Du’aa For Anxiety and Sorrow

‘O Allaah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men.’

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Honor Their Struggles

One of the best ways to understand Islaam is to understand the Sunnah of the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wasallam and the way of his companions.  

Examine these exemplary lives of the past, look to the level of their ‘ibadaah, their certainty in the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi  wasallam, the immense trials and tribulations they faced — all to bring honor to this deen and then perhaps you will know what is upon you of actions. That time has passed, this present time is what remains; will you be of those who honor their struggles and uphold the haqq or of those who trample upon it so carelessly?

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The Heart’s Captivation and Imprisonment by Sin

And among its effects is that the disobedient (sinner) is constantly in the shackles of his Shaytaan and the prison of his shahwa (desires) and the chains/fetters of his hawaa (whims). So he is a captive, one who is imprisoned and who is tied up.

There is no captive in a worse state than the one who is captivated by his worst enemy and there is no prison which is tighter than the prison of hawa and there is no bond/fetter stronger than the bond of desire.

How, then, will a heart which is captivated, imprisoned and fettered travel unto Allaah and the Home of the Hereafter? How will a person take a single step forward when the heart is bound and harmful things approach it from every direction? The harmful things approach it to the extent that it is tied up [i.e. imprisoned by its desires and whims..].

The example of the heart is like the example of a bird. Every time it ascends it becomes distant from the harmful things and every time it descends the harmful things hurt it. In a hadeeth there occurs that Shaytaan is like a wolf to people. Just as when a sheep has no protector and is in between many wolves, they are quick in causing damage and injury; likewise the servant who does not have guardianship from Allaah, then his wolf [i.e. his desires, whims etc.] is to him a predatory animal.

[Thus] there is no escape for the servant from having protection from Allaah. Taqwaa is a safeguard for him and a strong shield between himself and the punishment of this world and the Hereafter. Every time the sheep is close to its shepherd it is safer from the wolf and every time it becomes distant from its shepherd it is closer to destruction. So its sanctuary is when it is close to its shepherd because the wolf takes the lonely one from the flock and this is the one which is the furthest one of the flock from the shepherd. The basis of all of this is that every time the heart is distant from Allaah the harmful things are quick in approaching it and every time it is close to Allaah the harmful things become distant from it

• Author: Ibn Al Qayyim | Source: Al Jawab Al Kafi | Trans: Abu Iyaad

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Pondering Upon Creation

 

Pondering upon the creation of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, upon the amazing variety of creation and the creation of man himself is a potent invigorator of faith. This is because the greatness of this creation points to the greatness of the Creator and His Omnipotence, its conformity and harmony points to the vastness of Allaah’s Knowledge and His All-Encompassing Wisdom, its innumerable blessings and bounty point to the expanse of Allaah’s Mercy, His Generosity and His Kindness. All of these factors lead one to exalt its Creator, give thanks to Him, resort to His remembrance and make the religion sincerely for Him Alone. This is the essence and very spirit of faith.               

Pondering over the impoverishment and the need of the whole of creation of its Lord for everything, the fact that it cannot survive without Him for even the blink of an eye, especially that which you witness in yourself, leads the servant to humbly submit before Him, to frequent supplication of Him in order to promote all that would benefit him with regards to this world and the Hereafter and repress all that would harm him. It leads one to have complete reliance upon, and absolute trust in his Lord along with total belief in His promise and an ardent desre for His beneficence.               

Through all these matters does one actualize faith and strengthen his worship for indeed supplication is the essence and spirit of worship. 

 Taken from the Book: “The Tree of Faith”

By: Al-‘Alaamah ‘Abdur Rahmaan as-Sa’dee (rahimullaah)

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The Perfection of Tawheed

Shaykh ul Islaam Ibn Taymiyah (Rahimahullaah) said: 

“The perfection of Tawheed is found when there remains nothing in the heart except Allaah, the servant is left loving those He loves and what He loves, hating those He hates and what He hates, showing allegiance to those He has allegiance to, showing enmity to those He shows enmity towards, ordering what He ordered and prohibiting what He prohibits.” 

[Friends of Allaah, Friends of Shaytaan, pg.32]

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Concealing Secrets

From the morals and manners of the Salaf was they would conceal the secrets of the people. They would say, “The hearts of the free are graves full of secrets.“

Nameemah (carrying tales) is to spread or relay to a third party or others some words which cause harm to the one from whom the words were initially heard. It is also defined as: Uncovering what is disliked to be uncovered. The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “The Qattaat will not enter Paradise“ [1] i.e., the one who practised nameemah. It is also reported concerning the explanation (tafseer) of the statement of Allaah “And his woman a carrier of firewood” [2] that she would practice nameemah and spread gossip.

Yahya ibn Abee Katheer (rahimahullaah) would say, “The one who does nameemah is worse than the magician even though no one realises. What the one who gossips can do in a period of time a sorceror cannot do in a month. Gossip has spilled blood and given rise to great tribulation expelling people from their countries and other evil things.”

Khaalid ibn Safraan (rahimahullaah) said, “Despise the one who gossips even if he speaks the truth. Nameemah is relating (tales) and accepting this is recommending the narrator. The acceptance is then worse than the nameemah.”

Know this O brother and beware of exposing the secrets of your brothers or relating to others what you hear from them. All praise be to Allaah the Lord of the worlds.

Footnotes
[1] Reported by Al-Bukhaari (10/472) in al-Adab, Muslim (2/113) in al-Imaam, at-Tirmidhee (8/182) in al-Birr…and Abu Dawood (13/219) in al-Adab. [2] Sooratul-Lahab 0:4 

•  “From the Characteristics of the Salaf” by Sheikh Ahmed Fareed on pgs.89 – 90

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Forgetting Allaah = Forgetting Oneself

From among the punishments of sinful acts are that they cause the servant to forget himself.  So, consequently when a person forgets his soul, he corrupts it, and then destroys it.  If one would ask, “How does someone forget himself if he does forget?  Which things does he remember?” Allaah the Most High has said, 

“And do not be like those who forgot Allaah (i.e. became disobedient to Allaah) and He caused them to forget their own selves.”  [Sooratul-Hashr (59):19]

 In other words, glory is to Him, Allaah punishes the one who forgets Him with two punishments: 

1)   Allaah forgets him.

2)   He causes the individual to forget himself. 

Allaah’s forgetting the servant involves His disregard, abandonment and neglect of the disobedient one. As a result, destruction draws closer to him than his own face and hand. 

As for the sinner, his forgetting himself means that the person stops thinking about the finer qualities of the soul and the things that lead to its success and well-being.  He forgets all of this.  The matter does not even come to mind.  Nor does he bring it to mind.

In addition, the disobedient servant is made to forget the diseases of the heart and soul along with the agony that accompanies them.  In the end, there is no effort to remove these destructive ills that of which eventually lead him to corruption and ruin.  He becomes a sick individual covered with layers of disease.  The internal disorder causes destruction to spread through him.  However, this negligent soul is not aware of his sickness nor does the remedy occur in his mind. 

This is the worst kind of punishment.  What punishment is worse than an individual neglecting, and then destroying himself?  He forgets the beneficial qualities his soul possesses.  This rebellious servant becomes heedless of the causes of his acquiring good in this life and a permanent resting place in the abode of eternal bliss.

• “Sins and Their Punishments” by Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah; Pgs. 54 – 56

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True Poverty

WHO IS A POOR PERSON? 

 Prophet Muhammad (sal’ Allaahu ‘alayihi wa sallam) said: 

Do you know who is a poor person? A poor person in my community is someone who will come on the Day of Resurrection backed with prayers, fasting, regular charity, and pilgrimage, but also with a number of injustices to others, such as abusing this one, taking the property of that one, slandering someone, hitting another, or shedding the blood of someone else. Thereafter, (that person’s) good deeds will be taken one after one and will be given to (those) who were wronged by him.

Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1179

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An Explanation of Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah (Oneness in Lordship)

As for Allaah’s Oneness in Lordship, then the (Arab) polytheists whom the Prophet was sent to affirmed and acknowledged it, but it was not enough to enter them into Islaam. So they affirmed that Allaah was the only true Creator, Provider, Giver of Life and Death, and Administrator of all affairs in this world, which requires His Wisdom and Desire. However, this kind of affirmation is not enough to make a person become a Muslim. Allaah says: “Say: ‘Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Or ‘Who owns the hearing and the sight?’ And ‘Who brings out the living from the dead and the dead from the living?’ And ‘Who disposes of the affairs?’ They will say: ‘Allaah.’ Then say: ‘Will you not then be dutiful to Him?’” [Surah Yoonus: 31]This means: “Will you not then single Him out in worship, whilst abandoning the worship of others besides Him?”

So Allaah’s statement: “Say: ‘Who provides for you from the sky and the earth’” means: “Who is the One who sends down rain water from the sky, thus causing the earth to open through His Ability and Will, and bear therewith grain, grapes, clover plants, olives, date palms, gardens packed with many trees, and fruits and herbage? Is it a god along with Allaah?” They will say: “It is Allaah.”

Allaah’s statement: “Or ‘Who owns the hearing and the sight?’” means: “The One who granted you this power of hearing and ability to see?” And if He wanted to, He would take that away and deprive them of it, as occurs in Allaah’s statement: “Say: It is He who created you and endowed you with hearing and seeing and hearts. Little thanks do you give.” [Surah Al-Mulk: 23]

And Allaah says: “Say (to the disbelievers): ‘Tell me if Allaah took away your hearing and your sight and sealed up your hearts, who is there – a god other than Allaah – that can restore them for you?” [Surah Al-An’aam: 46]

“And ‘Who brings out the living from the dead and the dead from the living” through His great Ability and all-encompassing Grace.

“And ‘Who disposes of the affairs” means: “Who is the One in whose Hand lies the sovereignty over everything. And He protects all, while against Him there is no protector?” And He is the Administrator over all affairs, the Ruler of whom there is no end to His Rule. He is not to be questioned as to what He does, while they (i.e. the creation) will be questioned. “Everyone in the heavens and the earth asks (i.e. supplicates to) Him. Everyday He is engaged in some affair.” [Surah Ar-Rahmaan: 29]

So all of the dominion, whether in the heavens or in the earth or what lies between them, from angels, mankind and jinn, are all in need of Him, subservient to Him and humble themselves before Him. “They will say: ‘Allaah.’” This means they know and acknowledge that it is Allaah. “Then say: ‘Will you not then be dutiful to Him?’” meaning: “Will you not be afraid from Him that you are worshipping others besides Him based on your opinions and ignorance?”

Most of the times that Allaah presents an argument against the polytheists, He uses against them the fact that they acknowledge and affirm His Oneness in Lordship (Ruboobiyyah) over the fact that (in spite of this) they reject His Oneness in Worship (Uloohiyyah).

There are many ayaat that bear this same meaning:

Allaah says: “Say: To whom belongs the earth and whoever lies therein, if you truly know? They will say: It belongs to Allaah. Say: Will you not then remember? Say: Who is the Lord of the seven heavens and the Lord of the Great Throne? They will say: Allaah. Say: Will you not then fear Allaah? Say: Who is the One in whose Hand lies the sovereignty over everything. And He protects all, while against Him there is no protector, if you truly know? They will say: All that belongs to Allaah. Say: How then are you deceived and turn away from the truth?” [Surah Al-Mu’minoon: 84-89]

The hearts of human beings were innately designed and fashioned to accept and acknowledge Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah. So no one rejects it except for a few rare individuals from mankind Look at Pharaoh and how he said: “I am your lord, the most High.”  [Surah An-Naazi’aat: 24] And: “I know not that you (his chiefs) have a god other than me.” [Surah Al-Qasas: 38]

But yet at the same time, he acknowledged the existence of the Creator and Originator of creation, as Allaah narrates the story about him in His saying: “And they (Pharaoh and his people) rejected them (signs given to Moosaa) wrongfully and arrogantly, even though their own selves were convinced by them.” [Surah An-Naml: 14]

And Allaah narrates what his Prophet Moosaa said to Pharaoh: “You indeed know that these signs have been sent down by none other than the Lord of the heavens and the earth.” [Surah Al-Israa: 102]

• Shaykh ‘Abdullah Bin Humayd’s Treatise on At-Tawheed; Source: Al-Ibaanah

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