Ibn Jawzi’s Advice to His Son

By Dr. Muddassir Khan

My dear son, pay attention to what is in your advantage, regret your previous shortcomings, and work hard to reach the level of those who have achieved completion, while you still have the chance.

My dear son, I pray that Allah guides you towards all that is right.

My dear son, observe the way you handle the limits set by Allah and see whether or not you remain within their limits. Indeed, he who takes care to stay within them will be looked after by Allah, and he who does not will be left to himself.

My dear son, do not let your past carelessness make you lose hope of achieving good. There are many who have awakened after sleeping for a long time.

My dear son, strive to protect your dignity from being compromised by chasing this world and having to stoop to its people. Be happy and you will live with dignity.

I strongly encourage you to work hard and not disappoint my expectations of you or for you. I entrust you to Allah – the Most Exalted, who is perfect in every way – and pray to Him alone to grant you guidance and success both in knowledge and in its application.

[Imam Ibn al-Jawzi in his letter of advice to his son, as contained in his work: "Laftat al-Kabid fee Naseehat al-Walad"]

• Language: English
• Publisher: Muddassir Khan
• Release date: Feb 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224766888

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My dear son, I pray that Allah guides you towards all that is right. You should know that man was distinguished by intellect only so that he could act upon it. Therefore, make sure to keep your intellect present, put your thought processes to good use, and spend time alone with yourself. By doing so, you will conclude, based on various evidence, that you are a created being who has responsibilities and obligations, that two angels are keeping track of your every word and look, and that every breath a living creature takes is a step forward towards its future death. The time we spend in this world is short, the time we are kept in our graves is long, and the punishment for following disobedient inclinations is disastrous.

What happened to the pleasure found in yesterday's sins? It is gone, leaving behind only regrets. What happened to the disobedient inclinations of the soul? They have disgraced many people, causing them to slip and falter. People have achieved happiness only by going against their disobedient inclinations, and people have brought on misery only by giving preference to the life of this world over that of the Hereafter.

Take lessons from the lives of kings who focused on this world on the one hand, and from individuals who shifted their attention to the afterlife on the other. What happened to the pleasure experienced by kings who focused on this world, and what happened to the weariness experienced by individuals who shifted their attention to the afterlife? Both are gone and what remains are abundant rewards and honorable mentions for those who obeyed Allah, and calamitous punishments and dishonorable mentions for those who disobeyed Him. It is as if those who died of hunger never died of hunger, and those who ate their fill never ate their fill. Laziness when it comes to virtuous actions is a bad companion indeed, and the love of comfort causes regrets greater than any pleasure one might experience. So pay attention to this and strive to do what will be for your betterment.

Know that doing the obligatory and avoiding the forbidden is a must. Whenever a person transgresses the limits of Allah, he must beware of hell fire. Also, know that aspiring to make your characteristics and actions virtuous is