Developing Love for Allaah

Developing Love for Allaah
By Imaam Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (rahimahullaah) said:

"People have discussed about mahabbah (love of Allaah); its causes and what brings it about, its signs and its fruits and its rulings. The most comprehensive saying about this is what Abu Bakr al-Kattaanee (rahimahullaah) relates about al-Junayd (d.279H).

Abu Bakr al-Kattaanee (d.322H) said:

"A discussion about mahabbah took place in Makkah during the Pilgrimage month. The Shaykhs who were present spoke about this matter and al-Junayd was the youngest of them. They said to him: O 'Iraaqee, what do you have to say? So he bowed his head and tears were flowing from his eyes and he said:

"A servant should overcome his soul;
And be continuous in the remembrance of his Lord;
Establishing the Rights of his Lord;
Focusing upon Him with his heart;
The late of fear setting a blaze upon his heart;
Whilst drinking from the vessel of true love;
And certain realities become unveiled to him;
So when he talks, it is due to Allaah;
When he speaks, it is from Allaah;
When he moves, it is by the command of Allaah;
And when he is serene, then it is from Allaah;
He belongs to Allaah, is for Allaah, and is with Allaah."

So the shaykhs began to weep and said: How can that be increased upon? May Allaah reward you with good, O crown of the knowledgeable ones!" [1]

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) further said:

"The reason which cause the mahabbah (love of Allaah) to develop are ten:

Firstly: Reciting the Qur`aan, reflecting upon it and understanding its meanings.

Secondly: Drawing closer to Allaah through the performance of optional deeds, after fulfilling the obligatory deeds.

Thirdly: Being continuous in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah - in all circumstances - with the tongue, the heart and the limbs. The more constant the dhikr, the more mahabbah intensifies.

Fourthly: Giving precedence to what Allaah loves - when being overcome with desires - over what one personally loves and desires.

Fifthly: Causing the heart to contemplate over the Names and Attributes of Allaah. Being a witness to what they necessitate and causing the heart to be enlightened in the garden of this realisation.

Sixthly: Witnessing the blessing and the favours of Allaah; the apparent and the hidden.

Seventhly: Subduing the heart and humbling it before Allaah, causing it to be in awe of Him.

Eighthly: Being in seclusion during the time in which Allaah descends to the lowest Heaven; reciting the Qur`aan, and finishing this recitation with seeking Allaah's forgiveness and sincerely repenting to Him.

Ninthly: Sitting in the gatherings of the sincere and true lovers of Allaah; reaping the benefits of their teachings, and not speaking except when you know there is benefit in doing so and that such speech will increase you in good and benefit others as well.

Tenthly: Keeping clear from all those matters which will cause the heart to distance itself from Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic.

So these are ten matters which cause the lover to reach the station of true love for Allaah, so that he may then reach Allaah - his Beloved." [2]

Footnotes:

[1] Madaarijus-Saalikee n (3/9)
[2] Madaarijus-Saalikee n (3/17-18)

Boycott Danish goods: Qaradawi

Boycott Danish goods: Qaradawi

CAIRO : One of the world's most prominent Sunni religious scholars called on Muslims on Friday to boycott Danish products in response to the decision by several newspapers in Denmark to reprint a controversial cartoon of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The cartoon was one of 12 caricatures that sparked protests across the Islamic world when they were first published in 2006 and led many Muslims to avoid Danish goods.

Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian cleric based in Qatar , urged Muslims on Friday to repeat their boycott, warning them that the world would view them as weak if they didn't react strongly. "Regrettably, Muslims start potently with these issues, then they relax gradually as the strong (supporters) get weaker and the enthusiastic (supporters) get lazy," said Al-Qaradawi during a press conference aired by Al-Jazeera television.

Islamic law opposes any depiction of the Prophet (PBUH), even favorable ones, for fear it could lead to idolatry. "Our duty is to go on (with the boycott)," said Al-Qaradawi. Danish exports to Muslim countries fell by more than 11 percent in 2006 during the boycott, according to Denmark 's national statistics agency. The boycott was accompanied by angry protests, with mobs burning the Danish flag and attacking the country's diplomatic missions in Syria , Iran and Lebanon .

The outcry across the Islamic world has not been as strong in response to the reprinted cartoon, but Muslims in Iraq and Indonesia held protests this week and Egypt banned four foreign newspapers for running the caricature. More than a dozen Danish newspapers reproduced the drawing on Feb 13 to show their commitment to free speech after police foiled an alleged plot to kill the cartoonist who created it. – AP


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