How Might One
Obtain Ikhlaas? [1] Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al
Jawziyyah
Ikhlaas (sincerity) cannot coexist in a heart which
[embraces] the love of praise and commendation, [nor] the yearning [to
obtain] that which is possessed amongst the people, save in the [manner]
that fire and water, or a lizard and fish may coexist.
If your soul
informs you to quest for Ikhlaas, turn first towards your yearning and
slaughter it with a knife [in a state] of desperation. Then turn [in a
state of] asceticism upon praise and commendation, the asceticism of the
[one] who loved the Dunya for the sake of the Hereafter. If your quest in
the [act] of slaughtering the yearning, and [the acquisition of]
asceticism [against] praise and commendation is successful, your [journey]
shall be facilitated in your [quest] for Ikhlaas.
If it is
mentioned: What may facilitate the [act] of slaughtering the yearning and
the [development] of asceticism [against] the praise and
commendation?
I say:
The method of facilitating the [act] of
slaughtering the yearning: Your definitive knowledge that there is no
matter [present] that awakens ones greed for, save the worship of Allah
alone, and the Treasures which He alone possesses. For no individual can
furnish the slave with [those Treasures] save He.
The method of
facilitating the [development] of asceticism [against] praise and
commendation: Your knowledge that there is no individual who can [confer]
benefit upon or beautify his praise, [nor] inflict damage upon or disgrace
his vilification, save Allah alone.
As the bedouin said to the
Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam:
My praise [has been]
embellished, and indeed my vilification [has been] disgraced. The Prophet
sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam remarked: That is Allah. [Tirmidhi 3266,
Kitab Tafseer al-Quran, Declared Saheeh]
Accordingly, be ascetic
for praise [and] the one who is incapable of beautifying his praise for
you. [And] for vilification [and] the one who is incapable of disgracing
his vilification for you. Be desirous for the One who is absolute in the
embellishment of His praise, and is absolute in the tarnishment of His
vilification. For none shall acquire that, save with patience and
certainty, and when you have forfeited patience and certainty, you are
comparable to the one who desired to journey across a sea without [the
aid] of a vessel.
Allah has mentioned:
Be patient. Verily
the promise of Allah is true, and let not those who are devoid of
certainty in faith discourage you from conveying [Allahs
Message]. [Ar-Rum: 60]
We have made from amongst them leaders,
guiding under One Command, when they were patient and believed in Our
Signs with certainty. [As-Sajdah: 24]
Footnotes: [1]Adapted from the translator's footnotes to "An
Explanation of Riyadh al-Saliheen" by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen Translated from
al-Fawa'id by Sajad ibn `Abdur Rahman, 1998 Sajad Rana taken from http://www.islaam.com/
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