Is it true that the book of Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) was written at the beginning of his career while he was following the Sufi path?

The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. He says: Who is the best of those who wrote about the soul? And is it true that the book of Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) was written at the beginning of his career while he was following the Sufi path?

The Shaykh:
Yes, they say this as an excuse for him (may Allah have mercy on him). The book contains great benefits and things that require careful consideration and pause, but it has great benefits and great discussions. It has now been edited and printed in a good edition, so one can benefit from its good discussions and leave aside its points of doubt. As for when he wrote it, Allah knows best. Yes.

The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. Is it because...

The Shaykh:
He was a Sufi, that is correct. And he admitted to this. And he admitted to the errors. He says: "O my people, I tried all of this. And I fell into those snares, and I was one who soared. Until the Divine One, by His grace, granted me what my hand and tongue could not achieve. A guide came from the people of Harran. O people, welcome that divine scholar. Why did his hands not guide my hands until he showed me the beginning of faith?" So he admitted to this in the *Nuniyyah*. Yes. In the beginning, he had Sufism; he had matters that required careful consideration. When he connected with this scholar, the Imam, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, he benefited from him and knew the truth. And he produced an abundance of knowledge and verification (may Allah have mercy on him). Yes.