In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
... ۚ ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمَ دِينًا ...
...This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion...[Qur'an Al-Maida 5:3]
But how many Muslims feel Islam is a favor for them rather than a huge burden? How many Muslims take the religion seriously? Perhaps it is as many as the number of people praying Fajr and Isha' at the masjid. For Muslim men, especially those who live close to the masjid, that is within 5 to 20 minutes walking or driving distance, there is really no excuse not to pray at the masjid.
The nafs will find it easy to wake up in the morning and drive to work everyday but difficult to wake up in the morning and walk or drive to the masjid every morning. Why? It is the nature of the nafs which finds it easy to obey our own desires but difficult to obey the commands of Allah, who is the One who gives us everything we have. But if we realize that Islam is a great favor bestowed upon us, we will rush to do what Allah told us to do.
In order to make easy on the nafs to do what Allah wants us to do, we have to have knowledge of Islam, both inward and outward. Allah has made seeking knowledge obligatory for every Muslim and that is to make it easy for us (one less thing to think about--just do, "we hear and we obey" [Al-Baqarah 2:285]). The Shari'ah is there so there can be order in our lives, personally and collectively, if we follow. A life that is haphazard is not going to work for us, like the roads without traffic rules in which everyone do whatever they like, it will be chaos.
The people of knowledge are the heirs of the Prophets and they inherit knowledge. The one who takes knowledge is taking an ample share. And if someone travels a path in quest of knowledge, Allah will make his path to the Garden easy.
Allah says, "Only His slaves who have knowledge fear Allah," (35:28) and "Only those with knowledge will understand it," (29:43) and "They will say, 'If only we had really listened, used our minds, we would not have been the Companions of the Blaze." (67:10) and "Are they equal: those who know and those who do not know?" (39:9)
While you are still young and healthy, go seek knowledge and don't wait much longer. Even if you have small children to run around for, even if you are busy with your marriage, your work, your secular studies, whatever else that maybe, don't postpone it. Believe me it won't get any easier. I have been there and I know it takes a lot to raise a family. But we don't rely on ourselves for anything. It should never be that way. We rely on Allah alone and have trust in Him. Nothing is difficult with Allah's help. My life transformed when I came to this realization. Allah has helped me to succeed in my law school and my law career during trying times of my life and so I asked myself, why wouldn't Allah help me to succeed in seeking the knowledge of His deen? I left everything behind to be around people of knowledge and many people thought I was crazy and did my children a disservice by depriving them of the American universities. Not everyone should pack up and leave just like that--it needs consultation with trusted scholars and some planning, but bottomline we have to make a decision and brave ourselves and take the first step towards Him, and the rest will be easy and you are in for an enjoyable ride, inshaAllah.
Allah has promised that "He who draws close to Me a hand's span, I will draw close to him an arm's length. And whoever draws near Me an arm's length, I will draw near him a fathom's length. And whoever comes to Me walking, I will go to him running."
By the authority of Abu Dhar that Allah's Messenger said that Allah said: He who comes with a good deed, its reward will be ten like that or even more. And he who comes with vice, his reward will be only one like that, or I can forgive him. He who draws close to Me a hand's span, I will draw close to him an arm's length. And whoever draws near Me an arm's length, I will draw near him a fathom's length. And whoever comes to Me walking, I will go to him running. And whoever faces Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, I will meet him with forgiveness nearly as great as that, provided he does not worship something with me. (This Hadith is sound and reported by Muslim, Ibn Majah and Ahmad in his Musnad). Another prophetic tradition says: (He who met Allah associating anything with Him, will enter Hell) (Muslim)
I know many young families and baby boomers who left their respective home country to seek sacred knowledge abroad and to give their children that opportunity, and they are many many more I came across over the years from all over the world and all walks of life. So, they are your examples and inspiration. Even if you are old, don't think it is too late. It is never too late to seek knowledge as long as you are alive. In fact, you should have no excuse if you can still comprehend things. With the availability of internet, you don't even have to travel far, you can sit in the comfort of your own home to learn the religion. So there is no excuse. Of course, there are so many of them out there and you have to be careful from who you are taking the knowledge and for that you have to ask.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,
Take benefit from five things before five things: your youth before your old age, your health before your sickness, your wealth before your poverty, your free time before your preoccupation, and your life before death.[Al-Hakim]
And the words of Allah, "Allah will raise in rank those of you who believe and those who have been given knowledge," (58:11) and "Say: 'Lord, increase me in knowledge.'" (20:114)
O Allah, increase us in knowledge and make our task easy. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
No comments:
Post a Comment