Maalim al-Tariq ila Allah
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- Maalim al-Tariq ila Allah
Ma‘alim al-Tariq ila Allah (Landmarks of the Path to God) is an Islamic treatise by Abu Faysal al-Badrani written as a concise guide for individuals seeking to return to God and navigate the spiritual path .
Purpose and Methodology
Al-Badrani composed the work for anyone resolved on returning to God Almighty, aiming to provide practical and doctrinal guidance for the spiritual seeker (al-salik) . The material is drawn from an inductive examination (istiqra') of the Quran and the Sunnah .
To maintain brevity and clarity, the author presented the rulings and principles in bulleted points, intentionally stripping them of explicit textual proofs in most instances . Al-Badrani noted that the work does not require sequential reading from start to finish; rather, readers may selectively consult any individual section independently of the preceding or subsequent parts .
Structure and Contents
The treatise is structured into sixteen distinct thematic "landmarks" (ma‘alim), a classification the author noted was determined through his own scholarly discretion (ijtihad) . The subjects treated across these landmarks encompass legal, creedal, and spiritual dimensions of the religious life, including:
- Legal Capacity and Accountability (Awarid al-Ahliyyah wa Shurut al-Taklif wa Mawani‘uh): Examines legal capacity, the conditions of religious obligation (taklif), excusing factors, and the impediments to legal responsibility, both innate and acquired .
- Human Destiny and Ranks after Death (Masir al-Nas ba‘da al-Mawt wa Manaziluhum ‘inda Rabbihim): Outlines the divisions of believers based on Quran 35:32 into those who wrong themselves (zalim li-nafsih), the moderate (muqtasid), and the foremost in good deeds (sabiq bi-l-khayrat), while also discussing the interplay between theoretical knowledge (al-quwwah al-‘ilmiyyah) and practical action (al-quwwah al-‘amaliyyah) .
- Satan and Spiritual Warfare (al-Shaytan wa Mawqifuna Minh): Details the nature of demonic influence, types of intrusive thoughts (khatir), misgivings (waswasah), and spiritual remedies against devilish deceptions .
- Repentance (al-Tawbah): Explores the obligation of immediate repentance, its scope regarding major and minor sins, and the distinction between obligatory and supererogatory repentance .
- Understanding of the Heart (Fiqh al-Qulub): Addresses cognitive perceptions, states of certainty and doubt, and the internal workings of the heart in worship .
- Love of God (al-Mahabbah): Covers the central role of divine love in Islam, distinguishing worshipful love (mahabbat al-‘ubudiyyah) from natural human affections .
- Divine Decree and Predestination (al-Qada' wa-l-Qadar): Treats the four hierarchical degrees of destiny: God's eternal knowledge (‘ilm), inscription in the Preserved Tablet (kitabah), divine will (mashi'ah), and creation (khalq) .
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