support Allah, He will support you. [Muhammad : 7

And: bus sd asia Remember Me and I shall remember you. [a/-Bagarah : 152} And: wie tl eg Paes cralssls

Pulfill My covenant and I shall fulfill yours. [a/-Bagarah : 40]

Beware of just having theoretical knowledge without putting it into action, for those who accompany the rulers and associate with worldly people have turned their backs to enacting their knowledge which in turn has deprived them of the blessings and benefit it can bring.

Knowledge and Action are Intertwined

E CAREFUL OF BUSYING YOURSELF with mere worship with no learning, as many ascetics and Siifis have gone astray due to acting without knowledge.”

Cover yourself with the two beautiful garments that will not make you famous among the material folks with their classiness, nor famous among the ascetics with their ruggedness. Take your-

Knowledge and Action are Intertwined

self to account for every glance, word and step you take as you will be asked about all of it.

Those who hear you speak will benefit from your knowledge according to how much you yourself benefit ftom it. When a pteacher doesn’t apply his knowledge his exhortation will flow off the hearts’ surface like water flows off a rock.”*

So, do not ever preach without an intention and do not walk without an intention. Don’t even swallow a bite without an intention.” All of this will become clear to you once you get acquainted with the characteristics of our predecessors.

%8 Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi related (Igtida’ al-‘Ihn al-“Amal, p. 97) by way of Ja‘far from Malik who said: “I read the following from the Torah: ‘When a scholar does not act upon his knowledge, his admonishment flows off peoples’ hearts like a drop of water flows off a rock” Ibn al-Jawzi said (al-Yawagit al-Jawziyyah, p. 95): “Knowledge and action are twins whose mother is high motivation.”

* You can read about intention and its importance: Jami‘ ‘Ulum wa al-Hikam, p.

Some Excellent Books to Read

" Tbn al-Jawzi has authored a book on how to deal with one’s Lord and his servants called Minhdj al-Qasidin which he abridged from bya’ Ulim al-Din, He said in a/-Qisds wa al-Muthakkirin that the book discusses these methodologies, butit hasn’t been printed to this day. Its manuscripts are located in Paris (1295), Turkey (al-Fatih, 2872) and al-Zahitiyyah (24-Tasawwy). An abridgment of the book has been printed, however, I do not know whether Minhdj al Qasidin and Minhaj al-Muridin are one and the same or not. Allah really knows best. Al-Hafiz al-Dhahabi mentioned Minhdj al-Qasidin being two volumes whilst Ibn Rajab said it consists of four.

'' Said al-Khatir (Grasped Thoughts) is one of al-Hafiz Ibn al-Jawzi’s books which is a record of grasped thoughts, affairs and ideas he had been thinking about that should really have been memorised so they would not be forgotten as mentioned in the preface of the book. According to al-Dhahabi, the book is four volumes and Ibn Rajab mentions that it consists of 65 parts. It has been printed by Dar al-Kutub al-Hadithiyyab with the verification of Muhammad Ghazili, Maktaba al-Kulliyat al-Axharigah with verification by ‘Abd al-Qadir

Some Excellent Books to Read