Comparing good actions to a building, Ibn-ul-Qayyim رحمه الله says that the foundation of this building is Imaan.  He thereafter explains that just as a person who intends raising the walls of his building (adding another storey) first reinforces its foundation, the ‘Aarif is always concerned with reinforcing the foundation of the building of Islam and A’maal.

He then explains that this foundation has two components:

1. Recognition of Allah and the command of Allah,
2. Submission to Allah and his Rasool e.  This, he says, is the best foundation upon which man can construct his building (i.e. the building of Islam and A’maal).

“And when the building is completed (its walls have been erected on a strong foundation), paint it with good character and kindness to the people.  Thereafter build a wall of caution around it so that neither will an enemy enter nor will any secret be exposed.  Once you have done that, draw curtains over its doors (windows) and lock the main door with the silence regarding those things whose consequences you fear.  Thereafter make a key from the Dhikr of Allah to open and close the door ….  When you have done all of the above, you have built a strong fort to defend yourself from your enemies.  Now when the enemy will walk around your house, he will not find any entry point and he will lose hope in attacking you.  However, you will have to continue guarding the walls of your fort all the time because when the enemy loses hope of entering your fort through the main door, he will use pickaxes of sin to make a hole in the outer wall … and suddenly the enemy will overpower you, stay with you in the fort and hinder you from fulfilling your needs (more good actions), sealing the hole (which he made with pickaxes of sin) and restoring the mess in the fort.  Also, when he enters the fort through the hole, he causes three problems for you:

1. He damages the fort,
2. He steals its wealth and treasures,
3. He tells other thieves from his nation (i.e. other Shayaateen) of its weak spot, thus they continuously attack it until they weaken it and destroy your ‘Azm (determination to repent and do good actions) at which stage you leave the fort …”

He explains further:  “This is the condition with most people in relationship to this enemy.  That is why you see them displeasing Allah in order to please themselves and other creation who, like themselves, can neither harm nor benefit them.  They waste the earnings of Deen for the sake of earning the Dunyaa, they destroy themselves for something which will soon perish, they are greedy for the Dunyaa even though it is fleeing from them, they don’t bother of the Hereafter even though it is approaching them fast, they disobey their Rabb (Allah) by following their desires, they rely on the worldly life and they don’t ever think of the Aakhirat (Hereafter) …, they forsake the guidance of Allah which Allah had bestowed upon them.  And the amazing thing is that the enemy uses the owner of the fort to demolish it with his own hands!”

May Allah guide us to safeguard and strengthen our forts all the time.  Aameen.

Translated by Abu Hudhaifa Muhammed Karolia

30 September 2003/ 03 Sha’ban 1424

Source:  Al-Fawaaid   (Dar-ul-Hadeeth, Cairo, 1994/1415)

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Last modified: 07/10/07