Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah
Prepared by Muhammad ash-Shareef
Today I wanted to share with you an aspect of an Imam I'm sure you've have heard of: Imam Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah.
During the University years, when classes would be a little slow, I would take out a paper and pen and collect my thoughts. I could spend hours doing this, it was a very enjoyable pastime. I’m sure you may have spent time in a similar activity.
Well, to my happy surprise, our blessed Imam Ibn al-Qayyim used to do the same thing long before all of us. Not only that but he gathered all his Imaan injected thoughts into a book he entitled: Sayd Al-Khaatir.
He explains in the introduction that thoughts are like wild game and if you don’t capture them they will race away never to be seen again. For that reason he would always write down his thoughts and he finally made a book out of them. Khaatir - you may have heard of the word Khaatirah, meaning speech, it literally means something that crosses your mind. And Sayd means to capture. Thus the title of his awesome work: Captured thoughts.
Here is a Khutbah egroup exclusive excerpt from his book – Rahimahullah – which I don’t believe is translated. Sit back and imagine you are sitting with Imam Ibn al-Qayyim under a warm Baghdad moon over 900 years ago as he advises you.
Prepared by Muhammad Alshareef
"Hitch your wagon to the Qur'an and Sunnah"
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Chapter 14
The Importance of Time
"It’s important for a person to know that nobility of the era he is living in and the value of time. A Muslim should not waste his time in things that do not bring him closer to Allah, putting that which is very important ahead of that which is important, whether it be in the things he says or does.
A Muslim should always keep a good intention kindled, always desiring to do good, without any laziness.
I recall a group of scholars from the past that used to capture every moment.
It was said that a man asked Aamir ibn Qays to speak with him. He told him, “Capture the sun!”
And Thabit al-Bunaanee said, “When my father was in his death pangs, I went to assist him in pronouncing the Shahaadah. He told me, ‘Son! Leave me alone, for I have recited all my supplications 5 times and I’m on my sixth cycle now.’”
And once some members of the community entered upon a scholar whilst he was in his final breaths. He was praying and they asked him why he was pushing himself so much. He said, “My scrolls shall be rolled up in a few moments.”
Thus if a person knows that death is going to sever his actions, he should work hard in his life doing things which will continue to reap reward for him after his death. So, if he has a farm – for example – he should plant a tree or flow a river to bring water to others and work hard on raising children who shall remember Allah. Then all that reward shall be his after death.
Or, he should write a book about Islam (if he is capable of doing that), for indeed a book is a scholar’s immortal child. And he should perform good works - knowledgeable of what it is he is doing - so that people will pass down and imitate his good work.
This is the Muslim that has not died!
(He then mentions a line of Poetry)
People have died but with humanity they remain alive
May Allah ta’ala shower His mercy on Imam Ibn al-Jawzee and allow us to understand the colossal work he and many many others did to preserve this Deen for us. Ameen.
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