al-Itisam Billah Sabil al-Najat
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- al-Itisam Billah Sabil al-Najat
al-Iʿtiṣām bi-Allāh Sabīl al-Najāh (Holding Fast to Allah is the Path to Salvation) is an Arabic treatise by the Bangladeshi author Anwar bin Ahl Allah bin Anwar Allah, focusing on the Islamic concept of seeking refuge in, relying upon, and holding fast to God as the sole means of deliverance.
Background and Composition
The work was compiled and prepared by Anwar bin Ahl Allah bin Anwar Allah, hailing from the village of Shamashpur in the Daganbhuiyan upazila of the Feni district in Bangladesh. The author dated the completion of the treatise to 14 Muharram 1431 AH (January 2010 CE). The treatise was composed to expound on the Quranic imperative of consigning one's affairs entirely to God and demonstrating that true spiritual and worldly salvation lies in relying exclusively upon Him.
Structure and Contents
The book is organized into an introduction followed by six primary chapters (fuṣūl):
- Chapter One: Covers foundational definitions and conceptual distinctions across four subsections. It defines iʿtiṣām lexically as holding fast and seeking protection, and technically as placing sole reliance on God, taking refuge in Him, seeking His assistance, and trusting Him completely. It distinguishes between two categories of holding fast: holding fast to God (al-iʿtiṣām bi-Allāh) and holding fast to His rope (al-iʿtiṣām bi-ḥabl Allāh), citing Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya and various early Quranic commentators such as Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, Mujahid ibn Jabr, and Muqatil ibn Sulayman. It also quotes commentators including Ibn Kathir and al-Shawkani, explores the essence of holding fast to God, and delineates the divine attributes of God as the sole protector.
- Chapter Two: Examines instances of holding fast to God among the prophets, recounting narratives concerning Adam, Noah, Job, and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (highlighting specific incidents such as his reliance on God when confronted by an armed Bedouin).
- Chapter Three: Highlights examples of relying upon God among the Prophet's Companions, such as the correspondence of Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab to Amr ibn al-As during the conquest of Egypt.
- Chapter Four: Documents accounts of righteous men who sought refuge in God in times of distress, citing works such as al-Faraj baʿd al-Shidda by al-Qadi al-Tanukhi.
- Chapter Five: Examines instances of holding fast to God among righteous women.
- Chapter Six: Discusses the spiritual and practical fruits of holding fast to God, describes the ruinous outcome of relying on created beings (citing the example of the son of Noah seeking refuge in a mountain), and poses a concluding self-examination on whether the reader has truly realized this reliance.
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