💎The Sweetness & Joy of Salat: (2) The Constant Withering of the Heart Caused by Heedlessness is Only Repaired by Remembrance & Prayer

Ibn Al Qayyim (رحمه الله) continues:
[Negligence/Heedlessness is the Heart’s Drought]

"فإذا تمكنت الغفلة واستحكمت صارت أرضه ميتة، وسنته جرداء يابسة، وحريق الشهوات فيها من كل جانب كالسمايم ( السمايم: الريح الحارة. لسان العرب (١٢/ ٣٠٤).).

If negligence/heedlessness takes hold and becomes entrenched, its soil (i.e., the heart’s) becomes dead, his slumber becomes one of barrenness and dryness, and the fires of desires will blaze from every direction like the hot winds.

[Consequences of Neglect]

وإذا تدارك عليه غيث الرحمة اهتزت أرضه وربت وأنبتت من كل زوج بهيج، فإذا ناله القحط والجدب كان بمنزلة شجرة رطوبتها ولينها وثمارها من الماء، فإذا منعت من الماء يبست عروقها وذبلت أغصانها، وحبست ثمارها وربما يبست الأغصان والشجرة،

When the rain of divine rain catches up to him, his soil opens and softens, sprouting beautifully every pair of produce. But when drought and barrenness strike, it is like a tree whose moisture, suppleness, and fruits depend on water; deprived of water, its roots dry out, its branches wilt, and its fruits are withheld, possibly leading to the drying out of both the branches and the tree.

فإذا مددت منها غصنًا إلى نفسك لم يمتد ولم ينقد لك وانكسر فحينئذ تقتضي حكمة قيم البستان قطع تلك الشجرة وجعلها وقودًا للنار.

If you extend a branch towards yourself, it does not stretch or become firm for you but breaks instead. In such cases, the wisdom of the garden's keeper dictates the cutting down of that tree to use it as firewood.

[Dryness of the Heart]

فكذلك القلب، إنما ييبس إذا خلا من توحيد الله وحبه ومعرفته وذكره، ودعائه فتصيبه حرارة النفس، ونار الشهوات فتمتنع أغصان الجوارح من الامتداد إذا مددتها والانقياد إذا قدتها،

Similarly, the heart only dries when devoid of the Tawhīd of Allah, loving him, knowing Him, and engaging in His remembrance, and supplicating to Him. Thus, it suffers from the heat of the self and the fire of desires, preventing the limbs' branches from extending or following commands when you extend or lead them.

فلا تصلح بعد هي والشجرة إلا للنار: {أَفَمَنْ شَرَحَ اللَّهُ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَهُوَ عَلَى نُورٍ مِنْ رَبِّهِ فَوَيْلٌ لِلْقَاسِيَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ} [الزمر: ٢٢].


Hence, they, along with the tree, are fit only for fire: "So is one whose breast Allah has expanded to [accept] Islam, and he is upon a light from his Lord [like one whose heart rejects it]? Woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. Those are in clear error." [Az-Zumar 22]

[Rain for the Heart]

فإذا كان القلب ممطورًا بمطر الرحمة كانت الأغصان لينة منقادة رطبة، فإذا مددتها إلى أمر الله انقادت معك، وأقبلت سريعة لينة وادعة، فجنيت منها من ثمار العبودية ما يحمله كل غصن من تلك الأغصان ومادتها من رطوبة القلب وريه, فالمادة تعمل عملها في القلب والجوارح،

When the heart is showered with the rain of mercy, its branches become soft, compliant, and moist. When you extend them (the bodily limbs) towards Allah's command, they follow easily, pliable and gentle, yielding from them the fruits of servitude that each branch can bear, moistened by the heart and its nourishment. The sustaining water works its purpose in both the heart and the limbs.

وإذا يبس القلب تعطلت الأغصان من أعمال البر؛ لأن مادة القلب وحياته قد انقطعت منه فلم تنشر في الجوارح، فتحمل كل جارحة ثمرها من العبودية.

But when the heart dries, the branches become useless in deeds of righteousness, for the substance and life of the heart have been cut off from it, no longer spreading to the limbs, thus each bears what it yields of servitude.”

💎 The Virtue of Being Unfazed by Criticism or Praise (1)

🔘 ‘Abd Allah b. Al Mubārak (رحمه الله) said: Sufyan al-Thawri (رحمه الله) said:
كَانَ يُقَالُ : إِذَا عَرَفْتَ نَفْسَكَ لَمْ يَضُرّكَ مَا قِيلَ فِيكَ .

It used to be said, "If you know yourself, what is said about you will not harm you."

[Al-Firyabi "Sifah Al-Nifaq"]

🔘 Attab ibn Ziyad (رحمه الله) said: I heard Ibn al-Mubarak (رحمه الله) say:

"يَا ابْنَ الْمُبَارَكِ ! إِذَا عَرَفْتَ نَفْسَكَ ؛ لَمْ يَضُرَّكَ مَا قِيلَ فِيكَ" .

"O Ibn al-Mubarak! If you know yourself, what is said about you will not harm you."

[al-Dinawari in "Al Mujalasah wa Jawahir Al ‘Ilm"]

🔘 Ahmad ibn Harb (d. 234 AH رحمه الله) said:

"عبدتُ الله خمسين سنة فما وجدت حلاوة العبادة حتى تركت ثلاثة أشياء:

"I worshiped Allah for fifty years and did not find the sweetness of worship until I left three things:

تركت رضا الناس حتى قدرت أتكلم بالحق،

I left seeking the approval of people until I was able to speak the truth.

وتركت صحبة الفاسقين حتى وجدت صحبة الصالحين،

I left the company of the wicked until I found the company of the righteous.

وتركت حلاوة الدنيا حتى وجدت حلاوة الأخرى... "

And I left the sweetness of this world until I found the sweetness of the Hereafter..."
[Siyar A'lam al-Nubala: 11/34]


🔘 Abu Bakr al-Marwazi (رحمه الله) reported that he said:

أدخلت نصرانيًّا على أبي عبد الله – يعني أحمد بن حنبل – فقال له:

"I brought a Christian man to see Abu Abdullah—meaning Ahmad ibn Hanbal (رحمه الله). The Christian said to him,

إني لأشتهي أن أراك منذ سنين، ما بقاؤك صلاح للإسلام وحدهم، بل للخلق جميعًا، وليس من أصحابنا أحد إلا وقد رضي بك،

'I have longed to see you for years. Your survival is not only a benefit to Islam but to all people. There is no one among our companions who is not pleased with you.'

I then said to Abu Abdullah,

إني لأرجو أن يكون يُدعى لك في جميع الأمصار،

'I hope that supplications are made for you in all lands.'

Abu Abdullah replied,

«إذا عرف الرجل نفسه، فما ينفعه كلام الناس».

'O Abu Bakr, when a man knows himself, the words of people do not benefit him.'"

[Siyar ‘Alām al-Nubalā’]

This story highlights Imam Ahmad's humility and the universal respect he garnered, not only from Muslims but also from non-Muslims, emphasizing that true self-awareness transcends external approval.

💎 The Virtue of Being Unfazed by Criticism or Praise (2)

🔘 Najm Al-Din Ibn Qudamah (رحمه الله) said [Mukhtasar Minhaj Al Qasidin]:

"واعلم: أن أكثر الناس إنما هلكوا لخوف مذمة الناس، وحب مدحهم، فصارت حركاتهم كلها على ما يوافق رضى الناس، رجاء المدح، وخوفاً من الذم، وذلك من المهلكات، فوجبت معالجته.

“Know that many people have perished due to their fear of people's disapproval and their love for their praise. As a result, all their actions are aligned with what gains people's approval, in hopes of praise and out of fear of criticism, which is among the destructive behaviors, and thus it requires treatment.

وطريق ذلك أن ننظر إلى الصفة التي مدحت بها، إن كانت موجودة فيك فلا يخلو: إما أن يكون مما يفرح به كالعلم والورع، أو مما لا يصلح أن يفرح به، كالجاه والمال.

The method to deal with this starts by examining the quality for which you are praised. If it exists in you, there are two possibilities: either it is something to be happy about, like knowledge and piety, or it is something inappropriate to rejoice in, like status and wealth.

أما الأول: فينبغي أن يحذر من الخاتمة، فإن الخوف منها شغل عن الفرح بالمدح، ثم إن كنت تفرح بها على رجاء حسن الخاتمة، فينبغي أن يكون فرحك بفضل الله عليك بالعلم والتقوى لا بمدح الناس.

In the first case, you should be cautious about the end (of your life), as fear of a bad ending occupies you from delighting in praise. If you are happy about it hoping for a good end, then your joy should be for Allah's favor upon you with knowledge and piety, not for people's praise.

وأما القسم الثاني، وهو المدح بسبب الجاه والمال، فالفرح بذلك، كالفرح بنبات الأرض الذي يصير عن قريب هشيماً، ولا يفرح بذلك إلا من قل عقله، وإن كنت خالياً عن الصفة التي مدحت بها، ففرحك بالمدح غاية الجنون.

As for the second category, which is being praised for status and wealth, delighting in this is like delighting in the vegetation of the earth, which soon turns to chaff, and only one of little intellect rejoices in that. If you lack the quality you are praised for, then rejoicing in the praise is the height of insanity.

وقد ذكرنا آفات المدح فيما تقدم في كتاب آفات اللسان، فلا ينبغي أن تفرح به، بل تكرهه، كما كان السلف يكرهونه، ويغضبون على فاعله.

We have discussed the pitfalls of praise previously in the lengthy chapter "Ailments of the Tongue," so you should not delight in it, but rather dislike it, as the predecessors did, and they would be angry at the one who offers it.

وعلاج كراهية الذم يفهم من علاج حب المدح، فإنه ضده، والقول الوجيز فيه أن من ذمك، إما أن يكون صادقاً فيما قال، قاصداً للنصح لك، فينبغي أن تتقلد منته، ولا تغضب، فإنه قد أهدى إليك عيوبك، وإن لم يقصد بذلك النصح، فإنه يكون قد جنى هو على دينه، وانتفعت بقوله، لأنه عرفك ما لم تكن تعرف، وذكرك من خطاياك ما نسيت،

The remedy for hating criticism can be understood from treating the love of praise, as it is its opposite. The succinct statement about it is that whoever criticizes you, if they are truthful and intending to advise you, you should accept their advice and not be angry, as they have gifted you with awareness of your faults. If their intention is not to advise, they have wronged their own religiosity, and you benefit from their words because they have made you aware of what you did not know, and reminded you of mistakes you forgot.

وإن افترى عليك بما أنت منه بريء، فينبغي أن تتفكر في ثلاثة أشياء:

And if they falsely accuse you of what you are innocent of, you should contemplate three things:

أحدها: أنك إن خلوت من ذلك العيب لم تخل من أمثاله، فما ستر الله عز وجل عليك من عيوبك أكثر، فاشكره إذ لم يطلعه على عيوبك ودفعه عنك فذكر ما أنت عنه بريء.

1. If you are free of that flaw, you are not free from others like it. What Allah has concealed of your flaws is greater, so be grateful that He has not exposed your flaws and has repelled others from doing so.

الثاني: أن ذلك كفارات لذنوبك.

2. That these are expiations for your sins.

الثالث: أنه جنى على دينه، وتعرض لغضب الله عليه، فينبغي أن يسأل الله العفو عنه،

3. That the accuser has offended against their religiosity and exposed themselves to Allah's wrath, so you should pray for Allah's forgiveness for them.”

🆕💎The Virtue of Being Unfazed by Criticism or Praise (3): Don’t Let People Make or Break You

🔘 Sahl b. Sa’d (رضي الله عنه) reported:

مرَّ على رسولِ اللهِ صلَّى الله عليْهِ وسلَّمَ رجلٌ ، فقالَ النَّبيُّ صلَّى الله عليْهِ وسلَّمَ : ما تقولونَ في هذا الرَّجلِ ؟

A man passed by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the Prophet asked, "What do you say about this man?"

قالوا : رأيَكَ في هذا ، نقولُ : هذا من أشرافِ النَّاسِ ، هذا حريٌّ إن خطبَ ، أن يخطَّبَ ، وإن شفعَ ، أن يشفَّعَ ، وإن قالَ ، أن يسمعَ لقولِهِ ،

They replied, "Regarding this, we say: he is from the nobility of the people. If he proposes for marriage, he should be married off; if he intercedes, his intercession should be accepted; if he speaks, his words should be listened to."

فسَكتَ النَّبيُّ صلَّى الله عليْهِ وسلَّمَ ، ومرَّ رجلٌ آخرُ ، فقالَ النَّبيُّ صلَّى الله عليْهِ وسلَّمَ : ما تقولونَ في هذا ؟

The Prophet ﷺ remained silent. Then, another man passed by, and the Prophet asked again, "What do you say about this man?"

قالوا : نقولُ ، واللَّهِ يا رسولَ اللهِ ، هذا من فقراءِ المسلمينَ ، هذا حريٌّ إن خطبَ ، لم ينْكح ، وإن شفعَ ، لاَ يشفَّع ، وإن قالَ ، لاَ يسمع لقولِهِ ،

They said, "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, this man is one of the poor Muslims. If he proposes for marriage, he would not be married off; if he intercedes, his intercession would not be accepted; if he speaks, his words are not heeded."

فقالَ النَّبيُّ صلَّى الله عليْهِ وسلَّمَ : لَهذا خيرٌ من ملءِ الأرضِ مثلَ هذا.

The Prophet ﷺ then said, "This [second man] is better than an earth full of the first type of man."

[Graded Sahih by: Al-Albani in Sahih Ibn Majah 3342]

🔘 It was also reported that Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib (رضي الله عنه) said about the verse:

"في قولِهِ تعالى: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُنَادُونَكَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْحُجُرَاتِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

"Indeed, those who call you from behind the chambers - most of them do not use reason."

قالَ: فقامَ رجلٌ فقالَ: يا رسولَ اللَّهِ إنَّ حمدي زينٌ وإنَّ ذمِّي شينٌ، فقالَ النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللَّهُ علَيهِ وسلَّمَ: ذاكَ اللَّهُ عزَّ وجلَّ."

A man stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, indeed my praise is an adornment and my criticism disfigures." The Prophet, peace be upon him, responded: "That is [the attribute of] Allah, the Almighty and Majestic."

[Graded Sahih by Al-Albani and is recorded in Sahih al-Tirmidhi, hadith 3267. It is also found in Al-Nasa'i in "Al-Sunan al-Kubra" (11515), and in Ahmad (15991).]

This statement by the Prophet ﷺ corrected erroneous pre-Islamic notions. Al-Mubarakfuri said:

"مقصود الرجل من هذا القول مدح نفسه وإظهار عظمته يعني إن مدحت رجلا فهو محمود ومزين وإن ذممت رجلا فهو مذموم ومعيب

"The man's intention with this statement was to praise himself and display his greatness, meaning that if he praised a man, then that man is commendable and adorned; and if he criticized a man, then that man is censured and flawed.

( ذاك الله عز وجل ) أي الذي حمده زين وذمه شين هو الله سبحانه وتعالى .

(That is Allah, the Almighty and Majestic), meaning the One whose praise is an adornment and whose criticism disfigures is Allah, Exalted and Almighty."
[see Tuhfah al Ahwadhi].

🆕💎The Virtue of Being Unfazed by Criticism or Praise (4): Sincerity resides in not loving praise.

🔘 Ibn Al Qayyim (رحمه الله) says [in Al Fawā’id]:

لا يجتمع الإخلاصُ في القلب ومحبةُ المدح والثناء والطمع فيما عند الناس إلَّا كما يجتمع الماءُ والنار والضبُّ والحوتُ.

Sincerity does not coexist in the heart with the love of praise, the desire for acclaim, and the greed for what others possess, just as water and fire, or the lizard and the fish, cannot coexist.

فإذا حدَّثتْك نفسُك بطلب الإخلاص فأقبِلْ على الطمع أولًا فاذبحْه بسكين اليأس، وأقبِلْ على المدح والثناء فازهد فيهما زهدَ عُشاق الدُّنيا في الآخرة؛

If your self whispers to you to seek sincerity, first address your greed by slaughtering it with the knife of indifference. Then approach the desire for praise and fame and renounce them as the lovers of this world renounce the hereafter.

فإذا استقام لك ذبحُ الطمع والزُّهدُ في الثناء والمدح؛ سَهُلَ عليك الإخلاص.

When you manage to slaughter greed and renounce praise, achieving sincerity becomes easier.

فإن قلت: وما الذي يُسهِّل عليَّ ذبحَ الطمع والزهدَ في الثناء والمدح؟ قلت: أما ذبح الطمع فيُسهِّله عليك علمُك يقينا أنه ليس من شيء يُطمَع فيه إلا وبيد الله وحده خزائنُهُ؛ لا يملكها غيره، ولا يؤتي العبدَ منها شيئًا سواهُ.

If you ask how to facilitate the slaughter of greed and the renunciation of praise and acclaim, know that slaughtering greed is facilitated by your possessing certain knowledge that there is nothing desirable except that its treasures are in the hands of Allah alone; none other possesses them, nor grants them except Him.

وأما الزهدُ في الثناء والمدح فيُسهِّلُه عليك علمُك أنه ليس أحدٌ ينفعُ مدحُه وَيزِيْن ويَضرُّ ذمُّه وَيشينُ إلَّا الله وحده؛ كما قال ذلك الأعرابيُّ للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: إن مدحي زَينٌ وَذمِّي شَينٌ. فقال: "ذلك الله عز وجل"؛

And renouncing praise and acclaim is made easier by knowing that no one’s praise truly beautifies, and no one’s condemnation truly disfigures, except for Allah alone; as a Bedouin said to the Prophet ﷺ "My praise beautifies and my condemnation disfigures." To which he replied, "That is Allah, Exalted and Majestic."

فازهد في مدح من لا يَزِينُك مدحه وفي ذمِّ من لا يَشِينك ذمُّهُ، وارغبْ في مدح مَن كلُّ الزين في مدحه وكل الشين في ذمِّه.

Thus, renounce the praise of those who cannot truly honor you, and the condemnation of those who cannot truly disgrace you, and seek the praise of the One whose commendation is all beauty and whose condemnation is all disgrace.

ولن تقدر على ذلك إلا بالصبر واليقين؛ فمتى فقدتَ الصبر واليقين كنت كمن أراد السفر في البحر في غير مركبٍ.

You will not be able to do this except through patience and certainty; for when you lack patience and certainty, you are like one who wishes to travel by sea without a ship.

قال تعالى: ﴿فَاصْبِرْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَا يَسْتَخِفَّنَّكَ الَّذِينَ لَا يُوقِنُونَ (٦٠)﴾ [الروم: ٦٠].

Allah the Almighty says: "So be patient. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth. And let not those who are uncertain in faith discourage you" (Al-Rum:60).

وقال تعالى: ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا وَكَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا يُوقِنُونَ (٢٤)﴾ [السجدة: ٢٤].

And He says: "And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and when they were certain of Our signs" (Al-Sajdah:24).

🆕💎The Virtue of Being Unfazed by Criticism or Praise (5): The Doorway to Wisdom & Inner-Peace

🔘 Ibn Hazm (رحمه الله) explains that indifference to praise and criticism is a tremendous door to wisdom and inner peace:

باب عظيم من الْعقل والراحة وَهُوَ: اطراح المبالاة بِكَلَام النَّاس وَاسْتِعْمَال المبالاة بِكَلَام الْخَالِق عز وَجل
بل هَذَا بَاب الْعقل والراحة كلهَا،

This is a great doorway of wisdom and peace: discarding concern for what people say and focusing concern on the words of the Creator, Glorified and Exalted be He.

من قدر أَنه يسلم من طعن النَّاس وعيبهم فَهُوَ مَجْنُون،

Indeed, this is the entirety of wisdom and peace. Whoever thinks he can escape the criticisms and people’s fault-finding of him is delusional.

من حقق النّظر وراض نَفسه على السّكُون إِلَى الْحَقَائِق وَإِن آلمتها فِي أول صدمة كَانَ اغتباطه بذم النَّاس إِيَّاه أَشد وَأكْثر من اغتباطه بمدحهم إِيَّاه،

One who deeply contemplates and reconciles himself to calmly accepting the facts, even if they hurt him at first, finds greater joy in people’s criticism than in their praise.

لِأَن مدحهم إِيَّاه إِن كَانَ بِحَق وبلغه مدحهم لَهُ أسرى ذَلِك فِيهِ الْعجب فأفسد بذلك فضائله، وَإِن كَانَ بباطل فَبَلغهُ فسره فقد صَار مَسْرُورا بِالْكَذِبِ وَهَذَا نقص شَدِيد ،

For if their praise is true and reaches him, it breeds vanity within him and thus corrupts his virtues. If what reached him of their praise is false and pleases him, he becomes happy with falsehood, which is a severe deficiency.

وَأما ذمّ النَّاس إِيَّاه فَإِن كَانَ بِحَق فَبَلغهُ فَرُبمَا كَانَ ذَلِك سَببا إِلَى تجنبه مَا يعاب عَلَيْهِ وَهَذَا حَظّ عَظِيم لَا يزهد فِيهِ إِلَّا نَاقص وَإِن كَانَ بباطل وبلغه فَصَبر اكْتسب فضلا زَائِدا بالحلم وَالصَّبْر،

As for people's criticism, if it is true and it reaches him, it may serve as a reason for him to avoid what is criticized, which is a great fortune that only a deficient person would disdain. If the criticism is false and he endures it, he gains additional merit through patience and forbearance.

وَكَانَ مَعَ ذَلِك غانما لِأَنَّهُ يَأْخُذ حَسَنَات من ذمه بِالْبَاطِلِ فيحظى بهَا فِي دَار الْجَزَاء أحْوج مَا يكون إِلَى النجَاة بأعمال لم يتعب فِيهَا وَلَا تكلفها وَهَذَا حَظّ عَظِيم لَا يزهد فِيهِ إِلَّا مَجْنُون

And with this, he benefits, for he collects good deeds from the false criticisms and gains rewards in the abode of recompense, where he is most in need of salvation through deeds that neither cost him effort nor burden him. This is a great portion of success that only a fool would disdain.

وَأما إِن لم يبلغهُ مدح النَّاس إِيَّاه فكلامهم وسكوتهم سَوَاء ، وَلَيْسَ كَذَلِك ذمهم إِيَّاه لِأَنَّهُ غَانِم لِلْأجرِ على كل حَال بلغه ذمهم أَو لم يبلغهُ وَلَوْلَا قَول رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم فِي الثَّنَاء الْحسن (ذَلِك عَاجل بشرى الْمُؤمن) لوَجَبَ أَن يرغب الْعَاقِل فِي الذَّم بِالْبَاطِلِ أَكثر من رغبته فِي الْمَدْح بِالْحَقِّ

If the praise of people does not reach him, then their words and their silence are equal, and their criticism is not the same because he gains reward in any case, whether their criticism reaches him or not. Were it not for the saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about good praise ("This is the believer's prompt glad tidings"), it would be appropriate for the wise to desire false criticism more than truthful praise.

وَلَكِن إِذْ جَاءَ هَذَا القَوْل فَإِنَّمَا تكون الْبُشْرَى بِالْحَقِّ لَا بِالْبَاطِلِ فَإِنَّمَا تجب الْبُشْرَى بِمَا فِي الممدوح لَا بِنَفس الْمَدْح

But since this saying is reported, the glad tidings are due to what is truthful (of praise), not what is false. The glad tidings are indeed obligatory for what is within the praised, not for the praise itself.”

🆕New Article: The Rarity of Sincerity (1): Defining Sincerity: https://www.umarquinn.com/articles/the-rarity-of-sincerity-1-defining-sincerity

🆕 THE RARITY OF SINCERITY (2): INSINCERITY CAUSES BURNOUT IN KNOWLEDGE & ACTION: https://www.umarquinn.com/articles/the-rarity-of-sincerity-2-insincerity-causes-burnout-in-knowledge-amp-action