Allah's Promises to the Believers

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

Assalaamu alaykum

One of the most soothing aspects of our faith is the knowledge that Allah has our backs when times get difficult. It is knowing that Allah has promised to be on the side of the believers. In times of fear and difficulty, it is important that we remind ourselves all the time of the promises that Allah has given us. Here are some of His promises to the believers:

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ ﴿١٥٢

So remember Me, I will remember you. [Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:152]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Remember Allah in times of ease and He will remember you in times of difficulty.” [Narrated by at-Tirmidhi]

In another hadith in Tirmidhi a man came and said that he was finding faith slightly difficult to manage and asked for an easy deed that he could do all the time. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grnat him peace) responded, “Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah.”

How amazing is it that Allah mentions our names to Himself? That He mentions our names to the angels? That He mentions our names in the categories of rewards each day? The number one way to ensure that the help of Allah will be with us is to be in constant remembrance and awareness of Allah. It is a habit that can never ever be harmful. It will help us in removing our sins and improving our good deeds.

... وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ

If you are grateful, I will increase you... [Quran, Ibrahim 14:7]

It is an amazing world that we live in. For most of us, we live lives far better than even kings and emperors did a few hundred years ago. And yet we are unhappy and depressed. Part of that is not recognizing what Allah has already given to us in this world. Contentment and ease come when we are thankful and happy with what Allah has given us.

But Allah promises more. He says that being thankful will increase us. And He doesn’t say in what it will increase us. In fact, if we are thankful for one or two things, Allah will increase us more and more in all things in our lives. We should be thankful for the little that we have and Allah will increase us in it. If we feel that we have less wealth, then we should be thankful for what little we have and Allah will bring an increase. If we feel that we are not as happy as before, then we should be thankful for the few days of the year when we are happy and Allah will bring and increase in it and so on and so forth.

... وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ

Call on me, I will respond. [Quran, Ghafir 40:60]

Among the greatest blessings of Allah upon us is that He will respond to our du'as. And in Surah Ghafir He gives an express system— we call and He answers. What a merciful Lord! In fact one of the names of Allah is Al-Mujeeb, the One who responds.

When we look back, we will see that Allah has given us millions of things without us ever even asking for them. So what then of the things that we ask for? In hadith literature we see that the Prophet said that there are three possible responses for du'a: 1. It being accepted as it is, 2. A harm removed from our lives in exchange for it, and 3. We are rewarded for it in the hereafter.

There is no loss ever in making du'a. And every time we make du'a, we are earning good deeds too.

وَمَا كَانَ اللَّـهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ ﴿٣٣ ...

. . . nor would He punish them if they sought forgiveness. [Quran, Al-Anfal 8:33]

The scariest thing in our lives is that Allah might punish us, whether in this life or the next. And Allah promises that He will not do so for those who seek forgiveness. As long as we are seeking forgiveness from Allah, we are safe from the punishment that might come upon us. Seeking forgiveness from Allah has also been named in some narrations among those deeds that give us tranquility in times of distress and ease in times of difficulty. It is an act that makes us come closer to Allah and helps us have our sins forgiven over and over.

So, after knowing of the promises of Allah, is it not time we get into action? That we remember Him, thank Him, make du'a to Him and seek His forgiveness?

لَّا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ...

... There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers. [Quran, Al-Anbiya' 21:87]

يَغْفِرُ اللَّـهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ ...

...Allah will forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful. [Qur'an, Yusuf 12:92]

May Allah forgive and pardon us and remove our difficulties and rectify our situation. May Allah make us of people of His remembrance and of those who are grateful and thankful to Him. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam