In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Allah Almighty says,
وَٱصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُۥ ۖ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُۥ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُۥ فُرُطًا ﴿٢٨[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:28]
And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect. (28)
When the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam began calling to Islam, his followers were mainly of the poor and when the Quraysh would enter his gathering, they would demand that the poor leave the gathering. The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam may have inclined to send them away to bring the Quraysh closer to Islam, but Allah forbids it even though the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam had a good intention of doing so.
The chief of Makkah, 'Uyainah had paid a visit to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam. Sitting there with him was Sayyidna Salman al-Farisi radhiAllahu anhu, one of the poor companions. His dress was tattered and his looks, that of a derwish. There were some other poor and humble people like him sitting within the gathering. 'Uyainah said, 'these are the people who stop us from coming to you and listening to you. We cannot sit with such broken-down people. You should remove them from your gathering, or you should, at the least, have one separate gathering for us and another, for them." The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam was advised that he should not have poor and broken-down Muslims as those close to him. Instead of that, he should prefer to have the chiefs of Makkah and the Quraysh tribe with him. If these people embraced the religion brought by him, it will advance the cause of religion.
Pursuant to events of this nature, came the Divine instruction that firmly stopped him from accepting their advice. Not only that he should not remove them from his company, in fact, he should attend to and relate to these very people, seeking their advice in essential matters and working in association with them alone.
In this verse, Allah tells us whose company we should keep: مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلْعَشِىِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُۥ - with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. This is an exclusive quality of the righteous - they remember Allah under all conditions and what they do is exclusively for the good pleasure of Allah. All these conditions around them are conditions that attract the help and support of Allah. Such are the people to whom comes the help of Allah.
Allah mentions two specific times in this ayah: الْغَدَاةِ- which is the time of fajr until sunrise. The believers call upon Allah specifically during this time. They are the ones who pray fajr on time after the adhaan and sits after praying in remembrance. الْعَشِيِّ- which is the time between 'asr and sunset. This time is also a time to remember Allah.
What is the relationship between these two times? It’s the rush hour! In the morning, we are busy preparing breakfast and get ready for work or school or help our parents/siblings/children with their needs and in the evening we are winding up our days work. These two times are difficult to remember Allah, but the righteous spend this time to remember Allah despite the fact that there is so much going on around them.
Do you use your morning and evenings to remember Allah, or in seeking worldly affairs? Many of us may not have the chance to sit in the masjid in dhikr, but even if we are busy with some matters, at least keep your tongue moist with His remembrance.
Allah Almighty alerts us in the beginning of the verse, وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ , and be patient with yourself, hold yourself. Sabr (patience) is not only when a difficulty or calamity occurs, but keeping with righteous company and continuing with the remembrance of Allah requires sabr.
Allah Almighty says, وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا - [and do not let your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life.] The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam did not desire the dunya, but this part of the ayah is a reminder to not be impressed by the nobility and wealth of those of high status but to remain with those who remember Allah.
Allah Almighty compares those who call upon Him (they make du'a) and those who seek the glamor of this worldly life, because no one can have both at the same time – you are either from those who remember Allah, or of those who seek the dunya.
It is not enough for us to be with good company, but we must leave the bad company as well. Allah Almighty instructs us to avoid those people who do not have any interest in the remembrance of Allah and follow their desires. Following one’s desires leads to their affairs being fruitless because there is no purpose or goal. Moreover, being in gatherings where there is no mention of Allah -- musical concerts, theaters, ball games, hookah-shisha places, arcades, etc -- decreases one’s Iman (Faith), because a heart without His remembrance is like a fish out of water and those who remember other than Allah in their gatherings are prone to sinning – such as indulging in backbiting and slander -- and worldly because our nafs (lower self) naturally incline to the adornment of this life. The chiefs of Makkah were heedless of the remembrance of Allah; everything they did was subservient to their physical desires, and these conditions guaranteed that they stood alienated far from the mercy and support of Allah.
The righteous lives a conscious life, they are not heedless, from morning to night they are conscious of what they are doing and they have their goal and purpose. Ashaabul Kahf had a goal in their life, to seek Allah’s pleasure, and they acted upon this goal and Allah granted them success.
The Messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam is being addressed in this ayah, showing us that our company does affect each and every one of us. If the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam is being instructed with the company he should keep, then what of us?
Keeping righteous company is mentioned after the story of Ashaabul Kahf is of significance. Ashaabul Kahf chose to be amongst the group who remember Allah and not of those who seek the dunya (world). Indeed, our next life depends on our company. If we chose righteous companions, we will be amongst them in the hereafter.
Allah Almighty is giving us a direction in this verse: He, the Exalted, is guiding us to what is best for us and instructing us about what to avoid. The righteous attracts Allah's help and support in this life and the next, and in the hereafter -- "you will be with those you love." So if you love the righteous, then you will be in their company on that Day when a man would flee from his brother and his mother and his father and his wife and his children - (Qur'an, Abasa 80:34-35].
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا ﴿٣٠[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:30]
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds. (30)
May Allah protect us from bad company and heedlessness and grant us righteous company and steadfastness and make righteous deeds beloved to us and grant us victory over the disbelieving people. Ameen.
Have a blessed Friday.
اللّهُمّ صَلّ عَلَى مُحَمّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمّدٍ
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala ali Muhammad.
Please don't forget us in your prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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