The Reward of Being Busy in the Service of Allah – Imam Ibn al Qayyim

A Precious Gem: The Reward of Being Busy in the Service of Allah

If the servant of Allah begins the day and the evening, without having any other concern except Allah, the Almighty, He will fulfill all his needs and relieve all his worries. He will empty the servant’s heart for the sake of His Love, his tongue will constantly remember Him and he will have the strength to perform religious duties for His sake.

And if he begins the day and the evening, without having any other concern except the life of this world, Allah, the Almighty will cast worry and grief into his heart. He, the Almighty will leave him to himself, and keep his heart busy with things other than His Love. His tongue will not remember Allah but will only be concerned with the creation. He will use all his strength in things other than the sake of Allah, and he will remain busy in the service of creation. He will work very hard in the service of others. Just like a bellows that pumps itself up and then squeezes itself to the utmost in the service of others. Therefore, whoever refuses to submit to Allah, to obey and love Him, will be afflicted with the servitude, love and service of creation.

Allah, the Almighty says in the Qur’an which means,

“And whosoever turns away (blinds himself) from the remembrance of the Most Beneficent (Allah) (i.e. this Qur’an and worship of Allah), We appoint for him Shaitan (Satan devil) to be a Qarin (an intimate companion) to him”

(Az-Zukhruf, 43:36)

Abu Sufyan bin ‘Uyaynah said, “You will never bring forward any famous proverb but I will bring the likeness of it from the Qur’an,” Thereupon someone said to him, “So where is in the Qur’an “Give your fellow brother a date, and if he does not accept it then give him a firebrand.” He then recited the previous Qur’anic verse.

Source : AL-FA WAID: A Collection of Wise Sayings – Imam Ibn al Qayyim
Al Bayaan Translation

A Precious Gem: The Reward of Being Busy in the Service of Allah