Shaikh Abdullaah Al-Bukhaari [may Allaah preserve him] said:
Returning to the truth is better than persistence upon
falsehood; because persistence upon falsehood is proof of being forsaken, as Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] stated in Al-Fawaa-id: “To be forsaken is that
Allaah leaves you to yourself.”
The causes of a person’s persistence upon falsehood
after it has been made manifest are a
number of numerous (affairs):
1. The first Affair:
Love of authority and
Leadership:
Imaam Shaatibee [rahimahullaah] said in Al-Itisaam: “ The
last thing that lands upon the hearts of the righteous people
is love of authority and leadership.”
Ibraaheem Bin Adham [rahimahullaah] said: “The person who
loves fame will not be sincere to
Allaah.”
Al-Haafidh Adh-Dhahabee
[rahimahullaah] added a commentary [on the above statement], saying: “The signs
of the sincere one who loves fame and is
unaware of it, is that when he scolded
about it he neither becomes furious nor does he free himself from it; rather he acknowledges and says: May
Allaah have mercy upon the one who shows me my faults. He does not become
amazed with himself-being unaware of those faults, rather being unaware that he is unaware; for this is
a chronic illness.”
Abu Nu’aym (rahimahullaah) said: “By Allaah, the one
destroyed is not destroyed except through love
of leadership.”
2. The Second Affair:
Pride and refusing to accept the truth:
Imaam Sufyaan Bin Uyaynah (rahimahullaah) said: “The
sensible person is not the one who knows
good and bad rather the sensible person
is the one who follows the truth when he
sees it and keeps away from evil when he sees it.
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said in Al-Fawaa-id: And
from the signs of wellbeing and success is that
whenever the slave is increased in his knowledge, he increases in
humility and mercy. And whenever he
is increased in action, he increases in
his fear and caution and whenever his
age is increased, he decreases in
eagerness (for things); and whenever
he is increased in wealth , he increases in his generosity and spending;
and whenever his status and honor is increased, he increases in coming close to
the people, in fulfilling their needs and being humble in (their presence).
And the signs of wretchedness are: Whenever he is increased
in knowledge, he increases in pride and
haughtiness and whenever he is increased in actions, he increases in his
boasting, mockery of the people and having a good opinion of himself; and
whenever he is increased in his status
and honor, he increases in pride
and haughtiness. These affairs of (wellbeing and wretchedness) are a
trial and a test from Allaah by
which He
puts His slaves to the test. He brings about wellbeing and wretchedness
to a people by way of these affairs.
Abu Ad-Dardaa (radiyallaahu-anhu) said: “The signs of
ignorance are three: Self-amazement, excessive speech in that which does not concern (a person) and
that you do forbid something you do.”
It is reported from Ali Bin Abee Taalib (radiyallaahu-anhu)
that he said: “Self-amazement is the plague of the Al Al-baab (i.e. the heart,
mind, intellect etc).”
And others besides him said: “You do not see a person
amazed with himself except that he is a
seeker of leadership.”
A person must fully know that Allaah is absolutely acquainted
with his (affairs), and that He knows
the treachery of the eyes and what the hearts conceal. And that the hearts are
between two fingers from the fingers of Allaah, and He turns them how He
pleases.
Ibn Abee Haatim reported in Az-Zuhd from Al-Hasan who said: “Indeed,
the hearts are more severe in losing control than feathers are on a stormy day.”[End
of quote] [Abridged]
~
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