Ibn alQayyim: Provisions for the Hereafter
Taught by Sheikh Sajid Umar
Notes of a student
Session 4: 28th March 2015
Disclaimer: These notes are not comprehensive, they are only a guideline with which to follow the recording.
Part 1
Assalaamu alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu,
The Sheikh welcomes our first session of the ‘Provisions for the Hereafter.’ He begins by praising Allah and sending blessings upon the final messenger Muhammad ﷺ (Khutbatul Haajah).
Allah has accorded to Himself goodness
[Reader goes on to read the chapter ‘Allah has accorded to Himself goodness’ on page 16 (hard copy) and 17 (pdf version)].
Our legs won’t move on the day of judgement until we are asked about two matters:
- What did we worship?
- What was our response to the Messenger?
Allah will also ask us about other matters that fall under the umbrella of these two particular matters.
The strange matter about the questions of the graveis that we already know the questions that we are going to answer.
Allah through his mercy, has already told us the questions but the point is, what are we going to do to prepare for the answers?
Many of us feel anxiety when going into an exam. We feel the difficulty of these exams before we sit them and indeed it is a test for us.
We usually assume that if we know the answers to the questions, we wouldn’t have anxiety. Then why is it that we know the questions of the grave yet we are filled with anxiety at the thought of them?
Death is a reality.
The Prophet (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:
“Remember frequently the destroyer of pleasures (i.e – death).” – Remembering death will suppress your desires and the anxiety will take over the whims and desires we have.
We cannot study the questions of the grave. To study them, you have to live life according to those questions.
That’s why:
Beneficial knowledge is knowledge put into action.
Acting upon that knowledge is you studying and preparing to answer those questions!
Note:
Allah will not just ask us “Who is Muhammad?” – rather, the reality of the question is, “What was the response to the Messenger?”
If you said “Muhammad was my prophet” and you lived your life against his teachings, was your claim just for namesake?
The answer to the first question we may think is just simple. The Shahadah is very easy to utter and it can be said effortlessly.
However, the mandates of the shahadah are mighty:
For it takes a person from darkness into light.
It entails the rank and level you will be raised to in Paradise.
Allah will test us and place things we love around us.
Many people ask: If God is good how can He present a world that is not perfect? Or if God is perfect why did revelation come to an imperfect humanity? And so on and so forth. People with such questions are those who haven’t understood the mandates of ‘Laa Ilaha Ilaa Allah.’
Understand, we only worship one Allah and there’s nobody above Him.
There is no way to Allah except upon the way of Muhammad ﷺ.
There is no one worthy of worship besides Allah.
This shahadah makes up Islam.
The word ‘Islam’ linguistically refers to ‘Istislaam’ – explains the meaning of Islam. Yes, Islam does refer to the concept of peace, but it doesn’t only mean ‘peace’.
‘Istislaam’ – submitting to the way of Allah in everything we do and in every second of our lives . So we turn back to Allah through the process of repentance.
Evidence: [Surah Ahzab:36]
Islam is about following its way and guidance even if it doesn’t suit your fancy.
Our intellect is used behind the screen of the shari’ah and revelation. Islam means allowing revelation to be the sieve that we place things in. The sieve lets the impure thing though and catches the pure things.
Reminder: The author built the introduction upon the ayah
“”And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses, no choice have they (in any matter).” {Surah al Qasas, 28:68}
Contemplation on the first chapter:
Author begins the chapter with discussions around purity vs evil.
Allah only accepts that which is pure. Hence, he chose the Prophetﷺ for he was the purest of the pure, and he taught that which is purest of the pure. The hereafter has the purest of pure places, which is Jannah. We are on a journey and our provisions should also be the purest of the pure. Hence, we must take these provisions from a pure place – the teachings of the Messenger of Allah.
Imam Ibn alQayyim didn’t only have knowledge but also wisdom. Wisdom entails doing this at the right time and in the right place.
Rasulullah ﷺ taught us:
“Indeed Allah is good and pure and does not accept anything that is not good and pure.”
Allah tells us in [Nahl:32]:
“Those whose lives the angels take whilst they are in the pious state…”
‘Tayyibeena’ – pure, pious and good state.
“…enter into Jannah because of the pure things you used to do.”
and in [Zumar:73]-
“Peace be upon you, you have done what is well so enter you wherein you will reside there forever.”
‘Tibtum’ – you have been pure/good
and in [Nur:26]-
“Evil words are for evil men, and evil men are [subjected] to evil words. And good words are for good men, and good men are [an object] of good words.”
Anything that has a punishment attached to it can’t be good and pure. No matter how much you try to justify it.
Litmus test: Ask yourself, has Allah cited a punishment for it? If yes, then it is evil and impure.
Regarding the obligation to know the guidance of the Messenger ﷺ
[ The chapter ‘Regarding the obligation to know the guidance of the Messenger ﷺ is read on page 18 (hard copy) and 19 (pdf version)].
After we know that Allah has chosen Muhammad ﷺ and given him a rank that he didn’t give to anyone else, and when we learn about his purity and all that he preached and taught was pure, then it becomes an obligation for us to learn about the Messenger.
“Whoever dwells in grace gets used to it.” – poetry by Al-Mutanabbi
“There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern (‘Uswatan hasanah) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.” [33:21]
The Messenger of Allah is a perfect example for both our dunya and the akhirah.
‘Uswa’ – Is an indefinite word and, in this place, is used in positive sentence – this implies that it is something general, meaning that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is a perfect example for us in everything.
Note: The ayah [93:7] “And we found you not upon complete guidance.”
‘Dhalla’ – Linguistically means lost/astray camel/misguided
The Prophet ﷺ was not misguided. The evidence for this is that as a child his heart was cleansed by the angels, he would seek solitude in the cave of hira, the incident of the black stone, his upbringing etc. indicated that he had a level of guidance even before Islam.
The Prophet ﷺ was not ‘misguided.’
Halimah al-Sa’diyah, One of the foster mothers of the Prophet ﷺ said when he passed away. They said: ‘The messenger of Allah has gone to a better place.’ She said: ‘I know that but I’m crying because the door of revelation has been shut.’
The reality of the women at the time of the Messenger of Allah is that they knew who they were, where they were going to and how to get there successfully. The Prophet ﷺ gave them perspective.
Why do we need to learn about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?
Our mind doesn’t have the ability to comprehend everything.
We live in an age where so many are spreading false messages about the Messenger ﷺ. It becomes obligatory to know him so that we do not misrepresent him ﷺ.
Knowledge of religion is of two types:
- Fardh ‘Ayn (individual obligation) – Every single Muslims must fulfil this.
- Fardh Kifayah (collective obligation) – If some in the community do it, the obligation is removed from the rest of them.The point is that: Knowledge of the Prophet ﷺ is fard’ ‘ayn
His Birth:
The prophet ﷺ was born in Makkah in the Year of the Elephants
They would benchmark incidents against a significant or major incident that happened in the past.
Reminder: Its not about calling to our way, our name, or our organisation, we need to call to the message of Islam.
Next class: Birth of the Prophet ﷺ, Death of his father, Prophethood, his names and stages of revelation.
Leave a Reply