Many texts in the Quran and the Sunnah indicate the virtue of praising
Allaah and that it is whatthe dwellers of Paradise will say upon
enteringParadise.
The Prophetused to praise Allaah during all times. Furthermore,
supplications - which included the praise of Allaah - before and after
many actions have been reported on his behalf. Heused to praise Allaah
after eating, drinking, wearing a new garmentand returning from a
journey. He also would praise Allaah during pilgrimage and upon
receiving good news or sad news. Thus weMuslims must praise Allaah
during all situations in order to attain the great reward of praising
Him.
The virtue of praising Allaah as mentioned in the Quran:
There are many acts of worship which people fail to perform despite
the great reward they yield and despite them being veryeasy to
perform. Allaah rewards for some simple acts abundantly, because He is
The Most Generous and The Beneficent, and regardless how much Allaah
gives, what He possesses will never decrease.
We must perform as many deeds as possible in order to be rescuedon the
Day of Judgment and reach our destination safely. One of the greatest
deeds to perform is mentioning Allaah, and it has many types, the best
of which is that done with the tongue and is connected to the heart.
This is when a person mentions Allaah and ponders upon what he is
saying, and praising Allaah is one such form of mention. Allaah is to
be praised in all situations as He is the only One worthy of praise.
Allaah praised Himself in many places in the Quran and He commanded us
to praise Him. The dwellers ofParadisewill praise Allaah as Allaah
informs ussaying )what means(:"…And the last of their call will be,
`Praise to Allaah, Lord of the worlds!`"]Quran 10: 10[
And also )what means(:"…Praise to Allaah, Who has fulfilled for us His
promise."]Quran 39: 74[
And also )what means(:"…Praise to Allaah, Who has removed fromus ]all[
sorrow."]Quran 35: 34[
Praising Allaah is a great act of worship that reflects the slave's
contentment and submission to the Decrees of Allaah.
Praising Allaah is a phrase which will fill the slave's scale on the
Day of Judgment. The Prophetsaid:"The best type of supplication is
)saying(: `Al-Hamdulillaah` )All Perfect praise be to Allaah(".
'Aa'ishahsaid: "The Messenger of Allaahrecited frequently in bowing
and prostration:"Subhaanaka Rabbanaa wa bihamdika, Allaahumaghfir
lee.)Far removedYou are from every imperfection, our Lord, and all
praise is for You,forgive me, O Allaah(".Heelucidated that it has been
commanded in the Noble Quran to recite )what means(:"So glorify the
Praises of your Lord, and ask for His forgiveness. Verily,He is the
One Who accepts the repentance and Who forgives."]Quran 110: 3[ And he
)i.e. the Messenger of Allaah( acted upon it." ]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
Allaah commanded us not to forget this mention, namely praising Him.
The greatest chapter in the entireQuran is Al-Faatihah, and it starts
with the praise of Allaah. The Messenger of Allaahsaid to Abu Sa`eed
Ibn Al-Mu`allaa:"Shall I teach you the greatest Chapter in the Quran
before you leave the mosque? … It is `Alhamdulillaahi Rabbil-`Aalameen
)i.e., Chapter Al-Faatihah(."]Al-Bukhaari[
The virtue of praising Allaah as mentioned in the Sunnah:
Many texts mentioned this issue to highlight its importance. The
Messenger of Allaahsaid:"Protect yourselves from Hellfire; say:
`Subhaanallaah, Al-Hamdulillaah, Laa Ilaaha Ilallaah, Allaahu Akbar
)Allaah is free from imperfection; praise be to Allaah; None is worthy
of being worshipped except Allaah; and Allaah is The Greatest(.` These
)words( will come on the Day of Judgment preceding the person )who
uttered them in life( and will be behind him, and to his
sides."Meaning they will surround him from all directions as a way of
honoring the person who used to utter them in the worldly life.
Ibn Mas`oodreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"I met
Ibraaheemon the Night of Ascension )Al-Israa'(, andhe said to me: `O
Muhammad, convey my greetings to your nation, and tell them that
Paradise has a vast plain of pure soil and sweet water. It is a plain
leveled land. The plants grow there by uttering: Subhaanallaah,
Al-Hamdulillaah, Laa Ilaaha Illallaah and Allaahu Akbar )Allaahis free
from imperfection; praise be to Allaah; there is no true god except
Allaah; and Allaah is The Greatest(."]At-Tirmithi[
The Messenger of Allaahonce said to the companions:"Allaah chose four
phrases for you to utter: `Subhaanallaah, Al-Hamdulillaah, Laa Ilaaha
Ilallaah, Allaahu Akbar )Allaah is free from imperfection; praise be
to Allaah; none is worthy of beingworshipped except Allaah; and Allaah
is The Greatest(` Whoever says 'Subhaanallaah )Allaah is freefrom
imperfection(' will receive twenty rewards and twenty sins will be
expiated from his record. Whoever says 'Allaahu Akbar)Allaah is The
Greatest(' will receive twenty rewards and twenty sins will be
expiated fromhis record. Whoever says 'Laa ilaaha illallaah )None is
worthy of being worshipped except Allaah('will receive twenty rewards
and twenty sins will be expiated fromhis record. Whoever says
'Al-Hamdulillaah )praise be to Allaah(' will receive thirty rewards
and thirty sins will be expiated from his record."]Ahmad[
We must utilize our time in the mention of Allaah as much as we can,
because it is the easiest thing to do while its outcome is great, it
is the plants ofParadise. It is a very easy profit and an effortless
gain ... but where are those who strive to get it?
Whenever a new bounty is bestowed upon the slave from Allaah, he
should utter the praise of Allaah. The Messenger of Allaahsaid:"Allaah
never bestows a bounty upon a slave and he praises Allaah, but the
utterance of praise was better for the slavethan the bounty itself."
Allaah Says )what means(:"And if you should count the favor ]i.e.
blessings[ of Allaah, you could not enumerate them."]Quran 14: 34[
Praising Allaah leads to His pleasures, as in the narration of Anaswho
reported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"Allaah will be pleased with
His slave who praises Him )i.e., says Al-Hamdulillaah( when he eats
and praises Him when he drinks."]Muslim[
A true believer praises Allaah in all situations even as his soul is
departing, as the Messenger of Allaahsaid to Umm Ayman. Why would a
believer praiseAllaah upon his death? This is because he is being
freed from the prison of this worldly life and heading towards the
hoped eternal joyful life inParadise. One's death is a decree of
Allaah, so a true believer praises Allaah for any Decree that befalls
him. Additionally, a true believer praises Allaah for having enabled
him to utilize this life in His pleasure.
There are many times during which the praise of Allaah is recommended,
and the followingare some examples:
Upon waking up, whilst rising from bowing, during prayer and upon sneezing:
One is amazed when he ponders on the cases were the praise is
recommended. The Prophettaught us that when a person wakes up, he is
encouraged to utter:"Al-Hamdulillaahi Al-Lathee 'Aafaanee Fee Jasadee
Waradda 'Aalayya Roohee )All praise is for Allaah who restored to me
my health and returned my soul(."The Prophetalso taught us that when
an Imaam rises from the position of bowing, he should say:"Sami`a
Allaahu limanhamidah )Allaah listened to the one who praised Him("and
that people should say:"Rabbanaa Walakal-hamdu )Our Lord, for Youis
all praise("When the Prophetheard a man saying upon rising from
bowing in prayer: "Rabbanaa Walakal-hamdu Hamdan Katheeran Tayyiban
Mubarakan Feeh )Our Lord, for You is all praise, an abundant beautiful
blessed praise(" hesaid:"The angels were amazed upon hearing this
phrase".Furthermore, when one sneezes, he should praise Allaah saying:
"Al-Hamdulillaah )All praise is for Allaah(."
In the opening of lectures and sermons and after concluding prayers:
Whenever the Prophetused address the people with any issue, hewould
open his speech with the praise of Allaah and His glorification.
Likewise, after concluding his prayers, hewould praise Allaah thirty
three times.
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Islam is a religion of Mercy, Peace and Blessing. Its teachings emphasize kind hear tedness, help, sympathy, forgiveness, sacrifice, love and care.Qur’an, the Shari’ah and the life of our beloved Prophet (SAW) mirrors this attribute, and it should be reflected in the conduct of a Momin.Islam appreciates those who are kind to their fellow being,and dislikes them who are hard hearted, curt, and hypocrite.Recall that historical moment, when Prophet (SAW) entered Makkah as a conqueror. There was before him a multitude of surrendered enemies, former oppressors and persecutors, who had evicted the Muslims from their homes, deprived them of their belongings, humiliated and intimidated Prophet (SAW) hatched schemes for his murder and tortured and killed his companions. But Prophet (SAW) displayed his usual magnanimity, generosity, and kind heartedness by forgiving all of them and declaring general amnesty...Subhanallah. May Allah help us tailor our life according to the teachings of Islam. (Aameen)./-
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Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Praising Allaah – I
Praising Allaah – II
When wearing a new garment:
Whenever the Prophetused wear a new garment, hewould say:"Allaahumma
lakal-hamdu Anta kasawtaneeh, as'aluka min khayrihi wa khayri maa
suni'a lah, wa a'oothu bika min sharrihi wa sharri maa suni'alah )O
Allaah, for You is all praise, You have clothed me with it )i.e. the
garment(, I ask You for the good of it and the good for which it was
made, and I seek refuge with You from the evil of it and the evil for
which it was made.("This is said because each garment could be worn
for something good or something evil. For example, one could wearit to
show off, and a woman could wear a garment to expose her beauty, both
of which cases are evil. On the other hand, one could wear it to adorn
himself before going to the mosque as a Muslim is commanded to do, in
such case one's garment is a source of goodness for him.
After eating or drinking:
The Prophetused different wordings and phrases to praise Allaah after
eating or drinking, asin the following narrations: Mu`aath ibn
Anasreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"He who has taken food
andsays at the end: `Alhamdu lillaahi al-lathi at`amani haathaa, wa
razaqaneehi min ghayri hawlin minni wa laa quwwah )All praise is due
to Allaah Who has given me food to eat and provided it without any
endeavor on my partor any power(, all his past sins will be
forgiven."]At-Tirmithi[. Abu Umaamahreported:"Whenever the
Prophetfinished a meal, hewould say:"Al-hamdulillaah hamdan katheeran
taiyyiban mubaarakan feehi, ghayra makffiyyin wa laa muwadda`in, wa
laa mustaghnan`anhu, rabbuna. )All praise is due to Allaah, praise
which is abundant, pure, and full of blessings, which is indispensable
and to which one cannot be indifferent(."]Al-Bukhaari[
Upon going to bed:
Whenever the Prophetwould go to bed, he used to remember the bounties
of Allaah upon him)which is something that most people are heedless of
nowadays( and then praise Allaah. Anasreported: "Whenever the
Prophetwent to his bed, he would say:"Al-hamdulillaah al-lathi
at`amanaa wa saqaanaa, wa kafaanaa wa aawaanaa, fakam mimman laa
kaafiya lahu wa laa mu'wiya )Praise is due to Allaah Who has fed us,
provided us drink, satisfied us and gave us protection. Many are those
who have no one to provide for them, or give them shelter(."]Muslim[.
Upon returning from Hajj or 'Umrah:
During his journeys henever forgot to praise Allaah. Ibn
`Umarreported: "During the return journey of the Prophetfrom Hajj or
`Umrah whenever heascended a height or hill, he would recite thrice:
"Allaahu Akbar )Allaah is The Greatest(" Then hewould say:"Laa ilaaha
illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku, wa lahul-hamdu, wa
Huwa `alaa kulli shay'in Qadeer. Aayiboona taa'iboona `aabidoona li
rabbinaahaamidoon. Sadaq-Allaahu wa`dahu, wa nasara `abdahu, wa
hazamal-ahzaaba wahdahu )Nonehas the right to be worshipped except
Allaah, Who has no partner, to Whom the sovereignty belongs, to Whom
allpraise is due, and Who is Able to do all things. We are those who
return )in safety(, feel penitence, worship Allaah, prostrate before
our Lord and praise Him. Allaah has fulfilled His Promise, helped His
slave )i.e., Muhammad( and He Alone vanquished the
Clans(."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[.
During the Talbiyah for Hajj:
It is the Sunnah that one utters Talbiyah whilst in the state of
Ihraam for Hajj, saying: "Labbaykallaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa
shareeka laka labbayk, innal-hamda wanni'mata laka wal-mulk, laa
shareeka lak. )Here I am O Allaah,)in response to Your call(, here I
am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise,
grace and sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.("
During the imploration for rain:
One of the great prayers to perform is when imploring for rain.
'Aai'shahreported: "Thepeople complained to the Messenger of Allaahof
the lack of rain, so hegave an order for a pulpit. It was then setup
for him in the place of prayer. Hefixed a day for the people on which
they should come out. When the rim of the sun appeared, the Messenger
of Allaahsat down on the pulpit, and having pronounced the greatness
of Allaah and expressed His praise, hesaid:"You have complained of
drought in your homes, and of the delay in receiving rain at the
beginning of its season. Allaah has ordered you to supplicate Him and
promised that He will answer your prayer."Then hesaid:"Praise be to
Allaah, the Lord of the Universe, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the
Master of the Day of Judgment. There is none worthy of worship but
Allaah Who does what He wishes. O Allaah! You are Allaah, there is no
deity but You, the Rich, while we are the poor. Senddown the rain upon
us and make what You send down a strength and satisfaction for a
time."He, then raised his hands, and kept raising them till the
whiteness under his armpits was visible. Hethen turned his back to the
people and inverted or turned round his cloak while keeping his hands
aloft. He then faced the people, descended and prayed two Rak'ahs.
Allaah then produced a cloud, and the storm of thunder and lightning
came on. Then the rain fell by Allaah's permission, and before
hereached his mosque, streams were flowing. When hesaw the speed with
which the people were seeking shelter, helaughed till his back teeth
were visible. Then hesaid:"I testify that Allaah is Omnipotent and
that I am Allaah's servant and apostle."]Abu Daawood[.
Encouraging the Praise of Allaah and thanking Him during all times:
Do not be heedless of the praise of Allaah and mention Him frequently,
and remember that one should praise Allaah and thank Him during all
situations. Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"A
man )from amongst the people before you( said: `Indeed! I will give in
charity.' So he took his charity out and placed it in a thief's hand.
In the morning the people were talking )about this incident( and
saying: `Charity wasgiven to a thief last night.' The man said: `O
Allaah! Praise be to You. I have given charity to a thief. Indeed, I
will give in charity!` So he took his charity out and he placed it in
a prostitute's hand. In the morningthe people were talking )about this
incident( and saying: `Charity was given to a prostitute last night.'
On hearing this, the man said: `Praise be to You, O Allaah! I gave
charity to a prostitute. Indeed, I will give in charity!` So he took
his charity out and placed it in a rich man's hand. In the morning the
people were talking )about this incident( and saying: `Charity was
given to a rich man last night.' The man said: `O Allaah! Praise be to
You)for helping me( give charity to a thief, a prostitute and a rich
man.` Then he had a dream in which he was told that his charity to the
thief might result in his refraining from his theft, his charity to
the prostitute might help her abstain from her immorality, and his
charity to therich man might help him pay heed and spend from what
Allaahhad bestowed upon him."]Al-Bukhaari[
When this man from the children ofIsraelaccepted the decree of Allaah
and was content with it and praised Allaah in all situations and
thanked Him, Allaah rewarded him abundantly for these three charities
he spent out. This is because we should deal with people according to
what appears from their conditions and leave their intentions to
Allaah for judgment.
Furthermore, Allaah rewards the one who is content with great rewards.
Abu Moosaa Al-Ash`arireported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"When a
man's child dies, Allaah, the Exalted, asks His angels: `Have you
taken out the life of the child of My slave?` and they reply in the
affirmative. He )Exalted be He( then asks: `Have you taken the fruit
of his heart?` and they reply in the affirmative. Thereupon He asks:
`What did my slave say?` They say: `He praised You and said: Innaa
Lillaahi Wa Innaa Ilayhi Raaji'oon )We belong to Allaah and to Him we
shall return(.` Allaah says: `Build a house for my slave inParadiseand
name it Baytul-Hamd )the House of Praise(.`"]At-Tirmithi[.
Whenever the Prophetused wear a new garment, hewould say:"Allaahumma
lakal-hamdu Anta kasawtaneeh, as'aluka min khayrihi wa khayri maa
suni'a lah, wa a'oothu bika min sharrihi wa sharri maa suni'alah )O
Allaah, for You is all praise, You have clothed me with it )i.e. the
garment(, I ask You for the good of it and the good for which it was
made, and I seek refuge with You from the evil of it and the evil for
which it was made.("This is said because each garment could be worn
for something good or something evil. For example, one could wearit to
show off, and a woman could wear a garment to expose her beauty, both
of which cases are evil. On the other hand, one could wear it to adorn
himself before going to the mosque as a Muslim is commanded to do, in
such case one's garment is a source of goodness for him.
After eating or drinking:
The Prophetused different wordings and phrases to praise Allaah after
eating or drinking, asin the following narrations: Mu`aath ibn
Anasreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"He who has taken food
andsays at the end: `Alhamdu lillaahi al-lathi at`amani haathaa, wa
razaqaneehi min ghayri hawlin minni wa laa quwwah )All praise is due
to Allaah Who has given me food to eat and provided it without any
endeavor on my partor any power(, all his past sins will be
forgiven."]At-Tirmithi[. Abu Umaamahreported:"Whenever the
Prophetfinished a meal, hewould say:"Al-hamdulillaah hamdan katheeran
taiyyiban mubaarakan feehi, ghayra makffiyyin wa laa muwadda`in, wa
laa mustaghnan`anhu, rabbuna. )All praise is due to Allaah, praise
which is abundant, pure, and full of blessings, which is indispensable
and to which one cannot be indifferent(."]Al-Bukhaari[
Upon going to bed:
Whenever the Prophetwould go to bed, he used to remember the bounties
of Allaah upon him)which is something that most people are heedless of
nowadays( and then praise Allaah. Anasreported: "Whenever the
Prophetwent to his bed, he would say:"Al-hamdulillaah al-lathi
at`amanaa wa saqaanaa, wa kafaanaa wa aawaanaa, fakam mimman laa
kaafiya lahu wa laa mu'wiya )Praise is due to Allaah Who has fed us,
provided us drink, satisfied us and gave us protection. Many are those
who have no one to provide for them, or give them shelter(."]Muslim[.
Upon returning from Hajj or 'Umrah:
During his journeys henever forgot to praise Allaah. Ibn
`Umarreported: "During the return journey of the Prophetfrom Hajj or
`Umrah whenever heascended a height or hill, he would recite thrice:
"Allaahu Akbar )Allaah is The Greatest(" Then hewould say:"Laa ilaaha
illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku, wa lahul-hamdu, wa
Huwa `alaa kulli shay'in Qadeer. Aayiboona taa'iboona `aabidoona li
rabbinaahaamidoon. Sadaq-Allaahu wa`dahu, wa nasara `abdahu, wa
hazamal-ahzaaba wahdahu )Nonehas the right to be worshipped except
Allaah, Who has no partner, to Whom the sovereignty belongs, to Whom
allpraise is due, and Who is Able to do all things. We are those who
return )in safety(, feel penitence, worship Allaah, prostrate before
our Lord and praise Him. Allaah has fulfilled His Promise, helped His
slave )i.e., Muhammad( and He Alone vanquished the
Clans(."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[.
During the Talbiyah for Hajj:
It is the Sunnah that one utters Talbiyah whilst in the state of
Ihraam for Hajj, saying: "Labbaykallaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa
shareeka laka labbayk, innal-hamda wanni'mata laka wal-mulk, laa
shareeka lak. )Here I am O Allaah,)in response to Your call(, here I
am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise,
grace and sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.("
During the imploration for rain:
One of the great prayers to perform is when imploring for rain.
'Aai'shahreported: "Thepeople complained to the Messenger of Allaahof
the lack of rain, so hegave an order for a pulpit. It was then setup
for him in the place of prayer. Hefixed a day for the people on which
they should come out. When the rim of the sun appeared, the Messenger
of Allaahsat down on the pulpit, and having pronounced the greatness
of Allaah and expressed His praise, hesaid:"You have complained of
drought in your homes, and of the delay in receiving rain at the
beginning of its season. Allaah has ordered you to supplicate Him and
promised that He will answer your prayer."Then hesaid:"Praise be to
Allaah, the Lord of the Universe, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the
Master of the Day of Judgment. There is none worthy of worship but
Allaah Who does what He wishes. O Allaah! You are Allaah, there is no
deity but You, the Rich, while we are the poor. Senddown the rain upon
us and make what You send down a strength and satisfaction for a
time."He, then raised his hands, and kept raising them till the
whiteness under his armpits was visible. Hethen turned his back to the
people and inverted or turned round his cloak while keeping his hands
aloft. He then faced the people, descended and prayed two Rak'ahs.
Allaah then produced a cloud, and the storm of thunder and lightning
came on. Then the rain fell by Allaah's permission, and before
hereached his mosque, streams were flowing. When hesaw the speed with
which the people were seeking shelter, helaughed till his back teeth
were visible. Then hesaid:"I testify that Allaah is Omnipotent and
that I am Allaah's servant and apostle."]Abu Daawood[.
Encouraging the Praise of Allaah and thanking Him during all times:
Do not be heedless of the praise of Allaah and mention Him frequently,
and remember that one should praise Allaah and thank Him during all
situations. Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"A
man )from amongst the people before you( said: `Indeed! I will give in
charity.' So he took his charity out and placed it in a thief's hand.
In the morning the people were talking )about this incident( and
saying: `Charity wasgiven to a thief last night.' The man said: `O
Allaah! Praise be to You. I have given charity to a thief. Indeed, I
will give in charity!` So he took his charity out and he placed it in
a prostitute's hand. In the morningthe people were talking )about this
incident( and saying: `Charity was given to a prostitute last night.'
On hearing this, the man said: `Praise be to You, O Allaah! I gave
charity to a prostitute. Indeed, I will give in charity!` So he took
his charity out and placed it in a rich man's hand. In the morning the
people were talking )about this incident( and saying: `Charity was
given to a rich man last night.' The man said: `O Allaah! Praise be to
You)for helping me( give charity to a thief, a prostitute and a rich
man.` Then he had a dream in which he was told that his charity to the
thief might result in his refraining from his theft, his charity to
the prostitute might help her abstain from her immorality, and his
charity to therich man might help him pay heed and spend from what
Allaahhad bestowed upon him."]Al-Bukhaari[
When this man from the children ofIsraelaccepted the decree of Allaah
and was content with it and praised Allaah in all situations and
thanked Him, Allaah rewarded him abundantly for these three charities
he spent out. This is because we should deal with people according to
what appears from their conditions and leave their intentions to
Allaah for judgment.
Furthermore, Allaah rewards the one who is content with great rewards.
Abu Moosaa Al-Ash`arireported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"When a
man's child dies, Allaah, the Exalted, asks His angels: `Have you
taken out the life of the child of My slave?` and they reply in the
affirmative. He )Exalted be He( then asks: `Have you taken the fruit
of his heart?` and they reply in the affirmative. Thereupon He asks:
`What did my slave say?` They say: `He praised You and said: Innaa
Lillaahi Wa Innaa Ilayhi Raaji'oon )We belong to Allaah and to Him we
shall return(.` Allaah says: `Build a house for my slave inParadiseand
name it Baytul-Hamd )the House of Praise(.`"]At-Tirmithi[.
Dought & clear, - What is meant by amaanah in the verse “Truly, We did offer al-amaanah (the trust) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains”?
What is the amaanah (trust) that Allah, may Hebe glorified and
exalted,"offered to the heavens and the earth but they declined to
bear it and were afraid of it, but man bore it; verily he was unjust
(to himself) and ignorant (of its results)"?
Praise be to Allah.
Allah, may He be exalted,offered obedience to Him and His obligations
and limits to the heavensand the earth and the mountains in such a
waythat if they did well they would be rewarded, but if they neglected
their duties they would be punished. They refused to bear it out of
fear thatthey might not do what was enjoined upon them, but man took
it on, and verily he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its
results).
This is the explanation ofthe verse in which Allah, may He be
glorified and exalted, says:"Truly, We did offer al-amaanah (the trust
or moral responsibility or honestyand all the duties which Allah has
ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they
declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah's
torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and
ignorant (of its results) [al-Ahzaab 33:72]".
The interpretation of theamaanah (trust) as referring to shar'i duties
is the view of Ibn 'Abbaas, al-Hasan al-Basri, Mujaahid, Sa'eed ibn
Jubayr, ad-Dahhaak ibn Muzaahim, Ibn Zayd and most of the
commentators.
See:Tafseer at-Tabari, 20/336-340;Tafseer Ibn Katheer,
6/488-489;al-Jaami' li Ahkaam al-Qur'an, 14/252-253;Fath al-Qadeer,
4/437.
Qataadah said: The amaanah (trust) is the religion, obligatory duties
and limits set by Allah.
It was also said that what is meant by the amaanah here is whatever
people entrustone with.
Some of them said that itrefers to ghusl in the case of janaabah.
Zayd ibn Aslam said: The amaanah is three things:prayer, fasting and
ghuslin the case of janaabah.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
There is no contradictionbetween these opinions;rather they are all in
harmony and refer to responsibility and accepting the commandsand
prohibitions on the basis of their condition, which is that if they do
well they will be rewarded and if they neglect them they will be
punished. Man accepted this amaanah despite his weakness, ignorance
and injustice (to himself), except those who Allah guides. End quote.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 6/489
At-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The most correct of these opinions is that of those who said that what
is meant by the amaanah (trust) here is everything with which one is
entrusted with regard to religious commitment and things entrusted to
one by people. That is because Allah did not specify any particular
type of trust when He said, "Truly, Wedid offer al-amaanah (the
trust)". End quote.
Tafseer at-Tabari, 20/342
Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The word amaanah is general in meaning and encompasses all the duties
of Islam, according to the correct opinion. This is the view of the
majority. End quote.
Al-Jaami' li Ahkaam al-Qur'an, 14/252
As-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Everything that Allah hasenjoined upon His slave is an amaanah
(trust), and the slave must carry them out in the fullest sense. That
also includes things that are entrustedto one by people, such as
wealth, secrets and the like. The individual must pay attention to
both matters and fulfil both trusts."Verily! Allah commands that you
should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due"
[an-Nisa'4:58]. End quote.
Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 547
Ash-Shanqeeti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
In this verse Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, tells us that He
offered the amaanah, which is the taking on ofduties and the
consequences of reward or punishment, to the heavens and the earth and
the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid of it. In
other words, they were scared of the consequences of taking on this
trust, lest that lead to the punishment and wrath of Allah. This
offer, refusal and fear happened in a true sense. Allah created the
heavens and the earth and the mountains with a sense of understanding,
the nature of which only Allah knows and we do not know. Thus they
understood when this trust was offered to them, and they refused and
were afraid. End quote.
Adwa' al-Bayaan, 36/139
To sum up:
The amaanah (trust) mentioned in this verse, that Allah offered to the
heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it
and were afraid of it, but man took it on, is the Islamic duties,
whether that has to do with duties towards Allah, may He be exalted,or
duties towards His slaves. The one who fulfils his duty towards Allah
and towards His slaves will be rewarded, but the one who neglects his
duty towards Allah and towards His slaves deserves punishment.
And Allah knows best.
exalted,"offered to the heavens and the earth but they declined to
bear it and were afraid of it, but man bore it; verily he was unjust
(to himself) and ignorant (of its results)"?
Praise be to Allah.
Allah, may He be exalted,offered obedience to Him and His obligations
and limits to the heavensand the earth and the mountains in such a
waythat if they did well they would be rewarded, but if they neglected
their duties they would be punished. They refused to bear it out of
fear thatthey might not do what was enjoined upon them, but man took
it on, and verily he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its
results).
This is the explanation ofthe verse in which Allah, may He be
glorified and exalted, says:"Truly, We did offer al-amaanah (the trust
or moral responsibility or honestyand all the duties which Allah has
ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they
declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah's
torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and
ignorant (of its results) [al-Ahzaab 33:72]".
The interpretation of theamaanah (trust) as referring to shar'i duties
is the view of Ibn 'Abbaas, al-Hasan al-Basri, Mujaahid, Sa'eed ibn
Jubayr, ad-Dahhaak ibn Muzaahim, Ibn Zayd and most of the
commentators.
See:Tafseer at-Tabari, 20/336-340;Tafseer Ibn Katheer,
6/488-489;al-Jaami' li Ahkaam al-Qur'an, 14/252-253;Fath al-Qadeer,
4/437.
Qataadah said: The amaanah (trust) is the religion, obligatory duties
and limits set by Allah.
It was also said that what is meant by the amaanah here is whatever
people entrustone with.
Some of them said that itrefers to ghusl in the case of janaabah.
Zayd ibn Aslam said: The amaanah is three things:prayer, fasting and
ghuslin the case of janaabah.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
There is no contradictionbetween these opinions;rather they are all in
harmony and refer to responsibility and accepting the commandsand
prohibitions on the basis of their condition, which is that if they do
well they will be rewarded and if they neglect them they will be
punished. Man accepted this amaanah despite his weakness, ignorance
and injustice (to himself), except those who Allah guides. End quote.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 6/489
At-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The most correct of these opinions is that of those who said that what
is meant by the amaanah (trust) here is everything with which one is
entrusted with regard to religious commitment and things entrusted to
one by people. That is because Allah did not specify any particular
type of trust when He said, "Truly, Wedid offer al-amaanah (the
trust)". End quote.
Tafseer at-Tabari, 20/342
Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The word amaanah is general in meaning and encompasses all the duties
of Islam, according to the correct opinion. This is the view of the
majority. End quote.
Al-Jaami' li Ahkaam al-Qur'an, 14/252
As-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Everything that Allah hasenjoined upon His slave is an amaanah
(trust), and the slave must carry them out in the fullest sense. That
also includes things that are entrustedto one by people, such as
wealth, secrets and the like. The individual must pay attention to
both matters and fulfil both trusts."Verily! Allah commands that you
should render back the trusts to those, to whom they are due"
[an-Nisa'4:58]. End quote.
Tafseer as-Sa'di, p. 547
Ash-Shanqeeti (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
In this verse Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, tells us that He
offered the amaanah, which is the taking on ofduties and the
consequences of reward or punishment, to the heavens and the earth and
the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid of it. In
other words, they were scared of the consequences of taking on this
trust, lest that lead to the punishment and wrath of Allah. This
offer, refusal and fear happened in a true sense. Allah created the
heavens and the earth and the mountains with a sense of understanding,
the nature of which only Allah knows and we do not know. Thus they
understood when this trust was offered to them, and they refused and
were afraid. End quote.
Adwa' al-Bayaan, 36/139
To sum up:
The amaanah (trust) mentioned in this verse, that Allah offered to the
heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it
and were afraid of it, but man took it on, is the Islamic duties,
whether that has to do with duties towards Allah, may He be exalted,or
duties towards His slaves. The one who fulfils his duty towards Allah
and towards His slaves will be rewarded, but the one who neglects his
duty towards Allah and towards His slaves deserves punishment.
And Allah knows best.
Dought & clear, - Advice after Ramadaan
What advice can you give after Ramadaan?
Praise be to Allaah
I wonder whether the fasting person continued after Ramadaan to be as
he was during Ramadaan, or is he "like her who undoes the thread which
she has spun, after it has become strong" [cf. al-Nahl 16:92]? I
wonder whether the one who during Ramadaan was fasting, reciting and
reading Qur'aan, giving and spending in charity, praying at night,
makingdu'aa', will he be like that after Ramadaan, or will he follow
another path, I mean the path of the Shaytaan, so that he commits sin
and does things that anger the Most Gracious, Most Merciful?
If a Muslim continues to have the patience to do righteous deeds after
Ramadaan, this is a sign that his (fasting) has been accepted by his
Lord, the Most Generous,the Bestower of blessings. If he fails to
dorighteous deeds after Ramadaan, and follows the ways of the
Shaytaan, this is a sign of humiliation, meanness, lowly status and
being deprived of the help of Allaah, as al-Hasan al-Basri said: "They
were no longer of any significance to Allaah, so they committed sin.
If they had mattered to Him, He would have protected them." When a
person becomes insignificant to Allaah, Allaah will no longer honour
him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whomsoever Allaahdisgraces, none can honour him" [al-Hajj 22:18]
What is amazing is that during Ramadaan, you see some people who fast
and pray at night, who spend in charity and worship the Lord of the
Worlds, then no sooner has the month come to an end, but their nature
changes completely, and they begin to have a bad attitude towards
their Lord. So you see them neglecting prayer and avoiding righteous
deeds, committing sins and disobeying Allaah inmany different ways,
keeping away from obedience towards Allaah, the Sovereign, the Holy,
the One Free from all defects.
How terrible it is, by Allaah, when people only acknowledge Allaahin Ramadaan.
The Muslim should makeRamadaan an opportunity to turn overa new leaf
by repenting, turning to Allaah, persisting in worshipping Allaah,
always being aware thatAllaah is watching at every minute of every
hour. So after Ramadaanthe Muslim should continue to obey Allaah and
should avoid sin andevil actions, as a continuation of the way he was
during Ramadaan and the things that he did then to draw closer to the
Lord of creation.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as- Salaah), at the two ends of the
day and in some hours of thenight [i.e. the five compulsory Salaah
(prayers)]. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small
sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who
accept advice)"[Hood 11:114]
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Follow a
bad deed with a good deed, for it will wipe it out; and have a good
attitude and good manners towards people."
Undoubtedly the purpose for which Allaahcreated everyone was toworship
Him Alone, with no partner or associate. This is the ultimate purpose
and the highest aim, which is to attain 'uboodiyyah (being a slave of
Allaah in the truest and fullest sense). This was achieved in the most
beautiful manner during Ramadaan, whenwe saw people going to the
houses of Allaah in groups and individually, and we saw them striving
to perform the obligatory prayers on time and to give in charity,
competing with one another in doing good deeds. And for this let (all)
those strive who want to strive (cf. al-Mutaffifeen 83:26), forthey
will be rewarded insha Allaah. But there remains the case of those
whom Allaah keeps firm with the word that stands firm in this world
and in the Hereafter (cf. Ibraaheem 14:27). Whomever Allaahhelps to be
steadfast in doing righteous deeds after Ramadaan, Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt
it (i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until
they are followed by good deeds), but those who plot evils, theirs
willbe severe torment. And the plotting of such will perish"[Faatir
35:10]
Undoubtedly righteous deeds are among the acts which bring a person
closer to Allaah atall times, and the Lord ofRamadaan is also the Lord
of Jumaada and Sha'baan and Dhu'l-Hijjah and Muharram and Safar and
all the other months. That is because the worship that Allaah has
enjoined upon us includes five pillars, one of which is fasting, which
is for a setperiod which has come to an end. But there remain other
pillars, Hajj, prayer and zakaah, for which we are answerable to
Allaah. We must perform these duties in the manner which is pleasing
to Allaah, and we must strive thereby to fulfil the purpose for which
we were created. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they
should worship Me (Alone)"[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56]
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught his
Companions to compete in doing good, and he said, "One dirham may
weigh more with Allaah than a dinar, and the best of charity is that a
man gives when he is rich." He(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) explained that if the person gives charity when he is disinclined
to do so and is in good health, but fears poverty, that charity will
weigh heavily with Allaah in the balance of good deeds; whereas the
one who delays it, then when he gets sick he starts to spend in
charityhere and there, fearing that his good deeds will be rejected,
there is the danger that his (charity) will not be accepted - we seek
refuge with Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in
ignoranceand foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they whom
Allaah will forgive and Allaah is Ever All Knower, All-Wise.
And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil
deeds until death faces one of them and he says:"Now I repent;" nor of
those who die while they are disbelievers. Forthem We have prepared a
painful torment"[al-Nisaa' 4:17-18]
The pious and sincere believer should fear Allaah and strive to
obeyAllaah at all times, persisting in his taqwa and always striving
to do good, call others to Allaah, enjoin what is good and forbid what
is evil. For the believer, his days and nights in this world are
storehouses, so let him see what he can deposit in them. If he
deposits good things in them, it will testify in his favour before his
Lord on the Day of Resurrection; if it is the opposite, then it will
be a disaster for him. We ask Allaah to save us andyou from that loss.
The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) said:
Among the signs of acceptance (of good deeds) is that Allaah causes
one hasanah (good deed) to be followed by another, for the hasanah
says, "My sister, my sister!" And thesayi'ah (evil deed) also says,
"My sister, my sister!" -we seek refuge with Allaah. If Allaah has
accepted a person's Ramadaan, and he has benefited from this period of
(spiritual) training and has remained steadfast in obeying Allaah,
then he has joined the caravan of those who have remained steadfast
and responded to Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, those who say: 'Our Lord is Allaah (Alone),' and then they
stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their
death) (saying): 'Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings
of Paradise which you have been promised!
We have been your friends in the life of this world and are (so) in
theHereafter. Therein you shall have (all) that your inner selves
desire, and therein you shall have (all) for which you ask"[Fussilat
41:30-31]
"And whosoever takes Allaah, His Messenger, and those who have
believed, as Protectors, then the party of Allaah will be the
victorious" [al-Maa'idah 5:56]
"Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is (only) Allaah," and thereafter
stand firm (on the Islamic Faith of Monotheism), on them shall be no
fear, nor shallthey grieve" [al-Ahqaaf 46:13]
This standing firm should continue from one Ramadaan to the next,
because the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"From one prayer to the next, from one Ramadaan to the next, from one
Hajj to the next, this expiates for whatever (sins) werecommitted from
one to the next, so long as you avoid major sins." And Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall
expiate from you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance
(i.e. Paradise)" [al-Nisaa' 4:31]
The believer should join the caravan of those who stand firm and
should board the ship of salvation from the time when he reaches the
earliest age of discretionuntil he draws his last breath. He should
remain in the shade of "Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah", enjoying the blessings
ofAllaah. This religion is the truth and the way in which we
steadfastly adhere to it in Ramadaan is that with which Allaah honours
us by the bounty of His giving, His gracious blessing and His great
favour, so that we mightcontinue to pray qiyaam and to worship Him
afterthe month of Ramadaan.Do not forget, my brother, that Allaah has
blessed you with i'tikaaf,and Allaah has blessed you with giving
charity, and Allaah has blessed you with fasting, and Allaah has
blessed you with du'aa' which has been accepted. Do not forget, my
brother, to take care of these good deeds and this support from
Allaah, and do not let them be wiped out by bad deeds. So strive to
cultivate goodness and happiness on your way, and to keep company with
those who remain steadfast (inIslam), and to seek Allaah and His
Messengerand the Home of the Hereafter, where it will be said to you,
Receive glad tidings of Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth,
prepared for the pious, for you responded to the call of Allaah; O
seeker of good,continue, for Allaah has some people who will befreed
from Hell, and O seeker of evil, desist. Andyou responded to the words
of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), "Whoever
prays at night during Ramadaan out of faith and hoping for reward, his
previous sinswill be forgiven. And whoever prays at night during
Laylat al-Qadr outof faith and hoping for reward, his previous
sinswill be forgiven."
I ask Allaah Who has blessed us and you with fasting, i'tikaaf, 'umrah
and charity to bless us with guidance, piety, and acceptance of our
good deeds; may He helpus to persist in doing good deeds and to remain
steadfast, for persistence in doing good deeds is one of thegreatest
means of drawing closer to Allaah.Hence when a man cameto the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, "Advise
me," he said, "Say, 'I believe in Allaah,'and remain steadfast."
(Agreed upon).
According to a report narrated by Ahmad, he said, "Say, I believe in
Allaah,' then remain steadfast." [The man] said, "O Messenger of
Allaah, all the people say that." He said, "Some people who came
beforeyou said that, but they did not remain steadfast." So the
believers must continue to be steadfast in obeying Allaah:
"Allaah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands
firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allaah Alone
and none else), and in the Hereafter. And Allaah will cause to go
astray those who are Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers), and
Allaah does what He wills"[Ibraaheem 14:27 -interpretation of the
meaning]
The one who is steadfastin obeying Allaah is the one whose du'aa' will
beanswered, the du'aa' which he repeats more than twenty-five times
each day, "Guide us to the Straight Way" [al-Faatihah 1:6 -
interpretation of the meaning], which we say in al-Faatihah. Why is it
that we say and believe strongly that if we remain steadfast Allaah
will forgive us, but we are too lazy to apply thatin practical terms?
We should fear Allaah and apply this in deed and thought and word. We
should strive in the way of "ihdinaa al-siraat al-mustaqeem (Guide us
to the Straight Way)", and we should travel theroute of "iyaaka
na'budu wa iyyaaka nasta'een (You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone)
we ask for help (for each and everything))" [al-Faatihah 1:5 -
interpretation of the meaning], in the shade of "ihdinaa al-siraat
al-mustaqeem (Guide us to the Straight Way)", following the route that
will lead us to Paradise the width of the heavensand the earth, whose
key is Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. I ask Allaah to grant us and you a good
end.
After the end of Ramadaan, the people are divided into various types,
two of the most prominent of which I will describe here. The first
type are those whom you see in Ramadaan striving hard in worship. You
never see them but they are prostrating or standing in prayer, or
reading Qur'aan, or weeping, so much that they remind you of some of
the worshippers among the salaf, and you even feel compassion for them
because of the intensity of their efforts and striving. Yet hardly has
the month ended, before they go back to negligence and committing sin,
as if theywere prisoners of that worship, so they turn their attention
to their desires and become negligent and commit sins which they think
will take away their distress and grief. But these poor people
forgetthat sin is the cause of doom, because sins are like war wounds,
one of which may turn out to be fatal. How often has sin prevented a
person from saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah when in the throes of death.
After spending this entire month with faith, (reading) Qur'aan and
other acts of worship, these people then backslide, Laa hawla wa laa
quwwata illa Billaah (there is no power and no strength except with
Allaah). These are the occasional worshippers who only acknowledge
Allaah on certain occasions or at times of calamity and distress, then
after that there is no more obedience or worship. What a bad habit
that is.
"The worshipper prayed for something that he wanted, and when the
matter was done, he neither prayed nor fasted." [Arabic poetry]
I wonder what is the point of worshipping fora whole month, if that is
going to be followed by a return to dishonourable ways?
The second type are those who feel distressed at the departure of
Ramadaan, because they have tasted the sweetness of being safe from
sin, and the bitterness of patience became insignificant to them,
because they came to realize the true nature of their weakness and
need for their Master (Allaah) and their need to obey Him. They fasted
in a true sense and stoodin prayer at night out of love, so when they
bade farewell to Ramadaan, their tears flowed and their hearts were
broken. Those among them who were burdened with sin hoped to be freed
from sin and ransomed from Hell, and to join the caravan of those who
are accepted. Ask yourself, my brother, which of the two groupsdo you
belong to?
By Allaah, are they the same? Praise be to Allaah, but most of them do
not know. The mufassireen said, commenting on the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): 'Each one does according to Shakilatihi
(i.e. his way or his religion or his intentions)..."
[al-Israa' 17:84] - every person acts according to his way or the
character that he is used to. This is condemnation for the kaafir and
praise for the believer.
You should know that the dearest of deeds to Allaah are those that are
continuous, even if they are little. The Messenger(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "O people, you must do whatever you can
of good deeds, for Allaah does not get tired until you get tired. The
most beloved of deeds to Allaah are those which are continuous, even
if they are little. The family of Muhammad(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), when they did something, they would persist in
doing it." Narrated by Muslim.
When the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wasasked
about which deeds are most beloved to Allaah, he said, "Thosewhich are
continuous, even if they are little."
'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) was asked about what the
Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did and
whether he used to do certain things on particular days. She said,"No,
his good deeds were continuous. Who among you could do what the
Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
do?" The acts of worship prescribed in Islam are based on certain
conditions which must be fulfilled, like remembrance of Allaah, Hajj
and 'Umrah and their naafil actions, enjoining what is good and
forbidding what is evil, seeking knowledge,jihaad, and other good
deeds. So strive to worship continuously according to your capability.
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad andhis family and companions,
and grant them peace.
Praise be to Allaah
I wonder whether the fasting person continued after Ramadaan to be as
he was during Ramadaan, or is he "like her who undoes the thread which
she has spun, after it has become strong" [cf. al-Nahl 16:92]? I
wonder whether the one who during Ramadaan was fasting, reciting and
reading Qur'aan, giving and spending in charity, praying at night,
makingdu'aa', will he be like that after Ramadaan, or will he follow
another path, I mean the path of the Shaytaan, so that he commits sin
and does things that anger the Most Gracious, Most Merciful?
If a Muslim continues to have the patience to do righteous deeds after
Ramadaan, this is a sign that his (fasting) has been accepted by his
Lord, the Most Generous,the Bestower of blessings. If he fails to
dorighteous deeds after Ramadaan, and follows the ways of the
Shaytaan, this is a sign of humiliation, meanness, lowly status and
being deprived of the help of Allaah, as al-Hasan al-Basri said: "They
were no longer of any significance to Allaah, so they committed sin.
If they had mattered to Him, He would have protected them." When a
person becomes insignificant to Allaah, Allaah will no longer honour
him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And whomsoever Allaahdisgraces, none can honour him" [al-Hajj 22:18]
What is amazing is that during Ramadaan, you see some people who fast
and pray at night, who spend in charity and worship the Lord of the
Worlds, then no sooner has the month come to an end, but their nature
changes completely, and they begin to have a bad attitude towards
their Lord. So you see them neglecting prayer and avoiding righteous
deeds, committing sins and disobeying Allaah inmany different ways,
keeping away from obedience towards Allaah, the Sovereign, the Holy,
the One Free from all defects.
How terrible it is, by Allaah, when people only acknowledge Allaahin Ramadaan.
The Muslim should makeRamadaan an opportunity to turn overa new leaf
by repenting, turning to Allaah, persisting in worshipping Allaah,
always being aware thatAllaah is watching at every minute of every
hour. So after Ramadaanthe Muslim should continue to obey Allaah and
should avoid sin andevil actions, as a continuation of the way he was
during Ramadaan and the things that he did then to draw closer to the
Lord of creation.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as- Salaah), at the two ends of the
day and in some hours of thenight [i.e. the five compulsory Salaah
(prayers)]. Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small
sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who
accept advice)"[Hood 11:114]
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Follow a
bad deed with a good deed, for it will wipe it out; and have a good
attitude and good manners towards people."
Undoubtedly the purpose for which Allaahcreated everyone was toworship
Him Alone, with no partner or associate. This is the ultimate purpose
and the highest aim, which is to attain 'uboodiyyah (being a slave of
Allaah in the truest and fullest sense). This was achieved in the most
beautiful manner during Ramadaan, whenwe saw people going to the
houses of Allaah in groups and individually, and we saw them striving
to perform the obligatory prayers on time and to give in charity,
competing with one another in doing good deeds. And for this let (all)
those strive who want to strive (cf. al-Mutaffifeen 83:26), forthey
will be rewarded insha Allaah. But there remains the case of those
whom Allaah keeps firm with the word that stands firm in this world
and in the Hereafter (cf. Ibraaheem 14:27). Whomever Allaahhelps to be
steadfast in doing righteous deeds after Ramadaan, Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt
it (i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until
they are followed by good deeds), but those who plot evils, theirs
willbe severe torment. And the plotting of such will perish"[Faatir
35:10]
Undoubtedly righteous deeds are among the acts which bring a person
closer to Allaah atall times, and the Lord ofRamadaan is also the Lord
of Jumaada and Sha'baan and Dhu'l-Hijjah and Muharram and Safar and
all the other months. That is because the worship that Allaah has
enjoined upon us includes five pillars, one of which is fasting, which
is for a setperiod which has come to an end. But there remain other
pillars, Hajj, prayer and zakaah, for which we are answerable to
Allaah. We must perform these duties in the manner which is pleasing
to Allaah, and we must strive thereby to fulfil the purpose for which
we were created. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they
should worship Me (Alone)"[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56]
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught his
Companions to compete in doing good, and he said, "One dirham may
weigh more with Allaah than a dinar, and the best of charity is that a
man gives when he is rich." He(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) explained that if the person gives charity when he is disinclined
to do so and is in good health, but fears poverty, that charity will
weigh heavily with Allaah in the balance of good deeds; whereas the
one who delays it, then when he gets sick he starts to spend in
charityhere and there, fearing that his good deeds will be rejected,
there is the danger that his (charity) will not be accepted - we seek
refuge with Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in
ignoranceand foolishness and repent soon afterwards; it is they whom
Allaah will forgive and Allaah is Ever All Knower, All-Wise.
And of no effect is the repentance of those who continue to do evil
deeds until death faces one of them and he says:"Now I repent;" nor of
those who die while they are disbelievers. Forthem We have prepared a
painful torment"[al-Nisaa' 4:17-18]
The pious and sincere believer should fear Allaah and strive to
obeyAllaah at all times, persisting in his taqwa and always striving
to do good, call others to Allaah, enjoin what is good and forbid what
is evil. For the believer, his days and nights in this world are
storehouses, so let him see what he can deposit in them. If he
deposits good things in them, it will testify in his favour before his
Lord on the Day of Resurrection; if it is the opposite, then it will
be a disaster for him. We ask Allaah to save us andyou from that loss.
The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) said:
Among the signs of acceptance (of good deeds) is that Allaah causes
one hasanah (good deed) to be followed by another, for the hasanah
says, "My sister, my sister!" And thesayi'ah (evil deed) also says,
"My sister, my sister!" -we seek refuge with Allaah. If Allaah has
accepted a person's Ramadaan, and he has benefited from this period of
(spiritual) training and has remained steadfast in obeying Allaah,
then he has joined the caravan of those who have remained steadfast
and responded to Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, those who say: 'Our Lord is Allaah (Alone),' and then they
stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their
death) (saying): 'Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings
of Paradise which you have been promised!
We have been your friends in the life of this world and are (so) in
theHereafter. Therein you shall have (all) that your inner selves
desire, and therein you shall have (all) for which you ask"[Fussilat
41:30-31]
"And whosoever takes Allaah, His Messenger, and those who have
believed, as Protectors, then the party of Allaah will be the
victorious" [al-Maa'idah 5:56]
"Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is (only) Allaah," and thereafter
stand firm (on the Islamic Faith of Monotheism), on them shall be no
fear, nor shallthey grieve" [al-Ahqaaf 46:13]
This standing firm should continue from one Ramadaan to the next,
because the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"From one prayer to the next, from one Ramadaan to the next, from one
Hajj to the next, this expiates for whatever (sins) werecommitted from
one to the next, so long as you avoid major sins." And Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"If you avoid the great sins which you are forbidden to do, We shall
expiate from you your (small) sins, and admit you to a Noble Entrance
(i.e. Paradise)" [al-Nisaa' 4:31]
The believer should join the caravan of those who stand firm and
should board the ship of salvation from the time when he reaches the
earliest age of discretionuntil he draws his last breath. He should
remain in the shade of "Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah", enjoying the blessings
ofAllaah. This religion is the truth and the way in which we
steadfastly adhere to it in Ramadaan is that with which Allaah honours
us by the bounty of His giving, His gracious blessing and His great
favour, so that we mightcontinue to pray qiyaam and to worship Him
afterthe month of Ramadaan.Do not forget, my brother, that Allaah has
blessed you with i'tikaaf,and Allaah has blessed you with giving
charity, and Allaah has blessed you with fasting, and Allaah has
blessed you with du'aa' which has been accepted. Do not forget, my
brother, to take care of these good deeds and this support from
Allaah, and do not let them be wiped out by bad deeds. So strive to
cultivate goodness and happiness on your way, and to keep company with
those who remain steadfast (inIslam), and to seek Allaah and His
Messengerand the Home of the Hereafter, where it will be said to you,
Receive glad tidings of Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth,
prepared for the pious, for you responded to the call of Allaah; O
seeker of good,continue, for Allaah has some people who will befreed
from Hell, and O seeker of evil, desist. Andyou responded to the words
of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), "Whoever
prays at night during Ramadaan out of faith and hoping for reward, his
previous sinswill be forgiven. And whoever prays at night during
Laylat al-Qadr outof faith and hoping for reward, his previous
sinswill be forgiven."
I ask Allaah Who has blessed us and you with fasting, i'tikaaf, 'umrah
and charity to bless us with guidance, piety, and acceptance of our
good deeds; may He helpus to persist in doing good deeds and to remain
steadfast, for persistence in doing good deeds is one of thegreatest
means of drawing closer to Allaah.Hence when a man cameto the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, "Advise
me," he said, "Say, 'I believe in Allaah,'and remain steadfast."
(Agreed upon).
According to a report narrated by Ahmad, he said, "Say, I believe in
Allaah,' then remain steadfast." [The man] said, "O Messenger of
Allaah, all the people say that." He said, "Some people who came
beforeyou said that, but they did not remain steadfast." So the
believers must continue to be steadfast in obeying Allaah:
"Allaah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands
firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allaah Alone
and none else), and in the Hereafter. And Allaah will cause to go
astray those who are Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers), and
Allaah does what He wills"[Ibraaheem 14:27 -interpretation of the
meaning]
The one who is steadfastin obeying Allaah is the one whose du'aa' will
beanswered, the du'aa' which he repeats more than twenty-five times
each day, "Guide us to the Straight Way" [al-Faatihah 1:6 -
interpretation of the meaning], which we say in al-Faatihah. Why is it
that we say and believe strongly that if we remain steadfast Allaah
will forgive us, but we are too lazy to apply thatin practical terms?
We should fear Allaah and apply this in deed and thought and word. We
should strive in the way of "ihdinaa al-siraat al-mustaqeem (Guide us
to the Straight Way)", and we should travel theroute of "iyaaka
na'budu wa iyyaaka nasta'een (You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone)
we ask for help (for each and everything))" [al-Faatihah 1:5 -
interpretation of the meaning], in the shade of "ihdinaa al-siraat
al-mustaqeem (Guide us to the Straight Way)", following the route that
will lead us to Paradise the width of the heavensand the earth, whose
key is Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. I ask Allaah to grant us and you a good
end.
After the end of Ramadaan, the people are divided into various types,
two of the most prominent of which I will describe here. The first
type are those whom you see in Ramadaan striving hard in worship. You
never see them but they are prostrating or standing in prayer, or
reading Qur'aan, or weeping, so much that they remind you of some of
the worshippers among the salaf, and you even feel compassion for them
because of the intensity of their efforts and striving. Yet hardly has
the month ended, before they go back to negligence and committing sin,
as if theywere prisoners of that worship, so they turn their attention
to their desires and become negligent and commit sins which they think
will take away their distress and grief. But these poor people
forgetthat sin is the cause of doom, because sins are like war wounds,
one of which may turn out to be fatal. How often has sin prevented a
person from saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah when in the throes of death.
After spending this entire month with faith, (reading) Qur'aan and
other acts of worship, these people then backslide, Laa hawla wa laa
quwwata illa Billaah (there is no power and no strength except with
Allaah). These are the occasional worshippers who only acknowledge
Allaah on certain occasions or at times of calamity and distress, then
after that there is no more obedience or worship. What a bad habit
that is.
"The worshipper prayed for something that he wanted, and when the
matter was done, he neither prayed nor fasted." [Arabic poetry]
I wonder what is the point of worshipping fora whole month, if that is
going to be followed by a return to dishonourable ways?
The second type are those who feel distressed at the departure of
Ramadaan, because they have tasted the sweetness of being safe from
sin, and the bitterness of patience became insignificant to them,
because they came to realize the true nature of their weakness and
need for their Master (Allaah) and their need to obey Him. They fasted
in a true sense and stoodin prayer at night out of love, so when they
bade farewell to Ramadaan, their tears flowed and their hearts were
broken. Those among them who were burdened with sin hoped to be freed
from sin and ransomed from Hell, and to join the caravan of those who
are accepted. Ask yourself, my brother, which of the two groupsdo you
belong to?
By Allaah, are they the same? Praise be to Allaah, but most of them do
not know. The mufassireen said, commenting on the aayah
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad to mankind): 'Each one does according to Shakilatihi
(i.e. his way or his religion or his intentions)..."
[al-Israa' 17:84] - every person acts according to his way or the
character that he is used to. This is condemnation for the kaafir and
praise for the believer.
You should know that the dearest of deeds to Allaah are those that are
continuous, even if they are little. The Messenger(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "O people, you must do whatever you can
of good deeds, for Allaah does not get tired until you get tired. The
most beloved of deeds to Allaah are those which are continuous, even
if they are little. The family of Muhammad(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), when they did something, they would persist in
doing it." Narrated by Muslim.
When the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wasasked
about which deeds are most beloved to Allaah, he said, "Thosewhich are
continuous, even if they are little."
'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) was asked about what the
Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did and
whether he used to do certain things on particular days. She said,"No,
his good deeds were continuous. Who among you could do what the
Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
do?" The acts of worship prescribed in Islam are based on certain
conditions which must be fulfilled, like remembrance of Allaah, Hajj
and 'Umrah and their naafil actions, enjoining what is good and
forbidding what is evil, seeking knowledge,jihaad, and other good
deeds. So strive to worship continuously according to your capability.
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad andhis family and companions,
and grant them peace.
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