Ibn Qayyim’s Beneficial Advice

By Dr. Muddassir Khan

This book contains the sayings and writings of the famous Muslim scholar and author of many valuable works, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (Allah have mercy on him).

 

It is a collection of useful thoughts and conclusions, statements, instructions, remarks, observations of the author himself.

 

Some of the topics in this book:

 

Monotheism

 

Hope in Allah

 

Predestination

 

Topics related to the Quran

 

Explanations of hadiths

 

The virtues of knowledge

 

Ailments and deeds of the heart

 

Repentance

 

Guidance

 

Purification

 

Reliance on Allah

 

The life of this World

 

Do you feel that your Iman (faith) is low?Are you not praying your five prayers?

 

Are you watching things that are prohibited?

 

Are you disobedient to your parents?

 

Don't you fear the fire of hell?

 

Don't you desire the pleasures of Paradise?

 

Read this book to recharge your faith and give it a boost. This is an inspiring guide which will help the person who is desirous of becoming a good Muslim. For the person who has sinned but wants to repent to his Lord. This book is for all Muslims - the newly converted and for those who have been Muslims since birth.

 

If you have been desiring to have a loving relationship with your Lord, then this book will help you achieve this goal with ease.This is not just a self-help book but is a manual of your journey towards becoming a good Muslim. This book will keep your heart from becoming hard and dark. It is a book of hope and forgiveness.

 

You can heal your heart and improve yourself no matter where you have started this journey. Reading this book will serve as a source of your awakening and returning to the Islamic version of yourself.

 

By reading this compact but comprehensive book with a pure intention and attentive heart, you can cultivate your love for Allah and the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and live a life of gratitude and contentment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Muddassir Khan
• Release date: May 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201278120

Book preview

Introduction

This book contains the sayings and writings of the famous Muslim scholar and author of many valuable works, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (Allah have mercy on him).

It is a collection of useful thoughts and conclusions, statements, instructions, remarks, observations of the author himself. Some of the topics in this book:

Monotheism

Hope in Allah

Predestination

Topics related to the Quran

Explanations of hadiths

The virtues of knowledge

Ailments and deeds of the heart

A Short Biography

Sheikh Shamsuddin Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr ibn Ayyub ibn Sa'd ibn al-Qayyim ad-Dimashki al-Hanbali (Allah have mercy on him) is one of the most famous and prominent Muslim scholars.

He was born in 691 AH. Among his teachers are Taqiyuddin Sulaiman al-Qadi, Abu Bakr ibn 'Abd-ad-Daim, al-Safiyy al-Hindi, and the Sheikh of Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah.

Ibn al-Qayyim was an outstanding expert on the Hanbali madhhab and gave fatwas. In addition, he was well versed in the Scriptures of the Jews and Christians, having considerable knowledge in this area. Being an outstanding expert in the interpretation of the Quran and the foundations of religion, he reached amazing heights in these two sciences. Ibn al-Qayyim is also known as an excellent Muhaddith, who not only knew many hadiths by heart, but also deeply understood their meaning, was able to analyze them and extract Sharia (Islamic law) rulings from them. Brilliantly knowing fiqh and its foundations, Ibn al-Qayyim was at the same time an authority of the Arabic language and related sciences. Thus, he reached heights in almost all areas of Sharia knowledge and at the same time was well versed in various religions, movements and madhhabs.

With such extensive knowledge, Ibn al- Qayyim was very attached to his teacher, the outstanding Muslim scholar Sheikh Ibn Taymiyyah (Allah have mercy on him), and relied on his words and opinions, defending them and confirming their correctness with the help of convincing evidence and irrefutable arguments. He devoted a lot of time to processing the books of his teacher and mentor and spreading his knowledge. At the end of the life of the teacher, Ibn al-Qayyim was imprisoned with him and was released only after the death of Ibn Taymiyyah. Ibn al-Qayyim was a student of Ibn Taymiyyah for about twelve years.

According to one of his students, Ibn Kathir (Allah have mercy on him), Imam Ibn al-Qayyim was a very active person who devoted a lot of time to prayer and reading the Quran. He was good-natured, his personality attracted people, and by nature he was neither envious nor vindictive.

Ibn Kathir said: I did not know among our contemporaries a person who would worship Allah more than him.

He also said: His passion was collecting books.

Ibn al-Qayyim is the author of many remarkable works in various fields of Islamic knowledge, among which there is even a poem of seven thousand lines. His best-known writings include:

Badai'al-fawa'id = Excellent benefits;

Al-Wabil al-Sayyib min al-Qalim at-Tayyib = Blessed rain of good words;

Al-Jawab al-kafi = Exhaustive answer;

Zad al-ma'ad = Provisions for the Day of Resurrection;

Igasat al-lyakhfan = Help for the saddened;

'Uddat as-sabirsh va zahirat ash-shakirin = Equipment of the patient and stock of the grateful;

Madarij as-salikin = Degrees of those walking;

Myths of Dar al-Sa'ada = The Key to the Abode of Happiness;

Al-Fawa'id = Useful instructions;

Hadi al-arwah ilya bilyad al-afrah = Guide of souls to the abode of joys;

Hidayat al-Hiyar fi ajwiba al-yahud wa an-nasara = A Guide for the Confused Jews and Christians;

Shifa'al-'alil = Healing the sick.

The works of Ibn al-Qayyim are still very popular among Muslims around the world. They are distinguished by the clarity of presentation, the beauty of the style, the orderliness of the content and represent a real storehouse of useful knowledge. For many centuries, Muslim scholars have resorted to the writings of this great specialist of Sharia sciences when writing new valuable works, and today it is rare to find a book that does not mention Ibn al-Qayyim and does not quote his works. During his lifetime, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim had many students, including such eminent scholars as Ibn Kathir, and after his death, people continued to use his knowledge, referring to his works.

Qadiy Burhan al-Dar'i said about him: I have never seen a person with more knowledge than him. He taught at the As-Sadriyya Madrasah and for a long time headed the Al-Jawziyya Madrasah. He wrote many works with his own hand and left many works in various fields of knowledge. He was very fond of knowledge, tirelessly took notes, read, wrote works and acquired books by other scholars. He had as many books as perhaps no one else had.

Ibn al-Qayyim died in 751 AH. Many people attended his funeral. It is reported that after his death, some people had good dreams about him.

01: Important rules: Conditions that must be met in order to benefit from the Quran

If you wish to benefit from the Quran, you must concentrate and set your heart exclusively to it when reading and listening to it (listening it with all your heart). You should listen carefully and try to understand the fact that what you are reading is the Word of Allah (which is addressed to you). As you read, you should know that Allah is speaking directly to you in and through this Quran. Verily, these are the words of Allah to you through the tongue of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Allah says:

Verily, there is indeed a reminder in this to one who has a heart or listens while he is attentive. (Qaf, 50:37)

Obtaining the ideal (full) effect depends on the source (stimulus), the place of the recipient, the conditions under which the effect occurs, and the absence of any obstacles that could interfere with the effect. The above verse explains all this in the clearest and most precise terms. When Allah says, Verily, there is a reminder in this, it is a sign (the source) of what has passed from the beginning of the Surah (chapter of the Quran) till this verse. His saying for he who has a heart refers to the place of the receiver and means a living heart that understands (which is receptive of) what Allah says. For example, when Allah says:

This is just a reminder and a plain Quran. So that he or it (Muhammad or the Quran) may give a warning to the one who lives (the healthy minded believer). (Yasin, 36:69-70)

Who is alive (in heart) means one who has a living heart. And when Allah says, Or gives ear (who listens), means that a person listens to what he is told. To be truly affected by the words this necessary condition should be present.

And His words: As long as he is attentive... means to be aware (to be present with the heart); that his heart is conscious and not distracted by any worldly affairs.

Ibn Qutayba said: He listens to the Book of Allah as long as he is present with his heart and understanding, without being inattentive or unaware (distracted). There is an obstacle if the heart is inattentive, and lacks understanding of what is being said, as well as if it fails to see or meditate (reflecting) on it. But if the Quran (the source of influence) affected the recipient, that is, the living heart (object of influence), and the condition of hearing was fulfilled, and the heart was not occupied with anything other than the meaning of speech, the desired effect (impact) will occur, namely, benefit from the Quran and remembrance.

Some people may say, If the effect is to take place by the combination of these matters (if all are necessary), then what is the purpose of the article or in (the verse) Or gives ear when it is the article and that connects two matters, and not or, which indicates only one (this or" that). To this you can say: That's a good question, and the answer that you can give is:

Speech includes the article or because it considers the case of the one who is addressed (the appeal is directed) and called. Many people have a naturally living heart (which is uncorrupted), and therefore whenever such a person thinks and meditates, his heart and mind will lead him to the truth of the Quran, and his heart will believe in what the Quran has said. And here passing the Quran over his heart will only increase his natural light (his original nature). This is the description of those of