How the Prophet Would Complain

It is related that when Abu Talib died, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) went out on foot to Ta’if to call its people to Islam. They rejected his call, and he walked away until he got to the shade of a tree. So, he prayed two rak’at and said:

اللهم إني أشكو إليك ضعف قوتي وهواني على الناس أنت أرحم الراحمين إلى من تكلني إلى عدو يتجهمني أم إلى قريب ملكته أمري إن لم تكن غضبان علي فلا أبالي غير أن عافيتك أوسع لي أعوذ بوجهك الذي أشرقت له الظلمات وصلح عليه أمر الدنيا والآخرة أن ينزل بي غضبك أو يحل بي سخطك لك العتبى حتى ترضى ولا قوة إلا بالله

“O Allah, I complain to You of my weakness and my insignificance in the eyes of the people. You are the most Merciful. No matter who You have put me at the mercy of – an enemy who will be stern with me, or a friend to look after my affairs – as long as You are not Angry with me, then I don’t care. However, the relief You bring would be more comfortable for me. I seek refuge with Your Face – for which the darkness has lit up, and the affairs of this world and the next are organized – from being afflicted with Your Wrath or deserving of Your Anger. You have the right to admonish as You please, and there is no might nor power except by Allah.”

This was related by al-Haythami in ‘Majma’ az-Zawa’id’ (6/35), and he mentioned in it that at-Tabarani related it in ‘al-Mu’jam al-Kabir’ on the authority of ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far bin Abi Talib, and that its chain of narration contains Ibn Ishaq, who is a trustworthy mudallis, with the rest of the narrators in its chain being trustworthy.

‘Alawi as-Saqqaf said in his checking of ‘Fi Dhilal al-Qur’an’ that it is hasan, and Ibrahim al-’Ali included it in ‘Sahih as-Sirah an-Nabawiyyah’ (p. 136).

Fudayl and Harun al-Rashid

Abu ‘Ali al-Fozail ibn ‘Iyaz al-Talaqani and Harun al-Rashid

One night Harun al-Rashid summoned Fazl the Barmecide (A person who offers benefits when some one is disappointed) , who was one of his favorite courtiers. “Take me to a man this night who will reveal me to myself,” he bade him. “My heart is grown weary of pomp and pride.”

Fazl brought Harun to the door of the house of Sofyan-e Oyaina. They knocked at the door. “Who is it?” Sofyan asked. “The Commander of the Faithful,” Fazl replied. “Why did he trouble himself so?” Sofyan said. “I ought to have been informed, then I could have come myself to him.  ” “This is not the man I am seeking,” Harun commented “He fawns upon me like the rest.”

Hearing of what had happened, Sofyan said, “Fozail-e Iyaz is such a man as you are seeking. You must go to him.” And he recited this verse: Or do those who commit evil deeds think that We shall make them as those who believe and do righteous deeds? “If I am seeking good counsel, this is sufficient,” remarked Harun.

They knocked at Fozail’s door.
“Who is it?” Fozail asked.
“The Commander of the Faithful,” Fazl replied.
“What business has he with me, and what have I to do with him?” Fozail demanded.
“Is it not a duty to obey those in authority?” countered Fazl.
“Do not disturb me,” cried Fozail.
“Shall I enter with an authority or a command?” said Fazl.
“There is no such thing as authority,” replied Fozail. “If you enter by force, you know what you are doing.”
Harun entered. As he approached Fozail, the latter blew out the lamp so as not to see his face. Harun stretched out his hand, and Fozail’s hand met it.

“How smooth and soft this palm is, if only it could escape from Hell-fire!” Fozail remarked.
So saying, he arose and stood in prayer. Harun was much affected and weeping overcame him.

“Say something to me,” he begged. Fozail saluted him and then spoke.
“Your ancestor, the Prophet’s uncle, once demanded of the Prophet, ‘Make me commander over some people.’ The Prophet replied, ‘Uncle, for one moment I have made you commander over yourself.’ By this hemeant, ‘For you to obey God for one moment is better than a thousand years of people obeying you.’ The Prophet added, ‘Command shall be a cause of regretting on the Day of Resurrection.’ “

“Say more,” Harun pleaded.

“When Omar ibn Abd al-Aziz was appointed caliph,” Fozail related, “he summoned Salem ibn Abd Allah, Raja’ ibn Hayat, and Mohammad ibn Ka’b. ‘I have been afflicted with this trial,’ he told them. ‘What am I to do? For I know this high office to be a trial, even though men count it for a blessing.’ One of the three said, ‘If you wish tomorrow to escape from God’s punishment, look upon aged Muslims as though each were your father, and regard youthful Muslims as your brothers, Muslim children as your own sons, treating
them in all respects as one does one’s father, brother, and son.’ “

“Say more,” Harun repeated.

“The lands of Islam are as your own house, and their inhabitants your family,” Fozail said. “Visit your father, honor your brother, and be good to your son. I fear,” he added, “that your handsome face will be sorely tried by the fire of Hell. Fear God, and obey His command. And be watchful and prudent; for on the Resurrection Day God will question you concerning every single Muslim, and He will exact justice from you in respect of every one. If one night an old woman has gone to sleep in a house without provisions, she will pluck your skirt on that Day and will give evidence against you.”

Harun wept bitterly, so that his consciousness was like to fail.

“Enough! You have slain the Commander of the Faithful,” chided Fazl the vizier.
“Be silent, Haman,” cried Fozail. “It is you and your creatures who are destroying him, and then you tell me that I have killed him. Is this murder?”

At these words Harun wept even more copiously.“He calls you Haman,” he said, turning to Fazl, “because he equates me with Pharaoh.” Then, addressing Fozail, he asked,
“Have you a debt outstanding?”
“Yes,” replied Fozail. “A debt of obedience to God. If He takes me to task over this, then woe is me!”
“I am speaking of debts owed to men, Fozail,” said Harun.

“Thanks be to God,” cried Fozail, “who has blessed me abundantly, so that I have no complaint to make to His servants.”

Then Harun placed a purse of a thousand dinars before him.
“This is lawful coin, of my mother’s inheritance,” he said.
“Commander of the Faithful,” said Fozail, “the counsels I have spoken to you have yielded no profit.Even now you have recommenced wrongdoing and resumed injustice.”

“What wrongdoing?” demanded Harun.

“I call you to salvation, and you cast me into temptation. This is wrongdoing indeed,” said Fozail. “I tell you, give back what you possess to its proper owner. You for your part give it to another to whom it should not be given. It is useless for me to speak.”

So saying, he rose up from the caliph’s presence and flung the gold out of the door.
“Ah, what a man he is!” exclaimed Harun, leaving Fozail’s house. “Fozail is in truth a king of men. His arrogance is extreme, and the world is very contemptible in his eyes.”

Al-Dhahabî describes Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd as an Imâm, an example, and Shaykh Al-Islâm.

Here is the story of how he made tawbah:

Al-Fadl b. Mûsâ reports:

Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd used to be a highwayman, between Abyûrd and Sarkhas.Fozail led a group of bandits raiding caravans and robbing travelers. He was in love with a girl, and the cause of his repentance was that he was once climbing a wall to meet her when he heard someone reciting the following verses:

Has not the time come for those who believe,
that their hearts should be humbled and submitted 
(to Allah)…?

[Al-Hadîd: 16]

When he heard this, Al-Fudayl said, “Indeed my Lord, it is time.” So he left, and seeking a night’s shelter he found himself at some ruins, and there he saw some travelers. Some of them said, “We should move on.” Others said, “Wait until morning, Al-Fudayl operates in this area, he will rob us.”

Al-Fudayl said, “So I thought and said to myself: I spend the night in sin and there are some Muslims here who fear me; I think that Allah only led me to them so that I might take lesson and stop what I am doing. O Allah! I have repented, and as part of my tawbah I will live next to Al-Bayt Al-Harâm (in Makkah).”

He remained in Mecca for a long time, and studied under Imam Abu Hanifa.

Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd.

http://ahlusunnahwaljamat.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/al-fozail-ibn-iyaz-a-famous-sufi-saint/
http://www.ummah.com

Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah -1

"When we were afraid and anxious, we used to go to Ibn Taymiyyah. As soon as we saw him and heard him, all negative feelings disappeared. Our hearts were filled with conviction and harmony. 

Free is He from defects who shows His servants the paradise

before they get to meet Him."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Whoever remembered Allaah whilst being alive and in good health, will remember Him at the time of death."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Trials and tribulation are like feeling the heat and cold, when one knows that they cannot be avoided, he will not feel the anger at their onset, nor will be distressed or disheartened."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"The Prophet, sallaallahu `alayhi wa sallam, used to wear his best clothes for the Eid prayers and he had clothes that he reserved for the two Eids and Jumu'ah."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"If a person is sincere towards Allah in all his affairs, Allah will give him more than He gives to others, and this sincerity results from true love of Allah and true trust in Him.

So the most sincere of people is the one who is loves Allah most and puts most trust in Him."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Ibn Taymiyyah lived poorly. He was imprisoned and threatened. But I have never seen anyone as happy as him.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“If the Night of Decree (Laylatoel Qadr) was some night during the entire year, I’d stand in night prayer the entire year to get it. So what do you suppose should be done for merely ten nights?”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"In order for a place to contain something, it must be free from whatever contradicts it. This principle applies to mankind and all creation as well as to belief and desires.

So, if the hearts is obsessed by belief in falsehood, there will be no place for truth.

Accordingly, if the tongue is involved in trivial discourse, one shall be incapable of useful speech, unless falsehood is abandoned."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Fasting guards and protects the health of the person's heart and body limbs. And it returns the soul all that the hands of the desires has taken from it. So it is from the greatest ways of improving one's Taqwa, as Allah says: 

"O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you in order that you attain Taqwa."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"True fasting is when the limbs fast from sin and the stomach fasts from food and drink. As food and drink can break the fast or spoil it, so sins can cut off its reward and spoil its fruits, as if one had not fasted at all."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Buy for yourself (through doing good deeds) while there is still a market and you have the ability to buy."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“The road to Allaah is free from those who have doubt, and those who give in to their lusts. It is full of those having certainty and patience. They are like guideposts along the road.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Everyone will pass through times of sleep and neglect (following his lusts), but do not sink into sleep as the morning of the hereafter is close at hand."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“The most precious reward during life is to busy yourself with most suitable and useful matters in their exact and suitable time.

How can he be rational who sells Paradise and what is in it, for one hour of passing pleasure?”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

  

❝If anyone sincerely believes in the Hereafter, he would never be satisfied with this worldly life nor would he be heedless of the Ayaat of Allah.❞

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Feeling powerless is a deceptive excuse.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“When there is money in your hand and not in your heart, it will not harm you even if it is a lot; and when it is in your heart, it will harm you even if there is none in your hands.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Beware of every hour and how it passes, and only spend it in the best possible way, do not neglect yourself, but render it accustomed to the noblest and best of actions, and send to your grave that which will please you when you arrive to it.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"If you do not work hard and face difficulties along your way in seeking glory, you will never taste honor and relief when you attain victory."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah] 

"The servant has a Lord that he will stand in front of and a house that he will live in, so he must seek the pleasure of Allah before meeting Him and he should furnish his house before moving into it."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Were it not that Allaah treats His slaves with the remedy of trials and calamities, they would transgress and overstep the mark. 

When Allaah wills good for His slaves, He gives him the medicine of calamities and trials according to his situation, so as to cure him from all fatal illnesses and diseases, until He purifies and cleanses him, and then makes him qualified for the most honourable position in this world; 

Which is that of being a true slave of Allaah (‘uboodiyyah), and for the greatest reward in the Hereafter, which is that of seeing Him and being close to Him."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

Ibn `Abbas [may Allah be pleased with him] said:

“Indeed good actions are a light in the heart, a strengthening for the body, a glow on the face, a cause for extensive provisions and love in the hearts of the creation.

Indeed bad actions are a darkness in the heart, a blackness on the face, a weakness for the body, a cause for decrease in provisions and hatred in the hearts of the creation.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"He (Allah) created the seven seas, but He loved a tear from you (out of fear of Him) but your eyes were tearless”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"A scholar said: 'To have patience means that one's common sense and religious motives are stronger than one's whims and desires.' It is natural for people to have an inclination towards desires, but common sense and the religious motive should limit that inclination. 

The two forces are at war: sometimes reason and religion win, and sometimes whims and desires prevail. 

The battlefield is the heart of the man."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“You must be willing to change. You must be willing to break the deal you made with the devils within. You must be willing to leave the past and not be tempted to rebound when times are tough. 

You must be willing to let go of everything and anyone that takes you back to your sins. You must be willing to have hope. You must be willing to have hope that you can change and that you will and that you will be better. 

You must believe you are worthy of change and you are worthy...See More

“Happiness is attained by three things: being patient when tested, being thankful when receiving a blessing, and being repentant upon sinning.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Contentment is the paradise of this world.” 

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Undoubtedly allowing women to mix freely with men is the basis of all evils. This is one of the greatest causes of punishment coming down upon everyone and of public and private affairs becoming corrupt. 

Free mixing of men and women is the cause of much immorality and adultery, and it is the cause of general doom and diseases."

…

One of the greatest causes of general doom is the prevalence of adultery because of allowing women to mix freely with men and to walk amongst them making a wanton display of their beauty.

If the powers that be knew how much corruption it causes to worldly interests and to people, they would prevent it most vigorously.

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Righteous actions are only according to righteous intentions, and a good intention does not make something which is futile correct. 

This is because intentions alone cannot make an action correct, but rather complying with the Sharee’ah (Prescribed Laws) must be added to that." 

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“When a slave’s morning and evening is filled with spending time to worship Allah, Allah will then help him with all of his needs and help him with everything he wishes. He (Allah) will also fill his heart with love to Allah for Allah, his tongue with Dhikr, and his body parts with obedience to Him. 

But as for the one who’s morning and evening is filled with thinking about the wordly life, then Allah will let him take care of all of his problems, troubles and sufferings him...

"Dhikr gives a person strength so that he can do with dhikr that which he cannot do without it. 

I saw wonders in the strength of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah in walking, speech, courage and writing. 

He used to write in one day what a scribe would write in a week, or more. 

The troops saw his amazing strength in war. 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught his daughter Faatimah and ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with them) to recite tasbeeh thirty-th...See More

"Go out into the field of struggles and strive to sow seeds. Irrigate the tree of regret with the water of tears."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“If you do not find any sweetness and relaxation in your heart from a [good] deed, then you should suspect your heart. 

Verily, Allâh is Ash Shakoor. That is, He must reward the doer of the deed for his deed in this world by a sweetness he finds in his heart, a stronger feeling of relaxation and a joy in his eyes. 

If the person does not find these things, it means that something has entered upon his deed [and made it not correct and purely for Allâh’s sake].” 

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Sincerity is not combined in the heart along with the love of being praised by the people, and being commended by them, and also having greed for what the people have, except like water being combined with fire.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“The degree to which a person is helped and aided by Allah depends on the degree of his intention, drive, aim and hopes. Help from Allah comes to people in proportion to their drive, intention, hopes and fears, and failure comes to them in like manner.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Yearning for Allah and His meeting is like the gentle breeze blowing upon the heart, extinguishing the blaze of the dunya.

Whosoever causes his heart to settle with his Lord shall be in a state, calm and tranquil.

And whosoever sends it amongst the people shall be excessively perturbed."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“The servant is never in need of any other thing as much as he is need of guidance to the straight path.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"The sea of pleasures may drown its owner and the swimmer fears to open his eyes under water."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"The world is like a shadow, you see it move here and there thinking it is real, and attempt to run after it, only to discover that it was an illusion."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“If you want to benefit from the Qur’aan, gather your heart when it is recited (try to understand it), focus your hearing, and act like you are being directly addressed by Allah.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Du'aa is one of the most beneficial cures and the enemy of fitnah (evils and trials), wards it off and treats it, prevents it to happen and cures it if it happens. Du'aa is the weapon of the believer.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Obedience is light, disobedience is darkness, the bigger the darkness is, the more confused one is. At last one falls into innovations and misguidance without noticing it.” 

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Rahimahullah]

“Prayer brings provision, keeps health and prevents harm, expels illnesses, strengthens heart, whitens face, delights the soul, protects from laziness, activates the body, gladdens the heart, nourishes the soul, enlightens the heart, maintains the grace, prevents the curse, brings the blessing, taking you away from satan and getting you closer to the ever merciful.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Rahimahullah]

“As long as the tongue is occupied in dhikr, it will be safe from unbecoming speech and lies, because it never keeps quiet. Alike it is with the heart, if it is not occupied in love of Allah then it will love the creation.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"It was said that tawakkul is when the heart knows that the Lord is sufficient for the slave."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Religion is in its entirety good character, so the one who exceeds you in character, has exceeded you in religion.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“When you do not have knowledge, someone could bring you dirt and you will believe it to be gold.” 

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"The soul will never become pious and purified except through undergoing afflictions. It is the same as gold that can never be pure except after removing all the base metals in it."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Allah will never humiliate the one who takes his Lord as a Friend and Protector.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“Satan rejoiced when Adam (peace be upon him) came out of Paradise, but he did not know that when a diver sinks into the sea, he collects pearls and then rises again.” 

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"It has been said: 

"Sincerity is to forget the creation seeing you because of contin¬ually looking towards the Creator. Whoever adorns himself before the people with what he does not possess, has fallen from Allah's Grace."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"The proof the denier uses to deny the Lord is in fact a strong proof and sign that increases the believer in faith. The truth is that by the same signs of Allah, He misleads whomsoever He wants and guides whomsoever He wants."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"There is nothing on earth that badly needs to be imprisoned more than the tongue."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

❝Sins generate more sins, and one leads to another, until they overpower a man and he finds it difficult to repent from that.❞

As one of the earlier generation said: 

One of the punishments of bad deeds is more bad deeds, and one of the rewards of good deeds is more good deeds. 

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

"Al- Junayd said: 'The journey from this world to the Hereafter is smooth and easy for the believer, but leaving ordinary life for the sake of Allah is difficult. 

The journey from the ego (nafs) to Allah is extremely difficult, and patience (sabr) in Allah is even more difficult."

He was asked about patience, so he replied: 'It is to swallow bitterness without frowning.'

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"To wish the Kaafir α happy holiday, is like congratulating him because he is worshipping the cross."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“If knowledge had a face, it would have been more beautiful than the shams wal qamar (sun and the moon).”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“The heart will rest and feel relief if it is settled with Allah. And it will worry and feel anxious if it is settled with the people.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"I heard Shaykh'ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah sanctify his soul) say: 

"Dhikr is to the heart as water is to a fish; see what happens to a fish when it is taken out of water!"

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“The heart gets sick as the body does and its cure is in asking for forgiveness and protection. 

It also becomes rusty like a mirror does and it is polished by remembering Allah.

The heart can also be naked like the body and can lose its dress and decoration, which is piety..

And it can feel hunger and thirst like the body does, and its nourishment is knowledge, love, trust, and offering service to Allah.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Ikhlaas is the way to salvation, Islaam is the ship to safety and Imaan is the seal of security."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

“When you make dua, it is a sign that Allah loves you and has intended good for you.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Sinning will leave you poor and regretful."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

"Allaah Ta'aala testifies for the one who, has been given knowledge, that He has given him lots of good. Allaah Ta'aala said: 

"He grants Hikmah to whom He pleases, and he, to whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good" 

[Soerat Al Baqarah vers 269]

Ibn Qootayba and the majority of the scholars said: 

"Wisdom is to be on the truth and to act upon it, and that is beneficial knowledge and good actions."

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]

Ibn Qayyim also wrote a famous qasidah, entitled Ayobbad al-Maseeh Fi Naqd al-Nasraniyyah (O Christ-Worshippers! In Refuting Christianity):

اعباد المسيح لنا سؤال….نريد جوابه ممن و عاه

O Christ-worshippers! We want an answer to our question [from your wise ones],

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy upon him), said in Madarij al-Salikin (2/68):

''Allah said: He Who created death and life, to test which of you are best in action. [al-Mulk 67:2]

Fudayl ibn 'Iyad said [about this verse]: 'It is what is most sincere and most correct.' 

They asked: O Abu 'Ali, what is most sincere and most correct? 

He replied: 'An action, if it is sincere but not correct, will not be accept¬ed. ...See More

“Be to Allah as He wishes, and He will be to you more than you can wish for.”

[Imam Ibn al Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah RahimahuAllah]