In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
The Companions of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam sacrificed a lot to become Muslims. Have we made a lot of sacrifice to come to Islam?. Most of us were born Muslims and we didn't pay a price to say la illaha illallah (there is no god except Allah). It is very easy for us to say la illaha illallah but it was very difficult for the Companions to say that. When the Companions said la illaha illallah, they paid for it with tears and blood.
Many Muslims take Islam for granted. If you don't pay a price for something, sometimes you don't value it. When you sacrificed a lot for something, you value it a lot and you have a lot of appreciation for it. The Companions became the best generation of Muslims. Why? Because they took la illaha illallah deep into their hearts and it transformed them and they sacrificed everything for Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wassallam.
قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ فَمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ رَبِّهِۦ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَـٰلِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِۦٓ أَحَدًۢا ﴿١١٠[Qur'an, Al-Kahf 18:101]
Say, "I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God. So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone." (110)
Our Faith (Iman) is constantly being put to tests. Are we ready to face all the tests? Last week we had a set of tests ... did we pass them all or did we do horribly or just scrape by? We will receive our grade in the next life. But before we get there, this week we will have another set of tests and next week and the week after and each and every week for the rest of our lives; no doubt it will be one test after another until we die. No matter how successful you are, how wealthy you are, how famous you are, how knowledgeable you are or how pious you are, you will have to face them and no one can help you except Allah.
Allah Almighty says,
أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوٓا۟ أَن يَقُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ ﴿٢﴾ وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّـهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿٣﴾ أَمْ حَسِبَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلسَّيِّـَٔاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا ۚ سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ ﴿٤﴾ مَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ لِقَآءَ ٱللَّـهِ فَإِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّـهِ لَـَٔاتٍ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ﴿٥﴾ وَمَن جَـٰهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَـٰهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِۦٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ لَغَنِىٌّ عَنِ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ﴿٦[Qur'an Al-Ankabut 29:2-5]
Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? (2) But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. (3) Or do those who do evil deeds think they can outrun Us? Evil is what they judge. (4) Whoever should hope for the meeting with Allah - indeed, the term decreed by Allah is coming. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing. (5)
Ever wonder why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam asked us to recite Surat Al-Kahf every Friday? In it there are many many lessons and reminders for us. We need the survival kits of Surah Kahf to survive the many trials in this life -- trials of faith, trials of wealth, trials of knowledge, trials of power, etc.
The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wassallam said: "Faith wears out in the heart of any one of you just as clothes wear out, so ask Allah to renew the faith in your hearts" (Mustadrak al-Haakim).
Faith in Allah is a very serious business. It is the deciding factor whether one goes to Paradise or Hell, the two eternal abodes for humans. We need to constantly take steps to renew our faith.
Here are some basic steps to renew your faith:
1) Try to increase your prayers if you are not achieving all five. Ask for guidance, strengthening of your Iman, and forgiveness in your du'a.
2) Increase the remembrance of Allah (dhikr) by reading the Qur'an -- start with a few pages at a time with translation for those who don't know Arabic. Start learning the language of the Qur'an and proper recitation.
3) Start attending Islamic gatherings, Islamic study circles, weekend programs at the Masjid or set up Islamic study circles with your family and friends.
4) Get involved with Islamic charities and organizations: volunteering helps you realize how truly blessed you are and it helps open the door to attaining more Islamic knowledge.
5) Remember death often. There are benefits of remembering death. It was said, "Whoever remembers death frequently will benefit in three ways: he will hasten to repent, he will become content, and he will be active in worship. Whoever forgets death will be punished in three ways: he will delay repentance, he will no longer be content with what is sufficient, and he will be lazy in worship."
May Allah strengthen and increase our Iman and grant us excellent ending at the highest of iman. Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakum Allahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
No comments:
Post a Comment