Character Archives

Translations from Madarij Al-Salikin by Imam Ibn Al-Qaiyym: The Station of Humility

FROM AMONG THE the stations of worship and reliance on Allah is the station of humility and attentiveness (khushoo‘) Allah says in the Surat Al-Hadid, Is not the time ripe for the believers that their hearts be humble to Allah’s reminder and…

Translation From Madarij Al-Salikin (Steps of the Seekers) of Ibn Al-Qayyim

The Station of Al-I‘tisâm AFTER THE STATION of repentance (tawba), the heart ascends to the station of i’tisâm. In Arabic, al-i‘tisâm, means to ‘hold fast to, and seek refuge with, that which protects you and prevents harm and fear.’ In the Book…

Translation from Ibn Al-Qayyim’s Madarij Al-Salikin (Steps of the Seekers) | The Station of Remembrance (Thikr) | Part 2

The Example of the Focused THE PEOPLE OF remembrance are ahead of all others. This is as Muslim narrated in his Ṣaḥîḥ in the ḥadîth of Al-ʿAlâ’, on the authority of his father, who reported on the authority of Abû Hurayrah that the…

Ibn Al-Jawzi’s Sayd Al-Khatir (Quarry of the Mind) | Humum Al-Faqr (The Anguishes of Poverty)

Ibn Al Jawzi's take on what happens to scholars when their financial needs are not taken care of. What's interesting is that he cites how scholars were taken care of by the state "in the past", but this doesn't happen in his…

Translation from Ibn Al-Jawzi’s Sayd Al-Khatir (Quarry of the Mind) | Acceptance of Allah’s Wisdom

Amazing advice from Imam Ibn al-Jawzi on how to deal with questions related to why Allah (swt) allows tragedy to occur. Short and powerful reasoning and advice for always looking for answers to every tragedy.

Ibn Al-Qayyim’s Madarij Al-Salikin (Steps of the Seekers) | The Station of Adab (Etiquette) – 2

Beautiful article on having proper adab with the Messenger (saw): "Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak, God have mercy on him, said: "Whoever is neglectful of adab is punished by the missing of sunnas [recommended acts], and whoever is neglectful of sunnas is punished by…

Translations from Ibn Al-Qayyim’s Madarij Al-Salikin (Steps of the Seekers)

The Proper Way to Contemplate the Quran THREE THINGS AID proper contemplation (tafakkur): (1) Thinking of the transience and shortness of this life and avoiding long hopes; (2) reflecting on the Quran;and (3) avoiding corruptions that ail the heart. To recognize…

Translation from Ibn Al-Qayyim’s Madarij Al-Salikin (Steps of the Seekers) | The Station of Remembrance (Thikr) | Part 3

On Remembering to Invoke Allah When One Forgets THE AUTHOR OF Manâzil Al-Sâ’irîn, ʿAbdullâh Al-Anṣârî Al-Harawi [d. 482/1089] said: “Allah Almighty said: Yet remember your Lord, if you forget (Sûrat Al-Kahf, 18:24), “that is, when you forget other than Him, and forget yourself…

Translations from Madarij Al-Salikin (Steps of the Seekers) by Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim

Rulings regarding Repentance (1) “All is well that ends well.” The sins of a person may outnumber and nullify his earlier good deeds; if, however, he repents sincerely, his earlier good deeds return to his account. This is because his good deeds…

Translation from Madarij Al-Salikin (Steps of the Seekers) by Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim

The Servant and His Relationship with the Angel and with the Devil ONE OF THE punishments that sinful deeds are bound to inflict on the servant is that they keep him away from the angel put in charge of him, who is…