Request for an explanation of Ibn al-Qayyim’s statement in *al-Madaraj* that in the station of ihsan, the servant worships his Lord as if he sees Him with his eyes, [He] is on His Throne, and he hears the revelation from Him.
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The questioner : Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
As for what follows: The author, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him), says in *Madaraj al-Salikin* regarding the explanation of the station of ihsan: “Worship Allah as if you see Him.” He says: “There is no doubt that believing in the report and being certain of it strengthens the heart until the unseen becomes like that which is seen with the eye. Thus, the one who is at this station is as if he sees his Lord (Glorified and Exalted is He) above His heavens, on His Throne, looking down upon His servants, gazing at them, hearing their speech, and as if he hears it while he is speaking the revelation, then it departs, and as if he sees it while he is... in all the attributes.”
Then he says: “In summary—and this is the point of interest—he sees with his heart a Lord by whom the messengers were known, just as the books were known by Him; a religion to which the messengers called; and truths about which the messengers informed. So the witness of that stood in his heart as the witness of what the people of mass transmission informed about stood, even if he did not see it from the lands and events. So his faith proceeds in the manner of direct vision, while the faith of others is pure imitation of the blind.” So we hope for an explanation, even if brief. May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : It is without doubt that certainty varies greatly. Sometimes it reaches a person to the point where the certainty of the report is like that which is seen with the eye. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 50 This is the high station. If you do not see Him, then worship Him as the fearful worship Him. For this reason, he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 50 This is what led Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) to say: “The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) saw his Lord with his heart.” That is, with his heart, not with the vision of the eye. The vision of the heart is stronger than the vision of the eye in one respect, and the vision of the eye is stronger than the vision of the heart in another respect. In terms of certainty, the sweetness of faith, and the taste of faith, the vision of the heart is higher. In terms of perception, the vision of the eye is stronger, because one sees the thing as a tangible object before him. This rank—I mean the rank of vision by the heart—is a rank that only a few people attain. Most people’s faith is based on the mere truthful report, and that is sufficient as evidence. However, the certainty that is attained after this rank is stronger. As for his statement at the end of his speech: “...faith?”
The questioner :“And truths about which the messengers informed, so the witness of that stood in his heart as the witness of what the people of mass transmission informed about stood, even if he did not see it from the lands and events. So his faith proceeds in the manner of direct vision, while the faith of others is pure imitation of the blind.”
The Shaykh : Yes, the faith of others is pure imitation of the blind. By this, he means the weak, flimsy faith, where its owner is almost saying, “I heard people say something, so I said it.” As for true faith, it is not the imitation of the blind, because a person believes in it as a truth that he witnesses. End of the answer.
As for what follows: The author, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him), says in *Madaraj al-Salikin* regarding the explanation of the station of ihsan: “Worship Allah as if you see Him.” He says: “There is no doubt that believing in the report and being certain of it strengthens the heart until the unseen becomes like that which is seen with the eye. Thus, the one who is at this station is as if he sees his Lord (Glorified and Exalted is He) above His heavens, on His Throne, looking down upon His servants, gazing at them, hearing their speech, and as if he hears it while he is speaking the revelation, then it departs, and as if he sees it while he is... in all the attributes.”
Then he says: “In summary—and this is the point of interest—he sees with his heart a Lord by whom the messengers were known, just as the books were known by Him; a religion to which the messengers called; and truths about which the messengers informed. So the witness of that stood in his heart as the witness of what the people of mass transmission informed about stood, even if he did not see it from the lands and events. So his faith proceeds in the manner of direct vision, while the faith of others is pure imitation of the blind.” So we hope for an explanation, even if brief. May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : It is without doubt that certainty varies greatly. Sometimes it reaches a person to the point where the certainty of the report is like that which is seen with the eye. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
To worship Allah as if you see Him
أن تعبد الله كأنك تراهand if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you
فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراكThe questioner :“And truths about which the messengers informed, so the witness of that stood in his heart as the witness of what the people of mass transmission informed about stood, even if he did not see it from the lands and events. So his faith proceeds in the manner of direct vision, while the faith of others is pure imitation of the blind.”
The Shaykh : Yes, the faith of others is pure imitation of the blind. By this, he means the weak, flimsy faith, where its owner is almost saying, “I heard people say something, so I said it.” As for true faith, it is not the imitation of the blind, because a person believes in it as a truth that he witnesses. End of the answer.