Ibn ul Qayyim (Rahimahullah) mentioned in his monumental book Fuwa’id ul Fawa’id “Benefits of the Benefits”
The most astounding thing is that you know Allah, but you don’t love Him! You hear His Da’ee (i.e. the Messenger Sallahu alaihi wa salam), but then you postpone your response (i.e. following his Sunnah)! You know the worth of your proceeds when you work for Him, but then you turn around and work for other than Him!
You know the magnitude of His anger, but then you turn around and subject yourself to it (i.e. by doing things that displeases Him)! You taste the pain of alienation (i.e. from Him and His righteous slaves) when you disobey Him, but then you fail to seek intimacy with Him by being obedient! You feel the constriction of your heart when you indulge in speech other than His, but then you are negligent about His remembrance which will open your heart!!
You taste punishment (i.e. misery and disappointment) every time your heart is attached to other than Him, but then you fail to flee from it to the bliss found in repenting to Him and turning towards Him!!
What is more amazing than this, is that you know you can not do without Him and out of all the creatures in the world, you are the most in need of Him, but you turn away from Him while that which will put distance between you and Him, you turn all of your attention towards!!!
Translated by Abu Azzubayr Shadeed Muhammad on January 11, 2010 in the City of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
