Ibn al-Qayyim’s freedom from the assertions of heretics
The imam, hadith scholar, jurist and legal theorist Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d. 751 AH) is among Islam’s great imams. He holds an honoured position in the community because he followed the Qur’an and Sunnah and adhered to the righteous predecessors’ method in knowledge, practice, conduct and religious teaching. He devoted great attention to fulfilling servitude to God by sincerely affirming His oneness, directing intention, purpose and will towards Him, and exclusively following His noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. His many books in this field abound in love, reverence, remembrance, glorification, obedience and submission to God. They include Madarij al-Salikin, ‘Uddat al-Sabirin, Tariq al-Hijratayn, al-Wabil al-Sayyib and many others.
This godly Salafi imam is known for sound creed, understanding worship’s reality and the objectives of Islamic law, and freedom from philosophical, materialist and utilitarian ideas. Indeed, he spent his life refuting methods and ideas contrary to the prophetic way, vigorously confronting philosophers claiming affiliation with Islam, such as al-Farabi and Ibn Sina.
Despite this, we encountered words attributed to him about prayer far removed from his creed and understanding of Islam:
“Prayer exercises both soul and body. Since it includes various movements and postures, standing, bowing, prostrating, sitting with the hip on the ground, transitions and others, in which most joints move and most internal organs, such as the stomach, intestines and other organs of respiration and nutrition, are compressed, why deny that these movements strengthen and dissolve bodily substances, especially through the soul’s strength and expansion in prayer, so that the constitution grows stronger and pain is repelled?”
We found this quotation in The Wisdom of Islamic Legislation: Acts of Worship as a Model, by Dr Yunus Husayn Abd al-Razzaq, Dar al-Basha’ir al-Islamiyyah, Beirut, second edition, 1435 AH/2014, p. 306. He attributes it to Ibn al-Qayyim’s Prophetic Medicine, p. 167.
Speaking unqualifiedly about this great act of worship in such a manner is far from the prophetic method and the predecessors’ way. We therefore doubted the attribution and suspected an error, misunderstanding or unintended distortion. We turned to Ibn al-Qayyim’s own book and found him as we had expected, indeed better than expected: he wrote this passage while arguing against atheists and heretics who reject and arrogantly turn away from true servitude to God.
In Prophetic Medicine, part of his valuable Zad al-Ma‘ad fi Hady Khayr al-‘Ibad, Mu’assasat al-Risalah edition, 4/193, and Dar ‘Alam al-Fawa’id edition, 4/299, Ibn al-Qayyim writes:
“If the heretical physician’s heart is not receptive to this treatment, he should be addressed through the medical craft and told: prayer exercises both soul and body. Since it includes various movements and postures, standing, bowing, prostrating, sitting with the hip on the ground, transitions and others, in which most joints move and most internal organs, such as the stomach, intestines and other organs of respiration and nutrition, are compressed, why deny that these movements strengthen and dissolve bodily substances, especially through the soul’s strength and expansion in prayer, so that the constitution grows stronger and repels pain? But the disease of heresy, turning away from what the messengers brought and replacing it with unbelief, has no cure except a Fire ‘blazing fiercely, which none will enter except the most wretched, who denied and turned away.’”
Quoting Ibn al-Qayyim in full reveals that the author of The Wisdom of Islamic Legislation omitted the beginning: “If the heretical physician’s heart is not receptive to this treatment, he should be addressed through the medical craft and told: prayer exercises both soul and body…” He also omitted the ending: “But the disease of heresy, turning away from what the messengers brought and replacing it with unbelief, has no cure except a Fire ‘blazing fiercely, which none will enter except the most wretched, who denied and turned away.’”
The beginning and ending show that Ibn al-Qayyim intended to hold atheists and heretics to the implications of their own limited material method, to which they were attached. He then observed that even this material approach would not benefit them, because they turn away from prophetic guidance and their hearts are enveloped by unbelief.
It is therefore clear that he intended to debate atheistic physicians on their own terms, conceding their premises for argument’s sake to confront them with their implications, despite knowing its futility with them. Someone who rejects the foundation of divine revelation does not benefit from that foundation’s branches, results or fruits.
To understand his words more deeply, we must return to the beginning of his discussion and follow its subjects:
Ibn al-Qayyim begins Prophetic Medicine with a chapter on the Prophet’s guidance in medicine, then says: “A chapter on his treatment of illness. His treatment was of three kinds:
“First, natural medicines.
“Second, divine medicines.
“Third, a combination of the two.
“We shall mention all three kinds from his guidance, beginning with the natural medicines he prescribed and used, then the divine medicines, then the combined treatments.”
He then details the first section, treatment with natural medicines, such as water, honey, ashes, cupping, cauterisation, black seed and others.
He next presents the second section: “Chapters on his guidance in treatment with spiritual, divine medicines alone, and combinations of these with natural medicines.” This means treatment through the Qur’an, remembrance, supplication, seeking God’s protection, taking refuge in Him and asking Him to heal all illnesses and pains, whether bodily, such as a scorpion sting; non-material, such as the evil eye; or psychological, such as distress, worry, grief, sorrow, fright and insomnia.
This second section concerns faith and devotion. It rests on believing that God hears supplication, benefit and harm lie in His hand alone, and His will and judgement stand above all causes. As Abraham, the intimate friend of God and leader of those affirming His oneness, said: “When I am ill, He heals me.” It also rests on belief in the effect of God’s words in seeking healing from bodily and non-material illnesses: “We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for believers.” It rests on the blessing of remembering and glorifying God and the resulting divine presence with the servant and descent of His mercy: “Remember Me, and I will remember you.” Ibn Majah (3792) narrates from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “God, mighty and exalted, says: ‘I am with My servant when he remembers Me and his lips move in remembrance of Me.’”
Knowledge of and confidence in this kind of treatment undoubtedly depend upon knowing truths of faith beyond limited human reason and tangible material things. Ibn al-Qayyim recognised the importance of establishing its foundations. Within this section he included a chapter entitled “Explaining how these medicines affect these illnesses.” In valuable, godly words he explains that the heart was created to know, love and affirm the oneness of its Maker. It has no soundness, bliss or joy except through that, which is the foundation of its health, strength and vitality, while associating partners with God and sins are its greatest illnesses. He gives examples of the Prophet’s remembrances and supplications and explains their great meanings. He then mentions prayer:
“Prayer has the greatest standing in gladdening, strengthening, opening and delighting the heart. It connects heart and spirit to God and brings them near to Him, giving joy in His remembrance and delight in intimate supplication, standing before Him and employing the entire body, its faculties and instruments in His service, giving each limb its share. It distracts from attachment to created beings, associating and conversing with them, draws the powers of heart and limbs towards their Lord and Maker, and grants respite from the enemy during prayer. All this makes prayer among the greatest medicines, sources of joy and nourishment suitable only for sound hearts. Diseased hearts, like diseased bodies, are unsuited to wholesome nourishment.”
Ibn al-Qayyim then says:
“Prayer is among the greatest aids to obtaining the benefits of this world and the hereafter and repelling their harms. It restrains sin, repels diseases of the heart, drives disease from the body, illuminates the heart, brightens the face, energises limbs and soul, brings provision, repels injustice, supports the oppressed, subdues mixtures of appetites, preserves blessings, repels punishment, brings mercy, dispels distress and benefits many abdominal pains. Ibn Majah narrates in his Sunan from Mujahid, from Abu Hurayrah: ‘The Messenger of God saw me lying down complaining of abdominal pain and said: “Abu Hurayrah, ashikamat dard?” I said: “Yes, Messenger of God.” He said: “Rise and pray, for in prayer there is healing.”’ This narration is also transmitted as stopping at Abu Hurayrah, who said it to Mujahid; that is more likely. The Persian phrase means: ‘Does your stomach hurt?’”
[The hadith is narrated by Ibn Majah (3458), with a weak chain. Al-Fayruzabadi says in Safar al-Sa‘adah that nothing concerning the Prophet speaking Persian is authentic or established.]
Having reached this point, Ibn al-Qayyim follows it with the passage cited at this article’s beginning: “If the heretical physician’s heart is not receptive to this treatment, he should be addressed through the medical craft and told: prayer exercises both soul and body…”
This detailed exposition clarifies the difference between Ibn al-Qayyim’s approach, that of people of knowledge and faith who follow the messengers, and that of heretical physicians and philosophers. The approaches oppose one another in foundations, aims and results.
The approach of knowledge and faith begins with belief in God’s lordship, His sustaining all things and His exclusive judgement, governance and control. The believer’s aim is devotion to God, drawing near to Him, seeking His aid and taking refuge in Him. Its result is God’s mercy towards His believing servant, His help, response to supplication and kindness towards their condition.
The approach of heretical philosophers and physicians begins with the idea that effects belong to tangible material causes, with nothing beyond them of God’s action and kindness, the blessing of His words or the influence of remembering and glorifying Him. They acknowledge no unseen effect, apart from some people’s belief in celestial bodies and higher spirits. They therefore believe the effect of the Qur’an and remembrance comes from the person themselves, from their belief and imagining that this causes healing. Prayer’s effect, they think, comes from purification, activity at specified times and bodily exercise. Their “aim” is therefore these actions themselves, and their “results” are purely material outcomes.
This unbelieving philosophical approach is what we call the utilitarian interpretation of Islam, religion and worship. Many religious teachers, thinkers and intellectuals have been fascinated by its outward appearance without recognising the unbelief within it. They have introduced a bad precedent into Islam by teaching it to ordinary people and using it to call to God as though it were one of Islam’s virtues.
A believer should know the difference between the two approaches and recognise the vast gulf between the two groups. Thereafter they can only follow the first approach and belong to the first group, whose imam and leader is the final prophet and messenger, Muhammad ibn Abd Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, for whom prayer was the delight of his eyes. Success comes from God.
Center for Studies in the Interpretation of Islam
8 Safar 1440 AH, corresponding to 18 October 2018