Acknowledging the Grace of Allah

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Acknowledging the Grace of Allah

Imam Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali



Now that this noble principle has been established, it is known that deeds, in and of themselves, do not necessitate salvation from the Fire and entry into Paradise, let alone necessitating the ascension to the uppermost levels of Paradise: the levels of Those Brought Close, and seeing the face of the Lord of the worlds, and it is known that this can only come to pass through the mercy of Allah, His grace, and forgiveness. This then requires the believer to abandon thinking highly of his deeds and to look solely to the grace of Allah and His blessings.

One of the Gnostics was asked, 'Which deed is best?' He replied, 'Realising the grace of Allah, Mighty and Magnificent.' He then recited,

If quantities were able to aid in any way,

They would join the obtuse with the judicious.

When all of this is understood, it is obligatory upon the believing the servant; the servant who desires salvation from the Fire and entry into Paradise, who desires to be close to His Master and to look on at His face; to seek all of this by taking to the means that lead to Allah's mercy, pardon, forgiveness, pleasure, and love. It is in this way that he will attain His munificence. The means are the various deeds Allah has appointed: only those deeds that He has legislated upon the tongue of His Messenger: only those deeds that His Messenger told us would serve to draw us closer to Allah: those deeds that He loves and lead to His pleasure and forgiveness. Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“Allah's Mercy is close to the good-doers.”[1]

“My Mercy extends to all things but I will prescribe it for those who have taqwa…”[2]

So it is obligatory upon the servant to seek out those traits of taqwa[3] and goodness that Allah has legislated in His Book or upon the tongue of His Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and having done so, draw closer to Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, through enacting them. There is no other path that can lead to the goal of the believing servant.

[1] Surah al-A'raf (7): 56

[2] Surah al-A'raf (7): 156

[3] Talq ibn Habib said upon being asked about taqwa, 'That you perform the obedience of Allah upon a light from Allah, hoping for the reward of Allah. You leave disobedience to Allah upon a light from Allah, fearing the punishment of Allah.'
Recorded by ibn al-Mubarak, al-Zuhd #473 with a sahih isnad.
Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Risalah al-Tabukiyyah, p. 27, said, 'This is the best that has been said concerning the definition of taqwa for indeed every action must have a beginning cause to it and an objective. An action can never be considered to be obedience and a cause to draw one closer to Allah until its point of commencement and cause be unadulterated faith, not habit, not base desires, not the wish for praise and position, nor other such things. Its objective must be the reward that lies with Allah and His good-pleasure, this being the definition of ihtisab. This is why we often find the combined mention of these two foundations such as in his (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying, "Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan out of faith and ihtisab..."
His saying, 'upon a light from Allah' points to the first foundation which is faith. His saying, 'hoping for the reward of Allah' points to the second foundation which is ihtisab?