The Gardens of Paradise

Collected in the abridged version of al-Khatib al-Baghdadi’s ‘Iqtida’ al-’Ilm al-’Amal’ (p. 43-47), in the chapter titled ‘Rushing to Deeds Before One’s Youth and Health Disappear’:

1 - Ghunaym bin Qays said:

“We would be admonished in the early days of Islam:

‘O son of Adam! Act during your free time before you become busy, and during your youth before your old age, and during your health before your sickness, and during your stay in this world before the Hereafter, and during your life before your death.’”

2 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Masruq at-Tusi said:

“I recited to Mahmud bin al-Hasan:

3 - ‘Abdullah bin al-Mubarak said:

5 - Abu ‘Abdillah Ahmad bin Ayyub chanted to himself:

6 - Abu al-Walid Sulayman bin Khalaf bin Sa’d al-Andalusi chanted to himself:

7 - Some of the scholars said:

“A group of people invited a man for some food on an extremely hot day. So, he said: “I am fasting.”

They said: “On a day like this?!”

He said: “Do you want me to waste my days?”"

8 - Abu Bakr bin Abi ad-Dunya said:

“A group of people invited a man for some food. So, he said: “I am fasting.”

They said: “Break your fast today, and fast tomorrow.”

He said: “And who will be there for me tomorrow?”"

9 - ‘Abdullah bin al-Mu’taz said:

“Seize the opportunity today, and do not wait for tomorrow, as there is nobody to guarantee tomorrow for you.”

10 - One of Dawud at-Ta’i’s brothers said to him:

“O Abu Sulayman! You know the kinship between us. So, advise me!”

So, his eyes began to water, and he said: “My brother! Indeed, the night and day are stages that the people pass through - one stage at a time - until they reach the end of their journey. So, if you are able to put forth for every day some provision for each stage, do so. And if your journey is cut short, prepare for your journey what you can, and fulfill what you are able of this affair, because it is as if its end will catch you by surprise. I do not know anyone who is more wasteful in this affair than I am.”

He then got up and left.”

11 - ‘Umar bin Muhammad bin Ahmad recited:

12 - ‘Abdullah bin Muhammad al-Ash’ari al-Madini recited:

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Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

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Shadows15

“The cities in [Spain]… the descriptions that come in the literature are beautiful descriptions of people being able to live, what I would call, in a holistic fashion. They were able to develop science in such a way that the science did not destroy the environment.”

Here Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, the first American graduate of the Islamic University of Madinah, presents the Muslim contribution to modern civilization and their influence during their 700 year rule in Al-Andulus (present-day Spain).

Topics of discussion include the Muslim contribution to geography, navigation, astronomy, physics, medicine, chemistry, mathematics and pharmacology as well as the early history of Muslims in the Americas. This extensive survey also analyzes the reasons why Muslim Spain declined from its status as a “wonder of the world” to a lost treasure which is lamented to this day.

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