Attaining Divine Mercy

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

...ٱقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِى غَفْلَةٍ مُّعْرِضُونَ ﴿١﴾ مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن ذِكْرٍ مِّن رَّبِّهِم مُّحْدَثٍ إِلَّا ٱسْتَمَعُوهُ وَهُمْ يَلْعَبُونَ ﴿٢﴾ لَاهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ

[The time of] their account has approached for the people, while they are in heedlessness turning away. (1) No mention comes to them anew from their Lord except that they listen to it while they are at play (2) With their hearts distracted...

If we are hopeful for the Divine mercy, we can't just talk about it, we need to first change our attitude about obedience of Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam. There is no mercy outside of obeying Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam. We have to put the Qur'an and Sunnah into action.

Allah Almighty says,

وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ﴿١٣٢

And obey Allah and the Messenger that you may obtain mercy. (132)

[Qur'an AleImran 3:132]

This is something not limited to this verse alone. It has been repeatedly stressed throughout the Qur'an. The Qur'an is the best reminder.

The pattern of combining the command to obey Allah Almighty, immediately followed by the command to obey the Messenger, appears in the Qur'an again and again. These continued and constant statements of the Qur'an are there to remind human beings that these are the basic principles of Islam and Iman (Faith). The first part of the Iman is to affirm and declare the existence of God, His Oneness, and that man is there to worship and obey Him. The second part is the confirmation of His Messenger, and of obedience to him.

قُلْ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ﴿٣٢﴾ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰٓ ءَادَمَ وَنُوحًا وَءَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَءَالَ عِمْرَٰنَ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿٣٣

Say, "Obey Allah and the Messenger." But if they turn away - then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers. (32) Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds - (33)

[Qur'an AleImran 3:32-33]

مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّـهَ ۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا ﴿٨٠

He who obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah; but those who turn away - We have not sent you over them as a guardian. (80)

[Qur'an An-Nisa 4:80]

Whatever the noble Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam says is by Divine permission and not on his own.

وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ ﴿٣

Nor does he speak from [his own] inclination. (3) It is not but a revelation revealed, (4)

[Qur'an An-Najm 53:2]

The purpose behind sending the Messenger is that he should explain for people the meanings and objectives of the verses revealed to him. The obligatory functions of the Messenger are not simply limited to conveying the Qur'an to the people. There is more to it in that the Messenger is also responsible for teaching the Book, and clarifying its message. Also obvious is the fact that the addressees of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam were the eloquent people of Arabia who had command over the finer points of the Arabic language. Teaching of the Qur'an to them could never mean that they were to be taught the literal meaning of the Qur'anic words, for they themselves understood all that perfectly well. Instead, the purpose of this teaching and clarification was, and could be nothing else, that an injunction of the Qur'an stated briefly or in a summary form should be clarified and elaborated upon by the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam and communicated to people with the help of a revelation which did not form a part of the Qur'an: the unrecited revelation.

Allah Almighty says,

بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَٱلزُّبُرِ ۗ وَأَنزَلْنَآ إِلَيْكَ ٱلذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٤٤

[We sent them] with clear proofs and written ordinances. And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought. (44)

[Qur'an An-Nahl 16:44]

وَمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمُ ٱلرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَىٰكُمْ عَنْهُ فَٱنتَهُوا۟ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ ﴿٧ ...

...And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty. (7)

[Qur'an Al-Hashr 59:7]

ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّـهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿٢٨٥

The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], "We make no distinction between any of His messengers." And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." (285)

[Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:285]

May Allah make us of those who say, "We hear and we obey." Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakum Allahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

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