Key to the path of the men of Allah by Imam Ahmed Ibn Ibrahim Al-Hanbali

Translators introduction
This is a short text on spiritual wayfaring by Imam Ahmed Ibn Ibrahim Al-Hanbali. At the time of translation it was not known that there was a question mark over the validation of the group known as Al-Wasatiyyah. We therefore are disclaiming anything that this group maintains which is not in accordance to the normative schools of Islamic belief namely the Asharis and Maturidis. Yet we have decided to release this document as it contains much useful advice. Although we wish to distance ourselves from anything that could be misconstrued or misunderstood to be supporting it. The spiritual path of Islam must be taken from a qualified spiritual guide and not from books. As it is like a man who wanders into a jungle without a guide, he is putting himself into great danger. The spiritual or Sufi way is something that is part of Islam. Although there are adherents who do not follow the sacred law properly and this causes confusion. A person cannot be a good Sufi without following the sacred law but a person can follow the sacred law without being a Sufi. These points are not mentioned in the text and need to be addressed.

Authors Introduction
In the name of Allah, the all merciful, the all benevolent. All praise belongs to Allah, patron of praise and worthy of it; may salutations be upon him best creation Muhammad the Prophet, his family and his companions. To commence: May the peace of Allah be upon the hearts illuminated by the lights of gnosis; thus becoming similar to stars which are filled by the support of the Munificent. They have turned away from the world and its passions and they desire closeness to the all-Merciful and all-Benevolent, devoted to his remembrance, yearning to him, towards his neighbour, clinging to piety, coloured by lights, it transforms proficiency into perfection, faith by faith, always increasing the inhabitant of Paradise. If you see them, O brother, you would find people whose spirits are to Allah, mighty and majestic, like longing birds; bodies full of acts of worship, souls patient upon the decree of the Almighty, they fast from what the people partake in, they 1

stand in the darkness in opposition of the merchants whose transactions are done in fear of bankruptcy, they are sad if the people are happy, they weep if the people of falsehood and whispering laugh, they look into hearts from the greatness of their Lord from what is hidden from the outward eyesight, delighted by the light of the Most high and its secrets, they are prepared to walk upon the ground of the gathering.1

Chapter One
The Last Day Know, O brother, that before us and before you is day which will make a childs hair turn white,2 pregnant women will deliver their unborn, you see people drunk even though they are not drunk yet the punishment of Allah (the Exalted) is severe,3 a day in which ugliness is manifest, all that is hidden is apparent. Allah (the Exalted) will ask the servant about his life, how did he spend it, about his youth how did he use it and about his wealth how was it earned and how was it spend?4 The fire kindles for the people of warning. Allah (the Exalted) states, And Paradise shall be brought forward to the God fearing, not afar: This is that you were promised; it is for every mindful penitent. Whosoever fears the All-merciful in the Unseen, and comes with a penitent heart: Enter it in peace! This is the Day of Eternity. Therein they shall have whatever they will; and with us there is yet more.5 This, I swear by Allah, is the day that the people of action rejoice and ugliness is nullified. Every soul shall die upon what it acquired and they will not be oppressed.

The ground in which mankind will be judged on the Last day or the Day of Judgement. This is the plain on which mankind will await judgement for fifty thousand years. See Quran Sura Al-Miraj 70:4. 2 Then how, if you disbelieve, will you protect yourselves upon the day which will turn children grey; the very heaven being then rent asunder. His promise is to be fulfilled. Quran Muzammil 73:17-18. 3 On the day when you behold, every suckling woman shall neglect the child she has suckled, and every pregnant woman shall deposit her burden, and you shall see mankind drunk, yet they are not drunk, but the chastisement of Allah is severe. Quran Hajj 22:2. 4 From Hadith reported by At-Tirmidhi 2326 and Al-Bayhaqi 1784. 5 The Quran, Qaaf 50:31-35.

Chapter two
Fulfil your rights So if you desire, O brother, salvation from the terror of that day then prepare yourself with God fearing, guarding your limbs from all that Allah, the Exalted, prohibited, establish all that Allah (the Exalted) ordered you by in the corpus of the law in the books of jurisprudence of the lawful and prohibited, penal codes and rulings; until there does not remain, upon you, a legal claim; until you have no missed prayer; no missed fasts, no obligatory alms, no backbiting a Muslim without right; no quarrels; no rancour; no hatred without right; do that which frees your path from all rights between you and Allah; and from all the rights between you and the servants. So this is how you enter, if Allah (the Exalted) wills, into the group of the righteous.

Chapter Three
Learn Hadith If you wish to enter into the group of the elite of the spiritual scholars then you have to seek Prophetic traditions by hearing and narrating for the sake of Allah (Mighty and Exalted).6 Make your intention to know the religion of your Lord (Mighty and Exalted) and the practice of your Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him). Acting upon this and upon the matters of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) as a conservation of them.7 Have a constant, authentic, proven, supplication from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) which you recite daily.8 A constant (supplication) of prayers upon the Messenger (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him).9 You are must have presence as if you see him by love, magnify his sacredness; it is hoped that youll
6

This was a method followed in the time in which recording and spreading hadith was widespread. This practice has died out somewhat with only pockets remaining here and there in our time. 7 The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward. At-Tirmidhi. 8 This can be something narrated in hadith. Although many people read litanies of spiritual masters. Such as the litany of the Sea/Hizb Al-Bahr which was narrated to Imam As-Shadhali who said he saw the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) who dictated this to him then commanded him to read it. At the time they were at sea in the midst of a violent storm. The storm that he was in subsided and the Christian boats man he was with became Muslim. Subsequently, all the adherents to the As-Shadhali spiritual path recite this litany and even those who are not part of this particular path recite it as well. 9 This is based on the verse, Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O you who believe! Send your blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy salutation. Quran the Confederates 33:56. You can find many works on the blessings of making salutations. Dalail AlKhayrah by Imam Al-Jazuli is one of the most famous works on praise of the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him).

arrive to blessings of the Messenger (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him), by this, by facing the prayer direction. It is hoped that you will reap his love and the love of consoling in him; so this is the lantern of all goodness, if Allah (the Exalted) wills.

Chapter Four
Jurisprudence It is necessary that you seek jurisprudence and knowledge of the ruling for the sake of Allah (the Exalted), not for the intention of becoming a judge or a teacher or to earn a salary. Actions are commensurate to intentions; to every intender is his intention. Whoever's emigration is for Allah and his Messenger, then his emigration is to Allah and his Messenger. And whoever's emigration is for any worldly gain or for a woman he is to wed, then his emigration is for what he migrated.10 Rather, seeking knowledge necessitates that it is for the sake of Allah (the Exalted), to know the rulings, law of inheritance and penalties to act upon them; and to teach other than yourself of the Believers, to establish the religion of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) clarifying the manifest for the Muslims. If you do this then you are a helper of the sacred law and one the warriors of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). If one person is guided by you then is more superior to you than what the sun rises upon.11 Make this your intention, if Allah (the Exalted) wills, you will be one of the elite of the scholars of the people of illuminated hearts, those who inherit the fruit of knowledge and arrive to their realities; they are the people fear and dread. Allah (the Exalted) said, Only those of His servants fear Allah have knowledge.12 Beware lest your heart becomes like the heart of the scholars of the world, as their hearts are concerned with the world and their future positions. They rejoice with the presence of worldly things, are aggrieved when it perishes and they love position and rank. Those have made knowledge a means of earning wealth so that they attain the world and status by it. Yet, everyone will have what they intended and whoever works for Allah (the Exalted) never loses. In some reports it states that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said, I only created creation to benefit from me.13 Blessed is he who transacts with Allah (Mighty and Majestic), who is provided with abstinence in the world an acceptance in the afterlife. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) wants to give him knowledge, action and all the inward and outward means, and Allah (the Exalted) is the supporter.

10

Bukhari 1/9 and Muslim 3/1515 from Umar. There was a man who migrated to Medinah to marry Umm Qass and he became Muslim later and was called the emigrate of Umm Qass. As his intention was not for Allah (the Exalted) or to join the believers. 11 A saying of Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). 12 Quran, Fatir 35:28. 13 This reported in Ihya Ulum Ud-Din of Imam Ghazali, Hafiz Al-Iraqi said there was no source found for it.

Chapter Five
Prevent oneself from sins Whoever Allah (the Exalted) gives success to protect their chastity from a young age, joining his heart, his associates increase, enlightening his secret, his secret becoming a vessel for knowledge, wisdom and state. Whoever guards their chastity from youth, Allah (the Exalted) provides them wisdom during maturity and honesty as he grows, according to his inclination, Allah (the Exalted) provides them with shyness, sign in their faces, tranquillity and dignity, and love is bequeathed into the hearts of the believers. Whosoever does not protect their chastity when young changes their primordial nature, his heart hardens, inverts, reverses, the heart becomes inversed, manifest from this is sign of a hard heart, evil is his secret, his associates disperse, he is not acquainted with knowledge or wisdom, he not acquainted by the Men of God nor the righteous, the heart becomes an abode for satans, he remains like this; empty lies which enter drowsy onto their limbs, eyes and nostrils. Goodness is like a bird in the air of the skies that is out reach from those who prey on it. How excellent is the condition of those safe from the people. Being safe from people is a great victory. Like those who prepare for coming of the rank (wilayah) from Allah (Mighty and Majestic) because the sacrifice for their chastity they almost were taken as man of Allah (the Exalted). Because he lost truthful to Allah (the Exalted) and deception in that which was deposited as he is not secure with the secrets except that it is torn out form this completely. The repenter and penitent hopes for all good, if Allah (the Exalted) wills. It was reported that when Allah (Mighty and Exalted) created Adam by his power, his private area was created. It was said, O Adam, this is my consignment to you and my trust with you. Allah (Mighty and Exalted) said, And those who guard their modesty, save from their wives or the (slaves) that their right hands possess, for then they are not blameworthy, but those who desire beyond that are transgressors.14

Chapter Six
Shyness O brother, if you crave to attain the level of the people of piety and fear then you have display shyness before Allah (the Exalted) in the privy. Know that he can see you from beyond the throne, beyond the seven heavens. He can see the movements of your limbs.15 Allah (the Exalted) said, They hide themselves from men, but hide not themselves from Allah; for He is with them while they meditate at night discourse unpleasing to Him; Allah encompasses the things they do.16 Similarly know that which whispers your soul and wanders in your chest, Allah (the Exalted) said, Surely those who fear their Lord in the Unseen -- there awaits them forgiveness
14 15

Quran, the Believers 23:5-7. Does he not know Allah sees him? Quran, the Clot 96:14. 16 Quran, the Women 4:108.

and a great wage. Be secret in your speech, or proclaim it, He knows the thoughts within the breasts. Shall He not know, who created? And He is the All-subtle, the Allaware.17 So accustom yourself, O Brother, to shyness with Allah18 (Mighty and Exalted) even if it is for a moment in the day; then reckon yourself when occupied and when tasked, then reckon again and guard this moment. Hide these actions between yourself and your Patron. Do not speak to anyone about because this action has to be hidden or it would extinguish the light of vigilance in your heart. Remain like that until accustomed, moment after moment until your shyness with Allah (the Exalted) becomes natural. Do not detach your heart from the fact that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) can see you, the heart is blessed by it, tranquil by fear, reverence, shyness and glorification. Be patient with this period of time when standing, sitting, busy, whenever with your Sheikh, eating, drinking, it is hoped that you rise, by this, to the level of the gnostic from those who transact with Allah (Mighty and Exalted). Piety is their internal state. O blessed one then O blessed one if you arrive to this, you would know the science of prophetic narration, jurisprudence, then join between knowledge, practice, gnosis and youll be a leader followed in piety, if Allah (the Exalted) wills.

Chapter Seven
The company you keep You have to separate (yourself) from the brotherhood of falsehood, those who delve in much gossip and hearsay, aside the people of denial and obscenity those without concerns, not those who appear to have the effect of fear from Allah (Mighty and Exalted) upon them, flee from them as someone takes flight from a loin and embellish your greeting and speech as Allah (mighty and Exalted) said, Pardon them graciously.19 You have to accompany the people of piety, caution in speech and food, clothes, and the people of pleasing characteristics, fidelity in all the things of the world from jurists, paupers, the Sufis of the people of the Sunnah who study the science of prophetic narration and transmission, how few they are!

17 18

Quran, the Dominion 67:12-14. Ibn Abu Dunyas Makarim Al-Akhalaq/Honourable characteristics (p.81) the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, I advise you to be shameful before Allah as you would be shameful before a pious man of your clan. 19 Quran, Muzzamil 73:10.

Chapter Eight
Prayer Guard your heart in prayer.20 Be present before your Patron (Allah) when you are praying. Know to whom you are standing before. When you recite know that you are only reciting a whisper to your Protector. Guard your heart, in prayer, from (evil) whisperings. Be as if you are before a great supreme sultan possessing greatness and dominion,21 so understand what you are saying and whom you are saying it to. When you bow, know that your bow is submissiveness to the greatness of Allah (Mighty and Exalted), similarly your prostration as your heart with body is bowing and prostrating.22 Guard your heart from heedlessness in prayer as much as you are able, you will be given light and acceptance, because of this, from Allah (Mighty and Exalted); if Allah (the Exalted) wills. Guard all these means and act upon establishing them. Make them your principles that you base your actions upon.

20 21

Guard your prayers. Quran, the Heffer 2:238. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, To worship Allah as if you see him, if you cannot see him, he can see you. Bukhari and Muslim. 22 This is not to be taken literally. In the position of prostration the heart is over the intellect, if the brain is accepted as the seat of intellect. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, The closest the servant is to his Lord is when is prostrates; so increase your supplication. Imam Ahmed and Imam An-Nisai. Supplications here are for the supererogatory prayers not the obligatory prayers as other narrations state supplications were not recited in prostration.