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Excerpt from "Causes behind the Increase and Decrease of Eemaan"
by Shaykh Abdur-Razzaak al-Abbaad.
[...]
From the Section "Causes for the Increase of Eemaan"
the Chapter "Exerting Efforts Towards Accomplishing Sincere Righteous Actions"
the sub-section "Actions of the Heart"
...Indeed of immense assistance to the servant in this regard is to increase the beneficial observations which are enacted in the heart, so that his attachment with Allaah strengthens; as the existence of righteous actions is associated with the establishment of a great number of these observations in the heart.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: "We will by the aid and tawfeeq granted by Allaah, point out these observations in a manner that will make known the reality of this matter:
The first observation of the traveler to Allaah and the home of the hereafter is that there exists in his heart an observation of this world and it's insignificance, it's trivial fulfillment, extensive futility, vile participants and rapid demise... Thus, if the servant undertakes this observation of the world, his heart will migrate from this world and it will travel to seek the home of the hereafter.
At this moment, an observation of the hereafter and it's continuity is enacted in his heart. That it is in all truth, the real life. It's inhabitants will never migrate or depart from it. Rather, it is the place of settling, the last stopping point of all travelers and the end of the journey...
Thereafter, an observation of the Fire is made in his heart, of it's combustion, blaze and the depth of it's pit; it's intense heat and the immense torment of it's inhabitants. He observes them as they are brought forth to it with blackened faces, blue eyed with iron chains and fetters around their necks. When they reach the fire, it's doors will be opened in front of their faces and they will witness that abominable sight, whereupon their hearts will become severed out of regret and sorrow...
Consequently, if this observation is accomplished in the heart of the servant, he will be stripped of his sins, disobedience and of the following of desires and will instead don the guise of fear and caution... How distant he will actually be from the disobedience and violations is dependent on the strength of the observation.
This observation will melt away, roast through and expel the destructive remnants and elements within his heart and thereupon, the heart will find the sweetness of well being and it's pleasure.
Thereafter, an observation of Paradise is established in the heart of what Allaah has prepared in it for it's inhabitants: things that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no imagination of it has ever been made within the heart of a person. This is besides the detailed types of bliss Allaah has portrayed to His servants upon the tongue of His Messenger, guaranteeing the loftiest types of pleasure concerning foods, drink, clothes, palaces, delight and happiness. So, enacted in his heart is an observation of an abode, within which Allaah has placed everlasting bliss in it's entirety.
It's ground is musk and it's pebbles are pearls. It's structure is made up of bricks of gold and silver and of pearly embroidery. It's drink is sweeter than honey, possesses a fragrance more pleasant than musk, is cooler than camphor and tastier than ginger. In relation to it's women, if the face of one of them were to be revealed to this world, it would overpower the radiance of the sun. The clothes of the inhabitants are made of silk of sarsenet and brocades. Their servants are youths looking like scattered pearls. Their fruit will be everlasting, whose season is not limited and supply not cut off. Therein are thrones raised high. Their food is flesh of the fowls they desire. They will have drink of wine, there being no harmful effect within it and they will not suffer intoxication. Their vegetation is the fruit that they desire. Their view will be of fair females possessing wide lovely eyes like preserved pearls. They will be reclining upon raised thrones, and in that Garden being made happy. In it are what souls covet, what gratifies the eyes and they will abide in it forever.
If one adds to this observation, the observation of the day of Mazeed:[1] looking at the face of the Lord (subhaana wa taalaa) and listening to His speech without an intermediary... If this observation is attached to the ones before it, there and then, will the heart race toward it's Lord faster than the procession of the wind moving in it's direction and the heart will not on it's way bother to glance, neither left nor right..."[2]
Hence if such observations are manifested in the heart of the servant and he contemplates over them, it will be of great help towards the purification of his heart and it's eradication of denounced characteristics and ignoble desires and towards the evacuation of any attachment to other than Allaah (subhaana wa taalaa). Furthermore, it will be a great motive for worship, love, fear, repentance and of feeling in need of Allah (subhaana wa taalaa).
The intent here is to highlight that one of the greatest incentives for eemaan, one of it's most beneficial consolidators and most important reasons for it's increase and development is the rectification of the heart through eemaan, love of Allah, His Messenger, of that which Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) love and to purify it from anything that opposes or nullifies this.
Allah is the one who grants tawfeeq.
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Footnotes:
[1] i.e. The day of increase. Allaah says in the Qur'aan: "For those who do righteousness is al-Husnaa and more..." [Soorah Yoonus : 26].
Allaah also says "There (i.e Jannah) they will have all that they desire, and We have more" [Soorah Qaaf : 35]
Husnaa has been explained to mean Jannah and 'more' to mean seeing Allaah (subhaana wa taalaa).
This is attested to by the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim and Sunan at-Tirmidhee and related by Suhayb ar-Roomee, may Allah be pleased with him, in which the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) said: "When the people of Jannah enter Jannah, Allaah will say, 'Would you like something I can increase you with? They will reply, 'Have you not whitened our faces? Have you not admitted us into Jannah and saved us from the Fire?" The Prophet then said: "Then the veil will be lifted and they will not have been given anything more beloved to them than seeing their Lord" In a similar narration, the end reads: "The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) then recited this aayah: "For those who do righteousness is al-Husnaa and more..." [translator]
[2] Madaarij as Saalikeen, 3/250-252
This message was edited by Al-Fudayl on 1-26-03 @ 12:18 PM
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ifthikar.saifudeen
24-01-2003 @ 12:00 AM
