Praise is due to Allah, Praise is due to Allah who guided us to the righteous path, and indeed we wouldn’t have attained this state of guidance without Him Allah, Praise is due to Allah who forgives all sins and misdeeds except associating others with Him.
The way to Allah:
The way to Allah starts with repentance, and a sincere intention to keep on that way.
Now, what would be the steps to stead fastness on the way of Allah?
أجمل الله جل وعلا ورسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم مراحل الطريق إلى الله في قوله تعالى (إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا..).
“(As for) those who say: Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way.”
And consequently, Allah prevailed the results for those who steadfast on the path of Allah:
(إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا فلا خوف عليهم ولا هم يحزنون).
(ألا إن أولياء الله لا خوف عليهم ولا هم يحزنون. الذين آمنوا وكانوا يتقون. لهم البشرى في الحياة الدنيا وفي الآخرة لا تبديل لكلمات الله ذلك هو الفوز العظيم).
“They shall have good news in this world's life and in the hereafter; there is no changing the words of Allah; that is the mighty achievement.”
The phrase “Allah is our lord” is a total submission to Allah, and a testimony that only Allah deserves worship. And then Allah is describing a high level of stead fastness (estekama) in Surat “Fosselat”:
فقال تعالى (إن الذين قالوا ربنا الله ثم استقاموا تتنزل عليهم الملائكة ألا تخافوا ولا تحزنوا وأبشروا بالجنة التي كنتم توعدون. نحن أولياؤكم في الحياة الدنيا وفي الآخرة ولكم فيها ما تشتهي أنفسكم ولكم فيها ما تدعون. نزلا من غفور رحيم. ومن أحسن قولا ممن دعا إلى الله وعمل صالحا وقال إنني من المسلمين. ولا تستوي الحسنة ولا السيئة ادفع بالتي هي أحسن فإذا الذي بينك وبينه عداوة كأنه ولي حميم. وما يلقاها إلا الذين صبروا وما يلقاها إلا ذو حظ عظيم).
“(As for) those who say: Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were promised. We are your guardians in this world's life and in the hereafter, and you shall have therein what your souls desire and you shall have therein what you ask for: A provision from the Forgiving, the Merciful. And who speaks better than he who calls to Allah while he himself does good, and says: I am surely of those who submit?”
The steps to “estekama” start with seeking lawful (Halal), and leaving unlawful (Haram). On the authority of Al-Numan bin Basheer, who said : I heard the Messenger of Allah, (SAAWS), say:
“That which is lawful (halal) is plain and that which is unlawful (haram) is plain and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which not many people know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor”Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim
Then, the second step to (estekama) is the purity of the heart. Rasoul Allah (PBUH) said: “There is a piece of flesh in the human body, if it was good, the whole body is good, and if it went bad, the whole body will go bad, that’s the heart.”
In this Hadith a remark that a believer is doing good with all his limps when his heart is good. So, he doesn’t see except (Halal), doesn’t listen to (Haram), doesn’t walk to (Haram). He does good deeds, and remembers Allah all the times, as said in the Hadith “Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah.”
And what (of Allah’s orders) is greater than keeping prayers in time. Allah says:
“Attend constantly to prayers and to the middle prayer and stand up truly obedient to Allah.”
Then keep your tongue and private parts under control, Rasoul Allah says : “whoever guarantee what’s between his jaws (means his tongue), and what’s between his legs, I guarantee paradise for him.”
وفي قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن رب العزة في الحديث القدسي (إن الله تعالى قال: من عادى لي وليا فقد آذنته بالحرب، وما تقرب إلي عبدي بشيء أحب إلي مما افترضته عليه، وما يزال عبدي يتقرب إلي بالنوافل حتى أحبه، فإذا أحببته كنت سمعه الذي يسمع به وبصره الذي يبصر به، ويده التي يبطش بها، ورجله التي يمشي بها، وإن سألني لأعطينه، وإن استعاذني لأعيذنه، وما ترددت عن شيء أنا فاعله ترددي عن قبض نفس المؤمن: يكره الموت، وأنا أكره مساءته) صحيح البخاري عن أبي هريرة وقال السيوطي: صحيح.
Allah the Almighty has said: "Whosoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have imposed upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory (beyond the call of duty) works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it."Narrated by Bukhari.
We see in this Hadith that Allah (SW) is showing us the way to Him (to His love) is divided into two parts: the duties or obligations (frood), and supererogatory (Nawafel). Which also is pointing to not to invent a worship, and say that is making us closer to Allah. Allah loves what He ordered us to do.
وعن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه قال: بينما نحن ذات يوم عند نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذ طلع علينا رجل شديد بياض الثياب شديد سواد الشعر لا يرى قال يزيد: لا نرى عليه أثر السفر ولا يعرفه منا أحد حتى جلس إلى نبي الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فأسند ركبتيه إلى ركبتيه ووضع كفيه على فخذيه ثم قال: يا محمد أخبرني عن الإسلام ما الإسلام فقال: (الإسلام أن تشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله وتقيم الصلاة وتؤتي الزكاة وتصوم رمضان وتحج البيت إن استطعت إليه سبيل)ا قال: صدقت قال: فعجبنا له يسأله ويصدقه قال: ثم قال: أخبرني عن الإيمان قال: (الإيمان أن تؤمن بالله وملائكته وكتبه ورسله واليوم الآخر والقدر كله خيره وشره) قال: صدقت قال: فأخبرني عن الإحسان قال: (أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراك) قال: فأخبرني عن الساعة قال: (ما المسؤول عنها بأعلم بها من السائل) قال: فأخبرني عن إماراتها قال: (أن تلد الأمة ربتها وأن ترى الحفاة العراة رعاء الشاء يتطاولون في البناء) قال: ثم انطلق فلبث مليا قال يزيد ثلاثا فقال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (يا عمر أتدري من السائل) قال قلت: الله ورسوله أعلم قال: (فإنه جبريل أتاكم يعلمكم دينكم). أخرجه مسلم وأبو داود والنسائي وأحمد عن عمر, ومتفق عليه والنسائي وبن ماجة عن أبي هريرة.
On the authority of Omar, who said :
One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, (SA), there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet. Resting his knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs, he said: "O Muhammed, tell me about Islam". The Messenger of Allah, (SW), said: "Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the Zakat, to fast in Ramadhan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so." He said: "You have spoken rightly", and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly. He said: "Then tell me about Iman. "He said: "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the hereafter, and to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof." He said: "You have spoken rightly". He said: " Then tell me about Ihsan." He said: "It is to worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you". He said: "Then tell me about the Hour". He said: "The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner." He said: "Then tell me about its signs." He said: "That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute herdsman competing in constructing lofty buildings." Then he left and I stayed for a time. Then he said: "O Omar, do you know who the questioner was?" I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best". He said: "He was Jebreel (Gabriel), who came to you to teach you your religion."Narrated by Muslim
In this Hadith, we see that the steps towards Allah are divided into three main categories:
1- The step of Islam
2- The step of believing (Iman)
3- And the step of Ihsan
The stage of Islam is saying (shahada), and submitting to Allah’s in all life’s aspects. The work of the whole body forms the image of a Muslim. The (Shahada) is a work of a tongue, (Prayers) is a work of body and soul, (fasting) is also a work of the body that refrains from doing things that are Halal in other times (like eating and drinking), and give that away as a form of submitting to Allah’s orders, (Zakat) is a work of giving money, and (Hajj) is a work of the whole body.
Islam also prevents physical bad actions such as killing, stealing, committing adultery, backbiting, lying, and generally stop doing Haram things. And in that stage of the way to Allah, one should prevent things that Allah named (open sins) and ordered us to leave it:
(ذروا ظاهر الإثم وباطنه)
“And abandon open and secret sin; surely they who earn sin shall be recompensed with what they earned.”
As for the secrete sin, it is to be left in the next stage, which is the stage of believe (Iman). The secrete sin is called so because one is doing it, and no other human being knows about it, and scholars named it (the sins of the heart).
In the stage of belief (Iman), all actions are done by heart, including belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His prophets, and the hereafter, and destiny whether it is good or bad (in a human perspective). All the proceeded actions are heart actions, and those good properties in a heart of a believer are having opposite properties that a believer’s heart should not have such as:
desire, anger, greediness, envy, ……
الشهوة والغضب والكبر والحرص والحسد والبخل والحقد
Which are known as the seven gates of hell, and those are (Baten Al-ethm).
By the completion of the stage of (Iman), the stage of (Ihsan) starts. In that stage it’s a journey to getting back to (best make of man), where one gets step by step closer to perfection.
عن أنس قال: إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم دخل المسجد والحارث بن مالك نائم فحركه برجله: قال: (ارفع رأسك،) فرفع رأسه فقال: بأبي أنت وأمي يا رسول الله! فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: (كيف أصبحت يا حارث بن مالك؟) قال: أصبحت يا رسول الله مؤمنا حقا قال: (إن لكل حق حقيقة فما حقيقة ما تقول؟) قال: عزفت عن الدنيا [أي رغبت عن الدنيا]، وأظمأت نهاري وأسهرت ليلي، وكأني أنظر إلى عرش ربي فكأني أنظر إلى أهل الجنة فيها يتزاورون وإلى أهل النار يتعاوون، فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: (أنت امرؤ نور الله قلبه عرفت فالزم).
أخرجه البزار وابن عساكر عن أنس, والطبراني عن الحارث بن مالك.
It’s narrated by Anas, that Rasoul Allah (SW) went into the Masjed one day and )Al Hareth ibn Malek) was sleeping inside then Rasooul Allah moved him and told him “Raise your head” so he did so then Rasooul Allah said “O Hareth How have you been?” He said “I have become a true believer”, then Rasooul Allah said “For every truth there is a fact what is the fact of your belief?” Hareth said: “I have become uninterested in this world and I have fasted my days and made Qyaam by night and as if I can see the throne of Allah and the people of Jannah visiting each other and the people of Hellfire being punished”. At that point Rasooul Allah said: “You are a man whom Allah have put light in his heart, you have known the truth so be committed to it.”
The reply of Rasoul Allah: “You knew, then be committed”, emerged the expression “the one who knows Allah well”, because it is an explanation of Allah meaning “Fear Allah, and he will teach you”.
The stages on the way to Allah have been talked about by many scholars, and most of them considered repentance as the first of those stages, but some of them considered a stage before repentance, and that is (yakaza) waking up.
To talk about the stage of (waking up), we will start by the stage of (heedlessness, ghafla). Allah (SW) is describing those who have (ghafla) in Quran:
(ولقد ذرأنا لجهنم كثيرا من الجن والإنس لهم قلوب لا يفقهون بها ولهم أعين لا يبصرون بها ولهم آذان لا يسمعون بها أولئك كالأنعام بل هم أضل أولئك هم الغافلون).
“And certainly We have created for hell many of the jinn and the men; they have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear; they are as cattle, nay, they are in worse errors; these are the heedless ones.”
The default is that the human being is born upon (innate or native belief, fetra), and along the course of his life, his environmental surroundings are affecting his behavior (such as the education he gets from his parents, relatives, friends, and all the society) and time after time, this (fetra) reduces further in his mind, and thus the stage of (ghafla) begins.
The way of living nowadays, and all the materialism values that rule most people’s actions, and thus racing in life to have all the means that gets people to those things, all of that led to cover the innocent nature of man that Allah (SW) created to help man understand what is going around him in the universe, and help him withstand the difficulties towards to journey back to Allah.
Another thing that prevents starting our way to Allah is the hope for a long life, and it can take many forms of attitudes, such as telling yourself “you have a long life ahead, when you settle down, get married, and secure your children’s life, you can then start the way to Allah”, or it may take an outer image of good religious attitude like doing prayers, fasting and work hard, and telling ourselves “work is a worship”, and that’s just to ease our conscious by saying “I have done what I could, and can’t do anything further”.
But, as one is working hard in this life, he should consider the other longer-lasting life to come, and what is the time of this life compared to eternity?
And then for those with pure (fetra), there must come a day when they (wake up) from their heedlessness, (ghafla). The ways or the reasons for (waking up) are different from one person to another, some go through a very difficult experience, and can’t find a helper all around, then they remember to get back to Allah. Some are searching because they do not find comfort for their souls so, they are always looking for better ways to feed their hearts and souls, and eventually, they get back to their creator, they get back to Allah.
“Who created me, then He has shown me the way;
And He Who gives me to eat and gives me to drink:
And when I am sick, then He restores me to health:
And He Who will cause me to die, then give me life;
And Who, I hope, will forgive me my mistakes on the day of judgment.”
Thus the ways of (waking up) is different for each and every human soul.
But there is always a fear that accompanies the successful start after wakingup, one is driven by enthusiasm, would try to do all what pleases Allah (SW), so, he/she does all the frood, and exceeds that to lots of (Nawafel).
And after a while, the fever of the start gets low, and sometimes one may get back to the stage of (heedlessness), so, what can we do to prevent getting back to….
(ن لكل عمل شرة، ولكل شرة فترة: فمن كانت فترته إلى سنتي فقد اهتدى، ومن كانت إلى غير ذلك فقد هلك)
شرح: ["شرة": أي نشاطا. "فترة": ضعفا وسكونا]ـ
البيهقي في شعب الإيمان عن ابن عمرو , وقال السيوطي: صحيح.
Let’s get back to Rasul Allah (SA), who said “For each and every work, there is an active or optimum period, and for each and every work there is a time of weakness, and whoever, in his time of weakness, gets back to my (sunnah), he is rightly guided, and anything but that he’s doomed”.
(إن هذا الدين متين فأوغل فيه برفق ولا تبغض إلى نفسك عبادة الله فإن المنبت لا أرضا قطع ولا ظهرا أبقى)
أخرجه أحمد من حديث أنس والبيهقي من حديث جابر
And Rasoul Allah also said “This religion, means Islam is strong, so, get to know it easily, and don’t ever reduce the importance of a worship to Allah” and he gave an example of a traveler who spend days, and days in his journey, and then lost his stuff, and his means of transport, so, he didn’t achieve his goal by getting to his destination, and even worse that he couldn’t get back to his people.
(أحب الأعمال إلى الله تعالى أدومها وإن قل) متفق عليه [البخاري ومسلم] عن عائشة وقال السيوطي صحيح.
Rasoul Allah said “The best of man’s deeds that Allah loves, what man keep on doing it, even if they were little”
أقول قولى هذا، وأستغفر الله لى ولكم
Khotba #2
الحمد لله الذى بنعمته تتم الصالحات
Allah (SW) has put the rule for us to better ourselves:
“surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition”
But this condition of changing, at least the first couple stages, (waking up, and repentance) should not take forever or we should be spending all our lives trying to reach a higher level.
The amount of corruptions nowadays makes it harder for most of people to hold fast to the right way, but remember that some part of our hearts should always be pure, and remember the verse:
“Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah”
When the friends of Prophet Muhamad (SAAW) hear this verse, and it was after 4 years of revelation, Ibn Masuad said: “Allah is blaming us for not being humble in front of Allah’s words”. Another man used to be a drunk, and he committed all kinds of sins, and while he was getting back home he listened to that verse, and it only took him seconds to touch his heart, and he then answered the verse saying “now Allah, the time has come” means for his heart to be humble for Allah’s words.
Pain and pleasure are the two keys driving human actions, and one is doing actions either to avoid pain, or gain pleasure. If you ask yourself, would me being firm on the way of Allah cause me pain? What if I did not do it, would it be more painful? Would gaining temporary pleasure in this life compensate for the pain in the hereafter?
After asking these questions, the definition of pain and pleasure will be different for a believer. Rasoul Allah (SAAW), was saying to Belal “Oh, Belal, comfort us with praying”. Now payers are pleasure, they are not a burden that we need to get rid of, and thus we will be giving our money and lives in the sake of Allah. What might seem “pain” in a non-believer’s point of view will definitely be the ultimate pleasures in the heart of a believer.
وفقنا الله سبحانه وتعالى إلى ما فيه الخير، وإلى ما يحب ويرضى:
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