Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa-ashabihi wa salaam tasleman katheera
Sincerity in all we do is a commandment of Allah:
"Say, 'Indeed my prayer, my rites of sacrafice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. No partner has He. And this I have been commanded and I am the first among you of the Muslims.'" -Surah al-An'aam ayat 162-163
"And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, sincere to Him in religion, inclining towards truth and to establish the prayer and to give zakah. That is the correct Deen." -Surah Bayyinah ayah 5
Abd al-Qahir al-Jurjaani rahimullah defined ikhlas as "not seeking any audience for your deeds other than Allah."
We're warned throughout the Qur'an and Sunnah to have sincerity in tawheed of Allah, sincerity in our intentions, sincerity in our tawakkul (placing of trust and reliance) in Allah, sincerity in our worship (i.e. salah, sujood, du'a, siyaam/fasting, Hajj, zakah, sadaqah, tawba, Jihad, recitation of al-Qur'an, etc.) and sincerity in all our actions and words.
Al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyaad rahimullah addressed his students on one occasion about Surah al-Mulk ayah 2 that's interpreted to mean: "He who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed." Noting that "It is those deeds which are most correct and most sincere. If a deed is done sincerely, yet is not done correctly, it will not be accepted. And if a deed is done correctly, but not sincerely for Allah, it will not be accepted. It must be done sincerely (for Allah alone) and correctly (in accordance to the Sunnah).
BEWARE THE ANTAGONISTS OF IKHLAS! They are three:
Riyaa
Sum'ah
'Ujb.
Riyaa is to perform an act of worship to show off to people; seeking their praise or some other vanity.
Sum'ah is to speak good for the sake of people's compliments or praise.
'Ujb is a sitatuation where one becomes impressed with his/her self for the good deeds they've done.
Ibn al-Mubarak rahimullah said: "Perhaps a great deed is belittled by an intention. And perhaps a small deed, by a sincere intention, is made great."
May Allah, Mighty and Exalted is He above having any partner, equal or opponent, make us all among His mukhliseen (sincere slaves) and keep us aware and resistant of those diseases that corrupt our righteous actions and convert them to arguments against us on the Day of Accounting. Ameen.
Ya'qub al-Makfuf (may Allah have Mercy on him) would say: "The sincere one is he who hides his good deeds in the same way that he would hide his bad."
Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmaeen.
Brothers and sisters in Islam, as-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah. As the smoke circulating the incident at Fort Hood remains in course of clearing, a multitude of concerns and reactions plague the circumstance. Amidst our Ummah, the Ummah of Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, the majority we're haste in speaking out and even releasing statements condemning the act carried out by Malik Nidal Hassan. Confessedly, I too, basing the motives of our brother on the initial reports from officers who knew him, presumed he targeted people senselessly over some frustrated, petty personal reasons. But the more that unfolds about our brother, the more I'm convinced his gunfire was for the sake of Allah and in honor and defense of our fellow believers and worshipers of Him overseas.
The corporate journalists, columnists, networks and U.S. officials may manufacture whichever conclusions they please. As for us, those whose fear, hope and love is for Allah azza wa jall, we have the obligation to withhold conviction until analysis has been exhausted and ilm-ul-yaqeen, clear and certain knowledge, has been attained. Our dear brother and esteemed shiekh Anwar al-Awlaki, with unmatched bravery and commitment to al-Haqq, insisted publicly that Hassan did the right thing. On the other hand, I say if Hassan's intentions were as brother Awlaki speculates, and I pray they were, then only in such a case has he indeed done the right thing. Until we can confirm his true motives, and Allah Knows best what they were, I can neither praise nor rebuke the actions of our brother.
In Awlaki's claim that Hassan could no longer bear the contradiction of being Muslim and serving in the same forces assigned to fight his brothers and sisters abroad, I was brought to wonder about the rest of the Muslims serving in the U.S. Military as well. With over 10,000 soldiers who declare there is no god worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad 'alayhi wa-salaatu wa-salaam is His final Messenger to be followed until the Last Day, this blatant contradiction and nifaq (hypocrisy) hasn't so much as twinkled in their mind? How do they, over 10,000 professed Muslims, justify their position?
O Muslims, seriously we must contemplate and remind ourselves where our loyalty is set and where our disavowal is applied. We must contemplate and honestly assess ourselves as to where our hearts stand in relationship to al-Wala 'wal-Bara. Is our loyalty and allegiance to Allah and His Messenger, or is it instead pledged to those who plot, spend and fight to disrupt, degrade and extinguish the light of Allah and the guidance of ar-Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam? Na'udu billah!
May Allah purify us of such nifaq and guide this Ummah and its mujahideen. May He give us victory over His enemies and ours. Ameen. May He azza wa jall amplify our resistance against forces of every form that oppose our entitlement to His Pleasure and an eternal abode in Jannah. Allahumma ameen!
Let us contemplate and remember the words of Umar ibn al-Khattab radiallahu 'anhu when he advised the mujahideen during the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah: "We do NOT overpower them with our strength!" Their numbers are greater and their weapons are superior, the only way we're victorious is due to our mindfulness and responsiveness to our duties to Allah. It is when we neglect our duties as Muslims and sin as our enemies sin that Allah, our Lord, humiliates us. Umar radiallahu 'an also warned: "Do not say our enemies our worse than us, so they will not overpower us. Perhaps some people who are worse than the others may overpower the others as the polytheists overpowered the Bani Israel as they involved themselves in disobedience to Allah."
And so we may question why in the first place does Allah allow His disbelievers and enemies a position of wealth and arms to invest in fighting against His Cause? Allah Promises everything they spend will wind a source of grief and utter regret for them and Islam will supersede all other ideological and political systems anyway. But in the meantime we may concern ourselves with "why?" Well, this was framed in fine perspective by the classic mufasir Ibn Kathir rahimullah who said about Surah al-Anfal ayah 36 coupled with its succeeding ayah in summary says to us what means: "We tried you with combatant disbelievers whom we made able to spend from their wealth in fighting you to distinguish between those believers who obey Allah and fight His disbelieving enemies and those (among our Ummah) who disobey Him." As Allah said in Surah al-Anfal ayah 179 what means:
"Allah will not leave the believers in the state they are presently in until He seperates the evil from the good (among them). Nor will Allah disclose to you al-ghayb (the unseen)." And in ayah 142 of the same Surah our Mighty Rabb says what means:
"Do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His Cause and make evident those who are steadfast?" May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make us among the mu'mineen whose prayer, fighting, spending, sacrifice, living and dieing is for Him alone and who fully and unhesitatingly support, defend and join via spiritual or physical means the fight in His Cause, sincerely for His sake, that we may share in the barakah and glad tidings of the truly righteous and faithful. Ameen thumma ameen.
Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi wa salaam tasleman katheera.
Dear family in faith, as-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Among the galaxy of themes and lessons we discover in al-Kalaamul Rabbil'alameen -the perfect speech of the Lord of the worlds- the Great Qur'an, is the importance of tafakkur; the signs and blessings of those who do it and the signs and detestable consequences of those who don't.
And so what would bring us to understand this word "tafakkur", the root (F-K-R) of which is used no less than 18 times in the Qur'an? It's defined as investing serious thought, careful consideration or analysis of a thing to obtain a clear or better knowledge of it. To employ one's mind and faculty of reason upon something. Let's take for instance the meaning of what Allah says in Surah Ali-'Imran ayat 190-191:
"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alteration of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding- Who remember Allah while standing, sitting or lying on their sides and contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth, saying: 'Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly or for any idle purpose; Exalted are You above such a thing; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.'"
Also, in Surah ar-Rum ayah 8, Allah ta'ala describes those who are heedless of these clear signs and who care little or none at all contemplate upon them when He says what means:
"Do they not contemplate upon themselves? Allah has not created the heavens and the earth and what is between them except in truth and for an appointed term. And indeed, many of the people, in the matter of the meeting with their Lord (resurrection and day of judgment), are disbelievers."
Later, He uncovers their destination if they persist and die in such a state in ayah 16:
"...as for those who disbelieved and denied Our ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) and the meeting of the Hereafter, those will be brought into the punishment to remain."
It is my sincere intention and hope, in'sha'Allah, from here to explain the benefits of tafakkur. How it suits the believer and draws them closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Contemplation and reflection is required in order that both our hearts and minds be present in our salah. As we sin and disobey our Lord, having no shyness before Him nor contemplation over the consequences of our deeds. We may stand in our salah noticing something feels amiss, and this is likely because without tafakkur, without contemplation over our deeds, we cannot truly attain humbleness and humility in front of Allah and consequently repent. Without tafakkur our hearts abandon us in our salah; and it is observed with very weak kushoo (concentration).
Without consistent contemplation we're paying no mind nor are we investing any real care or concern over our deeds, the good and the bad of them. Our late, classic scholar and second generation 'Tabi, al-Hasan al-Basri rahimahullah, said regarding this matter: "Tafakkur is a mirror that shows you your good and bad deeds." And in conversation with Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah, Imam al-Hasan also stated: "Tafakkur is the key to Mercy. Don't you see how a person contemplates and consequently repents?"
Tafakkur (contemplation) and tawba (repentance) are of the main habits that distinguish the mu'min (true believer) from the fasiq (the one who sins without shame or guilt) and the munafiq (hypocrite). It is through these functions and good deeds besides them that the believer increases in iman, taqwa, ihsan and all the qualities Allah Loves and protects us from the Nar. In a beautiful and very profound hadith our beloved Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam explained the inherent qualities of the mu'min in saying:
"There is no believing slave of Allah except that he has a sin that he continually commits, it never leaves him until he leaves this world. Indeed, the believer is created muftannan, tawwaban, nassaa'an -when he is reminded, he remembers."
It is obvious from this statement that no believer among us is pure from disobeying their Lord. But as Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam proceeded to explain, the believer is created muftannan, one who is tried and tested, nassaa'an, forgetful and finally the distinguished qualities of the believer is they are tawwaban -repentent- and when they are reminded, meaning of their purpose, their Akhirah and place with Allah azza wa jall, they remember and refresh their hearts and iman through tawba and devotion. As ar-Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said: "the one who repents from a sin is like the one who never committed the sin in the first place."
This, my dear brothers and sisters, is why tafakkur is so crucial. If not for contemplation, how then would we recognize, let alone care for our faults, shortcomings and misdeeds? How then could we come to conduct a sincere tawba; begging and crying to Allah for His Mercy and Forgiveness? How then could we have humiliation and humbleness before Him, our Lord, in our salah?
One reminder that should help us to intensify our tafakkur even more, in'sha'Allah, and contemplate heavier and more deeply over our sins comes from Anas ibn Malik radiallahu 'anhu in his comment to one of the Tabi'een :
"I see you committing sins that you consider less weighty than the hair on your head, if we had done the same sins at the time of Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam we would have thought we were destroyed."
Ya Muslimeen! If this was the perception of the sahahbi Anas ibn Malik radallahu 'anhu in the case of the Tabi'een whom Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said would be the best generation of Muslims after his own, imagine then what his perception would be in our case? Let us always be among those who contemplate our purpose and place in this world and in the Sight of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala . Let us always be among those who reflect upon our deeds, repenting when sinful and always being grateful to Allah for everything, known and unknown, and looking forward to our Akhirah. Allahumma ameen!
Our late scholar and Tabi, al-Fudhayl bin 'Iyaad rahimahullah said:
"The speech of the believer is wisdom; his silence is contemplation and his vision is a lesson. If you are like that, then you will never cease being in a state of worship." He followed up in reading the ayah: "wama khalaqtu al-jinna waal-insa illa liya'budun." (I have not created the jinn or mankind except to worship Me.)
Verily, Allah is praised whether we praise Him or not, yet humbly we praise Him and could never do justice in doing so to the extent at which He is worthy. We seek His Help, His Forgiveness and we seek refuge with Him from the evil of our ownselves and the consequences of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can misguide and whomever Allah misguides (allows to leave astray because they refuse His guidance and have it all figured it out on their own), none can guide. I bare witness there is no diety, object, personality or entity worthy of worship, veneration, invocation, repentance, surrender and submission except Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And I bare witness that the last and final Messenger of Allah and perfect example to all of humanity until the Last Day is Muhammad ibn Abdullah. May the peace and blessings of Allah eternally be upon him, his family, his companions and all those who follow them in righteousness and piety until the Last Day. Amma ba'ad:
Brothers and sisters in iman, as-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah. When our Lord subhanahu wa ta'ala described the truly faithful, successful believers in Surah an-Nur, He said they are those who say, when a command of Allah reaches them: "sami'na wa ata'na" meaning "we hear and we obey". Not that we hear and we delay. One of the traps of Shaitan to which many of us fall victim is what I touched on and labeled in my Food For Faith blog as the "in'sha'Allah syndrome". It's those time when we know full well we're wrong and our response to our fellow Muslim's naseehah (i.e. reminder, advice, etc.) is "in'sha'Allah, I'll change", "in'sha'Allah, I'll stop this and start that", "in'sha'Allah... in'sha'Allah... in'sha'Allah". This sheisty trap of Shaitan, if we're not careful or protective of our deen enough, will have us saying "in'sha'Allah" until we visit our graves (which could be at ANY moment, brothers and sisters!).
To digress a moment:
The sin we commit in addition to not obeying Allah in some matter, is by saying in'sha'Allah we will start obeying Him as if we know EXACTLY how much time we have before we die to make tawba and do better. This is 'ilm ul ghayb, knowledge of the unseen, for Allah alone knows the measure of our existence. When we say "in'sha'Allah I'll start doing this or that", we're in turn claiming certainty we'll be around to do it when in fact we have no clue. The time to obey Allah in a matter we know He commanded is right away. Not an undetermined amount of days, months or years from now, but right now.
As I come back:
The subject is the "Full Hijab", however, this issue of immediate and consistent compliance applies to all of us, brother and sister, when it concerns the commands of Allah. When He azzawa jall or Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam orders something it is waajib, fard, non-negotiable, obligatory and mandatory. Such as praying, such as growing the beard, such as fasting Ramadan, such as covering the awrah and so on. They are not suggestions from Allah. They are not recommendations or mere allowances from Allah. They are obligations, meaning, Allah is telling us we have NO CHOICE. And so our response, as believers who fear our Lord, should be: "sami'na wa ata'na". When we hear we obey as instant as physically possible; not that we hear and we obey when we feel like it.
Now that I've picked on all of us, so as not to have the sisters feel singled out, what follows is a filmed lecture discoursing the importance, the beauty, the benefits and fruits of observing hijab. It is delivered by our respected brother and shiekh, Salem al-Amry. Brothers I encourage to watch as well as there is indeed benefit in it for us as much as there is for our sisters. Also, brother al-Amry's female impersonations are timeless! LOL. Enjoy, absorb and apply, in'sha'Allah:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم Bismillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah
All praise is unquestionably for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, beyond having any partner, equal or opponent. The One solely worthy of worship and to whom all existing things beside Him are subject and to Whom all of humanity and jinn are penitent. May the peace and blessings of Allah eternally be upon Adam, Abraham, Noah, Jesus, Muhammad and all the prophets and messengers of Allah and those who follow them in righteousness until the Last Day.
As remarkably refreshing and reviving as Ramadan is, it isn't terribly easy bidding our old friend a fond farewell. And so a couple days ago, a couple hours after Fajr, Muslims on every corner of the earth gathered facing the same general direction towards the world's most sacred structure, repeating the takbeerat after our imam to offer Salat-ul-'Eid. Before which the faithful among us chanted: "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, la ilaha ill Allah wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahi hamd!" Ya ikhwatun, brothers and sisers in Islam, I congradulate you all in saying: "Eid mubarak taqabal Allahu mina wa minkum!"
Though I, and in'sha'Allah ta'ala all of us had a beautiful, in fact, the most memorable 'Eid yet. Making sure everyone got their fill and making sure everyone, especially the children, experienced nothing short of exceptional happiness. We reflect and hope earnestly our efforts and strife, our sincere remembrance, servitude, siyam, qiyaam, sadaqah and du'as were accepted that we may be purified and elevated in taqwa. Still it concerned me that the days ahead would be similar minus the spirit of Ramadan and added the persuasion of the Shayateen. I ask that Allah preserve and increase for us the taqwa we attained throughout Ramadan and empower our resistance against our very own nafs and the insidious ways of Shaitan who now after 30 days has been unleashed. May we remain the Muslims we were during Ramadan, ever-improving from this point and neither regressing or deviating. Ameen thumma ameen.
I encourage and remind us all that we proceed continuously prusuing the pleasure of Allah jalla jalalahu; seeking and advancing in 'ilm to counter jahiliyah and shubahat (doubts) and raising in taqwa to counter shawawat (desires). Wallahi, we would be nearly as great as the 'ajr and nasr Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala would bestow upon us.
"Surely, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves." -Surah ar-Rad ayah 11
Thanks, Ramadan for the humbleness, gratitude, tears, the soar legs from standing at night in taraweeh and qiyaam listening to the best of speech, al-Qur'an; thanks for the tender heart, the sabr (patience), the naseehah and overall... THANKS FOR THE TAQWA! May Allah azza wa jall accept from us. Ameen. I invite as well do I encourage all serious Muslims to join me, if you haven't already, in fasting these next 6 days of Shawwal. As our beloved Rasul salallahu 'alayhi wa 'ala alihi wa salaam told us of the one who does so will be considered as though they fasted the whole year to Allah ta'ala, hence will they be rewarded accordingly. It's not quite as easy as fasting in Ramadan (believe our avowed enemy has something to do with that), but it's worth it to make as a witness in Akhirah.
Farewell, ya Ramadan! Ya Muslimeen, ya Mu'mineen, ya Muttaqeen, ya Mukhliseen, ya Muhsineen... KEEP UP THE GOOD WORKS! And please, please and please keep me in your du'as as you all shall remain in mine, in'sha'Allahu ta'ala.
Fi aman'Allah wa-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!
Indeed all praise and gratitude is for Allah azza wa jall and may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His Messenger, Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam. Brothers and sisters in Islam, underway is what our beloved Messenger salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam addressed as an "old friend". This dear, special friend is indeed the month of Ramadan. A month very beloved to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. A month which Allah explains in Surah al-Baqarah that He first revealed al-Qur'anul 'Adeem (the Great Qur'an). A month which comes with it immense blessings and leaves with it purity and salvation for our Lord to grant the sincere companion of this beautiful month.
Ramadan is a mirror. A month at which we can truly examine and become acquainted with our true "colors". The unadulterated essence of a human being is exposed during this blessed month. Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said: "When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of Jennah are opened, the gates of al-Jahim (the Fire) are closed and the Shayateen (rebellious devils) are chained." So when the Malaekah (angels) heed Allah's command to restrain the devils and restrict them from interfering with us humans, no whispering or influence from them whatsoever, what excuse do we have to engage in haraam or the slightest disobedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala during these holy days? Backbiting, lieing, impoliteness, impatience, aggression, etc. Every deed and every thought will strictly be from our own selves. In preparation of this blessed month, a month that offers salvation like no other, wise would the beleiver be to purify and perfect their manners and behavior to reflect that of the Prophet salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam. Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said:
"Whoever does not abandon falsehood in word and action, then Allah azza wa jall has no need that they should abandon food and drink. It may be that a fasting person attains nothing but hunger and thirst from their fast."
All the qualities we beg from Allah: strong iman, strong taqwa, strong sabr, better ihsan and so forth are practically handouts on these days. As good hosts of this beloved visitor, fasting purely for the pleasure of Allah, we excel our taqwa and entitle ourselves to the immense rewards of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Most notably, salvation. Allah says what means:
"O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed to you as it has been prescribed to those before you, that you may attain taqwa." -Surah al-Baqarah ayah 183
Additionally, Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said: "whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven."
The challenge is that once our friend, our special guest, Ramadan, departs that we hold tight to the refined qualities we attained (i.e. taqwa, iman, sabr, ikhlas, etc.) even as the devils are set loose and these qualities become like hot coals.
It is no wonder why the Sahabah radiallahu anhum would embrace this friend upon arrival and cry upon its departure. Spending 6 months preparing their homes, manners and habits for this dear friend and when this friend finally came they would welcome it with the utmost sincerity and warmth. During it's stay they'd treat it with the utmost respect, acknowledging and servicing all its rights upon them. To them, whether winter or summer, the visit of Ramadan was always short. So when it left, they would weep. They would literally cry and concern themselves over whether they did enough for this friend. When we reflect upon this and compare our situations, we should humble ourselves. It should make us feel ashamed.
In'sha'Allah, in the spirit and example of Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam and his sahabah radiallahu anhum, let us prepare ourselves for this blessed month. Allah has not legislated or commanded us to do anything for the sake of its being easy or difficult, rather He azza wa jall has done so for the sake of their being for our good. Our Lord hasn't prescribed us anything and His Messenger salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam has not ordered or advised us anything except that it is best and most beneficial to us. With this in mind, let us strive during this blessed month, observing all those things Allah Loves and rewards and removing ourselves from those things Allah Hates, bi'idnillah.
Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam said: "Ramadan is a month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness and whose end is freedom from the Fire." So let us prepare our intentions, our thoughts, our habits... our entire life and everything in it of which we have control for this very special friend who is well around the corner.
"Hold tight to the Rope of Allah (His covenant that is our allegiance to "la ilaha ill Allah Muhammad ar-Rasulullah"), all together and be not disunited among yourselves..." -Surah Ali-Imran ayah 103
Bismillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Rasulullah wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmaeen
Inna walhamdulillah! Indeed all praise rightfully and naturally goes to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic; the Creator, Cherisher, Sustainer and Evolver of the heavens and the earth and all they contain. Our Lord who created us on these testing grounds to determine who among us is best in piety and conduct. For even the most presumably righteous in conduct means nothing if not done for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala; for the love of Him, in fear of His punishment and in hope of His Mercy and Reward.
If otherwise enacted only for the sake of attention, reputation or to earn the pleasure of the people is insignificant in the all-encompassing Sight of Allah who is Al-Kabeer. Even if that good is done simply on the basis that it's something good is a wasted deed. Of no value is any good act if not performed in knowing this is something Allah ta'ala tells us is good and knowing it is something He, azza wa jall, is indeed pleased with. The reward from Allah is not by righteous deeds alone, the formula throughout the Qur'an is always 'those who believe and do righteous deeds'. Allah ta'ala says what means:
"And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer -those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged even as much as a speck on a date seed. And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to Allah while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth?" -Surah an-Nisa' ayat 124-125
Allah, our Rabb, Glorified and Exalted is He, Al-Qayyum (the Self-Sufficient), Who is above having a son, partner, comparison, equal or opponent, from His Mercy tries us all according to the strength of our religion. As such there hasn't been any nor will there ever be any who is tested to the degree of the anbiya (Prophets). Taqwa is our key to responding correctly to the trials of this life and gaining success here and salvation in Akhirah. Taqwa, literally a shield protecting one against the displeasure and wrath of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, is aquired not merely through having iman (faith), but in constantly struggling to increase it. It's acquired not merely through seeking and gaining 'ilm, but in striving to properly implement it. And there is no better way... better yet, there is NO OTHER WAY to attain, nuture and guard these qualities than by sticking to the Sunnah of our beloved and noble Rasulullah salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam. It's just as he, salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, has commanded us:
"Hold tight and cling on to my Sunnah with your molar teeth and keep far away from newly invented matters in the deen..."
With true taqwa one easily abandons and abstains from sins and works diligent to even avoid suspicious matters and matters, like the footsteps of Shaitan, that are most likely to lead the individual to sin or altogether astray. Iman and 'ilm are dependent upon one another, but each must constantly be elevated. Thus faith withers away if the knowledge Allah ta'ala granted you is not implemented. The true religion, ad-Deen ul-Haqq, Deen ul-Islam, is not a hobby, rather it is a full time commitment. Just as the Sahabah were strong in ibadat, strong in seeking knowledge, strong against the enemies of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, strong in their religion, this deen of Islam... we too, as Muslims, must be strong and commited sincerely and wholeheartedly with every limb of our jasad (body) and every portion of our ruh (soul) while Allah grants us, the mature and sane, with such an opportunity. It is impossible and foolish to think we will die in a state of al-Islam if without a full time commitment to al-Islam. How can we assure a death in a state of "la ilaha ill Allah" if we don't even live in a state of "la ilaha ill Allah"? The correct belief is cursed if the actions are not correct. And the correct actions are meaningless if the belief is incorrect. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:
"Ya ayyuha al-ladhina amaanu attaqu Allaha haqqa taqatihi wa la tamootuna illa wa 'antum Muslimoon." (O you who believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and die not except in a state of Islam) -Surah Ali-Imran ayah 102
Our aqeedah, our methodology; our iman, our ways; our belief and practice must be in accordance to the same understanding and example of Muhammad salallahu 'alayhi wa salaam, the Sahabah radiallahu 'anhum and as-Salaf us-Salih (the pious predecessors) rahimutuallah. This is the methodology or path of those whom Allah says He favors and is pleased with in Surah al-Fatihah that the mukhallaf (morally responsible) recites, at minimum, 17 times a day. This righteous and victorious path is that of Ahl as-Sunnah wa'l Jama'ah, the path of which we call to Allah that He keep us firmly upon when we say: "sirataal ladhina anamta 'alayhim!"
To learn, stick close and be persistent upon such a path truly is a struggle, but it's a struggle fisabillah (for the Cause of Allah). When living in the core, the belly and epicenter of a dunya-oriented society and the symptoms manifested and overflowing from such a corrupt and deluded orientation, without a solid foundation to support our iman, it can quickly be swept away. Our goal is to return to our Rabb happily. Among the many names Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has given the Last Day is Yawm ul-Hasra, the Day of Regret. So let us be among those who regret having not doing more and not of those who regret having never doing anything at all. O Allah remind us to remember You at times of weakness and vulnerability. May we as Believers love each other and advise each other in righteousness and stand firmly against all forces and matters oppossing our unity, our allegiance to "la ilaha ill Allah" and our path to Jennah al-Firdous. Ameen.
Bismillah, alhamdulillah wa-salaatu wa-salaamu 'ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa-ashabihi wa salaam tasleman katheera
