Al-Tafsīr al-Qayyim - Ibn al-Qayyim - (695)

Al-Tafsīr al-QayyimIbn al-Qayyim

If you uphold pure monotheism among them, they say: “You have disparaged Allah’s allies and the righteous.”

If you devote yourself exclusively to following Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, they say: “You have dismissed the imams whom people follow.”

If you describe Allah as He has described Himself and as His Messenger has described Him, without exaggeration or deficiency, they say: “You are one of those who liken Allah to His creation.”

If you enjoin the good that Allah and His Messenger have commanded and forbid the evil that Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, they say: “You are a troublemaker.”

If you follow the Sunnah and abandon whatever contradicts it, they say: “You are one of the innovators who lead others astray.”

If you devote yourself entirely to Allah Most High and leave them to the carrion of this world, they say: “You are a deceiver.”

If you abandon your path and follow their whims, you will be among the losers in Allah’s sight and among the hypocrites in theirs.

True resolve, then, lies in seeking the pleasure of Allah Most High and His Messenger, even at the cost of angering them. Do not occupy yourself with appeasing them or asking them to make amends, and pay no heed to their disparagement or hatred. Indeed, this is the very mark of your excellence, as the poet said:

“When criticism of me comes to you from someone deficient,
that is testimony to my excellence.”

Another said:

“My love for myself has only grown,
for every worthless man detests me.”

Whoever rouses his heart’s gatekeeper and guard to watch these four entrances—the root of the world’s afflictions: unnecessary looking, speaking, eating, and keeping company—and employs the nine means we have mentioned that protect him from Satan, has secured his share of divine enabling grace. He has closed the gates of Hell against himself and opened for himself the gates of mercy, which envelops him inwardly and outwardly. Soon, when death comes, he will have reason to praise the outcome of this remedy. For at death people praise piety, and at dawn they praise their journey through the night. Allah alone grants success; there is no Lord besides Him and no god but Him.

إن جردت التوحيد بينهم قالوا: تنقصت جناب الأولياء والصالحين. وإن جردت المتابعة لرسول الله ﷺ قالوا: أهدرت الأئمة المتبوعين. وإن وصفت الله بما وصف به نفسه، وبما وصفه به رسوله من غير غلوّ ولا تقصير قالوا: أنت من المشبهين. وإن أمرت بما أمر الله به ورسوله من المعروف ونهيت عما نهى الله عنه ورسوله من المنكر، قالوا: أنت من المفتنين. وإن اتبعت السنة وتركت ما خالفها قالوا: أنت من أهل البدع المضلين. وإن انقطعت إلى الله تعالى، وخليت بينهم وبين جيفة الدنيا، قالوا: أنت من الملبسين. وإن تركت ما أنت عليه واتبعت أهواءهم، فأنت عند الله من الخاسرين، وعندهم من المنافقين. فالحزم كل الحزم: التماس مرضاة الله تعالى ورسوله بإغضابهم، وأن لا تشتغل بإعتابهم، ولا باستعتابهم، ولا تبالي بذمهم ولا بغضهم. فإنه عين كمالك كما قال: وإذا أتتك مذمتي من ناقص ... فهي الشهادة لي بأني فاضل وقال آخر: وقد زادني حبا لنفسي أنني ... بغيض إلى كل امرئ غير طائل فمن أيقظ بواب قلبه وحارسه من هذه المداخل الأربعة التي هي أصل بلاء العالم، وهي فضول النظر، والكلام، والطعام، والمخالطة. واستعمل ما ذكرناه من الأسباب التسعة التي تحرزه من الشيطان. فقد أخذ بنصيبه من التوفيق. وسد على نفسه أبواب جهنم، وفتح عليها أبواب الرحمة، وانغمر ظاهره وباطنه، ويوشك أن يحمد عند الممات عاقبة هذا الدواء. فعند الممات يحمد القوم التقى. وفي الصباح يحمد القوم السّرى. والله الموفق لا رب غيره، ولا إله سواه.