Uthaimeen: A Person Will Be According to What He Becomes Accustomed To

Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “It is fitting that a person be serious and resolute when he performs an action, carrying it out with strength and without slackness or laziness, in opposition to the actions of some people, where you will find that they face the actions [that they have to carry out] with weakness, negligence and laziness.  And a person will be according to that which he becomes accustomed to, if he becomes accustomed to being firm-willed and having strength and not abandoning an action in the future then he will become resolute in his actions and will reach what he hopes for.”

Tafseer Surah as-Saafaat, p. 212.

Uthaimeen: How to Handle a Blessing or a Calamity That May Come Your Way

Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “If you are given a blessing then do not [just] take it as a blessing, becoming merry and happy.  It is a blessing, there is no doubt about that, but know that you are being tested by it, [tested] to see whether you will give due thanks for it or not.

If some harm comes your way, then be patient, for that too is a trial and test from Allaah the Mighty and Majestic to test whether you will be patient or not.  And if you are patient and hope for the reward from Allaah, then Allaah said, “Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning.””  [Zumar 39:10]

Tafsir Juzz Amma, p. 128.

They Recited, Ibn Baaz Explained and Then They Ate

Shaikh Khaalid ibn Abdur-Rahmaan ash-Shaayi’ said, “And I witnessed a Walimah the Shaikh had been invited to after ishaa.  After he had taken his place he asked those present how they were and was introduced to them, he then said, ‘Who will read something from the Quraan to us?’  So it was as though everyone relied on the next person to read, and thus they gave no answer.  So the Shaikh said, ‘Subhaanallaah!  Why aren’t you desirous of the reward?’  So one of those there read something and after he finished reciting the Shaikh started to explain the excellence of reciting and then he explained the very verses that were recited. He then listened to some questions and answered them.  After which he requested a second person to read, then a third, and he kept explaining the aayahs that were recited until the food was brought.”

Mawaaqif Mudee’ah, p. 142.

Understand It

Shaikh Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “The Quraan was revealed for three things.  The first: to worship Allaah by reciting it.  Secondly, to ponder over its meanings.  And thirdly, to take heed through it.  Allaah, the Blessed and Most High, said, “[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.” [Saad 38:29]

And it is not possible for anyone to ponder over the Quraan except by knowing its meaning, because the one who does not know the meaning is like the one who does not read.”

Tafsir Juzz Amma, p. 4.

One

Explaining the aayah:

“And those who say, ‘Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us a leader for the righteous.’” [Furqaan: 25:74]

Ibn al-Qayyim said, ‘And Al-Farraa said, ‘He [i.e., Allaah, the Most High] said, ‘a leader’ and didn’t say, ‘leaders’ in the same way that He said, “[Both of you, i.e., Musaa and Haroon] Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘We are a messenger of the Lord of the worlds,’” [Shu’araa 26:16] and He didn’t say, ‘two messengers,’ and this is the singular through which the plural is meant.’’

Ibn al-Qayyim, commenting on this explanation of al-Farraa went on to say, ‘And this is the best of the sayings [explaining this point], except that it needs further elucidation.

And that [elucidation] is that the believers, all of them, are on one path, and their deity is one, and they are the followers of one Book, and one Prophet, slaves of One Lord, so their religion is one, and their Prophet is one, and their Book is one, and their deity is One–so it is as though all of them are one Imaam for those who come after them.’

Risaalatu Ibn al-Qayyim Ilaa Ahad Ikhwaanihi, [Ibn al-Qayyim’s Letter to One of His Brothers], pp. 14-15.

Six Conditions for a Righteous Action to Conform to the Sharee’ah

Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Righteous actions are those which conform to the Sharee’ah, and it is not possible that they conform to the Sharee’ah unless they agree with it in six things:

the reason/motive [for doing the action]
its type
the amount
how it is performed
the time and
the place [it is performed in].”

Tafseer Surah al-Maa’idah, vol. 2, p. 366.

Two Different Types of Wudoo

Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “All of us perform wudoo when we want to pray.  But most of the time a person does so just wanting to fulfill a condition of worship, and there is no harm in that and what is intended [i.e., being pure for prayer] is achieved by it.

But there is something higher and more complete.

When you want to perform wudoo, sense that you are obeying the Order of Allaah, mentioned in His Saying, the Most High,“O you who have believed!  When you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and (wash) your feet to the ankles.” [Maa'idah 5:6] so that the meaning of worship can be realised in you.

Sharh al-Arba’een an-Nawawiyyah, p. 253.

You Want Greatness, Honour, Glory? Then do this

Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Every description of glory and greatness and honour ascribed to the Quraan–every description–is also for the person who learns it.  So whoever wants greatness then it is upon him to learn what is in the Quraan.  And whoever wants honour in his speech, his wealth, his status, then it is upon him to learn what is in the Quraan. ”

Bukugh al-Maraam, vol. 5, p. 40.

It is You we worship and You we ask for help

Ibn al-Qayyim said, “How many times I would hear the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah sanctify his soul, saying, “You [Alone] do we worship …” [Faatihah 1:5] repels ostentation, and, “You [Alone] do we ask for help …” repels grandeur/pride [kibriyaa].”

Madaarijus-Saalikeen, vol. 1, p. 54.

The Doctor of the Heart, Ibn al-Qayyim, on Allaah, the Most High’s, Reprimand of Those who Take The Devil as an Ally

Translated by Ahmed Abu Turaab

Allaah, the Most High, said, “And [mention] when We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam,” and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was of the jinn and departed from [i.e., disobeyed] the command of his Lord. Then will you take him and his descendants as allies other than Me while they are enemies to you? Wretched it is for the wrongdoers as an exchange.” Kahf 18:50

Commenting on this aayah, one of the things Ibn al-Qayyim said was:

“It is almost as though beneath this address there is an astonishing, delicate reprimand and it is that: I showed enmity to Iblees because he didn’t prostrate to your father Aadam with My Angels, so the enmity [I showed] was on your behalf, and then the final result of this enmity [which I showed on your behalf] is that between yourselves and him–you [went and] sealed a pact of reconciliation.”

Ad-Daa wad-Dawaa, p. 83.