A Lofty Benefit From Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah)

[abdullah.gambi]

In The Name Of Allaah, The Most Merciful The Bestower of Mercy

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah]

A Lofty Benefit

Allaah said:

''Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims) though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.’’ [Baqarah: Ayah: 216]

Allaah said:

‘’If you dislike them (i.e. your wives), it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good.’’ [Nisaa: Ayah: 19]

The first ayah [Baqarah: 216] is about Jihaad, which is the perfection of the intensity of Anger; and the second ayah [Nisaa: Ayah: 19] is about marriage, which is the perfection of the intensity of desires.

The slave hates to face his enemy with the intensity of his anger out of fear for himself. This [facing his enemy which he has hatred for] is something better for him in his worldly life and afterlife; he loves meekness and abandonment and this [love of his] is bad for him in his worldly life and afterlife.

Likewise, he may dislike a woman due to a trait from her traits, whilst there is a great deal of goodness in keeping her and he does not know it. He may love a woman due to a trait from her traits, whilst in keeping her there is much evil and he does not know it. The human being is as he has been described by his Creator; ''‘verily, he (man) was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results)’’ [Ahzaab: Ayah: 72].

Therefore, it is not befitting/permissible that he places his inclination, love, aversion and hatred as a measure for that which harms or benefits him, rather the measure is that which Allaah has selected for him of commandments and prohibitions.

The most beneficial of affairs for him without exception is obedience to His Lord outwardly and inwardly (i.e. in public and private), and the most harmful of affairs for him without exception is disobedience to his Lord outwardly and inwardly (i.e. in public and private). So if he embarks upon sincere obedience and servitude to Him, then all that he comes across of that which he hates is better for him; and if he withdraws from obedience and servitude to Him [The Most High], then all that is in what he loves is bad for him.

Therefore, whoever has a sound knowledge of his Lord and an understanding of His Names and Attributes, he knows with certainty that there are (affairs of advantage, great benefits, welfare etc) and useful (things) in those hated things that afflicts him and (in those) trials that befall him, which he cannot innumerate by way of his knowledge and contemplation; rather the (affairs of advantage, great benefits and welfare) for the slave are greater in that which he hates than in what he loves; thus the universally beneficial things for the souls are in what they hate, just as the universally harmful things for the souls and the causes for their destruction are in what they love........

For further details: [See Al-Fawaa-id: page: 145-148]

And Allaah knows best

Abu Mu-aawiyyah [Abdullaah Al-Gambi]