A letter to mum. From Ibn Taymiyyah

[Ali Hammuda]

Not only was he one of a kind in the field of Da’wah, memorisation, precise understanding and worship, but his kindness to his parents, one of the most important dimensions of Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyya’s life, is many a times not given its due attention.

Below is a heart-melting letter which he sent to his mother, apologising for his prolonged absence.

As you read, note the way in which the scholars of Islam speak to their parents.

He says,

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنْ أَحْمَد بْنِ تَيْمِيَّة إلَى الْوَالِدَةِ السَّعِيدَةِ أَقَرَّ اللَّهُ عَيْنَيْهَا بِنِعَمِهِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْهَا جَزِيلَ كَرَمِهِ وَجَعَلَهَا مِنْ خِيَارِ إمَائِهِ وَخَدَمِهِ. سَلَامُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ. وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ. فَإِنَّا نَحْمَدُ إلَيْكُمْ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا إلَهَ إلَّا هُوَ وَهُوَ لِلْحَمْدِ أَهْلٌ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. وَنَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ عَلَى خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَإِمَامِ الْمُتَّقِينَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيمًا.
“In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Kind. From Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah to my dear and honourable mother, may Allah bless her abundantly and grant her peace and comfort, and make her amongst the best of His servants, Assalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. We praise Allah, the most worthy of praise. There is no deity worthy of worship but He, and He has Power over all things. We ask Him to bless the seal of the Prophets and Imam of the pious, Mohammad, His servant and Messenger (peace be upon him)

كِتَابِي إلَيْكُمْ عَنْ نِعَمٍ مِنْ اللَّهِ عَظِيمَةٍ وَمِنَنٍ كَرِيمَةٍ وَآلَاءٍ جَسِيمَةٍ نَشْكُرُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهَا وَنَسْأَلُهُ الْمَزِيدَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ. وَنِعَمُ اللَّهِ كُلَّمَا جَاءَتْ فِي نُمُوٍّ وَازْدِيَادٍ وَأَيَادِيهِ جَلَّتْ عَنْ التَّعْدَادِ. وَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ مُقَامَنَا السَّاعَةَ فِي هَذِهِ الْبِلَادِ إنَّمَا هُوَ لِأُمُورِ ضَرُورِيَّةٍ مَتَى أَهْمَلْنَاهَا فَسَدَ عَلَيْنَا أَمْرُ الدِّينِ وَالدُّنْيَا. وَلَسْنَا وَاَللَّهِ مُخْتَارِينَ لِلْبُعْدِ عَنْكُمْ وَلَوْ حَمَلَتْنَا الطُّيُورُ لَسِرْنَا إلَيْكُمْ وَلَكِنَّ الْغَائِبَ عُذْرُهُ مَعَهُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَوْ اطَّلَعْتُمْ عَلَى بَاطِنِ الْأُمُورِ فَإِنَّكُمْ - وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ - مَا تَخْتَارُونَ السَّاعَةَ إلَّا ذَلِكَ
I write to you about the many bounties of Allah and His never ending aid and countless favours. We praise Him for it, and ask Him to increase it upon us. I am sure that you are aware that my stay in Egypt is for essential matters which, if I was to abandon, will lead to the corruption of our Deen and Dunya. By Allah, I never choose to be far from you and had birds been able to carry me, I would have come to you. But the absent one has his reasons. Had you looked deeply into the affairs of the Muslims, you – Alhamdulillah - would not choose for me any other place than where I am at present.

وَلَمْ نَعْزِمْ عَلَى الْمُقَامِ وَالِاسْتِيطَانِ شَهْرًا وَاحِدًا بَلْ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ نَسْتَخِيرُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمْ وَادْعُوا لَنَا بِالْخِيَرَةِ فَنَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ أَنْ يَخِيرَ لَنَا وَلَكُمْ وَلِلْمُسْلِمِينَ مَا فِيهِ الْخِيَرَةُ فِي خَيْرٍ وَعَافِيَةٍ.
Nevertheless, I have never intended to reside here permanently. Rather, I pray ‘Istikhaara every day and make du’ah for me and you, as I ask Him for your well-being. I ask Him to bless me, yourself and the rest of the Muslims with goodness and well-being.

وَمَعَ هَذَا فَقَدْ فَتَحَ اللَّهُ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْخَيْرِ وَالرَّحْمَةِ وَالْهِدَايَةِ وَالْبَرَكَةِ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ يَخْطُرُ بِالْبَالِ وَلَا يَدُورُ فِي الْخَيَالِ وَنَحْنُ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ مَهْمُومُونَ بِالسَّفَرِ مُسْتَخِيرُونَ اللَّهَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. فَلَا يَظُنُّ الظَّانُّ أَنَا نُؤْثِرُ عَلَى قُرْبِكُمْ شَيْئًا مِنْ أُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا قَطُّ. بَلْ وَلَا نُؤْثِرُ مِنْ أُمُورِ الدِّينِ مَا يَكُونُ قُرْبُكُمْ أَرْجَحَ مِنْهُ. وَلَكِنْ ثَمَّ أُمُورٌ كِبَارٌ نَخَافُ الضَّرَرَ الْخَاصَّ وَالْعَامَّ مِنْ إهْمَالِهَا. وَالشَّاهِدُ يَرَى مَا لَا يَرَى الْغَائِبُ.
Despite this, Allah has opened for me His many gates of blessings, mercy and guidance in a way which I could never have imagined. Yet I am always considering travelling towards you, making the prayers of Istikharah. Let no one be under the impression that I prefer any aspect of Dunya over being close to you, not even aspects of Deen which are of lesser importance than being close to you. However, there are colossal matters which l cannot abandon for fear of the general and personal dangers involved and the one who is present sees what the absent does not.

وَالْمَطْلُوبُ كَثْرَةُ الدُّعَاءِ بِالْخِيَرَةِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ وَلَا نَعْلَمُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلَا نَقْدِرُ وَهُوَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ
I ask you to make a lot of du’ah for me. Ask Him to guide us, for He Knows and we do not, He is able and we are weak and He is the knower of the unseen.

وَالتَّاجِرُ يَكُونُ مُسَافِرًا فَيَخَافُ ضَيَاعَ بَعْضِ مَالِهِ فَيَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يُقِيمَ حَتَّى يَسْتَوْفِيَهُ وَمَا نَحْنُ فِيهِ أَمْرٌ يُجَلُّ عَنْ الْوَصْفِ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إلَّا بِاَللَّهِ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ كَثِيرًا كَثِيرًا وَعَلَى سَائِرِ مَنْ فِي الْبَيْتِ مِنْ الْكِبَارِ وَالصِّغَارِ وَسَائِرِ الْجِيرَانِ وَالْأَهْلِ وَالْأَصْحَابِ وَاحِدًا وَاحِدًا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
The business men who travel the world sometimes need to stay a little longer during their business trips if they fear the loss of their money, so they settle at that place just until they are able to return. However, as for the matters that I am in the middle of are too great to describe, but there is no power or ability except
through Allah.

Please convey my Salaams to the entire household, young and old, and the rest of neighbours, friends and relatives one by one.
And praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds.”

(From the book, ‘Majmoo’ul Fataawaah’)

He was distant from his parents.

But these were his justifications.

How do we justify ours?

[fhmn63]

These days every one has skype,imo and all sort of video calling for free.
These Days You can't justify your absense from your love One .