Zād al-Maʿād - Ibn al-Qayyim - (2/38)

Zād al-MaʿādIbn al-Qayyim

And he devoted to Ramadan forms of worship (1) that he did not devote to other months. He would even sometimes fast continuously without breaking his fast at night during Ramadan (2), so as to reserve the hours of his nights and days for worship. He forbade his Companions to fast continuously, but they would say to him, “Yet you fast continuously.” He would reply, “I am not like you. I spend the night—in another narration, ‘I (3) spend the day’—with my Lord, who feeds me and gives me drink” (4).

People have held two views concerning this food and drink (5).

The first is that it is actual food and drink taken by mouth. They say, “This is the literal meaning of the words, and there is no reason to depart from it.”

The second is that it refers to the knowledge of Him with which Allah nourishes him, and what He pours into his heart: the delight of intimate communion with Him, the joy of nearness to Him, the bliss (6) of loving Him, longing for Him, and the states that follow from these—all of which nourish hearts, bring bliss to spirits, delight the eyes, and gladden souls. Through these (7), the spirit and the heart receive the greatest, noblest, and most beneficial nourishment, and this may become so powerful

(1) Q: “mā” (“what”). (2) “Fīhi” (“during it”) is found in Q and Mb, but absent from the other manuscripts. (3) “Innī” (“I”) is found in Q and Mb, but absent from the other manuscripts. (4) The first version was reported by al-Bukhārī (1964) and Muslim (1105), from ʿĀʾisha, may Allah be pleased with her. The second was reported by al-Bukhārī (7241) and Muslim (1104/60), from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him. (5) The printed edition reads “al-madhkūrayn” (“the two aforementioned”). The reading adopted here is from the source manuscripts. (6) The printed edition reads “wa-tanaʿʿumihi” (“and his enjoyment of bliss”); M reads “wa-tanʿīmihi” (“and his being granted bliss”). The reading adopted here is from the other source manuscripts. (7) The printed edition reads “bi-mā huwa” (“with what is”), contrary to the manuscripts.

وكان يخصُّ رمضان من العبادة بما (١) لا يخصُّ به غيره من الشُّهور، حتَّى إنَّه كان ليواصل فيه (٢) أحيانًا ليوفِّر ساعاتِ ليله ونهاره على العبادة، وكان ينهى أصحابه عن الوصال، فيقولون له: فإنَّك تواصل، فيقول: «لستُ كهيئتِكم، إنِّي أبيت ـ وفي روايةٍ: إنِّي (٣) أظلُّ ـ عند ربِّي يُطعمني ويَسقيني» (٤). وقد اختلف النَّاس في هذا الطَّعام والشَّراب المذكور (٥) على قولين. أحدهما: أنَّه طعامٌ وشرابٌ حسِّيٌّ للفم، قالوا: وهذا حقيقة اللَّفظ، ولا موجِبَ للعدول عنها. والثَّاني: أنَّ المراد به ما يُغذِّيه الله به من معارفه، وما يفيض على قلبه من لذَّة مناجاته، وقُرَّة عينه بقربه، ونعيمه (٦) بحبِّه، والشَّوق إليه، وتوابع ذلك من الأحوال الَّتي هي غذاء القلوب، ونعيم الأرواح، وقرَّة العين، وبهجة النُّفوس. فللرُّوح والقلب بها (٧) أعظمُ غذاءٍ وأجلُّه وأنفعُه، وقد يَقوى هذا

(١) ق: «ما». (٢) «فيه» من ق، مب. وليست في بقية النسخ. (٣) «إني» من ق، مب، وليست في بقية النسخ. (٤) أما الرواية الأولى فرواها البخاري (١٩٦٤) ومسلم (١١٠٥) من حديث عائشة ﵂.، وأمَّا الرواية الثانية فرواها البخاري (٧٢٤١) ومسلم (١١٠٤/ ٦٠) من حديث أنس ﵁. (٥) في المطبوع: «المذكورين». والمثبت من الأصول. (٦) في المطبوع: «وتنعمه»، م: «وتنعيمه». والمثبت من بقية الأصول. (٧) في المطبوع: «بما هو» خلاف النسخ.