Risālat Ibn al-Qayyim ilā Ikhwānih - Ibn al-Qayyim - (الكتاب/5)

every (1) evil (2) that lies between them. Very often one of the two is yoked to the other and never leaves it (3).

Whoever reflects on the corruption in the condition (4) of the world, both generally and in particular, will discover that it springs from these two principles. Heedlessness blocks the servant from perceiving (5) the truth, knowing it, and being truly aware of it (6); thus he becomes one of those who have gone astray (7). Following caprice, meanwhile, diverts him from intending (8) the truth, desiring it, and adhering to it (9), so he joins the ranks of those who have incurred wrath.

As for those who have been favored, they are the people to whom Allah has granted knowledge of the truth and, in practice, submission to it and preference for it over everything else. These are the ones upon the path of salvation, whereas all others are on the path of ruin. For this reason Allah—exalted is He—has commanded us to say several times every day and night: “Guide us to the Straight Path (6), the path of those You have favored, not of those who have incurred wrath, nor of those who have gone astray (7)” (al-Fatiha 1:6–7).

Indeed, the servant is in absolute, pressing need to know what will benefit him in

(1) The base manuscript reads: “they were produced”; the adopted reading follows manuscript B. (2) Manuscript C reads: “much evil is generated from them.” (3) “And does not part from it” is omitted in manuscript C. (4) “States” is omitted in manuscript C. (5) “Conception” is omitted in manuscript B. (6) Manuscript C reads: “and between knowing the truth and conceiving it,” in place of “and between conceiving the truth, knowing it, and having knowledge of it.” (7) The base manuscript reads: “the righteous,” which is an error; the adopted reading follows manuscripts B and C. (8) Manuscript C reads: “following,” in place of “seeking.” (9) “And intending it and following it” are omitted in manuscript C.

ما] (١) بينهما كل شر (٢). وكثيرًا ما يقترن أحدهما بالآخر ولا يفارقه (٣). ومن تأمل فساد أحوال (٤) العالم عمومًا وخصوصًا، وجده ناشئًا عن هذين الأصلين، فالغفلة تحول بين العبد وبين تصور (٥) الحق ومعرفته والعلم به (٦) فيكون من [الضالين] (٧). واتباع الهوى يصده عن قصد (٨) الحق وإرادته واتباعه (٩)، فيكون من المغضوب عليهم. وأما المنعم عليهم فهم الذين مَنَّ الله عليهم بمعرفة الحق علمًا، وبالانقياد إليه وإيثاره على ما سواه عملًا، وهؤلاء هم الذين على سبيل النجاة، ومن سواهم على سبيل الهلاك. ولهذا أمرنا الله -سبحانه- أن نقول كل يوم وليلة عدة مرات: ﴿اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ (٦) صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ (٧)﴾ [الفاتحة: ٦، ٧]. فإن العبد مضطر كل الاضطرار إلى أن يكون عارفًا بما ينفعه في

(١) في الأصل (تولدتا)، والمثبت من ب. (٢) في ج: (تولد منهما شر كثير). (٣) (ولا يفارقه) ساقطة من ج. (٤) (أحوال) ساقطة من ج. (٥) (تصور) ساقطة من ب. (٦) في ج (وبين معرفة الحق وتصوره) بدل (وبين تصور الحق ومعرفته والعلم به). (٧) في الأصل (الصالحين) وهو خطأ، والمثبت من ب، و ج. (٨) في ج (اتباع) بدل (قصد). (٩) (وإرادته واتباعه) سقطتا من ج.