The Heart's Captivation and Imprisonment by Sin

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The Heart's Captivation and Imprisonment by Sin

Author: Ibn al-Qayyim
Source: Al-Jawab al-Kafi (trans. Abu Iyaad); SPUBS.





He (rahimahullaah) said:

And among its effects is that the disobedient (sinner)
is constantly in the shackles of his Shaytaan and the
prison of his shahwa (desires) and the chains/fetters of
his hawaa (whims). So he is a captive, one who is
imprisoned and who is tied up.

There is no captive in a worse state than the one who
is captivated by his worst enemy and there is no prison
which is tighter than the prison of hawa and there is
no bond/fetter more strong than the bond of desire.



How, then, will a heart which is captivated, imprisoned and
fettered travel unto ALLAH and the Home of the Hereafter.

How will a person take a single step forward when the heart
is bound and harmful things approach it from every direction.

The harmful things approach it to the extent that it
is tied up [i.e. imprisoned by its desires and whims..].

The example of the heart is like the example of
a bird. Every time is ascends it becomes distant from
the harmful things and every time it descends the harmful
things hurt it.

In a hadeeth there occurs that Shaytaan is like a wolf
to people. Just as when a sheep has no protector and is in
between many wolves, they are quick in causing damage and
injury; likewise the servant who does not have guardianship
from ALLAH, then his wolf [i.e. his desires, whims etc.] is
to him a predatory animal.




[Thus] there is no escape for the servant from having
protection from ALLAH. Taqwaa is a safeguarding for
him and a strong shield between himself and the punishment
of this world and the Hereafter.

Every time the sheep is close to its shepherd it is more
safe from the wolf and every time it becomes distant from
its shepherd it is closer to destruction. So its sanctuary is
when it is close to its shepherd because the wolf takes the lonely
one from the flock and this is the one which is the furthest one of
the flock from the shepherd.

The basis of all of this is is that every time the heart is
distant from ALLAH the harmful things are quick in
approaching it and every time it is close to ALLAH
the harmful things become distant from it.




Remoteness from ALLAH has levels/degrees, some of
which are more severe than others. Heedlesness distances
the servant from ALLAH and some acts of disobedience are
greater than some acts of heedlesness. Some innovations are
greater than some acts of disobedience and some things from
Hypocrisy and Shirk are greater than all of what has preceded.



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*Bint Haji Yusof:

In reading, understanding and clenching the treasure of this
great master piece of Ibn al-Qayyim into my qalbi wal fikri,
all of a sudden, something hit my mind:-

It has been related on the authority of Abu'd-Darda'
that the Messenger of ALLAH (p.b.u.h.) said:

"Your love for something that makes you blind and deaf."

Abu Daw'ud, al-Adab, 14/38; Ahmad, al-Musnad, 5/194.
The hadith is classified as hasan.

WalLAHU'alam bishowab.

* a reminder for myself;
'THE GREATEST LOVE -> *ALLAH S.W.T.*




Bismillahi wassolaatu wassalaamu 'alaa rasoolillah
Allahumma innee as aluka min fadhlika Allahumma
i'isimnee minaa shaitaanir rajeem


Translation:

In the name of ALLAH and prayers and peace be upon
the Messenger of ALLAH. O ALLAH, I ask, YOU from
YOUR Favour. O ALLAH, guard me from the accused devil.

[Abu Dawood, Saheeh al-Jaami' # 4591]



Allahumma innee a'uoozubika an adhilla auw
adhalla auw azilla auw uzalla auw azhlima
auw uzhlama auw ajhala auw yujhala 'alaiyya

Translation:

O ALLAH, I take refuge with YOU ,lest I should stray or
be led stray , or slip or be tripped, or oppressed, or behave
foolishly or be treated foolishly.

[Source, Abu Dawood, Tirmizi]


Allahumma innee a'oozubika min sharri maa
'amaltu wa min sharri maa lam 'a mal [ba'd].

Translation:

"O ALLAH! truly I seek refuge with YOU from the evil
of what I have done, and from the evil of what I have not done
(i.e. from the evil of the bad actions I have done, and from
the evil of not doing good actions)[yet].

Amiin.

WalLahu Musta'an.


Inni al faqiir ila ROBBI
13DzulHijjah 1426H
Friday - Auckland, NZ.