Abdullah Oduro – Invocations of God #23 Equips us for Life
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AI: Transcript ©
Now, Ibn Qayyim
is going to,
after talking about
the weapons for the inner war and how
shayta will come to you to in different
ways and how he compares it to,
the robber,
that is trying to rob you of the
goodness and take you off with Tariq. And
if you were to follow behind him, you
would be unsuccessful. Ibn al Qayyim goes on
to make the comparison
of the shayateen of the say of the
satans plural
and how,
they will continuously try to take you off
that that straight
path. But then he compares it to Allah
Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala giving you what is needed
to prepare
to fight the shayateen, to fight the evil
forces, to fight those things that call you
away from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
And you know earlier much earlier a couple
lessons earlier talking about the battle between the
good and the evil you'll fall victim to
the good or to the evil But this
comparison to Ibn al Qayyim mentions comparing it
to an army and it's and it's,
the preparatory
means to fight Shailtin.
He says here after, Rahimu Allah Ta'ala.
He says this, when the test when the
servant is tested by what he is going
to be tested by,
he is assisted
with,
an army in preparations and a fortress. So
these three things he's basically saying here,
the the troops, the soldiers,
and the the gear, and also the fortress
to protect them. Interesting.
He is and he and he said it
and said to him, go and fight your
enemy and struggle in this.
Okay.
So the enemy is obviously the Shaytan but
then Allah gives them that preparation. And early
we talked about, you know, the angels coming
to him and warning him and reminding him.
And you know, we talked about the aqal,
the intellect,
and the and the insight. Right? We talked
about this earlier. But he's making the comparison
now. It's very beautiful.
He says, shit. And and as far as
these troops, take as many as you need.
Shit. And this armor, take as much of
it as you wear you need. Wear as
much as you need.
And and as far as this fortress,
take from it and guard as as a
guard or as a protection as much as
you need.
He says
and hold before until death.
This is important because
he's mentioning here that
the means are given to you.
But with that, you still have to act.
Allah gives you what is needed to fight
the Shaitan.
But you have to act on it or
activate what is inside of you to fight
the Shaytan.
So when we talk about the strength of
concentration
of Khushur,
being mindful of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and
and knowing that Allah has given you the
faculty to fight. The faculties
to fight
And you take the means in order to
protect yourself from it. So not going to
certain places. Allah is giving you that Dal
Aqal. Right? He's giving you,
that intellectual
capacity to determine if this is better for
me or not good for me. And then
he's giving you the insight. Say that you
go to that friend's house or you watch
that television show or you get involved with
that particular person or in a certain place
and you're able to see, okay this is
not going to lead me to a good
place. You still have a choice. So Allah
has given you those faculties.
He's given you the troops. He's given you
the armor, and He's given you the fortress.
But then you still have to, as Ibrahim
says,
to fight against your enemy
and to kill him, to fight against your
enemy and to struggle against him.
Then Rahim Allah says Rahim Allah
He says, for the situation is close, for
the time is close,
and the time frame of
holding post is a small time frame. Meaning
this time frame,
in this dunya, in this life.
And then he says, Rahim
Allah
He said, it is as though as though
the great king
had sent to you his messengers.
And he sent you and he and they
moved you to his house.
As always, mentioning here, he says here, Rahim
Allah Ta'ala, making a comparison again. He says,
it is as though the king sent you
sent you his messengers, and they moved you
to his house, and then you are resting
You have rested,
from this jihad, from this struggle.
As though that now he's talking about the
end of this time of fighting.
And and
you and your enemy were separated.
And you were and you rested in the
noble house moving as you wish.
And your enemy was placed in a highly
sealed security or high,
protected jail.
And then he says
So basically, your enemy, the shaitan, had been
put in a jail, the same jail that
he wanted to put you in.
That jail of what?
Of denying
your of denying your insight, of denying the
good part of yourself that calls you away
from the enemy.
But that calls you,
calls you towards the enemy.
Being in a jail cell of shaytan.
You know, you're you're you're you are subject
to those desires. You're subject
to that anger. You're subject
to gluttony. You're subject to all of these
things that are destructive to you as a
human being. He says,
And he has given up,
from any the doors are locked. Basically, giving
up any relief or rescue for shaitan.
It says
And your situation you're in a situation that
you have been given whatever you find yourself
all that you desire and long for.
And then he says,
And this is beautiful.
He says, so as he's talking about how
shaitan is locked up
and he is put in a cell that
there's no hope for any rescue or relief
and it is high security cell, basically.
He says, and you are in a place
to where you get everything
that you desire
and that you love and want. Jannah. May
Allah make us from the habits of Jannah.
As
a reward for your patience
in this
short time frame. Allahu Akbar. In this dunya.
Now he's moving on
to talk about
the dunya
and how this life is temporary.
And then he makes a comparison again. You're
you're rewarded for your patience
and for your allegiance
and adherence
to holding post. Holding post against what?
Against the army. Against the army of Satan
that's trying to call you.
So now, Ibn Uqayim
after making this beautiful comparison, unwillai, this is
beautiful. If you compare it to a war,
you know, this is when the war is
over.
You know, talked about the characteristics before, but
now going through the war and how Allah
Subhana Wa Ta'la has given you the preparation.
This is important for us to realize that
there is always an opportunity for you to
be better. And there is always an opportunity
because Allah is Ar Rahman.
He is merciful. From His mercy, He has
given you the faculties spiritually
to fight those desires that may come that
will come to you. And that that in
and of itself is the test.
Within Al Qadir Skadr,
the one that is able to do all
things, and he has, you know, predestined for
us
by giving us or putting us in a
position to where we may be exposed
to those things that will try to take
advantage of our souls. The same time, he
has given us the fortress,
the armor,
the the army
to fight against that. In the end of
the day, it is up to you. What
choice are you making? And that's what's very
important here with this small portion. But Ibn
al Qayyim, Ramallah, after talking about that, you
know, if you were to continue on this
struggle and you were successful, shaitan is locked
up and you are rewarded that he mentioned
2 things.
The patience
and also patience
and
is adherence.
So you're patient
and the time frame that you are here.
And it's beautiful. I said
to show that look this dunya,
this time frame in life is only temporary.
It's the next life that we should be
that we should be thinking about and longing
for as we are being patient. Rather,
having the patience,
the motivation behind the patience is thinking of
the next life.
So as you're doing that,
you are struggling
and holding the fort against the Shaitan
And this is beautiful that Ibn Al Qayyim
mentions this because
we may think that Sabr,
patience,
is being the quietest.
Not saying anything, not speaking up against that
which is evil, not acting against that which
is evil.
But patience means
that you are acting
in a manner of adherence.
Adherence to what? That is what's important. Your
adherence to the sunnah of the Prophet Sallallahu
Alaihi Wasallam. Your adherence to Islamic ethics
and practices
that is only
ultimately
found in the life of the prophet Muhammad
Sallallahu Alaihi Wasall. That is what is very
important.
You're patiently
acting,
but your action is principled
within the in the life of the prophet
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
Your principles are founded
in the sunnah.
Your principles are founded
in the Quran.
That is what is important. Not to mistake
impatience
with stagnation or lack of movement. May Allah
Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala make us to those that
hold the fort
with the army and the armor that is
that is correct and be fitting for us
to be
in the final place that our desires will
be fulfilled in Jannah.