Ibn alQayyim Zaad Al Ma’aad – Notes

Ibn alQayyim: Provisions for the Hereafter

Taught by Sheikh Sajid Umar

Notes of a student

Session 7: 18th April 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 session 7 of the ‘Provisions for the Hereafter’ course. He begins by praising Allah and sending blessings upon the final messenger Muhammad (s). (Khutbatul Haajah)

Introduction:

Sheikh reminds us of the status of the Messenger (s) so that we can increase our love for him. Hence learning about Him will continue to increase our love for him.
When Allah begins the Fatiha with “Alhamdulillah.” we fall in love with Him.

Difference between Hamd and Shukr:

الحمد ‘Al-Hamd’ All forms of the noble praises belong to Allah, something which nobody desrves besides Allah. Scholars say that it is praise coupled with love and exaltation.

الرحمن الرحيم Rahmaan & Raheem: The Most encompassing mercy. This increases your love for Allah.

مالك يوم الدين- Maalik: The Ultimate owner, the “king of kings” in front of whom nobody has authority. The king that will host all the creation in the heavens and the earth on that day.

-إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين: Iyyaka Na’budu Wa Iyyaka Nasta’een: Allah doesn’t, like in other parts of the Qur’an, tell us to “say” the following. He just spells it out, because once we love Allah, we are ready to follow His guidance.

Footnote:

Shaf;’ – Asr begins when the shadow is the same length as the object.

Hanafi – Asr begins when the shadow is twice the same length of the object

Ponder…

Behave in way that makes people love you (make it sincerely for Allah alone ) We must be the same, in that we beautify ourselves inwardly and outwardly to such an extent that we become loveable to others. By default, people will love you and listen to you.

The Prophet (s) was with the Sahaabah as the Qur’an was to mankind. (i.e – When Allah introduces the Qur’an, He mentions it to be a “guidance for those who have taqwa”, which makes you want to read it). This means that just as the Prophet(s) was made loveable to his companions, he was following the Qur’an, which was made loveable to its readers.
The point of being a ‘loveable person’ is not to be a different person in public and a different one at home, rather it is to initiate a transformation within yourself that makes you loveable in all spheres of life.

“When Allaah loves a slave, He says to Jibreel, ‘I love so-and-so, so love him,’ so Jibreel loves him and then calls out to the people of heaven, ‘Allaah loves so-and-so, so love him,’ and the people of heaven love him, and then acceptance is placed in the Earth for him.” [Bukhari]

“And with Allah’s mercy, you were soft towards them, and if you were harsh hearted, they would have flocked form around you.” [Al ‘Imran: 159]

“And thus We have made for every prophet an enemy – devils from mankind and jinn, inspiring to one another decorative speech in delusion” [Al An’am: 112]

“Oppression [is in the form of] darknesses on the day of judgment.”

Foster mothers of the Prophet (s):

Halima As Sa’diyyah (r)

Thuwaybah – free slave of Abu Lahab. Some say she accepted Islam but there is nothing solid to suggest that.

Every human being is created upon a pure disposition. So even those who are really bad, or who are non-muslim will still have elements of good in them.

E.g. – Shaytaan is bad but he taught the truth of Ayatul Kursi (but only for his own benefit)

“And thus We have made for every prophet an enemy – devils from mankind and jinn, inspiring to one another decorative speech in delusion. But if your Lord had willed, they would not have done it, so leave them and that which they invent.” [An’am:12]

Oppression is a form of darkness on the Day of Judgment.

People may fall into the error of oppression because they interpret the laws of the Shariah contradictory to the intent of these ayahs. They may not use general ayat in light of specific ayahs, and vice-versa. This methodology without any academic rigor leads to assumptions, incorrect conclusions, and mostly; oppression. May Allah protect our Ummah.

The internet has brought the distant close to us, and a gap has been filled to allow people more access. This leads to people misguiding others online and through the media,like the fitnah of ISIS.

If we think about this in the Dawah scene, some people may first hear of Islam as a result of something on the news that is a misinterpretation. This is what happens when we don’t understand the Qur’an and Sunnah

This is especially the time when we should make du’a for Allah to protect us from fitnah.

“The best of generations is mine, then those that come after them, then those that come after them.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

So our methodology should be according to what our predecessors did.

Deception of shaytaan…

Shaytaan is deceptive. He may make one do excessive worship, so then they fall into innovation, or he will stop them from worshipping Allah with misinterpretation. This is what happens when we don’t understand the Qur’an and Sunnah with a rigorous methodology.

When he has lost keeping people off worship, he gives them misguidance with regard to how they worship Allah.

This is especially the time we should make Duaa to Allah to protect us from fitnah.

That’s why Allah mentions in Surah Fatiha…

“Not those who have angered you” and “those who are misguided.” All has cited them astray because they are both on extreme sides of the path.

CERTAIN FATAWAH IN THIS DAY AND AGE SHOULD NOT BE FOLLOWED IRRESPECTIVE OF WHO SAYS IT, EXCEPT IF IT COMES FROM A FIQH COUNCIL

Fatawah councils: For example, The European council of Fatwa, the Fiqh council of Makkah, the Islamic council of Jeddah. Amja (American Muslim Judiciary Association)

“I have left amongst you two things, you will not be misguided as long as you hold on to them. Allah’s book and my sunnah.” [Narrated by Al Hakim and Malik in his Muwatta’]

BREAK

Allah created the trees and the animals; all of it is part of Allah’s creation. We respect those things that surround us because Allah created it, and has honored the children of Adam.

So, although we must not be apologetic about our religion, our confidence should not lead us to deride other non-Muslims or those that are misguided.

Halima as Sa’diyyah nursed Muhammad (s) and Abu Sufyaan. This teaches us that guidance is not hereditary.

The brothers of Yusuf who threw Yusuf in a well were sons of Prophets. This teaches us the same.

Umm Ayman Barakah Al-Habashiyyah (Someone who brought up the Prpohet(s) after his(s) mother died) was the one who cried after the death of the Prophet(s). When some sahabah came to console her, asking her why she was upset as Allah has chosen the best for the messenger(s),

She said:

“I am not crying at the Prophet’s death. He has gone to a better place. I cry because Revelations have ceased coming.” [Ahmed]

This statement shook Abu Bakr and Umar.

Prophethood:

What was the first revelation?

2 opinions:

Aisha (r) – the first revelation was “Iqra” (stronger opinion)
Jabir – first revelation was the first ayah of Surah Muddathir

-The Prophet (s) became a prophet with “Iqra”

-He became a messenger with “Stand up and warn” from surah Muddathir.

Benefit: Knowledge (‘Read’) comes before action (‘Stand up and warn’)

-Leaders of Da’wah organisations should be students of knowledge.

-Imam al-Shatibi, in his book “Al-Muwafaqaat”, lists five types of makruh, and one of them is to be in a position where others look up to you and act not upon knowledge.

-In da’wah organisations, we have to bounce our ideas off established students of knowledge, and validate our ideas.

-Ibn ul Qayyim said, “Someone who takes a fatwa from the middle-ages and passes it onto the current condition is worse than the doctor giving patients old medicine.”

-Therefore, Studying fiqh is not the same as passing fatawa.

– Imam Ahmad refused to pass fatwa in the presence of Imam al-Shafi’i while al-Shafi’i was in Iraq.

-There are aadab related to being a person of knowledge, so our teachers are referred to as “Shaikh” out of respect. Still, it wasn’t from the way of the scholars to call themselves “Shaikh” so and so. However, if there are du’aat currently doing this then we think best of them because there is a culture and the issue is complex.

-Imagine a world where we had Muslims representing the world in all spheres- in sport, academia, the media etc. True representatives of the Muslim ummah.

-Imagine a Muslim golfer, pharmacist etc. representing our religion on an international level.

-BE THE BEST. REPRESENT THE UMMAH.

-Allah revealed the best book, to the best prophet, in the best place. He then called us in the book, “The best of nations.”

-We can and should be the best.

-The Prophet (s) was first told to “Warn those close to him.”, then his people, then all of the Arabs, then all of mankind.

-The Qur’an mentions explicitly that Islam is a world religion, and he (s) sent messages to all the kings.

– With regards to personal development, we should go slowly. We should start with e.g.- praying Tahajjud every week, until that is easy, when it becomes easy, we should move on to twice a week, etc.

– The Sheikh advises us to keep a journal with three sections: “The Good”, “The Bad”, and “The Ugly.”

– In “the good” we should write down all the good deeds we haven’t been doing consistently yet. In “The Ugly”, you list the major sins, and in “The Bad” we list habits that need cutting out.

– We need to start by removing “The Ugly”, and “The Bad” will by itself slowly decrease, and “The Good” will grow.

– Wisdom behind acts of worship is to gain god consciousness (Taqwa). When a person has taqwa they will automatically begin avoiding sins.

-The Sheikh asks that if anybody is adept at graphics or editing, if they can turn part of this lesson into a Kinetic typography video so others can benefit. Please email the team or the Sheikh if you are interested. (email: sajidahmedumar@gmail.com)

Questions: