Don't Puff Up, Humble Down

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

Assalaamu alaykum

Everything around us and everything happening to us and around us testify to Allah's greatness. If you can't see that, just look up to the skies and see what's up there, whatever time of the day, in whatever weather conditions -- it is tremendous.  Don't wait to do that because you might not have the chance to do it anymore. This is your opportunity to really know your Creator and come to a realization that may take you to success in this life and the next. Yesterday, a student here, in his early 20s, a student leader beloved by many, passed away. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. You don't know when you will be next. Life is short. Death is certain. Once in a while Allah shows us the people He took away. It is not a coincidence nor without purpose. It is a reminder for those who reflect and should spur us to right action.

Imagine if you can see what is beyond the sky. It is something more tremendous beyond your imagination.

All that is known of the universe, including what we can see, is within what is called the lowest heaven (part of the temporary world).

All the stars are located within the lowest heaven and we haven't been able to reach to the end of the creation of the stars. So it is a vast creation. Above it is six more heavens and above it is Bait-ul-Ma'mur and above it is Sidratul Muntaha, a lote tree which marks the end of the heavens. Beyond that is another world -- Paradise with rivers emanating from it, the Throne of Allah, the Footstool (Kursi).

The lowest heaven, which we are in, compared to the one above it is like a ring in the desert, and the second compared to the third is like a ring in the desert, and on and on until we get to the seventh heaven. The seventh heaven compared to the Kursi is like a ring in the desert. All the world we know today is within the seventh heaven as Allah Almighty says,

إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِزِينَةٍ ٱلْكَوَاكِبِ ﴿٦

Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars (6)

[Qur'an, As-Saffat 37:6]

How insignificant what we can see as compared to what is out there! And imagine how much more insignificant we are on the ground!

The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said that the skies are moaning and they are justified in moaning because every space equivalent to four fingers there are angels bowing down in ruku' or prostrating in sujud worshipping Allah Almighty. Then, who are we compared to this massive and honorable creation of angels?

The same thing is to be said about Bait-ul-Ma'mur. So as here the Muslims will visit the Ka'ba in Bait-ul-Allah in Makkah, the angels will visit Bait-ul-Ma'mur. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wassallam said that Bait-ul-Ma'mur is visited by 70,000 new angels everyday and they never come back to it again. Imagine, this has been going on for millions or billions or whatever number of years, Allah knows best. How insignificant our worship compared to the worship of these honorable creation!

You see, there is such a vast creation up there that this itself should humble us. Every time we look up to the skies it should remind ourselves of this and we humble down and don't defy Allah. Every time you think you are somebody and start to puff up, remind yourself of this, and humble down. Only the righteous have ranks with His most honorable creation.

Allah Almighty says,

وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّـهَ وَٱلرَّسُولَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ ٱللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَٱلصِّدِّيقِينَ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءِ وَٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ رَفِيقًا ﴿٦٩

And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor of the prophets (Nabiyyeen), the steadfast affirmers of truth (Siddiqin), the martyrs (Shuhada) and the righteous (Salihin). And excellent are those as companions. (69)

[Qur’an An-Nisa 4:69]

Bottomline, Allah does not need us. He does not need our prayers, nor our fasts, our zakat/charity, our hajj/umrah, and He does not benefit from our worship and obedience nor harm by any disobedience. He can replace each and everyone of us at any moment with nations who love Him. We are the ones who utterly in need of Him. We need Him in every moment of our lives -- in this world and the Hereafter. So be grateful to Him for the innumerable blessings -- for creating you, for giving you life, limbs, parents, children, intelligence, friends, technology, science, medicine, things -- tangible and non-tangible, ..., for making the other creation subservient to humans, ...

How do you show gratitude? You must use His blessings to worship Him, to attain His pleasure, and not use them to disobey Him. You must fill up your time with acts of worship, so that no period of time elapses, whether by night or by day, without being used in some act of goodness (quoting from Imam Al-Haddad's Book of Assistance).

Learn the religion of Allah (this is part of worship with sincere intention for His sake only) so you know how to worship Him. Don't delay the learning. If you can learn from a learned person, that's good, if not find somebody who are more learned than you, and if not pick up a book, but learn now. Procrastination is not an excuse. Majority of the screaming people in the Hellfire is because of their procrastination on this earth.

Allah Almighty says,

وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ فَقَالُوا۟ يَـٰلَيْتَنَا نُرَدُّ وَلَا نُكَذِّبَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّنَا وَنَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٢٧
بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَوْ رُدُّوا۟ لَعَادُوا۟ لِمَا نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ ﴿٢٨﴾ وَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنْ هِىَ إِلَّا حَيَاتُنَا ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَبْعُوثِينَ ﴿٢٩﴾ وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ قَالَ أَلَيْسَ هَـٰذَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّنَا ۚ قَالَ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾ قَدْ خَسِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِلِقَآءِ ٱللَّـهِ ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ بَغْتَةً قَالُوا۟ يَـٰحَسْرَتَنَا عَلَىٰ مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِيهَا وَهُمْ يَحْمِلُونَ أَوْزَارَهُمْ عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِمْ ۚ أَلَا سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ ﴿٣١

If you could but see when they are made to stand before the Fire and will say, "Oh, would that we could be returned [to life on earth] and not deny the signs of our Lord and be among the believers." (27) But what they concealed before has [now] appeared to them. And even if they were returned, they would return to that which they were forbidden; and indeed, they are liars. (28) And they say, "There is none but our worldly life, and we will not be resurrected." (29) If you could but see when they will be made to stand before their Lord. He will say, "Is this not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord." He will [then] say, "So taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve." (30) Those will have lost who deny the meeting with Allah, until when the Hour [of resurrection] comes upon them unexpectedly, they will say, "Oh, [how great is] our regret over what we neglected concerning it," while they bear their burdens on their backs. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear. (31)

[Qur'an Al-An'am 6:27-31]

May Allah grant us steadfastness and help us worship Him in the manner most pleasing 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