Ibn al-Qayyim Recalls Memories of Ibn Taymiyyah

Ibn al-Qayyim says of Ibn Taymiyyah's rememberance of his Lord "I heard Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah sanctify his soul, say, 'Remember to the heart is like water to fish. What will be the state of the fish if it becomes separated from water?... I once attended fajr prayer with Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah he then sat and remembered Allaah until it was nearly midday. He then turned round to me and said 'This is my early morning meal, if I do not take this breakfast, my strength will drop'."

Al-Waabil as-Sayyib pg 60, Daar al-Bayyan

Ibn al-Qayyim also says: "He used to say frequently in prostration when imprisoned, 'O Allaah assist me to remember you, to be grateful to you and to worship you properly.' and said to me once, 'The one who is (truly) imprisoned is the one who's heart is imprisoned from Allaah and the captivated one is the one who's desires have enslaved him.'"

Al-Waabil as-Sayyib pg 61, Daar al-Bayyan

[extracted from Ibn Taymiyyah's Essay on Servitude [al-Hiddaayah Publishing] pg 25]