The People of Bliss
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Creator: Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah
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Identifier: http://islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=449
Language: en
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Subject: character
Title: The People of Bliss
Created on: Wed Dec 26 13:30:30 -0500 2007
Updated on: Wed Dec 26 13:30:30 -0500 2007
Version: 1
Abstract: ... is Message and Guidance. He said: "An example of the guidance and knowledge with which Allah (T) has sent me is that of a rain that falls on different kinds of land: 1) One land is good; it accepts water and produces vegetation and grass in plenty. 2) Another land is dry with a solid bed that reserves water so that people can drink and irrigate with it. 3) The third kind is a porous land that can neither retain water nor produce vegetation. This is an example of those who acquire the knowledge of the Deen and benefit from that with which Allah (T) sent me, and of those who do not take heed and who insist on rejecting Allah's (T) Guidance." (3) The Messenger (S) likens the knowledge (with which he came) to rain, because both are causes of life. Rain is the cause of life for the body, while knowledge is the cause of life for the heart. He (S) also likens different hearts to different valleys, as Allah (T) said: "He sends down water from the sky, making different valleys flow according to their different natures..." [Soorah Ar-Rad 13:17] Thus, just as there are three kinds of land, there are three kinds of hearts: 1) The first is a good land which accepts water and is ready to produce vegetation. When rain falls on it, it absorbs the water eagerly, giving rise to all sorts of pleasant vegetation. This is an example of one with a healthy, pure, and intelligent heart, which embraces knowledge, and is guided by its true intelligent nature, blossoming by that wisdom and true faith. Therefore, it is eager to take the knowledge, and ready to bear fruits because of its good nature. It is also like a rich business man who has experience in different trades and investments, which enables him to invest his wealth inthat which brings the best profit. 2) The second kind is a hard, solid land prepared to preserve and keep water: It benefits people who visit it to drink or irrigate. This is an example of one whose heart preserves knowledge and safeguards it so as to convey it just as he hears it, without changing it or deriving conclusions from it. This is also described in another hadeeth: "There is often one who conveys knowledge to one who is more knowledgeable than himself; and there is often one who carries knowledge when he himself is not knowledgeable."(4) It is also like a rich man who does not possess the knowledge orexperience to invest his wealth, but who knows very well how to preserve it. 3) The third is a barren land which is incapable of holding water or producing vegetation: no matter how much rain falls, it does not profit by it. This is an example of one whose heart does not accept any knowledge or wisdom. It is also like a poor man who neither possesses wealth nor knows how to preserve it. The first of the above three examples applies to a learned man who teaches knowledge, and who calls people to Allah (T) with clear guidance; such are the inheritors of the Prophets. The second applies to one who preserves the knowledge, and who transmits what he hears precisely; he carries to other people precious goods that they can use for trade and investment. The third applies to one who neither accepts Allaah's Guidancenor benefits from it. Thus this hadeeth covers the different types of people and their different attitudes toward the Prophet's (S) Da'wah, which make them either happy or miserable. The Second Class of Happy People The second class of Happy People consists of the believers' followers from their offspring who die before reaching the status of takleef (5). They will be with their parents [in the Hereafter], as Allaah (T) s... [Full Article...]
