al-Tuhfa al-Iraqiyya
- Author died
- 728 AH
- Editions
- al-Maṭba‘ah al-Salafiyyah
al-Tuhfa al-Iraqiyya (al-Tuḥfat al-ʿIrāqiyya fī al-Aʿmāl al-Qalbiyya, "The Iraqi Gift on the Actions of the Heart") is a theological and spiritual treatise on inward worship and spiritual psychology by the Hanbali scholar Ibn Taymiyya (661–728 AH / 1263–1328 CE) .
Background and Composition
Ibn Taymiyya authored the treatise as a concise exposition after being requested to write on the subject by a fellow believer whose right upon him was incumbent, noting in his opening remarks that both the requester and he were pressed for time . The work focuses on inner religious devotion—commonly designated in spiritual terminology as "stations" (maqāmāt) and "states" (aḥwāl)—and systematically anchors these concepts in foundational Islamic texts .
Content and Themes
The treatise establishes that actions of the heart constitute the core principles of faith (uṣūl al-īmān) and the fundamental rules of religion (qawāʿid al-dīn) . Ibn Taymiyya argues that inward obligations are universally binding upon all legally accountable beings by scholarly consensus . Key themes covered in the text include:
- Core Inward Virtues: The work examines essential interior states, notably love of God and His Messenger, reliance upon God (tawakkul), sincere devotion (ikhlāṣ), gratitude (shukr), patience (ṣabr), fear of God (khawf), and hope in Him (rajāʾ) .
- The Centrality of Love and Sincerity: Ibn Taymiyya identifies love (maḥabba) as the root of all voluntary actions of faith, just as affirmation (taṣdīq) and truthfulness (ṣidq) serve as the foundation of all verbal expressions of faith . He emphasizes that worship rests upon three inseparable pillars: love, fear, and hope .
- Degrees of Spiritual Attainment: The treatise divides people regarding inward deeds into three ranks, corresponding to the categorization of bodily deeds: the one who wrongs himself (ẓālim li-nafsih), the moderate (muqtaṣid), and the foremost in good deeds (sābiq bi-l-khayrāt) .
- Methodology of Transmission: While Ibn Taymiyya cites diverse hadiths and critically assesses their authenticity, he also incorporates reports that carry defects in their chains of transmission where their substantive content aligns with established sound principles .
Manuscripts and Publication
Manuscript copies of the treatise are preserved across several collections, including the Zahiriyya Library in Damascus, the Central Library in Riyadh, the Central Library in Mecca, and the Raza Library in Rampur, India .
The text has been printed both independently and within larger compilations:
- It was incorporated into Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, compiled by Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn Qasim, appearing in the tenth volume (pp. 5–90) .
- An independent edition was published in Cairo by al-Matba'a al-Salafiyya (3rd ed., 1402 AH) .
- Critical editions include those edited by Yahya Muhammad al-Hunaydi (published by Maktabat al-Rushd, Riyadh) and Muhammad Zayn al-Abidin (Dar al-Fawa'id / Dar Ibn Rajab) .
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