The Holy Qur’an has mentioned many attributes of our beloved Prophet (SAW). Last Friday we had discussed two of the four of his (SAW)’s attributes mentioned in Aayah 128 of Surah Tawbah: “Laqad ja ‘aa akum Rasuulum-min-anfusikum Azizun alay-hi-maa’anit-tum…”, that is: “A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering distresses him…”
Let us discuss the rest of the Aayah which reads: “hareesun ‘alay-kum-bil-Mu’mineena Ra-uufu-Raheem”, that is: “He is deeply concerned for you and is full of kindness and mercy toward the believers.”
As per Qur’an Prophet (SAW) is from the noblest and purest lineage and is most exalted in character. The Aayah continues to define the second attribute which is that Prophet (SAW) is extremely kind, affectionate and merciful to his Ummah. The third attribute of Prophet (SAW) is that he is very concerned for the good of his Ummah in this world as well as in the Hereafter. Prophet (SAW) had no wish for his own self, but he always focused on the betterment of his Ummah, and in Ummah rests the interest of the entire humanity. He (SAW) had an intense yearning to connect the created with the Creator. He longed that man should recognize his Lord, his real Master, his Sustainer, and his Provider and obey Him the way He must be obeyed. He (SAW) knew the consequences of disobedience, disloyalty and thanklessness. Mercy to the Mankind, he (SAW) wanted to save people from Allah’s displeasure, and his deep concern for people caused him great discomfort. Aayah 103 of Surah Yusuf reads: “However eagerly you [Rasul Allah] may want them to, most men will not believe.”
Allah (SWT) time and again comforted Prophet (SAW) not to worry so much about the disbelievers. Aayah 3 of Surah Al-Shu’ara’ says: “Rasul Allah, are you going to worry yourself to death because they will not believe.” There are many such consoling and comforting Aayahs in the Holy Qur’an.
Utbah bin Rabiah, the chief of the Quresh once went with a proposal to resolve the conflict between his tribe and Allah’s Messenger. Utbah said to Prophet (SAW):
“My cousin! By preaching this new Faith, if you want wealth, we can put together so much that you will be the richest person among us. If you want name and leadership, we are willing to name you as our leader, and wouldn’t make any decision with out your consent. If you want kingship, we will make you our king. If you are possessed by a spirit, and you don’t know its cure, we can provide you with the best physicians and will make sure that you are fully cured.”
When Utbah concluded his proposal, Prophet (SAW) said to him: “Listen to me now.” He (SAW) then recited some verses from Surah Fussilat. Utbah was so much moved by Prophet (SAW)’s recitation that he went to the leaders of Quresh and said:
“I have heard such a Kalaam, that I had never heard before. I swear by God, that it is not poetry, it is not magic, and it is not hearsay. People of Quresh, listen to me and agree to what I say: leave this person (Muhammad - SAW) alone and let him go his own way.”
Prophet (SAW) rejected all those offers of wealth, honor, and power, which could have been very tempting to any one. He (SAW) made it clear that he (SAW) had come with the Message of Allah (SWT) and his mission was to deliver the Message to everyone who was prepared to listen.
The supplications made by Prophet (SAW) from time to time reflect his deep affection for the Ummah and its well being in both the worlds. The person who prepares to depart for the next world thinks of things which are very dear to his heart. Listen to what our beloved Prophet (SAW) wished for the Muslim community a month before his death. He (SAW) prayed: “May Allah give you peace, protect and save you from evil, help you and exalt you, guide you and shield you from adversity, and safeguard your Deen for you.” This is only one example. If you read his biography, you will find that he (SAW) was always extremely concerned for the good of his Ummah and prayed for it day and night.
This Aayah under discussion mentions two additional attributes of Prophet (SAW), which are bil-Mu’mineena Ra-uufu-Raheem [He (SAW) is full of kindness and mercy towards the believers].
We all know that Prophet (SAW) is Mercy to the worlds, and his attribute of Mercy is for all the humanity without any discrimination. In one of the Aayahs of Surah Anbiaa, Allah (SWT) addresses him as “Rahmatul Lil Aalameen.” And in this Aayah of Surah Tawba, Allah (SWT) calls him “Raheem”. There is no conflict between Rahmat and Raheem, as truth never contradicts itself. Scholars opine that the Aayah of Surah Al-Ambiaa mentions his general mercy and kindness, while Aayah of Surah Tawbah emphasizes his special mercy and kindness towards the believers.
Let us see some examples how Allah (SWT) has used the world “Aalameen” (worlds) in the Holy Qur’an.
In Surah Fatiha, Allah (SWT) has referred Himself as “Rub’bil Aalameen”. (The Lord, the Master, the Self-Sufficient Sovereign of the worlds.)
Aayah 27 of Surah At-Takwir refers to the Holy Qur’an as “In huwa illa Zikrul-lil-aalameen.” (Verily This is no less than a Message to all the worlds.)
Aayah 96 of Surah Al-Imraan defines Kaabah as: “bi-Bakkat mubaarakanw-wa hudal-lil-aalameen.” (Bakka [Makkah] full of blessing and that of guidance for all the worlds.).
In Aayah 91 of Surah Al-Anbiaa Allah (SWT) referred to Nuh (AS)’s boat and the personality of Maryam (AS) as “Aayatal-lil-aalameen.” (Sign for all the worlds/people.)
The attribute of “Rahmatul lil Aalameen” has been exclusively used for our beloved Prophet (SAW). To fully comprehend the scope of Prophet (SAW)’s attribute of Mercy and Kindness, keep in mind the attribute of Mercy of Allah (SWT) as mentioned in Aayah 156 of Surah Al-A’araf: “Wa Rahmatee wasi-‘at kulla shay’.”(My Mercy extends to all things). Allah (SWT)’s reference of “Aalameen” highlights His exclusive sovereignty over the entire universe and in this context see the attributes of kindness and mercy of Prophet (SAW) toward the entire universe. Note how parallel these attributes run in the Holy Qur’an with regards to Allah (SWT) and the Prophet (SAW). This parallelization of attributes gives us an idea of the exalted stature of Prophet (SAW). Think and deliberate on the scope of Prophet (SAW) attribute of Mercy and Kindness which extends itself to all the mankind; the women, children, slaves, orphans, widows, poor, sick, oppressed, prisoners, travelers and people of all shades and classes.
Allah (SWT) has used His own attributes namely “Ra’uuf” and “Raheem” (Full of Kindness and Merciful) for Prophet (SAW). In Aayah 65 of Surah Al-Hajj Allah (SWT) says: “Innal’Laaha binnaasi la-Ra-‘uu-fu-Raheem.” (for Allah is Most Kind and Most Merciful to mankind.) The use of these two attribute for Prophet (SAW) shows his honor and exaltation in the sight of Allah. Allah (SWT) is most kind and most merciful towards all mankind and Prophet (SAW) is most kind and most merciful towards the believers.
Among all Prophets and Messengers, it is only and only our beloved Prophet (SAW) for whom Allah (SWT) has used the attributive adjectives, which He has used for Himself.
The celebrated poet companion Hassaan bin Thaabit (RA)’s in his odes has glorified Prophet (SAW). In one of his couplet, he says: Allah (SWT) has drawn Prophet’s (SAW)’s name from the root of His own name. He (SWT) is Mahmood (the One Who is most worthy of praise and glorification and is praised and glorified the most). And Prophet (SAW)’s name Muhammad means the one who praises and glorifies Allah (SWT) the most, and by the extension of its meaning is himself the most praise worthy after Allah (SWT). Literary scholars in their critical appreciation of the couplet have complimented Hassaan (RA) for his imagination and creativity and added that there are at least 80 such attributive names of Prophet (SAW) which are derived from the root of Allah (SWT)’s attributive names. Insha Allah I will talk about such names on another occasion.
There are numerous examples of Prophet (SAW)’s love, affection, thoughtfulness and concern for the Ummah. Abdullah bin Masood (RA) said that Prophet (SAW)’s sermons were always educational, and engaging. We always looked forward to them, yet Prophet (SAW) delivered them only occasionally and not daily so as not to discomfort us. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Whenever a child cried during prayers, Prophet (SAW) used to shorten his prayers to enable the mother to take care of her child. It also controlled the disturbance and distraction of those who prayed. Though his companions loved to be at his service, but he (SAW) never liked the idea of seeing someone walking on foot while he himself rode the camel or the horse. He (SAW) never accepted any inheritance of a deceased. On the contrary he (SAW) always paid off money for those who died in debt. Prophet (SAW) always kept his heart clean. Ibn Masud (RA) narrates that Prophet (SAW) said: “None of my Companions should convey to me anything regarding another because I desire to meet every one of you with a clean heart.” [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]. This tradition emphasizes that a Muslim should not have a bias or prejudice against anyone and his heart should remain clean.
It was Prophet (SAW)’s habit to pray for his Ummah. He always loved children, said Salaam to them, used to provide them ride, was kind to the slaves, visited them and invited them to have food with him. Time will never be enough to count the attributes of love, compassion and mercy of Prophet (SAW). Darud o Salaam on that personification of perfection and the greatest benefactor of humanity.
Note:
SWT = Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala
SAW = Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam
AS = AlehisSalam
RA = Radhiyallaho anhu
RAnha= Radhiyallaho anha
Sunday, November 28, 2010
EASY ROAD TO PARADISE: GOLDEN DEEDS THAT LEAD TO SUCCESS
The respected scholar introduced his talk with the following verse from the Qur'an (Al-Imran, The Family of Imran) [3:102]:
What Allah says in the first part of this verse is “O believers! Fear Allah as He aught to be feared” which means “O believers! Do not approach that which He has forbidden you, and do not delay in fulfilling what He has ordered you to do.” Then Allah continues: “and die not except in a state of Islam.” It is clear that death is not within our control. However, what is in our control is our condition at the time of death – that it may be auspicious for us. The way to achieve that is to protect ourselves from every form of sin at all times, and whenever a sin is committed, to hasten towards Taubah (repentance) and Istighfar (begging forgiveness from Allah).
Allah (swt) has kept the doors of repentance open, so that a person keeps committing sins and keeps repenting and Allah keeps forgiving, until the time when the angels of death become visible to the person and the throes of death begin, for at that time the door of repentance closes. However, if one is habituated to Taubah and Istighfar, then even if, Allah forbid, death comes to him while he is committing a sin, there will only be that one sin for which he did not have a chance to make Taubah. The uncertainty of death is a very important reason why one should always be concerned about staying away from sins.
Today, however, a flood of mischief has engulfed the entire society. In this situation, how can a person save oneself from sins? How can one protect one’s eyes, ears, hands, etc. from indulging in forbidden acts? To protect oneself from sins under these circumstances is easier said than done. To overcome this problem, the Qur’an has ordered us and so have the ‘Ulama (scholars) and pious elders of Islam, to acquire the company of the righteous people and to try to spend as much time as possible with them. This is so that by being in their company, the heart may develop a fondness for good deeds and a fear and distaste for sins, and, consequently, it may become easier to save oneself from sins and do good deeds. Allah says in the Qur’an [at-Taubah 9:119]:
O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with the righteous people.
The truth is that once a strong connection with Allah is developed, a person cannot commit a sin even if he tries. The heart is filled with such nur (light) that one is afraid even when coming close to sin. Thereafter, Allah (swt) turns his heart away from sin and creates such circumstances that, even without any conscious intention, he continues to be protected from sin. It is due to Allah’s immense generosity that Allah (swt) saves man from sin.
Four Golden Deeds
The respected scholar mentioned that one day his eminent teacher and spiritual guide Arif Billah Dr. ‘Abdul Hye (rahm) said to him, “I will show you an easy prescription for rectification of the heart. This prescription is very brief but it is very swift in its effect. It consists of four a’mal (good deeds) that are the life of the Islamic Shari’ah and Tariqah, and they are so easy to do that you do not have to spend your life, wealth, or time to do them. If a person makes it a habit of doing them, a special connection with Allah (swt) is created whose effect one begins to feel in one’s life. The heart becomes willing to accept rectification and then gradually a state is reached when even if the person wants to commit sin, he is unable to do so. Those four deeds are:
1) Shukr (Gratitude to Allah),
2) Sabr (Patience, Perseverance),
3) Istighfar (Seeking Forgiveness from Allah), and
4) Isti’azah (Seeking Allah’s Protection).
Shaykh Mufti Rafi Uthmani Saheb then said to the audience, “Today I am giving you the gift that my teacher gave to me during my fourteen years as his student. I hope that you will appreciate its value, because my teacher used to say, “This is my teacher’s gift,” and his teacher used to say, “This is the gift given by Allah and Allah’s Messenger (saw).” Furthermore my teacher used to tell me very often, “Make it a habit to practice these four deeds: Shukr, Sabr, Istighfar, and Isti’azah.””
1. SHUKR
The first deed is Shukr (Gratitude to Allah). Firstly, you need to make it a habit that every day when you get up in the morning and before you sleep at night you glance at yourself and your circumstances and then reflect on the spiritual and material Blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you, and give a collective thanks to Him for them. Especially you need to reflect on the wealth of Iman (true faith in Allah) and easy circumstances that Allah has given you and give your heartfelt thanks to Him for them, and resolve to use those gifts in a proper way. Besides this, whenever a thought crosses your mind about any of the bounties from Allah that you enjoy, you should thank Him quietly, in your heart.
In other words, whenever something happens according to what you wished or wanted and you feel happy about it and your heart feels peace, you should quietly say, “Al-Hamdulillah” or “Allahumma Lakal-Hamd wa Lakash-Shukr.”
The Many Occasions of Shukr
Every day from morning to evening, so many things happen according to a person’s wishes and desires, for which one can express one’s thankfulness to Allah (swt). For example, one opens one’s eyes in the morning in a condition of good health and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” He sees all his family members also healthy, and quietly says, “Al-Hamdulillah.” He goes to the Masjid and is able to join the Jama’at (congregational prayer), and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” He gets his breakfast on time and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” He reaches work on time, and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” Someone who travels by bus and is worried that he may miss the bus, but actually gets it, says “Al-Hamdulillah.” He climbs on the bus and is able to find a seat, and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” On returning home from work, he finds his wife looking fine and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” The weather is hot but there is a cool breeze blowing, so he says “Al-Hamdulillah.”
In summary, if an affair, no matter how small or big, happens according to one’s wishes, or one’s prayer is accepted by Allah (swt), or if Allah enables one to do some good deed, anything that makes the heart feel pleasure and happiness, one should make it a habit to be thankful to Allah from one’s heart and tongue. This gratitude does not require any time, money or effort.
We have Been Given Unlimited Bounties
In fact, if, Allah forbid, some difficulty or problem comes upon us, before trying to get out of it, think about how many bounties Allah (swt) has surrounded us with, without our deserving them. This gives strength to our heart and allows us to face such situations. Insha-Allah by thinking in this manner, we will attain peace of mind even if the problem may persist. We can say without exaggeration that at every moment Allah (swt) is showering countless bounties upon us, and in this way, we will have at least thanked Allah (swt) for some of those bounties. By doing this consistently, a person makes it a habit to thank Allah, so that on seeing anything that pleases him, he keeps on thanking Allah in his heart. And he does this act in secret so no one knows about it. Thus, a very elevated worship of Allah (swt) is carried out in which there is no riya (showing off), hence his rank with Allah is raised beyond our imagination. In summary, a person should mould himself so that in whatever condition he may be, he keeps thanking Allah (swt). Initially this may seem to be difficult, but with continuous practice and an awareness of Allah’s bounties under most circumstances, it will, Insha-Allah, become a habit.
Gratitude Leads to Increase in Bounties and Protection from Punishment
Allah (swt) says in the Quran [An-Nisa 4:147]
Why should Allah punish you if you are grateful to Him and believe in Him. And Allah is Ever All Appreciative (of good), All-Knowing. …
From this we learn that those who believe in Allah and are always grateful to Him are protected from Allah’s punishment.
Allah (swt) also says [Ibrahim 14:7]
If ye are grateful, I will increase the (bounties) on you;
From this we learn that for whichever bounty we keep thanking Allah, that bounty will keep increasing and thus our worldly life will become easy. If you find this hard to believe then try it yourself. Whoever does this will clearly feel a pleasant change taking place in his life.
Shukr is a Worship that is Loved by Allah
We can understand how beloved this worship is to Allah (swt) from the following facts. The greatest and most beloved among all of Allah’s revealed Books is the noble Qur’an, and Allah (swt) begins this Book with Surah Al-Fatihah, and the very first word with which Surah Fatihah begins is
All Praise and Thanks be to Allah
Surah Al-Fatihah contains the summary of the entire Qur’an, and its very first word is
There has to be a reason why Allah (swt) gives so much importance to praise and thanks or gratitude to Him in the Qur’an. How much does Allah like this Surah? This can be gauged from the fact that it is ordered to recite this Surah not only in every Salah (prayer) but in every Raka’ (cycle) of prayer. Furthermore, Allah (swt) becomes pleased when His servant praises Him.
This Worship will also Continue in Paradise
There will be no worship in Paradise. Salah, Sawm, Zakah, and Hajj will all cease. That will be a place for luxury, enjoyment, peace, and happiness. However, one form of worship, i.e., Shukr or thankfulness, will continue there as well. It comes in a Hadith that Hamd (Praise and thankfulness) will constantly flow from the mouths of the people of Paradise without any effort, just as people breathe air in this world without any conscious intention or effort.
Therefore, if we make it a habit in this world to thank Allah (swt) for every big or small bounty, Allah (swt) will save us from His punishment and will increase His bounties on us. Our hearts will develop love for Allah (swt), our connection with Allah will become strong, we will come closer to Allah, and a pleasant change will take place in our life. We will feel the pleasure from contentment and our life will be full of peace and safety.
A Woodcutter’s Story
Sulaiman (as) had a Throne that no King ever possessed. Jinns carried it in the air, birds flew overhead to provide shade, and many other creatures traveled along with it. Once Sulaiman (as)’s throne was flying in the air with all its pomp and splendor, when a woodcutter in the jungle happened to see it and spontaneously exclaimed, “Subhan-Allah (Glory be to Allah). How great is the honor and grandeur of the family of Dawud (as).” The wind immediately carried his voice to Sulaiman (as). He ordered that the Throne be brought down and said, “Take me to the woodcutter.” The woodcutter started trembling with fear, wondering what crime he may have committed. Sulaiman (as) asked him, “What did you say?” The poor woodcutter was so terrified that he could not remember. After thinking for a while, he recalled and replied, “I only said “Subhan-Allah. How great is the honor of the family of Dawud (as)”” Sulaiman (as) said, “You saw the army of Sulaiman and felt desirous, but you do not realize that thousands of such armies have no value compared to the word Subhan-Allah. You have no idea how high a station you have obtained by saying Subhan-Allah just once.”
Shukr Leads to Sabr and Taqwa
Being grateful to or thanking Allah is such a wealth that brings with it countless blessings of happiness, tranquility, ease, and other bounties. Furthermore, when man will always be thankful, the quality of Sabr will develop in him so that he will not complain during times of difficulty. He will also feel shy to commit sin (he will gain Taqwa), because he will question himself as to how he can disobey the One who he has been expressing his thanks and gratitude to from morning to evening. Therefore, this is also a blessing from the act of Shukr that a thankful person commits very few sins. He also remains free from the diseases of envy, greed, lust, extravagance, miserliness, etc.
Shukr Drives Away Arrogance
Another great benefit of being thankful to Allah (swt) is that the person remains protected from arrogance. This is because whatever bounties he continues to receive, he does not take credit for them but considers them as gifts from Allah (swt), and he keeps acknowledging this. So when he keeps connecting whatever he has to Allah (swt) and not to his own abilities, then on what grounds could he become arrogant? Arrogance is a major sin and it is so dangerous that Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “La yadkhulil Jannata man kana fi qalbihi mithqala zarratim-min kibr.” This can be translated as “A person who has the smallest particle of arrogance in his heart will not enter Paradise.” [Muslim, narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud]
2. SABR
The second deed is Sabr (patience, forbearance). Sabr is to stop oneself from committing sin or doing something impermissible when something happens against one’s wishes. In our daily life, many things happen the way we want. Similarly, many things happen that we do not like. For example, I reach the bus stop and find the bus has already left. So, whether the incident that happens against our wishes is big or small, under all circumstances, we need to have Allah (swt) in our minds and keep ourselves under control. This is what Sabr is, and it is a very important ‘amal of the heart. In this Allah (swt) tests the strength of His servant’s Iman. In our daily life, so many things keep happening that are unpleasant and that are hard on our nafs. Sometimes we hear the news of our loved one being sick, in trouble or even dead. Sometimes we may lose our hard-earned money, or we may lose our job or do not get increment or promotion. Each of these things disturbs us mentally, we feel bad, we feel sorry or sad, but these things are continuously testing our patience. As none of these things is under our control, we can never force the results to be what we want. Therefore, we must have a firm belief that these situations come from Allah (swt). Such belief carries much wisdom and many mercies. On such occasions, Allah (swt) has, by His grace and generosity, given us a very beneficial and effective treatment for our peace of mind and heart. Allah (swt) instructs us in the Qur’an to say Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un:
To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return [Al-Baqarah 2:156]
This gives us peace of mind and develops in our nature the ability to bear hardships. So, the easiest way to practice patience when something happens against one’s wishes, whether it is a major shocking sad news or just a minor discomfort, is to say Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. This also does not require any time, money or effort. In his talk the respected scholar gave an example of the Indian Subcontinent where electricity is interrupted frequently due to load shedding and said that whenever the power goes off, we should say Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un and when it returns, we should say “Al-Hamdulillah.” It has been proved from the Ahadith that even on remembering some event from the past that brought sadness or some discomfort if we recite Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, we will gain the same reward for Sabr as we gained at the time of its original occurrence.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un is not only Associated with Death
A prevalent perception in our society is that the words Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un are only recited at the time of someone’s death. However, this perception is not correct. There is one Hadith where the Prophet * is quoted to have said “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un” when the lamp went off at night. Ayesha Siddiqah (radh) asked him, “O Messenger of Allah. Is this also a calamity?” Allah’s Messenger * replied, “Yes. Whatever hurts or causes difficulty to a Muslim is a calamity and on bearing it patiently, it carries Allah (swt)’s promise of reward.” In another Hadith Allah’s Messenger * said, “Never is a believer stricken with a discomfort, an illness, an anxiety, a grief or mental worry or even the pricking of a thorn but Allah will expiate his sins on account of his patience.” [Bukhari and Muslim] In yet another Hadith Allah’s Messenger * says, “How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity comes to him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him.” [Muslim]
And Allah (swt) loves His servant who is patient and grateful.
Mulla Nasruddeen
Mulla Nasruddeen was a philosopher and wise man, widely remembered for his funny and witty stories and anecdotes. There is an incident about Mulla Nasruddeen. It is related about him that he was very good looking and his wife was just the opposite. Once he said to his wife, “Dear wife. You and I will both go to Paradise”. She asked him, “Why is that?” The Mulla replied, “Because when you see me you thank Allah for giving you such a handsome husband, and when I see you, I exercise patience. And the patient and the grateful will both go to Paradise.”
Allah’s Mercy Descends on the Sabir
The lesson is that we should be patient in the face of unpleasant circumstances, whether big or small, and recite Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, because with patience we are blessed with Allah’s proximity. As Allah says:
Verily Allah is with those who patiently persevere. [Al-Baqarah 2:153]
Who can cause any harm to the one who has gained Allah’s closeness? And about those who, when facing calamities and difficulties and unpleasant circumstances, say Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, Allah says:
They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allah, and Special Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance. [Al-Baqarah 2:157]
To summarize, at the time of any difficulty, if one recites the words Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, one will actually feel that Allah’s special mercies are with him. This act creates in the person the quality of perseverance and the dignity to bear and endure hardship, develops in him the strength to face calamities, and attracts divine help so that he remains pleased with Allah’s decisions about himself, which is a very high position in one’s life. The one who practices patience (Sabr) does not develop feelings of anger or of revenge for personal reasons, and if these feelings do develop, they disappear quickly, so that he remains protected from acting on those feelings.
By the way, when Allah’s servant makes it a habit of doing the four golden deeds mentioned earlier, then in a few days he will begin to feel that someone has placed a hand of mercy on his heart and is supporting or backing him so that he does not feel alone anymore and his life starts to become enjoyable.
3. ISTIGHFAR
The third deed is Istighfar (seeking forgiveness from Allah), and this too does not require us to spend of our life, wealth, or time. Whenever a person happens to commit a small or big sin, he should immediately feel remorseful about it and say Astaghfirullah, which means: “O Allah. I seek Your forgiveness.”
The Challenge of Shaytan
When Adam (as) was being sent to this world, even before he could arrive here, Shaytan came with this challenge: “O Allah! I will lead your servants astray and take them to Hell (because man is my enemy, because of whom I lost my high rank).” Adam (as) said, “O Allah! You have given my enemy Shaytan so much power that neither I nor my children possess. He can acquire different forms and appearances and he can come upon us in ways that we cannot see him but he can see us. He is a jinn and we are human beings, and our characteristics are different. He will for sure push us to hell”.
The Weapon Given by Allah
Allah (swt) said, “O Adam! There is no doubt that We have given him many powers. However, We are giving you one weapon to counter his many powers. As long as you will keep on using this weapon, none of Shaytan’s attacks will succeed. The name of that weapon is “Istighfar”. Whenever you happen to commit a sin, say “Astaghfirullah” from the depth of your heart.
Sins are Forgiven through Istighfar
Allah (swt) does not send punishment on those people who do Istighfar (seek Allah’s forgiveness). As Allah says in the Noble Qur’an
And Allah would not punish them while they would seek His Forgiveness. [Al-Anfal 8:33]
Allah (swt) has placed in our hearts the urge to commit sins and He has put pleasures in sin. Hence, it is not easy to stay away from sins as a person automatically gravitates towards them. That is why Allah, in His all-encompassing Mercy, has opened such wide doors of His forgiveness, that if we happen to commit a sin, we should just feel remorseful and sincerely repent and seek Allah’s Forgiveness, and the sin will be forgiven. Abdullah Bin Mas’ud (radh) narrated that Allah’s Messenger * said: At-ta-ibu minaz-zambi kamal-la zamba lahu. Translation: “The person who repents of his sin is like a person who did not commit any sin.” [Ibn Majah]
Repent after every Sin
If we commit a sin once, we should repent and seek forgiveness and Allah will forgive the sin. If we commit the same sin again, we should repent again, and Allah (swt) will forgive the sin again. So much so that if we commit the same sin seventy times and every time we repent and seek forgiveness, then each time that sin will be forgiven. This is because the doors of repentance are open. So even if the repentance is broken a thousand times, mend it each time with repentance (Taubah), and the One who is most merciful and most generous will forgive even a thousand times. If a person dies in a state where he sins, then repents, then breaks his repentance by sinning again, but then repents again, and this process continues, then he is successful, because he followed each sin with repentance, which caused each sin to be forgiven. This is the reality of repentance, that there should be remorse after committing the sin, and a firm resolve not to commit the sin again. Every sin is forgiven by repentance, except if we have violated other people’s rights, for they are not forgiven only through repentance, until the other person forgives us or his rights are restored once again.
The Benefits of Istighfar (seeking forgiveness from Allah)
There are many benefits of Istighfar. Istighfar is an act of worship (‘Ibadah). It is also a means for forgiveness of sins and of gaining closeness to one’s Lord. When I will repeatedly seek Allah’s forgiveness then gradually, I will begin to feel shy while committing sins, I will gain an awareness of the vastness of Allah’s mercy through which He continues to provide me with His bounties while I am committing so many sins. Someone who, in his heart, is always aware of his own mistakes and is remorseful over his sins, will never become arrogant or boastful, nor will he ever develop pride over his piety, because he will remember his sins more than his acts of worship, no matter how many they may be.
Istighfar is such a deed that has no set time for it and we need it all the time because we do not know how many sins we keep on committing either knowingly or unknowingly. Some sins are such that we are not even aware of having done them, and there are others that we do not even consider as sins. Under all of these conditions, whenever we become aware that a sin might have been committed, we should immediately turn towards Allah, our heart filled with remorse, and say with our tongue “Astaghfirullah” meaning “O Allah! I am very sorry. Please forgive me and please also protect me from this sin in the future.”
Seeking Allah’s forgiveness is such a deed by which the doors of Allah’s unlimited and complete mercy open for His servant. Besides feeling remorse in his heart, he also becomes aware of his conviction (Aqidah), his faith (Iman) is protected, and he is blessed with the wealth of piety (Taqwa). Such a person does not intentionally commit any sin or at the most he commits very few of them, and such a person also does not cause harm to Allah’s creation. Allah (swt) has, through His Fadl (grace) and Karam (mercy), bestowed a great favor upon His sinful servants by providing them with Taubah (repentance) and Istighfar as a means for them to attain success in this world (duniya) and salvation in the Hereafter (Akhirah). Falillahil-Hamdu wash-Shukr. So for Allah is the praise and the thanks.
Pious elders have advised that we should try, as far as we can recall, to remember and reflect on all our sins committed in the past, whether major or minor, and then with full sincerity and with complete remorse and humility, repent (make Taubah) and seek Allah’s forgiveness (make Istighfar) for them. This should be enough. Insha-Allah, all our sins will be forgiven. Thereafter, we should not make it a habit to repeatedly remember them and become disturbed. Rather, if ever a sin is unconsciously recalled, we should quietly seek Allah’s forgiveness for it once. Remember, however, that it is obligatory on us to fulfill others’ rights, under all circumstances.
4. ISTI’AZAH
The fourth deed is Isti’azah. Isti’azah means to seek protection. Before we begin to recite the Qur’an we recite
which means “I seek Allah’s protection against the accursed and rejected Shaytan.” This action of ours is also Isti’azah because what we are essentially saying is, “O Allah! Take us within your protection against the harm from Shaytan.” We have to recite “A’uzubillah” before reciting the Qur’an because its order is given in the Qur’an itself [An-Nahl 16:98]:
When you read the Qur'an, seek Allah's protection from Shaytan the rejected one.
Recite “A’uzubillah” (I seek Allah’s Protection) During Every Occasion of Danger
This worldly life is filled with all kinds of events and happenings, and we always face Shaytan and our inner desires. Hence, we should continue to seek the Protection of Allah (swt) all the time. There are some dangers associated with monetary dealings and relationships with people, and we may not be able to find any solution to avoid those dangers, nor may the matters be within our control. On such occasions, seeking the protection of Allah (swt) naturally provides great strength to our hearts. Therefore, we must make it a habit to say “A’uzubillah” from the depth of our hearts whenever we face any such difficulty. From morning to night, man is surrounded by different kinds of whispers from Shaytan and worries about things to come. “I do not know what may happen tomorrow. What if I lose my job, or lose my respect, or my possessions get stolen, or an enemy attacks me, or I lose money in my trade or business, or I get sick with such and such disease, or I die, or get in an accident, and so on.” No one is free from such possible dangers. The way to save oneself from all dangers of this world and the Hereafter is this great worship called Isti’azah (seeking Allah’s protection). Whenever the heart receives any whisper from Shaytan or a worry or concern about something that might happen, quietly say “A’uzubillah” which means “O Allah! I seek Your protection”. If you cannot remember the Arabic word, you can convey this supplication to Allah in your own language. Note that the more wealthy a person is, and the higher a position he holds, the more worries and dangers he has, and the one who possesses neither wealth nor fame nor position of any significance, also has less worries and dangers.
The Helplessness of a Thief
A thief entered a house. He searched all over but could not find anything to steal. This was because there was nothing there to steal, neither utensils nor clothes, nor any furniture. After searching for some time, he noticed a man sleeping very peacefully in the verandah. The thief thought to himself that he must take something from this house otherwise it may bring bad luck. When he looked carefully, he saw a pile of flour close to the sleeping man. The thief spread his sheet on the floor in order to transfer the flour onto it. However, just as he was about to pick up the flour, the sleeping man turned over onto the thief’s sheet. Now instead of taking something, the thief was actually losing his own belonging, because the man was sound asleep. It was a cold wintry night, and the thief sat down to wait for the sleeping man to turn over to the other side so that he could pick up his sheet, but the man showed no signs of moving. The poor thief was shivering from waiting so long in the cold and he was just beginning to think that he did not care any more about the flour, he just wanted to take his sheet with him, when he heard the Adhans (calls for prayer) for the Fajr (dawn) prayer. The thief decided it was time to leave, and as he was stepping out of the door, he heard a voice from behind him saying, “Close the door on your way out.” The thief was so frustrated that he replied, “Let it stay open. Someone else may come in and provide another sheet to cover you.”
Thus, nobody is free from worries and danger. The more important a person is, the more are his worries and dangers, and the less important a person is, the more peace and tranquility he enjoys. During every situation of worry or danger, one should say “A’uzubillah” which means “O Allah! I seek Your Protection.” One may have fear of failure in achieving one’s goal, or one may be afraid of losing one’s life or wealth due to the evil from an enemy or envier. One may also have the fear of being involved in an open or secret sin due to mischief from one’s inner desires and Shaytan or of being punished in the Hereafter, or maybe some unclean desire enters the heart. In all cases one should immediately recite “A’uzubillah” or recite the following Du’a (supplication): “Allahumma la malja-a wa la manja-a minka illa ilaik” which means: “O Allah! There is neither refuge nor any safety from You except in You.” In other words, “Difficulties are also sent by You, and only You can provide us safety from those difficulties.”
Cling to the Archer
A wise man once asked the people: “There is a tremendous archer who never misses his target. The sky is his bow, and all the calamities and sorrows of this world are his arrows. What is the way to save yourself from him?” The people replied, “It is impossible to be safe from such an archer.” The wise man then said, “There is only one way: Cling to this archer.” So brothers! Seek the protection and refuge of Allah (swt). Whenever you feel any fear or anxiety in your heart, immediately say “O Allah I seek your refuge and your protection.” He is such a Giver that He never refuses anyone who sincerely begs from Him. Just imagine this scenario: It is a dark night and the rain is pouring down heavily. Some robbers are chasing a lone child, who is running away from them and screaming, “Save me! Give me shelter!” Would you not give refuge to such a helpless child? It is obvious that you would give him shelter even if you lived in a hut. Allah (swt) is the Lord of all and He is the most merciful of those who show mercy. When His servants who are overwhelmed by difficulties seek His protection, He surely opens for them the doors of refuge and protection.
Isti’azah (seeking Allah’s protection) is a deed by which Allah’s servant experiences Allah’s majesty, the greatness of His Rububiyah (Lordship), and His all-encompassing beneficence, and he feels in his heart the protection and peace from Allah (swt). He is also blessed with the wealth of Tawakkul (complete trust and reliance on Allah) and Tafwid (being content with Allah’s decisions about him). Such people will never harbor any desire to harm others. So, let us make it a habit that whenever we feel danger, we say a heartfelt “A’uzubillah”. When we will genuinely seek Allah’s protection, we will be able to witness for ourselves Allah’s mercy opening strange and unexpected ways for our protection from dangers as they advance towards us.
Make it a Habit to Practice these Four A’mal
So, in summary, four good deeds were discussed: Shukr, Sabr, Istighfar, and Isti’azah. Be constant in practicing all four of them. Make it a habit. Then Insha-Allah step-by-step one’s entire life will gradually become patterned according to Deen (Islam). Both Deen and duniya (worldly life) will remain protected and one will develop hatred for sins and fondness for good deeds. One will continue to develop more and more closeness to Allah, and will begin to feel a special connection with Him.
Three Periods of Time are Protected
At any time in man’s life, there are three periods: past, present, and future. Through Istighfar, the past is protected. Through Shukr and Sabr, the present is protected, and through Isti’azah the future will be protected. When all three periods are protected, the entire life is protected. Whoever makes it a habit to perform these four good deeds, Insha-Allah at every moment he will experience Allah’s help and beneficence.
Convey this Gift to Others
In concluding his talk, the respected scholar said, “I have a request from you all. What I presented in front of you today is a priceless gift given to me by my esteemed teacher and spiritual guide. It is extremely easy to do and very effective. Please convey this gift to your family and your acquaintances. Insha-Allah by sticking to it you will be protected from so many uncountable sins, accidents and calamities. And you can do one more thing – please send thawab (reward for good deeds) to the soul of my teacher and spiritual guide ‘Arif Billah Dr. ‘Abdul Hayy ‘Arifi (rahm) who gave us this great gift. May Allah (swt) enable us to be constant in doing these four a’mal (good deeds). Ameen.
What Allah says in the first part of this verse is “O believers! Fear Allah as He aught to be feared” which means “O believers! Do not approach that which He has forbidden you, and do not delay in fulfilling what He has ordered you to do.” Then Allah continues: “and die not except in a state of Islam.” It is clear that death is not within our control. However, what is in our control is our condition at the time of death – that it may be auspicious for us. The way to achieve that is to protect ourselves from every form of sin at all times, and whenever a sin is committed, to hasten towards Taubah (repentance) and Istighfar (begging forgiveness from Allah).
Allah (swt) has kept the doors of repentance open, so that a person keeps committing sins and keeps repenting and Allah keeps forgiving, until the time when the angels of death become visible to the person and the throes of death begin, for at that time the door of repentance closes. However, if one is habituated to Taubah and Istighfar, then even if, Allah forbid, death comes to him while he is committing a sin, there will only be that one sin for which he did not have a chance to make Taubah. The uncertainty of death is a very important reason why one should always be concerned about staying away from sins.
Today, however, a flood of mischief has engulfed the entire society. In this situation, how can a person save oneself from sins? How can one protect one’s eyes, ears, hands, etc. from indulging in forbidden acts? To protect oneself from sins under these circumstances is easier said than done. To overcome this problem, the Qur’an has ordered us and so have the ‘Ulama (scholars) and pious elders of Islam, to acquire the company of the righteous people and to try to spend as much time as possible with them. This is so that by being in their company, the heart may develop a fondness for good deeds and a fear and distaste for sins, and, consequently, it may become easier to save oneself from sins and do good deeds. Allah says in the Qur’an [at-Taubah 9:119]:
O you who believe! Fear Allah and be with the righteous people.
The truth is that once a strong connection with Allah is developed, a person cannot commit a sin even if he tries. The heart is filled with such nur (light) that one is afraid even when coming close to sin. Thereafter, Allah (swt) turns his heart away from sin and creates such circumstances that, even without any conscious intention, he continues to be protected from sin. It is due to Allah’s immense generosity that Allah (swt) saves man from sin.
Four Golden Deeds
The respected scholar mentioned that one day his eminent teacher and spiritual guide Arif Billah Dr. ‘Abdul Hye (rahm) said to him, “I will show you an easy prescription for rectification of the heart. This prescription is very brief but it is very swift in its effect. It consists of four a’mal (good deeds) that are the life of the Islamic Shari’ah and Tariqah, and they are so easy to do that you do not have to spend your life, wealth, or time to do them. If a person makes it a habit of doing them, a special connection with Allah (swt) is created whose effect one begins to feel in one’s life. The heart becomes willing to accept rectification and then gradually a state is reached when even if the person wants to commit sin, he is unable to do so. Those four deeds are:
1) Shukr (Gratitude to Allah),
2) Sabr (Patience, Perseverance),
3) Istighfar (Seeking Forgiveness from Allah), and
4) Isti’azah (Seeking Allah’s Protection).
Shaykh Mufti Rafi Uthmani Saheb then said to the audience, “Today I am giving you the gift that my teacher gave to me during my fourteen years as his student. I hope that you will appreciate its value, because my teacher used to say, “This is my teacher’s gift,” and his teacher used to say, “This is the gift given by Allah and Allah’s Messenger (saw).” Furthermore my teacher used to tell me very often, “Make it a habit to practice these four deeds: Shukr, Sabr, Istighfar, and Isti’azah.””
1. SHUKR
The first deed is Shukr (Gratitude to Allah). Firstly, you need to make it a habit that every day when you get up in the morning and before you sleep at night you glance at yourself and your circumstances and then reflect on the spiritual and material Blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you, and give a collective thanks to Him for them. Especially you need to reflect on the wealth of Iman (true faith in Allah) and easy circumstances that Allah has given you and give your heartfelt thanks to Him for them, and resolve to use those gifts in a proper way. Besides this, whenever a thought crosses your mind about any of the bounties from Allah that you enjoy, you should thank Him quietly, in your heart.
In other words, whenever something happens according to what you wished or wanted and you feel happy about it and your heart feels peace, you should quietly say, “Al-Hamdulillah” or “Allahumma Lakal-Hamd wa Lakash-Shukr.”
The Many Occasions of Shukr
Every day from morning to evening, so many things happen according to a person’s wishes and desires, for which one can express one’s thankfulness to Allah (swt). For example, one opens one’s eyes in the morning in a condition of good health and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” He sees all his family members also healthy, and quietly says, “Al-Hamdulillah.” He goes to the Masjid and is able to join the Jama’at (congregational prayer), and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” He gets his breakfast on time and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” He reaches work on time, and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” Someone who travels by bus and is worried that he may miss the bus, but actually gets it, says “Al-Hamdulillah.” He climbs on the bus and is able to find a seat, and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” On returning home from work, he finds his wife looking fine and says “Al-Hamdulillah.” The weather is hot but there is a cool breeze blowing, so he says “Al-Hamdulillah.”
In summary, if an affair, no matter how small or big, happens according to one’s wishes, or one’s prayer is accepted by Allah (swt), or if Allah enables one to do some good deed, anything that makes the heart feel pleasure and happiness, one should make it a habit to be thankful to Allah from one’s heart and tongue. This gratitude does not require any time, money or effort.
We have Been Given Unlimited Bounties
In fact, if, Allah forbid, some difficulty or problem comes upon us, before trying to get out of it, think about how many bounties Allah (swt) has surrounded us with, without our deserving them. This gives strength to our heart and allows us to face such situations. Insha-Allah by thinking in this manner, we will attain peace of mind even if the problem may persist. We can say without exaggeration that at every moment Allah (swt) is showering countless bounties upon us, and in this way, we will have at least thanked Allah (swt) for some of those bounties. By doing this consistently, a person makes it a habit to thank Allah, so that on seeing anything that pleases him, he keeps on thanking Allah in his heart. And he does this act in secret so no one knows about it. Thus, a very elevated worship of Allah (swt) is carried out in which there is no riya (showing off), hence his rank with Allah is raised beyond our imagination. In summary, a person should mould himself so that in whatever condition he may be, he keeps thanking Allah (swt). Initially this may seem to be difficult, but with continuous practice and an awareness of Allah’s bounties under most circumstances, it will, Insha-Allah, become a habit.
Gratitude Leads to Increase in Bounties and Protection from Punishment
Allah (swt) says in the Quran [An-Nisa 4:147]
Why should Allah punish you if you are grateful to Him and believe in Him. And Allah is Ever All Appreciative (of good), All-Knowing. …
From this we learn that those who believe in Allah and are always grateful to Him are protected from Allah’s punishment.
Allah (swt) also says [Ibrahim 14:7]
If ye are grateful, I will increase the (bounties) on you;
From this we learn that for whichever bounty we keep thanking Allah, that bounty will keep increasing and thus our worldly life will become easy. If you find this hard to believe then try it yourself. Whoever does this will clearly feel a pleasant change taking place in his life.
Shukr is a Worship that is Loved by Allah
We can understand how beloved this worship is to Allah (swt) from the following facts. The greatest and most beloved among all of Allah’s revealed Books is the noble Qur’an, and Allah (swt) begins this Book with Surah Al-Fatihah, and the very first word with which Surah Fatihah begins is
All Praise and Thanks be to Allah
Surah Al-Fatihah contains the summary of the entire Qur’an, and its very first word is
There has to be a reason why Allah (swt) gives so much importance to praise and thanks or gratitude to Him in the Qur’an. How much does Allah like this Surah? This can be gauged from the fact that it is ordered to recite this Surah not only in every Salah (prayer) but in every Raka’ (cycle) of prayer. Furthermore, Allah (swt) becomes pleased when His servant praises Him.
This Worship will also Continue in Paradise
There will be no worship in Paradise. Salah, Sawm, Zakah, and Hajj will all cease. That will be a place for luxury, enjoyment, peace, and happiness. However, one form of worship, i.e., Shukr or thankfulness, will continue there as well. It comes in a Hadith that Hamd (Praise and thankfulness) will constantly flow from the mouths of the people of Paradise without any effort, just as people breathe air in this world without any conscious intention or effort.
Therefore, if we make it a habit in this world to thank Allah (swt) for every big or small bounty, Allah (swt) will save us from His punishment and will increase His bounties on us. Our hearts will develop love for Allah (swt), our connection with Allah will become strong, we will come closer to Allah, and a pleasant change will take place in our life. We will feel the pleasure from contentment and our life will be full of peace and safety.
A Woodcutter’s Story
Sulaiman (as) had a Throne that no King ever possessed. Jinns carried it in the air, birds flew overhead to provide shade, and many other creatures traveled along with it. Once Sulaiman (as)’s throne was flying in the air with all its pomp and splendor, when a woodcutter in the jungle happened to see it and spontaneously exclaimed, “Subhan-Allah (Glory be to Allah). How great is the honor and grandeur of the family of Dawud (as).” The wind immediately carried his voice to Sulaiman (as). He ordered that the Throne be brought down and said, “Take me to the woodcutter.” The woodcutter started trembling with fear, wondering what crime he may have committed. Sulaiman (as) asked him, “What did you say?” The poor woodcutter was so terrified that he could not remember. After thinking for a while, he recalled and replied, “I only said “Subhan-Allah. How great is the honor of the family of Dawud (as)”” Sulaiman (as) said, “You saw the army of Sulaiman and felt desirous, but you do not realize that thousands of such armies have no value compared to the word Subhan-Allah. You have no idea how high a station you have obtained by saying Subhan-Allah just once.”
Shukr Leads to Sabr and Taqwa
Being grateful to or thanking Allah is such a wealth that brings with it countless blessings of happiness, tranquility, ease, and other bounties. Furthermore, when man will always be thankful, the quality of Sabr will develop in him so that he will not complain during times of difficulty. He will also feel shy to commit sin (he will gain Taqwa), because he will question himself as to how he can disobey the One who he has been expressing his thanks and gratitude to from morning to evening. Therefore, this is also a blessing from the act of Shukr that a thankful person commits very few sins. He also remains free from the diseases of envy, greed, lust, extravagance, miserliness, etc.
Shukr Drives Away Arrogance
Another great benefit of being thankful to Allah (swt) is that the person remains protected from arrogance. This is because whatever bounties he continues to receive, he does not take credit for them but considers them as gifts from Allah (swt), and he keeps acknowledging this. So when he keeps connecting whatever he has to Allah (swt) and not to his own abilities, then on what grounds could he become arrogant? Arrogance is a major sin and it is so dangerous that Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “La yadkhulil Jannata man kana fi qalbihi mithqala zarratim-min kibr.” This can be translated as “A person who has the smallest particle of arrogance in his heart will not enter Paradise.” [Muslim, narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud]
2. SABR
The second deed is Sabr (patience, forbearance). Sabr is to stop oneself from committing sin or doing something impermissible when something happens against one’s wishes. In our daily life, many things happen the way we want. Similarly, many things happen that we do not like. For example, I reach the bus stop and find the bus has already left. So, whether the incident that happens against our wishes is big or small, under all circumstances, we need to have Allah (swt) in our minds and keep ourselves under control. This is what Sabr is, and it is a very important ‘amal of the heart. In this Allah (swt) tests the strength of His servant’s Iman. In our daily life, so many things keep happening that are unpleasant and that are hard on our nafs. Sometimes we hear the news of our loved one being sick, in trouble or even dead. Sometimes we may lose our hard-earned money, or we may lose our job or do not get increment or promotion. Each of these things disturbs us mentally, we feel bad, we feel sorry or sad, but these things are continuously testing our patience. As none of these things is under our control, we can never force the results to be what we want. Therefore, we must have a firm belief that these situations come from Allah (swt). Such belief carries much wisdom and many mercies. On such occasions, Allah (swt) has, by His grace and generosity, given us a very beneficial and effective treatment for our peace of mind and heart. Allah (swt) instructs us in the Qur’an to say Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un:
To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return [Al-Baqarah 2:156]
This gives us peace of mind and develops in our nature the ability to bear hardships. So, the easiest way to practice patience when something happens against one’s wishes, whether it is a major shocking sad news or just a minor discomfort, is to say Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. This also does not require any time, money or effort. In his talk the respected scholar gave an example of the Indian Subcontinent where electricity is interrupted frequently due to load shedding and said that whenever the power goes off, we should say Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un and when it returns, we should say “Al-Hamdulillah.” It has been proved from the Ahadith that even on remembering some event from the past that brought sadness or some discomfort if we recite Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, we will gain the same reward for Sabr as we gained at the time of its original occurrence.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un is not only Associated with Death
A prevalent perception in our society is that the words Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un are only recited at the time of someone’s death. However, this perception is not correct. There is one Hadith where the Prophet * is quoted to have said “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un” when the lamp went off at night. Ayesha Siddiqah (radh) asked him, “O Messenger of Allah. Is this also a calamity?” Allah’s Messenger * replied, “Yes. Whatever hurts or causes difficulty to a Muslim is a calamity and on bearing it patiently, it carries Allah (swt)’s promise of reward.” In another Hadith Allah’s Messenger * said, “Never is a believer stricken with a discomfort, an illness, an anxiety, a grief or mental worry or even the pricking of a thorn but Allah will expiate his sins on account of his patience.” [Bukhari and Muslim] In yet another Hadith Allah’s Messenger * says, “How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity comes to him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him.” [Muslim]
And Allah (swt) loves His servant who is patient and grateful.
Mulla Nasruddeen
Mulla Nasruddeen was a philosopher and wise man, widely remembered for his funny and witty stories and anecdotes. There is an incident about Mulla Nasruddeen. It is related about him that he was very good looking and his wife was just the opposite. Once he said to his wife, “Dear wife. You and I will both go to Paradise”. She asked him, “Why is that?” The Mulla replied, “Because when you see me you thank Allah for giving you such a handsome husband, and when I see you, I exercise patience. And the patient and the grateful will both go to Paradise.”
Allah’s Mercy Descends on the Sabir
The lesson is that we should be patient in the face of unpleasant circumstances, whether big or small, and recite Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, because with patience we are blessed with Allah’s proximity. As Allah says:
Verily Allah is with those who patiently persevere. [Al-Baqarah 2:153]
Who can cause any harm to the one who has gained Allah’s closeness? And about those who, when facing calamities and difficulties and unpleasant circumstances, say Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, Allah says:
They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allah, and Special Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance. [Al-Baqarah 2:157]
To summarize, at the time of any difficulty, if one recites the words Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, one will actually feel that Allah’s special mercies are with him. This act creates in the person the quality of perseverance and the dignity to bear and endure hardship, develops in him the strength to face calamities, and attracts divine help so that he remains pleased with Allah’s decisions about himself, which is a very high position in one’s life. The one who practices patience (Sabr) does not develop feelings of anger or of revenge for personal reasons, and if these feelings do develop, they disappear quickly, so that he remains protected from acting on those feelings.
By the way, when Allah’s servant makes it a habit of doing the four golden deeds mentioned earlier, then in a few days he will begin to feel that someone has placed a hand of mercy on his heart and is supporting or backing him so that he does not feel alone anymore and his life starts to become enjoyable.
3. ISTIGHFAR
The third deed is Istighfar (seeking forgiveness from Allah), and this too does not require us to spend of our life, wealth, or time. Whenever a person happens to commit a small or big sin, he should immediately feel remorseful about it and say Astaghfirullah, which means: “O Allah. I seek Your forgiveness.”
The Challenge of Shaytan
When Adam (as) was being sent to this world, even before he could arrive here, Shaytan came with this challenge: “O Allah! I will lead your servants astray and take them to Hell (because man is my enemy, because of whom I lost my high rank).” Adam (as) said, “O Allah! You have given my enemy Shaytan so much power that neither I nor my children possess. He can acquire different forms and appearances and he can come upon us in ways that we cannot see him but he can see us. He is a jinn and we are human beings, and our characteristics are different. He will for sure push us to hell”.
The Weapon Given by Allah
Allah (swt) said, “O Adam! There is no doubt that We have given him many powers. However, We are giving you one weapon to counter his many powers. As long as you will keep on using this weapon, none of Shaytan’s attacks will succeed. The name of that weapon is “Istighfar”. Whenever you happen to commit a sin, say “Astaghfirullah” from the depth of your heart.
Sins are Forgiven through Istighfar
Allah (swt) does not send punishment on those people who do Istighfar (seek Allah’s forgiveness). As Allah says in the Noble Qur’an
And Allah would not punish them while they would seek His Forgiveness. [Al-Anfal 8:33]
Allah (swt) has placed in our hearts the urge to commit sins and He has put pleasures in sin. Hence, it is not easy to stay away from sins as a person automatically gravitates towards them. That is why Allah, in His all-encompassing Mercy, has opened such wide doors of His forgiveness, that if we happen to commit a sin, we should just feel remorseful and sincerely repent and seek Allah’s Forgiveness, and the sin will be forgiven. Abdullah Bin Mas’ud (radh) narrated that Allah’s Messenger * said: At-ta-ibu minaz-zambi kamal-la zamba lahu. Translation: “The person who repents of his sin is like a person who did not commit any sin.” [Ibn Majah]
Repent after every Sin
If we commit a sin once, we should repent and seek forgiveness and Allah will forgive the sin. If we commit the same sin again, we should repent again, and Allah (swt) will forgive the sin again. So much so that if we commit the same sin seventy times and every time we repent and seek forgiveness, then each time that sin will be forgiven. This is because the doors of repentance are open. So even if the repentance is broken a thousand times, mend it each time with repentance (Taubah), and the One who is most merciful and most generous will forgive even a thousand times. If a person dies in a state where he sins, then repents, then breaks his repentance by sinning again, but then repents again, and this process continues, then he is successful, because he followed each sin with repentance, which caused each sin to be forgiven. This is the reality of repentance, that there should be remorse after committing the sin, and a firm resolve not to commit the sin again. Every sin is forgiven by repentance, except if we have violated other people’s rights, for they are not forgiven only through repentance, until the other person forgives us or his rights are restored once again.
The Benefits of Istighfar (seeking forgiveness from Allah)
There are many benefits of Istighfar. Istighfar is an act of worship (‘Ibadah). It is also a means for forgiveness of sins and of gaining closeness to one’s Lord. When I will repeatedly seek Allah’s forgiveness then gradually, I will begin to feel shy while committing sins, I will gain an awareness of the vastness of Allah’s mercy through which He continues to provide me with His bounties while I am committing so many sins. Someone who, in his heart, is always aware of his own mistakes and is remorseful over his sins, will never become arrogant or boastful, nor will he ever develop pride over his piety, because he will remember his sins more than his acts of worship, no matter how many they may be.
Istighfar is such a deed that has no set time for it and we need it all the time because we do not know how many sins we keep on committing either knowingly or unknowingly. Some sins are such that we are not even aware of having done them, and there are others that we do not even consider as sins. Under all of these conditions, whenever we become aware that a sin might have been committed, we should immediately turn towards Allah, our heart filled with remorse, and say with our tongue “Astaghfirullah” meaning “O Allah! I am very sorry. Please forgive me and please also protect me from this sin in the future.”
Seeking Allah’s forgiveness is such a deed by which the doors of Allah’s unlimited and complete mercy open for His servant. Besides feeling remorse in his heart, he also becomes aware of his conviction (Aqidah), his faith (Iman) is protected, and he is blessed with the wealth of piety (Taqwa). Such a person does not intentionally commit any sin or at the most he commits very few of them, and such a person also does not cause harm to Allah’s creation. Allah (swt) has, through His Fadl (grace) and Karam (mercy), bestowed a great favor upon His sinful servants by providing them with Taubah (repentance) and Istighfar as a means for them to attain success in this world (duniya) and salvation in the Hereafter (Akhirah). Falillahil-Hamdu wash-Shukr. So for Allah is the praise and the thanks.
Pious elders have advised that we should try, as far as we can recall, to remember and reflect on all our sins committed in the past, whether major or minor, and then with full sincerity and with complete remorse and humility, repent (make Taubah) and seek Allah’s forgiveness (make Istighfar) for them. This should be enough. Insha-Allah, all our sins will be forgiven. Thereafter, we should not make it a habit to repeatedly remember them and become disturbed. Rather, if ever a sin is unconsciously recalled, we should quietly seek Allah’s forgiveness for it once. Remember, however, that it is obligatory on us to fulfill others’ rights, under all circumstances.
4. ISTI’AZAH
The fourth deed is Isti’azah. Isti’azah means to seek protection. Before we begin to recite the Qur’an we recite
which means “I seek Allah’s protection against the accursed and rejected Shaytan.” This action of ours is also Isti’azah because what we are essentially saying is, “O Allah! Take us within your protection against the harm from Shaytan.” We have to recite “A’uzubillah” before reciting the Qur’an because its order is given in the Qur’an itself [An-Nahl 16:98]:
When you read the Qur'an, seek Allah's protection from Shaytan the rejected one.
Recite “A’uzubillah” (I seek Allah’s Protection) During Every Occasion of Danger
This worldly life is filled with all kinds of events and happenings, and we always face Shaytan and our inner desires. Hence, we should continue to seek the Protection of Allah (swt) all the time. There are some dangers associated with monetary dealings and relationships with people, and we may not be able to find any solution to avoid those dangers, nor may the matters be within our control. On such occasions, seeking the protection of Allah (swt) naturally provides great strength to our hearts. Therefore, we must make it a habit to say “A’uzubillah” from the depth of our hearts whenever we face any such difficulty. From morning to night, man is surrounded by different kinds of whispers from Shaytan and worries about things to come. “I do not know what may happen tomorrow. What if I lose my job, or lose my respect, or my possessions get stolen, or an enemy attacks me, or I lose money in my trade or business, or I get sick with such and such disease, or I die, or get in an accident, and so on.” No one is free from such possible dangers. The way to save oneself from all dangers of this world and the Hereafter is this great worship called Isti’azah (seeking Allah’s protection). Whenever the heart receives any whisper from Shaytan or a worry or concern about something that might happen, quietly say “A’uzubillah” which means “O Allah! I seek Your protection”. If you cannot remember the Arabic word, you can convey this supplication to Allah in your own language. Note that the more wealthy a person is, and the higher a position he holds, the more worries and dangers he has, and the one who possesses neither wealth nor fame nor position of any significance, also has less worries and dangers.
The Helplessness of a Thief
A thief entered a house. He searched all over but could not find anything to steal. This was because there was nothing there to steal, neither utensils nor clothes, nor any furniture. After searching for some time, he noticed a man sleeping very peacefully in the verandah. The thief thought to himself that he must take something from this house otherwise it may bring bad luck. When he looked carefully, he saw a pile of flour close to the sleeping man. The thief spread his sheet on the floor in order to transfer the flour onto it. However, just as he was about to pick up the flour, the sleeping man turned over onto the thief’s sheet. Now instead of taking something, the thief was actually losing his own belonging, because the man was sound asleep. It was a cold wintry night, and the thief sat down to wait for the sleeping man to turn over to the other side so that he could pick up his sheet, but the man showed no signs of moving. The poor thief was shivering from waiting so long in the cold and he was just beginning to think that he did not care any more about the flour, he just wanted to take his sheet with him, when he heard the Adhans (calls for prayer) for the Fajr (dawn) prayer. The thief decided it was time to leave, and as he was stepping out of the door, he heard a voice from behind him saying, “Close the door on your way out.” The thief was so frustrated that he replied, “Let it stay open. Someone else may come in and provide another sheet to cover you.”
Thus, nobody is free from worries and danger. The more important a person is, the more are his worries and dangers, and the less important a person is, the more peace and tranquility he enjoys. During every situation of worry or danger, one should say “A’uzubillah” which means “O Allah! I seek Your Protection.” One may have fear of failure in achieving one’s goal, or one may be afraid of losing one’s life or wealth due to the evil from an enemy or envier. One may also have the fear of being involved in an open or secret sin due to mischief from one’s inner desires and Shaytan or of being punished in the Hereafter, or maybe some unclean desire enters the heart. In all cases one should immediately recite “A’uzubillah” or recite the following Du’a (supplication): “Allahumma la malja-a wa la manja-a minka illa ilaik” which means: “O Allah! There is neither refuge nor any safety from You except in You.” In other words, “Difficulties are also sent by You, and only You can provide us safety from those difficulties.”
Cling to the Archer
A wise man once asked the people: “There is a tremendous archer who never misses his target. The sky is his bow, and all the calamities and sorrows of this world are his arrows. What is the way to save yourself from him?” The people replied, “It is impossible to be safe from such an archer.” The wise man then said, “There is only one way: Cling to this archer.” So brothers! Seek the protection and refuge of Allah (swt). Whenever you feel any fear or anxiety in your heart, immediately say “O Allah I seek your refuge and your protection.” He is such a Giver that He never refuses anyone who sincerely begs from Him. Just imagine this scenario: It is a dark night and the rain is pouring down heavily. Some robbers are chasing a lone child, who is running away from them and screaming, “Save me! Give me shelter!” Would you not give refuge to such a helpless child? It is obvious that you would give him shelter even if you lived in a hut. Allah (swt) is the Lord of all and He is the most merciful of those who show mercy. When His servants who are overwhelmed by difficulties seek His protection, He surely opens for them the doors of refuge and protection.
Isti’azah (seeking Allah’s protection) is a deed by which Allah’s servant experiences Allah’s majesty, the greatness of His Rububiyah (Lordship), and His all-encompassing beneficence, and he feels in his heart the protection and peace from Allah (swt). He is also blessed with the wealth of Tawakkul (complete trust and reliance on Allah) and Tafwid (being content with Allah’s decisions about him). Such people will never harbor any desire to harm others. So, let us make it a habit that whenever we feel danger, we say a heartfelt “A’uzubillah”. When we will genuinely seek Allah’s protection, we will be able to witness for ourselves Allah’s mercy opening strange and unexpected ways for our protection from dangers as they advance towards us.
Make it a Habit to Practice these Four A’mal
So, in summary, four good deeds were discussed: Shukr, Sabr, Istighfar, and Isti’azah. Be constant in practicing all four of them. Make it a habit. Then Insha-Allah step-by-step one’s entire life will gradually become patterned according to Deen (Islam). Both Deen and duniya (worldly life) will remain protected and one will develop hatred for sins and fondness for good deeds. One will continue to develop more and more closeness to Allah, and will begin to feel a special connection with Him.
Three Periods of Time are Protected
At any time in man’s life, there are three periods: past, present, and future. Through Istighfar, the past is protected. Through Shukr and Sabr, the present is protected, and through Isti’azah the future will be protected. When all three periods are protected, the entire life is protected. Whoever makes it a habit to perform these four good deeds, Insha-Allah at every moment he will experience Allah’s help and beneficence.
Convey this Gift to Others
In concluding his talk, the respected scholar said, “I have a request from you all. What I presented in front of you today is a priceless gift given to me by my esteemed teacher and spiritual guide. It is extremely easy to do and very effective. Please convey this gift to your family and your acquaintances. Insha-Allah by sticking to it you will be protected from so many uncountable sins, accidents and calamities. And you can do one more thing – please send thawab (reward for good deeds) to the soul of my teacher and spiritual guide ‘Arif Billah Dr. ‘Abdul Hayy ‘Arifi (rahm) who gave us this great gift. May Allah (swt) enable us to be constant in doing these four a’mal (good deeds). Ameen.
The Holy Qur’an introduces the Prophet Sallallahu`alaihi wasallam
We all know that the Holy Qur’an is the last Message revealed to the last Prophet (SAW). While, this final scripture focuses on Tawheed (Oneness of Allah), the Aakhirah (the Hereafter), and the Risalah (Prophet Hood), the Book also presents Divine guidance with regards to worships, morals, and affairs of individual and social life. In addition the Book also narrates the stories of earlier Prophets, and gives an introduction of our beloved Prophet (SAW). Time and again, the Book also details the attributes of Prophet (SAW) and his miraculous personality, his patience and his forbearance, his endurance and his perseverance, his nobility and his forgiveness, his commitment and his devotion to Allah’s Message. The purpose is that the Ummah should be introduced to both, the revealed Qur’an preserved in writing and the living Qur’an in the personality of the Prophet (SAW) preserved in history for all times to come. Poet, philosopher Iqbal says:
Reach out to Mustafa (PUH), because Deen is him,
If he is not reached, what you have is all Bu Lahab’ism.
Through the Qur’anic introduction, the Ummah gets the idea of Prophet (SAW)’s magnificence, and the greatness of his stature. It is only through his love and obedience that one can get closer to Allah (SWT). There very many verses in the Holy Qur’an revealing and attesting to Prophet (SAW)’s great stature, but let me quote Aayah 128 of Surah Tawbah:
“A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering distresses him: he is deeply concerned fro you and full of kindness and mercy towards the believers.”
Arabs were very proud of their ancestral lineage. They even were proud of the pedigree of their camels and horses. They looked down upon non-Arabs as Ajami meaning mute or without tongue. It was beyond them to obey anyone who belonged to the non-Arab lineage. In the referred Aayah, Allah (SWT) addressed the Arabs and Quresh and emphasized that the person who has been sent to them with Allah’s Message was none but one from among themselves. It was a great blessing of the Almighty upon Quresh that the Prophet (SAW) was raised from among their own people. This fact is mentioned in Aayah 164 of Surah Al-Imran:
“Allah has been truly gracious to the believers in sending them a Messenger from among their own, to recite His revelations to them, to make them grow in purity, and to teach them the Scriptures and wisdom – before that they were clearly astray.”
The blessed personality of Prophet (SAW) mirrors the acceptance of Sayyidina Ibrahim (AS)’s supplication as attested by Aayah 129 of Surah Al-Baqarah. Sayyidina Ibrahim (AS) submitted to Allah (SWT) in words translated as:
“Our Lord, make a messenger of their own rise up from among them, to recite Your revelations to them, teach them the Scripture and wisdom, and purify them: You are the Mighty, the Wise.”
Abu Hureyrah (RA) relates that Prophet (SAW) said: Allah (SWT) has commissioned me for Prophet Hood from the best branch of mankind. [Bukhari]
Wasila bin Asqa’a (RA) quotes Prophet (SAW) in these words: “From the progeny of Ismail, Allah selected Kinanah, and from Banu Kinanah chose Quresh, and chose Banu Hashim from Quresh, and selected me from Banu Hashim.”
In yet another tradition, Prophet (SAW) said: “Allah (SWT) gave me birth in the best household among all mankind.”
The Aayah I quoted earlier makes it clear that Rasul Allah is the Messenger of Allah for the entire humanity, and he is from mankind, and not from any other kind like angle. Aayah 130 of Surah Kahf says:
“Say [Rasul Allah]: I am only a human being like you, to whom it has been revealed that your Allah is One.”
In the Aayah: “Laqad ja’aa akum Rasuulum-min anfusikum…” the word “Anfusikum has also been read and recited as “Anfasikum” with “fat’ha” or “zabar” on letter “fa”. Ibn-e-Abbas relates its meaning as right from Adam (AS) to Prophet (SAW)’s father Abdullah, the ancestral lineage of Prophet (SAW) is pure from all wrong doings and sins. One can see the evident the continuous chain of purity throughout the ancestral lineage of Prophet (SAW) was preserved and protected to give birth to Prophet (SAW).
When the Roman emperor asked Abu Sufyaan (who was not Muslim until then), the lineage of Prophet (SAW)? Abu Sufyaan replied: “He has noble ancestry.” To which the Roman emperor replied: “Prophets are always from the noble families.”[Bukhari].
The second part of the Aayah is: “Azizun alay-hi maa anit-tum”, which means that it grieves Prophet (SAW) that you should suffer or go through hardships. Read any biography of Prophet (SAW) and you will realize that his compassion, kindness and mercy were for every one without any distinction for friend or enemies. The Holy Qur’an attests to his (SAW)’s kindness for the non-believers and polytheists. He (SAW) was equally worried for non believers too. Allah (SWT) used to send His revelations to comfort His Messenger.
Aayah 76 of Surah Yasin says: “So [Rasul Allah], do not be distressed at what they [polytheists, disbelievers] say: We know what they conceal and what they reveal.”
Aayah 176 of Al-Imran reads: “[Rasul Allah], do not be grieved by those who are quick to disbelieve. They will not harm Allah in the least; it is Allah’s will that they will have no share in the Hereafter – a terrible torment awaits them.”
Aayah 6 of Surah Kahf says: “But [Rasul Allah] are you going to worry yourself to death over them if they do not believe in this message?”
At the battle of Badr, some disbelievers were taken prisoners and that made Prophet (SAW) uneasy and he could not sleep the whole night. One companion from Madinah asked if Prophet (SAW) was not feeling well. Prophet (SAW) replied “No, but I hear painful sighs of Abbas and that hurts me.” Listening to this, the companion quietly went and untied Abbas, who then could sleep. Prophet (SAW) asked as to why he the sighs had stopped. The companion replied that he had untied Abbas. Prophet (SAW) asked him to go and untie all the prisoners. Prophet (SAW) did not take rest until all the prisoners were put at ease and he could then sleep. Imagine these were the prisoners who had persecuted the Muslims for long thirteen years, but even then Prophet (SAW) was restless at their pain. Abbas was Prophet (SAW)’s uncle, a non-Muslim until then, who came to the battle field only due to peer pressure. Prophet (SAW) did not discriminate on the basis of relationship and felt for all the same way.
There is another incident. Allah (SWT) said in Aayah 33 of Surah Anfaal on Prophet (SAW)’s migration from Makkah:
“But Allah would not send them punishment while you [Rasul Allah] are in their midst…”
Once Makkah faced a terrible famine, and people were starving. Abu Sufyaan Umvi went and respectfully submitted to Prophet (SAW) to pray for the Makkans. He added that Makkans were Prophet’s kith and kin and relatives. Prophet (SAW) dispatched a message then and there to Sumama bin Usal (RA) to send help with grain and provisions. Sumama (RA) knowing that Makkans were persecuting Muslims was withholding supplies but as soon as he received Prophet’s message, he sent huge supply of the needful and consequently Makkans were relieved.
When Prophet (SAW) was kind to the non-Muslims, one can well imagine his feelings towards the Muslims. There are numerous traditions showing Prophet (SAW) saving his Ummah from hardships. As per Ibn-e-Abbas (RA) quoted by Sahih Bukhari, when Prophet (SAW) ascended the heaven (Mairaaj) Allah (SWT) mandated 50 daily prayers for Muslims. Musa (AS) said to Prophet (SAW): “Your Ummah lacks the strength to abide by the mandate.” Prophet (SAW) pleaded Allah (SWT) in favor of his Ummah. Number of prayers was reduced, but Musa (AS) kept recommending Prophet (SAW) for more concessions till the number was reduced to 5 daily prayers. On one hand this event shows us Prophet (SAW)’s submission to Allah (SWT), on the other it shows his love and affection for the Ummah. The number was reduced to 5 but these 5 prayers
are equal to 50 in reward. Musa (AS)’s statement: “Your Ummah lacks the strength to abide by the mandate of 50 prayers” prompted Prophet (SAW) to continue his pleadings with Allah (SWT) for leniency in prayers. There was nothing dearer than prayers to Prophet (SAW)’s heart, but the thought of Ummah was also very close and dear to his heart..
Once during Ramadan, Prophet (SAW) was traveling from Makkah to Madinah. Though fasting, when he (SAW) reached the place called Usfaan, he (SAW) asked for water to drink. Scholars opine that it was a gesture to save his companions from the hardships of fasting during the journey.
It is stated by Ummul Momineen Aa’yesha (RA) that Prophet (SAW) prayed Salat-ul-Taraweeh in congregation for two nights and did not go to the Mosque the third night. He (SAW) mentioned to his companions the next morning: “I saw you coming to the Mosque and waiting, I refrained from joining you thinking that Taraweeh may not be made obligatory for you.”
Anas (RA) said: “Once Prophet (SAW) was praying Tahajjud. I happened to join him. When he (SAW) felt that I was praying behind him, he (SAW) shortened his prayers to make it easy on me.”
All this shows Prophet (SAW)’s love and affection for his Ummah. Insha Allah I will discuss the other two part of the Aayah in future. May Allah enable us to recognize the rights that we owe to Prophet (SAW)’s love and enable us to pay what is due, Aamin!
Note:
SWT = Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala
SAW = Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam
AS = AlehisSalam
RA = Radhiyallaho anhu
RAnha= Radhiyallaho anha
Reach out to Mustafa (PUH), because Deen is him,
If he is not reached, what you have is all Bu Lahab’ism.
Through the Qur’anic introduction, the Ummah gets the idea of Prophet (SAW)’s magnificence, and the greatness of his stature. It is only through his love and obedience that one can get closer to Allah (SWT). There very many verses in the Holy Qur’an revealing and attesting to Prophet (SAW)’s great stature, but let me quote Aayah 128 of Surah Tawbah:
“A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering distresses him: he is deeply concerned fro you and full of kindness and mercy towards the believers.”
Arabs were very proud of their ancestral lineage. They even were proud of the pedigree of their camels and horses. They looked down upon non-Arabs as Ajami meaning mute or without tongue. It was beyond them to obey anyone who belonged to the non-Arab lineage. In the referred Aayah, Allah (SWT) addressed the Arabs and Quresh and emphasized that the person who has been sent to them with Allah’s Message was none but one from among themselves. It was a great blessing of the Almighty upon Quresh that the Prophet (SAW) was raised from among their own people. This fact is mentioned in Aayah 164 of Surah Al-Imran:
“Allah has been truly gracious to the believers in sending them a Messenger from among their own, to recite His revelations to them, to make them grow in purity, and to teach them the Scriptures and wisdom – before that they were clearly astray.”
The blessed personality of Prophet (SAW) mirrors the acceptance of Sayyidina Ibrahim (AS)’s supplication as attested by Aayah 129 of Surah Al-Baqarah. Sayyidina Ibrahim (AS) submitted to Allah (SWT) in words translated as:
“Our Lord, make a messenger of their own rise up from among them, to recite Your revelations to them, teach them the Scripture and wisdom, and purify them: You are the Mighty, the Wise.”
Abu Hureyrah (RA) relates that Prophet (SAW) said: Allah (SWT) has commissioned me for Prophet Hood from the best branch of mankind. [Bukhari]
Wasila bin Asqa’a (RA) quotes Prophet (SAW) in these words: “From the progeny of Ismail, Allah selected Kinanah, and from Banu Kinanah chose Quresh, and chose Banu Hashim from Quresh, and selected me from Banu Hashim.”
In yet another tradition, Prophet (SAW) said: “Allah (SWT) gave me birth in the best household among all mankind.”
The Aayah I quoted earlier makes it clear that Rasul Allah is the Messenger of Allah for the entire humanity, and he is from mankind, and not from any other kind like angle. Aayah 130 of Surah Kahf says:
“Say [Rasul Allah]: I am only a human being like you, to whom it has been revealed that your Allah is One.”
In the Aayah: “Laqad ja’aa akum Rasuulum-min anfusikum…” the word “Anfusikum has also been read and recited as “Anfasikum” with “fat’ha” or “zabar” on letter “fa”. Ibn-e-Abbas relates its meaning as right from Adam (AS) to Prophet (SAW)’s father Abdullah, the ancestral lineage of Prophet (SAW) is pure from all wrong doings and sins. One can see the evident the continuous chain of purity throughout the ancestral lineage of Prophet (SAW) was preserved and protected to give birth to Prophet (SAW).
When the Roman emperor asked Abu Sufyaan (who was not Muslim until then), the lineage of Prophet (SAW)? Abu Sufyaan replied: “He has noble ancestry.” To which the Roman emperor replied: “Prophets are always from the noble families.”[Bukhari].
The second part of the Aayah is: “Azizun alay-hi maa anit-tum”, which means that it grieves Prophet (SAW) that you should suffer or go through hardships. Read any biography of Prophet (SAW) and you will realize that his compassion, kindness and mercy were for every one without any distinction for friend or enemies. The Holy Qur’an attests to his (SAW)’s kindness for the non-believers and polytheists. He (SAW) was equally worried for non believers too. Allah (SWT) used to send His revelations to comfort His Messenger.
Aayah 76 of Surah Yasin says: “So [Rasul Allah], do not be distressed at what they [polytheists, disbelievers] say: We know what they conceal and what they reveal.”
Aayah 176 of Al-Imran reads: “[Rasul Allah], do not be grieved by those who are quick to disbelieve. They will not harm Allah in the least; it is Allah’s will that they will have no share in the Hereafter – a terrible torment awaits them.”
Aayah 6 of Surah Kahf says: “But [Rasul Allah] are you going to worry yourself to death over them if they do not believe in this message?”
At the battle of Badr, some disbelievers were taken prisoners and that made Prophet (SAW) uneasy and he could not sleep the whole night. One companion from Madinah asked if Prophet (SAW) was not feeling well. Prophet (SAW) replied “No, but I hear painful sighs of Abbas and that hurts me.” Listening to this, the companion quietly went and untied Abbas, who then could sleep. Prophet (SAW) asked as to why he the sighs had stopped. The companion replied that he had untied Abbas. Prophet (SAW) asked him to go and untie all the prisoners. Prophet (SAW) did not take rest until all the prisoners were put at ease and he could then sleep. Imagine these were the prisoners who had persecuted the Muslims for long thirteen years, but even then Prophet (SAW) was restless at their pain. Abbas was Prophet (SAW)’s uncle, a non-Muslim until then, who came to the battle field only due to peer pressure. Prophet (SAW) did not discriminate on the basis of relationship and felt for all the same way.
There is another incident. Allah (SWT) said in Aayah 33 of Surah Anfaal on Prophet (SAW)’s migration from Makkah:
“But Allah would not send them punishment while you [Rasul Allah] are in their midst…”
Once Makkah faced a terrible famine, and people were starving. Abu Sufyaan Umvi went and respectfully submitted to Prophet (SAW) to pray for the Makkans. He added that Makkans were Prophet’s kith and kin and relatives. Prophet (SAW) dispatched a message then and there to Sumama bin Usal (RA) to send help with grain and provisions. Sumama (RA) knowing that Makkans were persecuting Muslims was withholding supplies but as soon as he received Prophet’s message, he sent huge supply of the needful and consequently Makkans were relieved.
When Prophet (SAW) was kind to the non-Muslims, one can well imagine his feelings towards the Muslims. There are numerous traditions showing Prophet (SAW) saving his Ummah from hardships. As per Ibn-e-Abbas (RA) quoted by Sahih Bukhari, when Prophet (SAW) ascended the heaven (Mairaaj) Allah (SWT) mandated 50 daily prayers for Muslims. Musa (AS) said to Prophet (SAW): “Your Ummah lacks the strength to abide by the mandate.” Prophet (SAW) pleaded Allah (SWT) in favor of his Ummah. Number of prayers was reduced, but Musa (AS) kept recommending Prophet (SAW) for more concessions till the number was reduced to 5 daily prayers. On one hand this event shows us Prophet (SAW)’s submission to Allah (SWT), on the other it shows his love and affection for the Ummah. The number was reduced to 5 but these 5 prayers
are equal to 50 in reward. Musa (AS)’s statement: “Your Ummah lacks the strength to abide by the mandate of 50 prayers” prompted Prophet (SAW) to continue his pleadings with Allah (SWT) for leniency in prayers. There was nothing dearer than prayers to Prophet (SAW)’s heart, but the thought of Ummah was also very close and dear to his heart..
Once during Ramadan, Prophet (SAW) was traveling from Makkah to Madinah. Though fasting, when he (SAW) reached the place called Usfaan, he (SAW) asked for water to drink. Scholars opine that it was a gesture to save his companions from the hardships of fasting during the journey.
It is stated by Ummul Momineen Aa’yesha (RA) that Prophet (SAW) prayed Salat-ul-Taraweeh in congregation for two nights and did not go to the Mosque the third night. He (SAW) mentioned to his companions the next morning: “I saw you coming to the Mosque and waiting, I refrained from joining you thinking that Taraweeh may not be made obligatory for you.”
Anas (RA) said: “Once Prophet (SAW) was praying Tahajjud. I happened to join him. When he (SAW) felt that I was praying behind him, he (SAW) shortened his prayers to make it easy on me.”
All this shows Prophet (SAW)’s love and affection for his Ummah. Insha Allah I will discuss the other two part of the Aayah in future. May Allah enable us to recognize the rights that we owe to Prophet (SAW)’s love and enable us to pay what is due, Aamin!
Note:
SWT = Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala
SAW = Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam
AS = AlehisSalam
RA = Radhiyallaho anhu
RAnha= Radhiyallaho anha
Remembrance of Allah
Zikr - Remembrance of Allah is a great worship which has enormous reward. It includes recitations of the Holy Qur’an, Kalima-e-Tayyeba, Astaghfaar, and Darud Shareef. Think of Salah. It is all Zikr. Surah Al-Fatiha, the recitation of other verses from the Holy Qur’an, and the Tasbeehaat in Ruku and Sajdah are Zikr and nothing but Zikr. These highlight the importance of Zkir. The external joins the internal in unison in Salah. The heart and soul join the tongue and the rest of the body to glorify and submit to Allah (SWT) in humility. Had there not been any traditions or the verses, even then the Zikr and remembrance of the Kind and Exalted Majesty, the Master, the Lord, the Creator demands that no one should ever remain unmindful of His remembrance. And when Zikr has been mandated in the Holy Qur’an and traditions of Prophet (SAW), there is no way that one should take it lightly. Let us see just a few examples of Zikr from the Holy Qur’an.
Aayah 45 of Surah An-Kabut says: “[Ya Rasul Allah], recite what has been revealed to you of the Scripture, keep up the prayer: prayer restrains outrageous and unacceptable behavior. Remembering Allah is greater: Allah knows every thing you do.”
Aayah 152 of Surah Al-Baqarah says: “So remember Me; I will remember you. Be thankful to Me, and never be ungrateful.”
Aayah 205 of Surah Al-A’raf says: “[Ya Rasul Allah], remember your Lord inwardly, in all humility and awe, without raising your voice, in the mornings and in the evenings –do not be one of the heedless-.”
Aayah 10 of Surah “Jumu’a says: “Remember Allah often so that you may prosper.”
Aayah 41-42 of Surah Al-Ahzaab says: “Believers, remember Allah often and glorify Him morning and evening.”
Aayah 27-28 of Surah Al-Ra’ad says: “…those who have faith and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of Allah – truly it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find peace.”
Similarly there are many traditions of our beloved Prophet (SAW) strongly recommending Allah’s Zikr and remembrance. Ummul Momineen Aa’isha (RAnha) quoted in Muslim says: that Prophet (SAW) was busy in Zikr all the time.
According to Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (RA) Prophet (SAW) said: “The similitude of one who remembers his Lord and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that Prophet (SAW) said: “Allah the Exalted says: “I am as my slave expects me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in as assembly (i.e., in the assembly of angels.” [Bukhari & Muslim].
According to yet another tradition Abu Hurairah narrates that Prophet (SAW) said: “The Mufarridun have gone ahead.” When asked “Who were Mufarridun?” He (SAW) replied: “Those men and women who frequently celebrate the remembrance of Allah.” [Muslim]
Abud Darda (RA) quotes Prophet (SAW) who said: “Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions which are the purest to your Lord, which exalt you to the high ranks, which are more efficacious than spending gold and silver (in charity), and better for you than you should encounter your enemies whom you will smite their neck and they will smite your necks?” Companions submitted, “Certainly Ya Rasul Allah!” He (SAW) said: “Remembrance of Allah the Exalted,” [At-Tirmidhi]
Zikr is in fact the very soul, the very heart beat of the universe. The human body is nothing without soul! Similarly the universe is nothing if it lacks its soul. The question is what is the soul? The soul which is in the human body also regulates the universe. Human soul as defined in Aayah 85 of Surah Al-Isra is:
“[Rasul Allah], they ask you about the soul. Say, ‘The soul is part of my Lord’s domain. You have only been given a little knowledge.”
Similarly the soul of the universe is the remembrance of Allah. According to one of the traditions of Prophet (SAW), Qiyamah (Last Day) would dawn on the universe until even one person who remembers Allah is alive. Every thing big or small in the universe is busy in Zikr.
Some traditions cite the example of certain birds and their Zikr. Sulaymaan (AS) was given the miracle to understand the language of the birds as mentioned in Aayah 16 of Surah Naml:
“Sulaymaan (AS) succeeded Dawood (AS). He said, ‘People, we have been taught the speech of birds, and we have been given a share of everything: this is clearly is a great favor.”
Allah (SWT) gave our beloved Prophet (SAW) the knowledge of the animals, and at times he (SAW) resolved their disputes. Though an average person does not understand the Tasbeeh of different creatures, but it is a fact that all are engaged in the remembrance of Allah as mentioned in Aayah 44 of Surah Bani Isra’el:
“The seven heaves and the earth and everyone in them glorify Him. There is not a single thing that does not celebrate His praise, though you do not understand their praise: He is the most forgiving.”
The real life lies in Allah’s Zikr, and Zikr is the nourishment of the soul. All Prophets and Messengers had great strength and stamina, but their food intake was very simple and small. Source of real strength is the remembrance of Allah. Prophet (SAW) advised his Ummah to refrain from “Sawm-e-Wisaal”, which means continuous fasting without eating or drinking. When his companions submitted: “Ya Rasul Allah you observe “Sawm-e-Wisaal”, but refrain us from doing that, why is that?” Prophet (SAW) replied: “Who among you is like me? My Rub provides me nourishment.”
This nourishment in fact is the remembrance of Allah; it is a source of strength. When remembrance of Allah runs in the heart, soul and mind, it becomes the very life blood, the very source of living minimizing the need of the physical food. When everything in the universe is engaged in the remembrance of Allah, we then should be more committed to Zikr than any one else. The greatest Zikr is Salah as mentioned in Aayah 14 of Surah Ta Ha:
“I am Allah; there is no god but Me. So worship Me and keep up the prayer so that you remember Me.”
In Surah Hajj too, mention of Zikr has been made in many places. The purpose of Zakah and Sadaqah is also Zikr. Along with these obligatory duties, Prophet (SAW) has taught us to remain engaged in Zikr. Some Azkaar (remembrances) are time related, or should be done at a specific time like morning, evening and at night, while others are not time related and can be made at any time as mentioned in this tradition:
“Abdullah bin Busr (RA) submitted to Prophet (SAW) and said: “Ya Rasul Allah! There are many injunctions of Islam for me. So please tell me something to which I may hold fast.” He (SAW) said, “Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah.” [Tirmidhi]
Haafiz Ibn-e-Qayyim (RahA) in his book “Al Wabilus Sayyib min’al Kalimit Tayyib” has mentioned 78 blessings and rewards of Zikr. Let me mention only ten from among those:
1. Zikr make the Shaitan flee and breaks his power of temptation.
2. Zikr is the best source to seek Allah’s pleasure.
3. Zikr gives contentment and enables you to taste the sweetness of love.
4. Zikr bring light to your face and enlightens the heart.
5. Zikr creates and intensifies the love of Allah in the heart.
6. Zikr directs the heart towards Allah and bring the heart closer to Allah.
7. Zikr washes out the sins.
8. Zikr saves from the punishment of Allah and according to one tradition of Prophet (SAW) there in no other act but Zikr which saves man from Allah’s punishment.
9. Zikr relieves the heart from pain and grief.
10. Zikr enables the Zaakir (the one who remembers) to achieve peace. The Rahma of Allah embraces him and he is surrounded by the angles.
Insha Allah I will mention more about Zikr in the future Khutbahs. Please make effort that there is Allah’s Zikr in the heart and on the tongue. May Allah teach us to love Him and make us steadfast in His Love and remembrance! Aamin!
Note:
SWT = Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala
SAW = Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam
AS = AlehisSalam
RA = Radhiyallaho anhu
RAnha= Radhiyallaho anha
Aayah 45 of Surah An-Kabut says: “[Ya Rasul Allah], recite what has been revealed to you of the Scripture, keep up the prayer: prayer restrains outrageous and unacceptable behavior. Remembering Allah is greater: Allah knows every thing you do.”
Aayah 152 of Surah Al-Baqarah says: “So remember Me; I will remember you. Be thankful to Me, and never be ungrateful.”
Aayah 205 of Surah Al-A’raf says: “[Ya Rasul Allah], remember your Lord inwardly, in all humility and awe, without raising your voice, in the mornings and in the evenings –do not be one of the heedless-.”
Aayah 10 of Surah “Jumu’a says: “Remember Allah often so that you may prosper.”
Aayah 41-42 of Surah Al-Ahzaab says: “Believers, remember Allah often and glorify Him morning and evening.”
Aayah 27-28 of Surah Al-Ra’ad says: “…those who have faith and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of Allah – truly it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find peace.”
Similarly there are many traditions of our beloved Prophet (SAW) strongly recommending Allah’s Zikr and remembrance. Ummul Momineen Aa’isha (RAnha) quoted in Muslim says: that Prophet (SAW) was busy in Zikr all the time.
According to Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (RA) Prophet (SAW) said: “The similitude of one who remembers his Lord and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead. [Bukhari & Muslim]
Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that Prophet (SAW) said: “Allah the Exalted says: “I am as my slave expects me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in as assembly (i.e., in the assembly of angels.” [Bukhari & Muslim].
According to yet another tradition Abu Hurairah narrates that Prophet (SAW) said: “The Mufarridun have gone ahead.” When asked “Who were Mufarridun?” He (SAW) replied: “Those men and women who frequently celebrate the remembrance of Allah.” [Muslim]
Abud Darda (RA) quotes Prophet (SAW) who said: “Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions which are the purest to your Lord, which exalt you to the high ranks, which are more efficacious than spending gold and silver (in charity), and better for you than you should encounter your enemies whom you will smite their neck and they will smite your necks?” Companions submitted, “Certainly Ya Rasul Allah!” He (SAW) said: “Remembrance of Allah the Exalted,” [At-Tirmidhi]
Zikr is in fact the very soul, the very heart beat of the universe. The human body is nothing without soul! Similarly the universe is nothing if it lacks its soul. The question is what is the soul? The soul which is in the human body also regulates the universe. Human soul as defined in Aayah 85 of Surah Al-Isra is:
“[Rasul Allah], they ask you about the soul. Say, ‘The soul is part of my Lord’s domain. You have only been given a little knowledge.”
Similarly the soul of the universe is the remembrance of Allah. According to one of the traditions of Prophet (SAW), Qiyamah (Last Day) would dawn on the universe until even one person who remembers Allah is alive. Every thing big or small in the universe is busy in Zikr.
Some traditions cite the example of certain birds and their Zikr. Sulaymaan (AS) was given the miracle to understand the language of the birds as mentioned in Aayah 16 of Surah Naml:
“Sulaymaan (AS) succeeded Dawood (AS). He said, ‘People, we have been taught the speech of birds, and we have been given a share of everything: this is clearly is a great favor.”
Allah (SWT) gave our beloved Prophet (SAW) the knowledge of the animals, and at times he (SAW) resolved their disputes. Though an average person does not understand the Tasbeeh of different creatures, but it is a fact that all are engaged in the remembrance of Allah as mentioned in Aayah 44 of Surah Bani Isra’el:
“The seven heaves and the earth and everyone in them glorify Him. There is not a single thing that does not celebrate His praise, though you do not understand their praise: He is the most forgiving.”
The real life lies in Allah’s Zikr, and Zikr is the nourishment of the soul. All Prophets and Messengers had great strength and stamina, but their food intake was very simple and small. Source of real strength is the remembrance of Allah. Prophet (SAW) advised his Ummah to refrain from “Sawm-e-Wisaal”, which means continuous fasting without eating or drinking. When his companions submitted: “Ya Rasul Allah you observe “Sawm-e-Wisaal”, but refrain us from doing that, why is that?” Prophet (SAW) replied: “Who among you is like me? My Rub provides me nourishment.”
This nourishment in fact is the remembrance of Allah; it is a source of strength. When remembrance of Allah runs in the heart, soul and mind, it becomes the very life blood, the very source of living minimizing the need of the physical food. When everything in the universe is engaged in the remembrance of Allah, we then should be more committed to Zikr than any one else. The greatest Zikr is Salah as mentioned in Aayah 14 of Surah Ta Ha:
“I am Allah; there is no god but Me. So worship Me and keep up the prayer so that you remember Me.”
In Surah Hajj too, mention of Zikr has been made in many places. The purpose of Zakah and Sadaqah is also Zikr. Along with these obligatory duties, Prophet (SAW) has taught us to remain engaged in Zikr. Some Azkaar (remembrances) are time related, or should be done at a specific time like morning, evening and at night, while others are not time related and can be made at any time as mentioned in this tradition:
“Abdullah bin Busr (RA) submitted to Prophet (SAW) and said: “Ya Rasul Allah! There are many injunctions of Islam for me. So please tell me something to which I may hold fast.” He (SAW) said, “Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah.” [Tirmidhi]
Haafiz Ibn-e-Qayyim (RahA) in his book “Al Wabilus Sayyib min’al Kalimit Tayyib” has mentioned 78 blessings and rewards of Zikr. Let me mention only ten from among those:
1. Zikr make the Shaitan flee and breaks his power of temptation.
2. Zikr is the best source to seek Allah’s pleasure.
3. Zikr gives contentment and enables you to taste the sweetness of love.
4. Zikr bring light to your face and enlightens the heart.
5. Zikr creates and intensifies the love of Allah in the heart.
6. Zikr directs the heart towards Allah and bring the heart closer to Allah.
7. Zikr washes out the sins.
8. Zikr saves from the punishment of Allah and according to one tradition of Prophet (SAW) there in no other act but Zikr which saves man from Allah’s punishment.
9. Zikr relieves the heart from pain and grief.
10. Zikr enables the Zaakir (the one who remembers) to achieve peace. The Rahma of Allah embraces him and he is surrounded by the angles.
Insha Allah I will mention more about Zikr in the future Khutbahs. Please make effort that there is Allah’s Zikr in the heart and on the tongue. May Allah teach us to love Him and make us steadfast in His Love and remembrance! Aamin!
Note:
SWT = Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala
SAW = Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam
AS = AlehisSalam
RA = Radhiyallaho anhu
RAnha= Radhiyallaho anha
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