IOG book review (short)

Assalamu alaykum,

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This is well overdue, I did a book review for a site so I thought I'd put it up here as well, I have some notes to add to it, but I have yet to finish writting them up, so it'll be on here when it is. Inshallah

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Summary:

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The invocation of God is a translation of al- Wabil al sayyib. The author says, ‘ We have mentioned (in it) nearly one hundred benefits of remembrance of God (dhikr), and the secrets of remembrance. This is a book of great usefulness.’

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Written in the fourteenth century by the renowned theologies Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya rahiamullah, this treatise movingly details the many blessings of the remembrance of God. Through discussions of the ego, the nature of the body, the ephemerality of the world, the degrees of prayer, fasting, charity and the purification of the heart. This truly is a contribution to the Muslim’s spirituality.

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Opinion:

I began reading this book with obvious great expectations due to whom it was written by. As with all Ibn Qayyims writings rahiamullah, the set tone and language used is eloquent and simple. Although this was translation of the book he wrote, the underlying personality of this great scholar is still vibrant and lifts the words off the page and enters your heart.

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The actual book is divided into four parts; The Paths to Happiness; A commentary on the Hadith of al-Harith al-Ashari; The many benefits of Remembrance and The Kinds of Remembrance.

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Part One sets the tone for the rest of the book, describing what is going to be discussed within the book, Ibn Qayyim Rahiamullah affirms the reasons why it is a must for all to be in constant remembrance of our Rabb.

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Part two furthers this by discussing the importance of prayer, the three types of hearts and how to obtain the best of heart by cleansing the heart of tarnishes.

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Part Three is the one that I liked the most this is because it was the part that I felt I could benefit the most and the one that I could understand the best. This part is further divided into a section that describes the various different benefits that can be obtained by the remembrance of Allah.

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In part four the Sheikh describes the two types of remembrance. A short explanations which only lasts a couple of pages but it truly will change the view you have on the worship of Allah.

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This book may be best studied with a student of knowledge as sme of the concepts may be hard to grasp at first, but its absoultly mind blowing once you understand it Subhnallah! If you truly wish to change the direction your heart is going towards then read the Invocation of God, by Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyya, Rahimmaullah.