Fawaa'id ul Fawaa'id of Ibn ul Qayim

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Shaykul Islaam ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah
Reference: Fawaa'id ul Fawaa'id of ibn ul Qayim - p. 103
Category: Sayings of the Salaf

The first thing Allah created was the pen (as it was mentioned in the hadeeth of Ubaadah Ibn Samit (radiallahu anhu) found in the Sunan of Abu Dawud), in order to write down everything that was decreed to take place before anything was brought into existence. Adam (alayhi asalaam) was the last of creation and there was remarkable wisdom in this which was:

The First: To prepare the dwelling place before the inhabitants settle therein.

The Second: Everything that was created was done so for the purpose of making it subservient to Adam (alayhi asalaam) and his progeny. This
includes the heaven, the earth, the sun, the moon, the land, and sea.

The Third: The Most Prestigious Designer (i.e. Allah (subhana wa ta'ala)) finishes His work with His most precious creation exerting the best of His vigor in order to make it the epitome of all of His past work. Just as He begins His work making it the foundation.

The Fourth: The human desire is always to be last, look at what Musa (alayhi asalaam) said to the magicians:


َقَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَى أَلْقُواْ مَآ أَنتُم مُّلْقُون
"You throw first what you are going to throw…" (26:43)

So when the people saw what the magicians threw, they were filled with anticipation for what Musa (alayhi asalaam) was going to throw afterwards.

The Fifth: Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) delayed His most prestigious Book (i.e. the Qur'an), Prophet (i.e. Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (salla allahu alayhi wasalaam)) and generation (i.e. the Sahabah (radiallahu anhum)) to the end of time. He made the latter better than the former and as the saying goes: "The end is always more complete and perfect than the beginning!" Consider carefully how much time was between the statement of Jibreel (alayhi asalaam):

اقْرَأْ
"Read!"

And the reply of Prophet (salla allahu alayhi wa salaam):

مَا أَنَا بِقَارِئٍ
"I don't know how to read!" (Sahih Al Bukhari)

And the final verse revealed of the Qur'an:

ًاألْيَومَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُم دِينَكُم وَ أَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيكُم نِعْمَتِي وَ رَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْاِسْلَامَ دِين
"This day I have completed for you, your religion and perfected My favor upon you and I am pleased with Islam as your religion." (5:3)

The Sixth: Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) combined in the creation of Adam (alayhi asalaam) all of what He dispersed throughout the earth. The creation of Adam contains everything that is in the life of this world as well as the greater world in the hereafter!

The Seventh: Adam (alayhi asalaam) is the quintessence of all creation and the sole reason why they were even brought into existence. Thus it was only appropriate that his creation be brought into subsistence after all other forms of creation were created.

The Eighth: From the bounty of Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) upon the creation of Adam is that He prepared for him everything that was going to be a benefit for him in this life. He provided Adam with everything that was going to satisfy his needs and the tools by which he can earn his living
and the necessities to sustain his life. With the mere lift of his head, he can find everything he needs present right in front of him!

The Ninth: Allah wanted to expose the nobility of Adam over the rest of creation so He created them first and this is why the angels said: "Our Lord is going to create what He wills, but He will never bring into existence a creature more honorable to Him than us!"

So when Allah created Adam (alayhi asalaam) and commanded them to prostrate to him, at that moment, Allah exposed his virtue and nobility over them by way of the knowledge and understanding He endowed him with. But when Adam committed the sin (i.e. eating from the tree), the angels thought that he was stripped of his virtue and nobility!

However, they were unaware of the potential of sincere repentance! So when Adam performed that magnificent act of worship (i.e. repentance) to his Lord, the angels knew at that moment that Allah has a secret relationship with the human race they obviously didn't know about!!!

The Tenth: When Allah began the creation of this world by the pen, it was absolutely appropriate for Him to finish it with the creation of the human being. For indeed the pen is a tool for seeking knowledge and the human being is intelligent with the potential to be a person of knowledge! So
when Allah exposed the virtue of Adam over the angels it was by way of knowledge which Allah specified the creation of Adam with.


Translated by Abu Azzubayr Shadeed Muhammad on Febuary 12, 2010 in the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh.

Translator's Note: Please read this article again and contemplate over the bounty Allah has bestowed upon you as a human being!

Posted in: Gems,Ibn Qayyim,Islam,Wisdom