Commenting on the aayah:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ‌ خِلْفَةً لِّمَنْ أَرَ‌ادَ أَن يَذَّكَّرَ‌ أَوْ أَرَ‌ادَ شُكُورً‌ا

«And He is the One who made the night and day to follow each other in succession, for whoever wants to be reminded of Allaah or whoever wants to give thanks for Allaah's favors.» 
[Sooratul-Furqaan (25):62]


Shaykh Fawzaan hafizahullaah said:
So the night and the day are a tremendous bounty to be earned for a person who utilizes them in obedience to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. The arena for action is the night and the day. You have nothing else besides the night and the day. They are the arena for action, for good, and for pure earning for this world and the Hereafter. So, in the night and in the day, there are lessons and fawaa`id (benefits). Therefore, Allaah swore an oath by al-`Asr. 
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[Translator's note]:Imaam ibn Jareer at-Tabaree mentions the explanation of this aayah with a chain of narration from ibn `Abbaas (radiyallaahu `anhumaa) and from al-Hasan al-Basree (rahimahullaah) each of them saying the same thing:

And whoever misses out on something during the night, he could reach and catch it during the day, or if he misses out from the day, he could reach and catch it during the night.

[Tranlsated by Abu Talhah rahimahullaah - see lesson 4 of Usool-uth-Thalaathah (audio/text)]

From Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan's hafizahullaah Explanation of al-Usool-uth-Thalaathah:
Lesson 2 (audio/text):

As for worldly knowledge, then whoever is ignorant of it, then there is no sin upon him, and whoever learns it, then it is permissible for him, and if he utilises it to benefit the Ummah, then he is rewarded for it. And if a person died, and he was ignorant of this knowledge, then he would not be taken to account for it on the Day of Resurrection. However, whoever died and he was ignorant of al-‘ilm ash-shar‘ee the legislated (islaamic) knowledge, particularly essential knowledge, then he will be asked about it on
the Day of Resurrection, “Why didn’t you learn? Why didn’t you ask?”. The one who says when he is placed in his grave, “My Lord is Allaah, and Islaam is my religion, and my Prophet is Muhammad sallallaahu‘alaihiwasallam”,this person will be saved.  

It will be said to him, “Where did you acquire this from?”. So he will say, “I read the Book of Allaah and I learnt it”.

As for the person who turns away from that, then when he is questioned in his grave, then he will say, “Haa, haa, I don’t know, I heard the people saying something so I said it”. Then this person, his grave will be made to blaze with fire upon him – and Allaah’s refuge is sought – and it will be crushed upon him, to such an extent that his ribs will cross over, and he will come to be in a pit from the pits of the hell-fire, because he did
not have knowledge and he did not read. So it will be said to him:

 لا دريت ولا تليت )  أو لا تلوت )

 “You did not know and you did not read (or you did not follow)”.[1]

 So he did not learn and he did not follow the example of the people of knowledge, rather he was wasted and lost in his life, so this is the person who ends up in wretchedness, and Allaah’s refuge is sought.


 [1] 

Reported by Al-Bukhaaree in abridged form as a hadeeth of Anas 1338, and also reported by Muslim in abridged form also as a hadeeth of Anas 2870, and reported by Aboo Daawood as a hadeeth of al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib in a long hadetth 4853. [Al-Albaanee declared the hadeeth of Aboo Daawood saheeh].

[Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood Burbank rahimahullaah]

With regards to the person’s eemaan decreasing, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah states:

Then know that the decrease in eemaan is of two types:

The first: the decrease which a person can do nothing about, such as the decrease in the deen of a woman through leaving off the prayer during the days of her menstrual period.

So for certain she has no choice in this. Rather if she wished to offer her prayer (during this time) so that her eemaan would not decrease, it would be said to her:

This is certainly something forbidden for you, and if you were to pray it would surely make your eemaan more deficient!

Therefore this is a deficiency which the person can do nothing about and is not to be blamed for because they have no choice in this matter, without exception.

And for example that a person dies whilst being young. So his eemaan is deficient relative to one whose life is prolonged because for the one whose life is prolonged, his eemaan increases and his actions increase. So he can do nothing about this decrease, so without exception, he is not to be blamed for it.

The second: a decrease through the choice of the person. And this is divided into two types:

If the basis of it is committing a sin or leaving off an obligation, then he is to be blamed for it and he commits a sin through it.

And if his decrease is through leaving off a voluntary act which is not obligatory then he is not to be blamed for it with a blame by which he is deemed to have committed a sin, even though it is upon a person to strive upon righteous action.

 (Quoted in Mu’jam at Ta’reefaat p79 to 80, translated by Nasser ibn Najam)

The scholar  Abdur Rahmaan ibn Nasir as Sa’dee rahimahullaah said about the statement of Allaah, the Most High:

<<No fruit emerges from its covering nor does any female become pregnant nor give birth to offspring except by His knowledge.
And on the Day when He will call them, “Where are My partners?” they will say, “We inform you that none of us bears witness.”>>
(Soorah al Fussilat (41) aayah 47

So no fruit emerges from any tree except that He is has detailed knowledge of it.

…nor does any female become pregnant – from the children of Adam, or other than them from the different types of animals, except with His knowledge.

nor give birth to offspring except by His knowledge – so how can the people of shirk equate with Him, He the Most High,  that which has no knowledge nor hearing nor seeing?

And on the Day when He will call them – meaning those people who make shirk with Him, on the Day of Resurrection, rebuking (them) and making manifest their lie. So He will say to them:

Where are My Partners? – those whom you claimed were My partners, such that you worshipped them, and argued over that, and showed enmity to the Messengers on account of them?

they will say – affirming the falsity of taking them (the false deities) as objects of worship and partners along with Allaah

We inform you that none of us bears witness – meaning we inform you, O our Lord, and bear witness upon us, that not one of us testifies that taking them as objects of worship and partners was something correct. So now all of us go back to (believing in the) falsity of worshipping them, and we declare ourselves free of them.

(Tafseer ul Kareem ir Rahmaan  of as Sa’dee rahimahullaah, translated by Nasser ibn Najam)

With regards to the ma’iyyah of Allaah (Allaah’s being “with” someone) Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah states:

The ma’iyyah is divided into two types: that which is general and that which is specific.

And the specific is (sub) divided into two types: that which is restricted to a person and that which is restricted to a description.

As for the general, then this includes everyone – from the believer and the disbeliever, the righteous one and the wicked one. And the proof for it is His statement, He the Most High:

And He is with you wherever you are.
Soorah al Hadeed (57) aayah 4

As for the specific (type) restricted to a description: then an example is His statement, He the Most High:

Allaah is indeed with those who have taqwaa (by fearing Allaah with regards to His prohibitions and His punishment) and those who are muhsinoon (people who perform their worship of Allaah in a fine manner and work to bring benefit to the creation from every aspect).
Soorah an Nahl (16) aayah 128

As for the specific (type) restricted to a particular person: then an example is His statement, He the Most High, about His Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam :

When he said to his companion (Aboo Bakr), “Do not grieve; indeed Allaah is with us.”
Soorah at Tawbah (9) aayah 40

And He said to Moosaa and Haaroon:

I am indeed with the two of you, hearing and seeing.
Soorah TaaHaa (20) aayah 46

And this (ma’iyyah restricted to a person) is more specific than that which is restricted to a description.

So the ma’iyyah is of levels: that which is general and unrestricted, and that which is specific and restricted to a description and that which is specific and restricted to a person.

So the most specific of the types of ma’iyyah is that which is restricted to a person, then that which is restricted to a description, then that which is general.

The ma’iyyah which is general necessitates (Allaah’s) encompassing the creation with knowledge and ability and hearing and seeing and authority, and other than that from the meanings of His Ruboobiyyah.

And the ma’iyyah which is specific, with its two types, necessitates (along) with that nasr (aiding) and ta-yeed (giving support).

(Sharh of waasitiyyah of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah , quoted in Mu’jam at Ta’reefaat p387, translated by Nasser ibn Najam)

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah comments on the meaning of "ta-weel"  in his explanation of al ‘Aqeedah al Waasitiyyah:

“Not all ta’weel is blameworthy. The Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaiyhi wa sallam said:
O Allaah, grant him understanding of the religion, and teach him the          ta-weel.
(Reported by al Bukhaaree in the Book of Wudhoo and by Muslim).

And Allaah, the Most High, said:
And none knows its ta-weel except Allaah and those firmly grounded in knowledge.
Soorah aale ‘Imraan (3) aayah 7

So He praised them due to their knowing the ta-weel.

And not all ta-weel is blameworthy, because ta-weel has several meanings.

It can have the meaning of tafseer (explanation).

And it can have the meaning of the end result and final outcome.

And it can have the meaning of taking a word away from its apparent meaning… and this type can be divided into that which is praiseworthy and that which is blameworthy. So if there is a proof to support it, then it is a praiseworthy type and it is in fact from the first type (of ta-weel mentioned above) and this is tafseer (explanation). And if there is no proof to support it, then it is blameworthy and it falls under the category of tahreef (distortion) and not under the category of ta-weel.

(Sharh al ‘Aqeedah al Waasitiyyah p70-71, translated by Nasser ibn Najam)

With regards to the conditions necessary for ruqyah to be permissible, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah states:

The first: that (the person) hold as his ‘aqeedah that it (the ruqyah) does not bring benefit in and of itself, instead of Allaah (bringing the benefit).

For if he holds as his ‘aqeedah that it brings benefit in and of itself to the exclusion of Allaah, then this is prohibited without doubt.

Rather he (should) hold as his ‘aqeedah that it (the ruqyah) is a means, which does not bring benefit without the permission of Allaah.

The second: that it (the ruqyah) not be from that which opposes the Legislation, just as (would be the case) if it were to contain calling upon other than Allaah or seeking deliverance from the jinn or whatever resembles that.  Then it would be something prohibited without doubt.

The third: that it (the ruqyah) be something intelligible and known. For if it  is from the types of tilasm (talismanic mysterious words) and trickery then it is not permissible.

(al qawl ul mufeed (1/187) of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah , quoted in Mu’jam at Ta’reefaat p205 - translated by Nasser ibn Najam) 

With regards to the statement of the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam about the 70, 000 people who will enter Paradise without reckoning or punishment that they are people who “do not seek ruqyah”, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah states:

So if someone comes to a person who will perform ruqyah upon him, and he does not prevent him (from performing ruqyah on him) then this does not oppose his (sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying:
And they do not seek ruqyah.
Because there are three levels.

The first level: that (the person) seeks for someone to perform ruqyah (upon him) - and this person has missed out on kamaal (completeness).

The second level: that he does not stop someone from performing ruqyah (upon him); and this person has not missed out on completeness because he did not seek ruqyah nor request it.

The third level: that he prevents the one who is to perform ruqyah upon him , and this is in opposition to the Sunnah. For the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam did not prevent ‘Aaishah from performing ruqyah upon him. And likewise the Companions did not prevent anyone from performing ruqyah upon them because this does not affect (a person’s) tawakkul (reliance upon Allaah).

(translated by Nasser ibn Najam - from al qawl ul mufeed of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al ‘Uthaymeen rahimahullaah , quoted in Mu’jam at Ta’reefaat p205)