Monday, August 6, 2018

Advice to a Son - Imam Ghazali


I've completed reading the book, Ayuhal Walad (the bilingual edition)  by ImamZaynudDin Abu Hamid Bin Muhammad Al-Ghazali, for the second time this evening.  And just like before, I can never get enough of this book, and despite of a B5 30 pages write-up, I find it very interesting and sooooo in love with it.

No doubt that Imam Ghazali is a wise ulama' and every words written definitely something that I should share with my children.
...

My dear sons & Aivey,
I'm not sure whether you would ever read it now or even later. But, I wish, one day, when you have children of your own, or preparing yourself to have children, please read.

But in the meantime, before I forgot and loss all the ilmu and takeaways I got from the book, I guess it is worth sharing it here.

Bear in mind, it's my own takeaways and my own words from the readings I did. Please don't quote it is 100% from the wise and wisdom Imam Ghazali.
...

The book started with a letter from one of the Imam's student, asking for tips in search for beneficial knowledge as he is completing his studies with Imam Ghazali.



And so.. the words of wise...


Nabi s.a.w. said "A sign that Allah has turned away from a man is his involvement with things that do not benefit him, and for a man who lets an hour of his life goes by in things other than the service of his Creator for which he was created, the prolongation of his anguish is appropriate, and who reaches forty and the good in him does not out-weigh his evil, he should be prepared to meet the fire."

1) put knowledge into practice

  •  if one acquired knowledge but does not practice it, it would certainly be against him 

2) give your best
  •  Nabi SAW said, "Take account of yourselves before you will have to give account, and weigh your deeds before you are weighed."
  • one will not receives wages for what we don't work for
3) the right motivation and intention

  • keep the Shariaáh alive
  • refine your character
  • break the desires of lower self that entices to evil
4) make it beneficial

        live as you please, you are bound to die;  
        love whatever you wish, you are bound to part from it;
        act as you please, you will be recompensed accordingly.

       knowledge without practicing, is insane;
       practice without knowledge, is impossible;
      knowledge which doesn't keep you away from rebellion & doesn't carry you upon the path of obedience, will not keep you away from hellfire. 

5) do not feel secure
  • strengthen the spirit with zeal
  • overcome your lower self, mortify your body ; remember, the people of the grave awaits you. Do not join them without provision. 
          Abu Bakr r.a. said "these bodies are either a bird's cage or a stable for beast"
  
6) perform tahjud, seek forgiveness
  • Nabi s.a.w. said "O so-and-so, do not sleep excessively during the night, because excessive night sleep brings poverty upon the sleeper on Resurrection Day."
  • Al-Isra 17:79 = is an order to perform tahjud
  • Al-Dharyat  51:18 = speaks of gratitude by performing tahjud
  • Ali'Imran 3:17 = is a reminder to do tahjud
  • Nabi s.a.w. said "There are 3 voices loved by Allah s.w.t.; the voice of the rooster, the voice of the one who recites the Quran and the voice of the one seeks forgiveness before the break of dawn."
  • Luqman the Wise said, "O son, let not the rooster be smarter than you, as he calls (his Lord) at predawn while you are still asleep."
 7) Obedience and worship
  • follow the Law in its orders and prohibitions in words and deeds.
8) lose tongue and heart filled with recklessness and sensuality are signs of great misfortunes
  • kill your lower self by the sincerity of self-castigation (self-reprimand) or your heart will never be revived by the light of gnosis (ma'rifah)
9) Ihya Úlum ud Din; Revival of the Religious Sciences
  1. correct belief in the fundamental dogma (teaching)
  2. sincere repentence
  3. satisfying all legal opponents until no one has anymore rightful claim against you
  4. acquisition of knowledge of the Law
10) You don't need excessive knowledge
  • knowledge to comply with commandments of Allah s.w.t. and essential for survival suffices.
  • Nabi s.a.w. advised: 
    • Let your actions with regards to your worldly life be in accordance with your position therein; 
    • Let your actions with regards to your afterlife be in accordance with your permanence in it;
    • Let your actions in relation to Allah s.w.t. be in accordance with your need of Him;
    • Let your action in relation with fire be in accordance with your tolerance of it.
11) seek knowledge from a master. 
  • have a master as a guide and a guardian'
  • removes bad characters with noble qualities
  • true master - shuns the love of the world, follower of an enlightened person, excellent characters
  • good disciple - refrain from arguing, respect, follow instructions
12) have a good character towards mankind
  • in order to achieve your desires, do not burden others
  • burden yourself to gratify wishes of others
13)Úbudduyyah - spiritual bondage
  • upholding the dictated Laws
  • acceptance in destiny and the divine decree & allotment by Allah s.w.t.
  • abandonment of self-gratification
14) tawakkal - reliance
  • to fortify and make firm of your belief in Allah s.w.t.
15) ikhlas - purity of devotion
  • all actions are solely for Allah s.w.t.
  • no hypocrasy
16) do not ask before the time is right and be certain that you will not reach (your goal) unless you set out on your own journey

17) sacrifice one soul

18) do not enter into debate; 
  • if controversy arises and your intention is to bring to light the truth and not let it be trampled upon; argument in permissible, but
    • bear in mind, in argument, you are indifferent i.e. no one started with being right or wrong, either ourselves or the other party
    • discuss in privacy
  • ignorant are sickness and ignorant people are the sick while men of knowledge are the doctor; avoid arguing with ignorant people, who are
    • ignorant from ones envy and hatred; Nabi s.a.w. said "envy eats away good deeds, just as fire consumes firewood."
    • ignorant from foolishness, doesn't even know and understand the problem before debating
    • ignorant from people seeking guidance but doesn't understand/comprehend realities of the given answers from the wise i.e. understand the problem, but not the given solution; Nabi s.a.w. said "we, the community of prophets were ordered to speak to the people according to their intellectual capacity."
    • ignorant from the right intention
19) beware of becoming a preacher
  • guard yourself against expression by rhetoric (persuasive) speaking, dramatization, exaggeration, mockery. Allah s.w.t. dislikes ostentious (showing-off) person.
  • enlightening people
  • keep reminding to do good and avoid bad/evil doings
20) do not associate one with rulers / kings

21) do not accept anything offered by the rulers

22) be the best slave in dealings with Allah s.w.t. - please Him.

23) deal with people the way you want to be deal with

24) know that knowledge uplifts your heart and purifies yourself.

25) do not hoard more of worldly provisions.

...
Ash-Shaqiq Al Balkhi asked Hatim Al Assam "you have been in my company for 30 years, what have you acquired during the time?"

Hatim Al Assam replied with takeaways summed up below:
  1. ..."the best beloved of a man would be the one that enters his grave with him and gives him company, and I did not find any such lover, other than RIGHTEOUS DEEDS. Hence, I made them my loved ones..."
  2. ... "I hastened to oppose my lower self and set out briskly to fight it, and to deny its desires until it was trained in the obedience of Allah s.w.t. and submitted..."
  3.  ... "I gave a way my worldly possessions for the sake of Allah s.w.t. and distributed the, among the destite, in order that it may be provision for me in store with Allah s.w.t...."
  4. ..."fear Allah and I was certain that the Qurán is a reality and true, and all of people's concepts and assessments were vain and evanescent..."
  5. ..."do not envy anybody and contented myself with the lot that Allah s.w.t. had decreed for me..."
  6. ..."it is not proper to have enmity (hostility) with anyone except Syaitan..."
  7. ..."my sustenance is taken care of by Allah s.w.t. which He has vouched for. Thus I engaged myself in serving and worshipping Him..."
  8. ..."I put my trust in Allah and He suffices me and He is the best patron..."
...
May our jihad in searching for ilmu would be beneficial not only to us, but to the people surrounding us, to the ummah, to the world... and may it be our provisions on the Judgement Day.Ameen Ya Rabbal Al- ameen

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