A Muslim Convert Once Before

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Once, Shaykha Rabi’ah al-‘Adawiyyah al-Qaysiyyah al-Baswri ( q.s. ) was on her way to Makkah, when half-way there she saw the Ka’bah coming to meet her.   She said, “It is the Lord of the House whom I need; what have I to do with the House?   I need to meet Him Who said, ‘Who approaches Me by a span’s length I will Approach him by the length of a cubit.’   The Ka’bah which I see has no power over me; what joy does the beauty of the Ka’bah bring to me?” At the same time, the great wali , Shaykh  Abu Ishaq  Ibrahim ibn Adham ( q.s. ) arrived at the Ka’bah, but he did not see it, only the shadow.   He had spent fourteen years making his way to the Ka’bah, because in every place of prayer, he performed two rak’ah .   Shaykh Ibrahim ( q.s. ) said, “Alas!   What has happened?   It maybe that some injury has overtaken my eyes.” An unseen voice said to him, “No harm has befallen your eyes, but the Ka’ba...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Imam Abu al-Faraj ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Jawzy ( r.a. ) wrote, in Thib ar-Ruhani , that the best of discipline is that which is done at a young age.  On the other hand, if a boy is left to his own characteristics, and matures possessing these characteristics, then changing him would be difficult.   A poet said, “If you straighten the branches they will straighten up, but wood does not soften if you bend it.”   Discipline benefits children gradually, but it will not benefit those who have aged.   Perseverance in discipline is a significant principle, particularly in regard to children as it benefits them in that good becomes a habit to them.   A poet said, “Do not neglect disciplining a child, even if he complains of the pain of exhaustion.”   Know that a doctor considers the age of the patient, his place, time and then he prescribes the medicine.  Likewise discipline should be suited to each chil...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Shaykh Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Adham ( q.s. ) said, “If you would like to be a friend of God, then desire not the things of this world or the next.   Empty yourself for God.   Turn your face to Him so that He may Turn to you and Make you His friend.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ Shaykh Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Adham ( q.s. ) said, “You know death must overtake you, but you make no preparation for it.”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ It is reported that Shaykh Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Adham ( q.s. ) once passed through the market of Baswra.  People gathered around him and asked, “O Abu Ishaq, Allah ( s.w.t. ) Says, in his Book, ‘Call on me; I will Answer your prayers’, but we have been calling on Him for a long time and He does not Answer our prayers.”   Shaykh Ibrahim ( q.s. ) replied, “O people of Basra, your hearts have died in respect to ten things: First, you know Allah ( s.w.t. ) but you do not give Him His Rights; second, you have read Allah’s ( s.w.t. ) Book but you do not act by it; third, you claim to love Allah’s ( s.w.t. ) Messenger ( s.a.w. ) and yet you abandon his sunnah ; fourth, you claim to be enemies to Shaythan but you conform to his ways; fifth, you say you desire Paradise yet you do not work for it; sixth, you say you fear the Fire yet you put yourselves closer to it; seventh, you say death is true but you do not prepare for it; eighth, you busy ...

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ A man came to Shaykh Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Adham ( q.s. ) and said, “Ya Abu Ishaq, I am unable to control myself.  Please give me something to help me with it.”   “If you accept five conditions,” said Shaykh Ibrahim ( q.s. ), “and can put them into practice, your disobedience will not cause you any problem.”   “Tell what they are, Abu Ishaq,” the man said.   “The first is that when you want to disobey Allah ( s.w.t. ), you do not eat anything He Provides.”   “Then how will I get anything to eat?  Everything on the earth is from Him.”   “So, is it right to eat His Provision and disobey Him at the same time?” replied Shaykh Ibrahim ( q.s. ).   “No, it is not.  What is the second condition?”   “When you want to disobey Him, move off His land.”   “That is even more difficult,” exclaimed the man.  “In that case, where will I live?”   “Is it right to eat His Provision and live on His land a...