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

The person most deceived is the one who is deluded by this world, preferring it to the Hereafter; seeking the pleasure of this world more than that of the Hereafter, saying: the pleasure of this world is certain, whereas that of the Hereafter is uncertain, therefore, I shall not leave what is assured and hope for what is doubtful. This is one of the greatest deceits and enticements of the devil. Even animals have more reason than those deceived people; for an animal would not even attempt to follow a way that would be harmful or damaging to its life. People who say that they would never leave the assured for the doubtful (as they claim) are either doubtful about the Promise of Allah ~' His Reward, His Punishment and the Truth of His Prophets, or they are certain about it. If you are certain about it, then you are one who does not give much importance to this world, which is due to end soon, but instead prefer to be attached to a world that is more certain and everlasting. However, if you have any doubt, then you need to review the Verses of the Revelation (in the Qur'an), which prove His Existence, Omnipotence, Will and Oneness. The Verses also give you the evidence about the truthfulness of Allah's Messengers, regarding all the information about Him ~- Search for the truth with impartiality and you will discover that the Message brought by the Messengers about Allah ~ is undoubtedly the truth; that the Creator of this world and the Lord of the heavens and earth is far above His Creation. The inclusive law, to which everything submits, is the Way of Allah ~' the Majestic King, to whom belongs the creation and the authority, so whoever does not relate this Supremacy to Allah ~. has denied Allah ~ in terms of His Lordship and Sovereignty. When a person reflects on his/her condition, as the one whose creation began as a nutfah ( a zygote or fertilized egg) which developed into a perfect shape of due proportion, it would become clear to him/her that the One Who has cared for him/her in this manner, and carried him/her through these conditions, would neglect or dismiss him/her carelessly, without leaving any commands or prohibitions, knowledge of rights, promises of reward, and warnings of punishment. If a person ponders thoroughly over this subject, then everything he/she observes and also that which he/she is unable to observe would be seen to him/her as poof of Monotheism (Allah's Oneness, as the One Lord behind this world), for the Prophethood ( of Muhammad ~), for the Hereafter, and that the Qur'an is Allah's~ Word. We have mentioned the evidence of this fact in the book, "The Oaths in the Qur'an", as Allah~ said: (So, I swear by whatsoever you see, and by whatsoever you do not see, this is verily the word of an honoured Messenger) 1, and in the interpretation of the Verse: (also in your own selves. Will you not then see) , as the existence of man is proof of 2

the existence of his Creator, and confirmation of the Creator's Attributes and Perfection. If one asks: How could a person have a firm belief in (the existence of) the Hereafter, Paradise and Hell, without fulfilling his/her obligations? One should also ask how someone could remember an appointed visit the following day by a king, either to be punished or rewarded, yet spend the night without thinking about this meeting with the king, nor preparing for it? We may say: By Allah, this is a good question which many people ask themselves, because it is strange to see these two conflicting points within a person, for they are due to many reasons: First, a lack of knowledge and uncertainty, for whoever thinks that one's level of knowledge does not vary in this context has a poor opinion. Ibrahim ~ \ asked Allah ~ to show him the reviving of the dead, despite the fact that he possessed the full knowledge of the Omnipotence of Allah ~' as he ~I only wanted to strengthen his conviction, by witnessing the event. Imam Ahmad reported that the Prophet ~ said: "An informer is unlike a witness."3 People may have flawed knowledge as well as a lack of knowledge, due to influences such as worldly desires, Satan's deception, delaying their promises, having endless hope, being careless, etc. All this is caused by a lack of patience and insight. Allah ~ has commended patient people, who have insight, saying: (We made from among them leaders giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe, with certainty, in Our Signs) 1