Shajarat al-Maʿārif is one of Al-ʿIzz bin ʿAbd al-Salām’s many practical guides to implementing belief, law, and excellence. Over the coming weeks I will post material from this book, identified with the #iḥsānology hashtag. Each week I’ll collect them here in one spot. (In shā Allāh.)
This first collection covers up through to 22 March 2014.
Self-promotion of one’s goods & services to others must be coupled with honest self-demotion of one’s state & relationship with Allah.
Among the best of excellent behavior is treating others as you have been treated – not by them, but by Him.
He ﷺ said: “Allah forgives my followers what their souls may whisper or suggest to them as long as they do not speak of or act upon it.” Bukhari
Hearts are the origin of every good & evil. May Allah fix our hearts, forgive our sins, conceal our faults, & protect – even that which eludes our awareness.
Belief is secured through observing its causes & proofs, and adhering to acts of worship & various forms of piety.
Pondering the truthfulness of the Messenger ﷺ is a route to following his message. Following his message (ﷺ) is a route to happiness in this life & the next.
Loving imān is a path to its performance. Disliking disobedience is a path to its abandonment.
Yearning for Allah & His revelation are consequences of love for Him.
Allah loves those cleansing from impurity & filth. Imagine His love for cleansing from sin & corruption! Q9:108
Loving one another through & for Allah.
Feeding others out of seeking His countenance. Q76:9 Q2:272
True sincerity [الإخلاص] is performing worship for Him alone, whether out of fear, hope, love, shyness, awe, or reverence.
Thinking to harm those who hurt you distracts from what’s happening to you in this moment, so pay no need to harming them.
Rely upon Allah to repel what is coming, as there’s no benefit mulling over what has already passed.
Objecting to wrongness is from fear, shyness, love, or reverence. No īmān without a foundation in these. Muslim
Faith-based community & brotherhood requires loving for one another what one loves for oneself.
Desiring His countenance leads to seeking His pleasure. Q6:52
Desiring Afterlife leads to striving for it. Desiring good acts leads to performing them. Q6:52
Compete in goodness by seeking out that which will be the most precious and meritorious.
Sadness over missed obedience comes from love for it & its importance, as sadness is only for what one holds dear.
Objecting to wrongness is from fear, shyness, love, or reverence. No īmān without a foundation in these. Muslim
Examining past deeds leads to thanking for the good, and repenting & seeking forgiveness for the bad.