Risālat Ibn al-Qayyim ilā Ikhwānih - Ibn al-Qayyim - (الكتاب/39)

—the one whose heart is empty of Allah and of the Hereafter, afflicted as he is with the love of this world—nothing weighs on him more heavily than the prayer (1), and nothing is more loathsome to him than for it to be prolonged, even though he has leisure, enjoys good health, and has no other occupation! (2)(3)

It should also be understood that the prayer which gladdens the eye and brings rest to the heart (4) is the one that unites six aspects:

Aspect (5) One: Sincerity.

This means that what moves a person to pray and summons him to it is his longing for Allah, his love for Him (6), his quest for His pleasure, his yearning to draw near to Him, to win His favor, and to obey His command (7). In other words, not a single motive for the prayer (8) is drawn from any portion of worldly gain whatsoever. He performs it solely to seek the Face of his Most High Lord, out of love for Him, fear of His punishment, and hope for His forgiveness and reward (10).

(1) The passage from “for he has no” to “the prayer” is omitted from manuscript C. (2) Ibn al-Qayyim mentions a similar statement in The Path of the Two Emigrations, p. 554. (3) “And his not being occupied” is omitted from manuscript C. (4) “And the heart finds rest through it” is omitted from manuscript C. (5) Omitted from manuscript C. (6) Manuscript B reads, “the congregational mosque.” (7) Manuscript C reads, “the motive for it is the servant’s love for Allah,” instead of, “what impels and calls him to it is the servant’s longing for Allah and love for Him.” (8) “Drawing near to Him, seeking to endear oneself to Him, and obeying His command” is omitted from manuscript C. (9) “For Him” is omitted from manuscript C. (10) The passage from “rather, he performs it” to “and His reward” is omitted from manuscript C.

الفارغ القلب من الله والدار الآخرة المبتلى بمحبة الدنيا أشق ما عليه الصلاة (١)، وأكره ما إليه طولها، مع تفرغه وصحته وعدم اشتغاله! (٢) (٣) ومما ينبغي أن يُعلَم: أنَّ الصلاة التي تَقرُّ بها العين ويستريح بها القلب (٤) هي التي تجمع ستة مشاهد: المشهد (٥) الأول: الإخلاص وهو أن يكون الحامل (٦) عليها والداعي إليها رغبة العبد في الله، ومحبته له (٧)، وطلب مرضاته، والقرب منه، والتودد إليه، وامتثال أمره (٨)، بحيث لا يكون الباعث له (٩) عليها حظًا من حظوظ الدنيا ألْبَتَّةَ، بل يأتي بها ابتغاء وجه ربه الأعلى، محبةً، له وخوفًا من عذابه، ورجاء لمغفرته وثوابه (١٠).

(١) (فإنه ليس له) إلى (الصلاة) ساقط من ج. (٢) ذكر ابن القيم نحو هذا الكلام المتقدم، في (طريق الهجرتين، ص ٥٥٤). (٣) (وعدم اشتغاله) ساقطة من ج. (٤) (ويستريح بها القلب) ساقطة من ج. (٥) ساقطة من ج. (٦) في ب (الجامع). (٧) في ج (الباعث عليها محبة العبد لله) بدل (الحامل عليها والداعي إليها رغبة العبد في الله ومحبته له). (٨) (والقرب منه والتودد إليه وامتثال أمره) ساقطة من ج. (٩) (له) ساقطة من ج. (١٠) (بل يأتي بها) إلى (وثوابه) ساقط من ج.