Station of Toma'aneenah

 

Station of Toma'aneenah

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

al-Jumu'ah Magazine

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Toma'aneenah is tranquillity. Allah says,
"Those who believe and whose hearts find toma'aneenah in the remembrance
of Allah. Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find toma'aneenah."
[13:28]

"O you the one with toma'aneenah! Come
back to your Lord, well-pleased and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter you,
then among My honored slaves, and enter My Paradise." [89:27-30]

Toma'aneenah is the satisfaction of the
heart with circumstances without any sense of anxiety or restlessness.
It was mentioned in one narration that: "Truthfulness is a cause of toma'aneenah
and lying is a cause of suspicion and doubt." This suggests that one who
hears the truth will have toma'aneenah and satisfaction within his heart
as a result, whereas lying causes disturbance and doubt within the heart.
This meaning is also seen in the hadeeth which states: "Righteousness is
what the heart has toma'aneenah with." This shows that the heart feels
satisfied with truth and has no anxiety or sense of unease because of it.

There are two opinions regarding the meaning
of remembrance of Allah in the (aforementioned) verse. The first opinion
holds that the remembrance is of the servant to his Lord. This remembrance
causes toma'aneenah to settle within the heart. Should the heart become
anxious or disturbed, then the servant will have no means for attaining
toma'aneenah except through the remembrance of Allah. The second opinion
holds that the meaning of this remembrance is the Qur'an, and this is the
more sound. It is His Remembrance that He revealed to His Messenger. The
hearts of the believers will have toma'aneenah as a result of it. For the
heart will not have trust or toma'aneenah except by faith and certainty.
There are no means of attaining faith and certainty except through the
Qur'an. The toma'aneenah of the heart is due to its firm faith. The heart's
anxiety and disturbance are a result of its doubts and uncertainty. The
Qur'an is the means to attain certainty and firmness in faith, and to remove
doubts. That is why the hearts of the believers cannot have tranquillity
except through the Qur'an. It is impossible for anyone who doesn't study
the Qur'an, or deeply understand it, to have a benefit from it and its
guidance. The benefit from the Qur'an, will not be sound unless one's heart
perceives the reflections of His Lord's Names and Attributes, in His Laws
within himself and in everything around him within this universe. The same
two opinions are also applied to the meaning for the remembrance of Allah,
as stated in the following verse, "And whosoever turns away from
the remembrance of Ar-Rahmaan (Allah), We appoint for him a shaytaan(devil)
to be an intimate companion to him." [43:36]

Again, the sound opinion here is that Allah's
Remembrance is that which He sent to His Messenger, i.e., His Book. Whoever
turns away from this, Allah will appoint a shaytaan for him, who will misguide
and deter him from the straight path although the person may think that
he is righteously guided. The two opinions are also prevalent with the
verse: "But whosoever turns away from My Remembrance, verily for
him is a life of hardship and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of
Resurrection." [20:124]

The sound opinion is that Allah's Remembrance
is His Book that He sent to His Messenger. This is why the one that turns
away from it will say, "O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind
while I had sight before?" [20:125] And Allah will respond by saying, "Like
this, Our Aayat came unto you but you disregarded them, and so this Day
you will be neglected." [20:126]

Allah deposits toma'aneenah in the hearts
and souls of the believers. He will then grant the joy, delight and good
news of admission into Paradise to those with toma'aneenah. As a result,
for these people there is great happiness and a beautiful place for the
final return. The verse "O you with toma'aneenah! Come back to your
Lord . . ," indicates that the soul will not return to Allah unless
it is characterized by toma'aneenah. Then it will return to Him, be from
among His honored slaves and be allowed to enter His Paradise.

Toma'aneenah's final product is tranquillity.
At that final stage the heart will have tranquillity with a sense of sound
security. There is a difference between a sense of sound security and a
deceitful sense of security. It is possible that the heart may have a feeling
of satisfaction caused by a deceitful sense of security, but this satisfaction
and peace do not endure. Besides the sound security because of the tranquillity
produced by toma'aneenah, there is an atmosphere of joy and attachment.

Toma'aneenah is something more than tranquillity.
It includes knowledge, faith and the attainment of what is known. The example
of this is the toma'aneenah the hearts find with the Qur'an. When hearts
believe in it and attain knowledge of its guidance, it is sufficient for
them. Their total loyalty is to the Qur'an. They rule their lives with
it and go to it when they have a dispute.

Toma'aneenah is extremely beneficial for
those overwhelmed by obligations and responsibilities, especially for those
who call others to Allah and struggle against Allah's enemies. These people
face and bear much more than others. They are faced by many circumstances
that may weaken their patience. So if Allah wishes to relieve them of the
heaviness of their obligations, He will have tranquillity descend upon
them and toma'aneenah with His Commands and Decrees. If the servant has
toma'aneenah with Allah's Commands, then he knows that Allah's religion
is the truth and that Allah will certainly support him and be sufficient
for him and his family. If the servant has toma'aneenah with Allah's Decrees
then he knows that nothing will reach him except for what Allah has written
for him. This servant knows that whatever Allah wishes will be and whatever
Allah doesn't wish will not be. Therefore there is no reason for worries
or concerns, unless there is weak faith. Nothing will happen unless it
is written and if it is written, nothing can stop it. Therefore, there
should be no fear or concern for those with faith. If an adversity occurs
and the believer can do something, then he should do so. However, if he
cannot, then he should not be annoyed or dismayed.

Toma'aneenah is also beneficial for those
who are subjected to trials and hardship. There is no doubt when a person
is suffering and has strong faith in the reward for his patience, then
his heart will be content. He will have tranquillity and toma'aneenah.
The adversity may become stronger against him and he may not see the reward.
Seeing the reward may become so powerful that there may be a sense of joy
felt from the adversity and be considered a gift. This is not surprising.
Many wise persons upon seeing the results of distasteful medication may
begin to like the taste of the medicine. Observing its benefit makes one
not pay attention to the taste.

Allaahummaa innee as'alukal-hudaa wat-tuqaa
wal-`afaafa wal-ghinaa

"O Allaah! I ask You for guidance, piety,
safety and well-being, and contentment and sufficiency."

 

Say: "Truly, my prayer And my service
of sacrifice, My life and my death, Are all for Allah, The Cherisher of
the Worlds..."

(Quran, Surah Al-An'am:162)