Zād al-Maʿād - Ibn al-Qayyim - (1/641)

Zād al-MaʿādIbn al-Qayyim

al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) say: “Our Prophet’s guidance (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was more complete than that of this man with knowledge of Allah. He gave servitude to Allah its full due: his heart could encompass contentment with Allah, compassion for his child, and tenderness towards him. He therefore praised Allah, was content with His decree, and wept out of compassion and tenderness (1). Compassion (2) moved him to weep, while his servitude to Allah and love for Him moved him to contentment and praise. This man’s heart, however, could not encompass both responses; his inner capacity (3) was insufficient to experience both and give each its due. Serving Allah through contentment preoccupied him (4), leaving no room for serving Him through compassion and tenderness (5).”

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His guidance included promptly preparing the deceased for their return to Allah: purifying and cleaning the body, perfuming it, and shrouding it in white cloth. The deceased would then be brought to him, and he would offer the funeral prayer. Previously, he would be summoned to someone who was dying and remain with him until he died. He would then attend the preparations for his burial, offer the funeral prayer, and accompany him to his grave. The Companions then saw that this was burdensome for him, so whenever someone died, they would

(1) مب: “wa-ra’fah (and compassion).” (2) مب: “al-ra’fah (compassion).” (3) ك: “nitāquhu (his belt).” This may have been altered, since its sister manuscript ع agrees with the other copies. The printed editions read “bātinuhu (his inner self),” an editorial alteration by some editors. Bitān originally means the saddle girth passing beneath a camel’s belly. A broad girth is a metaphor for breadth of heart. The author uses this expression in several places in his works. See, for example, al-Rūh (1:309), Madārij al-Sālikīn (2:393), and Miftāh Dār al-Sa‘ādah (2:828). (4) م, ق, مب: “fa-shaghalahu (so it preoccupied him).” (5) مب: “wa-l-ra’fah (and compassion).” The author reports his teacher’s remarks about him in Tuhfat al-Mawdūd, p. 156, but does not name him in Rawdat al-Muhibbīn, p. 407, or Madārij al-Sālikīn (2:202). See also similar remarks in Majmū‘ al-Fatāwā (10:47).

الإسلام ابن تيمية ﵀ يقول: هديُ نبيِّنا ﷺ كان أكمل من هدي هذا العارف، فإنه أعطى العبودية حقَّها، فاتسع قلبه للرضى عن الله ورحمة الولد والرِّقَّة عليه، فحمد الله، ورضي عنه في قضائه، وبكى رحمةً ورقَّة (١). فحملته الرحمةُ (٢) على البكاء، وعبوديتُه لله ومحبتُه له على الرضى والحمد. وهذا العارف ضاق قلبه عن اجتماع الأمرين، ولم يتسع بطانُه (٣) لشهودهما والقيام بهما، فشغلته (٤) عبودية الرضى عن عبودية الرحمة والرِّقَّة (٥). فصل وكان من هديه: الإسراع بتجهيز الميت إلى الله، وتطهيره وتنظيفه، وتطييبه، وتكفينه في ثياب البياض؛ ثم يؤتى به إليه، فيصلِّي عليه، بعد أن كان يدعى إلى الميت عند احتضاره، فيقيم عنده حتى يقضي، ثم يحضر تجهيزه، ويصلِّي عليه، ويشيِّعه إلى قبره. ثم رأى الصحابة أنَّ ذلك يشقُّ عليه، فكانوا إذا قضى الميِّت

(١) مب: «ورأفة». (٢) مب: «الرأفة». (٣) ك: «نطاقه»، ولعله مغيَّر لأن في أختها ع كما في النسخ الأخرى. وفي النسخ المطبوعة: «باطنه» وهو تصرف من بعضهم. والبطان في الأصل: حزام القتَب الذي يجعل تحت بطن البعير. وسعة البطان كناية عن سعة الصدر. وقد استعملها المؤلف في غير موضع من كتبه. انظر مثلًا: «الروح» (١/ ٣٠٩) و «مدارج السالكين» (٢/ ٣٩٣) و «مفتاح دار السعادة (٢/ ٨٢٨). (٤) م، ق، مب: «فشغله». (٥) مب: «والرأفة». وقد حكى المؤلف كلام شيخه عنه في «تحفة المودود» (ص ١٥٦)، ولم يسمه في «روضة المحبين» (ص ٤٠٧) و «مدارج السالكين» (٢/ ٢٠٢). وانظر نحوه في «مجموع الفتاوى» (١٠/ ٤٧).