1 Repelling Excess Sorrow. Al-Ṭibb al-Ruhānī (Psycho-Spiritual Medicine) by Imam ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Abū al-Faraj ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597 AH/1184 CE)
1.1 Author’s Biography
Imam ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad Abū al-Faraj ibn al-Jawzī, more famously known as Ibn al-Jawzī, is reported to have been born in Baghdad in the year 519 or 520 hijri/1107 CE. His lineage traces back to the first caliph of Islam, Abū Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. From a young age, he received an excellent primary education which continued and developed into an entire lifetime of seeking and propagating Islamic knowledge. Ibn al-Jawzī became an adept scholar of the Ḥanbalī school of Islamic jurisprudence; his fame further increased when al-Mustaḍī, who was a proponent of the Hanbali school, rose to political power as the Abbasid caliph. Through the caliph’s influence, Imam Ibn al-Jawzī was given a significant scholarly platform to teach and preach to the masses. He gained widespread acclaim for his leadership in various educational institutions and the spread of his highly influential written works. Ibn al-Jawzī was and is still recognized as one of the most prolific Islamic polymaths; his valuable written works cover a range of key topics and focuses within the Islamic tradition. Imam al-Dhahabī writes about him, saying, “I have not known anyone amongst the scholars to have written as much as [Ibn al-Jawzī] did …” (al-Dhahabī, Siyar Aʾlām al-Nubalāʾ, 21:384). Ibn al-Jawzī was also a proponent of Sufism, regarding it as a branch of the Islamic sciences. This is evident through his support for Imam al-Ghazālī; he seems to have adopted many of his ideas and discussions in his own works. Ibn al-Jawzī died on the 12th of Ramadan in the year 597 AH/1184 CE at the age of 84; his tomb is located in Baghdad.
1.2 Text Overview and Significance
Imam Ibn al-Jawzī’s treatise Al-Ṭibb al-Rūhānī focuses on character development and virtue acquisition. Some of the subsections of this particular work include virtues of the intellect, the regulation of one’s desires, virtues and their acquisition, self-discipline, raising children, family relations and others. In the selected excerpts below, Ibn al-Jawzī discusses excessive sorrow, grief, depression, and anxiety. After defining such terms, he explores their excesses as well as how to bring about a balance with regards to each of these states. Whilst delving into various spiritual causes and cures for imbalance, he further suggests that internal physiological states could also contribute to some of these imbalances as well.
1.3 Arabic Text
الباب الثامن عشر
في دفع فضول الحزن
اعلم أن العاقل لا يخلو من الحزن؛ لأنه يتفكر في سالف ذنوبه فيحزن على تفريطه، وفيما قال العلماء والصالحون فيحزن لفوته.
بسنده إلى مالك بن دينار قال: إن القلب إذا لم يكن فيه حزن خرب، كما أن البيت إذا لم يسكن خرب.
وبسنده إلى إبراهيم بن عيسى قال: مارأيت أطول حزنًا من الحسن وما رأيته قط إلا حسبته حديث عهد بمصيبة.
وبسنده إلى مالك بن دينار قال: بقدر ما تحزن للدنيا كذلك يخرج هم الآخرة من قلبك.
وإذ قد تبين أن الحزن لا يزال ملازما قلوب المتقين فينبغي أن يتقى إفراطه لأن الحزن إنما يكون على الفائت وقد عرفنا طريق الاستدراك.
وجاء في الحديث: ”بقية عمر المؤمن لا قيمة له يستدرك فيه ما فات“ فإن كان المحزون عليه لا يمكن استدراكه لم ينفع الحزن، وإن كان دينا فينبغي أن يقاومه برجاء الفضل والرحمن ليعتدل الحال، فأما إذا كان الحزن لأجل الدنيا وما فات منها فذلك الخسران المبين، فليدفعه العاقل عن نفسه. وأقوى علاجه أن يعلم أنه لا يرد فائتًا وإنما يضم إلى المصيبة فتصير اثنتين، والمصيبة ينبغي أن تخفف عن القلب وتدفع، فإذا استعمل الحزن والجزع زادت ثقلًا. قال ابن عمرو: إذا استأثر اللّٰه بشيء فالهَ عنه ((أي إذا نهى عن شيء فاتركه)) ثم في الخلف عن الفائت ما يسلي، فإن عدم ما يسلى اجتهد في صرف ذلك عن قلبه، وليعلم أن الداعي إلى الحزن الهوى لا العقل؛ لأن العقل لا يدعو إلى مالا ينفع، وليعلم أنه سيسلو بعد حين، فليجتهد في تقديم المؤخر، وليرتح ما بين الزمانين، ومما يمحق الحزن العلم بأنه لا يفيد، والإيمان بالثواب، ويذكر من أصابه أكثر من مصيبته.
الباب التاسع عشر
في دفع فضول الغم والهم
الغم يكون للماضي، والهم للمستقبل، فمن اغتم لما مضى من ذنوبه نفعه غمه على تفريطه، لأنه يثاب عليه، ومن اهتم بعمل خير نفعته همته، فأما إذا اغتم لمفقود من الدنيا فالمفقود لا يرجع، والغم يؤذي، فكأنه أضاف إلى الأذى أذى، كما قلنا في الحزن. وينبغي للحازم أن يحترز مما يجلب الغم، وجالبه فقد المحبوب، فمن كثرت محبوباته كثر غمه، ومن قللها قل غمه، فإن قال قائل إذا لم أجد محبوبًا اغتممت، قيل له صدقت، ولكن لا يبلغ غمك بالعدم معشار عشر غم من فقد الحبوب، ألا ترى أن من لا ولد له يغتم، ولكن لا كغم من أصيب بولده، ثم إن الإنسان كلما طال ألفه لما يحبه واستمتاعه به تمكن من قلبه، فإذا فقده أحس من مر التألم في لحظة فقده بما يزيد على لذات دهره المتقدم، وهذا لأن المحبوب ملائم للنفس كالصحة فلا تجد النفس لذتها إلا عند وجودها، وفقدها مناف لها، ولذلك تألم بالفقد مالا تفرح بالموجود لأنها ترى وجود المحبوب كالحق الواجب لها، فينبغي للعاقل تقليل الألفة، فإن اضطر إلى جوالب الغم فأثمرت الغم فعلاجه في الأول الإيمان بالقدر، وأنه لابد مما قضى، ثم يعلم أن الدنيا موضوعة على الكدر، فالبناء إلى النقض، والجمع إلى التفرق، ومن رام بقاء ما لا يبقى كان كمن رام وجود ما لا يوجد، فلا ينبغي أن يطلب من الدنيا ما لم توضع عليه، كما قال الشاعر:
ثم يتصور مانزل به مضاعفا فيهون عليه حينئذ ماهو فيه، ومن عادة الحمال الحازم أن يترك فوق حمله شيئا ثقيلا، ثم يمشي خطوات، ثم يولى به فيخف الأمر عنه، ثم ليرتقب زمن العافية هجوم البلاء، فإذا هجم ما يكرهه، وليتمثل كلما يتصور نزوله نازلا، فإذا نزل بعض ذلك كان ريحًا مثل أن يتصور أن يؤخذ ماله كله، فإذا أخذ البعض عد الباقي غنيمة، ويتصور أن يعمى، فإذا رمد سهل الأمر، وكذلك جميع المضرات. قال الشاعر:
قال بعض السلف: رأيت امرأة فتعجبت من نضارتها، فقلت هذا وجه ما طرقه حزن، فقالت لا تقل هذا، فما أعرف من ناله ما نالني؛ كان لي زوج، فاشترى أضحية فذبحها، وله ولدان، فقال الأكبر للأصغر تعال حتى أريك كيف ذبح أبي الشاة، فذبحه، فلما طلبناه هرب، فخرج
الأب في طلبه فهلكا، فقلت وكيف حزنك، قالت لو وجدت في الحزن دركا لاستعملته.
1.4 English Translation
Countering Excessive Sadness
Realize [even] rational people are not exempted from [experiencing] sadness. [This is] because an individual reflects on their past sins and thus feels remorse for their lack of restraint. One also [contemplates] that which the scholars and righteous people have mentioned [of virtue and wisdom], feeling saddened for falling short.1
Mālik ibn Dīnār2 once said, “If the heart is devoid of sadness, it will be ruined just as a house, if uninhabited, becomes ruined.”
Ibrāhīm ibn ʿĪsā once noted, “I have not seen a more sorrowful person than al-Ḥasan. Never did I see him except that I presumed a calamity had just befallen him.”3
Mālik ibn Dīnār also stated, “The amount of grief you feel over a worldly matter is proportionately related to the [amount of] concern for the afterlife that escapes your heart.”
It is clear that sorrow characteristically abides within the hearts of the righteous. Thus, it is the excess of it that should be avoided.
Sorrow occurs after missing out on something that we know we could have attained.
The following comes in a hadith: “The remainder of a believer’s life is valueless, [unless,] during it, he realizes what he has missed.”
If the thing about which one is saddened is not attainable, then such sadness is not of any benefit. If one’s sorrow concerns a religious matter, then it must be countered with hope for divine grace and mercy4 till one’s state is [properly] balanced.5 As for sorrow on account of worldly matters, such is a manifest loss; an intelligent person should really protect himself from [falling into] it.
The most potent remedy for [excessive] sorrow is to know that the past is simply irreversible, and that sorrow only adds to the initial calamity, thus producing two problems [instead of one]. Really, one should [try to] de-escalate calamities by mitigating them within the heart. Ruminating over sadness and anxiety only makes the calamities [that cause them] feel heavier.
Ibn ʿAmr6 said, “If Allah repossesses something that you once held, then turn your attention away from it.” It [also] means that one should [totally] avoid what Allah has prohibited. Whatever one [supposedly] misses [out on] should be palatably substituted by something, [as] a distraction. If a suitable diversion is unavailable, one should effortfully keep the heart away from focusing on the [apparent] loss. Also, one must realize that sorrow is caused by emotion rather than the intellect; the rational mind does not attend to something devoid of benefit. Furthermore, a person should recognize that with the passing of time, one will [inevitably] forget [and move on]. Let him then look forward to that moment and be in a state of serenity sooner rather than later.7 What additionally serves to curtail sorrow are the following:
Knowing that sorrow is devoid of benefit; having faith in [heavenly] compensation; and remembering the One who has enabled such tribulations to occur rather than [focusing on] their [mere] occurrence.
Dealing with Grief and Anxiety
Grief is tied to the past, whereas anxiety relates to the future. Whoever is grieved because of his past sins, his sadness, even if excessive, will benefit him as he will be rewarded for it. As for one who is concerned regarding the performance of [a] good [deed], such concern will likewise benefit him. As for the one who is grieved by a worldly loss, then what passed is forever gone, and feeling depressed only adds to the loss. This is similar to what we have said regarding sorrow.
The prudent person is [one who is] duly cautious of all that may foment grief. Losing that which is cherished fosters grief, so whoever has a multitude of attachments [is likely to] experience more grief. Inversely, whoever has less attachments [is likely to] experience less grief. Now, if someone says, “When I have nothing to cherish, I feel grief,” then his point is valid. However, we say to him that your grief due to a lack of attachment does not reach even one-tenth of the level of one who has lost someone [or something] dear. Do you not see the childless one grieve? Yet, such [pain] is incomparable to the grief of a person who is tested by [losing] their child.
Next, the longer a person bonds with and enjoys that which they love, the deeper it takes root in their heart. And when they suddenly lose it, they experience bitter pain in that moment of loss; such pain is [seemingly] greater than all other pleasures previously experienced in their life. This is because that which is beloved is [naturally] congenial to one’s soul. Just as health is [in relation to the body], the soul finds no enjoyment except when the beloved is present; hence, losing the beloved is, [naturally,] unfavorable. This is why the soul is pained by the loss of that which is beloved to an extent that is much greater than the joy [felt] when it was present; one considers the presence of that which is beloved as if it was their indispensable right.
As such, an intelligent person ought to minimize their attachments. If one becomes driven towards that which provokes sadness, which thereafter develops into grief, then its primary cure is to inculcate a firm belief in destiny; what has transpired was inevitably meant to be. Next, one should know that the temporal world was inherently meant to be sullied; all that is built up ultimately crumbles; all that is amassed is eventually squandered.8 Whoever expects that which is temporary to last forever is just like someone who hopes to get something out of nothing; it is not befitting to seek from the world that for which it was not inherently designed. Relevantly, a poet once said: “[This world] was made to be murky, yet you want it without misery or muck.”
Moreover, a person can imagine [how it would be if] their situation was radically worse, which [would] effectively mitigate whatever [difficulty] he is dealing with in the moment.
Characteristically, those who are resolute and forbearing [at first] tend to leave off things that are beyond their capacity and [are thus] too arduous to endure. They progressively advance, step-by-step, and thereafter take on such matters. This [approach] makes one’s affairs [much] more manageable. Next, they picture themselves to soon be worry-free as a way to tackle the difficulty at hand. Plus, if a person confronts what he dislikes by imagining himself in the worst [possible] scenario, then for only a portion of that to [actually] occur, such is [easy to handle, like] a breeze. For example, if he were to envision that all of his wealth was stolen when only a portion was [actually] taken, then what remains would be counted as a gain. Another example is to imagine himself to be [completely] blind when he is [merely] experiencing eye pain; such becomes easier [to bear]. All other difficulties can be dealt with similarly.9
A poet once said:
A person from amongst the pious predecessors said, “I once saw a woman, and noticed a unique radiance on her [face]. I said to her, ‘This face [of yours]! It [seems] to have never been stricken by any sorrow!’ She replied, ‘Do not say that. I do not know anyone who has gone through what I have faced. I had a husband who once purchased a sacrificial animal, which he slaughtered. Then, the older of his two sons said to the younger one, ‘Come, I will show you how our father slaughtered the sheep.’ He then slaughtered his younger brother [instead]. When we went after him, he ran away. His father set out to find him, and both of them perished.’ When I asked about her grief, she said, ‘Had I found a limit to grief, I would have made use of it.’”
2 The Station of Grief. Madārij al-Sālikīn Bayn Manāzil Iyyāka Naʿbud wa-Iyyāka Nastaʿīn (Stations of the Seekers) by Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (d. 751 AH/1351 CE)
2.1 Author’s Biography
Shams al-Dīn Abū ʿAbd Allah Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī Bakr ibn Ayyūb al-Zurʿi al-Dimashqī, more famously known as Ibn al-Qayyim, is famously recognized as the most prominent student under the tutelage and mentorship of Ibn Taymiyya. He is known as Ibn al-Qayyim – which literally means “the son of the principal,” – due to his father’s role in serving as the headmaster of the renowned Jawziyya seminary college in Damascus. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim was a true polymath, having mastered the Islamic sciences while also demonstrating proficiency in the natural sciences. Throughout his sixty years of life, he has produced over one hundred written works in a diverse range of fields, including the Quranic sciences, jurisprudence, ḥadīth, medicine, and psychology. Ibn al-Qayyim posited that meditation, reflection, and introspection are necessary for striving towards inner contentment, drawing upon the oft-quoted statement, “the righteous among our predecessors used to say that mindful reflection for an hour is better than worshiping for sixty years.” He passed away in the year 1350 CE and is buried in the famous Bāb al-Ṣaghīr cemetery of Damascus, Syria.
2.2 Text Overview and Significance
Ibn al-Qayyim’s book Madārij al-Sālikīn, is based upon a book written by Abū Ismaʿīl al-Ansārī al-Ḥarāwī (d. 482 AH/1089 CE) entitled Manāzil al-Sāʾirīn (Stations of the Wayfarers). This original work outlines one hundred various stations that seekers of the spiritual path traverse on their reformative spiritual journey. Although it could be read as an independent work, Ibn al-Qayyim’s Madārij al-Sālikīn serves as a commentary of Manāzil al-Sāʾirīn; it is brilliant in providing details of the different spiritual stations, replete with injunctions and valuable advice to the seekers of spiritual reformation.
The selected section translated below is taken from a segment in Madārij al-Sālikīn that explores the topic of grief. Ibn al-Qayyim outlines that it is a station that every seeker inevitably has to experience and pass through. However, albeit natural and necessary, he does not consider grief to be praiseworthy in and of itself. Rather, he indicates that one must retreat from this station, which seemingly contradicts other scholars like that of Ibn Abī Dunyā who discusses the value of grief. While it ostensibly appears that Ibn al-Qayyim discredits grief, upon reading the text closely, one comes to understand that he merely views grief as an indication of what one values. In other words, he sees the feeling of grief as more utilitarian and not of value in and of itself; thus, it is a gateway to identify that which is more practically important. For example, if a person experiences grief for religious reasons like missing prayer, then it can prove to be quite valuable. However, grief that indicates an excessive attachment to the temporal world is a clear spiritual disorder. To elucidate, Ibn al-Qayyim cites a segment of the Quran that recounts an incident in which a group of the companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, returned with tears flowing after they were told that they cannot partake in a military expedition. Ibn al-Qayyim explains that their pious desire to partake in a noble deed is an indication of faith; thus, the associated grief is praiseworthy. Furthermore, in traversing the spiritual path, one gradually reduces their attachment to the ephemeral world; such transformative detachment from materialistic desires necessarily comes with feelings of grief. Ibn al-Qayyim therefore sees it as a necessary station of spiritual growth; and the more swiftly a person can pass through it, the better it is overall.
While providing a unique perspective regarding grief and its utility, some of the strategies he employs and insights Ibn al-Qayyim offers somewhat resemble cognitive theories. Both place emphasis on the underlying beliefs and thoughts as one of the most central aspects to consider; thus, emotions are rendered as mere byproducts of these underlying beliefs.
2.3 Arabic Text
فَصْلٌ مَنْزِلَةُ الْحُزْنِ
وَمِنْ مَنَازِلِ ﴿إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ﴾ [الفاتحة: 5] مَنْزِلَةُ الْحُزْنِ.
وَلَيْسَتْ مِنَ الْمَنَازِلِ الْمَطْلُوبَةِ، وَلَا الْمَأْمُورِ بِنُزُولِهَا، وَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ لِلسَّالِكِ مِنْ نُزُولِهَا. وَلَمْ يَأْتِ ”الْحُزْنُ“ فِي الْقُرْآنِ إِلَّا مَنْهِيًّا عَنْهُ، أَوْ مَنْفِيًّا.
فَالْمَنْهِيُّ عَنْهُ كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى ﴿وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا﴾ [آل عمران: 139] وَقَوْلِهِ: ﴿وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ﴾ [الحجر: 88] فِي غَيْرِ مَوْضِعٍ، وَقَوْلِهِ: ﴿لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَنَا﴾ [التوبة: 40] وَالْمَنْفِيُّ كَقَوْلِهِ: ﴿فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾ [البقرة: 38].
وَسِرُّ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ ”الْحُزْنَ“ مُوقِفٌ غَيْرُ مُسَيِّرٍ، وَلَا مَصْلَحَةَ فِيهِ لِلْقَلْبِ. وَأَحَبُّ شَيْءٍ إِلَى الشَّيْطَانِ أَنْ يَحْزَنَ الْعَبْدُ لِيَقْطَعَهُ عَنْ سَيْرِهِ، وَيُوقِفَهُ عَنْ سُلُوكِهِ، قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿إِنَّمَا النَّجْوَى مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ لِيَحْزُنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا﴾ [المجادلة: 10]. وَنَهَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الثَّلَاثَةَ أَنْ يَتَنَاجَى اثْنَانِ مِنْهُمْ دُونَ الثَّالِثِ، لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ يُحْزِنُهُ. فَالْحُزْنُ لَيْسَ بِمَطْلُوبٍ، وَلَا مَقْصُودٍ، وَلَا فِيهِ فَائِدَةٌ، وَقَدِ اسْتَعَاذَ مِنْهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ» فَهُوَ قَرِينُ الْهَمِّ. وَالْفَرْقُ بَيْنَهُمَا أَنَّ الْمَكْرُوهَ الَّذِي يَرِدُ عَلَى الْقَلْبِ إِنْ كَانَ لِمَا يُسْتَقْبَلُ أَوْرَثَهُ الْهَمَّ، وَإِنْ كَانَ لِمَا مَضَى أَوْرَثَهُ الْحُزْنَ، وَكِلَاهُمَا مُضْعِفٌ لِلْقَلْبِ عَنِ السَّيْرِ، مُفتِّرٌ لِلْعَزْمِ.
وَلَكِنَّ نُزُولَ مَنْزِلَتِهِ ضَرُورِيٌّ بِحَسَبِ الْواقِعِ، وَلِهَذَا يَقُولُ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ إِذَا دَخَلُوهَا ﴿الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَذْهَبَ عَنَّا الْحَزَنَ﴾ [فاطر: 34] فَهَذَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُمْ كَانَ يُصِيبُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا الْحَزَنُ، كَمَا يُصِيبُهُمْ سَائِرُ الْمَصَائِبِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي عَلَيْهِمْ بِغَيْرِ اخْتِيَارِهِمْ.
وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى ﴿وَلَا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذَا مَا أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قُلْتَ لَا أَجِدُ مَا أَحْمِلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ تَوَلَّوْا وَأَعْيُنُهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ حَزَنًا أَنْ لَا يَجِدُوا مَا يُنْفِقُونَ﴾ [التوبة: 92] فَلَمْ يُمْدَحُوا عَلَى نَفْسِ الْحَزَنِ، وَإِنَّمَا مُدِحُوا عَلَى مَا دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ الْحَزَنُ مِنْ قُوَّةِ إِيمَانِهِمْ، حَيْثُ تَخَلَّفُوا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِعَجْزِهِمْ عَنِ النَّفَقَةِ، فَفِيهِ تَعْرِيضٌ بِالْمُنَافِقِينَ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَحْزَنُوا عَلَى تَخَلُّفِهِمْ، بَلْ غَبَطُوا نُفُوسَهُمْ بِهِ.
وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ الصَّحِيحِ «مَا يُصِيبُ الْمُؤْمِنَ مِنْ هَمٍّ وَلَا نَصَبٍ وَلَا حَزَنٍ إِلَّا كَفَّرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُ» فَهَذَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ مُصِيبَةٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ يُصِيبُ بِهَا الْعَبْدَ، يُكَفِّرُ بِهَا مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِهِ، لَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ مَقَامٌ يَنْبَغِي طَلَبُهُ وَاسْتِيطَانُهُ.
وَأَمَّا حَدِيثُ هِنْدِ بْنِ أَبِي هَالَةَ فِي صِفَةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ”إِنَّهُ كَانَ مُتَوَاصِلَ الْأَحْزَانِ“ فَحَدِيثٌ لَا يَثْبُتُ، وَفِي إِسْنَادِهِ مَنْ لَا يُعْرَفُ.
وَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ مُتَوَاصِلَ الْأَحْزَانِ وَقَدْ صَانَهُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْحُزْنِ عَلَى الدُّنْيَا وَأَسْبَابِهَا، وَنَهَاهُ عَنِ الْحُزْنِ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ، وَغَفَرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَمَا تَأَخَّرَ؟ فَمِنْ أَيْنَ يَأْتِيهِ الْحُزْنُ؟
بَلْ كَانَ دَائِمَ الْبِشْرِ، ضَحُوكَ السِّنِّ، كَمَا فِي صِفَتِهِ: ”الضَّحُوكُ الْقَتَّال“ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ وَسَلَامُهُ عَلَيْهِ.
وَأَمَّا الْخَبَرُ الْمَرْوِيُّ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ كُلَّ قَلْبٍ حَزِينٍ» فَلَا يُعْرَفُ إِسْنَادُهُ، وَلَا مَنْ رَوَاهُ، وَلَا تُعْلَمُ صِحَّتُهُ.
وَعَلَى تَقْدِيرِ صِحَّتِهِ فَالْحُزْنُ مُصِيبَةٌ مِنَ الْمَصَائِبِ الَّتِي يَبْتَلِي اللَّهُ بِهَا عَبْدَهُ، فَإِذَا ابْتَلَى بِهِ الْعَبْدَ فَصَبَرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَبَّ صَبْرَهُ عَلَى بَلَائِهِ.
وَأَمَّا الْأَثَرُ الْآخَرُ: «إِذَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ عَبْدًا نَصَبَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نَائِحَةً، وَإِذَا أَبْغَضَ عَبْدًا جَعَلَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِزْمَارًا» فَأَثَرٌ إِسْرَائِيلِيٌّ، قِيلَ: إِنَّهُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ، وَلَهُ مَعْنًى صَحِيحٌ، فَإِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ حَزِينٌ عَلَى ذُنُوبِهِ، وَالْفَاجِرَ لَاهٍ لَاعِبٌ، مُتَرَنِّمٌ فَرِحٌ.
وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى عَنْ نَبِيِّهِ إِسْرَائِيلَ: ﴿وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ﴾ [يوسف: 84] فَهُوَ إِخْبَارٌ عَنْ حَالِهِ بِمُصَابِهِ بِفَقْدِ وَلَدِهِ، وَحَبِيبِهِ، وَأَنَّهُ ابْتَلَاهُ بِذَلِكَ كَمَا ابْتَلَاهُ بِالتَّفْرِيقِ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُ.
وَأَجْمَعَ أَرْبَابُ السُّلُوكِ عَلَى أَنَّ حُزْنَ الدُّنْيَا غَيْرُ مَحْمُودٍ إِلَّا أَبَا عُثْمَانَ الْحِيرِيَّ، فَإِنَّهُ قَالَ: الْحُزْنُ بِكُلِّ وَجْهِ فَضِيلَةٌ، وَزِيَادَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ، مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ بِسَبَبِ مَعْصِيَةٍ، قَالَ: لِأَنَّهُ إِنْ لَمْ يُوجِبْ تَخْصِيصًا، فَإِنَّهُ يُوجِبُ تَمْحِيصًا.
فَيُقَالُ: لَا رَيْبَ أَنَّهُ مِحْنَةٌ وَبَلَاءٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ، بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْمَرَضِ وَالْهَمِّ وَالْغَمِّ، وَأَمَّا إِنَّهُ مِنْ مَنَازِلِ الطَّرِيقِ فَلَا، وَاللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ أَعْلَمُ.
فَصْلٌ
قَالَ صَاحِبُ الْمَنَازِلِ: الْحُزْنُ تَوَجُّعٌ لِفَائِتٍ، وَتَأَسُّفٌ عَلَى مُمْتَنِعٍ. يُرِيدُ أَنَّ مَا يَفُوتُ الْإِنْسَانَ قَدْ يَكُونُ مَقْدُورًا لَهُ، وَقَدْ لَا يَكُونُ، فَإِنْ كَانَ مَقْدُورًا تَوَجَّعَ لِفَوْتِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ غَيْرَ مَقْدُورٍ تَأَسَّفَ لِامْتِنَاعِهِ. قَالَ: وَلَهُ ثَلَاثُ دَرَجَاتٍ، الْأُولَى: حُزْنُ الْعَامَّةِ، وَهُوَ حَزْنٌ عَلَى التَّفْرِيطِ فِي الْخِدْمَةِ، وَعَلَى التَّوَرُّطِ فِي الْجَفَاءِ، وَعَلَى ضَيَاعِ الْأَيَّامِ. التَّفْرِيطُ فِي الْخِدْمَةِ عِنْدَهُمْ فَوْقَ التَّفْرِيطِ فِي الْعَمَلِ وَتَضْيِيعِهِ، بَلْ هَذَا الْحُزْنُ يَكُونُ مَعَ الْقِيَامِ وَالْعَمَلِ، فَإِنَّ الْخِدْمَةَ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ بَابِ الْأَخْلَاقِ وَالْآدَابِ، لَا مِنْ بَابِ الْأَفْعَالِ، وَهِيَ حَقُّ الْعُبُودِيَّةِ، وَأَدَبُهَا وَوَاجِبُهَا، وَصَاحِبُ هَذَا الْحُزْنِ بِالْأَوْلَى: أَنْ يَحْزَنَ لِتَضْيِيعِ الْعَمَلِ.
وَأَمَّا التَّوَرُّطُ فِي الْجَفَاءِ فَهُوَ أَيْضًا أَخَصُّ مِنَ الْمَعْصِيَةِ بِارْتِكَابِ الْمَحْظُورِ لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ يَكُونُ لِفَقْدِ أُنْسٍ سَابِقٍ مَعَ اللَّهِ، فَإِذَا تَوَارَى عَنْهُ تَوَرَّطَ فِي الْجَفْوَةِ، فَإِنَّ الشَّيْخَ ذَكَرَ الْحُزْنَ فِي قِسْمِ الْأَبْوَابِ وَهُوَ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ قِسْمِ الْبِدَايَاتِ.
وَأَمَّا تَضْيِيعُ الْأَيَّامِ فَنَوْعَانِ أَيْضًا: تَضْيِيعُهَا بِخُلُوِّهَا عَنِ الطَّاعَاتِ، وَتَضْيِيعُهَا خُلُوِّهَا عَنْ مَوَاجِيدِ الْإِيمَانِ، وَذَوْقِ حَلَاوَتِهِ، وَالْأُنْسِ بِاللَّهِ، وَحُسْنِ الصُّحْبَةِ مَعَهُ. فَكُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الثَّلَاثَةِ نَوْعَانِ لِأَهْلِ الْبِدَايَةِ، وَلِلسَّالِكِينَ الْمُتَوَسِّطِينَ. وَكَلَامُهُ يَعُمُّ النَّوْعَيْنِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ بِالثَّانِي أَخَصَّ. قَالَ: الدَّرَجَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ حُزْنُ أَهْلِ الْإِرَادَةِ، وَهُوَ حُزْنٌ عَلَى تَعَلُّقِ الْقَلْبِ بِالتَّفْرِقَةِ، وَعَلَى اشْتِغَالِ النَّفْسِ عَنِ الشُّهُودِ، وَعَلَى التَّسَلِّي عَنِ الْحُزْنِ. تَعَلُّقُ الْقَلْبِ بِالتَّفْرِقَةِ: هُوَ عَدَمُ الْجَمْعِيَّةِ فِي الْحُضُورِ مَعَ اللَّهِ، وَتَشْتِيتُ الْخَوَاطِرِ فِي أَوْدِيَةِ الْمُرَادَاتِ. وَأَمَّا اشْتِغَالُ النَّفْسِ عَنِ الشُّهُودِ فَهُوَ نَوْعَانِ: اشْتِغَالُهَا عَنِ الذِّكْرِ الَّذِي يُوجِبُ الشُّهُودَ وَيُثْمِرُهُ بِغَيْرِهِ. وَالثَّانِي: اشْتِغَالُهَا عَنِ الشُّهُودِ، لِضَعْفِ الذِّكْرِ، أَوْ لِضَعْفِ الْقَلْبِ عَنِ الشُّهُودِ، أَوْ لِمَانِعٍ آخَرَ، وَلَكِنْ إِذَا قَهَرَ الشُّهُودُ النَّفْسَ لَمْ تَتَمَكَّنْ مِنَ التَّشَاغُلِ عَنْهُ إِلَّا بِقَاهِرٍ يَقْهَرُهَا عَنْهُ.
وَأَمَّا التَّسَلِّي عَنِ الْحُزْنِ فَيَعْنِي أَنَّ وُجُودَ الْحُزْنِ فِي الْقَلْبِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى الْإِرَادَةِ وَالطَّلَبِ، فَفَقْدُهُ وَالتَّسَلِّي عَنْهُ نَقْصٌ، فَيَحْزَنُ عَلَى فَقْدِ الْحُزْنِ، كَمَا يَبْكِي عَلَى فَقْدِ الْبُكَاءِ، وَيَخَافُ مِنْ عَدَمِ الْخَوْفِ، وَهَذَا فِيهِ نَظَرٌ، وَإِنَّمَا يُحْمَدُ الْحُزْنُ عَلَى فَقْدِ الْحُزْنِ، أَمَّا إِذَا اشْتَغَلَ عَنِ الْحُزْنِ بِفَرَحٍ مَحْمُودٍ وَهُوَ الْفَرَحُ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ فَلَا مَعْنَى لِلْحُزْنِ عَلَى فَوَاتِ الْحُزْنِ. قَالَ صَاحِبُ الْمَنَازِلِ: وَلَيْسَتِ الْخَاصَّةُ مِنْ مَقَامِ الْحُزْنِ فِي شَيْءٍ، لِأَنَّ الْحُزْنَ فَقْدٌ، وَالْخَاصَّةَ أَهْلُ وِجْدَانٍ. وَهَذَا إِنْ أَرَادَ بِهِ أَنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي لَهُمْ تَعَمُّدُ الْحُزْنِ فَصَحِيحٌ، وَإِنْ أَرَادَ بِهِ لَا يَعْرِضُ لَهُمْ حُزْنٌ فَلَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ، وَالْحُزْنُ مِنْ لَوَازِمِ الطَّبِيعَةِ، وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ هُوَ بِمَقَامٍ. قَالَ: الدَّرَجَةُ الثَّالِثَةُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ التَّحَزُّنُ لِلْمُعَارِضَاتِ دُونَ الْخَوَاطِرِ وَمُعَارِضَاتُ الْقُصُودِ، وَاعْتِرَاضَاتُ الْأَحْكَامِ.
هَذِهِ ثَلَاثَةُ أُمُورٍ، بِحَسَبِ الشُّهُودِ وَالْإِرَادَةِ.
الْأَوَّلُ: حُزْنُ الْمُعَارِضَاتِ، فَإِنَّ الْقَلْبَ يَعْتَرِضُهُ وَارِدُ الرَّجَاءِ مَثَلًا، فَلَمْ يَنْشَبْ أَنْ يُعَارِضَهُ وَارِدُ الْخَوْفِ، وَبِالْعَكْسِ، وَيَعْتَرِضُهُ وَارِدُ الْبَسْطِ، فَلَمْ يَنْشَبْ أَنْ يَعْتَرِضَهُ وَارِدُ الْقَبْضِ، وَيَرِدُ عَلَيْهِ وَارِدُ الْأُنْسِ، فَيَعْتَرِضُهُ وَارِدُ الْهَيْبَةِ، فَيُوجِبُ لَهُ اخْتِلَافُ هَذِهِ الْمُعَارِضَاتِ عَلَيْهِ حُزْنًا لَا مَحَالَةَ. وَلَيْسَتْ هَذِهِ الْمُعَارِضَاتُ مِنْ قَبِيلِ الْخَوَاطِرِ، بَلْ هِيَ مِنْ قَبِيلِ الْوَارِدَاتِ الْإِلَهِيَّةِ، فَلِذَلِكَ قَالَ ”دُونَ الْخَوَاطِرِ“ فَإِنَّ مُعَارِضَاتِ الْخَوَاطِرِ غَيْرُ هَذَا. وَعِنْدَ الْقَوْمِ هَذَا مِنْ آثَارِ الْأَسْمَاءِ وَالصِّفَاتِ، وَاتِّصَالِ أَشِعَّةِ أَنْوَارِهَا بِالْقَلْبِ، وَهُوَ الْمُسَمَّى عِنْدَهُمْ بِالتَّجَلِّي.
وَأَمَّا مُعَارِضَاتٌ الْقُصُودِ فَهِيَ أَصْعَبُ مَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ، وَفِيهِ يَظْهَرُ اضْطِرَارُهُمْ إِلَى الْعِلْمِ فَوْقَ كُلِّ ضَرُورَةٍ، فَإِنَّ الصَّادِقَ يَتَحَرَّى فِي سُلُوكِهِ كُلِّهِ أَحَبَّ الطُّرُقِ إِلَى اللَّهِ، فَإِنَّهُ سَالِكٌ بِهِ وَإِلَيْهِ، فَيَعْتَرِضُهُ طَرِيقَانِ لَا يَدْرِي أَيَّهُمَا أَرْضَى لِلَّهِ وَأَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ، فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُحَكِّمُ الْعِلْمَ بِجُهْدِهِ اسْتِدْلَالًا، فَإِنْ عَجَزَ فَتَقْلِيدًا، فَإِنْ عَجَزَ عَنْهُمَا سَكَنَ يَنْتَظِرُ مَا يَحْكُمُ لَهُ بِهِ الْقَدَرُ، وَيُخْلِي بَاطِنَهُ مِنَ الْمَقَاصِدِ جُمْلَةً. وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يُلْقِي الْكُلَّ عَلَى شَيْخِهِ، إِنْ كَانَ لَهُ شَيْخٌ.
وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَلْجَأُ إِلَى الِاسْتِخَارَةِ وَالدُّعَاءِ، ثُمَّ يَنْتَظِرُ مَا يَجْرِي بِهِ الْقَدَرُ. وَأَصْحَابُ الْعَزَائِمِ يَبْذُلُونَ وُسْعَهُمْ فِي طَلَبِ الْأَرْضَى عِلْمًا وَمَعْرِفَةً، فَإِنْ أَعْجَزَهُمْ قَنِعُوا بِالظَّنِّ الْغَالِبِ، فَإِنْ تَسَاوَى عِنْدَهُمُ الْأَمْرَانِ، قَدَّمُوا أَرْجَحَهُمَا مَصْلَحَةً.
وَلِتَرْجِيحِ الْمَصَالِحِ رُتَبٌ مُتَفَاوِتَةٌ، فَتَارَةً تَتَرَجَّحُ بِعُمُومِ النَّفْعِ، وَتَارَةً تَتَرَجَّحُ بِزِيَادَةِ الْإِيمَانِ، وَتَارَةً تَتَرَجَّحُ بِمُخَالَفَةِ النَّفْسِ، وَتَارَةً تَتَرَجَّحُ بِاسْتِجْلَابِ مَصْلَحَةٍ أُخْرَى لَا تَحْصُلُ مِنْ غَيْرِهَا، وَتَارَةً تَتَرَجَّحُ بِأَمْنِهَا مِنَ الْخَوْفِ مِنْ مَفْسَدَةٍ لَا تُؤْمَنُ فِي غَيْرِهَا. فَهَذِهِ خَمْسُ جِهَاتٍ مِنَ التَّرْجِيحِ، قَلَّ أَنْ يَعْدِمَ وَاحِدَةً مِنْهَا.
فَإِنْ أَعْوَزَهُ ذَلِكَ كُلُّهُ تَخَلَّى عَنِ الْخَوَاطِرِ جُمْلَةً، وَانْتَظَرَ مَا يُحَرِّكُهُ بِهِ مُحَرِّكُ الْقَدَرِ ، وَافْتَقَرَ إِلَى رَبِّهِ افْتِقَارَ مُسْتَنْزِلٍ مَا يُرْضِيهِ وَيُحِبُّهُ، فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُ الْحَرَكَةُ اسْتَخَارَ اللَّهَ، وَافْتَقَرَ إِلَيْهِ افْتِقَارًا ثَانِيًا، خَشْيَةَ أَنْ تَكُونَ تِلْكَ الْحَرَكَةُ نَفْسِيَّةً أَوْ شَيْطَانِيَّةً، لِعَدَمِ الْعِصْمَةِ فِي حَقِّهِ، وَاسْتِمْرَارِ الْمِحْنَةِ بِعَدُوِّهِ، مَا دَامَ فِي عَالَمِ الِابْتِلَاءِ وَالِامْتِحَانِ، ثُمَّ أَقْدَمَ عَلَى الْفِعْلِ. فَهَذَا نِهَايَةُ مَا فِي مَقْدُورِ الصَّادِقِينَ.
وَلِأَهْلِ الْجِهَادِ فِي هَذَا مِنَ الْهِدَايَةِ وَالْكَشْفِ مَا لَيْسَ لِأَهْلِ الْمُجَاهَدَةِ، وَلِهَذَا قَالَ الْأَوْزَاعِيُّ وَابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ: إِذَا اخْتَلَفَ النَّاسُ فِي شَيْءٍ فَانْظُرُوا مَا عَلَيْهِ أَهْلُ الثَّغْرِ، يَعْنِي أَهْلَ الْجِهَادِ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ ﴿وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾ [العنكبوت: ٦٩].
وَأَمَّا اعْتِرَاضَاتُ الْأَحْكَامِ فَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يُرِيدَ بِالْأَحْكَامِ الْأَحْكَامَ الْكَوْنِيَّةَ، وَهُوَ أَظْهَرُ، وَأَنْ يُرِيدَ بِهَا الْأَحْكَامَ الدِّينِيَّةَ، فَإِنَّ أَرْبَابَ الْأَحْوَالِ يَقَعُ مِنْهُمُ اعْتِرَاضَاتٌ عَلَى الْأَحْكَامِ الْجَارِيَةِ عَلَيْهِمْ بِخِلَافِ مَا يُرِيدُونَهُ، فَيَحْزَنُونَ عِنْدَ إِدْرَاكِهِمْ لِتِلْكَ الِاعْتِرَاضَاتِ عَلَى مَا صَدَرَ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ سُوءِ الْأَدَبِ. وَتِلْكَ الِاعْتِرَاضَاتُ هِيَ إِرَادَتُهُمْ خِلَافَ مَا جَرَى لَهُمْ بِهِ الْقَدَرُ، فَيَحْزَنُونَ عَلَى عَدَمِ الْمُوَافَقَةِ، وَإِرَادَةِ خِلَافِ مَا أُرِيدَ بِهِمْ.
وَإِنْ كَانَ الْمُرَادُ بِهِ الْأَحْكَامَ الدِّينِيَّةَ فَإِنَّهُمْ تَعْرِضُ لَهُمْ أَحْوَالٌ لَا يُمْكِنُهُمُ الْجَمْعُ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَ أَحْكَامِ الْأَمْرِ كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ فَلَا يَجِدُونَ بُدًّا مِنَ الْقِيَامِ بِأَحْكَامِ الْأَمْرِ، وَلَا بُدَّ أَنْ يَعْرِضَ لَهُمُ اعْتِرَاضٌ خَفِيٌّ أَوْ جَلِيٌّ، بِحَسَبِ انْقِطَاعِهِمْ عَنِ الْحَالِ بِالْأَمْرِ، فَيَحْزَنُونَ لِوُجُودِ هَذِهِ الْمُعَارَضَةِ، فَإِذَا قَامُوا بِأَحْكَامِ الْأَمْرِ، وَرَأَوْا أَنَّ الْمَصْلَحَةَ فِي حَقِّهِمْ ذَلِكَ، وَحَمِدُوا عَاقِبَتَهُ حَزِنُوا عَلَى تَسَرُّعِهِمْ عَلَى الْمُعَارَضَةِ. فَالتَّسْلِيمُ لِدَاعِي الْعِلْمِ وَاجِبٌ، وَمُعَارَضَةُ الْحَالِ مِنْ قَبِيلِ الْإِرَادَاتِ وَالْعِلَلِ، فَيَحْزَنُ عَلَى نَفْيِهِمَا فِيهِ، وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
2.4 English Translation
The Station of Grief
The station of grief is one of the [various] stations of You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help (al-Fātiḥa 1:6).11 It is not a desirable station nor is it condoned, even though every seeker must inevitably pass through it. Indeed, grief does not appear in the Quran except that it is either prohibited or preceded by a negative particle. As for its prohibition, Allah the Exalted says, Do not worry and do not grieve (Āl ʿImrān 3:139). He also says, Do not grieve over them (al-Naḥl 16:127), which is [repeated] in numerous instances [throughout the Quran].12 Furthermore, Allah says, And do not grieve, indeed Allah is with us (al-Tawba 9:40). As for negation, He mentions, No fear will be upon them, nor shall they grieve (al-Baqara 2:38).
The reality is that grief is an impediment and not a facilitator [along the spiritual journey]. There is no benefit in it for the heart. The most beloved thing to Shayṭān is to inflict grief upon the seeker so as to cut them off from their [spiritual] path and impede all progress. Allah the Exalted states: Verily the whispers of Shayṭān are to make those who believe grieve. (al-Mujādila 58:10). The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade, “that two should have a private conversation when sitting with a third, for it will make him feel sad.”13
Essentially, grief should not be sought; it is not a [desirable] objective, and there is no utility in it. In fact, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sought refuge from it, supplicating, “Oh Allah, I seek refuge in you from worry and grief.”14 Indeed, it is closely associated with worry. The difference between the two is [gauged by the following]: If the disliked matter that occurs in the heart concerns a future matter, it results in worry. If it concerns a matter of the past, it results in grief. Both of them, however, weaken the heart and diminish one’s resolve.
Nonetheless, as [practical] reality dictates, one must inevitably traverse through this station. It is because of this that the people of Paradise will say upon entering it, All praise is due to Allah who has removed all grief from us (al-Fāṭir 35:34). This indicates that they were afflicted by grief in this world, just like all other afflictions that would have befallen them involuntarily.
As for His saying, Likewise, there is no [blame] on those who, when they came to you so that you might provide them with a conveyance [for jihād] you told them, “I have no conveyance to give to you”. They turned back whilst their eyes were flowing with tears from grief, as they had nothing that they could spend (al-Tawba 9:92). In this instance, they were not praised for the feeling of grief itself. Rather, they were praised for what their grief [clearly] indicated: their strong faith. They [were saddened because they] could not join the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as they did not have the financial means to afford it. This is in critical contrast to the hypocrites who did not grieve because of their remaining behind; instead, they relished it.15
Now, considering the authentically transmitted statement of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “The believer is not afflicted with worry, discomfort, or grief except that Allah expiates his sins through it.”16 This indicates that it is an affliction through which Allah tests His servants and expiates their sins. It does not indicate that it is a station that must be sought out or attained.17
And as for Hind bin Abī Hāla’s transmitted description of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, [mentioning] “He was perpetually in a state of grief,” the report is not [adequately] substantiated, as there is someone unrecognized in the chain of transmission. How could he perpetually grieve when Allah safeguarded him from the grief of the world and its [various] means; He prohibited him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, from grieving over the disbelievers; and He [primordially] forgave him for all [potential] past and future errors? So then from what angle could grief have possibly come to him? Rather, he was always cheerful and smiling,18 As it comes in his description that he was “a smiling warrior.”
As for the transmitted report, “Allah loves every grieving heart,” its chain is not known, thus those who narrate it [are unknown]. Accordingly, its authenticity is not verified.
Nonetheless, assuming the report’s soundness, [we purport that] grief is one of many afflictions through which Allah tests his servants. If one is patient when Allah tests them with it, He consequently loves his patience19 in the face of affliction.20
And as for the other narration, “When Allah loves a slave, He places a lamenting wailer in his heart. If He despises a slave, He places a flute21 in his heart.” This is an Israelite report which is said to be found in the Torah. [In any case,] its meaning is sound. For verily a believer is sorrowful over his sins whereas the transgressor is frivolous, [inappropriately] joyful, musical,22 and overly pleased.
In consideration of what Allah, the Exalted says regarding His prophet Isrāʾīl (Yaʿqūb), His eyes turned white with sorrow, suppressing [grief] (Yūsuf: 84), this simply provides information regarding his [state of] grief from losing his beloved son.23 Allah was merely testing him with grief just as he was testing him by separating both of them from each other.
Masters of the spiritual path unanimously agree that the grief of this world is not praiseworthy. The [only] exception is that of Abū ʿUthmān al-Harīrī; he states, “Grief, in every form, is virtuous and a [means of] elevation for the believer so long as it is not the result of transgression. He continues, “because, even if it does not necessitate elevation intrinsically, it leads to it through the expiation of sins”.24
To conclude, it has been said, “There is no doubt that grief is a trial and tribulation from Allah, similar in status to sickness, stress, and worry. As for [the idea that] it is from amongst the [requisite] stations of the spiritual path, this is [certainly] not the case.
Section:
The Degrees of Grief (Ḥuzn)
The author25 of Manāzil, may Allah have mercy upon him, states, “Grief (ḥuzn) is the feeling of pain (tawajjuʾ) caused by missing out on [certain] things, or the feeling of regret (taʾassuf) due to deprivation.”
The author means that which escapes an individual was either [practically] attainable by him or unattainable. If it was within his capacity [to attain it], then not [actually] doing so pains him. If it was not [practically attainable], then he regrets having to forfeit it.
He [then continues,] saying, “Grief has three levels. The first is the grief of the common people, which entails sadness for inadequately serving [others], being involved in something inappropriate, and the wastage of time.”
For the average person, [one who is saddened because of their] inadequate service is at a higher level than [one who merely] falls short or messes up in the performance of good deeds, as such consequent grief is [atleast] associated with doing something good. From their perspective, service is part of good character and manners and is thus separate from doing good deeds. Service is considered to be an inherent responsibility of servanthood [to Allah]; it is [inescapably a part of] its requisite etiquettes and obligations. Accordingly, the one who carries this grief [of deficiency in service] is all the more likely to be grieved by the lack of performance of a good deed altogether.
Likewise, [the one who regrets] engaging in something inappropriate is also considered to be at a higher [spiritual] level as compared to [one who grieves after] disobeying [Allah] by committing a prohibited act. This is because feeling grief [from acting inappropriately] conceivably stems from the loss of a previously experienced closeness with Allah, the Exalted. When a person drifts away from Him, they [can] get tangled up in improper acts.26 The Shaykh (al-Ḥarāwī) mentions “grief” in the [ten-fold] category of chapters, because according to him, it is from the category of “the beginnings.”27
As for the wastage of one’s time, this is also of two categories: that which involves the absence of worshipful deeds, and that which entails a lack of spiritual experiences pertaining to faith, which includes tasting the sweetness of faith, proximity to Allah, and [having] an intimate presence with Him. Additionally, each of these three categories are of two types: [That which is] for beginners, and also for those intermediate seekers on the [spiritual] path. [Al-Harāwī’s aforementioned] discussion is addressed to both groups, while he places special emphasis on the second group [of intermediate seekers].
[Next,] al-Harāwī says, “The second level is the grief of the people of sincere resolve (irāda).28 It is grief due to the heart’s experiencing [spiritual] separation; the soul’s distraction from witnessing [the divine]; and the inability to [appropriately] feel grief.”
The heart’s experiencing [spiritual] separation is the absence of wholeness in [one’s complete] presence with Allah and scattered thoughts with [one’s] fixations.
As for the soul’s distraction from [divine] witnessing, it is of two types. [Firstly,] its being distracted from the remembrances [or litanies] that lead to [divine] witnessing, bringing it into fruition through other means. Secondly, its distraction from [divine] witnessing due to a weakness in [one’s] remembrances, or a weakness of the heart in respect of witnessing, or [even] due to some other preventative cause. However, when [divine] witnessing overcomes the soul, it cannot become preoccupied by anything else unless another overwhelming force distracts it.
Regarding the lack of [ability to feel] grief: the feeling of grief in the heart is an indication of [strong] will and yearning [for proximity to Allah]. To lose or to be unable to feel grief is [thus] a [spiritual] deficiency. As such, a person may grieve because he cannot grieve, just as he may cry over the inability to cry or may feel afraid due to the absence of fearfulness.
This is, however, debatable. Sadness caused by the inability to [feel] grief is only praiseworthy if it [functionally] preoccupies a person from rejoicing inappropriately. Contrarily, if one is distracted from sadness on account of praiseworthy joyousness [stemmed in] relishing the bounties and mercy of Allah, then there is no utility in grieving over the absence of sad feelings.29
[Al-Harāwī] says, “The [spiritually] adept (khāṣa) has nothing to do with the [spiritual] station of sadness at all, as grief is [caused by] absence whereas such distinguished people are ever-present.”
If he intended by this that it is not fitting for them to force grief upon themselves, then this is correct. However, if he meant that grief never besets them, then such is not the case because [feeling] grief is naturally commonplace, even though it is not considered to be a [spiritual] station.
[Al-Harāwī] states, “Whereas the third level of grief is to feel unsettled by: inward incongruities [that are] distinct from passing thoughts; compunction [regarding] future endeavors; and objections against [divine] order.” These are three matters that correspond to [one’s state of divine] witnessing and sincere desire.
Firstly, [with regards to feeling] unsettled by inward incongruities: [When] the heart experiences rays of hope, for example, it cannot [concurrently] experience fear and vice-versa. Similarly, the heart, [when] experiencing [spiritual] jubilance, cannot [simultaneously] experience [spiritual] constriction, and vice-versa. Or whilst [the heart] experiences [divine] amity, then [divine] reverence contradicts it. These varying contradictions necessarily cause him [some form of] grief. These contradictions are not mere passing thoughts. Rather, they are the result of celestial emanations. Accordingly, he said, “that are distinct from passing thoughts,” for contradicting thoughts are different from these. Some [spiritual masters] proffer that they come from the effects of [Allah’s] names and attributes and the [inherent] connection of their various rays of light to a person’s heart. According to them, this is termed as “divine manifestation” (tajallī).30
As for compunction regarding future endeavors, it weighs heaviest upon seekers; [when] dealing with it, a seeker’s urgent need for knowledge over all [other] necessities come to light. Indeed, throughout the entire course of his spiritual journey, a sincere seeker carefully endeavors [to tread] the most beloved of paths to Allah; he is constantly traversing towards Him on it. Suddenly, [he may] encounter two opposing paths, not knowing which of them is most pleasing and beloved to Allah. Some will make a judgment call on the basis of their knowledge that they draw upon for direction; and if a person is incapable of doing this, then he will follow the authority of someone else. If, perchance, he is unable to do either of these, he will patiently wait for what destiny decides for him, inwardly purging himself of all potential biases. Others may hand the entire matter over to their Shaykh, if one has a Shaykh. Others still, will resort to istikhāra31 and supplication, and thereafter wait for divine decree to take its course.
The people of higher [spiritual] resolve [always] put forth everything in their capacity to seek that which is most pleasing [to Allah, on the basis of] knowledge and gnosis. However, if they are rendered incapable, then they will be content [accepting] the predominant assumption. If two matters are [seemingly] equivalent, then they will prefer that which is most likely to be the most beneficial.
In order to determine that which is most beneficial, there are various levels of consideration: At times, it is determined by that which has a wider reach. Sometimes, that which leads to an increase of faith is given precedence. Frequently, that which opposes the lower ego is prioritized. Occasionally, preference is accorded to that which brings about other benefits that would otherwise not be attainable. Lastly, one may opt to safeguard a benefit out of fear of [potential] harm that may arise should an alternate benefit be preferred. These are five reasons [used] in the prioritization process; rarely is any one of them left out.32
If all else fails, the seeker will totally ignore all thoughts and wait for destiny to take its course, with full reliance on his Lord to cause what He loves and is pleased with to descend. If an [inclination towards any sort of] action comes to him then he will resort to istikhāra with full reliance upon Allah yet again, with concern that his inclinations may be egocentric or devilish considering he is not free from sin and is continuously tested by shayṭān so long as he dwells in this world of trials and tribulations. Then at last, he will proceed to act. This is the extent of the ability [to exercise caution] for the sincere seekers.33
And the people who ardently combat (jihād) [their egos] possess [special] guidance and unveilings that the people who strive (mujāhada) do not have. For this reason, [Imams] al-Awzāʿī and Ibn al-Mubārak stated, “If people disagree regarding a matter, then look to what the people of the frontline are upon,” meaning, the people of jihād. Indeed, Allah the Exalted says, and those who effortfully struggle for Our sake, we shall surely guide them along Our ways, (al-ʿAnkabūt 29:69).
Now, as for “objections against [divine] order,” [causing grief], it is possible that he meant “worldly decrees,” as this is most apparent. It is also possible that he is referring to religious decrees. The [advanced] spiritual masters [who are] overtaken by [powerful] states sometimes unintentionally have objections to decreed judgements, leading them to feel grief-stricken once they come to know of their objections and thus the unideal etiquette that had emanated from them.34 Such objections are their wishes that were in contradistinction with what destiny willed for them; so, they become saddened on account of the absence of correspondence [between their desire and divine will] and for having a will other than that which has been ordained for them [by Allah].
If what was intended here [by Al-Harāwī] is religious judgments, then [some] people experience [overwhelming] spiritual states wherein they are unable to reconcile between their experience[s] and [certain] divine commands, as mentioned earlier. Inevitably, they find no way to avoid establishing what is commanded; they thus experience a type of inward or outward [feeling of] contradiction relative to how detached they are from the command due to their spiritual state. They thus grieve on account of this contradiction as submission to the call of [scriptural] knowledge is compulsory and opposing it because of the likes of spiritual states [ineluctably] arises from [personal] will and [spiritual] ailments. One feels saddened by the remnants of such incohesiveness within themselves, and Allah knows best.
3 Worry and Sorrow. Al-Hamm wa-l-Ḥazan (Worry and Sorrow) by Imam Ibn Abī al-Dunyā (d. 281 AH/882 CE)
3.1 Author’s Biography
Abū Bakr ʿAbdullah ibn Muḥammad bin ʿUbayd ibn Sufyān ibn Qays al-Qurayshī, famously known as Ibn Abī al-Dunyā, was born in the year 208 AH/806 CE in the city of Baghdad. There, he learned from many prominent scholars, subscribing to the Ḥanbali school of Islamic jurisprudence. He was renowned as an ascetic, pious scholar who inspired people towards righteous actions through his trustworthiness, truthfulness, indifference to the world, and inclination towards worship. He wrote on many subjects, authoring over 180 works throughout his lifetime. Amongst his most esteemed teachers were Imam al-Bukharī and Imam Zuhayr ibn Ḥarb. Imam Ibn Abī al-Dunyā was considered a reliable hadith narrator of his time. He was also known to have tutored the famous Abbasid caliphs, al-Muʿtadid and his son, al-Muktafī.
3.2 Text Overview and Significance
In sharp contrast to Ibn al-Qayyim’s section pertaining to grief, this excerpt from Ibn Abī al-Dunyā’s writings views grief in a very positive light. Grief is portrayed as something with the potential to be praiseworthy and even encouraged, in a sense; various supportive narrations and related stories value it as an indication of goodness from Allah, akin to what common parlance would describe as a “blessing in disguise.” The perspectives and quotations proffered in this section can be very uplifting for those who struggle with excessive grief and sadness, as many may sometimes wonder whether such is an indication of distance from Allah or perhaps even a type of punishment. However, in his spiritually enriching scholarly style, Ibn Abī al-Dunyā adeptly frames sadness as an opportunity for a potential increase in connection with Allah.
3.3 Arabic Text
بسم اللّٰه الرحمن الرحيم
سند الكتاب
أخبرنا الشيخ الصالح أبو الفتح محمد بن عبد الباقي بن أحمد بن سلمان – رحمه اللّٰه – قراءة عليه، وأنا أسمع يوم الأربعاء تاسع عشر من جمادى الآخرة سنة ثلاث وستين وخمسمائة قيل له:
أنبأك أبو الحسين عاصم بن الحسن بن محمد بن علي قال: أخبرنا أبو الحسين علي بن محمد بن عبد اللّٰه بن بشران المعدل قراءة عليه فأقر به قال: أخبرنا أبو علي الحسين بن صفوان البرذعي في المحرم سنة أربعين وثلثمائة قال: حدثنا أبو بكر عبد اللّٰه بن محمد بن عبيد بن سفيان القرشي قال:
متواصل الأحزان دائم الفكرة
حدثنا سفيان بن وكيع بن الجراح بن مليح الرواسي قال: حدثنا جميع بن عم العجلي قال: حدثني رجل من بني تميم يكنى أبا عبد اللّٰه عن ابنٍ لأبي هالة التميمي عن الحسن بن علي – عليه السلام – عن خاله هند بن أبي هالة قال: «كان رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم متواصل الأحزان، دائم الفكرة، ليست له راحة، طويل السكت، لا يتكلم في غير حاجة.»
هل يحب اللّٰه كل قلب حزين؟
ثنا الحسن بن مهدي البصري قال: ثنا عبد القدوس بن الحجاج الحمصي عن أبي بكر بن أبي مريم عن ضمرة بن حبيب عن أبي الدرداء – رضي اللّٰه عنه – أن رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم قال: «إن اللّٰه يحب كل قلب حزين».
الهم والحزن يكفران الذنوب
حدثنا إسحاق بن إسماعيل قال: ثنا الحسين بن علي العجلي عن زائدة عن ليث عن مجاهد عن عائشة – رضي اللّٰه عنها – عن النبي صلى اللّٰه عليه و سلم، قال: «إذا كثرت ذنوب العبد، ولم يكن له ما يكفرها، ابتلاه اللّٰه بالحزن ليكفرها عنه».
حديث آدم عليه السلام عن الهم والحزن
حدثني محمد بن الحسين قال: حدثني عبد اللّٰه بن الفرج العابد عن فتح الموصلي قال: قال آدم عليه السلام: «كنا نسلا من الهم والحزن في الجنة، أما إلى الدنيا، فليس لنا فيها إلا الهم والحزن حتى نرد إلى الدار التي خرجنا منها».
حدثني محمد بن الحسين قال: حدثني عبد اللّٰه بن الفرج فتح الموصلي قال: قال آدم عليه السلام: «بني طال حزني على أخرج منها أبوك لزهقت نفسك»
صور من أحزان يعقوب على يوسف عليهما السلام
حدثني عبد اللّٰه بن رجاء قال: حدثني أحمد بن بشير عن هشام عن الحسن قال: «كان (منذ خرج يوسف عليه السلام من عند) يعقوب – عليهما السلام – إلى أن رجع ثمانين سنة فما فارق الحزن قلبه، ومازال يبكي حتى ذهب بصره».
قال الحسن: «واللّٰه إن كان على الأرض يومئذ بشر أكرم على اللّٰه – عز وجل – من يعقوب».
حدثني سفيان بن وكيع قال: ثنا ابن عيينة عن محمد بن سوقة عن العلاء بن عبد الرحمن قال: قال علي بن أبي طالب – رضي اللّٰه عنه-: «ما اكتحل رجل بمثل ملمول الحزن».
القلب الخالي من الحزن خراب
ثنا عبيد اللّٰه بن عمر بن ميسرة الجشمي، ونعيم بن هيصم وغيرهما قالوا: ثنا جعفر بن سليمان، قال: سمعت مالك بن دينار قال: «إن القلب إذا لم يكن فيه حزن خرب، كما أن البيت إذا لم يسكن خرب».
الدنيا والآخرة ضرتان
ثنا محمد بن يزيد بن رفاعة قال: ثنا أبو الحسين العكلي، ثنا سميل بن عبد اللّٰه قال: سمعت مالك بن دينار يقول: «حزنك على الدنيا للدنيا يذهب بحلاوة الآخرة من قلبك، وفرحك بالدنيا للدنيا يذهب بحلاوة الآخرة من قلبك».
حدثني أحمد بن العباس النميري قال: حدثني محمد بن طفيل قال: قال فضيل بن عياض: «فرحك بالدنيا للدنيا يذهب بحلاوة العبادة، وهمك بالدنيا يذهب بالعبادة كلها».
حدثني الحسين بن عبد الرحمن الفزاري قال: سمع الحسن رجلا يقول: واحزناه على الحزن، فقال له الحسن: «ياهذا فهلا على ما سلف من علمه فيك».
قل واحزناه على الحزن
ثني أبو بكر الصيرفي قال: سمعت أبي قال: سمع ابن السماك رجلا يقول: واحزناه، فقال: «قل واحزناه على الحزن، ألا أكون من أهله، وهل رأيت محزونا».
قال: وبلغني عن حامد بن عمر البكراوي قال: سمعت عبد اللّٰه بن ثعلبة يقول لسفيان بن عيينة: «يا أبا محمد، واحزناه على الحزن». فقال سفيان بن عيينة: «هل حزنت قط لعلم اللّٰه فيك». قال عبد اللّٰه: تركتني لا أفرح.
حدثني عياش القطان قال: حدثني قاسم الخواص، قال: قال محمد بن رافع: «أبكاك قط سابق علم اللّٰه فيك».
الأحزان في الدنيا ثلاثة
حدثني الحسين بن عبد الرحمن عن عبد اللّٰه بن صالح بن مسلم العجلي قال: «كان يقال: الأحزان في الدنيا ثلاثة: خليل فارق خليله، ووالد ثكل ولده، ورجل افتقر بعد غنى».
هل الدعاء يستجاب عند الأحزان ؟
حدثني عبد الرحمن بن صالح قال: حدثنا أبو النضر عن صالح المري عن يزيد الرقاشي قال: «الدعاء المستجاب الذي تهيجه الأحزان، ومفتاح الرحمة التضرع».
أحزان على ضياع صلاة الجماعة
ثني الحسن بن الصباح قال: ثنا زيد بن الحباب عن مرجي عن غالب القطان عن بكر بن عبد اللّٰه «في الرجل يخرج إلى الصلاة فتفوته في الجماعة، فإذا حزن لذلك أعطاه اللّٰه فضل الجماعة».
حدثني هاشم بن القاسم أبو محمد، قال: حدثني أبي قال: حدثني محمد بن هانئ قال: حدثنا يوسف بن أسباط عن وهيب بن الورد قال: «من توضأ في بيته وأسبغ الوضوء، ثم خرج يريد الصلاة في جماعة، فاستقبلهم منصرفين فأحزنه ذلك أعطاه اللّٰه أجرين، أجرا لحزنه، وأجرا لما فاته من الجماعة».
الحزن جلاء القلوب :
حدثني محمد بن الحسين قال: حدثني جعفر بن جسر بن فرقد قال: حدثني حماد بن واقد قال: سمعت أبا عبيدة الخواص يقول: «الحزن جلاء القلوب، به تستلين مواضع الفكرة ثم بكى».
من أقوال الصالحين عن الحزن
حدثنا أحمد بن بجير عن أبي إسحاق الطالقاني عن عبد اللّٰه بن المبارك عن سفيان الثوري قال: «كان يقال الحزن على قدر البصر».
حدثنا أحمد بن حاتم الطويل قال: ثنا يحيى بن يمان عن سفيان عن يونس بن عبيد عن الحسن قال: «ما عبد اللّٰه بمثل طول الحزن».
حدثنا عاصم بن عمر بن علي عن حفص بن قرير قال: «كان رجل منا يجالس الحسن قال: سمعت الحسن يقول: إن أكثر ما يرى للعبد في صحيفته يوم القيامة مما يسر به الهم والحزن».
هل الهم والحزن يزيدان الحسنات؟
حدثني أبو الحارث سريح بن يونس عن خلف بن خليفة عن منصور بن زاذان قال: «الهم والحزن يزيدان في الحسنات، والأشر والبطر يزيدان في السيئات».
حدثنا أبو عبد اللّٰه أحمد بن إبراهيم عن بشر بن سلم الكوفي عن مسعر عن بكير أو أبي بكير عن إبراهيم التيمي قال: «ينبغي لمن لم يحزن أن يخاف ألا يكون من أهل الجنة؛ لأنهم قالوا ﴿الحمد للّٰه الذي أذهب عنا الحزن﴾. وينبغي لمن لم يشفق أن يخاف ألا يكون من أهل الجنة؛ لأنهم قالوا ﴿إنا كنا قبل في أهلنا مشفقين﴾».
حديث القرآن عن الحزن
حدثني المثنى بن معاذ العنبري عن معاذ بن هاشم عن أبيه عن عمرو بن مالك عن أبي الجوزاء عن ابن عباس: ﴿الحمد للّٰه الذي أذهب عنا﴾قال: حزن النار.
حدثني الخليل بن عمرو عن عبد اللّٰه بن إدريس عن أبيه عن عطية: ﴿الحمد للّٰه الذي أذهب عنا الحزن﴾. قال: الموت.
حدثني محمد بن ناصح قال: ثنا بقية بن الوليد عن مجاشع بن عمرو عن من حدثه عن سعيد بن جبير: ﴿الحمد للّٰه الذي أذهب عنا الحزن﴾. قال: هم الخبز في الدنيا.
3.4 English Translation
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Treatise’s Chain of Transmission
The righteous Shaykh Abū al-Fatḥ Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Bāqī ibn Aḥmad ibn Salmān, may Allah have mercy on him, informed us, while35 I was listening [attentively] during a [ḥadīth] reading session with him held on Wednesday the 19th of Jumādā al-Ākhira, in the year 563 AH, that it was said to him:
Abū al-Ḥusayn ʿĀṣim ibn al-Ḥasan ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī narrates to you that Abū al-Ḥusayn ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allah ibn Bishrān al-Muʿaddil transmitted [a report] that was read to him, and he [subsequently] validated that Abū ʿAlī al-Ḥusayn ibn Ṣafwān al-Bardhaʿī informed us, in Muḥarram of the year 340 AH, that Abū Bakr ʿAbd Allah ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿUbayd ibn Sufyān al-Qurashī detailed [the following]:
Continuous Grief and Persistent Preoccupation
Sufyān ibn Wakīʿ ibn al-Jarrāḥ ibn Malīḥ al-Rawāsī narrated to us, stating that Jamīʿ ibn ʿAmm al-ʿIjlī related:
A man from Banū Tamīm, called Abū ʿAbd Allāh, narrated from the son of Abū Hāla al-Tamīmī, through al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī, upon him be peace, from his uncle, Hind ibn Abī Hāla who said, “The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was continuously in grief36 and was constantly [engrossed] in contemplation. He had no rest. His silence was prolonged, and he did not speak except when necessary.”37
Does Allah Love Each and Every Saddened Heart?
Al-Ḥasan ibn Mahdī al-Baṣrī related to us that Abd al-Quddūs ibn al-Ḥajjāj al-Ḥimṣī narrated through Abū Bakr ibn Abī Maryam, from Ḍamra ibn Ḥabīb, on the authority of Abū al-Dardā, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, [may Allah bless him and grant him peace,] said, “Allah loves every saddened38 heart.”39
Worry and Sorrow Remove Sins
Isḥāq ibn Ismāʿīl narrated to us, stating that al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī al-ʿIjli transmitted from Zāʾida, through Layth, then Mujāhid, on the authority of ʿĀʾisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When a man’s sins are numerous and he has no good deeds wherewith to atone for them, Allah afflicts him with sorrow so as to remove them from him.”
The Narration of Adam, upon him be peace, Pertaining to Worry and Sorrow
Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn narrated to us, saying that ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Faraj al-ʿĀbid narrated from Fatḥ al-Mawṣilī, who related, “Prophet Adam, upon him be peace, said, ‘We were without worry or sadness in Paradise. However, in the temporal world, we have nothing but worry and sadness until we return to our home from which we left.’”40
Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn also transmitted [a report], saying that ʿAbd Allah ibn al-Faraj al-ʿĀbid narrated from Fatḥ al-Mawṣilī, who said, “Ādam, upon him be peace, said to his son, ‘By Allah, my grief over the abode from which I departed is long-drawn; if you were to experience such, you would surely lose yourself.’”
Illustrations of Yaʿqūb’s Grief for Yūsuf, Upon Them Be Peace
Narrating to me, ʿAbd Allah ibn Rajāʾ stated that Aḥmad ibn Bashīr related through Hishām from al-Ḥasan, who said, “From the time in which Yūsuf, upon him be peace, left [his home] until he returned eighty years later, grief never left the heart of Yaʿqūb, upon him be peace; he continued to weep until he lost his eyesight.”
Al-Ḥasan further said, “By Allah, at that time there was no human being on earth dearer to Allah than Yaʿqūb.”
Sufyān ibn Wakīʿ narrated to me, saying that Ibn ʿUyayna narrated from Muḥammad ibn Sūqa, through al-ʿAlāʾ ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, who said that ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, may Allah be pleased with him stated, “There is no antimony that a man can apply [to his eyes] better than sadness.”
Ruined is the Heart that is Devoid of Sadness
ʿUbayd Allāh ibn ʿUmar ibn Maysara al-Jushamī, Naʿīm ibn Hayṣam, and others narrated to us, saying that Jaʿfar ibn Sulaymān related, “I heard Mālik ibn Dīnār say, ‘If the heart is devoid of sadness, it will be ruined just as a house, if uninhabited, becomes ruined.’”
The World and the Hereafter are Co-wives
Muḥammad ibn Yazīd ibn Rifāʿa narrated to us, saying that Abū al-Ḥusayn al-ʿUkalī related from Sumayl ibn ʿAbd Allāh who mentioned, “I heard Mālik ibn Dīnār say, ‘Your sadness over the temporal world on account of worldly matters disappears from your heart by the utter sweetness of the Hereafter. Similarly, your happiness in the temporal world on account of worldly matters disappears from your heart by the sweetness of the hereafter.’”41
Aḥmad ibn al-ʿAbbās al-Namīrī narrated to me that Muḥammad ibn Ṭufayl said, “Fuḍayl ibn ʿIyāḍ said, ‘Your happiness in the world on account of worldly matters gets obliterated by the [sheer] sweetness of worship. Also, your worries pertaining to the world are eradicated by worship in its totality.’”
Al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Fazārī narrated to me, stating that al-Ḥasan heard a man exclaiming, “How agonizing is it to grieve!” Al-Ḥasan retorted, “Hey you! Shouldn’t you say that for what has preceded of His knowledge about you?”
Say: How Agonizing is it to Grieve!
Abū Bakr al-Ṣayrafī narrated to us, saying, “I heard my father saying that Ibn al-Sammāk overheard a man exclaiming, ‘Ah, such sadness pains [me]!’ So, he then told him to say, ‘How agonizing is it to grieve!’ [He further added,] ‘And [I hope] that I am not one of such people. Have you [ever] seen a grieving man?’”
He [further] states, “It has reached me through Ḥāmid ibn ʿUmar al-Bakrāwī, who said, “I heard ʿAbd Allāh ibn Thaʿlaba saying to Sufyān ibn ʿUyayna, ‘O Abū Muḥammad, how agonizing is it to grieve!’ Sufyān ibn ʿUyayna replied, ‘Have you ever felt any [real] grief given what Allah knows of you?’ ʿAbd Allāh said, ‘You left me to never feel joy [again].’
ʿAyyāsh al-Qaṭṭān narrated to me, saying that Qāsim al-Khawwāṣ transmitted that Muḥammad ibn Rāfiʿ said, “Did knowing that Allah has prior knowledge of your states ever make you weep?”
There are Three Forms of Grief in the World
Al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to me from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ ibn Muslim al-ʿIjlī who said, “It used to be said that grief in this world is three: [when] two close friends are separated; [when] a parent who loses their child; and [when] a man is impoverished after [having been] rich.”
Are Supplications Answered in a State of Grief?
ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Raḥmān ibn Ṣāliḥ transmitted that Abū-l-Naḍr narrated from Ṣāliḥ al-Murrī that Yazīd al-Raqāshī said, “The prayer that is [readily] answered is that which emanates from [deep] sadness, as the key to mercy is [in] earnestly and humbly beseeching [Allah].”
Grief Due to Missing the Congregational Prayer
Al-Ḥasan ibn al-Ṣabāḥ narrated to me, saying that Zayd ibn al-Ḥubāb transmitted from Marjī, through Ghālib al-Qaṭṭān from Bakr ibn ʿAbd Allāh [the following]: “If a man leaves to attend the congregational prayer but misses it and consequently feels sad, then Allah gives him the [same] rewards of the congregational prayer.”
Hāshim ibn al-Qāsim Abū Muḥammad narrated to me, stating, “My father narrated to me that Muḥammad ibn Hānī mentioned that Yūsuf ibn Asbāt related from Wuhayb ibn al-Ward, who said, ‘Whoever performs the ritual ablution at home with excellence, and then leaves for the congregational prayer, but thereafter sees people departing [from the prayer] and is saddened by this, Allah will give him two rewards; a reward for his grief, and a reward for the congregational prayer that he missed.’”
Grief Polishes the Hearts
Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn narrated to me, saying, “Jaʿfar ibn Jisr ibn Farqad told me that Ḥammād ibn Wāqid said, ‘I heard Abū ʿUbayda al-Khawwāṣ saying that grief polishes the hearts. Through it, hearts are softened for [clearer] contemplation.’ Thereafter, he wept.”
Sayings of the Righteous Regarding Grief
Aḥmad ibn Jubayr narrated from Abū Isḥāq al-Ṭaliqānī through ʿAbd Allāh al-Mubārak on the authority of Sufyān al-Thawrī, who said, “It used to be said that [one’s] sorrow corresponds to the degree of [their] foresight.”
Aḥmad ibn Ḥātim al-Ṭawīl narrated to us, stating that Yaḥyā ibn Yamān related through Sufyān, on the authority of Yunus ibn ʿUbayd, from al-Ḥasan, who said, “Allah is not worshiped with anything better than long-drawn sorrow.”
ʿĀṣim ibn ʿUmar ibn ʿAlī narrated from Ḥafṣ ibn Qarīr, who said, “A man amongst us accompanied al-Ḥasan, who said that he heard al-Ḥasan saying, ‘Of all that a person will see in their record [of deeds] on the Day of Judgment, there will be nothing more pleasing than [their] worries and sorrows.’”
Does Worry and Grief Increase One’s Rewards?
Abū al-Ḥārith Surayḥ ibn Yūnus related to me through Khalaf ibn Khalīfa, from Manṣūr ibn Zādhān, who stated, “Worry and grief increase one’s rewards, whereas frivolity and carelessness increase one’s bad deeds.”
Abū ʿAbd Allāh Aḥmad ibn Ibrāhīm narrated to us, saying that Bishir ibn Salam al-Kūfī transmitted from Misʿar through Bukayr or Abū Bukayr, that Ibrāhīm al-Taymī once said, “The one who does not experience sadness should fear not being [included] amongst the people of Paradise, as they will exclaim [therein], ‘All praise be to Allah Who has removed all grief from us.’ Likewise, one who does not feel genuine concern should [also] be afraid of not being amongst the people of Paradise. This is because they will say, ‘Verily, before [this] we used to be so worried amongst our people!’”
The Quran’s Discussion on Grief
Al-Muthannā ibn Muʿādh al-ʿAnbarī narrated to us from Muʿādh ibn Hāshim, through his father, from ʿAmr ibn Mālik, [who transmitted] from Abū al-Jawzāʾ that Ibn ʿAbbās had said, “All praise be to Allah Who has saved us from …” He [then] continued, “… the joylessness of the Hellfire.”
Al-Khalīl ibn ʿAmr narrated to us through ʿAbd Allāh ibn Idrīs [who related] from his father from ʿAṭiyya [who said], “All praise be to Allah who has kept away from us all [causes of] grief.” He said, “[Meaning] death.”
Muḥammad ibn Nāṣiḥ narrated to us, stating that Baqiyya ibn al-Walīd transmitted from Mujāshiʿ ibn ʿAmr from someone who related to him from Saʿīd ibn Jubayr [that he said], “All praise be to Allah who has kept away from us all [causes of] grief,” He [further] explained, “[Meaning] concern about [earning] daily bread in this world.”
4 Between Fear and Hope. Mukhtaṣar Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn by Imam Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad al-Ghazālī (d. 505 AH/1111 CE)
4.1 Author’s Biography
See Author Biography under section 1 of Chapter 2.
4.2 Text Overview and Significance
This excerpt is taken from the condensed, summarized version of Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn that Imam al-Ghazālī wrote himself towards the end of his lifetime. This particular selection highlights the importance of being in a state of balance between both fear and hope, as opposed to being overly consumed by either of the two. Such a discussion is important in the realm of psychological discourse due to the considerable influence each state has over one’s thinking processes and accompanying behaviors. Fear propels future-oriented safety seeking behaviors, increasing one’s need for control to avoid a potential harm in the future, whereas hope mediates safety-seeking behaviors by relinquishing control in anticipation of a positive future outcome. Imam al-Ghazālī proffers that healthy or balanced fear is attained when an individual sufficiently fears Allah to the extent that it drives them to act in a goal-oriented manner, purposefully preparing for the afterlife through the performance of good deeds and the abandonment of evil deeds. By nature, fear induces a state of control and strengthens one’s sense of responsibility that effectively motivates behavior towards purposeful goals. However, fear needs to be counterbalanced with sufficient hope that allows a person to surrender control after they have exhausted their efforts, relying upon Allah’s mercy and His facilitation of ultimately good outcomes. Imam al-Ghazālī provides prescriptive approaches utilizing Quranic cognitive therapy to promote this balance. First, he outlines the harms of each state when imbalanced, characterizing an individual with excessive fear as someone who may be unhealthily scrupulous, which can eventually lead to despondency. On the other hand, an individual with too much hope and too little fear risks becoming languid in their worship and religious commitment, delusionally relying on Allah’s gifting them with good outcomes, despite their inaction.
In order to counterbalance between these states, Imam al-Ghazālī employs what cognitive psychologists refer to as bibliotherapy – which, in an Islamic context is more aptly termed Quranotherapy. Such entails the utilization of religious scripture to cognitively reframe and engender a healthy psychological orientation to life. More specifically, al-Ghazālī advises the one who suffers from excessive fear to read and reflect upon the mercy of Allah, while the one who is overly hopeful should read about the punishments of Allah. Such reflection will mediate their excessive fear or hope, leading them to act with a better-balanced cognitive orientation in striving towards achieving their religious goals.
Towards the end of the chapter, al-Ghazālī cautions spiritual masters to be wary of randomly employing interventions or mass-assigning certain verses of the Quran for all their disciples to reflect upon. Rather, the spiritual master must tailor their approach to the corresponding state of each unique individual in order to provide the most effective interventions. As supportive evidence, he cites the statement of Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, may Allah be pleased with him, “The scholar is the one who neither causes people to despair from the mercy of Allah, nor feel spared from the punishment of Allah; rather they are the ones who employ what is most fitting for each person.”
4.3 Arabic Text
الباب الثالث والثالثون
في الرجاء والخوف
اعلم أن الرجاء من مقامات السالكين وأحوال الطالبين، وإنما يسمى الوصف حالا ما دام يعرض ويزول، ويسمى مقامًا إذا ثبت، فيقول: اعلم أن المنتظر فيما بعد إذا كان مما يتألم به القلب سمي خوفا.
وإذا كان مما يفرح به القلب سمي رجاء، فإذًا الرجاء ارتياح القلب لانتظار ما هو محبوب، ولكن ذلك المحبوب لابد وأن يكون له سبب، فإن كان قد حصل أكثر أسبابه فيصدق اسم الرجاء عليه، وإن كان انتظارا مع انخرام أسبابه فاسم الغرور عليه أصدق، وإن تعادل طرفا حصول الأسباب وانتفائها كان اسم التمني عليه أصدق.
وقد علم أرباب القلوب أن الدنيا مزرعة الآخرة، القلب كالأرض والإيمان كالبذر فيه، والطاعات جارية مجرى سقي الماء وقلب الأرض وإمدادها بما يقويها، والقلب المستتر بالدنيا المستغرق بها كالأرض السبخة التي لا ينمو فيها البذر، ويوم القيامة يوم الحصاد ولا يحصد أحد إلا ما زرع، ولا ينمو زرع إلا من بذر الإيمان، وقلما ينمو الإيمان مع خبث القلب وسوء أخلاقه.
كما لا ينمو بذر في الأرض السبخة، فمن استجمعت له الأسباب من الأرض الطيبة والماء والمدد وتطهير الأرض كما سبق وألقى فيها بذاراً جيداً ثم انتظر على الحصاد راجياً من فضل اللّٰه تعالى دفع الصواعق والآفات المفسدة فهذا له وجه يسمى رجاء. وإن بث البذر في الأرض الصلبة السبخة التي لا ماء لها وانتظر الحصد فهذا يسمى غرورا.
وإن بث البذر في أرض طيبة ولكن لا ماء لها وانتظر الحصاد اعتماداً على ماء المطر فهذا يسمى تمنياً. فقد تبين لك أن من زرع الإيمان في قلبه وسقاه بماء الطاعات وطهر القلب عن الخبائث كما تطهر الأرض من الشوك والحشيش فله أن يرجو.
وما دون ذلك فتمن أو غرور، وإليه الإشارة بقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام: «الكيس من دان نفسه وعمل لما بعد الموت، والأحمق من أتبع نفسه هواها وتمنى على اللّٰه الأماني»، وقد أخبر اللّٰه سبحانه وتعالى عن مثل ذلك فقال تعالى: ﴿فخلف من بعدهم خلف ورثوا الكتاب يأخذون عرض هذا الأدنى ويقولون سيغفر لنا﴾ بين أن هذا الرجاء لا أصل له إذا لم يتقدم عليه ما ينبغي أن يتقدم.
ويدل عليه أيضاً ما روي عن زيد الخيل أنه قال لرسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: ”جئت لأسألك عن علامة اللّٰه فيمن يريد وعلامته فيمن لا يريد، فقال: كيف أصبحت قال: أصبحت ألحظ الخير وأهله وإذا قدرت على شيء منه سارعت إليه أيقنت بثوابه، وإن فاتني شيء منه حزنت عليه وحننت إليه، فقال: هذا علامة اللّٰه فيمن يريد ولو أرادك للأخرى هيأك لها، ثم لا يبالي في أي أوديتها هلكت“ فقد ذكر علامة من أريد به الخير ويحصل منه الرجاء.
بيان فضيلة الرجاء والترغيب فيه:
اعلم أن العمل على الرجاء أعلى منه على الخوف، لأن أقرب العباد إلى اللّٰه تعالى أحبهم إليه، والحب يغلب بالرجاء.
فإن رجاء الخير يقرب ويحبب، والخوف موجب للهرب، وإليه الإشارة بقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام: ”لا يموت أحدكم إلا وهو يحسن الظن باللّٰه“، ودخل على رجل وهو في النزع فقال: ”كيف تجدك؟ فقال: أجدني أخاف ذنوبي وأرجو رحمة ربه“ فقال: ”ما اجتمعا في قلب عبد في هذا الموطن إلا أعطاه اللّٰه تعالى ما رجا وآمنه مما يخاف“.
فصل
اعلم أن من غلب عليه اليأس حتى أورثه القنوط، أو غلب عليه الخوف حتى أضر بنفسه وأهله، فهذان يحتاجان إلى المعالجة بالمداواة. وأما من غلب عليه الأماني فأسباب الرجاء سم قاتل في حقه فهو كالعسل فيه شفاء لمن غلبت عليه البرودة، فإن تناوله المحرور هلك. فمن غلب عليه التمني وأسرف في المعاصي فهو جدير بأن يعالج بما يورث الخوف. فهما (الخوف والرجاء) شطران يسقى بكل واحد منهم من له حالة مخصوصة.
قال علي رضي اللّٰه عنه: إنما العالم الذي لا يقنط الناس من رحمة اللّٰه، ولا يؤمنهم من مكر اللّٰه. ولما كان العلماء ورثة الأنبياء؛ كانوا أطباء القلوب، واستعملوا ما كان لائقاً بحال كل مريض. ومن الدواء النافع في جلب الرجاء أن يتأمل الإنسان فيما أنعم اللّٰه تعالى به عليه من صحة البدن وسلامة الأعضاء، ثم بعثه الأنبياء لهدايته، ثم خلق الأطعمة والأشربة والأدوية لإصلاحه.
ومما يقوي أسباب الرجاء ما قاله سبحانه وتعالى: ”يا عبادي الذين أسرفوا على أنفسهم لا تقنطوا من رحمة اللّٰه، إن اللّٰه يغفر الذنوب جميعاً“. وقال تعالى: ”والملائكة يسبحون بحمد ربهم ويستغفرون لمن في الأرض“. وقال تعالى: ”من فوقهم ظلل من النار ومن تحتهم ظلل ذلك يخوف اللّٰه به عباده“، بين أنه يخوف المؤمنين إلا أنها للكافرين لأنها خلقت لهم.
وقد روى أبو موسى الأشعري أنه قال: ”أمتي أمة مرحومة لا عذاب عليها في الآخرة“، والآيات والأخبار الواردة في هذا الباب أكثر من أن تحصى.
وقد ورد في حديث طويل عن أنس: أن الأعرابي لما قال لرسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم يا رسول اللّٰه من يلي حساب الخلق يوم القيامة قال:”اللّٰه عز وجل“ فقال: ”هو بنفسه“. قال: ”نعم“، فتبسم الأعرابي، فقال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: “مم ضحكت يا أعرابي؟”. فقال: ”إن الكريم إذا قدر عفا، وإذا حاسب سامح“. قال النبي صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: ”صدق الأعرابي ألا ولا كريم أكرم من اللّٰه تعالى وهو أكرم الأكرمين“. ثم قال صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: ”فقه الأعرابي“. وقال صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: ”قال اللّٰه تعالى“ سبقت رحمتي غضبي“.
الشطر الثاني في الخوف وقد بينا معنى الخوف:
اعلم أن الخوف والرجاء زمامان يقاد بهما من لم يظهر لقلبه جمال الحق، فمن شاهد بقلبه ذلك الجمال ترقى عن الخوف أو الرجاء. إليه الإشارة بقول الواسطي: الخوف حجاب بين اللّٰه وبين العبد، وقال أيضاً: إذا ظهر الحق على السرائر لا يبقى فيها فضيلة لا لرجاء ولا لخوف.
وعلى الجملة إذا وصل المحب إلى جمال المحبوب، فالتفاته إلى خوف الفراق مضيع للوصال، ولكنا نتكلم في أوائل المبدأ فعند هذا نقول دواء جلب الخوف أن ينظر و يتأمل في الآيات الواردة في شدة العذاب والحساب، والأخبار الواردة في ذلك، ويتأمل أيضاً حال نفسه بالنسبة إلى جلال اللّٰه وعظمته. وقوله تعالى هؤلاء في الجنة ولا أبالي وهؤلاء في النار ولا أبالي، ويعلم أنه بجنايته وتركه أوامر اللّٰه وارتكابه المناهي مستحق للعقاب الأليم.
واللّٰه تعالى لو أهلك العالمين فهو لا يبالي وهذا المسكين قد ارتكب الجرائم والآثام، فهو أولى بأن يخاف، فإنه إن أهلك لم يبال به، فكيف وسيد المرسلين يقول: ”أنا أعلمكم باللّٰه وأخشاكم للّٰه“، وأوحى اللّٰه تعالى إلى داود عليه السلام: يا داود خفني كما تخاف السبع الضاري، وحقيقة السبع أنه مهلكك ولا يبالي.
وقد قال صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: “من خاف من اللّٰه خافه كل شيء ومن خاف غير اللّٰه خاف من كل شيء”. وقالت عائشة رضي اللّٰه عنها: “قلت يا رسول اللّٰه ﴿الذين يؤتون ما آتوا وقلوبهم وجلة﴾ أهو الرجل يسرق ويزني قال: ”لا بل يصوم ويتصدق ويصلي ويخاف أن لا يقبل منه““. وقال النبي صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: ”ما من عبد مؤمن يخرج من عينه دموع وإن كانت مثل رأس الذباب من خشية اللّٰه تعالى ثم يصيب شيئًا وقت خروجه إلا حرمه اللّٰه على النار“.
بيان أحوال الأنبياء في الخوف:
روت عائشة رضي اللّٰه عنها أن رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم كان إذا تغير الهواء وهبت ريح عاصفة يتغير وجهه ويقوم ويتردد في الحجرة ويدخل ويخرج كل ذلك خوفاً من عذاب اللّٰه تعالى، وقرأ عليه السلام آيات في سورة الحاقة فصعق.
وقال تعالى: ﴿وخر موسى صعقاً﴾، ورأى رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم صورة جبريل في الأبطح فصعق. وقال صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: ما جاءني جبريل قط إلا وهو يرعد خوفا من الجبار جل جلاله. وقيل لما ظهر على إبليس ما ظهر طفق جبريل وميكائيل عليها السلام يبكيان فأوحى اللّٰه تعالى إليهما ”ما لكما تبكيان كل هذا البكاء؟“، فقالا ”يا رب ما أمنا من مكرك“، فقال تعالى: ”هكذا كونا لا تأمنا مكري“.
قال أبو الدرداء: كان يسمع أزيز قلب خليل الرحمن عليه السلام إذا قام في الصلاة من مسيرة ميل خوفا من ربه. وقال مجاهد رضي اللّٰه عنه: بکى داود عليه السلام أربعين يوما ساجداً لا يرفع رأسه حتى نبت المرعى من دموعه، وحتى غطى رأسه فنودي يا داود أجائع أنت فتطعم، أم ظمآن فتسقى، أم عار فتكسى، فتنفس الصعداء، فاحترق العود من حر جوفه، فأنزل اللّٰه تعالى عليه التوبة والمغفرة، فقال: يا رب اجعل خطيئتي في كفي فصارت خطيئته في كفه مكتوبة فكان لا يبسط كفه لطعام ولا لشراب ولا لغيرهما إلا رآها فأبكته.
قال وكان يؤتى بالقدح ثلثاه ماء فإذا تناوله أبصر خطيئته فلا يضعه على شفته حتى يفيض من دموعه.
وروي عنه عليه السلام أنه ما رفع رأسه إلى السماء حتى مات حياء من اللّٰه تعالى، وكان يقول في مناجاته: إلهي إذا ذكرت خطيئتي ضاقت علي الأرض برحبها، وإذا ذكرت رحمتك ارتدت إلي روحي، سبحانك إلهي أتيت أطباء عبادك ليداووا خطيئتي فكلهم عليك يدلني فبؤسًا للقانطين من رحمتك.
وقال الفضيل رحمة اللّٰه عليه بلغني أن داود عليه السلام ذكر ذنبه ذات يوم فوثب صاعقًا واضعًا يده على رأسه حتى لحق بالجبال، فاجتمعت إليه السباع فقال: ارجعوا فلا أريدكم إنما أريد كل بكاء على خطيئته فلا يستقبلني إلا باكيًا. ومن لم يكن ذا خطيئة فما يصنع بداود الخطاء، وكان يعاقب في كثرة البكاء، فيقول: دعوني أبكي قبل خروج يوم البكاء قبل تحرق العظام واشتعال الحشا وقبل أن يؤمر في ملائكة غلاظ شداد لا يعصون اللّٰه ما أمرهم ويفعلون ما يؤمرون.
وقال عمر بن عبد العزيز: لما أصاب داود الخطيئة نقص صوته فقال: إلهي بح صوتي في صفاء أصوات الصديقين.
وروي أنه عليه السلام لما طال بكاؤه ولم ينفعه ذلك ضاق ذرعه واشتد غمه، قال: يا رب أما ترحم بكائي؟ فأوحى اللّٰه تعالى إليه يا داود نسيت ذنبك وذكرت بكاءك فقال: إلهي وسيدي كيف أنسى ذنبي وكنت إذا تلوت الزبور کف الماء الجاري عن جريه، وسكن هبوب الريح، وأظلني الطير على رأسي، وأنست الوحوش إلى محرابي، إلهي وسيدي فما هذه الوحشة التي بيني وبينك، فأوحى اللّٰه تعالى إليه: يا داود ذلك أنس الطاعة وهذه وحشة المعصية، يا داود آدم خلق من خلقي خلقته بيدي، ونفخت فيه من روحي، وأسجدت له ملائکتي، وألبسته ثوب کرامتي وتوجته بتاج وقاري، وشكى إلي الوحدة فزوجته بحواء أمتي، وأسكنته جنتي، فلما عصاني طردته من جواري عريانًا ذليلًا. يا داود اسمع مني والحق أقول أطعتنا فأطعناك وسألتنا فأعطيناك وعصيتنا فأمهلناك، وإن عدت إلينا على ما كان منك قبلناك.
وقال يحيى بن بكير بلغنا أن داود عليه السلام كان إذا أراد أن يخرج مكث قبل ذلك سبعا لا يأكل الطعام ولا يشرب الشراب ولا يقرب النساء، فإذا كان قبل ذلك بيوم أخرج له منبر إلى البرية فيأمر سليمان أن ينادي بصوت يستقرى البلاد وما حولها من الغياض والآكام والبراري، وتأتي السباع من الغياض وتأتي الهوام من الجبال وتأتي الطير من الأوكار، وتأتي العذارى من خدورهن وتجتمع الناس لذلك اليوم. ويأتي داود عليه السلام حتى يرقي على المنبر ويحيط به بنو إسرائيل وكل صنف على حدته محيطون به، وسليمان عليه السلام قائم على رأسه فيأخذ في الثناء على ربه فيضجون بالبكاء والصريخ، ثم يأخذ في ذكر الجنة فيموت الهوام وطائفة من الوحوش والسباع، ثم يأخذ في أهوال يوم القيامة وفي النياح على نفسه فيموت من كل نوع طائفة، فإذا رأى سليمان كثرة الموتى قال يا أبتاه قد مزقت المستمعين كل مزق، وماتت طوائف من بني إسرائيل ومن الوحوش والهوام فيأخذ في الدعاء، فبينما هو كذلك، إذ ناداه بعض عباد بني إسرائيل يا داود عجلت بطلب الجزاء على ربك، قال فخر داود مغشيا عليه فلما نظر سليمان عليه السلام إلى ما أصابه أتي بسرير فحمله عليه، ثم أمر مناديًا ينادي ألا من كان له مع داود قريب أو حميم فليأت بسريره فليحمله عليه فإن الذين كانوا معه قد قتلهم ذكر الجنة والنار. وكانت المرأة تأتي بالسرير وتحمل قريبها، وتقول يا من قتله ذكر الجنة يا من قتله خوف اللّٰه تعالى، ثم أفاق داود عليه السلام، ووضع يده على رأسه ودخل بيت عبادته وأغلق بابه وقال يا إله داود أغضبان أنت على داود، ولا يزال يناجي، حتى يأتي سليمان عليه السلام، ويقعد على الباب ويستأذن ثم يدخل ومعه قرص شعير، ويقول: يا أبتاه تقو بهذا على ما تريد. فيأكل من ذلك القرص ما شاء اللّٰه تعالى. ثم يخرج إلى بني إسرائل فيحكم بينهم.
وقال يزيد الرقاشي خرج داود ذات يوم للناس يعظهم ويخوفهم فخرج في أربعين ألفًا فمات ثلاثون ألفًا وما رجع إلا في عشرة آلاف وكان له جاريتان اتخذهما، حتى إذا جاءه الخوف وسقط فاضطرب قعدتا على صدره ورجليه مخافة أن تتفرق أعصاؤه.
وقال أبو بكر رضي اللّٰه عنه لطير ليتني كنت مثلك يا طير، ولم أخلق بشرًا، وقال أبو ذر وددت أني شجرة تعضد. وقال عثمان رضي اللّٰه عنه: وددت أني إذا مت لم أبعث. وقالت عائشة رضي اللّٰه عنها: وددت أني لو كنت نسيًا منسيًا. وكان في وجه عمر رضي اللّٰه عنه خطان أسودان من الدموع. وقال عمر رضي اللّٰه عنه: من خاف اللّٰه لم يشف غيظه، ومن اتقى اللّٰه لم يصنع ما يريد، ولولا يوم القيامة لكان غير ما ترون.
قال علي رضي اللّٰه تعالى عنه ذات يوم وقد سلم من صلاة الفجر، وقد علاه كآبة وهو يقلب يده: لقد رأيت أصحاب محمد ﷺ فلم أر اليوم شيئًا يشبههم، لقد كانوا يصبحون صفرًا شعثًا غبرًا بين أعينهم أمثال ركب المعزى، قد باتوا للّٰه سجدًا وقيامًا يتلون كتاب اللّٰه يزاوجون بين جباههم وأقدامهم، وإذا أصبحوا وذكروا اللّٰه مادوا كما تميد الشجر في يوم الريح وهملت أعينهم بالدموع حتى تبل ثيابهم. واللّٰه كأني بأقوام باتوا غافلين. ثم قال: فما رؤي بعد ذلك ضاحكًا حتى ضربه ابن ملجم.
وكان عمر رضي اللّٰه تعالى عنه إذا سمع آية من القرآن يسقط من الخوف مغشيًا عليه فكان يعاد أيامًا وأخذ يومًا تبنة من الأرض فقال يا ليتني كنت هذه التبنة يا ليتني لم أك شيئًا مذكورًا يا ليتني لم تلدني أمي يا ليتني كنت نسيًا منسيًا.
وكان علي بن الحسين رضي اللّٰه عنه إذا توضأ اصفرَّ لونه فيقول له أهله ما هذا الذي يعتادك عند الوضوء، فيقول أتدرون بين يدي من أريد أن أقوم؟
وروي أن الفضيل رضي اللّٰه عنه رؤي يوم عرفة والناس يدعون وهو يبكي بكاء الثكلى المحترقة، حتى إذا كادت الشمس تغرب قبض على لحيته ثم رفع رأسه إلى السماء، فقال واسوأتاه منك وإن غفرت لي ثم انقلب مع الناس.
وسئل ابن عباس رضي اللّٰه عنه عن الخائفين فقال: قلوبهم من الخوف قريحة وأعينهم باكية يقولون كيف نفرح والموت وراءنا، والقبر أمامنا والقيامة موعدنا، وعلى جهنم طريقنا، وبين يدي ربنا موقفنا. وكان حماد بن عبد ربه إذا جلس جلس مستوفزًا على قدميه فيقال له لو اطمأننت، فيقول تلك جلسة الآمنين وأنا غير آمن إذا عصيت اللّٰه عز وجل.
وقال عمر بن عبد العزيز إنما جعل اللّٰه تعالى هذه الغفلة رحمة في قلوب عباده كيلا يموتوا من خشية اللّٰه تعالى، وروي أن فتى من الأنصار دخلته خشية من النار فدخل النبي ﷺ فاعتنقه فخر ميتًا فقال ﷺ: ”جهزوا صاحبكم فإن الفرق فتت كبده“ فافهم تغنم واللّٰه أعلم بالصواب وإليه المرجع والمآب.
4.4 English Translation
Between Hope and Fear
Understand that hope is one of the [various] ranks of a spiritual wayfarer and one of the states of a spiritual seeker. An attribute (waṣf) is labeled a “state” (ḥāl) when it comes and goes; it is termed a “station” (maqām) when it becomes [an] ingrained [trait].
They say one should know that if something is anticipated to occur in the future and such pains the heart, then it is called “fear” (khawf). However, if such brings joy to the heart, then it is called “hope” (rajāʾ). As such, hope is that which brings comfort to the heart in anticipating [the attainment of that which is] cherished. However, there must be a [practical] means for [attaining] that beloved [thing]; if one is [capable] of securing more avenues [towards] it then the term “hope” is rightfully applicable. Whereas if one is awaiting [positive outcomes] while the [requisite] means have ceased to exist, then “delusion” (ghurūr) is a more appropriate term. If both securing the means and their privation are equally likely, then the label “wish” (tamannī) is most befitting.
Verily, the masters of the heart know that the ephemeral world (dunyā) is a cultivating field for the Hereafter. The heart is like soil, and faith (īmān) is like the seeds [planted] therein. Acts of obedience [to Allah] are the running water which irrigates the earth and sustains it with nutrients. A heart that is immersed in the dunyā and obscured by it is like swampy earth in which seeds cannot grow. The Day of Recompense will be the day of harvest in which no one will reap [anything] other than that which they have sowed. No crops will grow except for the ones [that sprout] from the seeds of faith. Indeed, faith is seldomly cultivated when paired with a vile heart and an evil character.
Whilst seeds do not sprout in a swamp, a person who amasses the [correct] means (including pure soil, water, care, and fertilizer, as was previously mentioned) and then places a good seed therein, awaiting the harvest with hope for Allah’s grace, and for [His] prevention of storms and natural disasters, then it is warranted for one to call this hope. If one scatters seeds in barren, desolate land that has no water, and [thereafter] anticipates a harvest, then this is called delusion (ghurūr). If one sprinkles seeds in pure soil without any water, and then anticipates a harvest by relying [solely] on rainwater, then this is called wishful thinking (tamannī).
It should thus be clear to you that the one who cultivates faith in his heart, irrigating it with the water of righteous deeds, and purifying it from [spiritual] impurities in the same way that land is cleared of thorns and weeds, is [rightfully] entitled to have hope. Anything other than that is wishful thinking or delusion,42 towards which there is an indication in the Prophet’s saying, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “The intelligent one is he who subdues his carnal self and works for that which comes after death; the foolish one is he who follows his carnal desires with false hopes in Allah.”43 Verily Allah, the Exalted, has mentioned something similar to this in His statement: Then, a generation came after them that inherited the Book, opting for the temporal goods of this world, saying, “We shall be forgiven,” (Al-Aʿrāf 7:169). He clarifies that this [type of] hope has no basis when that which should rightfully precede it does not precede it.
What bolsters this further is what has been reported by Zayd al-Khayl [may Allah be pleased with him], who said to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “‘I have come to ask you regarding the signs for those whom Allah wants [goodness] and the signs for those whom He does not want [goodness].’ He responded [may Allah bless him and grant him peace], ‘In what state did you awaken this morning?’ He answered, ‘I awoke recognizing goodness and its people, and if I was capable of performing any of such, then I hastened towards it with firm conviction of its reward. If, perchance, any of it escaped me, I grieved over it and I yearned for it.’ So, he [may Allah bless him and grant him peace] said, ‘This is the sign of Allah for whomsoever he wants [goodness]. And if He had wanted other than that for you, He would have propelled you towards it without any care for which valley you perished in thereafter.’”44 Thus he, [may Allah bless him and grant him peace,] mentioned the signs of those whom He wants good for, due to which one may become hopeful.
An Elucidation of the Virtues of Hope and Its Encouragement
Realize that deeds performed out of hope are superior to [deeds rooted] in fear. This is because the closest servants to Allah, the Exalted, are the most beloved to Him, and [it is] love [that] embodies hope.
Indeed, hope for good [naturally] draws one near and makes one beloved, whereas fear inherently incites one to run away. There is an indication towards this in the statement of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “None of you should die without thinking well of Allah.”45 Additionally, when visiting a person on the verge [of death], he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, “How do you find yourself?” He answered, “I dread my sins whilst I [also] have hope in the Mercy of my Lord.” He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “These two [characteristics] do not converge in the heart of a [believing] slave in such a moment except that Allah, the Exalted, grants him what he hopes for and saves him from that which he fears.”46
Section One:
Realize that one who is overcome by hopelessness such that it makes him [totally] disheartened, as well as a person who is overcome with fear to the extent that it harms himself and his family,47 are both in need of treatment48 with corresponding [positive] opposites.49 As for the one who is overrun by vain hopes, the means [that incite] hope is like a fatal poison for him; they are like honey in which there is cure for the one experiencing excessive [inner] coolness [in their body]. If someone with excessive heat were to consume it, they would perish. As for the one who is engulfed by false hope and inordinately engages in sin, it is especially necessary for him to be treated with that which induces fear.50 Both fear and hope are proportionately correlated; each should be [appropriately] induced in accordance with the specific state of every individual.
ʿAlī, may Allah be pleased with him, once stated, “The scholar is one who does not cause people to despair of Allah’s mercy; he likewise does not let them feel [overly] secure regarding the plans of Allah. Since the scholars are the inheritors of the prophets, they are doctors of the [spiritual] heart; they administer that which appropriately suits the condition of each [and every] patient.”51 One of the [most] effective remedies [used] to inculcate hope involves the patient closely reflecting over the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon him; this includes his bodily health and the soundness of his limbs; the commission of prophets for the sake of his guidance; the creation of various foods, drinks, and medicinal cures for his betterment.
Something else that reinforces the means for [increasing] hope is in what He, the Exalted, says: O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins (Al-Zumar 39:53). He also states: … and the angels proclaim the purity and praise of their Lord, seeking forgiveness for those on the earth (Al-Shūrā 42:5). Additionally, he mentions: Above them are canopies of fire as well as canopies underneath them. That is the thing against which Allah warns His servants (Al-Zumar 39:16). Even though He strikes fear within the believer [here], such is actually directed towards the disbelievers for whom [the fire] was created.
Abū Mūsā al- ʾAshʿarī, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “My nation is a privileged nation; it will not be punished in the hereafter.”52 Indeed, there are innumerable verses and prophetic reports to support this.
It also appears in a long hadith [narrated] by Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that a bedouin once asked the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “who will preside over the accounts of the entire creation on the Day of Judgment?” He [may Allah bless him and grant him peace] replied, “Allah, the Honored and Majestic.” The bedouin further asked, “Him, and Him alone?” He [may Allah bless him and grant him peace] answered, “Yes.” Thereafter, the bedouin smiled, and the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked him, “O Bedouin, what makes you smile?” He responded, “Verily, the Most Kind. When He enumerates, He forgives, and when He calls to account, He overlooks.” The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, affirmed, “The bedouin has spoken the truth. Truly, there is no one more kind than Allah, the Exalted – He is the most benevolent of all.” He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, then said, “This Bedouin has understood [well].”53 He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said, “Allah, the Exalted, has proclaimed, ‘My mercy supersedes my wrath.’”54
Section Two: Regarding Fear
Note: the meaning of fear has been explained in the aforementioned section.
One should realize that both fear and hope are two lead reins that drive the one in whose heart the beauty of truth has not become [fully] manifest. Whosoever beholds such beauty with his heart transcends [the need for] fear or hope. This is elucidated by the saying of [Imam] al-Wāsiṭī, “Fear is a veil between Allah and His servant.” He likewise said, “When the truth is made manifest within the hearts, they no longer retain any [other] motive – [actions are no longer] driven by fear or hope.”
Generally, if a lover is engulfed by the splendor of His beloved, then [even] turning his attention towards the fear of separation will detract from the union [between them]. Nonetheless, we are [only] speaking about the preliminary basics of this phenomenon. At this juncture, we assert that the remedy to incite fear entails looking over and reflecting upon the [Qurʾānic] verses that mention the severity of divine punishments and the [Day of] Judgment as well as related prophetic narrations. One should also reflect upon the condition of their own self in relation to the Majesty and Grandeur of Allah, alongside His statement [in a ḥadīth qudsī], “These people are in paradise and it makes no difference to Me, plus these are in the Hellfire and it makes no difference to Me.”55 Furthermore, a person must realize that they are deserving of a painful retribution on account of one’s transgressions, disregard for the commands of Allah, and their perpetration of forbidden deeds.
If Allah, the Exalted, were to destroy the entire world, it would make no difference to Him at all. Whereas this deprived person has committed crimes and sins and is thus most deserving of being in [a state of] fear. If he were to be destroyed, then Allah would not be affected by such. And how [can one not worry] when the Leader of all Messengers, [may Allah bless him and grant him peace], said, “I am the most knowledgeable amongst you regarding Allah; I am also the most fearful of Allah.”56 Also, Allah revealed to Dawūd [upon him be peace], “Dawūd! Fear me just as you fear a menacing predator.” And the reality of [the nature of] a predatory beast is that it will readily devour you without any concern.
Indeed, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever fears Allah then everything will fear Him, and the one who fears other than Allah, will fear everything.”57
ʿĀʾisha, may Allah be pleased with her, reported, “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, [does the verse] Those who give whatever they give and whose hearts tremble [al-Muʾminūn 23:60], refer to the person who steals and fornicates?’ He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied, ‘No. Rather, [it refers] the one who fasts, gives charity, and prays, fearing that none of it will be accepted from him.’”58 The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said, “There is no believer who sheds tears from fearing Allah – even if they are [as little] as the size of a fly’s head – realizing a lesson at the time they roll down [his cheeks], except that Allah makes him prohibited for the Hellfire [to consume him].”59
An Elucidation of the Prophets’ Experiences of Fear
ʿĀʾisha, may Allah be pleased with her, narrates, “the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was such that when the weather would worsen and the winds would [start to] blow fiercely, his face would [visibly] change; he would stand up and pace around the house, going out and coming back in [again]. All of this was due to fear of Allah’s punishment. Once, he recited verses from Surat al-Hāqqa and fainted.”
Also, Allah the Exalted says, … and Musa fell unconscious, (al-Aʿrāf 7:143). When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw the [angelic] form of Jibrīl in the horizon, he lost consciousness. He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, further said, “Jibrīl never came to me except that he would be trembling out of fear of [Allah,] the Compellor, The Magnificent.” Additionally, it has been related that when what befell Iblis occurred, Jibrīl and Mīkāīl immediately began to weep. Allah, the Exalted, inspired them, [saying,] “What has come over you, causing you to cry like this?” They replied, “O Lord! We are not secure from Your [Divine] designs!” Allah said, “You should be as such; never feel safe from My planning.”
[About the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,] Abū Dardā’, [may Allah be pleased with him,] said, “The throbbing heart of Allah’s closest, upon him be peace, on account of the fear of Allah, could be heard from the distance of a mile when he would stand to pray.” Also, Mujāhid, may Allah be pleased with him, mentioned that Dāwūd, upon him be peace, cried for forty days in prostration; he did not raise his head until undergrowth sprouted [on the ground] through his tears. When his head was eventually covered [by foliage], it was called out, “O Dāwūd, are you hungry, that you should be fed? Or are you thirsty, that you should be given to drink? Or are you undressed, that you should be clothed? He then sighed heavily; the twigs ignited from the heat of his breath as Allah sent down His remission and forgiveness upon him. Dāwūd [upon him be peace] then said, ‘My Lord, inscribe my mistakes onto my palm.’ All his mistakes were then written onto his palm such that he would not extend his hand to eat or drink or for anything else except that he would see it, and it would consequently make him weep. Whenever he was handed a cup that was half full of water, when he would lift it [to drink], he would consider his mistakes; upon reaching his lips [the cup] would be overflowing due to his tears.”
And it is also narrated about him, upon him be peace, that he never raised his head towards the sky until he passed away due to humility before Allah. Indeed, he used to privately entreat Allah, saying, “My Lord, whenever I remember my mistakes, the earth, in its vastness, constricts around me [as if I am dead]. But, when I remember Your Mercy, then [it is as if] my soul returns to me. Perfection is Yours! I have come to the physicians amongst your slaves to remedy my mistakes, and all of them direct me toward you, so wretched are those who despair of You Mercy.”
Fuḍayl, may Allah have Mercy on Him, related, “It was narrated to me that Dāwūd, upon him be peace, remembered his mistake one day, so he jumped up abruptly with his hand upon his head until he reached the [nearby] mountains. Predatory animals gathered around him. He exclaimed, ‘Go away! I do not want you! I only want those who profusely weep over their sins. No one should come to me unless they are crying. And who is free of sin? And what would one do with Dāwūd, the sinner, [anyways]?’ He used to get rebuffed for weeping excessively, but he would say, ‘Leave me to cry before the Day of Lament manifests; before the bones burn and the entrails are ignited; before the stern, fierce, angels (Al-Taḥrīm 66:6) are commanded, who do not disobey Allah; they do as they are ordered (Al-Taḥrīm 66:6).’”
ʿUmar ibn ʿAbdul Azīz mentioned that when Dāwūd [upon him be peace] was afflicted by [his] error, his voice faltered and he said, “O my Lord, my voice has become hoarse compared to the pure voices of those who are true [to You].”
It has additionally been narrated that after crying profusely to no avail, he, upon him be peace, felt inhibited and further saddened, saying, “O My Lord, will you not have Mercy on [account of] my crying?” Allah then inspired him, [saying], “O Dāwūd! You have forgotten your misdeed, yet you mention your crying?” He answered, “My Lord and Master, how could I forget my misdeed? When I would recite the Zabūr, the rivers would stop flowing; the winds would stop blowing; the birds would perch upon my head; and the wild animals would settle in my prayer niche (miḥrāb). But now, my Lord and Master, what is this estrangement that has [come] between me and You?” Allah, the Exalted revealed in response, “O Dāwūd, that was the succor of obedience, whereas this is alienation from transgression. O Dāwūd! Adam was a creature from amongst my creatures; I created him Myself; I blew My spirit into him; I had My angels bow down to him; I dressed him in the clothing of My benevolence; and I crowned him with the crown of My dignity; he felt lonely, so I married him to my servant, Ḥawā’, and I allowed him to dwell in My garden. However, when he disobeyed me, I expelled him from My Presence, naked and disgraced. O Dāwūd, listen to Me, and it is [only] the Truth that I speak: When you obeyed Us, we made [others] obey you; when you asked of Us, we gave you; and [even] when you disobeyed Us, We gave you respite. As such, if you come back to Us [now], [being] as you were before, We will [certainly] accept you.”
Yaḥyā ibn Bukayr mentioned that it has been related that Dāwūd, when intending to go out, would remain in his place for seven days without eating or drinking anything; he would also abstain from approaching his wives. On the day prior, he would have his pulpit placed in front of all, and he would then order Sulaymān [upon him be peace] to call out with a [raised] voice that reached the [furthest] lands, along with their surrounding forests, mountains, and plains. The beasts would approach from the plains; the insects would swarm from the mountains; the birds would flock from their nests; the maidens would come out from their quarters; all would amass together on that day. Dāwūd, upon him be peace, would ascend his pulpit, with all the Children of Israel surrounding him; all types of creatures would likewise encircle him, with Sulaymān, upon him be peace, stationed by his head. He would then begin to praise his Lord whilst all would wail and cry. Upon mentioning Paradise, all the insects as well as a number of the wild animals and predatory beasts died. Thereafter, upon mentioning the horrors of the Day of Judgment whilst crying out himself, so many others also died. When Sulaymān saw the multitudes of those who had died, he exclaimed, “O my [respected] father! The entire audience has been torn to pieces [by] listening [to your words]! So many of the Children of Israel, the wild animals, and the insects have died!” Dāwūd then began to supplicate. Whilst he was doing so, a few of the monks from amongst the Children of Israel called out, “O Dāwūd! You have been hasty in seeking recompense from your Lord!” Dāwūd subsequently fell unconscious. When Sulaymān saw what had befallen him, he brought forth a pallet and hoisted him on it. He then summoned an announcer to call out, “Listen up! Whoever from amongst you has a relative or close friend alongside Dāwūd should [likewise] get a pallet and carry them upon it! Indeed, those who were with him were killed by the remembrance of Paradise and Hellfire!” Women then brought forth pallets, carrying their relatives, exclaiming, “O [dearest] one who has been killed by the remembrance of Paradise! O you who was killed by the fear of Allah, the Exalted!” Sometime afterwards, Dāwūd [upon him be peace] awoke. Placing his hand on his head, he entered his personal sanctuary [dedicated] for worship and closed the door. Therein, he prayed, “O Lord of Dāwūd! Are you angry with Dāwūd?” He continued to beseech [Allah] until Sulaymān, upon him be peace, came and sat by the door, seeking permission to enter. Thereafter, he entered, holding some barley bread. He said, “O my [dear] father, gain strength with this for what you are seeking.” He ate from that bread as much as Allah, the Exalted, had willed. Thereafter, he went out to the Children of Israel to judge between them.
Yazīd al-Raqāshī stated that Dāwūd [upon him be peace] went out to the people one day to preach to them and warn them. He addressed forty thousand [people], and thirty thousand of them died, leaving behind only ten thousand. He had two maidservants that he took along with him so that when he was overwhelmed by fear to the extent that he would collapse and lose his senses, they would sit themselves upon his chest and legs out of fear that his limbs would detach [from his body].
Abū Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, once addressed a bird, [saying], “Woe to me! If only I could be a bird like you and I was not made to be a [morally responsible] human.” Abū Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, once said, “I wish I was a supportive tree.” ʿUthmān, may Allah be pleased with him, once said, “I would love it if it were such that when I die, I am not resurrected.” ʿĀʾisha, may Allah be pleased with her, similarly expressed, “I wish I was a thing long forgotten.” ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, used to have two black lines [trailing] along his face from [his] tears. ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, once said, “The one who fears Allah does not display his anger; the one who is conscious of Allah never does as he pleases. If it were not for the Day of Judgment, things would certainly not be as you see.”
One day, upon completing the dawn prayer, Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, was visibly somber. Turning his hand over [in agitation], he said, “Indeed, I have seen the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Truly, to this day, I have never seen anything like them; they would awaken each morning pallid, disheveled, and dusty, as if trampled by goats; they had dedicated their nights to Allah, bowing, standing, and reciting the Book of Allah; they would spend equal time on their foreheads and on their feet [in prayer]. After reaching the morning and engaging in the remembrance of Allah, they would sway as trees do on a windy day. Their eyes would shed tears until their clothes were saturated with tears. I swear by Allah, [now] it seems as if I am in the midst of such heedless people!” He was never seen smiling after that until Ibn Muljim killed him.
ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with him, would faint out of fear when he heard a verse from the Quran; people would visit him for days [until he recovered]. One day, he picked up a piece of dirt from the ground and said, “Woe is me, would that I could be this piece of dirt! I wish I was nothing – [not even] a memory! Woe is me, if only my mother did not give birth to me! Woe is me! I wish I could be long forgotten!”
ʿAlī, the son of Ḥusayn, may Allah have mercy on him, would often become pale when performing the ritual ablution (wuḍūʾ). His family would ask, “What is this that keeps happening to you when you perform wuḍūʾ?” He would reply, “Do you know in front of Whom I am intending to stand?”
It has been related that Fuḍayl, may Allah be pleased with him, was spotted on the Day of ʿArafa. Whilst everyone else was supplicating, he was weeping like a bereaved widow. Just before the sun had set, he clenched his own beard, looked up towards the sky. He said, “How ashamed am I before You, even when You have forgiven me?” Thereafter, he turned to join [the rest of] the people.
Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with him, was once asked regarding those who fear [Allah]. He thus replied, “Their hearts ache [tremendously] from the fear of Allah; they are constantly weeping; they often say, ‘How can we rejoice when death is right behind us, and our graves are immediately in front of us; Judgment Day is our appointed time; our path [stretches] across the Hellfire; and [inevitably,] we [must] stand before our Lord.’”
When Hammād ibn ʿAbdi Rabbihi, used to sit, he did so restlessly on his feet. It was suggested to him, “If only you would relax [a bit]?” He answered, “That is how secure people sit. But I am not safe as I have disobeyed my Lord.”
ʿUmar ibn ʿAbdul Azīz said, “Allah has made heedlessness a mercy within the hearts of His servants, so that they do not die out of the sheer fear of Allah, the Exalted.”
It is narrated that fear of the Hellfire permeated the heart of a young boy from amongst the Ansār. When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came, the boy hugged him and then immediately fell dead. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Prepare your companion [to be buried]; indeed, dread has destroyed him from within.”
Understand [this well], and you will gain [so much]. Allah knows best what is correct, and to Him is our reference and ultimate return.
5 An Exposition on the Essential Nature of Anger. Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn (The Revival of Religious Sciences) by Imam Abū Ḥāmid Muḥammad al-Ghazālī (d. 505 AH/1111 CE)
5.1 Author’s Biography
See Author Biography under section 1 of Chapter 2.
5.2 Text Overview and Significance
In this translated chapter of the Iḥyāʾ, Imam al-Ghazālī provides an insightful overview of the nature and function of emotions, with a special focus on anger. He describes anger as an adaptive survival drive that is necessary for self-preservation and the protection of family. This is similar to evolutionary psychologists and emotion-focused theorists who posit that all emotions possess adaptive utility and survival properties. Using the specific case of anger, al-Ghazālī states that its adaptive need is to repel harm when a threatening situation is presented in the moment. Alternatively, anger aids the need to acquire justice for a past inequity that one has experienced. Imam al-Ghazālī further describes the physiological and cognitive states associated with anger. He highlights what is referred to as the “fight-flight response” in modern psychology, which can prompt action responses to approach and attack so as to ultimately subdue the threat. However, if perchance an individual deduces that they will not be able subdue the presenting threat, then the flight mechanism is activated, or a form of hopelessness sets in if they are unable to flee from harm. While the physiological correlates of anger he describes are more consistent with ancient medicine, they strikingly parallel many explanations of the physiology of anger in contemporary psychology. As for the cognitive correlates, he discusses the “all-or-nothing” and irrational reasoning tendencies that can sometimes set in. Also, while the adaptive need is to avoid harm or seek injustice, excessive anger leads to unproductive destructive tendencies. Once excessive anger sets in, al-Ghazālī states that one becomes irrational and any attempts to calm such an individual down will further add fuel to their fire of anger. Towards the end of the chapter, al-Ghazālī importantly points out how the intensity or frequency of the expression of emotions can vary from person to person based upon their biological predispositions, upbringing, socialization, and learning. He describes the need to keep one’s emotional states regulated and balanced, never being unleashed in a manner that overpowers one’s reason.
5.3 Arabic Text
بيان حقيقة الغضب
اعلم أن اللّٰه تعالى لما خلق الحيوان معرضاً للفساد والموتان بأسباب في داخل بدنه وأسباب خارجة عنه أنعم عليه بما يحميه عن الفساد ويدفع عنه الهلاك إلى أجل معلوم سماه في كتابه.
أما السبب الداخل: فهو أنه ركبه من الحرارة والرطوبة، وجعل بين الحرارة والرطوبة عداوة ومضادة؛ فلا تزال الحرارة تحلل الرطوبة وتجففها وتبخرها حتى تتفشى أجزاؤها بخاراً يتصاعد منها، فلو لم يتصل بالرطوبة مدد من الغذاء يجبر ما انحل وتبخر من أجزائها لفسد الحيوان، فخلق اللّٰه الغذاء الموافق لبدن الحيوان، وخلق في الحيوان شهوة تبعثه على تناول الغذاء؛ كالموكل به في جبر ما انكسر وسد ما انثلم؛ ليكون ذلك حافظا له من الهلاك بهذا السبب.
وأما الأسباب الخارجة التي يتعرض لها الإنسان: فكالسيف والسنان وسائر المهلكات التي يقصد بها، فافتقر إلى قوة وحمية تثور من باطنه فتدفع المهلكات عنه، فخلق اللّٰه الغضب من النار، وغرزه في الإنسان، وعجنه بطينته، فمهما صد عن غرض من أغراضه ومقصود من مقاصده اشتعلت نار الغضب، وثارت ثوراناً يغلي به دم القلب، وينتشر في العروق، ويرتفع إلى أعالي البدن كما ترتفع النار، وكما يرتفع الماء الذي يَغْلِي فِي الْقِدْرِ؛ فَلِذَلِكَ يَنْصَبُّ إِلَى الْوَجْهِ فَيَحْمَرُّ الْوَجْهُ وَالْعَيْنُ، وَالْبَشرَةُ لِصَفَائِهَا تَحْكِي لَوْنَ مَا وَرَاءَهَا مِنْ حُمْرَةِ الدَّمِ؛ كَمَا تَحْكِي الزجاجة لون ما فيها، وإنما ينبسط الدم إذا غضب على من دونه واستشعر القدرة عليه، فإن صدر الغضب على من فوقه، وكان معه يأس من الانتقام، تولد منه انقباض الدم من ظاهر الجلد إلى جوف القلب، وصار حزناً، ولذلك يصفر اللون، وإن كان الغضب على نظير يشك فيه تردد الدم بين انقباض وانبساط؛ فيحمر ويصفر ويضطرب.
وبالجملة: فقوة الْغَضَبِ مَحَلُّهَا الْقَلْبُ وَمَعْنَاهَا غَلَيَانُ دَمِ الْقَلْبِ بطلب الانتقام، وإنما تتوجه هذه القوة عند ثورانها إلى دفع المؤذيات قبل وقوعها وإلى التشفي والانتقام بعد وقوعها. والانتقامُ قوتُ هذه القوة وشهوتُها وفيه لذتها ولا تسكن إلا به.
ثُمَّ إِنَّ النَّاسَ فِي هَذِهِ الْقُوَّةِ عَلَى درجات ثلاث في أول الفطرة: من التفريط، والإفراط، والاعتدال.
أما التفريط فبفقد هَذِهِ الْقُوَّةِ أَوْ ضَعْفِهَا، وَذَلِكَ مَذْمُومٌ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُقَالُ فِيهِ ﴿إِنَّهُ لَا حَمِيَّةَ لَهُ﴾، ولذلك قال الشافعي رحمه اللّٰه: «من استغضب فلم يغضب فهو حمار».
فمن فقد قوة الغضب والحمية أصلاً فهو ناقص جداً، وَقَدْ وَصَفَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالشِّدَّةِ وَالْحَمِيَّةِ فَقَالَ: ﴿أَشِدَّاءُ على الكفار رحماء بينهم﴾، وَقَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ﴿جَاهِدِ الكفار والمنافقين واغلظ عليهم﴾، وَإِنَّمَا الْغِلْظَةُ وَالشِّدَّةُ مِنْ آثَارِ قُوَّةِ الْحَمِيَّةِ، وَهُوَ الْغَضَبُ.
وَأَمَّا الْإِفْرَاطُ فَهُوَ أَنْ تَغْلِبَ هَذِهِ الصِّفَةُ حَتَّى تَخْرُجَ عَنْ سِيَاسَةِ الْعَقْلِ والدين وطاعته، ولا يبقى للمرء معها بصيرةٌ ونظرٌ وَلا فِكْرٌ وَلَا اخْتِيَارٌ، بَلْ يَصِيرُ فِي صُورَةِ المضطر.
وسبب غلبته: أمور غريزية، وأمور اعتيادية، فرب إنسان هو بالفطرة مستعد لسرعة الغضب، حتى كأن صورته في الفطرة صورة غضبان، ويعين على ذلك حرارة مزاج القلب؛ لأن الغضب من النار كما قال صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم، وإنما برودة المزاج تطفئه وتكسر سورته.
وأما الأسباب الاعتيادية فهو أن يخالط قوماً يتبجحون بتشفي الغيظ وطاعة الغضب ويسمون ذلك شجاعة ورجولية، فيقول الواحد منهم: «أنا الذي لا أصبر على المكر والمحال، ولا أحتمل من أحد أمرا»، ومعناه: لا عقل لي ولا حلم، ثم يذكره في معرض الفخر لجهله، فمن سمعه رسخ في نفسه حسن الغضب، وحب التشبه بالقوم، فيقوى به الغضب.
ومهما اشتعلت نار الغضب وقوى اضطرامها أعمت صاحبها وأصمته عن كل موعظة، فإذا وُعِظَ لم يسمع، بل زاده ذلك غضباً، فإن استضاء بنور عقله وراجع نفسه لم يقدر؛ إذ ينطفئ نور العقل وينمحي في الحال بدخان الغضب؛ فإن معدن الفكر الدماغ، ويتصاعد عند شدة الغضب من غليان دم القلب دخان مظلم إلى الدماغ يستولي على معادن الفكر، وربما يتعدى إلى معادن الحس، فتظلم عينه حتى لا يرى بعينه، وتسود عليه الدنيا بأسرها، ويكون دماغه على مثال كهف اضطرمت فيه نار فاسود جوُّهُ، وحَمِيَ مستقره، وامتلأ بالدخان جوانبه، وكان فيه سراجٌ ضعيفٌ فانمحى أو انطفأ نوره، فلا تثبت فيه قدم، ولا يُسمَعُ فيه كلام، ولا تُرَى فيه صورة، ولا يُقدر على إطفائه لا من داخل ولا من خارج، بل ينبغي أن يصبر إلى أن يحترق جميع ما يقبل الاحتراق، فكذلك يفعل الغضب بالقلب والدماغ.
وربما تقوى نار الغضب فتفنى الرطوبة التي بها حياة القلب فيموت صاحبه غيظاً، كما تقوى النار في الكهف فيتشقق وتنهد أعاليه على أسفاله، وذلك لإبطال النار ما في جوانبه من القوة الممسكة الجامعة لأجزائه، فهكذا حال القلب عند الغضب.
وبالحقيقة فالسفينة في ملتطم الأمواج عند اضطراب الرياح في لجة البحر أحسن حالاً وأرجى سلامة من النفس المضطربة غيظاً؛ إذ في السفينة من يحتال لتسكينها وتدبيرها وينظر لها ويسوسها، وأما القلب فهو صاحب السفينة وقد سقطت حيلته؛ إذ أعماه الغضب وأصمه.
وَمِنْ آثَارِ هَذَا الْغَضَبِ فِي الظَّاهِر:ِ تَغَيُّرُ اللَّوْنِ، وَشِدَّةُ الرِّعْدَةِ فِي الْأَطْرَافِ، وَخُرُوجُ الْأَفْعَالِ عَنِ التَّرْتِيبِ وَالنِّظَامِ، وَاضْطِرَابُ الْحَرَكَةِ وَالْكَلَامِ، حَتَّى يَظْهَرَ الزَّبَدُ عَلَى الْأَشْدَاقِ، وَتَحْمَرَّ الْأَحْدَاقُ وَتَنْقَلِبَ الْمَنَاخِرُ، وَتَسْتَحِيلَ الْخِلْقَةُ، وَلَوْ رَأَى الْغَضْبَانُ فِي حال غَضَبِهِ قُبْحَ صُورَتِهِ لَسَكَنَ غَضَبُهُ حَيَاءً مِنْ قُبْحِ صُورَتِهِ وَاسْتِحَالَةِ خِلْقَتِهِ، وَقُبْحُ بَاطِنِهِ أَعْظَمُ مَنْ قُبْحِ ظَاهِرِهِ؛ فَإِنَّ الظَّاهِرَ عُنْوَانُ الْبَاطِنِ، وَإِنَّمَا قَبُحَتْ صُورَةُ الْبَاطِنِ أَوَّلًا ثُمَّ انْتَشَرَ قُبْحُهَا إِلَى الظَّاهِرِ ثَانِيًا، فَتَغَيُّرُ الظَّاهِرِ ثَمَرَةُ تغير الباطن، فقسِ الثمرة بالمثمرة فَهَذَا أَثَرُهُ فِي الْجَسَدِ.
وَأَمَّا أَثَرُهُ فِي اللِّسَانِ فَانْطِلَاقُهُ بِالشَّتْمِ وَالْفُحْشِ مِنَ الْكَلَامِ الَّذِي يَسْتَحِي مِنْهُ ذُو الْعَقْلِ، وَيَسْتَحِي مِنْهُ قَائِلُهُ عِنْدَ فُتُورِ الْغَضَبِ، وَذَلِكَ مَعَ تَخَبُّطِ النَّظْمِ واضطراب اللفظ.
أما أَثَرُهُ عَلَى الْأَعْضَاءِ فَالضَّرْبُ وَالتَّهَجُّمُ وَالتَّمْزِيقُ وَالْقَتْلُ والجرح عند التمكن من غير مبالاة، فإن هرب منه المغضوب عليه أو فاته بسببٍ وعجز عن التشفي رجع الغضب على صاحبه فيمزق ثَوْبَ نَفْسِهِ وَيَلْطُمُ نَفْسَهُ، وَقَدْ يَضْرِبُ بِيَدِهِ على الأرض، ويعدو عدو الواله السكران والمدهوش المتحير، وربما يسقط صريعاً لا يطيق العدو والنهوض بسبب شدة الغضب، ويعتريه مثل الغشية، وربما يضرب الجمادات والحيوانات، فيضرب القصعة مثلاً على الأرض، وقد يكسر المائدة إذا غضب عليها، ويتعاطى أفعال المجانين، فيشتم البهيمة والجمادات ويخاطبها ويقول: «إلى متى منك هذا يا كيت وكيت؟» كأنه يخاطب عاقلاً! حتى ربما رفسته دابة فيرفس الدابة ويقابلها بذلك.
وأما أثرة في القلب مع المغضوب عليه فَالْحِقْدُ، وَالْحَسَدُ، وَإِضْمَارُ السُّوءِ، وَالشَّمَاتَةُ بِالْمَسَاءَاتِ، وَالْحُزْنُ بِالسُّرُورِ، وَالْعَزْمُ عَلَى إِفْشَاءِ السِّرِّ وَهَتْكِ السِّتْرِ، وَالِاسْتِهْزَاءُ وَغَيْرُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْقَبَائِحِ.
فَهَذِهِ ثَمَرَةُ الْغَضَبِ الْمُفْرِطِ.
وَأَمَّا ثَمَرَةُ الْحَمِيَّةِ الضَّعِيفَةِ فَقِلَّةُ الْأَنَفَةِ مِمَّا يُؤْنَفُ مِنْهُ مِنَ التَّعَرُّضِ لِلْحُرَمِ والزوجة والأمة، واحتمال الذل من الأخساء، وصغر النفس والقماءة، وَهُوَ أَيْضًا مَذْمُومٌ إِذْ مِنْ ثَمَرَاتِهِ عَدَمُ الغيرة على الحُرَمِ وهو خنوثة، قَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ سعدا لغيور، وأنا أغير من سعد، وإن اللّٰه أَغْيَرُ مِنِّي» ﴿رواه البخاري ومسلم﴾.
وَإِنَّمَا خُلِقَتِ الْغَيْرَةَ لِحِفْظِ الْأَنْسَابِ، وَلَوْ تَسَامَحَ النَّاسُ بِذَلِكَ لَاخْتَلَطَتِ الْأَنْسَابُ، وَلِذَلِكَ قِيلَ «كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ وُضِعَتِ الْغَيْرَةُ فِي رِجَالِهَا وُضِعَتِ الصِّيَانَةُ فِي نِسَائِهَا».
وَمِنْ ضَعْفِ الْغَضَبِ الْخَوَرُ، وَالسُّكُوتُ عِنْدَ مُشَاهَدَةِ الْمُنْكَرَاتِ، وَقَدْ قَالَ صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: «خير أمتي أحدَّاؤها» يعني: في الدين. وقال تَعَالَى: ﴿وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُمْ بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللّٰه﴾.
بل من فقد الغضب عجز عن رياضة نفسه؛ إذ لا تتم الرياضة إلا بتسليط الغضب على الشهوة حتى يغضب على نفسه عند الميل إلى الشهوات الخسيسة.
فَفَقْدُ الْغَضَبِ مَذْمُومٌ، وَإِنَّمَا الْمَحْمُودُ غَضَبٌ يَنْتَظِرُ إِشَارَةَ الْعَقْلِ وَالدِّينِ فَيَنْبَعِثُ حَيْثُ تَجِبُ الْحَمِيَّةُ وينطفيء حَيْثُ يَحْسُنُ الْحِلْمُ، وَحِفْظُهُ عَلَى حَدِّ الِاعْتِدَالِ هُوَ الِاسْتِقَامَةُ الَّتِي كَلَّفَ اللَّهُ بِهَا عِبَادَهُ، وَهُوَ الْوَسَطُ الَّذِي وَصَفَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللّٰه عليه وسلم حيث قال: «خير الأمور أوساطها»، فمن مال غضبه إلى الفتور حتى أحس من نفسه بضعف الغيرة وخسة النفس في احتمال الذل والضيم في غير محله فينبغي أن يعالج نفسه حتى يُقَوِّيَ غضبه، ومن مال غضبه إلى الإفراط حتى جره إلى التهور واقتحام الفواحش فينبغي أن يعالج نفسه ليَغُضَّ من سورة الغضب، ويقفَ على الوسط الحق بين الطرفين فهو الصراط المستقيم، وهو أرق من الشعرة وأحد من السيف، فإن عجز عنه فليطلب القرب منه، قال تعالى: ﴿ولن تستطيعوا أن تعدلوا بين النساء ولو حرصتم فلا تميلوا كل الميل فتذروها كالمعلقة﴾، فليس كل من عجز عن الإتيان بالخير كله ينبغي أن يأتي بالشر كله، ولكن بعض الشر أهون من بعض، وبعض الخير أرفع من بعض.
فهذه حقيقة الغضب ودرجاته نسأله اللّٰه حسن التوفيق لما يرضيه إنه على ما يشاء قدير.
5.4 English Translation
An Elucidation of the Reality of Anger
One should know that when Allah, the Exalted, created all creatures, he made them susceptible to harm and death on account of causes within and outside of their bodies. Furthermore, He bestowed upon them [inner propensities] to protect them from harm and safeguard them from their destruction until the appointed time [of death], that He specified in His [divine] Record.
As for the internal causes [of susceptibility for harm]: He created within created beings [both] heat and moisture and made a type of enmity and incongruity between them. Heat continuously loosens [the particles] of moisture, drying and evaporating it until its particles are transformed into steam that rises away from it. If there were no nutrients in food to replenish the particles that were dissolved and evaporated, the creature would fall ill. Therefore, Allah, the Exalted, created nourishment corresponding to the needs of [every] animal’s body and created within each animal appetitive instincts that propel them to consume it, as if it were an agent [assigned] to fix what was broken, and rebuild what was destroyed, such that [it] would be saved from destruction on account of this instinct.
As for the external factors that a person is exposed to, they are like swords, spears, and other lethal armaments used to target him. Thus, he needs an inner faculty and zeal (ḥamiyya) that will erupt from the inside to repel these threats. Therefore, Allah created [the protective instinct of] anger from fire and ingrained it within human beings, embedding it within his [essentia] clay [composition]. As such, whenever he is hindered from actualizing an aspiration from amongst his different goals, or from fulfilling a purpose from amongst his various ambitions, the fire of anger is ignited within him; it surges, boiling the blood of the heart, spreading through the veins, and rising towards the upper areas of the body much like how fire rises, or the way boiling water rises in a pot.
Consequently, [the signs of] anger imbues the face, reddening both the face and eyes. Due to the skin’s translucidity, it shows the redness of the blood beneath it, the way glass displays the color of what is contained within it. Blood expands when one becomes angry with someone whom he feels he has the power to subdue, [especially] if they are lesser than him [in strength or status]. However, if the anger is directed towards those who are greater than him and he has no hopes for [the possibility of] retribution, the blood retracts from the surface of the skin towards the inner core of the heart. [The anger] then transforms into sadness, and he becomes yellow [or pale]. Now, if his anger is directed towards [an adversary] who is his equal, then an oscillation of blood between expansion and constriction results, thus [resulting in him] becoming divided between turning red and yellow.
In sum, the locus of the faculty of anger is [within] the heart. It is defined as the boiling of the heart’s blood in pursuit of retribution. This faculty, when aroused, directs focus towards the proactive repulsion of potential harm before it [actually] occurs, as well as the seeking of relief and retribution after harm is inflicted. Retribution is the nourishment and desire of this faculty – in it lies its satisfaction. In fact, it is not alleviated except by it.60
People can be divided into three categories regarding [the intensity] of this faculty in their primordial nature: (i) deficient, (ii) excessive, and (iii) balanced.61
As for a lack [of anger]: the absence or weakness of this faculty is considered blameworthy. It is said about such a person that, “they have no passion”. Thus, al-Shāfiʿī, may Allah have mercy on him, said “The one who is provoked and does not get angry is [like] a donkey.”
Whoever totally lacks the drives of motivation and anger is extremely deficient. Allah, The Exalted, has described the companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with vehemence and intensity, saying Those with him are fierce with the disbelievers and compassionate with one another (al-Fatḥ 48:29), and He said to His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, Struggle against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and subdue them (al-Tawba 9:73). Fierceness and subjugation are the effects of the faculty of vehemence, [at the root of] which is anger.
Excessive anger is when this attribute [i.e., anger] takes over, such that it strays from the command of reason and religious adherence. By this, a person is left with no insight, vision, conception, or volition; rather, it becomes as if one is being compelled.
The causes for the dominance of anger are predisposition and habituation.62 To clarify, some people are inherently predisposed to become angry quickly, to the extent that it could be such that a person’s resting face is the face of an angry person. What enables this is the heat in the inherent makeup of the heart because anger originates from fire, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace mentioned.63 Indeed, only the coolness of the temperament extinguishes it and breaks its vehemence.
As for the means of habituation, such comes through socialization with people who boast about releasing their rage and obeying [the calls of] anger, considering it to be [indicative of] courage and manliness. Such people say, “I am such a person who cannot withstand plots or undesirable conditions, and I do not tolerate anything from anyone.” This essentially translates to mean, “I have neither intelligence nor forbearance.” He thus boastfully flaunts his ignorance. Accordingly, whosoever listens to such a person begins to internalize the [notion] that anger is commendable, and the love of imitating [such] people subsequently consolidate anger within them.
And whenever the fire of anger ignites and its blaze intensifies, it blinds the one who is enraged and deafens him to all words of reason. If someone offers him advice, not only does he not listen, but it amplifies his rage. Meanwhile, if he were to attempt to exercise his reason and check himself, he would fail to do so. This is because the rays of reason are snuffed out and extinguished by anger’s smoke. For indeed, the source of cognition is the brain;64 when anger surges, the blood boils, emitting steam that rises to the brain, which inundates the source of cognition.65
At times, it may even extend to the faculties of sensation, causing his eyes to black out to the extent that he is unable to see [anything], and the world [around him] [seems to] blacken out entirely.66 His brain becomes like a cave with a fire smoldering therein; its inside is dark, its floors are heated, and it is full of smoke. There is a faint lantern [visible] inside, the light of which has become extinguished and put out. In this cave, one cannot find their footing, nor can any speech be heard, and nothing is visibly perceptible. There is no way to extinguish the fire, neither from inside nor from the outside. The only option is to wait until all that is flammable burns up. This is [similar to] what anger does to the heart and brain. Sometimes, the fire of anger can become so fierce that the moisture containing the life of the heart dissipates; consequently, the person could die from anger. Such would be similar to the fire intensifying in the cave until it collapses, razing its ceiling to the ground. This is due to the fire’s destruction of the cave’s walls that functionally hold it up, keeping all of its parts structurally bound together. With anger, the state of heart can be just like that.
In reality, a ship struggling [to maneuver] through the virulent winds and waves of a violent sea storm is in a much better and hopeful state than that of a person overrun by anger. [At least] onboard the ship there is a captain who can look after, manage, and steer the ship. As for the heart, it is [as if] the captain of the ship has totally lost control; anger has blinded and deafened him.
Some of the apparent signs of anger include change of color; trembling of the limbs; acting in a disorderly or disorganized manner; dysregulated movement and speech to the extent that foam appears at the mouth, eyes become red, nostrils are widened, and one’s face becomes contorted. If a person were able to see themselves enraged, their anger would quickly subside out of embarrassment from [observing] their unsightly appearance and absurd behavior – and the repulsiveness of one’s inward state is even greater than the hideousness of one’s outward appearance. Indeed, that which is outwardly visible is but a [slight] indication of one’s inner condition. Accordingly, this vileness first permeates the inside, and then it spreads outwards thereafter; the changes that occur outside are only a result of the inner transformation. Consider the analogy of fruit produced by a fruit-bearing tree; the [manifestation of] anger is a mere side-effect of [what is occurring] inside the body.
As for the manifestation of anger on the tongue, it is the spewing of insults, obscenities, and detestable speech; such makes any reasonable person [who hears it] feel embarrassed; it makes the one who uttered such statements feel ashamed after their anger subsides. All of that occurs in tandem with a chaotic sense of order and muddled speech.
As for its influence on the body: hitting, attacking, tearing [clothes], and even killing and maiming without impunity [can occur] when [anger] fully takes over. If the person one is angry with runs away or escapes somehow, and one is unable to release their anger, then such a person [often] directs their rage towards their own self. Consequently, he may tear his clothing, hit himself, or slam the ground with his hands, running around like a drunken or perplexed and disoriented person. He may even succumb to a type of fit, immobilized due the intensity of his anger. He could even fall unconscious. He might lash out at inanimate objects and animals; for example, he might smash a bowl on the ground or even break a table if he were to direct his anger at it, behaving just as madmen do. He could curse and accost inanimate objects and animals, exclaiming, “How much longer will you continue like this!?” as if he were addressing a rational being. This would continue as such until perhaps he kicks an animal, and in return, the animal kicks him back.67
The following are [a few of] the ill-effects [of anger that manifest] in the heart in relation to the one with whom a person is angry: rancor; envy; suppressed negative sentiments; [the tendency] to rejoice at their adversities and lament over their triumphs; a firm resolve to divulge their secrets and uncover their faults; derision; and various other detestable things.
These are [only some of] the consequences of excessive anger.
On the other hand, the ill-effects of having an enfeebled [sense of] anger include a lack of honor with regards to the things for which one should have some sense of esteem, like how a person deals with that which is inviolable, including his wife or maidservant. Also, [spinelessly] tolerating humiliation from lowly people [is also included], as are [issues of] low self-esteem and self-respect. This state, [like excessive anger,] is similarly abhorred; from amongst its consequences is a complete lack of protective jealousy over things that are sacred; such is [unnaturally] effeminate. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, once said, “Indeed Saʾd is a very jealous man. And I am more jealous than he is. And indeed, Allah is more jealous than I am.”68
The feeling of [protective] jealousy was primarily created for the preservation of genealogy. If people were to become laxed with this, the lineages of people would get mixed up. It has thus been said, “for every nation in which protective jealousy has been instilled in men, their women will [likewise] have protection.”
[Both] apathy and for one to remain silent upon encountering evil are also from an enfeebled [sense of] anger. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best of my ummah are those who are firm.”69 meaning, in their religion. Allah, Exalted is He, says “do not let pity for them make you lenient in [upholding] the law of Allah” (Nūr 24:2). In fact, those who have lost [the capacity to feel] anger are incapable of spiritual reform, as disciplining [the soul] cannot be fully accomplished unless anger is made to dominate over the appetitive drives (shahwah) such that a person can [effectively] direct their anger at their own self whenever they feel inclined towards vile passions.
To conclude, a lack of anger is also blameworthy. The type of anger that is praiseworthy is that which depends on the direction of reason and religion; it is [proportionately] unleashed in circumstances that require it, and [adequately] subdued when forbearance is most appropriate. This [approach to] anger preserves the balance, which is the steadfastness for which Allah has made his servants accountable; it is the middle path that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, described by saying, “The best of affairs is that which is in the middle.”70
Whosoever’s anger is inclined towards apathy, such that he feels within himself weak [protective] jealousy and low self-respect by tolerating humiliation and injustice, it is necessary for him to remedy himself until he strengthens his faculty of anger. On the other hand, those whose anger inclines towards excessiveness such that it drives him to recklessness and the commission of immoral deeds, it is necessary for him to treat himself so as to reduce the intensity of his anger.71 The person should stand in the correct middle point between the two extremes, which is the Straight Path that is thinner than a hair and sharper than a sword. If one is unable to do so, they should at least seek to be [as] close [as possible] to it. Allah the Exalted, states, You will never be able to maintain [emotional] justice between your wives, no matter how keen you are. So do not totally incline towards one leaving the other hanging (Al-Nisāʾ 4:129). Moreover, if someone cannot possibly do each and every good deed [with excellence], it does not mean that they should engage in every kind of evil [without restraint]. Indeed, some evil [actions] are less [in degree] than others; similarly, some good deeds are superior to others.
Overall, this is the reality of anger and its [various] degrees. We ask Allah to enable us to do what is pleasing to Him, with excellence. Verily, He is entirely capable to do as He so wills.
6 The Heart’s Delight. Mufarriḥ al-Nafs (The Heart’s Delight) by Ibn Qādi Baalbek (d. 650 AH/1256 CE)
6.1 Author’s Biography
Muẓaffar ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ibrāhīm Abū Badr al-Dīn ibn Qāḍī Baalbek is more famously known as Ibn Qāḍī Baalbek. As his name suggests, his father, Majd al-Dīn, was an appointed judge in Baalbek (Lebanon) during the reign of ʿIzz al-Dīn Farrakshah. Upon his father’s demise, Ibn Qāḍī relocated to Damascus where he began practicing as a physician. During his time in Damascus, he acquainted himself with medical and philosophical works, memorizing many of the famous texts prevalent at that time. He also became very close to his teacher, Muhadhab al-Dīn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAli, who was the rector of a medical institution of learning. Muhadhab al-Dīn had a strong affinity towards Ibn Qāḍī due to his demonstrable intelligence. Ibn Qāḍī also studied advanced philosophy under Zayn al-Dīn al-Aʿma, who was a master in the field.
Alongside medicine, Ibn Qāḍī was also an accomplished ḥāfiẓ of the Holy Quran and he was well versed in the Islamic sciences. He was also well-known for his good character and generous contributions to expand the Islamic hospital (bimāristān) so as to serve more patients in need. Ibn Qāḍī passed away on Tuesday, the twenty-second of Ṣafar, in the year 650 AH when he was more than eighty years old. He was buried in his local cemetery, Bāb al-Ṣaghīr, in Damascus.
6.2 Text Overview and Significance
The book Mufarriḥ al-Nafs by Ibn Qādī Baalbek includes 10 sections. The first section addresses ontological remarks. The remaining 9 sections each addresses one type of elements that bring joy, happiness, and delight. There is one section on each of the physical senses (sight, smell, taste, sound, touch), one sections on medicines, one section on foods, one section on body movements, and a final section on the inner senses. This excerpt represents various sections of the books. In a unique style, this work discusses psychological states and emotions that arise through sensory stimulation. The author demonstrates the relationship between external stimulation and its subsequent effects; furthermore, he highlights the accompanying effects of such stimulation on inner emotional states. In this excerpt, the author discusses causes of happiness experienced through the sense of sight, through the sense of taste, through medicinal interventions, and through inner experiences. He supports the prominent belief that colors affect the mood of an individual and delves even deeper by comparing and contrasting the energy levels of people during the day versus their energy levels during the night. As for food intake, he mentions that consuming certain foods leads to varying emotional states, correlating certain tastes, like sweetness, for example, with a better sense of satisfaction and contentment.
6.3 Arabic Text
في اللذة المكتسبة للنفس من طريق حاسة البصر
اعلم أن المشهور عند الأطباء وعند أكثر الناس أن حاسة البصر محسوسها الألوان فقط، وليس كذلك، فإنها تحس بسبعة وعشرين جنسا من المدركات كل واحد يخالف الآخر بخلاف حاسة السمع، فإنها لا تحس إلا بالأصوات فقط.
فمدركات حاسة البصر:
الألوان والضوء والظلمة والأطراف والحجم والبعد والقرب والوضع والشكل والتفرق والاتصال والعدد والحركة والسكون والملامسة والخشونة والكثافة والشفيف والظل والحسن والقبيح والبشاشة والاختلاف والضحك والبكاء والرطوبة المعتبرة بالسيلان واليبس المعتبر بالتماسك.
وهذه الأمور قد حررتها العلوم الدقيقة الحكمية واطلعت عليها النفوس الفاضلة القدسية وهذه المدركات المعدودة بالحاسة البصر إليه ميل أكثر وفي إضافة ما تلتذ به النفس أعظم وأوفر كالألوان
وهي تنقسم إلى قسمين بسيط ومركب
فالبسيط عند بعضهم لونان: الأبيض والأسود وجميع الألوان المركبة منها على قدر اختلاف أجزائها.
وعند بعضهم أربعة: وهي الأبيض والأسود والأحمر والأصفر وما عدا هذه الألوان فمركب منها على قدر اختلاف أجزائها؟.
فالنفس تبتهج بما كان من الأجسام له اللون الأحمر والأخضر والأصفر والأبيض إما بسيط أو مركب بعضها من بعض فنظر هذه يوجب راحة النفس ولذة القلب وسرور العقل ونشاط ؟ الذهن وتوفر القوى وانبساط الأرواح وإنما قلنا ذلك لأنها ألوان مشرقة نيرة فالنفس لإشراقها ونورانيتها تميل إلى ما ناسبها فتحدث هذه الحالات المذكورة لأن النور محبوب ومعشوق.
وانظر الى فرحك وانبساطك وانشراحك وحركتك و تصرفك بالنهار، وفراغك وسكونك وتجمعك بالليل، وما سبب ؟ ذلك إلا النور تارة والظلمة أخرى.
واعلم أن النفس تسر وتلتذ وتبتهج بالنظر إلى المواضع الفسيحة لذة عظيمة، لأن الروح تلطف بنظرها إلى ذلك، فلا جرم أن المواضع المتنزهة كلما كانت أوسع كانت أنفع.
في اللذة الواردة على النفس من الواردات على البدن / من الأغذية
اعلم أن الأغذية المفرحة الواردة على البدن تنقسم على قسمين: مفردة ومركبة.
أما المفردة:
فالخبز: من الأغذية المفردة المفرحة الحسنة لا سيما إن كان من دقيق نقي مطيب بشيء من المصطكي والاشنة والأنيسون.
اللحم: من الأغذية الحسنة المفرحة المفردة النافعة السريعة الاستحالة إلى الدم، خصوصا ما كان من لحم ثني الغنم، أو من لحم الدجاج اللطيفة، أو من لحم الدراريج والفراريج والثيج بهذه الألوان، إما ملصوقة أو معرقة أو مطجنة أو مشوية قد طيبت بشيء من زعفران ودار صيني ومصطكي وماء ورد.
البيض: من الأغذية المفردة المفرحة المقوية للقلب على ما تقدم ذكره، وكان الأولى أن نذكره مع الأغذية المفردة المفرحة للنفس الحسنة البالغة النافعة في إحداث سرور القلب وقد أطنب في وصفه ومدحه عدة من الأطباء.
التفاح: قد تقدم ذكره، وهو من الأغذية المفرحة للنفس، خصوصا الحلو منه الشامي فإن النفس تبتهج به وترتاح بوروده لتوليد الدم الفاضل العَطِرِ الخالص.
الرمان: من الأغذية المفردة المفرحة للنفس لا سيما الحلو منه، وقد تقدم ذكره في الأدوية المفردة.
الحلاوات بأسرها مفرحة للنفس مزيدة في القوة منعشة للأرواح لتوليدها الدم الصالح خصوصا ما عمل منها بالسكر النقي وبشيء من أنواع الخبز مطيبة بشيء من المسك والزعفران وماء الورد والكافور.
الجلاب: مفرح للنفس، مقو للقوة، مجيد للهضم، وأطباء العرب يأمرون ملوكهم وكبراء بلدانهم أن يستعملوه على الأطعمة عوضا عن الماء، سيما ما كان بماء الورد، وهو رقيق القوام، مبرد بالفعل، فإنه يوجب سرور النفس، واحتواء المعدة على ما فيها من الطعام، فيجود الهضم. وتعديد أصناف الحلاوات مما يطول، فلا جرم ذكرناها إجمالا.
واللّٰه أعلم.
في اللذة المكتسبة للنفس من حركات البدن
اعلم أن حركات البدن مما يوجب لذة وسرورا من جهة أنها توجب تخلخلا للأعضاء، وتحليلا لفضلاتها، فتنبسط القوى والأرواح في البدن فتسر النفس لزوال العائق عن جواذبها.
ويسمى حركات البدن على الإطلاق الرياضية وينقسم إلى أقسام كثيرة:
فمنها ما يعم جملة البدن كحركة السفن والأراجيح والمهود فإن البدن يتحرك بالسواء في كل واحد منها.
ومنها ما يختص بعضو دون عضو كركوب الخيل فإنه يختص بحركة الرجلين والفخذين واللعب بالكرة الكبيرة والصوالجة على ما ذكر مما يحرك البدن أكثر من غيرها وما أشبه ذلك من الحركات المختصة بعضو دون عضو.
والتدليك في الحمام مما يحرك ظاهر البدن وينقي فضوله فإن كانت الفضول التي يراد من الرياضة تحليلها فهي هذه التي عند الجلد.
وكمال راحة الرياضة وتمام فعلها الذي يحصل به الانتفاع هو أن تربو الأعضاء وتحمر حمرة جيدة ليست بخارجة عن الاعتدال ولا تؤلمه فحينئذ تقوى القوى بها وترتاح النفس لورودها، ووجودها.
في اللذة المكتسبة للنفس من الحواس الباطنة
اعلم أن الحواس الباطنة لذتها وإدراكها يقترنان بفرح أشد وسرور أعظم وابتهاج أكثر مما يقترن به الحواس الظاهرة؛ وكيف لا يكون كذلك وهي تفضل عليها بإدراك المعاني.
وتنقسم اللذة منها على قدر النفوس فمنها:
النفوس الزكية العالمة الشريفة المتعلقة بملازمة الذكر اللطيف الجميل في الأمور الشريفة والاطلاع على الأحوال الدقيقة، واقتناص الأشياء الغامضة الخفية والمعاني الصعبة، كمن يبحث عن علوم الأفلاك وما حوت، وغيرها من العلوم الدقيقة وما جمعت، وحل المسائل المشكلة وما أوعت، فإن لمن علم شيئا من ذلك لذة عظيمة لا تنال إلا بالسكون في هذه الأحوال.
ولأصحاب العلوم العقلية مراتب في اللذات على قدر علومهم، كمن يقول الشعر فيقوى بفكرته الحسنة على تحصيل معان مبتكرة، فنفسه تشرف للقوة عليها وترتاح للوصول إليها، ويعرف ذلك من علمه وجربه.
واعلم أن النفس تلتذ وترتاح وتسر وتبتهج وتفرح ويزداد قواها قوة عند استعمال الأمور التي توجب قهر الأعادي وغلبتها لمناجزتها.
واعلم أن لذة الملوك والكبراء في ملازمة الصيد والقنص فإنها داخلة في هذا الباب، لأنهم يطلبون حيوانا يطلب النفور عنهم وعدم الانقياد إليهم، والنفس ترغب في ذلك وتهوى التذلل والانقياد إليها، فكلما كان الصيد أبعد كانت اللذة محصولها أكثر، وسرور النفس بوقوعه أوفر.
واعلم أن الفكرة في عجائب أحوال الأفلاك، وما فيها من الكواكب، ومعرفة مقاديرها ومساحتها وشكلها وسيرها ووضعها، وأفعالها الظاهرة والخفية مما يوجب لذة عظيمة، لأن النفس تطلع على قدرة بارئها وموجدها ومبدعها جل ثناؤه وتقدست أسماؤه.
خاتمة الكتاب
فالذي يجب على الإنسان العالم الفاضل أن يحرص على اجتلاب ما يفرح نفسه.
فإن اتفق أن يكون بحاسة فيكون بعض لذة، كمن يبصر المرائي الحسنة والصور المفرحة
فإن اتفق أن يكون بحاسيتين كان أشرف من الذي يكون بحاسية واحدة، كمن يبصر المستنزهات ويسمع النغمات المطربات.
فإن اتفق أن يكون بثلاث حواس كان أعظم، كمن يضيف إلى ذلك استنشاق الروائح الحسنة من البخورات والأنوار المذكورات.
فإن اتفق أن يكون بأربع حواس كان أبهج للنفس، كمن يضيف إلى ذلك الاغتذاء بما كان من الأغذية حلوا، وشرب ما يلتذ به من الأشربة.
فإن اتفق أن يكون بخمس حواس كان ألذ وأحسن، كمن يضيف إلى هذه القوة اللامسة ما كان أنعم من الملبوسات والمنكوحات.
فإن اتفق أن يقترن بذلك لذة الحواس الباطنة فهو أكمل شيء ليحصل للنفس به الفرح والسرور وكحصول ما يختاره ويهواه من أي صنف كان من الموجودات، فذلك من أكمل المفرحات.
6.4 English Translation
Pleasure Acquired through the Sense of Sight
Recognize that the popular [understanding] amongst physicians and the majority of people is that the sense of sight only detects colors. This is not the case. In fact, the sense of sight encompasses twenty-seven [unique] types of perceptions, each distinct from the other; as opposed to the sense of hearing, which does not perceive anything other than sounds.
The elements perceived by the sense of sight include colors; light and darkness; dimensions and size; remoteness and closeness; position and shape; connectedness and separability; number; movement and stillness; smoothness and roughness; opacity, transparency, and translucence; beauty and ugliness; amiability and dissonance; laughter and weeping; moisture (indicated by fluidity), and stiffness (indicated by solidity).
All these matters have been clearly elucidated by precise knowledge and have been discerned by noteworthy, virtuous individuals. The sense of sight is even more attuned to this array of perceivable details than [it is regarding] colors. And, when combined with other things that typically satisfy the soul, [the effects] are even greater and more extensive.
Colors are of two types: basic and composite. Basic colors, according to some, are two: white and black; all [other] colors are composed of each, in various increments. However, according to others, [basic colors] are four: white, black, red, and yellow; thus, [all] other colors are composed of these in various proportions.72
Indeed, the soul delights in [regarding] red, green, yellow, or white objects in basic or composite form.73 The sight of these colors soothes the soul, comforts the heart, eases the mind, invigorates the intellect, satisfies the senses, and relaxes the spirit. We believe this is the case because these are luminous, radiant colors that match [the nature of] the soul, which is inherently luminous and radiant. Accordingly, the soul is inclined towards them, resulting in the abovementioned states. [For the soul,] illumination is cherished and deeply desiderated.74
Examine your beatitude, cheerfulness, delight, energy, and activity during the daytime. Conversely, [consider] your [inclination towards] leisure, quiescence, and equanimity during the night. There is no other reason for this other than the [natural] alternation of light and darkness.75
It should also be known that the soul is immensely delighted, pleased, and uplifted by the sight of open spaces. This is because the spirit is appeased by such scenery. Undoubtedly, the wider the space, the more favorable it is for repose.
Pleasure Acquired through Food Intake76
Comforting food77 that enters one’s body is of two types: staple [food] and assorted [dishes].
Types of staples [food]:
Bread: A fine, simple, and fulfilling food, especially if it is baked with pure flour and flavored with mastic gum, asafoetida, or aniseed.
Meat: A wholesome, enjoyable, and nutritious staple food that assimilates quickly, contributing to the [production of] blood. Such is especially so with lamb meat, lean chicken meat, and meat from pigeons, sparrows, and quails.78 Such is [best prepared] as a paste, braised, fried, or roasted; lightly seasoned with saffron, cinnamomum, mastic, and rosewater.
Eggs: A satisfying staple food that strengthens the heart. Although it was mentioned earlier, it is [arguably] more appropriate to mention it here alongside the [various] fine staple food items that are highly effective in promoting a sense of well-being in the heart. Accordingly, many medical practitioners have elaborated extensively on the qualities and benefits of eggs.
Apples: Such was [also] mentioned earlier. Apples are very invigorating – especially the sweet Syrian variety. They engender delight and comfort as they stimulate the production of healthful, wholesome, and pure blood.79
Pomegranate: A stimulating staple food, especially if it is sweet. It was mentioned previously amongst the simple [types of] medicine.
Sweets, in general, are pleasurable to the soul; they provide an additional boost of energy and refresh the spirit as they stimulate the production of healthful blood. This is especially true for that which is made with pure sugar and some types of bread, [further] flavored with a little bit of musk, saffron, rose water, or camphor.
Julep: It improves one’s mood, boosts energy, and promotes digestion. Accordingly, Arab physicians would direct their rulers and the elite of their lands to consume julep with their food instead of [using normal] water. [They] especially [encouraged the use of] julep with rose water. It is fine in its makeup, refreshing in its effect, and effectuates [a sense of] personal contentment. Moreover, it helps the stomach handle food better, thus improving digestion.
To enumerate all the various types of sweets would make matters too lengthy. Necessarily, we thus had to list them [here] in brief. Allah knows best.
Pleasure Acquired through Body Movements
[It] should be known that moving the body is another one of the things that foster [feelings of] pleasure and happiness.; such causes the limbs to loosen up, detoxifying them. This, in turn, satisfies the senses and spirit within the body, inducing a sense of well-being as obstacles are freed from where they would normally accumulate.80
Movements of the body are generally called sportive movements, and they are categorized into many types:
Movements that involve the whole body, such as the movement of ships, swings, and cradles. In each of these, the entire body moves synchronously.
Movement that involves only specific parts of the body. For example, riding a horse specifically involves movement of the legs and thighs. Also, playing polo, as it is conventionally related, involves the movement of even more of the body as compared to anything else. There are likewise [many] other activities that similarly require [one to] move only specific parts of the body.
Massages in a hammām stimulate the outer parts of the body, ridding it of its waste products. In fact, these waste products under the skin are exactly what sports are meant to cleanse.81
Overall, the complete relaxing [effects] and adequate practice of sportive movements that would yield maximum benefit is [attained by] stretching the various body parts until they are moderately reddened in a way that does not elicit pain. It is only then that one’s faculties would be strengthened, and a person would find [greater] satisfaction in their being.82
Pleasure Acquired through Inner Senses83
One must realize that perceptions and pleasures attained through the inner senses are associated with high spirits, greater happiness, and more immense joy than those attained through the external senses. And how could this not be so given that the inner perceptive capabilities are superior in detecting deeper meanings.
The pleasures derived from the aforementioned vary from person to person. For example:
Honorable and pure souls imbibed with knowledge continuously engage in careful reflections upon noble matters; explorations of the true nature of things; and capturing subtle, ambiguous, and complex realities. Examples of such are embodied by people who delve into astronomy and other forms of refined sciences with all that they entail, [exhibiting a keen interest in] solving intricate matters. Whoever acquires even a fraction of such knowledge experiences immense pleasure; a unique tranquility that cannot be obtained except in these [particular] conditions.
Indeed, scholars intellectually engaging with diverse forms of knowledge [accordingly] experience various levels of pleasure proportional to their knowledge. For example, a poet, equipped to capture creative meanings through his good ideas, feels exalted and fulfilled by doing just that. This can be affirmed by anyone who has practically observed and experienced it.
Realize that a person feels pleased, relieved, delighted, happy, elated, and their strength increases when engaging in matters that challenge them to defeat and overpower their enemies in a conflict scenario. Assuredly, the pleasure experienced by kings and rulers in hunting and shooting falls under this category. That is, they are hunting an animal which is fleeing and not surrendering to them, whilst they inwardly crave and covet that subjugation and submission. Thus, the farther the hunted animal, the more pleasure is derived; the soul is most thoroughly uplifted when [the prey] falls.
Furthermore, reflecting on the wonders of outer space and the celestial bodies therein, and knowing their numbers, sizes, shapes, movements, positions, and their apparent as well as subtler behaviors, all bring about immense pleasure to a person. [This is] because such reveals the might of one’s Creator, Maker, and Originator – Exalted is His praise and Sacred are His names.84
Conclusion85
To conclude, it is incumbent upon every noble and conscious person to strive to acquire what uplifts their soul:
If it happens to be through [only] one sense, such as seeing beautiful scenery and delightful images, then one acquires some pleasure.
If it happens to be through two senses, then it is superior to that which is [experienced] through [merely] one sense; like the one beholding the scenery of captivating landscapes while listening to enchanting melodies.
If it happens to be through three senses, then that is superior, such as breathing in pleasant aromas from various types of invigorating incense, in addition to the above.
If it happens to be through four senses, then it is even more delightful, such as eating sweet foods and enjoying delicious drinks in addition to all the above.
If it happens to be through five senses, then it is even more satisfying and pleasing, such as, in addition to the above, the tactile experience of soft clothing and soft-skinned spouses.
If it happens that all of the above is [further] combined with pleasure acquired through the internal senses, then it is the most complete for experiencing overall satisfaction and contentment. Similarly, when a person gets what they want or selects from any of the aforementioned categories, that [also] elicits one of the more fulfilling [feelings] that palpably pleases [a person].
The author first starts with discussing the adaptive utility of sadness, as something that enhances functioning. Similarly, emotion theorists postulate that emotions are adaptive to the extent that they produce the required actions needed to meet personal needs (Leslie S. Greenberg, Changing Emotion with Emotion: A Practitioner’s Guide. American Psychological Association, 2021). This is indicated by an orientation to the past such that an individual reflects upon something that they lost or committed an action that they regretted leading to feelings of shame. This feeling of shame thus becomes a source of motivation to not repeat the same mistake in the future.
The statement of the author “with his chain of transmission to …” is omitted throughout the translated excerpt for the sake of flow.
Being in a state of sadness and sorrow is an indication of taking one’s life and religion seriously.
The published edition of the work says, “the All-Merciful” (al-Raḥmān) which is one of Allah’s unique names. However, it is possible that this is a typographical error and that the correct word is “mercy” (raḥma). To support this, Sharḥ al-Fayḍ al-Raḥmānī also mentions the word “mercy” instead of “the All-Merciful” in the text provided.
Here, the author demonstrates the other end of the spectrum where sadness can be maladaptive. This can occur because it is excessive and thus one becomes too emotionally dysregulated to be able to derive any meaning or benefit from such sadness. Such may be the case of clinical depression where the sadness produces a type of numbing effect, leading an individual to feel hopeless and more dysfunctional as they seemingly drown in their emotions as is consistent with the hopelessness theory of depression (see Lyn Y. Abramson, Gerald I. Metalsky, and Lauren B. Alloy, “Hopelessness Depression: A Theory-Based Subtype of Depression.,” Psychological Review 96, no. 2 (April 1989): 358–72.).
Another maladaptive expression of sadness is directly tied to one’s attachments with the world. This is consistent with other Islamic literature that lists sorrow (ḥuzn) as a vice; such works typically describe it as an indication of an excessive attachment to the temporal world, the loss of which results in feelings of grief and sorrow. Within this context, sadness is understood to be a spiritual illness that must be remedied. In order to ward off excessive sadness and the potential for hopelessness regarding religious matters, Ibn al-Jawzī suggests what is termed in modern discourse as cognitive reframing by relying on Divine mercy with hope in Allah.
The attribution here is likely to Ibn ʿUmar and not ibn ʿAmr, and it is likely a typographical error.
In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this is known as the “time machine” technique. The purpose of the technique is to help patients put their emotions into perspective by encouraging them to think about how they would likely feel about their troubling circumstances in a week, a month, a year, and up to five years from now. This technique practically increases one’s sense of awareness of their negative emotions’ temporary nature. As the patient becomes more adept in this regard, such proves to be a valuable tool as they may consciously bring this to mind whenever they face feelings of overwhelm and therefore alleviate much of their inner suffering (Laura R. Silberstein et al., “Mindfulness, Psychological Flexibility and Emotional Schemas,” International Journal of Cognitive Therapy 5, no. 4 (December 2012): 406–19.).
The passage’s thoughts align with a historical continuum of philosophical and psychological ideas. Stoic philosophy, rooted in ancient wisdom, encourages individuals to accept the natural order, acknowledge the impermanence of external things, and cultivate resilience. This view on detachment from external circumstances finds support in the passage, where minimizing attachments and recognizing the transient nature of the temporal world are central themes.
In the Islamic Golden Age, al-Kindī (c. 801–873 CE), the first of the Islamic peripatetic philosophers, and a renowned polymath made substantial contirbutions to this idea. In his Epistle on the Device for Dispelling Sorrows (Risāla fi al-ḥīla li-daf‘ al-aḥzān), he emphasized that in the world of generation and decay, it is impossible to attain everything one desires or be safe from losing things they love . He suggested focusing on the intelligible world of the intellect, which offers stable, unchanging objects of desire. Al-Kindī warns against seeking permanence in a temporal world and, like Stoicism, encourages accepting things as they are and modifying wants and desires accordingly (Peter S. Groff, “Al-Kindi and Nietzsche on the Stoic Art of Banishing Sorrow,” The Journal of Nietzsche Studies 28, no. 1 (January 1, 2004): 139–73.).
Further in history, existentialists, and existential psychologists advocated for confronting the fundamental issues of human existence, including freedom, responsibility, and the inevitability of death. (See Irvin D. Yalom, Existential Psychotherapy (London, England: Basic Books, 1980; Irvin D. Yalom, Staring at the sun: Overcoming the terror of death (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008.). These existential concerns are supported by the passage’s invitation to accept life’s uncertainties and find meaning in the midst of existential difficulties.
Additionally, the passage’s thoughts are in line with dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)’s principle of radical acceptance. Radical acceptance, a central tenet of DBT, promotes accepting and embracing reality without resistance or denial. Minimizing attachments is consistent with this acceptance of the unpredictable nature of events, and embracing the inherent flaws in the temporal World (see Marsha Linehan, Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder (New York: Guilford Press, 1993.).
This is a resilience development tactic designed to get the individual to consider a condition that is considerably worse than the one that they are currently experiencing. By focusing one’s attention on the possibility of things being worse, one can cognitively reframe their suffering, consequently viewing their tragedy as a blessing. Such a person can then be grateful for all that they have as opposed to feeling distressed over what was lost. A similar technique is used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which postulates that when people are anxious about something, they fixate on the worst possible outcome even though the worst outcome is usually not the likely outcome. As a result, people can needlessly overwhelm themselves with anxiety. Thus, while encouraging their patient to think of the worst-case scenario in relation to their anxiety-provoking situation, a CBT therapist asks them to come up with ways to cope with that theoretical scenario. This technique helps put difficult matters into perspective, effectively making it feel much more manageable in the eyes of the patient (Laura R. Silberstein et al., “Mindfulness, Psychological Flexibility and Emotional Schemas,” International Journal of Cognitive Therapy 5, no. 4 (December 2012): 406–19.).
Furthermore, this approach can be combined with the belief in destiny and divine will, recalling the belief that there are hidden blessings in every tragedy that one may not always be able to fully perceive; only an all-Merciful and all-Powerful Lord knows what is best, and He has full control.
As per Borkovec et al., individuals frequently experience anxiety when attempting to evade distressing mental images or thoughts. They invest considerable cognitive energy in preventing the occurrence of these terrifying events (Thomas D. Borkovec, Oscar M. Alcaine, and Evelyn Behar, “Avoidance Theory of Worry and Generalized Anxiety Disorder” Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Advances in Research and Practice, January 1, 2004, 77–108). However, avoidance is counterproductive and potentially useless in alleviating anxiety. Building on this idea, Robert L. Leahy who is a clinical psychologist and leading figure in the field of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) introduced the Feared Fantasy Worry, a paradoxical flooding technique aimed at assisting patients in reducing anxiety to a more manageable level. This technique encourages individuals to deliberately prolong their contemplation of their most intense fears. Over time, this exposure leads to habituation, rapidly diminishing the preceding worry (Robert L. Leahy, Cognitive Therapy Techniques, Second Edition: A Practitioner’s Guide (Guilford Publications, 2017).
Meaning, by endeavoring to embody the prayer recited in Sūrat al-Fātiḥa, one who strives to grow closer to Allah and undergo spiritual reformation will inevitably encounter occasions of grief along the way. Some Sūfis describe this grief as “qabḍ,” which is the sense of feeling constrained (Suhrawardī, ʿAwārif al-Maʿārif, 1:250–252). As one struggles to rid themselves of their worldly attachments, unlock their spiritual potential, and develop a stronger affinity for the divine, they inevitably experience grief from losing their old worldly habits and preoccupations as they progress.
Cf. al-Ḥijr 15:88; al-Naḥl 16:127; al-Naml 27:70.
Al-Bukhārī, 5932; Muslim, 2184.
Al-Bukhārī, 6008.
This statement contextualizes the basis of Ibn al-Qayyim’s view regarding grief, which seems to depict it as an inherently and entirely bad thing. It should be noted that this view, with due respect for its merit and integrity, contradicts the perspectives offered by other leading classical Islamic scholars who view grief positively, like Ibn Abī Dunya. Here, Ibn al-Qayyim demonstrates that the underlying source of grief can be either praiseworthy or blameworthy. As such, grief merely reveals what an individual is attached to and believes to be valuable; one thus naturally feels sad upon its loss. Opposedly, a hypocrite’s absence of sadness in such a scenario is reprehensible; not because of a lack of tears per se, but a lack of value or concern that which is deemed good and valuable in Islam.
Again, in and of itself, sadness is not praiseworthy according to Ibn al-Qayyim, especially if it is due to one’s attachment to the ephemeral world, as this is considered maladaptive.
Al-Bukhārī, 5318; Muslim, 2573.
This further reinforces his view that the feeling of sadness and grief is not a pleasant experience to be sought but rather something that one needs to bear and persevere through.
The author seems to express a disapproval of portraying the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as constantly engulfed in sorrow. He does not consider it appropriate for the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to be overwhelmed by worldly events or the condition of disbelievers. As previously discussed, it is evident that experiencing excessive grief over worldly matters is a flaw and it signifies an excessive attachment to material possessions; all of which is completely unbefitting for any prophet, let alone the Best of Allah’s Creation, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
In other words, Allah loves the act of exercising patience when the heart is grieving.
The adaptive expression of grief is indicated by one’s ability to remain patient and attain the pleasure of Allah by it.
The Arabic term “mizmār” is a flute or a similar type of woodwind musical instrument that uses a reed.
Meaning inclined to melody when he should be sorrowful.
I.e., that it is simply a descriptive statement, not a prescriptive one.
Ibn al-Qayyim acknowledges the validity of Ibn Harīrī’s assertion that grief can lead to spiritual elevation and forgiveness, implying that there may be certain indirect benefits associated with it. Thus, Ibn al-Qayyim, whilst presenting his own perspective, nonetheless accepts that grief is a complex state with both positive and negative aspects. However, he firmly maintains and reiterates that grief should not be actively sought after or considered inherently praiseworthy. Instead, it is seen as a natural occurrence that inevitably arises in life, and its potential benefits are contingent upon exercising patience. By quoting Ibn Harīrī after offering his own viewpoint, Ibn al-Qayyim skillfully provides a level of reconciliation between the two approaches in understanding grief as a spiritual station.
Abū Ismaʿīl al-Ansārī al-Ḥarāwī (d. 482 AH/1089 CE) who authored Manāzil al-Sā’irīn (Stations of the Wayfarers), of which this work serves as a commentary, as mentioned previously.
Engagement in something inappropriate involves committing an act that is not technically prohibited or sinful. Feeling grief for this is an indication of a higher spiritual status than that of one who engages in transgression. Regarding the comparison of spiritual levels, there is a highly relevant and oft-quoted Arabic proverb that translates as, “the good deeds of the righteous are the shortcomings of the ascetics.” While doing good deeds is important, there is a higher standard for the ascetics who habitually engage in that which is superior; thus, their descent into a state in which they perform mere good deeds of the average person is a type of spiritual demotion.
This is in reference to al-Ḥarawī’s division of the spiritual stations; he lists ten categories, and each distinct category is comprised of ten separate stations.
What is meant by “the people of sincere resolve” or irāda, is the advanced seekers of spiritual progress, reformation, and proximity as opposed to the average believer.
Again, the author is reiterating that grief is not praiseworthy in and of itself; in his view, whether or not it is commendable or blameworthy is determined by what is associated with it or by what induces it.
These ‘seeming’ thoughts do not originate in volitional thinking, but they are spiritual experiences that occur as the spiritual seeker traverses the spiritual path.
Istikhāra, is a well-known practice that literally entails “seeking goodness,” in which a person presents their decision to Allah, supplicating for the best outcome. Although doing so is still considered to be istikhāra, the term, by default, denotes a formal, transmitted supplication preceded by two units of a specifically intended supererogatory prayer (cf. al-Bukhari, 6019).
This is a very effective decision-making process model that Ibn al-Qayyim outlines. At its core, it is methodically carried out with a deep sense of prioritization, thoroughly considering that which is most beneficial as defined by what is most beloved to Allah, as opposed to what is self-serving. By surrendering one’s will over to Allah in this way, the seeker is able to interact with the divine, being able to open up his spiritual senses to signs that direct him via his prayers and istikhāra.
The five possibilities outlined above specify and define the parameters for what is most beneficial, providing enough flexibility in determining what is best based upon the individual state or circumstances of the seeker. It is noteworthy that prayers and beseeching Allah for help in making a decision does not contradict seeking the counsel of a righteous guide.
After undergoing this exhaustive process of decision-making that includes relying upon knowledge, spiritual intuition, expert counsel, and a five-factor personal and contextual analysis, one can easily accept the outcome and consequences of one’s decisions. Such a decision-making process can help produces an overall feeling of contentment in one’s choices, minimizing regrets.
This places a great emphasis on limiting overconfidence and overreliance upon oneself; rather, it is the development of Allah-reliance that is being emphasized in this approach. One must necessarily have a higher degree of self-scrutiny, skepticism, and personal interrogation of one’s motives so as not to mistake divine intuition with satanic or egocentric whispers and inclinations. Such personal skepticism should not be mistaken for an excessive or unhealthy degree of self-debasement that leads to low self-esteem, but rather the combination of recognizing one’s God-given abilities and weakness combined with an ultimate reliance on Allah is critical to psychological and spiritual well-being and consistent with living the Islamically good life. This self-critical approach is in stark contrast to theories of self-psychology in modern psychological theories that overemphasizes a need for self-confidence and self-reliance to the point of self-admiration.
It is to hold tentative plans for oneself and not create an insistent fixation on what one thinks is the best course of action, thereby leaving room for divine decree to determine otherwise.
This particular expression implies that the hadith report that the teacher narrated was being read to him by a student for checking while others present were listening and transcribing the transmissions in their own notes.
Mulla ʿAlī al-Qārī mentions in his famous ḥadīth commentary Mirqāt al-Mafātīḥ that the word for grief (ḥuzn) is simply the opposite of the word for happiness (surūr). He provides this explanation of grief in his description of the grief that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, experienced when there was a moratorium on his receiving of revelation (cf. ʿAlī al-Qārī, Mirqāt al-Mafātīḥ, vol. 9 (Lebanon: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyya, 2001), 734.). This is further elucidated by the ḥadīth wherein the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned, “Woe be to the hoarding slave; if Allah reduces the value [of his commodities] he becomes sad (ḥazina), but if He raises them in value, he becomes happy.” (cf. ʿAlī al-Qārī, Mirqāt al-Mafātīḥ, vol. 5 (Lebanon: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyya, 2001), 952.). Mulla ʿAlī Qārī also cites additional explanations of ḥuzn and hamm (worry) in saying that they occur on account of the loss of something beloved. He states that some scholars also mention that ḥuzn occurs due to a loss in the past whereas hamm occurs due to an anticipated fear of a loss in the future (cf. ʿAlī al-Qārī, Mirqāt Al-Mafātīḥ, vol. 3 (Lebanon: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyya, 2001), 128.).
However, with a slight variation to the vowelling of the word, ḥazn connotes a close yet distinct meaning of harshness or roughness. It can be used to refer to a harsh, hard, and barren land. It is the opposite of the word that denotes ease (sahl) and can similarly be used to refer to lush, soft, and fertile land. Mulla ʿAli Qārī provides the aforementioned explanation under the narration wherein a man named Ḥazn came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace; Upon learning his name, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, changed it to Sahl in order to inculcate the good virtues of softness and gentleness in him (cf. ʿAlī al-Qārī, Mirqāt Al-Mafātīḥ, vol. 7 (Lebanon: Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyya, 2001), 3000.).
This narration provides great consolation to those who experience any form of chronic sadness or grief that is not on account of worldly attachments. It provides a humane portrait of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, that normalizes the natural human experience of worry and sadness.
Indirectly drawing on other related texts, Imam al-Ṣanʾānī comments on this narration, explaining, “[Meaning] the heart that is saddened on account of one’s misdeeds and the resultant distance from one’s Lord; not the heart that is saddened due to some kind of worldly displeasure or loss.” (see Muḥammad b. Ismāʿīl Sanʿānī, al-Tanwīr Sharḥ al-Jāmi‘ al-Ṣaghīr, vol. 3 (Riyadh: Maktabat Dār al-Salām, 2011), 381.). He further mentions, “It is said that a believer’s happiness appears on his face, whereas his sadness is entrenched in his heart. As such, the heart was specifically mentioned [in the narration] as it behooves a believer to maintain a cheerful, smiling face instead of a persistently gloomy one,” (Ibid).
One can see a stark contrast between the collection of narrations employed by Ibn Abī al-Dunyā and the discussion of grief offered by Ibn al-Qayyim. Ibn Abī al-Dunyā brings together a series of narrations that provide a positive portrait of grief and sadness, whereas Ibn al-Qayyim seems to view grief as rewarding or blameworthy in correspondence to the beliefs and values that underlie it. Ibn al-Qayyim does not see sadness as intrinsically rewarding, rather the belief that underlies and leads to the emotions is what is either rewarding or blameworthy.
A potential reconciliation can be made between both scholars’ viewpoints by considering that while Ibn Abī al-Dunyā appears to favor the idea that grief is a natural emotion that is generally and inherently positive for a believer; for Ibn al-Qayyim, this would hold true only for believers for whom it would be assumed that their sadness is indicative of sound and desirable beliefs.
This is consistent with the writings of other scholars indicating that this ephemeral world is one of trials and tribulations (dār al-ibtilāʾ), by divine design.
This provides a demarcation between adaptive sadness that is associated with religious affairs contrasted by maladaptive sadness that is associated with worldly attachments.
This is a unique feature of Islamic traditional thought as exemplified by Imam al-Ghazālī, wherein even “positive” feelings or traits such as happiness or hopefulness must be tempered, as an excess of such can also be maladaptive.
Al-Tirmidhī, 45; Ibn Māja, 161.
In his Takhrīj Minḥāj al-Qāsidīn, Shuʿayb al-Arnaʾūt has graded this ḥadīth to be weak (ḍaʿīf) on account of the presence of a weak narrator in the chain, Abū Bakr al-Ghaṣānī (p. 298). Furthermore, most of the variations of this ḥadīth mention the word, “The incapacitated one” (ʿĀjiz) instead of “the foolish one” (Aḥmaq).
Ḥāfiẓ al-ʿIrāqī grades this ḥadīth as weak. He states that it has been narrated in al-Tabrani’s collection called, “al-Kabīr” (see ʿIrāqī, al-Mughnī ‘an Ḥaml al-Asfār, 149.).
Muslim, 2877.
Ibn Māja, 4261; al-Tirmidhī, 983.
In moderation, fear is thought to have adaptive functions in terms of both cognitive and behavioral responses. From the perspective of evolutionary psychologists, fear, in its adaptive form, allows for the aversion of danger. In its maladaptive form, however, it can lead to anxiety disorders and depression (John D. Teasdale, Zindel Segal, and J. Mark G. Williams, “How Does Cognitive Therapy Prevent Depressive Relapse and Why Should Attentional Control (Mindfulness) Training Help?,” Behaviour Research and Therapy 33, no. 1 (January 1995): 25–39.).
In the above section, al-Ghazālī highlights that excessive anxiety can lead to dysfunction that is indicated by personal, familial, and social functioning. This is quite similar to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) criteria for considering something to have met the clinical threshold of being considered a disorder (American Psychological Association, 2013).
Modern psychological perspectives struggle to determine the adaptiveness of emotion regulation as researchers assume that it is adaptive to down-regulate all negative emotions and up-regulate all of the positive ones (cf. Drew Westen and Pavel S. Blagov, “A Clinical-Empirical Model of Emotion Regulation: From Defense and Motivated Reasoning to Emotional Constraint Satisfaction,” in Handbook of Emotion Regulation (The Guilford Press, 2007), 374.). For example, Westen and Blagov define emotion regulation as “… procedures people use to try to maximize pleasant and minimize unpleasant feelings, emotions, and moods,” (Westen and Blagov, “A Clinical-Empirical Model of Emotion Regulation: From Defense and Motivated Reasoning to Emotional Constraint Satisfaction.”). However, to truly determine the adaptiveness of emotion regulation, one must study the emotion in its cultural-religious context by taking into consideration short-term and long-term goals, and other motivators behind the regulation process. As outlined above, as well as throughout the vast heritage of classical literature, Islamic perspectives view emotions as processes involving the demands of the religion.
The Arabic term mudāwā indicates and includes treatment with the opposite states. This approach was and is commonplace in traditional humoral medicine whereby an individual afflicted with too much heat in their body would be regulated through the consumption of cooling foods and activities. This analogy is extended to psycho-spiritual conditions by many traditionally trained spiritual practitioners, whereby they attempt to treat an extreme manifestation of an emotional or spiritual state with its opposite state in order to establish equilibrium within the patient. In this case, too much fear is then treated through cognitive reframing in order to engender a hopeful psychological orientation via the usage of Quranic verses as al-Ghazali describes in this text.
Adaptive anxiety leads an individual to be concerned with fears of adverse consequences; such serves as a motivator to desist from engaging in sins for fear of punishment from Allah. Conversely, someone immersed in sin who does not put forth any significant effort to improve on account of a misplaced hope for the forgiveness of Allah needs to have their false hopes countered through reminders of Allah’s wrath.
This underscores a very important principle describing psycho-spiritual treatment as a very nuanced process. Similar to cognitive therapies, al-Ghazālī suggests that a spiritual guide should adopt an approach that is based on an assessment of the patient’s particular needs, working to induce and adjust their states accordingly. The philosophy of unique treatment elucidated here entails the referencing of scripture in order to cognitive reframe or induce the opposite emotional state that the patient is experiencing, thereby engendering psychospiritual equilibrium.
Abū Dāwūd, 4278.
Bayḥaqī has narrated a similar ḥadīth with slightly different wording in Shuʿāb al-Īmān, vol. 1, p. 421. However, Bayḥaqī classifies this ḥadīth as a fabrication (mawdūʿ). (See al-Bayhaqī, Kitāb Shuʿab al-Īmān, 1:421.)
Muslim, 2751.
Muḥammad Ibn Sa’d, Al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. 7 (Cairo: Maktabat al-Khanjī, 2001), 135; Ibn Manthūr, Tahdhīb Tārīkh Dimashq, 5:292.
Al-Bukhārī, 20; Aḥmad, 3:317.
Abū Muḥammad Zakī al-dīn al-Mundhirī, Al-Targhīb Wa-l-Tarhīb Min al-Hadīth al-Sharif, vol. 1 (Beirut: Dār Iḥyā’ al-Turāth al-’Arabī, 1968), 26; ʿAlāuddīn al-Muttaqī al-Hindī, Kanz Al-’Ummāl, vol. 3 (Muassasat al-Risāla, 1981), 149; Ismāʿīl Ibn Muḥammad al-ʿAjlūnī, Kashf Al-Khafā’, vol. 2 (Cairo: Maktabat al-Qudsī, 1351), 249. Ḥāfiẓ al-ʿIrāqī grades this ḥadīth as severely weak (ʿIrāqī, Al-Mughnī ’an Ḥaml al-Asfār, 510).
Aḥmad, 6:159; Abū Nuʿaym al-Isfahānī, Ḥilya al-Awliyāʾ wa Tabaqāt al-Aṣfiyāʾ, vol. 10 (Cairo: Dār al-Ḥadīth, 2009), 278; Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, Fatḥ Al-Bāri bi-Ṣharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, vol. 11 (Egypt: al-Maktabat al-Salafiyya, 1380), 170; Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī, al-Durr al-Manthūr, vol. 6 (Beirut: Dār Fikr, n.d.), 105.
Abū Muḥammad Zakī al-dīn al-Mundhirī, al-Targhīb wa-l-Tarhīb min al-Hadīth al-Sharif, vol. 4 (Beirut: Dār Iḥyā’ al-Turāth al- ʿArabī, 1968), 231; al-Muttaqī al-Hindī, Kanz al-‘Ummāl, 3:148.
This is completely in convergence with emotion theory which posits that the underlying need for emotion is justice upon being wronged or mistreated. Without the need for justice being fulfilled, an individual may feel resentment and continuous anger inside. Al-Ghazālī normalizes this as a natural pre-wired instinct that is given to human beings as an adaptive faculty just as evolutionary psychologists also theorize.
Furthermore, the instinctual emotion of anger serves as a fundamental motivator for human beings, but it also possesses a potential for predatory aggression and destruction if not properly regulated. However, in its primitive adaptive form, it allows for self-preservation and the protection of offspring. In the context of humans as social beings, it also evokes a sense of righteousness and a desire for justice. The underregulation of this emotion is destructive anger and the over-regulation of it is cowardice (see Muḥammad Birgivī, Al-Ṭarīqa al-Muḥammadiyya Wa-l-Sīra al-Aḥmadiyya (Damascus: Dār al-Qalam, 2011), 254.). Thus, Islamic scholars acknowledge the survival instincts of the human being and that human emotions contain underlying adaptive needs, whilst likewise maintaining that predatory or hedonistic inclinations are destructive. The appropriate regulation of these emotions allows for its healthy expression.
In consideration of contemporary discourse and its context, it is remarkable that al-Ghazālī similarly provides a mutli-dimensional perspective on the underlying causes of anger, including both the possibility of it originating in one’s temperament-nature as well as environmental learning and social modeling.
A multitude of complimentary prophetic traditions corroborate the fiery nature of anger. Consider the narration in which Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Verily anger is burning coal in the heart of the Son of Adam. Do you not see the redness of his eyes and the swelling of his jugular veins …” (al-Tirmidhī, 2191). Also, ʿAṭiyyah al-Saʿdī, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, stated, “Certainly anger is from Satan, and Satan was created from fire …” (Abū Dāwūd, 4784).
Considering that al-Ghazālī was not a specialist in the field of medicine, by simply mentioning commonly known facts of medicine available to him, it can be deduced that Muslim physicians in al-Ghazālī’s era were well-aware that cognitive processes are in fact associated with the brain.
Al-Ghazālī is describing the interrelated nature of emotion, cognition, and physiology in human beings. He adeptly underpins how intense emotional arousal can impair one’s executive functioning. Although he utilizes the imagery and terminologies of ancient medicine to describe physiological expressions of anger, it is noteworthy to point out that he nonetheless acknowledges that excessive emotional activation, known today as the over-activation of the amygdala, can compromise executive functioning. Like many emotion theorists posit, al-Ghazālī seems to describe anger as an instinctual response in the body.
Here, al-Ghazālī highlights that anger can lead to psychosomatic complaints.
The signs of explosive anger mentioned here are similar to intermittent explosive anger found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Al-Ghazālī is drawing attention to the signs and indicators of this type of pathological anger.
Bukhārī (6846); Muslim (1499).
Al-Bayhaqī, Shu‘ab al-Imān, 8301, 8302; al-Qaḍāʿī, Musnad al-Shihāb, 1276.
Al-Bayhaqī, Shu‘ab al-Imān, 6601; al-Asbahānī, Abū Nuʿaym, Mʿarifa al-Ṣaḥābah, 3171.
After listing the symptoms, indicators and unhealthy physiological and psychological consequences associated with excessive or deficient anger, al-Ghazālī concludes the discussion by urging the reader to engage in self-analysis. Accordingly, if one finds that such indicators exist, they are further advised to seek the requisite treatment to remedy this dysfunctional and dysregulated emotion.
The idea of primary colors evolved historically in different disciplines that study color and its perception, which yielded different primary color choices. Some of the disciplines that contributed to identifying primary colors include art history, philosophy, physics of light, and psychology of perception.
The author elaborated in a different section on the beauty of Allah’s creation where these four colors are the main colors of delightful creations such lights, trees, fruits, gold, pearls, emerald, and ruby.
Studying the psychological impact of colors is an established discipline in the interior design industry. It is well-established that the use of certain colors and color combinations in an interior can result in a positive/negative impact or result in a wide range of emotional impacts.
In a subsequent paragraph, which was not included here for the sake of brevity, the author elaborates on the potentially aversive emotional impact of dark colors to the extent of producing negative biological influences (humoral imbalances). The author indicated that the impact of such dark colors is more pronounced when in clothing items. The latter is reminiscent of the Prophetic teaching “Wear white garments, for they are purer and better, and shroud your dead in them.”
The concept of comfort food refers to foods that are thought to provide a feeling of well-being, improved mood, or emotional comfort. Comfort foods preferences emerge from a variety of sources including one’s culture and childhood. While sweetness and high-caloric nature tends be common in comfort foods, this is not always the case, as evident in current literature on the topic but also as evident in this section of the book. For a review on the topic, see: Charles Spence, “Comfort Food: A Review,” International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science 9 (October 2017): 105–9.
The origins of the term comfort food trace back to the 1960s–1970s. However, the concept itself, as evident in this treatise, was explicitly tackled in this early Muslim treatise.
It is possible that the author is specifically referring to the attagen, francolin, heath-cock, or rail. The attagen, which in Latin means “a kind of bird”, resembles the Arabic ḥayquṭān; it was a common bird of pre-modern Iraq, marked with distinct black and white spots.
The author alluded a few times in this section that one of the properties that contribute to comfort foods being so is the fact that they produce physiological and biological influences such as producing healthy blood. Contemporary research examined neurobiological impacts of comfort foods including the release of mood-enhancing opiates, serotonin, and the reduction of cortisol. However, research in this domain has not been conclusive.
In this sentence, the author succinctly summarizes the physical, physiological, and emotional benefits of physical activity. There is an increasing amount of evidence documenting the beneficial impacts of physical activity on mental health and its outcomes.
This is in line with the notion proposed by the father of Swedish massage, Hendrik Ling, that massage could bring about healing by improving the circulation of the blood and lymph. However, the exact biological underpinnings of the healing benefits of massage are understudied.
In later paragraphs in this section, the author elaborated on one form of physical movement and its connection to spiritual and emotional well-being, namely dance (in the way it is performed in some Sufi traditions).
This section delves into unique forms of activities and endeavors that bring forth supreme states of delight and tranquility through what the author named “inner senses”. By inner senses-derived delight, the author refers to a range of intellectually-, spiritually-, and morally uplifting activities that inculcate connection with knowledge, science, wisdom, courage, and morality.
In later passages, the author further elaborates on delight obtained from reflecting on other natural phenomena such physical geography, climate, and weather. He also discusses supreme delight obtained through reflecting on and refining oneself.
It is helpful here to quote Elbaum (2016) who stated while reflecting on this work, “it is clear that The Soul-Cheerer was a unique medical text in its time. It takes a special intuition to try to create a single category out of disparate stimuli such as apples, Sufi dancing, poetry, and chebulic myrobalan, to posit that the soul-cheering effects of each are mediated by comparable physiological mechanisms – some 700 years before the discovery of dopamine reward pathways – and, finally, to resolve that what the world needs most is a textbook setting forth the secrets of synthesizing happiness.” (Alan Elbaum, “The Pursuit of Happiness: T-S Ar.44.201,” September 1, 2016.).