AL-FAWA'ID A COLLECTION OF WISE SAYINGS Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim Rendered into English by: Bayan Translation Services Translation of i yall alll ol ale: Gals Umm AI-Qura For Translation, Publishing and Distribution© Umm AI-Qura for Translation, Publishing & Distribution First Edition 1425 A.H./ 2004 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. For more information, please contact: Umm Al-Qura for translation, publishing and distribution Al-Mansura, Egypt Tel./Fax: (+2) 050 2335157 = (+2) 050 2310222 ummelqura@hotmail.com Bayan List of Contributors: Team Director: Muhammad Fadel Translators:Ashia Adel Said Traore Edited by : Selma Cook Bayan Translation Services www.bayangroup.com info@bayangroup.com Deposition Number : 20835/2003 1.8.B.N. 977- 599- 799-2a4 gall Al-Fawa'id A COLLECTION OF WISE SAYINGS All Rights Reserved ©Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS... TRANSLITERATION SYSTEM .. TRANSLATOR'S NOTES... IMPORTANT RULES: CONDITIONS ONE MUST MEET IN ORDER TO BENEFIT FROM THE QUR'AN CHAPTER: THE BEGINNING OF CREATION, RESURRECTION AND THE PRINCIPLES OF MONOTHEISM MENTIONED IN CHAPTER QAF THE STATUS OF THE PEOPLE OF BADR... A PRECIOUS GEM OF WISDOM:. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE QUR’ANIC VERSE, ..+...-+s0es A PRECIOUS GEM: AL-FATIHAH AND THE WISDOM IT CONTAINS...... 30 A PRECIOUS GEM: TWO WAYS TO KNOW ALLAH... 33 A PRECIOUS GEM: PROPHETIC HADITHS ELIMINATING GRIEF AND DISTRESS... A PRECIOUS GEM: THE THRONE AND THE HEART.....0+. A PRECIOUS GEM: THE CONTENT OF THE QUR'AN. A PRECIOUS GEM: NO PLACE FOR TWO CONTRADICTIONS INTERPRETATION OF CHAPTER AT-TAKATHUR ..esesssees NOTE: PERFECT WISDOM...... CHAPTER ON THE RIGHTS OF ALLAH ....ssccsees A PRECIOUS GEM: TWO KINDS OF JEALOUSY .... CHAPTER: MORE WISDOM... CHAPTER: SALMAN AL-FARISY .... A PRECIOUS GEM: LESSONS... A PRECIOUS GEM: THIS LIFE OF DECEPTION... aesssseeneseneeees 36 seseeseees 68 71vi * AL-FAWA'ID: A Collection of Wise Sayings CHAPTER: A WONDROUS REALITV........... A PRECIOUS GEM: SOURCES OF UNLAWFULNESS.. A PRECIOUS GEM: BENEFITS.. AN IMPORTANT RULE: THERE IS NO POWER OR STRENGTH EXCEPT WITH ALLAH .. A PRECIOUS GEM: KNOWLEDGE IS FOLLOWED BY LOVE A RULE: TWO RESTRAINTS THAT RESCUE... A PRECIOUS GEM: GOOD CHARACTER IS A PART OF PIETY.. A PRECIOUS GEM: EXAMPLES AND LESSONS AN IMPORTANT RULE: EFFECT OF "THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH" AT THE TIME OF DEATH. 0 87 A PRECIOUS GEM: FEAR ALLAH, FOLLOW HIS ORDERS, AND AVOID WHAT HE HAS FORBIDDEN A PRECIOUS GEM: SIN AND DEBT. A PRECIOUS GEM: FIGHTING IN THE CAUSE OF ALLAH CHAPTER: ENMITY BETWEEN THE MIND AND IMAGINATION... A PRECIOUS GEM: THE MESSENGER’S VICTORY... CHAPTER: THE VANITY OF FALSE HOPES...... CHAPTER: WHY WAS ADAM CONSIDERED THE LAST OF CREATURES? eoeee 72, seeeeesenaeee 73 CHAPTER: VARIOUS PRECIOUS GEMS . CHAPTER: THE MANIFESTATION OF THE LORD... CHAPTER: THE MERITS OF ABU BAKR... WARNING: GREAT PEARLS OF WISDOM... WARNING: LESSONS AND WARNINGS. CHAPTER... A PRECIOUS GEM: FORMS OF REJECTING THE QUR'AN AND UNCERTAINTY ABOUT IT... A RULE: THE PERFECTION OF ONESELF.......AL-FAWA'D : A Collection of Wise Syaings * vii A PRECIOUS GEM: ELEMENTS OF KNOWLEDGE... AN eee RULE: THE APPARENT AND HIDDEN ASPECTS OF FAITH... oe 132 A PRECIOUS GEM: TRUST IN ALLAH... A GREAT AND IMPORTANT RULE: “O YOU WHO BELIEVE! ANSWER ALLAH (BY OBEYING HIM) AND (HIS) MESSENGER’ ++ 136 A PRECIOUS GEM: JIHAD IS ORDAINED FOR YOU... wee 143 A PRECIOUS GEM: ASCETICISM DURING THIS WORLDLY LIFE ........ 147 IMPORTANT RULE: THE BASIS OF GOODNESS... PRECIOUS GEMS.. A PRECIOUS AND VALUABLE GEM: THE (RELIGIOUS) SCHOLAR WHOSE DEEDS ARE INCONSISTENT WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE... 160 A PRECIOUS GEM: 165 THE IGNORANT WORSHIPPER AND THE IMMORAL SSE SCHOLAR ... A GREAT AND PRECIOUS GEM: THE BEST ACQUIREMENT FOR THE SOUL CHAPTER: FAITH AND THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH IT .. A VALUABLE AND PRECIOUS GEM: THE ORIGIN OF HAPPINESS..... 174 A VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT RULE: THE PEOPLE OF GUIDANCE AND THE PEOPLE OF MISGUIDANCE .. CHAPTER: TEN USELESS MATTERS CHAPTER: THE RIGHT TO SUBMIT TO ALLAH.. CHAPTER: THE SWEETNESS OF TRUSTING IN ALLAH... ADVICE: HOW TO SET YOUR STATE ARIGHT ..ssssssesseeeee CHAPTER: THE SIGN OF GOOD WILL.. CHAPTER: ASCETICISM IN THIS WORLDLY LIFE...... CHAPTER: KINDS OF ASCETICISM (ABSTINENCE)......-sesssesseeseee woe 155, 168, 168viii * AL-FAWA'ID: A Collection of Wise Sayings CHAPTER: REMEMBERING ALLAH AND BEING GRATEFUL TO HIM.. 206 CHAPTER: GUIDANCE LEADS TO MORE GUIDANCE AND ABERRATION LEADS TO MORE ABERRATION... a 10 216 CHAPTER: GUIDANCE IS THE PARTNER OF MERCY AND ABERRATION IS THE PARTNER OF MISERY .... 220 CHAPTER: BESTOWING AND PREVENTING... CHAPTER: THE EVIL OF FALSEHOOD ..e...0.es CHAPTER: “AND IT MAY BE THAT YOU DISLIKE A THING WHICH IS GOOD FOR You" 7 vee 230 CHAPTER: THE CONDITIONS OF BEING SATISFIED WITH KNOWLEDGE CHAPTER: THE DANGER OF SUBMITTING TO ONE’S DESIRES... CHAPTER: THE LIMITS OF ONE’S CHARACTERISTICS... CHAPTER: PIETY WITHIN THE HEART... 239 CHAPTER: THE ORIGIN OF PRAISED AND DISPRAISED MORALG..... 242 CHAPTER: THE REQUIREMENTS OF ACHIEVING GREAT TARGETS.. 243 CHAPTER: THE WISDOM OF IBN MAS'UD. veoeee 243, CHAPTER: SINCERITY AND LOVE THAT ARE PRAISED ey COEXIST... ae os CHAPTER: PLEASURE DEPENDS UPON DETERMINATION CHAPTER: THE PIETY OF ‘UMAR BIN ‘ABDUL. “AZIZ sossee CHAPTER: THE BENEFITS OF DESERTING EVIL HABITS. CHAPTER: HINDRANCES.......cssssssvees CHAPTER: ATTACHMENTS... + 259 CHAPTER: THE STATUS OF THE MESSENGER (PEACE BE UPON HIM) ' - 259 CHAPTER: SIGNS OF HAPPINESS AND MISFORTUNE + 260 CHAPTER: DEEDS ARE AN ESTABLISHMENT WHOSE FOUNDATION IS FAITH... 262ALFAWA'ID : A Collection of Wise Syaings * ix CHAPTER: THE BASES OF INFIDELITY. A MOST PRECIOUS GEI CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW ALLAH CHAPTER: THE TREE OF SINCERITY... CHAPTER: DEGREES OF HAPPINESS.. CHAPTER: THE BODY AND SOUL....... CHAPTER: THREE PRECIOUS GEMS.. CHAPTER: KNOWING ALLAH.. CHAPTER: LICIT AND ILLICIT GAINS ...sssssssssssssseseessssssessessssestesssnsvees 285 CHAPTER: CONSOLATION OF THE BELIEVERS. CHAPTER: UNAWARENESS CAUSES HARDSHIP CHAPTER: THE JOURNEY TO ALLAH, EXALTED BE HE, AND ITS OBSTACLES ussssosssossssessvesssaes CHAPTER: KINDS OF GRACE A GREAT PRINCIPLE: THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE AND ACTION sessssssesssssesesscsssvenesenssssesscsss 270 + 286 CHAPTER: THE HEART IS NEVER VOID OF THOUGHTS . CHAPTER: HE WHO DOES NOT KNOW HIMSELF, DOES NOT KNOW HIS. CREATOR .. A PRECIOUS GEM: LEVELS OF KNOWING ALLAH.. A PRECIOUS GEM: ALLAH WILL NOT CHANGE THE CONDITION OF A PEOPLE UNTIL THEY CHANGE THEMSELVES... CHAPTER: THE BEAUTY OF ALLAH, THE EXALTED... CHAPTER: ALLAH IS FULL OF GRACE AND HE LOVES GRACE .. CHAPTER: KINDS OF BEAUTY ....esssssseeseee CHAPTER: SINCERITY OF DETERMINATION AND DEEDG......... A PRECIOUS GEM: THE WILL OF THE SERVANT... CHAPTER: GLORIFYING ALLAH ... A PRECIOUS GEM: LIFE IS A JOURNEY wssssssssossssesseen sesressssssssessssecssces ST 315x + AL-FAWA'ID: A Collection of Wise Sayings A PRECIOUS GEM: OBSERVING........ A PRECIOUS GEM: THE SATANIC WAYS OF TEMPTING... A PRECIOUS GEM: THE WAY TO SUCCESS... eee 316 A PRECIOUS GEM: THERE IS RIGHT AND WRONG IN EVERYTHING.. 319 CHAPTER: THE PEOPLE OF PARADISE AND THOSE OF HELLFIRE 320 CHAPTER: SOME QUALITIES OF MONOTHEISM..... A PRECIOUS GEM: ONLY THE HEART THAT IS FOUNDED ON MONOTHEISM WILL COMPREHEND THE PRECIOUS QUALITIES OF ALLAH ... wesveene 322 A PRECIOUS GE! A A 322 A PRECIOUS GEM: SIGHING WHILE LISTENING TO THE QUR'AI A USEFUL RULE: KINDS OF THOUGHTS... AN_ IMPORTANT RULE: MAKING A REQUEST AND PATIENCE THEREAFTER...... » 328 AN IMPORTANT RULE: THE SERVANT EXISTS BETWEEN THE HANDS OF ALLAH... 329 AN IMPORTANT RULE: THE PLEASURE OF THE HEREAFTER IS MORE - 330 A PRECIOUS GEM: YOU ARE MY PROTECTOR IN THIS LIFE AND IN THE HEREAFTER... yerseseeees 331 AN IMPORTANT RULE: AND THERE IS NOT A THING BUT THE STORES THEREOF ARE WITH US..... eee 332 A PRECIOUS GEM: LOVING ALLAH .... 334 A VALUABLE RULE: ALL BLESSINGS ARE FROM ALLAH..... CHAPTER: THE CAUSES OF FAILURE...ALFAWA'ID : A Collection of Wise Syaings * xi CHAPTER: THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER AL-'ANKABUT SAYYID AL-ISTIGHFAR ....++sss+0 stesscsesessesssssssees S41 352xii * ALFAWA'ID: A Collection of Wise Sayings Transliteration System 1. The Arabic Alphabet Ce og By 1. i A Asad aad 2. = B Badr oe 3. oS T Tabiik ya 4. a Th Al-Haytham, pagl! 5. z J Jabir rr 6. c Al-Hiwalah 4M galt 7. é Kh Khadijah Aap 8. 3 D Dinar Jes 9. 3 Dh Dhul-Qa‘dah Banal 93 10. 2 R Ar-Riba Lol W. 3 Zz Zaynab oy 12 wo s Sdrah Boe 13 a Sh Ash-Shafi'y sll 14. ue Ss Al-Ansar Jaa! 15. us D Diya’ clus 16. + T At-Tawaf at bt 7. & Zh Azh-Zhihar et 18. & ‘ANU Aly, Ab 'llm, Umar jae sales cie 19. é Gh Al-Mughirah bsul 20. a F Al-Fatihah fata) at 3 Q Band Qaynuga* gli gis 22. J K Umm Kultham esis aiAL-FAWA'ID : A Collection of Wise Syaings ® xiii 3. L. Abd Lahab sal oh 24, a M Umaymah Aa! 25. N An-Nasi’ah Ral 26. H Hind = 27. 5 w__ Al-Wagi'ah dal 28. 6 Y Yathrib a 2. Vowels & Diacritical Marks Non Letter CT 1. A Fahd | x 2. A | Altsnad suayt 3. U Al-Jumu‘ah Ansell 4. GO | At-Hudad aya! 5. I Ash-Shirk spa 6. ell al i] Ibn Sirin coos os! 7. | dosha | A | ALAhzab va 8. | Aegemdicall | U | Usamah dual 9, | ByyaSab GNI I Al-lhsar Jhasy! 10, | 2st cal Sa'd, As- cud ce Sa'yxiv * AL-FAWA'ID: A Collection of Wise Sayings Translator's Notes All praise and thanks are due to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help, guidance and forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the consequences of our evil conduct and the sins we have committed. Whosoever Allah guides, no one can mislead and whosoever He sends astray, no one can guide. | bear witness that there is no god but Allah Alone, who has no partner and | bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Allah sent him (peace be upon him) as a witness, a bearer of good news and a wamer, and as one who invites to Allah by His leave, and as a lamp spreading light. This book, Al-Fawaid: A Collection of Wise Sayings is one of the well-known compilations of Imam Shams Ad-Din Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah, who is well known by the name Ibn Al- Qayyim (may Allah have mercy upon him). This blessed book is not like others that simply contain sections, chapters and themes, but it consists of the elevated thoughts that Allah, Exalted be He, bestows upon some of His servants as He wills. So whenever any of these scattered pearls of wisdom occurred to the Imam, he would immediately record them. | am sure that he did not sit down and write this book in one or two weeks, but surely it was developed over a long period of time. Whenever something came to his mind, he would record it, and whenever he learnt a lesson or anything crucial in his life, he would illuminate the lines of his page with the ink of his pen. | remember the first time | read this book, which was twenty years ago in 1980. It was beyond my ability at that time to fullyAL-FAWA'ID : A Collection of Wise Syaings * xv comprehend the meaning that Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy upon him) was trying to impart in the book. However, in the course of time, Allah, the Almighty bestowed His favors upon me, and | began to understand the light and guidance that these words contain. The book is not concerned with juristic subjects nor does it deal with any of the instrumental sciences that anyone can understand and memorize, but rather, it consists of the landmarks of guidance, and light, and the firebrands of piety that Ibn Al-Qayyim pondered in the fields of piety, asceticism and vivid exhortation toward the truth. He focuses on the role and duty of the hearts, and makes them clear to us to the extent that we are moved and motivated to learn and practice them. He explains to us the diseases of the heart so that we may know how to avoid and overcome them. He ponders on the depths of the nature of the human self and moves inside its hidden sphere, from one part to the other, which might be difficult for many people to understand. This book has reached the peak of understanding regarding _ this particular point. Ibn Al-Qayyim is renowned in the field of ascetics and one of the most knowledgeable people of Allah. So, dear reader, here is the book. Take it as one of your close friends, and when you find life's difficulties facing you, read it and ponder the meaning that is applicable to you. Surely, you will find your way out, for you will be living in the world of insight, where there is permanent comfort, the yearning to be close to the Lord of the worlds and the strong desire to enter the Gardens of Delight. We ask Allah, the Exalted, to bestow upon our hearts that which He bestows upon His righteous servants, and reward Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim and the Muslims with the best reward, and gather us with him at the place of His mercy along with the Prophets,,xvi * AL-FAWA'ID: A Coilection of Wise Sayings the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous. How excellent these companions are! The translations of the Glorious Qur’an were quoted from The Noble Quran, by Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilaly and Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan; King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur'an, Madinah, K.S.A. Although the hadith were translated without their full chains of transmission, attribution has been made to their original recording in the difierent hadith compilations, which include Sahih Al-Bukhary, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawad, etc. The translation process of this book took a great effort from all members of the team. We would like to express our thanks to everyone who took part or contributed to the reproduction of this translation, particularly the translators, the revisers and the editor. May Allah reward them all for their work and make it helpful for those who seek guidance to the True Path. Finally, we pray that this translation will provide useful information and advice to all its readers, regardless of their background, and that they may all benefit from it. We also hope that all our efforts on this book will be counted among our good deeds with Allah, the Almighty. Amen. The TranslatorIn the Name of Allah Imam and sheikh Abu ‘Abdullah is known as Ibn Qaiyim Al- Jawziyyah (may Allah be merciful to him). He revived the Sunnah and restrained innovation. He said what follows: Important Rules: Conditions One must Meet in Order to Benefit from the Qur'an If you want to benefit from the Qur'an, you must concentrate and devote your heart solely when reciting and listening to it. You must pay attention, and try to comprehend the fact that what you are reading is the word of Allah. As you read, you must know that Allah is addressing you in and through this Qur'an. Indeed, it is the words of Allah to you through the tongue of His Messenger. Allah says, Sed as Sl Mls Hoe eal which means, "Verily, therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful." (Q&f, 50:37) Obtaining the perfect effect depends upon the stimulus, the place of the receiver, the condition for the effect to occur, and the absence of any obstacle that may obstruct the effect. The above verse explains all that in the most precise, and clear words. When Allah says which means, "Verily, therein is indeed a reminder" it is a sign for what had passed from the beginning of the chapter until this verse. His saying, “for him who has a heart" refers to the place of the receiver and it means the living heart, which comprehends what Allah says. For example when Allah says, 3 bo)» 7 lish $3 Sh 5 b>2 * AL-FAWA'ID: A Collection of Wise Sayings which means, "This is only a Reminder and a plain Qur'an. That he or it (Muhammad or the Qur'an) may give warning to him who is living (a healthy minded believer)." (Yasin, 36:69-70) “Who is living." means the one who has a living heart. And when Allah says which means, "Or gives ear" means the Person listens to what is being said to him. And this is the Condition in order to be truly affected by the words. And His saying, "While he is heedful..." means to be aware; that his heart is conscious and not distracted by any worldly matter. Ibn Qutaibah' said, "He is listening to the Book of Allah while his heart is present and understands; not being inattentive or unaware. If the heart is inattentive; lacking understanding concerning what is being said, as well as failing to see or meditate on it, then there is an obstruction. If however, the Qur'an produced an effect on the receiver, which is the living heart, and the condition of listening was fulfilled, and the heart is not engaged with something other than the meaning of the speech, the desired effect will occur, which is obtaining benefit trom the Qur'an and remembrance." The Living Heart Some people may say, "If the effect will take place by the combination of these matters, what is the purpose of the article ‘or’ in ’Or gives ear’ while it is the article ‘and,’ which joins two matters and not ‘or,’ which indicates only one. To this, it can be said, "This is a good question and the answer is as follows: " thn Qutaibah is ‘Abdullah bin Muslim bin Qutaibah Ad-Dainary. He is one of the chiefs of literature and has produced many works. He was born in Baghdad in 213 A.H. He settled down in KGfah, and was appointed as the judge of Ad-DainGr and attributed to it. He (may Allah be merciful to him) passed away in Baghdad 276 A.H. From among his works are Al-Ma’arif, Adab Al-Katib, Al-Ma‘aly, and Ta'wil Mukhtalif Al-Qur’an. See Al-Bidayah wa An-Nihayah, vol.11, p.61.