Have You Abandoned the Qur’an? Ibn Qayyim

Allah says in the Quran: "And the Messenger will say: '“O my Lord! My people have abandoned this Qur’an!”' [25:30]    

The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: ‘Indeed, God elevates a people by this Book and debases others by it.’ [Muslim, no.817]

This hadith probably goes some way in explaining why Muslims – and what is still referred to as Muslim world – are in the plight and predicament they are in.

 In his work on miscellaneous spiritual benefits, al-Fawa’id, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H/1350CE) describes five ways in which the Qur’an may be ignored, neglected and even deserted! Only by being aware of these ways can we offer a candid response to: Have we parted company with the Qur’an?

Abandoning the Qur’an is of various types:

Firstly, refusing to listen to it and believe in it or to pay any heed to it.

Secondly, ceasing to act on it and abide by what it declares as lawful or unlawful, even if one reads it and believes in it.

Thirdly, to abandon judging by it and being judged by it, whether in the fundamentals of the faith or in its branches; and to believe that it does not beget certainty or that its textual wordings do not beget sure knowledge.

Fourthly, neglecting to ponder over it or comprehend it; not seeking to uncover what the Speaker intended by it.

Fifthly, to abandon seeking a cure or healing through it in respect to the diseases of the heart and its maladies, but rather to seek healing for such illnesses from other than it.

All of this is included in Allah’s words: And the Messenger will say: “O my Lord! My people have abandoned this Qur’an!” [25:30] This being the case, even though certain forms of abandonment are more detestable than others.’1

≈

1. Al-Fawa’id (Makkah: Dar ‘Alam al-Fawa’id, 2008), 118.

Taken with slight modifications from http://thehumblei.com/2012/10/21/have-you-parted-company-with-the-quran/

What is Qalb? part-4: Qalb-e-Saleem

Qalb-e-Saleem (Safe heart): Dr Rafiq Ahmed

Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’ân:

إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

“But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah Ta’ala a sound heart”. (26:89)

For real prosperity you need a properly functioning heart that is liked by Allah Ta’ala. Saleem is a word derived from Salaamat. It is a broad term but we can translate it as 'safe', also. Qalb is necessary for the real prosperity and safe Qalb is liked by Allah Ta’ala.

The safe Qalb means that all the qualities (latent or manifest) that have been given to it, are not wasted. The immense potential, which Allah Ta’ala has bestowed to the human Qalb is intact and well used and not disused.

It was already mentioned that man has been selected for expression of all the Attributes of Allah Ta’ala. Man's Qalb is framed to accommodate the faculties of quite different and opposing nature, as man is a mixture of opposites. If each faculty of Qalb remains in its right proportion and limits and each does its job in a just manner, it can be called as Saleem (safe). What is safe, is sound and healthy as well. If it is not safe, it is not sound and healthy i.e., it is diseased. When it is diseased, it stops doing its function. It is the king of all parts of the body and when the king becomes defunct one can imagine the fate of the nation (the man).

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) says:

ألا وإنّ في الجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إذا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الجَسدُ كُلُّهُ وإذا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ ألا وهْيَ القَلبُ

 “ Indeed there is a piece of flesh in the body (the heart) when that stays right, the whole body stays right, when that goes astray, the whole body goes astray! Listen with open ears, that is Qalb” (Bukhâri Sharief)

When the king is in right condition and functions properly, the subjects will be in right condition and they will also function properly and vice versa.

What is 'Qalb-e-Saleem' (A Pure-Heart)? An Explanation:

Explanation of the Quranic word 'Qalb-e-Saleem' by various Imams:

Allah says in the Quran, “The day when wealth and children will not benefit anyone except he who will come to Allah with a Qalb-e-Saleem.” (Surah Shu’ara 26, Aayah 88-89).

Our beloved Nabi Muhammad (SAWS) used to say in his Du’aa: “O Allah! I ask you for a Qalb-e-Saleem.” (Tirmidhi: On the authority of Shaddad bin Aws.) 

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) says:

ألا وإنّ في الجَسَدِ مُضْغَةً إذا صَلَحَتْ صَلَحَ الجَسدُ كُلُّهُ وإذا فَسَدَتْ فَسَدَ الجَسَدُ كُلُّهُ ألا وهْيَ القَلبُ

 “ Indeed there is a piece of flesh in the body (the heart) when that stays right, the whole body stays right, when that goes astray, the whole body goes astray! Listen carefully, that is the Qalb” (Bukhâri)

 'Saleem' is a word derived from 'Salaamat'. It is a broad term but we can translate it as 'safe and sound'.

The 'Qalb e Saleem' means that all the qualities (latent or manifest) that have been given to it, are not wasted. The immense potential, which Allah Ta’ala has bestowed to the human Qalb is intact and well used and not disused. 

It was already mentioned that man has been selected for expression of all the Attributes of Allah Ta’ala. Man's Qalb is designed to accommodate the faculties of quite different and opposing nature, as man is a mixture of opposites. 

If each faculty of Qalb remains in its right proportion and limits and each does its job in a just manner, it can be called as 'Saleem' (safe, sound and healthy). What is safe, is sound and healthy as well. If it is not safe, it is not sound and healthy i.e., it is diseased. 

When it is diseased, it stops doing its function. It is the king of all parts of the body and when the king becomes defunct one can imagine the fate of the nation (the man). 

Mentioned below are the different ways in which the Imams and Ulema (scholars) of the Salaf (early Muslims) have interpreted and explained the phrase 'Qalb-e-Saleem':

 1. Abdullah bin Abbas, Mujaahid, Qataadah, Ibn Sireen and many others (R.A.A.) are of the opinion that Qalb-e-Saleem is a heart that is absolutely free from Kufr (disbelief) and Nifaaq (hypocrisy). 

Ibn Sirin said, "The clean heart knows that Allah is true, that the Hour will undoubtedly come and that Allah will resurrect those who are in the graves.'' [Ruh-ul-Ma’aani, Ibn Katheer, etc.]

 2. It is heart that is free from Kibr (pride), Hasad (jealousy) and Hiqd (hatred). In the words of Qurtubi (R.A.A.) it is a Khaalis (sincere) heart. This opinion is supported by the following:
 i.) Rasoolullah (SAWS) said: “None of you can (truly) believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

 ii.) He  (SAWS)  also said: “A group of people will enter Jannah – their hearts are like the hearts of the birds.” (Muslim)

 iii.) Anas bin Maalik (R.A.) used to say that: “Most of the dwellers of Jannah are AL-Bulh.” According to one interpretation Al-Bulh are people who have clean hearts and who always entertain good thoughts regarding others (Qurtubi). Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said, "The clean heart is the sound heart.''

 3. It is the heart which, due to extreme love for Allah and His Rasool  (SAWS) , leads to total obedience to Allah and his Rasool  (SAWS) . This opinion is supported by the following:

 i.) Rasoolullah  (SAWS)  said: “…. There is a piece of flesh in the body; if it is good, the whole body is good. And if it is bad, the whole body is bad. Listen! That piece of flesh is the heart.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

 ii.) The Salaf (pious predecessors) used to say: “The heart is the king of the limbs and the rest of the limbs are its soldiers; they always obey him by implementing his instructions and they never disobey him in any regard. (Remember) when the king is pious, his soldiers will also be pious. Similarly, when the king is sinful, his soldiers will also be sinful.” (Jaami-ul-Uloom wal-Hikam by Ibn Rajab Hanbali)

 iii.) According to one interpretation the statement of Anas (RA) that: “Most of the dwellers of Jannah are Al-Bulh” refers to people who “don’t know sin”. (Qurtubi)

 4. Sa’eed bin Musayyab (RA) explains that the Arabs very often used the word 'Saleem' in the meaning of 'Ladeegh' (one who was bitten by a snake or scorpion) and this is exactly the case in the phrase Qalb-e-Saleem. (Ruh-ul-Ma’aani, etc). 

Thus Qalb-e-Saleem is the heart which, due to extreme fear for Allah, is like the heart of a person who has just been bitten by a scorpion. (Qurtubi). In the words of Abu Bakr ibn-ul-Arabi (R.A.A.) it is a heart that is “burnt and stung with fear (for Allah)" [Ahkaam-ul-Qur’an]. 

Some commentators of Hadith claim that the group of people who will enter Jannah because “their hearts are like the hearts of the birds” (Muslim) refer to people whose hearts are overwhelmed with fear for Allah.

It is our duty to make an effort to inculcate this Qalb-e-Saleem. May Allah guide us all to make such an effort and may He bless us all with the Qalb-e-Saleem. Aameen


More on 'Qalb-e-Saleem': 

http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-is-qalb-part-4-qalb-e-saleem.html
and
http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012/02/polishing-hearts-by-imam-ibn-qayyim-al.html

Detailed article on importance of "Qalb" (heart) in Islamic spirituality:
http://tazkiyatips.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-is-qalb-heart-by-dr-rafiq-ahmed.html

TAQWA SELF-CHECK: HOW TO RECOGNIZE PIETY IN ONE'S SELF?

 
HOW TO RECOGNIZE PIETY?
 

Someone once asked Hadhrat Shafeeq bin Ibraheem (R.A), "People call me a pious person. How can piety be recognized?"

The reply was, “It can be recognized by three factors. These are:
 
1. Explain your inner condition to the pious people. If they are satisfied, then you are pious, otherwise not.

2. Offer the world to your heart. If it refuses the world then you are pious, otherwise not.

3. Offer death to yourself. If you are pleased with it, then you are pious, otherwise not.

 If a person has these three qualities, he should thank Allah and display humility. He should then never allow ostentation to infect his actions, for this will pour water over all that he does."

 

-Taken from 'Tambih-ul-Ghafileen' by Faqih Abu Lais Samarqandi [R.A]

Levels of trust in Allah and our livelihood: Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (r.a)

“And whosoever puts his trust in Allah then He will suffice him.” (65:3)

The prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said, “If you all depend on Allah with true reliance, He would certainly give you provision as He gives it to birds who go forth hungry in the morning and return with a full belly at dusk.” (Related by Tirmidhi, who graded it authentic).

Depending upon Allah in attaining one’s provision is itself a form of worship, and is from the completion and perfection of one’s Iman. People are of different levels in this issue. Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (r.a) has discussed these levels and their consequences in his inimitable style...

Stage I :

Nothing blocks you from direct receiving of Allah's grace and favor except your reliance upon people and connections, on good turns and handouts. Thus creatures are your obstacle to gaining a proper livelihood, in keeping with the exemplary practice of the Prophet. As long as you continue to depend on fellow creatures, hoping for their gifts and favors, going from door to door with your requests, you are associating His creation with Allah. He will therefore punish you with deprivation of that proper livelihood, namely the lawful earnings of this world.

Stage-II

Then, when you have renounced the habit of depending on people and associating them with your Lord (Almighty and Glorious is He), and have resorted to earning your own livelihood, you get to rely on this earning power and become complacent about it, forgetting the gracious favor of your Lord. You are once again behaving like a polytheist [mushrik], only now the polytheism [shirk] is concealed, of a subtler nature than the previous kind. Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) will therefore punish you by depriving you of His favor and of direct access to Him.

Stage-III

When you turn from this in repentance, ceasing to allow the encroachment of polytheism, and forsaking reliance on your own earning power and abilities, you will see that Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) is the Provider. It is He who supplies the means, the facilities and the energy one needs to make a living, and He is the One who enables all good results to be achieved. All sustenance is in His hand. At times He may supply it to you by way of other people, through your appealing to them while in distress or trying straits, or in response to your appeal to Him (Almighty and Glorious is He), sometimes by way of earned remuneration, and at still other times by His spontaneous favor, in such a way that you do not see the intervening cause and means.

Stage-IV

You have turned again to Him, casting yourself down before Him, and He has lifted the veil between you and His favor. He has made Himself accessible to you, and graciously ministers to all your needs in the measure appropriate to your condition, acting like a kind and tactful physician who is also a friend to the patient. As a precaution on His part, and to purge you of any attachment to anyone but Him, He satisfies you with His favor.

-Taken from the Sixteenth Discourse from Futuh al-Ghaib of Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani (r.a)

THE NIGHT PRECEDING ‘EID-UL-FITR & sunnahs of Eid day

THE NIGHT PRECEDING ‘EID-UL-FITR

by Shaykh Fayaz Tilly

Even though this night has been named Lailatul Jaiza, it is unfortunate that us Muslims do not take advantage of such an oppurtunity to gain reward and blessings. Rather, at times we get so engaged in renting cars, shopping for nice clothes, applying henna etc., that we become negligent of the commands of Allah (swt).

Prophetic traditions have stated that Allah (swt) rewards His fasting slaves on this very night, by accepting one's du‘as. Thus a person's every wish and prayer will be granted. Therefore one should perform nafl, recite Qur'an and perform zikr on this night.

The Holy Prophet (saw) is also reported to have said: "Whoever stands up (in worship) in the night preceding the two eids expecting reward form Allah, his heart will not die when other hearts will die," (Ibn Majah).

In order to benefit and gain blessings from this night one should strive to perform a great number of good deeds on this sacred occasion.

ON THE DAY OF ‘EID-UL-FITR

To perform the following on the day of ‘Eid are Sunnah:

1. To wake up early.
2. To use Miswak.
3. To take a shower.
4. To put on one's best clothes.
5. To use ‘Itr (Scent).
6. To eat something sweet, preferably dates before the ‘Eid prayer.
7. To recite Takbir-ut-Tashriq (Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La Ilaha Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahilhamd) in a soft voice while going to the ‘Eid prayer.
8. To proceed to the ‘Eid prayer one way and to return home from another way.

7 Conditions to Purify your Heart in Ramadhan

In his works Imam Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr (ibn Al-Qayyim) elucidates seven conditions that we, as Muslims must possess for our hearts to be saleem (Healthy & Sound).

The below article shows us how these seven conditions can be easily achieved in Ramadhan so as to purify our heart and make it 'Qalb-e-Saleem'.

The heart is the seat of Iman, or faith.  The heart is the source of all righteous action. Purity (Tazkiya) of the heart shows itself by transforming knowledge into action. Sickness of the heart shows itself by meeting reminders with heedlessness.

In his mercy, Allah has sent Ramadan to us to purify our hearts. Though we may lose sight of it, during Ramadan while our bodies are fasting, our hearts should be feasting. In this celebration of self-restraint, we should also be celebrating a degree of nourishment for our hearts that we do not normally find the rest of the year. 

We should be revelling in this break Allah has given us to look inward - revelling in the freedom we find from the addictions and preoccupations that normally chain our hearts to our base desires. We should find joy in the liberation that comes with moving closer to Allah. 
The temporary cessation of our seemingly endless quest for material pleasure should afford us the opportunity to strengthen our hearts and indeed to purify them.

* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * *

The seven conditions  to attain Purity of Heart in Ramadhan:

* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * *
1) In this month, we must establish a sense of belonging to the next world.

Allah SubhanahuwaTa'Ala says in Suratul-Hadid.

(surah 57.  ayat 20)
"know you (all), that the life of This world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. here is a similitude: How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; Thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. but In the Hereafter is a penalty severe (for the devotees of
wrong). and forgiveness from Allah and (His) good pleasure (for the devotees of Allah.. and what is the life of This world, but goods and chattels of deception?"

The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahuAlayheWaSallam said:
“What have I got to do with the material world. The example of the material world and I is that of a traveller. Traveling in the afternoon heat, he stopped to rest under the shade of a tree for some moments. Then, he rose and left it.”
 -Tirmidhi, Ahmad (Hasan)

Again, seperation from those desires that normally consume our days, should allow us to reflect, to think about the deception of this life. To understand the deception that lies in living each day only for the fleeting pleasure of eating, drinking, sleeping or copulating.
Allah is detatching us from these things so that we can begin to understand what he and his messenger are telling us -- that to continuously pursue pleasure, is to chase something that will escape from you as soon as you catch it, and will cause a person to forget their return to Allah.

“And hell is brought near that day; on that day man will remember, but how will the remembrance avail him? He will say: Ah, would that I had sent before me (some provision) for my life!” -- [Al Fajr 89/23-24]

Ali – Radi Allahu ‘anhu – once stood at the head of a grave and said to his companion, “If he had a chance to return to this life, what do you think he would do?” His companion
replied, “He would do nothing but good deeds.” Ali – Radi Allahu ‘anhu – then said, “If it is not going to be him, then let it be you.”


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
2) Our hearts must begin to feel remorse and anguish upon committing sins.

The Messenger of Allah said:
"Beware of sins which are treated as being minor, just like a people who encamp in the centre of a valley, so someone brings a stick of firewood and someone else brings a stick until they are therefore able to bake their bread.
Likewise sins which are treated as being minor and for which the person is taken to account will destroy him."  Reported by Ahmad (5/331) and others.
'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood said: The believer sees his sins as if he were sitting beneath a mountain which he feared was about to fall upon him, whereas the wicked sees his sins like a man who finds a fly settle upon his nose, so he does this (one of the narrators said: He brushes it away from his nose). Reported by al-Bukhari (Eng. Trans. 8/214/no.320) .

The fact that we are doing an act of worship that permeates our entire day should make us more aware of everything that we do. We are aware that not leaving sins during the day will cause Allah to not accept our fast, so we are more inclined to leave sins. In essence because we are fasting we begin to magnify each sin as something that stands between us and our worship of Allah - prevents us from progressing in our quest to come nearer to Allah.
This lesson is one that we should carry with us all of the time. If we thought of each sin as something that would destroy our relationship with Allah, and bring about his anger, we would never commit such acts. But we are a people of forgetfulness -- we are a people that use our good deeds as an excuse to do things we know are displeasing to Allah. Brothers and sisters, Allah is not in need of anything from his creation. It is we who are in need of every good deed we could possibly accumulate in this world.
We cannot ignore the affect committing sin (without striving against it) has on our hearts. Whether this means that we willingly surround ourself with people that continuously commit sins, or we are taking as entertainment things which make light or even promote sins such as drinking alchohol and zina. Brothers and sisters it affects our hearts when we watch things that are contrary to the laws of Allah – but not only do we not avoid these things, indeed we boldly seek them out -- drowning our hearts in a sea of disobedience and then expecting to have humility in our salah. Bringing to our ears endless streams of idle talk and profanity and still expecting that our own tongues speak only good. Does it make sense to believe that our hearts are unaffected by what goes on around us?

* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * *

3) During this month, we must begin to place value where it truly is --
we must begin to feel that the remembrance of Allah is worth more than any material wealth. The third attribute of a healthy heart is that the person is more upset if they miss their daily recitation of Qur'an or Dhikr than if they lost wealth. If the wealth is more dear to us, then that indicates we do not see this Dhikr as essential –we do not have an attitude that our relationship with Allah is in need of maintinence and indeed improvement. If we have such a routine and we have no feeling upon missing it, that most likely means we are continuing to do it out of habit – that the action is upon our limbs, but its place in our heart is vacant.

Can we place a value on the remembrance of Allah? How much would someone have to offer us to make us leave reading the Qur'an during the days of Ramadan. Or if we are
not doing it -- think how much money it would require for us to begin to do that. If someone were to offer $50 for us to finish a Juz' (a 1/30 th part of the Quran) each day would we do it? Would we FIND the time even though we say we might not have it? If so then that means that the enticement of money has a greater effect on our hearts than the reward of Allah.

* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * *

4) During Ramadan we must take pleasure in these acts of Ibadah -- we should feel joy, and peace that our days and nights are being spent fulfilling the purpose for which Allah has created us. The fourth attribute of a heart that is saleem is that it finds greater pleasure in worshipping Allah, than in food and drink.
This should be another point of self examination. We all know the pleasure we feel upon having good food. We have a desire to eat more - perhaps even eat more than we should.
Have we ever had this same pleasure to come from an act of Ibadah. Perhaps for some of us the idea of feeling joy or pleasure from fasting or Salah has never even occurred to us.
Now if this is the case -- that we have never even thought about feeling joy from worshipping Allah we have to ask ourselves if it is really possibly to go through our lives
disliking something and still doing it with excellence. We all know that the things we love are the things we do best. And if we have never considered loving our Salah or loving the Fasting of Ramadan, it goes without saying that these acts of worship then are probably among the worst things we do with regards to the care we put into them and their resulting quality.
If we have felt joy from our acts of worship before, and yet food is still more pleasurable, then that means our hearts are in a constant state of emptiness. The hearts are put at rest
when they are fulfilling the purpose of their creation -- when they are aware of their lord and are looking forward to meeting him. We are trying to satisfy our hearts -- an entity
which is not physical -- with a pleasure that is purely physical and extremely fleeting. Though this may distract us, it will not complete us, will not satisfy our hearts -- and perhaps this is why we must eat so much. Because we are trying to use the food to fill a void that cannot be filled by something material.

Allah says in Surat Ar-Ra'ad:
Verily in the remembrance of Allah do the heart's find rest [Ar-Ra'ad 13:28]
Brothers and sisters are we finding rest worshipping Allah in this month of Ramadan?
Are we finding satisfaction or are we finding our empty stomachs again and again throughout the day -- counting down the hours until we can eat again. Are we finding
pleasure standing before Allah in Tarawih -- if we are doing it at all?
If food is more pleasurable, more desireable to our hearts than Ibadah, that means we have an addiction – it means that our fleeting physical pleasure has a greater place in our heart than the worhsip of Allah.

* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * *

5) Fasting should show us the importance of doing acts of worhsip with sincerity. The fifth attribute is that the person is very concerned with doing deeds solely for the sake of Allah.
We all realize that no one else knows whether we are fasting or not. And usually we think about this in regards to whether or not we eat when others are around. But brothers and sisters fasting with sincerity is abstaining from sins as well. Is it a sincere fast if we are still committing acts of disobedience thinking that no one sees us? Are we just abstaining from food because everyone else is?
The Messenger of Allah, SullallahuAlayheWaSallam said:
"What I fear for you the most is the minor shirk, that is ar-riyaa. Allaah will say on the Day of Judgement when He is rewarding the people for their actions: Go to those for whom you did riyaa for in the world then see if you find the reward
with them." [Related by Ahmad (5/428, 429) and al-Baghawi in Sharh us-Sunnah (4135) from the hadeeth of Mahmood bin Lubaid, radiyallaahu `anhu, with an authentic chain upon the conditions of Muslim.]

We must search within ourselves and find that sincerity -- if we cannot find it while fasting -- an act that is solely between us and Allah, we will not be able to find it the rest of the year, doing acts that are seen by the people.

* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * *

6) During Ramadan we must revive our humility in Salah -- we must find a way to put everything out of our minds except Allah. If we are fasting the whole day, Insha'Allah remembering Allah and then when it comes to Salah we are still distracted, it means our hearts have been infected by a disease. The sixth attribute, then of a heart that is saleem, is that when we stand up for prayer, our worries and concerns leave us.
Now for most of us we commonly experience the opposite phenomenon – that as soon as we make our takbeer every think that we had not been thinking about suddenly comes to
the front of our mind. And to some degree this is navoidable, but we must feel a sense of danger if this occurrence is characteristice of the majority of our Salah.

Allah SubhanahuwaTa'Ala says:
(Surah 39. Az Zumar ayat 22-23)

"So woe to those whose hearts are hardened against celebrating the praises of Allah. They are manifestly
wandering (in error)!
Allah has revealed (from time to time) the Most beautiful Message In the form of a Book, consistent with itself, (yet) repeating (its teaching In various aspects): the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble there at; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the celebration of Allah's praises. such is the guidance of Allah. He guides therewith whom He pleases, but such As Allah leaves to stray, can have none to guide."

If our hearts were softened to Allah's remembrance, to hear the takbeer would be a very affecting thing – we would have humility that would bring our hearts above this influence.
When speaking about the first aspect of knowledge to be raised up, the Prophet(SAWS) said "It is humility, until you will not even see one humble person." [an-Nisaa'ee  in al-Kubraa (3/42), as is found in Tuhfatul-Ashraaf (8/211). And it is related by al-Bazzaar (no. 232), Ahmad (6/26), and by at-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer (18/43), and in his Musnadush-Shaamiyyeen (no. 6867)].

And in another narration:
If you wish, I will inform you of the first knowledge to be raised up: the khushoo'; to the extent that if you enter a congregational mosque, then you will not see a single humble
man in it." At-Tirmidhi Jaami' (no. 2655).

* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * *

7) We must begin to take advantage of our time, especially during Ramadan, as an opportunity to do acts that will be pleasing to Allah. We cannot afford to waste time, or spend it idly. Lastly, then one who has a healthy heart is more stingy about wasting time than the greedy or stingy person is about their wealth.
The Messenger of Allah SallAllahuAlayheWaSallam said:
"The two feet of the son of Aadam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about five (matters):- 1) about his life - how he spent it; 2) about his youth - how he took care of it; 3) about his wealth - how he
earned it; 4) and where he spent it; 5) and about that which he acted upon from the knowledge that he acquired." [at-Tirmidhi, As-Silsilah as-Sahihah #946]
and he said:
"There are two blessings which many people lose: health and free time." Reported by al-Bukhari(Eng.Trans.8/282/no.421)

Brothers and sisters we must occupy ourselves with the remembrance of Allah. There is only free time, time to waste, for the one who has finished his work. The sahaba would
pray to Allah half the year that they be able to reach Ramadan, the rest of the year, they would continue to ask that Allah accept all of their worship during Ramadan. We assume that everything we have ever done, has been accepted from us -- and we allow this to deceive us into thinking we have time to waste -- we have "free time".
The sahaba who were promised Jannah were the most eager in striving for the reward of Allah. We have no such assurance and yet we sit back, satisfied – filling our days with
endless entertainments and diversions. Brothers and sisters now is the time for awakening. Death will soon come to seal all that we have done before it, as our appeal to Allah on the day of judgement.

* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * 
Conclusion:
What Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim has outlined for us is a very comprehensive list of signposts along the path to purification. If there is a time of the year that this path is made easy for the believer, it is this month. By removing the influence of the Shaytan Allah gives us a clear picture of the state of our own hearts. No longer are the voices within us obscured
by the background noise of the Shayatin. We must realize that every evil impulse, every sinful act this month is purely the result of what is in our own hearts. While simultaneously giving us this window into ourselves, Allah has ordained fasting upon us to restrain our pursuit of material pleasures -- in his wisdom he has given us a perfect opportunity to devote all of our energy to self-examination. But Ramadan is also the month of the Qur'an -- so Allah has made clear for us the state of our hearts, removed the distractions that would normally prevent us from working to purify our hearts, and he SubhanahuwaTa'Ala has inundated us with a book that speaks to the hearts -- a book that, if we allow it, will uplift and strengthen our hearts so that they are worthy of being a
place of residence for true and complete Iman.
During these last 10 nights of Ramadan that are approaching let us try to instill in our hearts a belonging to the next world. Let us leave sins and feel remorse and anguish for all we have done in the past. We must prioritize the remembrance of Allah -- if our hearts are to become healthy it should have more value than any material sum. We should find the pleasure in our Ibadah this month that Insha'Allah will stay with us the rest of the year. We must ask Allah to grant us sincerity in all of our acts. We must clear our minds during Salah and not adulterate our worship with thoughts of the worldly life.
And lastly, let us earnestly strive for the days of Ramadan that remain, and indeed for the days of our life that remain to please Allah.

Which heart deserves Allah's grace?

إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ

“But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah Ta’ala a sound heart”. (26:89)

How can a heart become illumined when it has been penetrated by worldly wealth, worldly reputation, offspring, property, idle thoughts and false hopes? When the darkness of the phantoms is dispelled from the heart, Noor will then settle in the heart.

The heart which night and day is fettered in the chains of nafsaani desires, thinking only of food, garments and wives, cannot advance towards Allah Ta'ala because its feet are tied with chains.
The heart which has not been cleansed of the impurities of neglect (ghaflat) and perpetually dwells in negligence, having forgotten the akhirat, cannot enter into the lofty Divine Presence. How can such a heart be granted acceptance in such a pure Court?
Just as an impure (napaak) person is not permitted entry into a Musjid, so too is a heart which has not been purified of the impurities of ghaflat denied entry into the Divine Presence. Such a heart is not granted Divine Acceptance.
The heart which is engrossed in despicable acts, futility and baseless hopes cannot entertain the desire to comprehend the mysteries and subtleties of Allah Ta'ala. When it has repented of its futility, then only will it be endowed with the ability to understand Divine Mysteries.
-Ikmalus Shiyam, commentary on the Hikam

Ihsan part-2: Nearness or in the company of Allah

Ihsan (excellence or perfection in worship) part-2

Regarding “ Nearness or company of Allah”

By Imam Ibn Rajab Hanbali

(Taken from Jami' al-'Ulum wa'l-Hikam; second Hadith explanation)

 

Translated by Abdus Samad Clark

Allah says in the Quran, "His is the most exalted designation in the heavens and the earth," (Surat ar-Rum 27) ,  
 "Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The metaphor of His Light is that of a niche in which there is a lamp." (Surat an-Nur: 35)

A party of the people of knowledge explained the "most exalted designation" and "the metaphor of His Light"mentioned in the above verses as "in the heart of the mumin", which is what Ubayy ibn Ka'b and others of the right-acting first generations said.

It has been mentioned in the hadith that "The best [part] of iman is that you know that Allah is with you wherever you are," and in another hadith, "What is a man's purification of himself?" He said, "That he knows that Allah is with him wherever he is."

At-Tabarani narrated the hadith of Abu Umamah that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Three [people] will be in the shade of Allah, exalted is He, on the Day of Resurrection, the Day on which there is no shade but His shade: a man who knows that Allah is with him wherever he turns..."

The Qur'an expresses this same sense in numerous places, such as in His words, exalted is He, "He is with you wherever you are," (Surat al-Hadid: 4) and His words, "If My slaves ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me," (Surat al-Baqarah: 186) and His words, "Three men cannot confer together secretly without Him being the fourth of them, or five without Him being the sixth of them, or fewer than that or more without Him being with them wherever they are," (Surat al-Mujadilah: 7) and His words, "You do not engage in any matter or recite any of the Qur'an or do any action without Our witnessing you while you are occupied with it," (Surah Yunus: 61) and His words, "We are nearer to him than his jugular vein," (Surah Qaf: 16) and His words, "And they cannot conceal themselves from Allah. He is with them ...." (Surat an-Nisa': 107)

Authentic ahadith are narrated recommending that one should seek to remain conscious of this nearness during the acts of worship, such as his words, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, "If any of you stands praying he hold intimate discourse with his Lord" or "his Lord is between him and the qiblah," (Bukhari and Muslim) and his words, "Truly Allah is before his face when he prays," (Bukhari and Muslim)  and his words, "Allah directs His face towards the face of His slave in his prayer as long as he does not turn away."

There are also his words to those who raised their voices in dhikr, "You are not calling on one who is deaf or absent. You are calling on One Who Hears, Who is Near,"  (Bukhari and Muslim)  and in another version, "...and He is nearer to you than the neck of your riding beast," and in another version, "...and He is nearer to you than the jugular vein."  (Muslim) There are his words, "Allah, mighty is He and majestic, says, 'I am with My slave when he remembers Me and his lips move with [mention of] Me.'" And his words, "Allah, mighty is He and majestic, says, 'I am in the opinion My slave has of Me, and I am with him wherever he remembers Me. If he remembers me in his self, I remember him in Myself. If he remembers me in an assembly, I remember him in an assembly better than it. If he draws nearer to me by the span of a hand, I draw nearer to him by a cubit. If he draws nearer to Me by a cubit, I draw nearer to him by a fathom [the distance between the fingertips of the two hands when the arms are stretched wide open]. If he comes to me walking, I rush towards him."  (Bukhari and Muslim)

Whoever understands anything of these texts anthropomorphically, or in the sense of incarnation, or as a form of monism has only been taken away from Allah, mighty is He and majestic, and from His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by his ignorance and poor understanding. Allah and His Messenger are free from all of that. Glorious is the One whom nothing resembles and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

Bakr al-Muzani asked, "Who is like you, son of Adam? My Intimate Friend is between you and the mihrab and water. Whenever you wish you can go to Allah, mighty is He and majestic, without an interpreter between you and Him." Whoever manages to keep this in his consciousness during dhikr of Allah and during His worship, necessarily becomes at ease with Allah and becomes averse to His creation.

Thawr ibn Yazid said, "I read in a book that 'Isa, peace be upon him, said, 'Disciples [Hawariyyun], speak to Allah a great deal and speak little to people!' They asked, 'How can we speak to Allah a great deal?' He answered, 'Go alone and hold intimate discourse with Him. Go alone and supplicate Him.'" Abu Nu'aym narrated it.

He also narrated with a chain of transmission that Riyah said, "There was a man among us who used to pray a thousand raka'ats every day and night until he became crippled in his legs. Then he would pray a thousand raka'ats every night seated. When he prayed the afternoon prayer he would draw up his legs and, while wrapped in his garments and facing the qiblah, say, 'I am astonished at people who can be intimate and at ease with anyone other than You (Allah). Even more so am I amazed that people's hearts can be at ease remembering anyone other than You.'"

Abu Usamah said, "I went to see Muhammad ibn an-Nadr al-Harithi, and saw that it was as if he was ill at ease. So I asked, 'It is as if you do not like to be visited?' He said, 'That is true.' I asked, 'Do you not become lonely?' He said, 'How could I be lonely when He (Allah) says, "I sit with whoever remembers Me"?'"

Someone asked Malik ibn Mighwal when he was sitting alone in his house, "Do you not become lonely?" He replied, "Does anyone become lonely with Allah?"

Habib Abu Muhammad used to withdraw in solitude into his house saying, "Whoever's eye does not find rest with You, then his eye will not find rest."

Ghazwan said, "I have found my heart's rest and ease in sitting with the One who has my necessities."

Muslim ibn Yasar said, "Pleasure-seekers find no pleasure like withdrawal for the purpose of intimate discourse with Allah, mighty is He and majestic."

Muslim al-'Abid (the worshipper) said, "If it were not for the congregational prayer I would never go out of my door until I die." He said, "Those who obey Allah find no pleasure sweeter than withdrawal to converse with their Lord, nor anything which they eagerly anticipate more of all the tremendous rewards in the next life which is more important in their breasts and sweeter to their hearts than gazing towards Him," and then he swooned.

Ibrahim ibn Adham said, "The highest of ranks is that you should be cut off from others for the sake of your Lord, and at ease with Him with your heart and consciousness and all of your limbs so much so that you hope for nothing but your Lord and fear nothing but your wrong action, and His love becomes so firmly established in your heart that you will never prefer anything to it. If you are like that you will not care whether you are on land or sea, on the plains or in the mountains. Your longing to meet your Beloved will be like the longing the thirsty person has for cold water, and the longing the hungry person has for wholesome food, and the remembrance of Allah will be sweeter to you than honey and more delicious than pure water to the thirsty person on a hot summer's day."

Al-Fudayl said, "Good fortune to whoever becomes alienated from people and with whom Allah sits."

Abu Sulayman, "Allah has never made me at ease with any but Him."

Ma'ruf [al-Kharki] said to a man, "Rely on Allah so much that He becomes the One with Whom you sit, the Companion Who gladdens you and the One to Whom you bring your complaint."

Dhu'n-Nun said, "One of the signs of those who love Allah is that they are not cheerfully at ease with anyone other than Him, and they are never lonely with Him." Then he said, "When love of Allah, exalted is He, takes up its abode in the heart then one becomes cheerfully at ease with Allah, because Allah is more sublime in the breasts of the gnostics than that they should love anyone other than Him." There has been a great deal said by the People in this section which would be very lengthy to mention, and in that which we have mentioned here there is enough, if Allah, exalted is He, wills.