The fruits Of life

 *The fruits Of life:*

Imām Ibn Al-Qayyim رحمه الله said:

“Ikhlās(Purity and sincerity of the heart) and Tawhīd(oneness of Allah) are a tree in the heart. Its branches are good actions. Its fruits are a good life in this world, and eternal comfort in the Hereafter. Just like in Paradise the fruits whose supply is not cut off, nor are they out of reach, likewise are the fruits of Tawhīd and Ikhlās in this world. Shirk, lying and showing off are a tree in the heart. Its fruits are fear, grief, anguish, constraint and darkness of the heart. Its fruits in the Hereafter are Az-Zaqūm (a tree in Hellfire) and eternal punishment.”

[Al-Fawā’id, 292]

One of the many works authored by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali is Lataa’if al-Ma’aarif, a work detailing the merits, special attributes and prescribed actions which occur throughout each year. 

Ibn Rajab began the chapter on the month of Muharram with the following hadeeth:

خرّج مسلم من حديث أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي ﷺ قال (أفضل الصيام بعد شهر رمضان شهر الله تدعونه المحرم, وأفضل الصلاة بعد الفريضة قيام الليل). الكلام على هذا الحديث في فصلين : في فضل التطوع بالصيام, و فضل التطوع بالقيام. 

There is the hadeeth from Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 

“The most virtuous of fasts after the month of Ramadhaan is the month of Allah called al-Muharram, and the most virtuous of prayers after the obligatory prayers is qiyaam al-lail.” 

The words of this hadeeth clarify two things: the virtue of voluntary fasting, and the virtue of voluntary night prayers.

[Lataa’if al-Ma’aarif, pg 77]

A man said to al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (raḥimahullāh): 

‘The people sit around you so that they may find fault with you!’ So he (al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī) said, ‘Indeed, I encouraged my soul to aspire for Paradise so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from Hellfire and so it aspired for it. Then I encouraged it to aspire for salvation from the people, but I didn’t find a way to that. Indeed, the people were not pleased with their Creator although He provides for them, so how can they be pleased with another creation like themselves?’

[al-Bidāyah wal-Nihāyah (9/318)]

"Imam Al Nawawi advised the ruler of his time to adhere to the shariah in all matters after the residents of Damascus had approached him to intervene and petition on their behalf. In retaliation, the Sultan ordered that the Imam's salary should be suspended. He was, however, informed that Imam Al Nawawi did not receive any salary from the state for his work. Imam Al Nawawi lived a very simple life. He was genuinely carrying his duty of advice to the ruler and did not care about this worldly life"

[Shaykh Hassan Al Kettani - Commentary on the 40 hadiths of Nawawi]