Spiritual Disease and Its Cure by Imam Shams-ud-Deen Muhammad bin Abi Bakr bin Qayyim AlJ awziyyah

This is intimate friendship, characterised by perfect love, belonging to a heart which has no place for others besides his/her beloved one. It is a position which does not accept sharing, of any kind. This position is special for the khalilan (two intimate friends) of Allah ~ : Ibrahim ~\ and Muhammad ~' as the Prophet~ said: "Allah has taken me as a khalil, just as he had taken Ibrahim as a khalil. " 3 The Prophet ~ also said: "If I were to take a khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr, but he is my brother and my companion in Islam." He ~ also said: "I am innocent from any khalil for his intimate friendship, (besides his love of Allah ~)"4 When Ibrahim ~\ asked his Lord for a child, even at an advanced age, he was given Isma' il ~\. The heart of Ibrahim was besotted with love for his new child, so Allah ~ wanted to test Ibrahim and see - while He ~ is the All- Knower of everything, seen and unseen - if the intimate friendship between them had been affected by the arrival of the new child; so He ~ ordered Ibrahim, in a dream, to slaughter his son. It was a divine Command, coming as a real vision, which became a great test for Ibrahim ~\. The aim was not to slaughter his son, in reality, but to slaughter the excessive love that Ibrahim had for his son in his heart, so that his heart would stay fully devoted to Allah ~- When Ibrahim ~\ set about slaughtering his son, placing the love for Allah before of the love for his son, the intended mission had been achieved and so Allah ~ ransomed the son for the great sacrifice ( of a sheep). Some people are wrong when they think that love could be more perfect than Khullah ( intimate friendship), and that Ibrahim ~ \ was a Khalil of Allah, while Muhammad was a dear and beloved one of Allah. The term "love" has a general context, while "Khullah" is more specific; Al- Khullah is the end and outcome of sincere love. The Prophet ~ has informed that Allah ~ had taken him and Ibrahim as His two Khalils. He~ denied that he had any khalil besides his Lord, while at the same time declaring his love for ' Aishah, for her father Abu Bakr, for 'Umar bin Al-Khattab, and others. Allah ~ also declares His love for His righteous people, saymg: (Truly, Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance, and loves those who purify themselves)5 (Allah loves the Patient)6 (Allah loves the good-doers)7 ( Verily, Allah loves those who act justly.)8

The choice as to whether or not to do an act is based on the benefit that is achieved from it, or the relief it produces after the removal of pain. This choice has been taken by reasonable people as well as animals. However, many people wrong themselves badly when they only think of achieving satisfaction, even if it is subsequently followed by a great suffering. This is the case of short-sighted people; those who think only of satisfaction in the present and ignore any bad consequences in the future. The most reasonable person is one who prefers a lasting, peaceful state of mind to the ephemeral , short-lived satisfactions of life. A foolish person is one who exchanges Eternal Blessings, a good, lasting life and perfect satisfaction for brief and fading satisfaction, troubled with sufferings, fears and anxieties . The only way to achieve real satisfaction is to tum to Allah ~ ' Alone, and seek His Pleasure, in every action. In this way, if a person had missed out on anything in this world, he/she would indeed have earned his/her great chance, which cannot be missed, of achieving Peace in the Hereafter; and if he/she had not missed anything in this world, while remaining in total obedience to Allah ~, then he/she would have achieved both satisfactions, in this world and the Hereafter. This is the way to one's happiness, with Success from Allah ~ .

Love is the basis of every activity, whether in truth or falsehood, and the basis of all Islamic activities is having love for Allah ~ and His Messenger ~ . just as the basis of the Revelation (the Qur 'an and the Sunnah) is having belief in Allah and His Messenger. Any feeling that prevents the perfection of this love for Allah and His Messenger, competing with this love, is indeed opposed to the basis of Faith and weakens its base. If it is strengthened until it opposes the basis of the love of Allah or the belief in the Revelation, it becomes a form of polytheism which negates one's Faith. If it does not oppose it, it impairs its credible perfection. Therefore, real friendship in Islam is not achieved, except by showing enmity to the Enemies of Allah ~ - Allah ~ stated that Ibrahim :%§1 questioned his people: ( Do you observe that which you have been worshipping, you and your ancient fathers? Verily, they are enemies to me, except the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).) 1 Ibrahim, the Khalil of Allah, did not establish his real intimate friendship with Allah, until he declared his enmity towards those of his people who worshipped deities besides Allah ~ - There is no friendship except for Allah' s Sake, and there is no friendship except by declaring one's freedom from anything worshipped besides Him £. For Allah ~ said: ( Indeed, there was an excellent example for you in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people: "Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allah; we have rejected you, and there has appeared between us and you hostility and hatred, for ever, until you believe in Allah, Alone.") 2 and He ~ said: ( Remember when Ibrahim said to his father and his people: "Verily, I am innocent of what you worship, except Him (i.e. I worship none but Allah, Alone), Who did create me; and verily, He will guide me" and he made it a Word, lasting among his offspring, that they may turn back (to Allah))3 i.e. he ~1 made friendship for Allah's Sake and freedom from anything worshipped besides Allah as a lasting "word", to be inherited by the prophets and followers after him; this word is the testimony of Faith: (la ilaha illallah - none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, Alone). It was the "word" upon which the heavens, earth and religion were established. It was for this "word" that the Qiblah 1 was fixed and the Swords of Jihad were raised. It is the "word" which safeguards one's blood, property in the Muslim land, and rescues one from the Punishment of the grave. No one would enter Paradise without it; it is the Word of Islam, and the key to the House of Peace, the House of Faith. It distinguishes a house of blessings from one of torments and hardships. It is the pole carrying religious obligations and the Sunnah, for he whose last word was la-ilaha-illallah enters Paradise. The essence of this "word" and its secret is : to single out Allah, to Whom belongs all Sovereignty and Praise, with Love, Praise and Glorification. To love none but Him; to ask none but Him; to rely on none but Him; to desire to please none but Him; to fear none but Him; to swear by no other name but His; to repent only to Him; to obey only His Command; to ask for salvation only from Him; to prostrate to none but Him; to sacrifice (an animal) only to Him. All this can be combined in one word: to worship none but Him ~ Alone . This is the realization of the Testimony of Faith, (la if aha illallah ). It is for this reason that Allah ~ forbade the Hell-Fire for the one who establish this Testimony of Faith in their lives and stand by it, as Allah ~ said: ( Those who stand firmly upon their testimonies.)2 A believer stands firmly upon his/her testimony in his/her heart, where it is in the same position as the spirit is in the body. A sick person is one close to death, whereas a spirit observing the health of the body is alive. So the life of this spirit depends upon the life of this word (by having the Testimony of Faith within it) , just as the life of the body depends upon the existence of the spirit within it. Whoever has lived his life holding firmly to this "word" and observing its obligations, his/her spirit would enjoy its new destined good life in Paradise, for Allah ~ has said: (As for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained himself from impure evil desires and lusts, verily, Paradise is his abode.) 3 ( Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while he (or she) is a true believer, verily, to him We will give a good life)4 (No doubt! Verily, the auliya' of Allah (i.e. those who believe in the Oneness of Allah, fearing and loving Him much), no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve; those who believe and used to fear Allah much; for them are glad tidings, in the life of the present world and in the Hereafter. No change can there be in the Words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme success. ) 5 The believer who is sincere in his/her worship of Allah is the one of those people who enjoys the best life, most restful mind, most open heart, most cheerful heart, which is a type of paradise in this world (for him/her) before the one in the Hereafter. Anas bin Malik ~ reported that the Prophet ;i said: "When you come upon the pastures of Paradise feed on them ." On being asked what the pastures of Paradise were, he ~ replied that they were circles where Allah was remembered." He ~ 6 also said: "The distance between my home and my pulpit is a pasture of Paradise. " 7 There is nothing more beneficial to the believer than turning to Allah ~ ' in every matter, remembering Him and working hard to please Him, in order to enjoy His Love. The Prophet ~ reported that Allah ~ said: "Son of Adam! I have created you to worship Me, so do not waste your time playing around. I have taken charge of your blessings and provisions, so you do not tire yourself. Son of Adam! Call Me and you will find Me, and if you find Me, you find everything; but if you miss Me, you miss everything; for I am more beloved to you than anything else."