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Chapter Three
WAYS TO BRING ABOUT THE LOVE OF ALLAAH
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, “Chapter:
Ways that bring about the Love (of Allaah) and necessitate it, and
they are ten in number.
One: Recitation of the Qur’aan with reflection and understanding of
its meanings and what is intended by it, as one reflects over a book
which he has memorised and which he expounds so that he may
understand what its author intends from him.
Two: Getting closer to Allaah with the supererogatory acts of
worship, after the obligatory ones, for they will take him to another
level of love that comes after love.
Three: Constant remembrance in every circumstance by the
tongue, the heart, actions and (one’s) condition 20, so a person’s
share of love is in accordance with his share of this remembrance.
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All of that being based upon what conforms to and is restricted by the Messenger’s
Sunnah and not upon what the astray Soofees invent and innovate of misguidances
and corrupt practices from their own intellects, satanic whisperings and innovatory
ejaculations of the mind and soul.
Ibn al-Qayyim said, “He (i.e., Shaikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah) said, ‘And as for what
many of the people of imaginations and foolishness say, ‘Haddathanee qalbee ‘an
Rabbee’ (meaning) ‘My heart informed me from my Lord-,then it is correct that his heart
informed him. However from whom? His devil or from His Lord? When he says, ‘My
heart informed me from my Lord,’ he is ascribing this informing to someone about
whom he does not know whether such a one actually informed him or not. And this is a
lie. And the muhaddath of this Ummah [(i.e., ‘Umar ibn al-Khatatab) in reference to the
hadeeth in Bukhaaree, “Indeed, in the nations before you there were people who were
inspired (muhaddathoon) and if there was one in this Nation it would be ‘Umar ibn alKhattaab,”] never used to say this and this saying (i.e., ‘My heart informed me from my
Lord…’) was never uttered by him on a single day. Allaah protected him from saying
that. In fact his scribe wrote one day, ‘This is what Allaah showed to the Chief of the
Believers, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab.’ So he (Umar) said, ‘’No. Erase it and write, ‘This is
what Umar ibn al-Khattaab saw. If it is correct it is from Allaah and if it is wrong then it
is from ‘Umar, and Allaah and His Messenger are free from it.’ And he said, ‘I speak
about it with my opinion. If it is correct it is from Allaah and if it is wrong it is from me
and Shaytaan.’ So this is the saying of al-Muhaddath (i.e., Umar) who has the
testification of the Messenger (r) and you will see the one believing in the Divine Union
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Four: Preferring His love over your own when desires overcome you
and climbing to reach His love, even if the ascent is difficult.
Five: The heart’s comprehension of His Names and Attributes,
witnessing them and having knowledge of them, to immerse himself
in the garden of this knowledge and its fundamental pillars.21
Whoever knows Allaah by His Names, Attributes and Actions, will,
no doubt, love Him. For this reason the deniers of His Attributes
(Mu’attilah), Fir’awniyyah and Jahmiyyah are like highway robbers
to the hearts, (they come in between it and) between reaching the
beloved (i.e., Allaah).22
with Allaah (Ittihaadee) and the one believing in the inclusion of Allaah in His creation
or parts of His creation (Huloolee) and the licentious unrestrained strayer giving rise to
forgery saying, ‘My heart has informed me from My Lord.’
So look at these two sayings (that of ‘Umar and that of those claiming to receive
knowledge of Allaah directly, from their hearts) and (look at) these two grades, those
who say both these sayings (i.e., ‘Umar and those making this claim) and these two
states (that of ‘Umar and of those besides him) and give every owner of a right his due
right and do not make the counterfeit/impostor and the sincere, one and the same
thing.” Madaarijus-Saalikeen (1/64).
21
Imaam at-Tirmidhee (d.279H) said, “It has been stated by more than one person
from the People of Knowledge about such ahaadeeth, that there is no resemblance
(tashbeeh) to the Attributes of Allaah, and our Lord, the Blessed and Most High,
descends to the lowest heaven every night. So they say, ‘Affirm these narrations, have
faith in them, do not deny them, nor ask how.’ The likes of this has been related from
Maalik ibn Anas, Sufyaan ath-Thawree, Ibn ‘Uyainah and ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak,
who all said about such ahaadeeth, ‘Leave them as they are, without asking how.’
Such is the saying of the People of Knowledge from the Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah.
However, the Jahmiyyah oppose these narrations and say, ‘This is resemblance
(tashbeeh)!’ However, Allaah the Most High, has mentioned in various places in His
Book, the Attribute of Hand, Hearing and Seeing, but the Jahmiyyah interpret (make
ta’weel) of these aayaat, explaining them in a way other than how they are explained
by the People of Knowledge. They say, ‘Indeed, Allaah did not create Aadam with His
own Hand,’ they say that Hand means the Power of Allaah.” Sunan at-Tirmidhee
(3/24).
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Al-Haafidh Taqiyud-Deen Aboo Muhammad ‘Abdul-Ghaniyy al-Maqdisee (d.600H)
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said, “And know, may Allaah have mercy upon you,
that Islaam and its people are attacked and destroyed by three groupings.
(i) A group who reject the hadeeth pertaining to the Attributes of Allaah and
who reject their narrators. They are more harmful to Islaam and its adherents than the
Disbelievers.
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Six: Witnessing His generosity, His benevolence, His favours and
blessings, both hidden and open, for these things call to His love.
Seven: And this is the most amazing of them all, the heart’s total
defeat and humility in front of Allaah, the Most High, and there are
no other words and considerations which give expression to this
meaning.
Eight: Being alone at the Time of the Descent of Allaah23 for having
private conversations with Him, reciting His Words, investigating the
heart, displaying the manners of servitude whilst in front of Him and
then to seal all of that with seeking forgiveness and repentance.
Nine: Sitting with the truthful lovers (of Allaah) and gathering the
good fruits (arising) from their speech, just as one picks out the
best of fruits, and that you do not speak except when the benefit of
the speech prevails and when you know that there is a betterment
for you and benefit for others in it.
Ten: Keeping distant from everything that comes between the heart
and between Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.
(ii) A group who speak with the authenticity of these hadeeth and acceptthem, but they perform Ta’weel (figurative interpolation) of them. They are mightier in their harm than the first group.
(iii) And the third group, those who avoid the above two sayings, and begin
as they claim to ‘purify’ (tanzeeh) Allaah from all imperfections but in fact they are liars,
and this leads them to the very same above two sayings. So they are more harmful
than the first two groups.” ‘Aqeedatul-Haafidh ‘Abdul-Ghaniyy (p. 113)
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Fudail ibn ‘Iyaad (d.187H) said, “When you hear the Jahmee say, ‘I disbelieve in a
Lord that Descends,’ say, ‘I believe in a Lord that does what He wills.” Sharh UsoolulItiqaad (no.775). Yahyaa ibn Ma’een (d. 233H) said, “When you hear the Jahmee say,
‘I disbelieve in a Lord that Descends,’ then say, ‘I believe in a Lord that does what He
desires.’” Sharh Usoolul-Itiqaad (no.776). Imaam Ahmad (d.241H) said, “He descends
as He wills, according to His Knowledge and Power and Greatness. He encompasses
everything with His Knowledge.” Sharh Usoolul-Itiqaad (no.777). Abul-Hasan AlAsh’aree (d.324H) said, “And we believe in all of the narrations that the People of
Narration have considered to be authentic concerning the Descent to the Lowest
Heaven and that the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, says, “Is there one asking? Is there
one seeking forgiveness?” and the totality of what they quote and consider to be
established, in opposition to the people of deviancy and misguidance.” Al-Ibaanah
(p.60).
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