Ibn Al-Qayyim: A Person’s Steadiness Upon the Straight Path In This Life Will Determine His Movement Along The Bridge in The Hereafter

 الحمد لله رب العالمين، والصلاة والسلام على أشرف الأنبياء والمرسلين نبينا محمد، وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين. أما بعد

Ibn Al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said:

So whoever is guided in this abode to Allaah’s straight path which He sent His Messengers with and upon which He revealed His Books, then he will be guided over there to the straight path (i.e. bridge) which will lead to Paradise – and His abode of reward.

Thus; on the basis of the steadiness of the step of the servant upon this path which Allaah has set up for His servants in this abode – likewise will be his steadiness upon the path (bridge) which is set up over the main part of the Hellfire.

On the basis of his movement along this path will determine his movement along that path. So from them will be those who will pass it like a lightening flash, and from them are those that will pass like the blink of an eye. Whilst others will pass like the wind, yet others will pass like the passing of riding animals, whilst some will pass running a jog. From them will be those that will walk at pace, and there will be those that will crawl – creeping along. From these will be the lacerated but would have made it safely, yet there are those of them that will be heaped into The Fire.

So let the servant reflect over his pace and movement along that path in light of his pace and movement upon this one.  It is paralleled; like as one feather of an arrow matches another – a fitting recompense.

هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

((Are you recompensed except with that which you used to do?)) (An-Naml: 90)

Let him look also that the doubts and desires that cause him to stumble from his pace upon this straight path, for they are indeed the very hooks which will be present at either side of that path. Seizing him and causing him to stumble from continuing the march along it. For if they are in abundance here – and gain strength; then likewise will be the case there;

 وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ

((And your Lord is not at all oppressive to the servants)) (Fussilat: 46)

(Taken from: Buloogh al-Amal fee Taqreer Qaa’idah al-Jazaa min Jinss al-‘Amal p.24-25. Original reference can be found in Madaarij as-Saalikeen vol 1 p.10)