Translation: Kamal Ololade
Shaykhu-l-islam Ibn Taymiyyah - may Allaah have mercy on him said:
"Fortune and guidance are in following the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم while misguidance and misfortune are in disobedience to him. All goodness in the universe whether generic or specific the origin is from the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and all evils in the world that are particularly with the servants the cause is from disobedience to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم or ignorance of what the prophet has brought. The prosperity of the servants in their living in this world and the next is in following the divine message. The divine message is inevitable for the servants. They is no alternative to it for them and their need for it is greater than their needs for any other thing. The message is the soul of the world and its light, it is the life and what benefit is in the world if it is lacking soul, life and light ? The world is cursed and in darkness except for the part on which the sun of the divine message shines. So also is a servant, if the sun of the divine message does not shine in his mind, and avail him of life and soul he remains in darkness and he is from the dead.
Allaah the Most High said:
"And is one who was dead We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom? Thus it has been made pleasing to the disbelievers that which they were doing" (Q 6 V 122)
Majmoo' al-Fataawa 19/93
