All of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim’s Books in PDF format
September 25, 2022 § 4 Comments
Shaikh Bakr Abu Zaid, may Allah have mercy on him, oversaw a project on the publication of Ibn al-Qayyim’s books, here is a link to all of them in PDF format.
He did the same with Shaikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah’s works, here is a link to them too, both collections with permission from the publishers.
I Don’t Know
July 12, 2022 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “One of the people of knowledge said, ‘Learn, ‘I don’t know,’—because when you say, ‘I don’t know,’ they will teach you until you do, and if you say, ‘I know,’ they will ask you until you don’t.’”
Iʿlāmul-Muwaqqiʿīn, 6/134.
When Ibn al-Qayyim was Beaten
May 31, 2020 § 2 Comments
“And on Monday 6th Shaʿbān 726ah Taqiyyud-Dīn Aḥmad ibn Taymiyyah was imprisoned along with his brother Zainud-Dīn ʿAbdur-Raḥmān in the fortress of Damascus, and Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah was beaten and paraded around Damascus on a donkey because of what he had said about intercession and seeking tawassul through the Prophets …”
As-Sulūk li Maʿrifati Duwalil-Mulūk, vol. 3, p. 89.
Translation of Ibn al-Qayyim’s Madaarij as-Saalikeen
May 19, 2020 § 2 Comments
A translation of the above work is available for purchase, it comes to over 900 pages, here.
The Verses of Tranquillity—Ibn Taymiyyah Asking for Them to be Recited When He was Sick and Attacked by Devils
December 4, 2015 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “And Allaah has mentioned tranquility in six places in His Book:
وَقَالَ لَهُمۡ نَبِيُّهُمۡ إِنَّ ءَايَةَ مُلۡكِهِۦٓ أَن يَأۡتِيَكُمُ ٱلتَّابُوتُ فِيهِ سَكِينَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَبَقِيَّةٞ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ ءَالُ مُوسَىٰ وَءَالُ هَٰرُونَ تَحۡمِلُهُ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَةٗ لَّكُمۡ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ
1) “And their Prophet said to them, ‘Indeed, a sign of his kingship is that the chest will come to you in which is assurance [sakinah] from your Lord and a remnant of what the family of Moses and the family of Aaron had left, carried by the angels. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.’” [2:248]
ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَأَنزَلَ جُنُودٗا لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَا وَعَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
2) “Then Allaah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers and sent down hosts whom you did not see and punished those who disbelieved. And that is the recompense of the disbelievers.” [9:26]
إِلَّا تَنصُرُوهُ فَقَدۡ نَصَرَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِذۡ أَخۡرَجَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ثَانِيَ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ إِذۡ هُمَا فِي ٱلۡغَارِ إِذۡ يَقُولُ لِصَٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحۡزَنۡ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَاۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيۡهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٖ لَّمۡ تَرَوۡهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ ٱلسُّفۡلَىٰۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِيَ ٱلۡعُلۡيَاۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
3) “If you do not aid the Prophet—Allaah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve, indeed Allaah is with us.’ And Allaah sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allaah—that is the highest. And Allaah is Mighty, Wise.” [9:40]
هُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ فِي قُلُوبِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ لِيَزۡدَادُوٓاْ إِيمَٰنٗا مَّعَ إِيمَٰنِهِمۡۗ وَلِلَّهِ جُنُودُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمٗا
4) “It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith. And to Allaah belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth, and ever is Allah Knowing and Wise.” [48:4]
لَّقَدۡ رَضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ إِذۡ يُبَايِعُونَكَ تَحۡتَ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ فَعَلِمَ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَأَنزَلَ ٱلسَّكِينَةَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَأَثَٰبَهُمۡ فَتۡحٗا قَرِيبٗا
5) “Certainly was Allaah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity upon them and rewarded them with a near victory.” [48:18]
إِذۡ جَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ ٱلۡحَمِيَّةَ حَمِيَّةَ ٱلۡجَٰهِلِيَّةِ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦ وَعَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَأَلۡزَمَهُمۡ كَلِمَةَ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ وَكَانُوٓاْ أَحَقَّ بِهَا وَأَهۡلَهَاۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٗا
6) “When those who disbelieved had put into their hearts chauvinism, the chauvinism of the time of ignorance. But Allaah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers and imposed upon them the word of righteousness, and they were more deserving of it and worthy of it. And ever is Allaah, of all things, Knowing.” [48:26]
And when things would become severe against the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, he would recite the Verses of Tranquillity [listed above].
And during a formidable calamity which he faced when he was sick and which [was so severe that both] intellects and [a person’s] strength are unable to bear it—and which saw him battling Satanic spirits which appeared before him at that time of being in a state of weakened strength—he said, ‘And so when the situation become most severe against me I said to my relatives and those around me, ‘Recite the Verses of Tranquillity,’ and thus did that state cease and I sat up having no ailment.’
And I [i.e., Ibn al-Qayyim] too have tried reciting these verses during times when the heart is uneasy/disturbed/agitated due to what it faces, and I saw them to have a tremendous effect in bringing it tranquillity and repose.”
Madaarijus-Saalikeen, vol. 3, pp. 391-392, verses quoted in part in the book, quoted in full here in the article.
On Your Devil
October 20, 2015 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “So whoever does not punish his devil in this abode through the remembrance of Allaah تعالى and tawheed, and seeking forgiveness from Him and obeying Him, then his devil will punish him in the Hereafter with the torment of the Fire—so everyone must punish his devil or else his devil will punish him.”
Badaa’i’ut-Tafseer, vol. 5, p. 450.
Ibn al-Qayyim’s Astounding Humility: Calling Himself Bankrupt Instead of a Shaikh
September 22, 2015 § 1 Comment
Ibn al-Qayyim wrote a priceless book on patience called Uddatus-Saabirin wa Dhakhiratush-Shakirin, out of his humility, he said the following about it and himself:
“Despite that, this book is the effort of someone who lacks the means [i.e., lacks knowledge], the output of someone bankrupt, in which he warns others against the disease even though he is among the ranks of those who suffer from it, in which he has outlined the remedy even though, due to his injustice and ignorance, he didn’t have the forbearance to use it himself, but he hopes that, through this advice which he is imparting to His believing slaves, the Most Kind and the Most Merciful will forgive the way he has cheated himself.
And so whatever in this book is correct is from Allaah, Alone, for it is He who is the Commendable, the One who helps, and whatever mistakes are found in it are from its author and the devil …”
Uddatus-Saabirin, p. 11.
Ibn al-Qayyim on Contentment: The All-Wise’s Wisdom and Mercy Behind Decreed Things that One Dislikes
March 23, 2014 § Leave a comment
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Indeed every decreed thing that the servant hates and does not find favourable will not be exempt from either being a punishment for a sin, so it is a cure for a disease which if the All-Wise did not remedy with the cure would hurl him into destruction, or it is a reason for a blessing which would not be attained except through that adversity—the adversity will cease and disappear but the blessing that results from it is perpetual, never ceasing. So when the servant witnesses these two matters the door to being content with his Lord in everything that He decrees and ordains for him is opened up for him.”
Madaarijus-Saalikin, vol. 2, p. 205.
Striving Against the Devil
June 19, 2013 § 1 Comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, ‘Striving [JIhaad] against the Devil consists of two steps: that a person strives against him to repel uncertainties and doubts, and that he strives against him to repel corrupt intentions and desires.’”
Mukhtaaraat min Zaadil-Ma’aad, p. 116.
Ibn al-Qayyim on Whether the Prophet Muhammad Forced People to Enter Islaam
June 12, 2013 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “So when Allaah sent His Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, most of the people of other religions responded to him and to his Khulafaa after him out of their own freewill and of their own choosing–and he never once forced anyone to enter the religion ever.
Rather he would only fight those who declared war against him and fought him, he never fought or forced to enter the religion those who kept peace with him and had a truce with him, in conformance with the order of his Lord سبحانه where He said:
“There is no compulsion in religion.” [Baqarah 2:256]
And this is a negation in the form of a prohibitive order, i.e., ‘Do not force anyone to enter the religion.’
This aayah was revealed concerning some of the Companions who had children who had become Jews or Christians before Islaam, so when Islaam came and the fathers became Muslims they wanted to compel their children to enter it, so Allaah سبحانه forbade them from doing that, such that they themselves should be the ones who choose to enter Islaam …
And it will become clear to whoever ponders the biography of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that he never forced anyone to enter the religion ever, and that he only fought those who fought him. And as for those who made a treaty with him, he did not fight them as long as they stuck to their treaty and did not break their covenant. In fact, Allaah, the Most High, ordered him to be faithful to the treaty between them as long as they upheld it, as He said:
“So long as they are true to you, stand you true to them.” [Tawbah 9:7]
And when he came to Medinah he made peace with the Jews and acknowledged their religion, so when they waged war against him and broke their covenant with him and initiated fighting [against him], he fought them and so was gracious to some of them, expelled some and killed some.
Likewise when he had a truce with the Quraish for ten years he never initiated any fighting against them until they themselves were the ones who started fighting him and broke their covenant, so it was then that he raided them … and they were the ones who would invade him before that just as they had set out for him on the Day of Uhud and the Day of the Trench and the Day of Badr too. They came to fight him–and if they had turned away he would not have fought them.
The point is that he صلى الله عليه وسلم never ever forced anyone to enter his religion.
Rather people entered his religion out of their own choosing and freewill, so most of the people in the world embraced his call when the guidance became clear to them and when it became clear to them that he truly was the Messenger of Allaah.”
Abridged from Hidaayatul-Hayaaraa fi Ajwibatil-Yahudi wan-Nasaaraa, pp. 29-30.
Uthaimeen Quoting Ibn al-Qayyim on Following Someone Who Sets Up His Own Principles
June 11, 2013 § Leave a comment
Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, ‘So whoever generates statements and establishes principles according to his own understanding and interpretation – it is not obligatory on the Ummah to follow them until they are examined against what the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم came with. If they agree with it, they are accepted, and if they oppose it, they are rejected.’”
Mukhtaaraat min Zaadil-Ma’aad, p. 11.
Ibn al-Qayyim on the Severest Type of Punishment
February 21, 2013 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “No servant has been struck with a punishment greater than the hardness of the heart and being distant from Allaah.”
Fawaaidul-Fawaaid, p. 262.
Ibn al-Qayyim on the Fact that Wasting Time is More Severe than Death
February 6, 2013 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Wasting time is more severe than death, for wasting time cuts you off from Allaah and the Abode of the Hereafter, whereas death cuts you off from the dunyaa and its people.”
Fawaaidul-Fawaaid, p. 458.
Ibn al-Qayyim, “Seek Out Your Heart in Three Places …”
February 3, 2013 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Seek out your heart in three places: when listening to the Quraan, in the gatherings of [Allaah’s] remembrance, and when [alone] in privacy, and if you do not find it in these places, then ask Allaah to grant you a heart – for verily, you do not have one.”
Fawaaidul-Fawaaid, p. 479.
Ibn al-Qayyim on Being Content
January 26, 2013 § 1 Comment
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Contentment is the paradise of this world.”
Fawaaidul-Fawaaid, p. 172.
Ibn al-Qayyim on the Aayah, “… and We Made for Him Light by Which to Walk Among the People …”
January 25, 2013 § Leave a comment
“And is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom?” [An’aam 6:122]
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “His Saying, “… and We made for him light by which to walk among the people …” encompasses a number of issues.
One of them is that he walks among the people with light while they are in darkness, so his example and theirs is like that of a people whom the night encompassed and who became lost and who could not find the way, and the other has light with which he walks along the path and sees it and sees what he should be wary of.
The second is that he walks among them with his light, and so they take from him due to their need of light.
The third is that he walks with his light on the Day of Resurrection over the Siraat [bridge] when the people of polytheism [shirk] and hypocrisy remain in the darkness of their polytheism and hypocrisy.”
Fawaa’idul-Fawaa’id, p. 159.
Ibn al-Qayyim on Repentance and Arrogance
January 26, 2012 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Indeed when Allaah intends good for a servant, He strips away sight of his good deeds from his heart, and their mention from his tongue, and causes him to become preoccupied with his sins, and they continue to be before his eyes until he enters Paradise. For indeed, those actions which have been accepted–the sight of them is removed from the heart and their remembrance from the tongue.
And one of the Salaf said, ‘Indeed the servant commits a mistake by which he enters Paradise. And he performs a good deed by which he enters the Fire.’
They said, ‘How so?’
He said, ‘He commits a mistake and so it remains before his eyes. When he recalls it he regrets it, resigns [himself to] and earnestly implores Allaah, and hastens to erase it, and he becomes broken and humble before his Lord, and his self-amazement and arrogance disappears. And he will perform a good deed and it will remain before his eyes, he sees it and uses it as a favour, and becomes self-conceited because of it, becomes arrogant because of it, until he enters the Fire.’”
Ar-Risaalah at-Tabukiyyah, vol. 1, p. 74.
Ibn al-Qayyim on An Easy, Beneficial Gift
January 26, 2012 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “The beneficial gift is a statement a man gifts to his Muslim brother.”
Ar-Risaalah at-Tabukiyyah, vol. 1, p. 74.
One
January 25, 2012 § 1 Comment
Explaining the aayah:
“And those who say, ‘Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us a leader for the righteous.’” [Furqaan: 25:74]
Ibn al-Qayyim said, ‘And Al-Farraa said, ‘He [i.e., Allaah, the Most High] said, ‘a leader’ and didn’t say, ‘leaders’ in the same way that He said, “[Both of you, i.e., Musaa and Haroon] Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘We are a messenger of the Lord of the worlds,’” [Shu’araa 26:16] and He didn’t say, ‘two messengers,’ and this is the singular through which the plural is meant.’’
Ibn al-Qayyim, commenting on this explanation of al-Farraa went on to say, ‘And this is the best of the sayings [explaining this point], except that it needs further elucidation.
And that [elucidation] is that the believers, all of them, are on one path, and their deity is one, and they are the followers of one Book, and one Prophet, slaves of One Lord, so their religion is one, and their Prophet is one, and their Book is one, and their deity is One–so it is as though all of them are one Imaam for those who come after them.’
Risaalatu Ibn al-Qayyim Ilaa Ahad Ikhwaanihi, [Ibn al-Qayyim’s Letter to One of His Brothers], pp. 14-15.
Ibn al-Qayyim: Sit for a short while before you sleep and do this …
January 4, 2012 § 6 Comments
Ibn al-Qayyim said, ‘Avoid those things that necessitate the punishment of the grave.
And from the most beneficial of them is that when a man wants to sleep, he sits for an hour, for the Sake of Allaah, calling himself to account over the things that he has lost and gained during that day of his. Then, between him and his Lord, he renews his sincere repentance over those things that he lost, and sleeps on that repentance, firmly resolving not to return to the sin when he wakes up–and he does this every night.
So if he dies on that night of his, he would have died upon repentance and if he wakes up, he will wake up going towards action, pleased with the postponement of his appointed time so that he can turn to his Lord and set right what he missed out on.
And there is nothing more beneficial for the servant than this sleep, especially when he follows that [i.e., his resolve to renew his repentance] up with the remembrance of Allaah, performing those sunnahs which have been reported from the Prophet of Allaah when going to bed, [doing so] until sleep overtakes him.
So whoever Allaah wishes good for, He will grant him the success to do that. And there is neither movement, nor power except through Allaah.”
Ar-Rooh, p. 79.
It is You we worship and You we ask for help
December 28, 2011 § 2 Comments
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “How many times I would hear the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah sanctify his soul, saying, “You [Alone] do we worship …” [Faatihah 1:5] repels ostentation, and, “You [Alone] do we ask for help …” repels grandeur/pride [kibriyaa].”
Madaarijus-Saalikeen, vol. 1, p. 54.
The Pleasure of Sinning or the Pleasure of Repenting?
December 24, 2011 § Leave a comment
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “So if the sinner knew that the pleasure of repenting and the joy associated with it is multiple times greater than the pleasure of sinning and the joy associated with it, he would rush to it much more than the way he rushes to the pleasure of sinning.”
Ar-Rooh
You present evil to Allaah and want good in return? Then do this.
December 22, 2011 § 3 Comments
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Whoever would love that Allaah reciprocates his evil with goodness, let him reciprocate the evil people do towards him with goodness.”
Miftaah Daaris-Sa’aadah, vol. 1, p. 292.
Say, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah!’ Instead he said, ‘King! Rook! Checkmate!’
December 18, 2011 § 6 Comments
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “So it may become impossible for him to pronounce the shahaadah, as many people have witnessed happen to those on the deathbed, such that it was said to some of them:
“Say, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah.’” So he replied, “Aaah! Aaah! I cannot say it!”
And it was said to another, “Say, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah.’” So he replied, “King! Rook! Checkmate!” and then he passed away.
And it was said to another, “Say, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaah.’” So he started singing irrationally, saying, ‘Taatinaa tinintaa, [no meaning, just irrational singing]’ and then passed away.
And the same was said to another, so he replied, “And how will what you are saying help me when I left no sin except that I committed it?” and then he passed away without saying it.
And the same was said to another, so he replied, “And how will that benefit me? And I don’t know if I have ever prayed a single time to Allaah?” and then he passed away without saying it.
And the same was said to another, so he replied [talking about himself], “He is a disbeliever in what you say,” and then he passed away.
And the same was said to another, so he replied, “Every time I want to say it my tongue withholds.”
And someone who was present at the death of someone who would beg told me that [they told him to say the shahaadah] so he started saying, “For Allaah’s Sake. A penny for Allaah’s Sake,” until he passed away.
And a trader told me that he was present when one of his relatives was on his deathbed, so they told him to say Laa ilaaha illallaah and he was saying, “This piece is cheap. This is a good buy. This is such and such,” until he passed away.
So if the devil has gained mastery over the servant in the state when his mind is present and his strength [is also present] and he has complete cognizance [i.e., while he is alive and healthy], and has employed him in committing whichever acts of disobedience to Allaah he wants him to do, and has made him unmindful of the remembrance of Allaah the Most High, and has paralysed his tongue from remembering Him and his limbs from obeying Him—then what does one think will be the case when his strength breaks down and his heart and soul become preoccupied with the death pangs that he is in?
And [all the while] Shaitaan will have gathered all of his strength and determination and assembled everything that he is capable of to avail his opportunity concerning him—for that is the last action.
So the strongest his Shaitaan will be against him is at that time, and the weakest he [i.e., the person] will be is at that time.
So who do you think will be safe from that? So it is there that, “Allaah keeps firm those who believe, with the firm word [i.e., ‘the firm word’ is Laa ilaaha illallaah], in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. And Allaah sends astray the wrongdoers. And Allaah does what He wills.” Ibraaheem 14:27
So how can someone whose heart Allaah has made heedless from His remembrance and who has followed his desires and whose affair is ever [in] neglect be granted the success to have a good ending?
Thus far away—the one whose heart is distant from Allaah the Most High, heedless of Him, worshipping his own desires, a slave to his lusts, his tongue dry from ever remembering Allaah [i.e., not moist with His remembrance], his limbs incapacitated from obeying Him actively working to disobey Him—far away [is such a person] from being granted the success to have a good ending.”
Ad-Daa wad-Dawaa, pp. 91-92, slightly edited.
Click here for the second part.
The True Man
December 17, 2011 § 1 Comment
“A man is the one who fears the death of his heart, not his body.”
Ibn al-Qayyim.
Madaarijus-Saalikeen, v. 3, p. 248.
The Doctor of the Heart, Ibn al-Qayyim, on Allaah, the Most High’s, Reprimand of Those who Take The Devil as an Ally
December 15, 2011 § Leave a comment
Allaah, the Most High, said, “And [mention] when We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam,” and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was of the jinn and departed from [i.e., disobeyed] the command of his Lord. Then will you take him and his descendants as allies other than Me while they are enemies to you? Wretched it is for the wrongdoers as an exchange.” Kahf 18:50
Commenting on this aayah, one of the things Ibn al-Qayyim said was:
“It is almost as though beneath this address there is an astonishing, delicate reprimand and it is that: I showed enmity to Iblees because he didn’t prostrate to your father Aadam with My Angels, so the enmity [I showed] was on your behalf, and then the final result of this enmity [which I showed on your behalf] is that between yourselves and him—you [went and] sealed a pact of reconciliation.”
Ad-Daa wad-Dawaa, p. 83.
Gifts of Knowledge 