- Acts of Worship, - I want to be a devoted slave of Allaah… ten pointers.

My question is short. I want to enter Paradise, Iwant to strive to
control my self (my nafs), I want to kiss my mother's handevery day, I
want to keep away from whims and desires and from theShaytaan, I want
Allaah to call me a devoted slave on the Day of Resurrection, in sha
Allaah, I want to love my brothers, and I want my faith to keep
increasing. What should I do?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allaah to make you steadfast in adhering to the truth, and to
make your hopes come true, and to make you one of those who turn to
Him and who know the truth, defend it and adhere to Islam.
The things you mention in your question indicate that you have a sound
and pure nature, and a great desire to achieve great things andto give
everyone his rights. These are great hopes that can be achieved
through faith, as it was narrated that Sufyaan al-Thawri said: Faith
is not wishes or pretence, rather it is what settles in the heart and
is proven by actions." So we will discuss the matter of faith and how
importantit is in becoming a devoted slave, pleasing and honouring
one's parents and achieving the victory of Paradise.
Whoever seeks to achieve great things has to stay up at night (worship).
Hence al-Fudayl said: "You hearts can never taste the sweetness of
faith until they shun worldly pleasures." And he also said, "If you
cannot pray qiyaam at night and fast during the day, then know that
you are deprived."
The sincere believer has a heart like a burning coal, hence it was
narrated by al-Haakim inhis Mustadrak and al-Tabaraani in his Mu'jam
with a saheeh isnaad that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, "Faith wears out in your heart as clothes wear out,
so ask Allaah to renew the faith in your hearts."
The believer's heart may sometimes feel overwhelmed by clouds of sin.
This was portrayed to us by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) when he said:"There is no heart that does not have clouds
like the clouds that coverthe moon. When the cloud covers it, it is
dark,and when the cloud moves away it shines." Narrated by
al-Tabaraaniin al-Awsat, and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. So the
believer's heart is sometimes covered with a cloud and its light is
hidden, and it remains dark and lonely, but if he strives to increase
his store of faith and seeks the help of Allaah, that cloud goes away
and thelight in his heart starts toshine again. Hence one of the salaf
said: "It is part of a person's smartness to c heck on his faith and
be aware of what affects it." It is also part of a person's smartness
"that he recognizes how the Shaytaan whispers to him."
So he has to come back to faith. If you come back to faith and do as
itrequires, then you will achieve what you want. We will tell you of a
basic principle which will let you know when faith is present and when
it is not. Imam Ibn al-Jawzi said: "O you who are turned away, O you
who are deprived ofmeeting your loved ones, if you want to know how
you stand before the king, then look at how you are spending your time
and what work you are assigned to do. How many people stand at the
door of the king, butno one enters except theone whom he cares for.
Not every heart is fit to draw close, not every heart can be filled
with love, not every wind is like the morning breeze."
If a person want to know how he stands before Allaah and how he stands
in relation to His commands and prohibitions, let him look at himself
and see what he is preoccupied with. If he is busy with da'wah and
with saving people from the Fire, striving to attain Paradise, helping
the weak and needy, honouring his parents, then let him rejoice in the
fact that he is close to the King of kings, for Allaah does not help
anyone to do good except those whom He loves.
But if he is has no interest in da'wah, dislikes the daa'iyahs and
does not do good things, if he is preoccupied with this world and its
gains, and with gossip and asking too many questions, whilst not doing
much or following his whims and desires, let him know that he is far
from Allaah and has been deprived of that which will bring him closer
to Paradise, because Allaah says in His holy Book (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitoryenjoyment of this
world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then,
afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein
disgraced and rejected ( far away from Allaah's Mercy).
And whoever desires theHereafter and strives for it, with the
necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah's
obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic
Monotheism) — then such are the ones whose striving shall be
appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah)"
[al-Isra' 17:18-19]
My brother, if you want to have a high position in all kinds of good
deeds, to be a devoted slave of Allaah and to honour your parents, and
you are seeking Paradise, then you have to do the following:
1 – You have to revive the faith in your heart. Faith is what will
bring the Muslim everything he seeks in this world and in the
Hereafter. Faith is the key to all goodness and locks the door to all
evil. The means of reviving and strengthening faith in one's heart are
many and varied, including doing a lot of acts of worship and
righteous deeds.
2 – You must turn to your Lord sincerely, as it says in the report:
"If My slave turns to me inwardly and outwardly,I will turn the hearts
of My slaves to him with love and mercy."
Allaah has made worshipthe ultimate aim and loftiest purpose of man:
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they
should worship Me (Alone)"
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 – interpretation of the meaning)]
3 – You should always set your sights on the highest degrees, and make
your goal in life to earn the pleasure of Allaah, and strive to attain
the victory of Paradise, or to attain thehighest Firdaws. You should
strive as hard as you can to achieve theselofty aims.
4 – You should follow the example of historicalMuslim figures such as
the Sahaabah, Taabi'eenand righteous forebears (the salaf).
5 – You should make the most of every minute, every moment and
everyheartbeat to use it in such a way as to increase your faith.
6 – You should try to keep company with righteous people, because the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
"A man will follow the religion of his close friend, so let each one
of you look at whom he befriends." Narrated by Abu Dawood and
al-Tirmidhi with a hasan isnaad. Good friends are one of the best
means of helping you to obey Allaah and to avoid sin and error.
7 – Doing a lot of righteous deeds which will bring you happinessin
this world and in the Hereafter.
8 – Praying qiyaam al-layl, making du'aa' in the time just before
dawn. The feet of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to swell because of his desire to be a
thankful slave, even though Allaah had forgiven his previous and
future sins.
9 – Persisting in reading a portion of Qur'aan daily, and other dhikr
that helps you to think and ponder the meanings of the Qur'aan.
10 – Striving to spread the word and make da'wah for the sake of
Allaah, and working for Islam as much as possible.
If you want to reach the status of devoted slave for which you long,
thenbe as Allaah commandedHis Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him):
"Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, myliving,
and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the 'Aalameen (mankind,jinn
and all that exists)"
[al-An'aam 6:162]
Being a devoted slave of Allaah means declaring one's devotion and
belonging to the Lord, which can only be achieved by applying this
aayah, so that we are for Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, in all our
affairs.
Being a devoted slave of Allaah can only be fully achieved in this
manner;it can only be achieved by worshipping Allaah inthe fullest
sense of the word, which means making our living and dying, and all
our movements, for Him alone. So we only speak that which is pleasing
to Allaah; we only do that which is pleasing to Allaah; we focus our
intention in these wordsand deeds only on Allaah. Worship should not
be reduced to merely raising and lowering our heads at certain times,
or giving afew pennies every once in a while, or fasting a few days
each year, or moving our lips to say a few words and dhikrs.
Hence the deeds that lead to this status – of being a devoted slave –
are innumerable and may take many shapes inall aspects of our lives
and the places where welive. This is by the bounty of Allaah towards
us and towards all people.
Just look, in every place where you find yourself and every moment
that comes to you, for that which will please Him, and what you think
He wants to see you doing, and do it. Then you will be a devoted
slave.
Finally, we ask Allaah to accept righteous deeds from us and from you,
and to gather us and you in His mercy with the Prophets, siddeeqs,
martyrs and righteous, and those are the best ofcompanions. - -
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