Bismillah
In Surah Furqan of the Quran, Allah lists the characteristics of His righteous servants (ibadurrahman). If you want to be among the ibadurrahman, this is the list you have to have in your mind, understand them and try to achieve them.
1. "And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly], they say [words of] peace, (63)"
The defining characteristic of a servant of Allah is the lack of arrogance. They have humility and they are humble.They are not people who are known for abrasiveness, callous and harsh manners. They are interacting with people and they are not hermits. They are involved in society and active with their communities. As they are involved with people, their akhlaq (character) have to be always be the best.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said a believer who interacts with another believer and is patient at the negative interaction is better than the believer who cuts off from society and remains at home.
When some person confronts them or want to start an argument, they don't even get involve in the argument. When someone slanders you, says not nice things to you, wants to drag you down, it is difficult not to say something back but you have to be above that and you don't argue back. Not only that, you say Peace (salaam) and move on. This is the akhlaq we should have as believers. They might think they win in that moment but the people of akhlaq win in the long run.
2. "And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer] (64)"
The second defining characteristic of a believer is private rituals and the queen of private rituals is the tahajjud (night vigil prayer). It is a ritual when people people are asleep and nobdy is watching them standing, bowing and prostrating in prayers. They are the only ones who pray tahajjud. There is no ritual in a private life that best demonstrates the righteousness of the person other than tahajjud.
Note: Allah begins the list about interaction with people, which illustrates the importance of interacting with people, not just private rituals.
3. "And those who say, "Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering; (65) Indeed, it is evil as a settlement and residence. (66)"
The righteous believers constantly making du'a to Allah to save themselves from jahannam. It illustrates your ihsan (excellence that Allah is watching you. You are constantly monitoring the concept of taking oneself into account (muhasabah).
4. "And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate (67)"
When they give charity (it is understood they are constantly giving). Allah describes the quality of their giving. They are generous in a healthy manner, not excessively and not sparingly. They give to their families as well.
5. "And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty. (68) Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated - (69) Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. (70) And he who repents and does righteousness does indeed turn to Allah with [accepted] repentance. (71)"
Allah wants us to know that the righteous servants of Allah do not commit major sins, the three worst sins are shirk, murder (hurting other people), zina (done in private life). Ibadurrahman do not have any major sins. There is a threat of punishment for those sins.
Allah says even those who have committed major sin, you still can become ibadurrahman. If you have committed a major sin, and you truly repent, you renew your iman and you follow with good deeds, then Allah will allow you to reach the ranks of ibadurrahman. This is one of the most optimistic verses in the Quran -- a true repentance brings about a conversion of the sin into a good deed and be rewarded.
6. "And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity. (72)"
They don't give false testimony. Their tongues are always speaking the truth. They have integrity and honesty. When they pass gatherings of lahw (anything that is waste of time, anything that is undignified) they pass by them with dignity. They dont get involve in that which they have no business in. Every society and culture have something that people do which waste time, get together and do nothing of use. If nothing haram is happening there, ibadurrahman do not get irritated, they pass by with dignity.
7. "And those who, when reminded of the verses of their Lord, do not fall upon them deaf and blind. (73)"
They are receptive to nasihah (advice) and to be corrected, love to attend and associated with circles of knowledge, love to listen to the Quarn and Sunnah, and want to be righteous.
8. "And those who say, 'Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.' (74) "
They want righteous families. They ask Allah to make their spouses and offspring righteous as well. You cannot be ibadurrahman and your family has nothing to do with ibadah of ibadurrahman. You have to be involved with them, constantly make du'a for them. You ask Allah to make you and family the imam for the righteous. The meaning of imam here is not prayer leader but it means role model. We desire to be role models for the believers. We desitre to be so pious and so righteous not for them but so that Allah makes us role models for other righteous people. The righteous will look at us as being a person who has sabr, iman, generous, and other good characteristics. We do so not for our ego, but for sadaqa jariah. We want their piety to be sadaqa jari'ah for us. We want to be the best of the best. We dont make that the direct goal but indirect goal. If we reach that and if we are able to do that, we are the people who get the highest.
"Those will be awarded the Chamber for what they patiently endured, and they will be received therein with greetings and [words of] peace. (75) Abiding eternally therein. Good is the settlement and residence. (76)"
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
May Allah enable us to understand this list and implement them in our lives. Aameen.
Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa alai aalihi wasahbii wassalaam.
No comments:
Post a Comment