Zād al-Maʿād - Ibn al-Qayyim - (2/429)

Zād al-MaʿādIbn al-Qayyim

good things except Him, nor does anyone avert evils except Him, nor does anyone guide to Him except Him (1). When He intends His servant for a purpose, He prepares him for it: from Him comes creation, from Him comes preparation (2), and from Him comes support. Whenever He places him in a station, whatever that station may be, He does so in accordance with His praiseworthiness, and His wisdom lies in placing him (3) there. No other station is fitting for him (4), and none other is right for him. None can withhold what Allah gives, and none can give what He withholds. He has not withheld from His servant something to which the servant is entitled, thereby wronging him. Rather, He withholds from him (5) so that the servant may draw near to Him through what He loves, and He may then give to him (6); so that he may implore Him, humble himself before Him, entreat Him lovingly, and give his need for Him its due—recognizing, in every particle of his inward and outward being, his utter need for Him with every successive breath.

This is the reality, even if the servant does not perceive it. He has not withheld what His servant needs out of miserliness, nor because His treasuries are diminished, nor to keep for Himself what rightfully belongs to the servant. Rather, He withholds it to bring him back to Him, to honour him through humility before Him, to enrich him through need of Him, to make him whole through brokenness before Him, and, through the bitterness of withholding, to let him taste the sweetness of submission to Him and the delight of needing Him. He does so to clothe him in the robe of honour that is servitude and, by dismissing him, to appoint him to the noblest of offices; to show him His wisdom in His power, His mercy in His might, and His kindness and gentleness in His subduing power; and to show him that His withholding is giving, His dismissal is appointment, His punishment is discipline, and His testing is love (7) and a gift,

(1) “Wa-lā ya’tī … illā huwa (nor does anyone bring … except Him)” is omitted from Kāf. (2) The printed edition reads “al-iʿdām,” contrary to the manuscripts. (3) The printed edition reads “wa-bi-hikmatihi iqāmatuhu (and his placement is through His wisdom),” contrary to the manuscripts. (4) Kāf reads “fīhi (in it).” (5) Bā reads “yamnaʿuhu (He withholds from him).” (6) The printed edition reads “li-yaʿbudahu (so that he may worship Him),” contrary to the manuscripts. (7) Kāf and Sād read “mihna (trial).”

بالحسنات إلا هو، ولا يَصرِف السيِّئاتِ إلا هو، ولا يدلُّ عليه إلا هو (١)، وإذا أراد عبدَه لأمرٍ هيَّأه له، فمنه الإيجاد، ومنه الإعداد (٢)، ومنه الإمداد، وإذا أقامه في مقامٍ، أيَّ مقامٍ كان، فبحمدِه أقامه فيه، وحكمتُه إقامتُه (٣) فيه، ولا يليق به (٤) غيرُه، ولا يصلُح له سواه، ولا مانعَ لما أعطى اللَّه، ولا مُعطيَ لما منع، ولم يمنع عبدَه حقًّا هو للعبد فيكون بمنعه ظالمًا؛ بل مَنَعَه (٥) ليتوصَّل إليه بمَحَابِّه ليُعطِيَه (٦)، وليتضرَّع إليه، ويتذلَّل بين يديه، ويتملَّقه، ويُعطِي فقرَه إليه حقَّه، بحيث يشهد في كلِّ ذرَّةٍ من ذرَّاته الباطنة والظَّاهرة فاقةً تامَّةً إليه على تعاقب الأنفاس. وهذا هو الواقع في نفس الأمر وإن لم يشهده، فلم يمنع عبدَه ما العبد محتاجٌ إليه، بخلًا منه، ولا نقصًا من خزائنه، ولا استئثارًا عليه بما هو حقٌّ للعبد؛ بل مَنَعَه ليردَّه إليه، وليُعِزَّه بالتَّذلُّل له، وليُغْنِيَه بالافتقار إليه، وليَجْبُرَه بالانكسار بين يديه، وليُذِيقَه بمرارة المنع حلاوةَ الخضوع له ولذَّةَ الفقر، وليُلْبِسَه خِلعةَ العبوديَّة، ويُولِّيَه بعَزْلِه أشرفَ الولايات، وليُشْهِدَه حكمتَه في قدرته، ورحمتَه في عزَّته، وبِرَّه ولطفَه في قهره، وأنَّ منْعه عطاءٌ، وعزْله توليةٌ، وعقوبته تأديبٌ، وامتحانه محبَّةٌ (٧) وعطيَّةٌ،

(١) «ولا يأتي ... إلا هو» ساقطة من ك. (٢) في المطبوع: «الإعدام» خلاف النسخ. (٣) في المطبوع: «وبحكمته إقامتُه» خلاف النسخ. (٤) ك: «فيه». (٥) ب: «يمنعه». (٦) في المطبوع: «ليعبده» خلاف النسخ. (٧) ك، ص: «محنة».