Complain to Allaah alone! By Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah | Ilm4all

Complain to Allaah alone!
By Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah

“al-Sabr al-Jameel” (the good patience الصَّبْرُ الْجَمِيلُ) is that patience in which there is no complaining (towards the creation). Yaqoob عليه السلام said:

﴿إنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إلَى اللَّهِ﴾

{I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allaah}
[Surah Yusuf (12): 86]

Even though he also said:

﴿فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَى مَا تَصِفُونَ﴾

{So (for me) patience is most fitting. And it is Allah (Alone) Whose help can be sought against that which you assert}
[Surah Yusuf (12): 18]

Complaining to Allaah (about the harm that has befallen you) does not contradict or negate “the good patience”.

And whenever Umar Ibn al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه used to recite in the Fajr prayer:

﴿إِنَّمَا أَشْكُو بَثِّي وَحُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّـهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ﴾

{I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allaah and I know from Allaah what you do not know}
[Surah Yusuf (12): 86]

He used to weep so profusely that his sobbing would be heard in the last rows.

(Complain to the Creator) instead of complaining to the creation!

(Complaining to the Creator is permissible) because the one who is complaining is doing so based on the situation he is in, either (beseeching Allaah) to remove the thing which is harming him, or seeking (from Allaah) that which is beneficial for him. A person has been commanded to beseech the Creator instead of the creation. Allaah تعالى said:

﴿فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانصَبْ * وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَارْغَب﴾

{So when you have finished (from your occupation), then stand up for Allaah’s worship (i.e. stand up for prayer). And to your Lord (Alone) turn (all your intentions and hopes and) your invocations.}
[Surah al-Sharh (94): 7-8]

And the Prophet ﷺ said to Ibn Abbaas رضي الله عنهما: ❝If you ask, then ask Allaah [alone]; and if you seek help, then seek help from Allaah [alone].❞
[Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2516) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

And it is a must that a person should adhere to two things:
1) To do that which he has been commanded to do and to shun that which has been prohibited.
2) And to be patient when a thing which has Decreed befalls him.

The first is from Taqwaa (piety) and the second is patience (Sabr).

[Majmoo al-Fataawa of Ibn Taymiyyah (10/666-667)]



[TN: The Prophet ﷺ also said to Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما: ❝And know that what has passed you by [and you have failed to attain] was not going to befall you, and what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, and relief after affliction, and ease after hardship.❞ [Mustadrak of al-Haakim (6304)]