Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Who Are The True Slaves Of The Ultimately Merciful?

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

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

If you are not a slave of Allah, then you are a slave of His creation -- money, people, jobs, cars, games, TV, phones, wifi/internet, iPads/iPhones, social media, music, etc.

Most people put so much focus on trying to make money, trying to look good with people and having too much fun, and they are so busy doing that and they lose sight on the One Who never perish and the One Who really matters.
كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ ﴿٢٦﴾ وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ ﴿٢٧

All that is on earth will perish, (26) And there will remain the Face of your Lord, Owner of Majesty and Honor. (27)
[Qur'an Ar-Rahman 55:26-27]

Undoubtedly Allah, the Exalted, is the most merciful of those who show mercy; His mercy encompasses all things, and He is more merciful to His slave than a mother to her child; indeed He, glorified is He, is more merciful to a person than the person is to himself.

The slaves of the ultimately Merciful as mention in the Surah Al-Furqan...

1) they walk on this earth with humility. They have a softness and weakness in their walk on the earth. They don't stomp on the earth when they walk or swagger or sticking out their chest.
وَلَا تَمْشِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا ۖ إِنَّكَ لَن تَخْرِقَ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَلَن تَبْلُغَ ٱلْجِبَالَ طُولًا ﴿٣٧﴾ كُلُّ ذَٰلِكَ كَانَ سَيِّئُهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّكَ مَكْرُوهًا ﴿٣٨

And do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will never reach the mountains in height. (37) All that - its evil is ever, in the sight of your Lord, detested. (38)
[Qur'an, Al-Isra' 17:37-38]

2) when someone address them, they reply back with mild words of gentleness.

When people come to you and they say obscene things, you don't have to respond, you don't have to engage. Just let it be. You are not responding to them because you understand that the only thing that can come out of this is more evil. Don't say anything except PEACE. It was said, when Jahl (ignorance) is there, Aql (intellect) isn't. You can't engage with jahl in intellectual conversation and you can't give them rational proofs.

Ignorant people don't lower their voices. They don't have control over their emotions. People who follow whims, they have no limits and they can say the most outrageous things. For some of them, when you give them truth, they make fun of the truth, and when you tell them about Allah, they make fun of Allah. You shouldn't engage with them further.

A slave of Allah is sensitive to the emotional state of people. There is time to bring up something and there is something to leave alone. When someone is emotionally volatile, just leave it alone. As well, we shouldn't be frustrated with people especially if you are engaged in Allah's work. The more you engage in Allah's work, the more you have to be conscious of this. All human being make mistakes but if you are in dakwah, people are looking to undermine your message. So you have to hold yourself in a much higher standard and be extra cautious. Everything you do is a representation of Islam. One mistake you make, all good you have done are washed away.

Once the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) was meeting with the leaders of Makkah and a blind sahabah came to ask him some questions and the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wassallam) frowned because of the interruption. Allah revealed a verse admonishing the Prophet sallalllahu alayhi wassallam for that. Why? The sahabah is blind, so he cannot be offended by the frown. But Allah was offended.
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ ﴿١﴾ أَن جَآءَهُ ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ ﴿٢﴾ وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُۥ يَزَّكَّىٰٓ ﴿٣﴾ أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ ٱلذِّكْرَىٰٓ ﴿٤﴾ أَمَّا مَنِ ٱسْتَغْنَىٰ ﴿٥﴾ فَأَنتَ لَهُۥ تَصَدَّىٰ ﴿٦﴾ وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّىٰ ﴿٧﴾ وَأَمَّا مَن جَآءَكَ يَسْعَىٰ ﴿٨﴾ وَهُوَ يَخْشَىٰ ﴿٩﴾ فَأَنتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّىٰ ﴿١٠﴾ كَلَّآ إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ ﴿١١﴾ فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ ﴿١٢﴾ فِى صُحُفٍ مُّكَرَّمَةٍ ﴿١٣﴾ مَّرْفُوعَةٍ مُّطَهَّرَةٍۭ ﴿١٤

The Prophet frowned and turned away (1) Because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting]. (2) But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified (3) Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him? (4) As for he who thinks himself without need, (5) To him you give attention. (6) And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified. (7) But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge] (8) While he fears [Allah], (9) From him you are distracted. (10) No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder; (11)[It is recorded] in honored sheets, (13) Exalted and purified, (14)
[Qu'ran, Abasa 80:1-14]

3) they spend the night in worship of their Lord, prostrate and standing. They say: "Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily! Its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment."

Jahannam (Hell) is a horrible place to be even for a moment. Some Muslims who messed up and think "I should be alright because I am a Muslim after all" and a slight detour to Hell is no big deal. No, No, No. Even if you finally will end in Paradise, if you have iman, you don't want to be touched by Hellfire even for a split second.

4) when they spend, they don't go overboard. If they can by the same thing for cheaper, they would not spend at the high end department store because they want to shop in class. They know this is israf (wastefulness). They do not hold back the family budget, pinching pennies, or refuse to spend even for the essential things.
In short, they find the balance -- not cheap, not overly excessive on the budget and not carefree.

5) they don't call to other than believe in Allah. They stay away from big sins -- e.g. neglecting prayers. People who pray at night are not at risk of doing murder. The goodness to Allah begins with avoiding care of the major sins. Just because you are doing dhikr, that does not make you above the law. When adhan is called and time to pray, you must pray. Dhikr is not above solat.

6) they don't kill such person as Allâh has forbidden, except for just cause,

7) they don't commit zina (illegal sexual intercourse)

Both killing and zina are equally offensive crimes to allah, after shirk (associating partners to Allah). One kills the body and the other kills the soul.

8) they do not witness to falsehood, and if they pass by some evil play or evil talk, they pass by it with dignity.

9) when they are reminded of the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat.

10) they say: "Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaqûn (pious)"

Allah will reward His true slaves the highest place in Paradise because of their patience.

Allah Almighty says,
وَعِبَادُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ ٱلْجَـٰهِلُونَ قَالُوا۟ سَلَـٰمًا ﴿٦٣﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَبِيتُونَ لِرَبِّهِمْ سُجَّدًا وَقِيَـٰمًا ﴿٦٤﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا ٱصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا ﴿٦٥﴾ إِنَّهَا سَآءَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا ﴿٦٦﴾ وَٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا۟ وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا۟ وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا ﴿٦٧

And the (faithful) slaves of the Most Gracious (Allâh) are those who walk on the earth in humility and sedateness, and when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply back with mild words of gentleness. (63) And those who spend the night in worship of their Lord, prostrate and standing (64) And those who say: "Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily! Its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment." (65) Evil indeed it (Hell) is as an abode and as a place to rest in. (66) And those, who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes). (67) And those who invoke not any other ilâh (god) along with Allâh, nor kill such person as Allâh has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse - and whoever does this shall receive the punishment[] (68) The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; (69) Except those who repent and believe (in Islâmic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allâh will change their sins into good deeds, and Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful[] (70) And whosoever repents and does righteous good deeds, then verily, he repents towards Allâh with true repentance. (71) And those who do not witness to falsehood, and if they pass by some evil play or evil talk, they pass by it with dignity. (72) And those who, when they are reminded of the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord, fall not deaf and blind thereat. (73) And those who say: "Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaqûn (pious)" (74) Those will be rewarded with the highest place (in Paradise) because of their patience. Therein they shall be met with greetings and the word of peace and respect. (75) Abiding therein;— excellent it is as an abode, and as a place to dwell. (76) Say (O Muhammad SAW to the disbelievers): "My Lord pays attention to you only because of your invocation to Him. But now you have indeed denied (Him). So the torment will be yours forever (inseparable permanent punishment)." (77)
[Qur'an, Al-Furqan 25:63-71]

May Allah increase our iman and make us His true and faithful slaves. Ameen.

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

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

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