Ibn 'Uyayna commented: The greatest favour Allaah has
bestowed on His slaves is their knowledge and realisation of "There is no
deity but Allaah", and that to the dwellers of Paradise it is like cool
water to the people of this world. [Kalimat Al-Ikhlaas by Ibn Rajab pp.52-53]
Ibn Rajab says in enumerating the merits of the kalima:
That Paradise is its reward, that its utterance before death will cause one to
be admitted to Paradise, it is a refuge from Hell, it causes forgiveness, it is
the best of the good deeds; it washes away sins and vices, revives ones's faith
when it has faded away and outweighs sins. It traverses all barriers in order to
be accepted by Allaah the Almighty. It is the statement whose pronouncer will be
accepted by Him, and it is the best proclamation ever uttered by the prophets.
It is the best celebration of His praises, the best of deeds, and its
multiplication into good deeds is the greatest. It is tantamount to setting
slaves free. It is a protection against shaitaan. It is safety amidst the
darkness of the grave and the terror of Resurection. It is the motto of the
believers when they emerge out of their tombs. The eight doors of Paradise will
be accessible to its pronouncer. Further, the people who pronounce it are
certain to quit Hell even after they have been cast into it for falling short of
observing its obligations. [Kalimat Al- Ikhlaas by Ibn Rajab pp. 54-66]
Hope and Avidity
Mankind differs to a great extent in Al-'Uboodiyah to
Allah. Their differences are a quantative disparity in the reality of al-Eemaan.
In this regard they are often two types: general, and specific. Consequently,
their perception of the divinity of Ar-Rabb is also of two types: vague, and
detailed.
Thus, ash-Shirk in this Ummah is more hidden than the
crawling of ants.
The Messenger 
said, "May the worshipper of Ad- Dirham be wretched. May the
worshipper of Ad- Deenaar be wretched. May the worshipper of velvet cloth be wretched. May
the worshipper of silk cloth be wretched. May he be wretched and disappointed. When such a
one is pierced with thorns they cannot be extracted. When he is granted (what he desires),
he is pleased; and when he is denied, he is displeased..." [Bukhaaree & Ibn Maajah upon Abu Hurayrah (R)]
The Messenger labelled such a person: The worshipper of ...; mentioned his curse
and his condition. Neither did he attain his aim, nor did he escape the harm.
And among them are some who accuse
you (O Muhammad ) in the matter of (the
distribution of) the alms. If they are given part thereof, they are pleased; but if they
are not given thereof, behold! They are enraged! [At-Tawbah ayah 58]
Thus their contentment is for other than Allaah and their
rage is for other than Allaah. [These are the hypocrites whom Allaah has
mentioned in the rest of the verses. See Zaad Al-Maseer by Imaam Ibn Al-Jawzee,
Vol. 3, p.454]
He is therefore the 'Abd of that which he desires:
leadership, certain image, or any desire of the soul. The heart is the 'Abd of
whatever enslaves it and subdues it. [Al-'Uboodiyah, part 1, by Ibn Taymiyah]
If he renounces anything he will not seek it and will not
have avidity for it. His heart will not be in need of it nor will it be in need
of the person who would accomplish it for him.
'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (RA) said, "Avidity is
poverty, and renunciation is richness. If one of you renounces anything he will
dispense with it."
Al-Khaleel, Ibraheem (AS) said:
. . So seek from Allaah (Alone)
your subsistence and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him. To Him (Alone) will be
your return. [Al-'Ankaboot ayah 17]
Al-'Abd must have subsistence. He is in need of that. If
he seeks his subsistence from Allaah, he becomes an 'Abd for Allaah, but if he
seeks it from a created being, he becomes an 'Abd for that created being and in
need of him. That is why begging from a created being was forbidden in principle
but is allowed for under necessity.
The Messenger said, "One of you would still be begging until he comes on the Day of
Resurrection without a bit of flesh on his face."
[Bukhaaree, Muslim, an-Nasaa'ee upon 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar (R)]
The Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "Whoever
begged from people while having enough, his begging will be scratches on his face." [at- Tabaraanee upon Jaabir
(R)]
The Messenger said, "Begging is forbidden except when there is a great debt,
suffering injury, or abasing poverty." [Abu Daawood &
al-Bayhaqee upon Anas (R)]
The Messenger said, "It is much better for one of you to take his rope and go to
chop wood (for his livelihood) than to beg from people, whether they give him anything or
deny him." [Bukhaaree, Ibn Maajah & others upon
Az-Zubayr ibn Al-'Awwaam (RA)
The Messenger said, "Whoever dispenses (with anything), Allaah shall enrich him.
Whoever seeks chastity, Allaah will make him chaste. Whoever perseveres, Allaah will
provide him with patience. No one has been given such a gift better and more ample than
patience." [Bukhaaree, Muslim, Maalik, Abu Daawodd,
an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidthee upon Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree (RA)]
In Saheeh Muslim and other books, upon 'Awf ibn
Maalik it is reported that the Messenger
when he accepted his pledge of allegience together with a group of people, whispered to
them a secret word, "Do not ask people for anything."
Thereafter, when a whip used to drop from the hand of a person of this group,
they would not say to anyone, "Hand it to me."
.. So when you finish from your
occupation, then stand up for Allaah's worship, and to your Lord (alone) turn (all your
intentions and hopes and) your invocations.
[Ash-Sharh ayaat 7-8]
The Messenger said to Ibn 'Abbaas (R), "...and if you ever should ask someone for
something, then ask Allaah, and if you ever should seek help from someone, then seek it
from Allaah" [At-Tirmidthee, Ahmad, & al-Haakim - this
hadeeth is Hasan by virtue of another hadeeth.]
He should not request his subsistence except from Allaah
and should not refer in his complaint except to Allaah alone as Ya'qoob (AS)
said:
...I complain of my grief and
sorrow only to Allaah. [Yoosuf ayah 86]
Allaah Ta'aala mentioned in al-Qur'aan nice banishment,
gracious forgiueness and fine patience. It was said that: Nice banishment is a
banishment without hurting anyone, gracious forgiveness is a forgiving without
blaming anyone, and fine patience is a patience without complaining to any
created being.
When it was read for Ahmad ibn Hanbal during his sickness
that Taawoos used to hate the moaning of a sick man and used to say, "It is
a complaint," therafter Ahmad would not groan until he died.
Complaint to the Creator does not contradict fine
patience.
...Then a fine patience is most
fitting for me...[Yoosuf ayah 83]
...I complain of my grief and
sorrow only to Allaah... [Yoosuf ayah 86]
'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (RA) was once reciting in Fajr
surat Yoonus, Yoosuf and an-Nahl. When he passed this ayah in his recitation, he
cried until his sob was heard in the last rows.
Supplication of Moosaa (A)
"O Allaah! It is for You, all praises and thanks. It
is for You the complaint, and it is You Whom we ask for help, from You we seek
rescue, on You we rely, and there is no strength for anyone nor power except
from You."
The more the ambition of Al-'Abd becomes avid for the
graciousness of Allaah and His Mercy to accomplish his need and prevent harm
from him, the stronger becomes his 'Uboodiyah to Allaah, and the larger becomes
the extent of his freedom from other than Allaah.
Hope must be in Allaah and not in anything created, eg.,
leadership position, followers, wealth, etc.
...And put your trust in the
Living One, Who will never die, and celebrate praises and thanks and sufficient is He to
be acquainted with the sins of His 'Ibaad. [ al-Furqaan
ayah 58]
Thus, whoever attaches his heart to created beings in
order for them to render him victorious or to provide him with sustenance or
even to guide him, his heart will submit to them (created beings), and he
indulges in Al-'Uboodiyah to them equivalent to the level of his heart's
attachment to them even though he, in appearance, is their master who manages
matters for them and administers over them. The sane person should look at the
realities (the heart of the matter) and not at the appearance of the matter.
Obsession of the Heart
Whoever's body is subdued, enslaved and captivated will
not care so long as his heart is reassured and is serene. In this way, it is
possible for him to escape.
The 'Uboodiyah of the heart and its captivity form the
basis on which good reward or bad punishment will be incurred:
If a Muslim is captivated by a kaafir or is enslaved by a
profligate and given no rights, it will not harm him so long as he can fulfill
his duties to Allaah.
Whoever is lawfully subdued and fulfills the rights of
Allaah and the rights of his master will be rewarded twice. Even if he is forced
to pronounce kufr, pronouncing it with his tongue but keeping eemaan in his
heart, his utterance will not harm him.
The one whose heart is subdued and becomes an 'Abd for
other than Allaah will be harmed by that even if he is a king!
Freedom is the freedom of the heart and al-'Uboodiyah is
the 'Uboodiyah of the heart. Similarly well-being is the well-being of the soul.
In the Sunnah: Well-being is not how much wealth you have, but it is the well
being of the soul.
This is the case when a lawful image has enslaved ones's
heart. Whoevers heart is enslaved by an unlawful image will earn a torment more
severe than any known torment.
Continuous attachment of the heart without committing
al-Faahishah is more harmful for him than it is for the person who commits a sin
and repents of it, since after true repentance the attachment and affection
vanishes from the heart.
The greatest cause of this affliction is the heart's
turning away from Allaah; the heart needs to taste worshipping of Allaah
sincerely... someone will not leave a lover except to replace him with someone
more beloved or fearing some harm; turn the heart from a corrupt love to a
righteous love.
...Thus (did We order) that We
might away from him evil and al-Fahshaa.. [Yoosuf ayah 24]
Thus Allaah turns away from his Abd that which could be
evil for him from the inclination towards images and attachment to them. He also
turns al-Fahshaa away from him when he is sincere to Allaah. Hence, before he
tastes the sweetness of al-'Uboodiyah to Allaah and sincerity for Him, he will
be forced by his soul to follow its own passion, but once he gets the taste of
sincerity and becomes strong in his heart, then his passion will submit to him
without any effort.
...Verily, as-Salaat prevents the
committing of blatant sins and iIlegal deeds, and the mindfullness of Allaah is greater
indeed [Al-Ankaboot ayah 45]
Indeed in as-Salaah there is repulsion of harmful things,
i.e. al-Fahshaa and al-Munkar; and there is attainment of a beloved thing,
mindfulness of Allaah. The attainment of this beloved thing is greater than the
repulsion of the harmful things. Indeed, the mindfulness of Allaah is, by
itself, a worship of Allah; and the heart's worship of Allaah is sought for
itself whereas the repulsion of evil from the heart is sought for other than
itself . Instead, it is needed for something else.
Indeed he succeeds who sanctifies
it (his own soul), and he fails who corrupts it (his own soul). [Ash Shams ayaat 9-10]
Indeed, he shall achieve success
who sanctifies himself and is mindful of the Name of Allaah and performs Salaat. [Al-Alaa ayaat 14-15]
Tell the believing men to lower
their gaze and protect their private parts from sins. That is more sanctifiying for
them...[An-Noor ayah 30]
...And had it not been for the
Grace of Allaah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been sanctified... [An-Noor ayah 21]
Thus the sanctification of the soul comprises getting rid
of all evils including blatant sins, injustice, shirk, and lying.
Thus he who seeks leadership becomes the slave of his
people in reality! Both manifest worship of each other and both have gone away
from His true worship. Hence each one who was a slave and obsessed by his
passion becomes subdued by the other! Imagine if their mutual help is for an
unjust dominion.
Same for one who strives for wealth. Wealth is of two
types:
One type is that for which al-'Abd has a need, such as
food, drink, housing and marital life. This type shold be asked for from Allaah
and should be sought for His pleasure. Thus, this wealth, which a person uses
for his needs, is of the same level as his donkey, which he rides, or his mat,
on which he sits. Furthermore, it should be regarded on the same level as a
water closet, in which he satisfies his need without becoming subdued or
dismayed by it.
Irritable (disorientented) when
evil touches him, and niggardly when good touches him. [Al-Ma'aarij ayaat 20-21]
The other type of wealth is that which al-'Abd does not
need for his necessities. He should not attach his heart to this type of wealth.
Thus the first hadeeth. This person is indeed a
slave of those objects. He asks Allaah for them, if granted he is pleased, but if denied
he is upset. However the true 'Abd of Allaah is the one who is pleased with what Allaah
and His Rasool love and hates what is
hated by Allaah and His Rasool and will make allegiance with Awliyaa Allaah
and take for enemies the enemies of Allaah.
The Messenger (S) said, "Whoever loves for
Allaah, hates for Allaah, gives for Allaah and denies for Allaah has indeed completed
al-Eemaan." [Abu Daawood with
good isnaad. See Silsilat Al-Ahaadeeth As Saheehah No. 379]
The Messenger (S) said, "The most strong of
Al- Eemaan's ties is love in the sake of Allaah and hate in the sake of Allaah." [Hadeeth Hasan extracted by Ahmad and at-Tabaraanee]
Uboodiyyah - Obsession of the Heart Part 2