Pearls of Wisdom by Ibn Taymiyyah: " You should not look at what the person used to do, rather you should look at what kind of person they are today. The one who gets bogged down about people's pasts, is just like Iblees who said to Allaah, “You created me from fire and you created him from clay”.

IBN T A Y M I Y Y A H, may Allah (swt) have mercy upon him, was born in Harran, an old city within the Arabian Peninsula between Syria and Iraq, on the tenth or the twelfth of the month Rabi al-Awwal the year 661H. He and his family were later forced to flee to Damascus due to the occupation by the Tartars. He came from a family of scholars. At an early age he amazed his teachers at the strength of his memory, keen intelligence and depth of understanding. Ibn Taymiyyah was one of the greatest scholars in which his knowledge still lives on till this day. The Ummah Voice Podcast presents our audience a segment of his quotes during the holy month of Ramadan.

One famous quote of Ibn Taymiyyah is: You should not look at what the person used to do, rather you should look at what kind of person they are today. The one who gets bogged down about people's pasts, is just like Iblees who said to Allah, “You created me from fire and you created him from clay”.

People’s past should never define who they are as we have read of the Sahabaa (ra). Omar Al-Khattab (ra) was one of the enemies of the Prophet (saw) to then embracing Islam and later the second Khaleefah. A person can repent being transformed from within. A person can wake up to reality and the purpose of his presence on Earth making him repent his past and working to please Allah (swt) to make up for past mistakes. When individuals start to judge arrogance may arise forgetting his own mistakes and sins. People who focus on individuals past does not allow growth for those types’ individuals making them unsuccessful in this Life and Hereafter.

The biggest example we see when Iblis was among the ones of Jannah to being kicked out and will live in Hell eternally. Iblis was one of the dwellers of Jannah until he had to bow to Adam (as). He refused to bow because of his pride and arrogance which led him to Hell. Individuals need to focus on the present and future on how to gain the pleasure of Allah and often seek repentance. We should learn from the examples of Omar (ra) and Iblis. May Allah (swt) protect us from arrogance and HIS (swt) wrath.

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