Being A Summary of the Text Prepared by Ash-Shaykh AbdurRazaaq bn Badr bn AbdilMuhsin al-‘Abaad
May Allaah preserve the son and the father upon goodness.
Abridgement by: Aboo Aamir Ishaaq b. AbdirRaheem – may Allaah forgive him and his dead parents.
Bismillaah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem
Allaah the Mighty said:
لَّقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٞ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا
There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often. (Ahzaab: 21)
Ibn Katheer said: ‘This Noble Verse is the strong basis for the requirement to emulate the Messenger of Allaah in his speeches, actions and manner.’
Al-Hasan Al-Basree said: Some people said during the time of the Prophet, ‘We love our Lord.’ Then Allaah the Mighty revealed the Verse:
قُلۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِي يُحۡبِبۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٞ رَّحِيمٞ
Say, [O Muhammad], "If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (Aal Imraan: 31)
Therefore, following the Messenger of Allaah – salallaahu alahyi wa sallam – and emulating him is an indication of true love for Allaah because following and emulating the Prophet, and trodding on his path, is the actual purification. It is not possible to attain it except with what the Messenger of Allaah has come with.
The scholars of misguidance at every time in many of these innovated mystic paths do claim that they purify their souls therein and seek nearness to Allaah through them. They would call to severing relationships with the community and stay aloof from the people, sometimes in desolate and dark places, and begin to chant some words of remembrance among many other unfounded acts.
Al-Imaam Ibn Qayyim said: ‘Purifying the souls is the toughest means of treating the body, whoever therefore purifies his soul via spiritual gymnastics and strivings, and staying away from the people, with acts not known to the Messenger of Allaah – salallaahu alahyi wa sallam, his similitude is like a sick person who is treating himself with his own prescription, can his prescription be like that of a physician?’
Therefore whoever wants to purify his soul must make strivings towards following the Messenger of Allaah – salallaahu alahyi wa sallam – by emulating him in his ways and manners, let him be wary of the innovated paths and the mystic exercises that have been formulated over this.
