Your First Obligation

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Our first obligation is to know Allah and to know Him as He really is. This is not for His benefit but for ours. He doesn't need us but we need Him. We need Him for every moment of our lives. He knows us more than we know ourselves. He is the only One who can help us in all our situations. Our lives depend on Him.

"It was We who created man, and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein." (Qur'an Qaf 50:16)

But how many people really know and certain about this. We get disappointed, upset and angry when things don't go the way we want them to be. We become impatient when we don't see things happening. We complain to everybody except Allah, We run to everybody for help except Allah. We spend and waste so much resources (time, money, etc) looking for and seeking help from people, but we forget the One who can truly help. If you just just walk to Him, He will come to you at speed.

So, when situations started to overcome your good judgment, calm down, take wudu' and perform 2 cycles of prayer.

It is reported that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The closest that a servant can be to his Lord is when he is in prostration."

Ask Him, talk to Him. He has all the time for you and you are not going anywhere without His Will and things aren't going to get any better without His Will.

We received encouragement in our works when we see the fruits. But when we see our efforts yield nothing and situation is not improving, and the more work we put in, the worse things are, it is extremely difficult to go on, unless we have Faith in Allah and reliance and trust in Allah. We can only have this through knowing Him as He really is.

Remember the story of Prophet Nuh, Allah grant him peace, with his people. For 950 years (!), he dealt with his people, calling them to the worship of Allah alone, counseling them to be mindful of their duties to Allah, to fear Allah and to obey him (the same message brought by all the Prophets). He appealed to them publicly and privately, day and night. His people made fun of him and ridiculed him as a mad man. Whenever he tried to convey the message of Allah to them, they began to thrust their fingers into their ears! But because Prophet Nuh, Allah grant him peace, had the iman and tawakkul in Allah, he kept on going and persisted with his da'wah for 950 years. The unbelievers were drowned (in flood) because of their sins.

"...So persevere patiently: for the End is for those who are righteous." (Qur'an Hud 11:49)

He (Nuh) said: "O my Lord! I have called to my People night and day. "But my call only increases (their) flight (from the Right).And every time I have called to them, that thou might forgive them, they have (only) thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, grown obstinate, and given themselves up to arrogance. So I have called to them aloud; Further I have spoken to them in public and secretly in private,..Because of their sins they were drowned (in the flood) and were made to enter the Fire (of Punishment): and they found― in lieu of Allah― none to help them. And Nuh said: "O my Lord! Leave not of the Unbelievers, a single one on earth! For, if Thou do leave (any of) them, they will but mislead Your devotees, and they will breed none but wicked ungrateful ones." (Qur'an Nuh 71:5-27)

May Allah makes us among the righteous and the patient. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam