A message to every Youth !

“The book ‘al-Fawā’id’ is from the best of Ibn al-Qayyim’s books. It was written as if he is a man who is eighty years of age, sitting and talking about his experiences in life. And they are, as he titled them, ‘al-Fawā’id’ (points of benefit). Everything that Ibn al-Qayyim has written is from the best of what was written for Islām. In truth, Ibn al-Qayyim is a ripened fruit that sprouted from Ibn Taymiyyah. Ibn Taymiyyah is distinguished for his vast understanding and knowledge, and he spent a great part of his life as a Mujāhid between one battle and another. One time, he led a battle himself, when the rulers of Shām sat back from confronting the Tatars, and said: “We are unable to confront them.” So, Ibn Taymiyyah said: “We will confront them,” and Allāh gave them victory.

I say: Ibn Taymiyyah sprouted an inhuman, ripened fruit, and that fruit was Ibn al-Qayyim. Ibn al-Qayyim is distinguished with his depth of soul, and constant worship. One time, he passed through Makkah, and the people of Makkah were amazed at the amount of worship he would engage in, and his constant preoccupation with the remembrance of Allāh. 

From the books that he wrote are ‘al-Fawā’id,’ and he also wrote books dealing with tarbiyah, such as ‘Madārij as-Sālikīn Sharh Manāzil as-Sā’irīn ilā Rabb al-‘Ālamīn,’ and the book ‘I’lām al-Muwaqqi’īn ‘an Rabb al-‘Ālamīn’ – and it is a book combining the subjects of Fiqh and Usūl – as well as the book ‘Zād al-Ma’ād fī Sīrat Khayr al-‘Ibād,’ regarding his (saws) prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, battles, medical practices, etc., as well the book ‘ar-Rūh,’ and ‘Badā’i’ al-Fawā’id,’ and ‘al-Jawāb al-Kāfī fī as-Su’āl ‘an ad-Dawā’ ash-Shāfī.’ 

Anyway, in his book ‘al-Fawā’id,’ he said:

“There are ten useless matters that cannot be benefited from:

• Knowledge that is not implemented • An action that is empty of sincerity, and is not based on the correct example
• Wealth that is hoarded, as the owner neither enjoys it during this life, nor obtains any reward for it in the Hereafter
• The heart that is empty of love and longing for Allāh, and of seeking closeness to Him
• A body that does not obey and serve Allāh
• Loving Allāh without seeking His pleasure
• Time that is not spent in expiating sins or seizing opportunities to perform deeds of righteousness that will bring one closer to Allāh
• A mind that thinks about issues which bring about no benefit
• Serving those who neither bring you close to Allāh or benefit you in your life
• Hoping and fearing one who is under the authority of Allāh, and whose forehead is in His Hand, while he cannot bring any benefit, harm, life, death, or resurrection to himself. 

However, the greatest of these matters is the wasting of the heart, and the wasting of time. Wasting the heart is done by preferring this worldly life over the Hereafter, and wasting time is done by having incessant hopes. All evil is in following one’s desires and having incessant hopes, while all goodness is found in following the right path and preparing oneself to meet Allāh, and Allāh is the source of Assistance.” 

Here, he summarized all evil in these two issues: wasting of the heart, and wasting of time. Wasting the heart is done by preferring this worldly life over the Hereafter, and wasting time is done by having incessant hopes, and incessant hopes and the following of one’s desires are the ultimate manifestation of evil…”

By ash-Shaykh Abdullah ‘Azzam (rahimahUllah)

TO READ ENTIRE MESSAGE BY THE SHAYKH (RAHIMAHULLAH), INSHA'ALLAH CLICK:

http://www.archive.org/download/guidebooks/message_youth.pdf