Levels of People with Regards to Prayers

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   Bismillah

Asalamu Alaikum

THE LEVELS OF PEOPLE WITH REGARD TO THEIR PRAYER

by Ibn al-Qayyim l-Jawziyya

Excerpted from the book "The Path to Guidance"

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "And mankind, with regard to their performance of prayer are in five levels.

The First: The level of the one who is negligent and wrongs his soul. He is the one who falls short in performing ablution properly, performing the prayer upon its time and within its specified limits, and in fulfilling its essential pillars.

The Second: The one who guards his prayers upon their proper times and within their specified limits, fulfils their essential pillars and performs his ablution with care. However, his striving is wasted due to whisperings in his prayer so he is taken away by thoughts and ideas.

The Third: The one who guards his prayers within the specified limits, fulfils their essential pillars and strives with himself to repel the whisperings, thoughts and ideas. He is busy struggling against his enemy (Shaitan) so that he does not steal from the prayer. On account of this he is engaged in (both) prayer and jihad.

The Fourth: The one who stands for the prayer, completes and perfects its due rights, its essential pillars, performs it within its specified limits and his heart becomes engrossed in safeguarding its rights and specified limits, so that nothing is wasted from it. His whole concern is directed towards its establishment, its completion and its perfection, as it should be. His heart is immersed in the prayer and in enslavement to his Lord, the Exalted.

The Fifth: The one who stands for the prayer like the one mentioned above. However, on top of this, he has taken and placed his heart in front of his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, looking towards Him with his heart with anticipation, (his heart) filled with His love and His might, as if he sees and witnesses Allah. The whisperings, thoughts and ideas have vanished and the coverings which are between him and his Lord are raised. What is between this person and others with respect to the prayer, is superior and greater than what is between the heavens and the earth. This person is busy with his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, delighted with Him.

The first type will be punished, the second type will be held to account, the third will have his sins and shortcomings expiated, the fourth will be rewarded and the fifth will be close to his Lord, because he will receive the portion of the one who makes his prayer the delight and pleasure of his eye. Whoever makes his prayer the delight and pleasure of his eye, will have the nearness to his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, made the delight and pleasure of his eye in the hereafter. He will also be made a pleasure to the eye in this world since whoever makes Allah the pleasure of his eye in this world, every other eye will become delighted and pleased with him.

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rami Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Male Joined: 01 March 2000 Status: Offline Points: 2549	Post Options Post Reply Quote rami Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Levels of People with Regards to Prayers Posted: 04 March 2005 at 10:01pm
	Bismillah Asalamu Alaikum THE LEVELS OF PEOPLE WITH REGARD TO THEIR PRAYER by Ibn al-Qayyim l-Jawziyya Excerpted from the book "The Path to Guidance" Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "And mankind, with regard to their performance of prayer are in five levels. The First: The level of the one who is negligent and wrongs his soul. He is the one who falls short in performing ablution properly, performing the prayer upon its time and within its specified limits, and in fulfilling its essential pillars. The Second: The one who guards his prayers upon their proper times and within their specified limits, fulfils their essential pillars and performs his ablution with care. However, his striving is wasted due to whisperings in his prayer so he is taken away by thoughts and ideas. The Third: The one who guards his prayers within the specified limits, fulfils their essential pillars and strives with himself to repel the whisperings, thoughts and ideas. He is busy struggling against his enemy (Shaitan) so that he does not steal from the prayer. On account of this he is engaged in (both) prayer and jihad. The Fourth: The one who stands for the prayer, completes and perfects its due rights, its essential pillars, performs it within its specified limits and his heart becomes engrossed in safeguarding its rights and specified limits, so that nothing is wasted from it. His whole concern is directed towards its establishment, its completion and its perfection, as it should be. His heart is immersed in the prayer and in enslavement to his Lord, the Exalted. The Fifth: The one who stands for the prayer like the one mentioned above. However, on top of this, he has taken and placed his heart in front of his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, looking towards Him with his heart with anticipation, (his heart) filled with His love and His might, as if he sees and witnesses Allah. The whisperings, thoughts and ideas have vanished and the coverings which are between him and his Lord are raised. What is between this person and others with respect to the prayer, is superior and greater than what is between the heavens and the earth. This person is busy with his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, delighted with Him. The first type will be punished, the second type will be held to account, the third will have his sins and shortcomings expiated, the fourth will be rewarded and the fifth will be close to his Lord, because he will receive the portion of the one who makes his prayer the delight and pleasure of his eye. Whoever makes his prayer the delight and pleasure of his eye, will have the nearness to his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, made the delight and pleasure of his eye in the hereafter. He will also be made a pleasure to the eye in this world since whoever makes Allah the pleasure of his eye in this world, every other eye will become delighted and pleased with him.
	Rasul Allah (sallah llahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord" and whoever knows his Lord has been given His gnosis and nearness.

rami Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Male Joined: 01 March 2000 Status: Offline Points: 2549	Post Options Post Reply Quote rami Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 March 2005 at 10:01pm
	Bismillah A Most Beautiful Hadith Among All The Beautiful Ahadith What Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) answered when asked about this life and the Hereafter Khalid ibn al Wal�d narrated the following hadith: A Bedouin came one day to the Prophet and said to him, 'O, Messenger of Allah! I've come to ask you a few questions about the affairs of this Life and the Here After.' - Ask what you wish. Q: I'd like to be the most learned of men. A: Fear Allah, and you will be the most learned of men. Q: I wish to be the richest man in the world. A: Be contented, and you will be the richest man in the world. Q: I'd like to be the most just man. A: Desire for others what you desire for yourself, and you will be the most just of men. Q: I want to be the best of men. A: Do good to others and you will be the best of men. Q: I wish to be the most favored by Allah. A: Engage much in Allah's praise, and you will be most favored by Him. Q: I'd like to complete my faith. A: If you have good manners you will complete your faith Q: I wish to be among those who do good. A: Adore Allah as if you see Him. If you don 't see Him, He seeth you. In this way you will be among those who do good. Q: I wish to be obedient to Allah. A: If you observe Allah's commands you will be obedient. Q: I'd like to be free from all sins. A: Bathe yourself from impurities and you will be free from all sins. Q: I'd like to be raised on the Day of Judgement in the light. A: Don't wrong yourself or any other creature, and you will be raised on the Day of Judgement in the light. Q: I'd like Allah to bestow His mercy on me. A: If you have mercy on yourself and others, Allah will grant you mercy on the Day of Judgement. Q: I'd like my sins to be very few. A: If you seek the forgiveness Allah as much as you can, your sins will be very few. Q: I'd like to be the most honorable man. A: If you do not complain to any fellow creature, you will be the most honorable of men. Q: I'd like to be the strongest of men. A: If you put your trust in Allah, you will be the strongest of men. Q: I'd like to enlarge my provision. A: If you keep yourself pure, Allah will enlarge your provision. Q: I'd like to be loved by Allah and His messenger. A: If you love what Allah and Him messenger love, you will be among their beloved ones. Q: I wish to be safe from Allah's wrath on the Day of Judgement. A: If you do not loose your temper with any of your fellow creatures, you will be safe from the wrath of Allah on the Day of Judgement. Q: I'd like my prayers to be responded. A: If you avoid forbidden actions, your prayers will he responded. Q: I'd like Allah not to disgrace me on the Day of Judgement. A: If you guard your chastity, Allah will not disgrace you on the Day of Judgement. Q: I'd like Allah to provide me with a protective covering on the Day of Judgement. A: Do not uncover your fellow creatures faults, and Allah will provide you with a covering protection on the Day of Judgement. Q: What will save me from sins? A: Tears, humility and illness. Q: What are the best deeds in the eyes of Allah? A: Gentle manners, modesty and patience. Q: What are the worst evils in the eyes of Allah? A: Hot temper and miserliness. Q: What assuages the wrath of Allah in this life and in the Hereafter? A: Concealed charity and kindness to relatives. Q: What extinguishes hell's fires on the Day of Judgement? A: Patience in adversity and misfortunes. Related by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal
	Rasul Allah (sallah llahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord" and whoever knows his Lord has been given His gnosis and nearness.