Purification of the Soul

Six Etiquettes of Learning

Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullah - said{qluetip title=[1]}The following are some points of benefit - extracted from the various works of the Shaykh pertaining to purification of the souls and curing the diseases of the hearts.{/qluetip}:

"There are six stages to knowledge:

1. Asking questions in a good manner;
2. Remaining quiet and listening attentively;
3. Understanding well;
4. Memorising;
5. Teaching;
6. And it is its fruit: Acting upon the knowledge and keeping to its limits." {qluetip title=[2]}Miftah Dar as-Sa'adah ( p.283).{/qluetip}

Fruits of Humility

Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullah - said: "One of the Salaf (Pious Predecessors) said: 'Indeed a servant commits a sin by which he enters Paradise; and another does a good deed by which he enters the Fire.' It was asked: 'How is that?' So he replied: 'The one who committed the sin, constantly thinks about it; which causes him to fear it, regret it, weep over it and feel ashamed in front of his Lord - the Most High - due to it. He stands before Allah, broken-hearted and with his head lowered in humility. So this sin is more beneficial to him than doing many acts of obedience, since it caused him to have humility and humbleness - which leads to the servant's happiness and success - to the extent that this sin becomes the cause for him entering Paradise. As for the doer of good, then he does not consider this good a favour from his Lord Upon him. Rather, he becomes arrogant and amazed with himself, saying: 'I have achieved such and such, and such and such.' So this further increases him in self adulation, pride and arrogance - such that this becomes the cause for his destruction.' " {qluetip title=[3]}Al-Wabil as-Sayyib min al-Kalimah at-Tayyib ( p. 15).{/qluetip}

Purifying the Heart

Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullah- said: "There is no doubt that the heart becomes covered with rust, just as metal dishes - silver, and their like - become rusty. So the rust of the heart is polished with dhikr (remembrance of Allah), for dhikr polishes the heart until it becomes like a shiny mirror. However, when dhikr is abandoned, the rust returns; and when it commences then the heart again begins to be cleansed. Thus the heart becoming rusty is due to two matters: sins and ahafah (neglecting remembrance of Allah). Likewise, it is cleansed and polished by two things: istighfar (seeking Allah's forgiveness) and dhikr." {qluetip title=[4]}Al-Wabil as-Sayyib (p.80).{/qluetip}

Jihad Against the Self

"Jihad (striving) against the soul has four stages:

Firstly: To strive in learning guidance and the religion of truth, without which there will be no success. Indeed, there can be no true happiness, nor any delight in this world and in the Hereafter, except through it.

Secondly: Striving to act upon what has been learnt, since knowledge without action will not benefit, rather it will cause harm.

Thirdly: Striving to invite others towards it and to teach those who do not know, otherwise he may be considered from those who hide what Allah has revealed of guidance and clear explanation. Such knowledge will neither benefit, nor save a person from the punishment of Allah.

Fourthly: Striving to be patient and persevering against those who oppose this da'wah (call) to Allah and those who seek to cause harm - patiently bearing all these hardships for the sake of Allah.

When these four stages are completed then such a person is considered to be amongst the Rabbaniyyun. The Salaf were agreed that a scholar does not deserve the title of Rabbani until he recognises and knows the truth, acts upon it, and teaches it to others. So whosoever has knowledge, acts upon it, and teaches this knowledge to others, is considered from the Rabbaniyyun." {qluetip title=[5]}Zad ul-Ma'ad fi Hadi Khayr al-'Ibad (pp.9- 11).{/qluetip}

Trials of the Heart

Ibn al-Qayyim said, whilst commenting upon the following hadith: "Trials and tribulations will be presented to hearts, as a reed mat is interwoven stick by stick. Any heart which absorbs these trials will have a black mark put in it. However, any heart that rejects them will have a white mark put in it. The result is that hearts will be of two kinds: one white like a white stone, which will not be harmed by trials as long as the heavens and earth endure; and the other dark and rusty, like an over-turned vessel; not able to recognise the good, nor reject evil, but rather being absorbed with its desires." {qluetip title=[6]}Related by Muslim (no.144), from Hudhayfah radiallahu 'anhu.{/qluetip}

"The fitan (trials) which are presented to the hearts - and which are the cause of its weakness - are:

1. the trials relating to shahwah (false desire); and
2. the trials relating to shubhah (doubt).

... so the first causes intentions and desires to be corrupted, whilst the second causes knowledge and beliefs to be corrupted." {qluetip title=[7]}Ighathat al-Luhfan (p.40).{/qluetip}

Speaking about such trials, he - rahimahullah - said: "Hearts - when exposed to such fitan (trials) - are of two types:

[The first type]: a heart, which, when exposed to such trials, absorbs it like a sponge that soaks-up water, leaving in it a black stain. Such a heart continues to soak-up the various trials that are presented to it, until it becomes dark and corrupted - which is what is meant by "an over-turned vessel." So when this occurs, two dangerous and deadly diseases take hold of it and plunge it into destruction:

1. Confusing good with evil, so it neither recognises the good, nor rejects the evil. This disease may take hold of it to such an extent that it believes good to be evil; and evil to be good, Sunnah to be bid'ah (innovation); and innovations to be the Sunnah and the truth to be falsehood and falsehood the truth;
2. Judging by its whims and desires, over and against what Allah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam came with being enslaved by its whims and desires and being led by them also.

[The second type]: a white heart in which the light of eeman is bright and its radiance is illuminating. So when trials are presented to such a heart, it rejects and turns away from them. This further increases its light and illumination and its strength." {qluetip title=[8]}Ighathat al-Luhfan (pp. 39-40).{/qluetip}

Four Principles of Worship

"(The ayah): 'You alone do we worship' is built upon four principles:

Ascertaining what Allah and His Messenger love and are pleased with, from (i) the sayings of the heart, (ii) of the tongue; (iii) the actions of the heart and (iv) of the limbs.

So al-'ubudiyyah (servitude and slavery to Allah) is a comprehensive term for all these four stages. The one who actualises them has indeed actualised: 'You alone do we worship.'

The saying of the heart: It is i'tiqad (belief) in what Allah - the Most Perfect - informed about His Self; concerning His Names, His Attributes, His Actions, His Angels, and all that He sent upon the tongue of His Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam.

The saying of the tongue: It is to inform and convey (what Allah has revealed), to call to it, defend it, to explain the false innovations which oppose it, to establish its remembrance and to convey what it orders.

The action of the heart: Such as love for Him, reliance upon Him, repenting to Him, having fear and hope in Him, making the Din purely and sincerely for Him, having patience in what He orders and prohibits, having patience with what He decrees and being pleased with it, having allegiance and enmity for His sake, humbling oneself in front of Him and having humility in front of Him, becoming tranquil with Him and other than this from the actions of the heart which are actually connected to the action of the limbs ... and actions of the limbs without the action of the heart is of little benefit if any benefit at all.

The action of the limbs: Such as prayer and Jihad, attending the Jumu'ah and being with the Jama'ah, aiding those who are unable and displaying goodness and kindness to the creation, and other than this." {qluetip title=[9]}Madarij as-Salikin (1/100-101).{/qluetip}

In Today's Society, What Can One Do To Protect His Iman, Improve His Character And Be The Muslim He Wants To Be?

As one of only two Muslims in a small Kentucky town one summer, it was hard not to notice the stares. Coming from a mostly Muslim setting, it was a difficult adjustment for the sixth-grader visiting Christian relatives. "I felt I went from being a perfectly normal, happy child with many interests and friends, to something akin to a monster." Everything about her suddenly became wrong; and so, beyond the eyes of the Ummah, some set about fixing her. "The funny thing is that I was taught to have a healthy respect for Allah's revelations. And that, in part, is what they used against me. I was in a nightmare filled with emotional vampires and spiritual cannibals and I knew this was not the teachings of the honorable Prophet Isa 'alayhis salam. But I wanted to be liked and accepted."

The second-generation Muslim, and seventh generation American, left the town with her faith shaken in a God who could have put her through that, and in her belief in the inherent goodness and oneness of people. But mostly her iman, her faith in Allah now felt just beyond her reach. Her better instincts had been dulled. She'd done a few things she felt ashamed of and she sometimes lapsed into small bouts of depression. There was a small ball of anger eating at her gut. She didn't think she could ever tell anyone about her experiences. She just wanted to be left alone ...

IMAN

Your Most Value Possession

In a time when faith in God is many times considered a weakness, where the relationship between cause and effect are bandied about as negotiable, iman may seem like a fantasy at best, an albatross at worst. The line between right and wrong is deliberately blurred, redrawn and blurred again. Throughout time-ancient as well as modern-examples of what comes of the convolutions of mankind abound. Yet still we allow ourselves to be guided into the web of the true delusion: that in going against the blueprint for mankind that Allah reiterates in the Qur'an, we can cheat the fate our own hands wring, that among ourselves we make adequate lesser gods.

Anyone who contemplates the verses of the Qur'an will find people are ultimately responsible for their own deeds. Allah is not unjust to anyone, that the reason behind a person's deviations is one's own self. Deeds, by heart or limb, result in steadfastness or perversion. They are linked together in the same fashion a consequence is linked to its cause and an effect to its influence. And sometimes Allah plots for you a course of hills, valleys and straight-aways that will ultimately make the legs of your din - your iman -lean and well-muscled.

Shoring Up Your Character

Allah guides those who perform good deeds. And the more we do, the more guidance we receive. Likewise, evil doing feeds on itself. Ibn al-Qayyim said, "This is because Allah likes good deeds and rewards on them, and abhors evil deeds, and punishes for them." Scholars have taken this truth and crafted the rule: "Recompense is according to deeds."

Here are a few Qur'anic verses relating to the loss of guidance and decrease in iman:

"So when they turned away (from the path of Allah), Allah turned their hearts away (from the right path)." [Al-Qur'an 61:5]

"I shall turn away from My signs those who behave arrogantly on the earth in a wrongful manner. If they see all the signs they will not believe in them. And if they see the way of righteousness, they will not adopt that way." [Al-Qur'an 7:146]

"And recite to them (O Muhammad) the story of the one to whom We gave our verses (signs), but he turned them away, so Satan followed him up, and he became of those who went astray. Had he willed We would surely have elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desires. So his description is the that of a dog; if you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out." [Al-Qur'an 7:175-176]

The last verse tells us that some even have knowledge, but instead of applying it, they choose to follow their whims and worldly desires. In the end they lose their blessing and stray from Allah.

The young girl was eventually ensconced within the circle of her Muslim community but she had changed. She felt disconnected somehow. "I always did good deeds and tried to be helpful. I made good grades. But I was trying to sort out my relationship with people and was trying to see myself. My anger had turned to hatred and I thought that feeling, that rush made me brave. But it wasn't my nature, to feed off of that kind of negativity. It wasn't who I thought Allah wanted me to be. It wasn't what my family brought me up to be. I could never reach my potential holding on to that baggage. "There was a time when I feared nothing but Allah. And now I had to admit that I feared what people could do when they discover you're different. Going to school, walking to the store, meeting new people, voicing an opinion ... " The more she hid and tried to blend in, the more obvious it became that she was different. "I didn't gossip. I dressed modestly. I stood up for what I felt was right. I thought globally ... I achieved things and some people admired me. But that made me uncomfortable because I knew that any good that came my way or through me was the will of Allah. I never really belonged. I had yet to really stand up for myself, to allow people to get to know me on my own terms. I had created something of a prison for myself that only I knew I was in." Everyone is solely responsible for his/her deviation. Allah does not oppress anyone. Nor does Allah turn away servants when they sincerely strive for guidance. Allah is the Most Just. And He is the Most Merciful.

Deviation from the right path and the degradation of iman are a result of one's own deeds and a reflection of one's own behavior and character. Muslims must always be aware of that. They should assume they will face challenges sometimes and be ready to protect themselves and to heal and to grow. The first step towards achieving that is to know why and how does it happen. Most times it isn't the big wars that defeat a people, it is the little internal skirmishes which go unmet that eat away at character long before a clear enemy comes knocking on a half-opened door.

When We Slip

Iman is the core of all actions. It is the motivation necessary for a Muslim to accomplish whatever needed to lead a good life. Depending on the strength of his iman, a person may or may not be able to abandon sinning, strive against his own desire and compel his soul to take heed.

The strength of iman does not only show itself in the apparent deeds; true iman actually fills and saturates the heart. Allah's Messenger, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, pointed out " ... three (factors), whoever has them will find the sweetness of iman: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than any thing else, that he loves a person solely for the sake of Allah, and that he hates to revert to disbelieve, as he hates being thrown into hellfire." [Bukhari and Muslim] In another hadith, Allah's Messenger, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "(He has) experienced the taste of iman, who is contented that Allah as his Lord (Rabb), Islam as his religion and Mohammed as a Prophet." [Muslim]

We have to be certain that our iman is deeply rooted into our hearts. A person may repent to Allah, following the path of righteousness, yet iman may not have entered his heart. So, at the first sign of destructive desires, doubts set in and convictions dissipate. Signs that this disease has entered the heart include rigidity of our hearts, courage in committing sins and laziness toward good deeds.

Balance Iman with Islamic Knowledge

Just as a person needs iman for motivation, action and strength in the heart, he, likewise, needs knowledge, to do what is right, rectify his worship and purify his turning to Allah alone. When iman and Islamic knowledge are deeply rooted into a person's heart, there remains no possibility for him to turn away from the path of righteousness. "The seizing of amanah (trustworthiness) and iman is not the seizing of knowledge," Ibn Taymiyyah said, "For it is known that a person may be bequeathed with iman even though he lacks knowledge. An iman like this one could be snatched from his heart - like the iman of Bani Isra'il after they saw the calf. As for the one bequeathed with both, knowledge and iman, iman is never seized from his breast and such a person never reverts from Islam. Conversely, if one is bequeathed with Qur'an alone or iman alone, iman can be seized and this is the reality. We have seen it often that the most to revert from Islam are those who recite Qur'an, without understanding or iman, or those who possess iman without knowledge and Qur'an. But as for the one who has acquired Qur'an and iman, and hence obtained knowledge, for this one, iman is never seized from his heart and Allah knows best." [Majmu al-Fatawa 18/305].

The mere memorization of the Qur'an and concepts does not mean one has acquired knowledge, especially since the Qur'an is read by the munafiq (hypocrite), the mu'min (believer) and the illiterate. Al-Hasan al-Basri said, "Knowledge is of two types; knowledge in the heart and knowledge on the tongue. So knowledge in the heart is the useful one while knowledge on the tongue is Allah's argument against His servants."

Seeking Islamic knowledge saves thoughts from turning to desires and sins because there is no spare time, and because those things pale in the face of the joy of the revelation of truth. He will be so engrossed in the pleasure of acquiring knowledge such that the chance of him looking for activities that may weaken his iman or cause him to deviate will be minimum.

Allah says, "You counted it a little thing while it was very great in the sight of Allah." [Al-Qur'an 24:15] Some companions said, as reported by Anas, "You are doing deeds which you view to be finer than a hair, but we, in the days of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to consider them as major sins." [Bukhari]

Viewing sins as little things has adverse effects:

1. The sins multiply in the sight of Allah;
2. The path of repentance becomes distant, since he does not anymore feel a need for it. It is the one who realizes its severity, adheres to making istighfar (asking for forgiveness) and regretfully seeks repentance from Allah who has his sin erased;
3. He is drawn to individuals similarly engrossed. This alone is among the major factors behind a person's deviation. Moreover, it results in him avoiding the gatherings where Allah is remembered. As a result, opportunities that would otherwise help him remain steadfast on good deeds are missed; and
4. The sin becomes a hard habit to break. Even if the sins are minor, they gather around a person leading him to devastation, as Allah's Messenger warned. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "Beware of viewing the sins as little for they gather upon a person till he is devastated and Allah's Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, has coined a similitude for it as a group of people stopped in a desert and the cook among them arrived. So a person would go and bring one stick, and another one would go and bring one stick till they gathered many of them, lit a fire and brought to ripeness all that they have thrown in it." [Authentic. Ahmad]

Arrogance and Pride are Traps

These two attributes are among the worst for man to acquire. Arrogance and pride led Iblis (Satan) astray, although he was in the company of the angels. That happened because, Allah tells us, "I (Iblis) am better than him (Adam). You created me from fire and him You created from clay." [Al-Qur'an 7:12]

If one does not rid himself of arrogance and pride, an end similar to that of Satan is a sure result. But even a little part of them-especially if related to how one views one's worship-can very devastating to one's iman:

• Claiming perfection leads one to not feel the need to improve himself through good deeds and other means of nurturing his iman. But iman as stated by scholars either increases or decreases. Therefore, it will certainly decrease when one does not work hard to increase it with a lot good deeds.
• Admiring one's own deeds results in the gradual relinquishment of worshipping Allah, because worship is based on humbling oneself to Him and acknowledging that all the gratefulness is to Allah and to Him alone. How could one be proud of his deeds while Allah's Messenger, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to say, "None of you will be saved because of his deeds." They asked, "Not even you Oh Allah's Messenger?" He said, "No, not even me, except that Allah bestows me with His mercy." [Bukhari and Muslim]
• When one loses the fear of requital it becomes easy to forget about falling from the straight path. A sense of security in this aspect can be the first step towards falling a victim to it. Would such an arrogant person continually beseech Allah for guidance and seek steadfastness on his path?
• Vanity leads to backbiting and rumor mongering. Moreover, whomever mocks his brother about a particular sin will not die till he himself succumbs to it.

As the little sister grew, she continued to work at healing and finally, through salah, good deeds and study was able to rid herself of much of the scars of the past. Though it was painful, she admits she learned some valuable lessons that helped shape her din and character, strengthen her iman and define her sense of humanity..

Tackle Tarbiyah with Joy

After a person has turned to Allah in repentance, he leaves behind an enormous amount of evil ideas, perceptions and habits. It is not possible to get rid of all the past by a mere repentance to Allah. A personal training effort (tarbiyah) is required to erase all the effects. An effort that ingrains the right iman and sufficient Islamic knowledge to further pave the road with a firm foundation. Taking a quick look at the apostasy events that occurred in the days of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, much evidence supports this fact. Was there any among the Muhajirin or Ansar who defected? Were there any defectors among those who witnessed the battle of Badr? Or the Ridwan Pledge? Or those who accepted Islam in its initial phase? Were there any of those among the apostates about whom Allah says, "Only those are the believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Those, they are the truthful." [Al-Qur'an 49:15]

Most of the apostates/defectors comprised those who had just recently entered the circle of Islam and had not yet received the type of training that would instil iman and its branches in their heart. Mere repentance and an apparent change are neither the first step nor the last. In fact, it is only one step in the right direction, which is followed by putting in an effort to attain iman and taqwa. To attain iman and taqwa, find a group which assists through regular encounters. One cannot be expected to experience the fruits of brotherhood and sisterhood, when isolated and not practically involved with others. Find an appropriate example that can help one stand up against daily challenges by holding tight to the rope of Allah altogether.

However, the being within a group must hinder one from developing his own formidable relationship with Allah in the form of deeds far away from the sight of people. One must spend the effort in worship at night, charity, siyam, seeking knowledge and so on. One must try to create an intuition of individual responsibility within himself as it is established in the Qur'an, "Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of his own self. And whoever goes astray, then he goes astray to his own loss. No one laden with burdens can bear someone else's burden." [Al-Qur'an 17:15]

Furthermore, Allah's Messenger, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, explains how a person is responsible and accountable for his own deeds by saying, "There is none among you but his Lord will speak to him without an interpreter. He will look to his right and will find only his deeds. He will look to his left and will find only his deeds ... " (Bukhari & Muslim) All this and much more must make a person aware that his being in a group is good and recommended, but still it does not exempt him from the individual responsibility he has to account for on the Day of Judgment.

Predominance of Desires

Deviation from the right path is caused by one of the two factors - either doubt which has mixed with clarity and truth, or desires which predominated a persons heart and hence, deviated and obstructed him from the truth and obeying Allah, a factor clearly noticed in our days.

The ones who repent and turn to Allah are just as human as any one else - they desire as others do. The problem of lustful desires begins primarily with an evil look or idea and ends with flooded actions or an erupted volcano leading a person to perversion.

You find a person following the path which pleases Allah but once he sights something forbidden (e.g., a beautiful woman), a struggle in his heart begins; the light of iman is kindled within him calling him to repent and turn to Allah. Eventually, the pitch of this call is reduced and the call of the desire rises. In this way, an immense struggle within begins. At one stage, the call of iman might predominate and he overcomes this hurdle, even if the dust of the sin might have touched him, which he immediately washes off with repentance and good deeds.

On the other hand, he might respond due to a weakness in iman and the light of desire rises and predominates, ensnaring his heart and obstructing any chances of turning to Allah. As a result, he falls victim to the sin and can not turn to Allah in repentance, which would raise him from this downfall. At this moment, he would say to himself, "You have already been affected by the dirt of sin, so you might as well keep on going. So many times you have tried to repent, but to no avail. You are weak, there remains no hope for you to repent, and your way is different from that of the pious!"

The Ugly Gut of Excessiveness

Whenever Allah commands us to do something, Satan incites us to fall into either extreme - either exaggerating the act on one hand or be negligent and careless about it on the other. Even though the latter is a common phenomenon with many, Satan chooses to incite one towards the opposite extreme of exaggeration and immoderation. Accordingly, we have been warned against taking such an approach as Allah says, "Say, O people of the scripture, exceed not the units in your religion." [Al-Qur'an 5:77]

And Allah's Messenger, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "Beware of ghulu (excessiveness) in religion, for indeed, what devastated those before you was ghulu in religion." [Nisa'i] In another hadith he said, "Those who go to extremes (in preaching their religion) were killed and destroyed." [Muslim]

Being immoderate in worship is a deviation in itself, but nevertheless, it is not the end of the road. When a person takes the first step towards immoderation, he overloads himself in a manner while an easier path could have been opted for. One might be capable of enduring this path for some time, but eventually after recognizing the tiresome effort he had to sacrifice, he starts contemplating a retrieve. But here, the excitement which led him in the first place to chose the road of extreme immoderation will not be sufficient to return him to the road of balance and moderation. In fact, it will transfer him to the opposite extreme of negligence and carelessness. None of this overburdening approach is encouraged in Islam since we should always remember that our deeds alone are not good enough for us to enter Jannah. Allah's Messenger, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, clarified this by saying, "Be moderate and practice the same in proportion and know that your deeds will not make you enter Jannah and the most beloved deeds to Allah are those which are regularly done even if they were little."

Choose Friends Wisely

There is no doubt that the company of friends influences the formation of our characters. For this reason, Allah's Messenger, said, "A person is influenced by his companions religion, so watch who your companions are." [Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi] This influence is acquired from two aspects:

1. The first is acquired in the company of relatives, neighbors, school and all those with whom a person is compelled to spend time.
2. The second type of influence is acquired within more religious company which is likely to meet those who are less concerned. Though they pray and fast, they are less serious in carrying the message of Islam, da'wah, sacrifice, etc. And if a person's faith is weak and is inclined towards desire and negligence, he will find comfort in this company.

The effects of this influence become apparent through certain factors that include doing things he never used to do before. He begins considering those on the deviated path as examples in life and as a result, he starts imitating them saying, "If he can do this, why can't I?"

He begins to please others at the expense of pleasing Allah by performing actions never done before or abandoning some good deeds. He abandons, for example, praying sunnah, or starts showing up late for congregation salah, starts getting used to watching and hearing forbidden things - as a result, he even stops forbidding the evil. All this is no doubt a consequence of weak iman and the influence of either a bad company or a group who are less serious with Islam and more inclined towards desire.

Steadfast

On the Path to Righteousness

Change can happen sometimes in the blink of an adjusted perspective. For many Muslims living in the West, it is simply the realization that it is just as hard to live in a self-styled prison of ego and desire as it is to strive toward the right path. Freedom of choice and religion only develops and grows when it is exercised.

There is no doubt that the diagnosis of the causes behind an individual's deviation is a primary step towards treatment. But what is the cure?

Concentrate on tarbiyah (constant self-development) particularly from the spiritual aspect. See everyday challenges as an opportunity to exercise truth, patience, good deeds, courage and constancy. One is encouraged to nurture his iman by performing righteous deeds as Allah says, "O you who believe, believe in Allah and His Messenger ... " [Al-Qur'an 4:136] Usually, iman is present in the hearts of people but still, they are encouraged to nurture and increase it.

Be Sincere and Truthful to Allah

Ikhlas (sincerity) is a privileged characteristic for those who seek Allah's pleasure. Its absence displaces a person's deeds, and it is a requirement by everyone as Allah says, "And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allah, making their religion sincere for him and offer salat perfectly and give zakah and that is the right religion." [Al-Qur'an 98:5] Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah's mercy be upon him, further clarifies the effect of ikhlas and truthfulness on a persons perseverance on the path of Islam. He said, "A person experiences difficulty in abandoning (bad) habits and customs only if he does so for the sake of other than Allah. As for he who abandons them truthfully and sincerely with his heart, he does not experience any difficulty except in the first attempt, to be tested whether he was truthful or not. So if he remains a little patient during that difficulty, desire would not last any longer."

Being Fearful of an Evil Death

A sincere believer must be overwhelmed with the fear of dying in a state that would displease Allah. This was the condition of the righteous predecessors - due to a constant fear of an evil death while in a state of Islam since, if a person falls victim to a sin, a state of negligence and transgression, it overpowers his heart and mind. A state in which his light is extinguished, and his vision blocked - a moment when no reminder would benefit - here, death might surprise him. He would die in a state that would attain the wrath of Allah. Therefore, one must always be fearful of an evil death and hence, use every moment in a manner that pleases Allah, even though uncertain whether it is accepted by Allah or not. He says, "And those who give that which they give (good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether accepted or not) because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning)." [Al-Qur'an 23:60]

Du'a

Supplication is a Muslim's refuge and resort when he is encountered with hardship in this world. One must always turn to Allah and seek His assistance. Allah's Messenger used to supplicate, "O turner of the heart, make my heart steadfast on your religion." [Tirmidhi] And he also used to say, "O Allah, increase my knowledge and do not let my heart deviate (from the truth) after you have guided me and grant me mercy from You. Truly, you are the bestower." [Al-Qur'an 3:8] These and many other forms and occasions of supplication makes one realize his need to invoke Allah for guidance searching for its causes and abstaining from all that blocks a persons urge to obtain it.

Persistence in Doing Good

The best of deeds and the most beloved of it are those which a person does constantly as Allah's Messenger said, "And the most beloved of deeds to Allah are those which are regularly done even if they were little." [Bukhari and Muslim] Regular persistence in doing good deeds eventually becomes a habit and a part of ones daily life after an initial struggle to practice it. This persistence in good deeds (salat, charity, siyam, and dhikr ...) will make one live in the light of steadfastness and righteousness, and far away from deviation and its causes.

Advice and Counseling

When someone starts showing the signs of deviation, he must be immediately advised, as it is one of the rights on a fellow Muslim. Jabir ibn Abdullah said, "I made a pledge to Allah's Messenger to offer salah, pay zakah and advise every Muslim." [Bukhari and Muslim] Counseling one another was the trend practiced by the companions of the Messenger of Allah and if any of them showed any signs of weakness, they would never hesitate in advising him. This must be our case. We must not ignore anyone at the time of his weakness in iman, because such ignorance is a way of assisting Satan against our brother.

Participating in the Da'wah Work

There are many fruits obtained doing da'wah. One who strives in seeking guidance for people is certainly guided by Allah. The one, who calls people to do good deeds, will in turn be motivated to perform the deeds he is asking people to do. Being involved in da'wah keeps one from acts that might result in deviation. There is a sweetness of iman a person feels when he observes people turning to Allah instead of observing things forbidden by Him.

After spending some time pondering over this problem and its causes and remedies it is clear that iman is a blessing for which we each must strive. If it is missing, it is we who misunderstand or underestimate the power of our relationship with Allah. We must acknowledge the great value of strong iman. It is a lifelong challenge we must accept with joy. And for those who succeed, they will be the first to acknowledge that it is not due to their mental agility or consistent efforts as much as it is a bounty from Allah, a bounty that deserves to be protected and cared for in our hearts and in our lives.

The Path of the Believers

Imam ibn Abi Jamrah said:

"Indeed the scholars have said regarding the statement of Allah:

' … And follows other than the Path of the Believers, We will turn him to what he has turned to … ' [Al-Qur'an 3:115]

that what is meant by it is the Companions, and the first generation, because they themselves were the first ones to encounter opposition to the sunnah. So they cured it by the best of questions about what took place in their souls due to some ambiguity. So he (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) answered them with the best of answers, and explained to them with the most complete of explanations. So they listened, and they understood, and they acted, and they perfected, and they memorized, and they mastered, and they believed. So they have a tremendous virtue over us. It is through them that we can connect our rope to the rope of our leader, Muhammad (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), and to the Rope of our Protector." {qluetip title=[1]}Bahjatun-Nufus (1/4).{/qluetip}

From the Fruits of Iman

Imam as-Sa'di said:

"So from them is that complete faith (iman) negates dwelling in the Fire. Faith - even if it is little - prohibits one from dwelling it.

So if one has faith - and he offers the obligatory duties, and abandons the prohibitions - then he will not enter the Fire, as has been frequently reported in authentic ahadith from the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) regarding this principle. Likewise, it has been frequently reported from him that the one who has something of faith in his heart, will not dwell in the Fire, even if it is little." {qluetip title=[2]}At-Tawdih wal-Bayan li Shajaratil-Iman (p. 55-56). This statement is derived from the hadith of Abu Dharr mentioned in Bukhari (7/149), and in Muslim (1/66), and in Tirmidhi (10/133), and in al-Mishkat al-Masabih (1/5), and in the ahadith of Jabir, and Ibn Mas'ud mentioned in Sahih Muslim (1/65-66).{/qluetip}

Good Manners

From Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu 'anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:

"The most complete of the believers in faith (iman), is the best of them in manners." {qluetip title=[3]}Related by Ahmad (2/250), Tirmidhi (no. 2612), Abu Dawud (no. 4683), al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (1/53), Ibn Hibban (2/227). Shaykh Muhammad Nasir ud-Din al-Albani declared it good (hasan): as-Sahihah (nos. 284, 751), Sahih ul-Jami' (no. 1230), and Al-Iman of Ibn Abi Shaybah (no. 17-20).{/qluetip}

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-'Uthaymin said:

"This hadith should always be in front of the eyes of the believer. So the most complete of the believers in faith, is the best of them in manners with Allah, and with the servants of Allah." {qluetip title=[4]}Sharh al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah (2/353).{/qluetip}

Learning and Implementing the Qur'an

'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (radiallahu ta'ala 'anhuma) said:

"We used to learn ten ayat, not increasing upon them until we had implemented them." {qluetip title=[5]}Related by Ibn Jarir at-Tabari with an authentic chain of narrators. See Basa'ir Dhush-Sharaf (p. 138) of Shaykh Salim al-Hilali.{/qluetip}

Abu 'Abdur Rahman as-Sulami (rahimahullahu ta'ala 'anhu) said:

"Verily we took this Qur'an from a people about whom it was reported to us that if they learned ten ayat, they would not move onto another ten until they had learned what was in them. So we used to learn the Qur'an and implement it. Verily the Qur'an will be inherited after us to a people who will retain it in a way that water is retained. It will not pass beyond their collar bones, rather it will not pass beyond here," and he put his hand upon his throat. {qluetip title=[6]}Related by Ibn Sa'd in Tabaqat ul-Kubra (6/172).{/qluetip}

The Heart Knowing Allah

Imam al-Bukhari said:

"Chapter: the saying of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam): 'I have more knowledge of Allah than you all.' And that ma'rifah (knowledge/realization) is an action of the heart about which Allah, the Exalted, says:

'But He will call you to account for what your hearts have earned.' [Al-Qur'an 2:225]" {qluetip title=[7]}Related by al-Bukhari (1/88).{/qluetip}

Al-Hafidh ibn Rajab said:

"So hearts will not be corrected until the ma'rifah of Allah - being in awe of Him, loving Him, fearing Him, relying and trusting in Him, hoping in Him - is not firmly implanted in them. This is the reality of Tawhid and the meaning of the statement La ilaha illallah (None has the right to be worshipped except Allah). So the hearts cannot be corrected until Allah is made the ilah (deity) to be known, loved, feared and hoped for; and that He becomes the only deity worthy of this - without associating any partners with Him in this. So know that the world - whatever is above and whatever is below in the waters - will not be corrected, except when the actions of its people are all for Allah's sake. Since the actions of the body follow from the actions and intentions of the heart, then when the heart's actions and intentions are only to Allah alone, then it is corrected, and all the actions of the body will likewise be corrected. However, if the actions and intentions of the heart are directed to other than Allah, then it is corrupted, and likewise, all the actions of the body will be corrupted in proportion to how much the heart has been corrupted." {qluetip title=[8]}Jami' al-'Ulum wal-Hikam (p. 120).{/qluetip}

The Guidance of the Scholars

Imam al-Ajurri said:

"Consider - may Allah have mercy upon you - a path thwarted with great dangers, yet people need to traverse it, even in the darkness of night. If there were no light upon this path, the people would be terrified. However, Allah gave them a guiding light by which they were able to traverse this path in peace and safety. Then came groups of people who also needed to traverse this path, so they traversed it. However, during this time the guiding light became extinguished and the people returned to a state of darkness. So what would your opinion be about their condition? This is the example of the scholars and the common people. Most people do not know how to fulfill their obligatory duties, nor how to avoid prohibited matters, nor how to worship Allah correctly - all of this they learn from the scholars. So with the death of the scholars, mankind returns to a state of anxiety and terror, the teaching of knowledge dies whilst ignorance prevails - what an enormous calamity this is for the Muslims. Indeed to Allah we belong and to Him we all return." {qluetip title=[9]}Akhlaq ul-'Ulama (p. 28){/qluetip}

The Gradual Decline of the Ummah

Shaykh Muhammad Nasir ud-Din al-Albani said:

"It must also be known that his (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) statement: 'A time will not come upon you, except that that which comes after it will be worse - until you meet your Lord.' {qluetip title=[10]}Related by al-Bukhari (no. 7068).{/qluetip} Then this hadith must be understood in light of the preceding ahadith as well as in the light of others - such as the ahadith about the Mahdi and also the descent of 'Isa ('alayhis salam) which show that this hadith is not be understood as having no exceptions, rather it is general and has exceptions. Thus, it is not permissible to cause the people to understand it as being unrestricted, such that they fall into despair - which no believer should have as an attribute.

'Indeed no one despairs of the Mercy of Allah except those who disbelieve.' [Al-Qur'an 12:87]" {qluetip title=[11]}Silsilatus-Sahihah (1/8).{/qluetip}

Signs of the People of Innovation and Desires

Imam Waki' Ibn al-Jarrah ar-Ra'usi said:

"The people of knowledge write what is in their favour and what is against them. However, the people of desires (ahwa) do not write anything except what is in their favour." {qluetip title=[12]}Related in the Sunan of ad-Daraqutni (1/26).{/qluetip}

Imam Abi Hatim ar-Razi said:

"A sign of the people of innovation is that they fight the people of narrations (ahlul-athar)." {qluetip title=[13]}Sharh Usul ul-I'itiqad (1/39) of Imam al-Lalika'i.{/qluetip}

The Islamic State

Shaykh Muhammad Nasir ud-Din al-Albani said:

"In conclusion I say, there is a statement by one of the du'at (callers to Allah) - I was given hope in its imperativeness and correctness from following it - it is 'Establish the Islamic State in your hearts, it will be established for you in you land.' So if the creed of the Muslim is correct - built upon the Book and the Sunnah - then there is no doubt that due to this, his worship will become corrected and his manners will become corrected and his dealings will become corrected.

However, this good statement - unfortunately - is not acted upon by these people. So they go astray with shouting demands for the establishment of the Islamic state, but to no avail. Indeed that poet - by Allah - spoke truthfully about them: 'You desire salvation, but you do not tread its path. Verily the boat does not sail upon dry land.' " {qluetip title=[14]}At-Tahdhir min Fitnat at-Takfir (p. 88-89). This is from the poetry of Imam ash-Shafi'i, see his Diwan (p. 86), with the checking of Muhammad 'Abdul Mun'am al-Khaffagi.{/qluetip}

Sins Deaden the Heart

Imam at-Tirmidhi said:

"From Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu 'anhu) that the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: 'When a servant commits a sin, a black spot appears upon his heart, so if he desists, seeks forgiveness and makes repentance; then his heart is cleansed. And if he returns (to the sin), it (the black spot) is increased until it takes over the heart. And it is the filth that Allah mentions:

'But no! It is the covering of sins which is upon their hearts because of what they used to do.' [Al-Qur'an 83:14]' " {qluetip title=[15]}Jami' at-Tirmdhi (1/123).{/qluetip}

Imam ibn Abil 'Izz al-Hanafi reported that Ibn al-Mubarak - may Allah have mercy upon him - said:

"I see that sins deaden the heart,

And doing so continuously produces despicableness.

Abandoning sins is the life of the heart,

And rebelling against them is better for your yourself.

And has anything destroyed the Religion,

Except kings and evil scholars and evil monks?" {qluetip title=[16]}Sharh al-'Aqidah at-Tahawiyyah (p. 208).{/qluetip}

Speaking Against the Scholars

Imam ibn 'Asakir said:

"Know - O my brother, may Allah bring us into conformity with what pleases Him, and make us from those who fear Him and are conscious of Him in a manner which He truly deserves - that the flesh of the scholars is poisonous, and the practice of Allah in disgracing those who belittle and revile them is well known. Rather slandering them - by that which they are free of - is a great matter, and to take away their honour by means of falsehood and lies is a hotbed of evil and vice. An offense against one whom Allah has chosen to revive knowledge by is a blameworthy characteristic. And to perpetrate a crime which the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) forbade is from the most significant slander.

'So let those who oppose his command beware that a trial befall them or that they be stricken by a painful punishment.' [Al-Qur'an 24:63]" {qluetip title=[17]}Tabyin Kadthib al-Muftari (p. 29-30).{/qluetip}

Knowing the Good and the Evil

'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud heard a man saying:

"Whoever does not command the good and prohibit the evil is ruined!"

So he replied to the man: "Whoever does not know the good and the evil in his heart is ruined." {qluetip title=[18]}Mu'jamul-Kabir (9/112) of Imam at-Tabarani{/qluetip}

Al-Hafidh ibn Rajab al-Hanbali said:

"Ibn Mas'ud indicates that knowledge of the good and the evil in the heart is an obligation from which no one is exempt. So whoever does not know it is ruined." {qluetip title=[19]}Jami' al-'Ulum (2/245).{/qluetip}

And these are the adhan, purification, covering one's awrah, facing the qiblah, standing, the intention, the takbir, seeking refuge, the basmalah, the recitation of Fatihah and another surah, the ruku, sujud and tashahhud.

The Adhan

When you hear the call of adhan then make the terror of the call on the Day of Judgement present in your heart and prepare yourself externally and internally to respond and race towards it. Those who race to answer this call are the ones who will be called out with benevolence on the Day of Judgement. Remember also the description which Allah, the Most High, has given to the hypocrites when he said:

"And when they stand for the prayer they stand without earnestness (lazy)."

The description of the believers is the opposite of that. They stand for the prayer whilst rejoicing and with eargerness and liveliness, turning themselves towards Allah.

The Purification

When you purify yourself in your home which is the furthest place (from the place of prayer), then your clothes which is your nearest covering and then your skin which is your lowest and innermost covering do not forget to purify your heart with repentance, remorse, firm resolution not to return to sins, and avoiding injustices (to others). The purification of the inner self precedes the purification of the external form.

Covering One's Awrah

It's meaning is that you conceal the undesirable parts of the body from the creation. But bring to mind along with this the ugly traits and characteristics and the scandals of your inner self. Try to bring about modesty and feel shameful in front of Allah from Whom no secret is hidden as it is not possible to cover it.

Facing the Qiblah

This is turning your face away from all other directions to the direction of the House of Allah. Know that it is also obligatory to turn the heart away from all other things towards Allah. Thus there occurs in one of the opening supplications of the prayer: "I have turned my face towards the One Who Created the heavens and the earth, sincerely." The purpose is the turning of the heart towards Allah and its sincerity towards Him after the body has been made to face the House of Allah.

The Standing

This is making the body and the heart stand erect, upright in front of Allah. Bring to mind along with this the standing in front of Allah on the Day of Judgement for questioning and try to feel and sense the Might of Allah. Prepare yourself to stand in front of Him (in prayer) in such a way that it will lead you to safety on the Day of Judgement.

The Intentions

Fill your intention with sincerity to Allah, hoping for His reward, fearing His punishment and loving His nearness. Train and nurture yourself to recall this sincere intention along with every speech and action and know that none will be saved on the Day of Judgement except the sincere ones. Every action which has a desire for other than Allah is adulterated and obscured. Allah said regarding this:

"And We shall turn to whatever actions they did and make them into scattered dust."

The Takbir

When you declare the takbir with your tongue it is desirable that your heart does not treat it as having lied. If there is something in your heart which is greater than Allah, the Sublime, or your hawa (whim and desire) is greater to you than Allah and you are more obedient to it than to Allah, the Exalted, then you have taken it as a god and your will have declared its greatness. So your saying: Allahu-Akbar will have been but a mere expression of the tongue and the heart will have refrained from supporting the tongue. If it had not been for repentance, seeking forgiveness and harbouring good thoughts about Allah's generosity and forgiveness this would have been one of the greatest dangers.

Seeking Refuge

Know that this means seeking a sanctuary with Allah, the Mighty, from Shaytan, the Rejected and Accursed, the one who lies in wait for you, jealous of your private conversation with your Lord and of your ruku' and sujud to Him, along with the fact that he did not agree to or offer a single prostration to Him. He has made it his concern to prevent you and cut you off from conversing privately with your Lord by his whisperings about the concerns and affairs of the world and its engagements and occupations until he prevents you from the honour of secretly conversing with Allah, its blessing and its reward. He also tries to cut you off from your Master, whose love and secret conversations make the hearts happy, and from gaining nobility in this life and the herafter by His remembrance and beautiful worship.

The Basmalah

When you pronounce this, intend to receive blessings by the name of Allah along with which nothing in the heavens or the earth can cause harm and He is the All-Hearing the All-Knowing. When you say ar-Rahmanir-Raheem, recall in your heart His various benevolences so that His Mercy becomes manifest to you and hope arises in your heart.

Recitation of the Fatihah

Remember the saying of the Messenger (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), what he has narrated from his Lord: "I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. When the servant says:

All praise belongs to Allah the Rabb of all the Worlds.

Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has praised Me. And when he says:

The Most Gracious the Most Merciful

Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has extolled Me, and when he says:

Master of the Day of Judgement

Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has glorified Me -and on one occasion He said: My servant has submitted to My power. And when he says:

You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help

He says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. And when he says:

Guide us to the Straight Path, the Path of those whom you have favoured, not of those upon whom is your anger, nor of those who are astray

He says: This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for."

An-Nawawi (rahimahullah) said: "The scholars have said the meaning of the word 'prayer' (in this hadith) is the Fatihah ... (His saying) 'I have divided it' is in terms of its meaning because the first half of it contains praise of Allah, His glorification, extolling Him and submitting (one's affairs) to Him and the second half contains a request, an imploration and a need."

Al-Ghazali (rahimahullah) said: "As for the other surah which is recited, you must recite it with reflection and thought, pausing at every verse until you understand its meaning. Allah said, 'Do they not carefully ponder over the Qur'an or are there locks upon their hearts?' "

Do not therefore, be heedless of His commands, prohibitions, promises, threats, admonitions, the stories of His messengers and the mentioning of His favours and bounties (upon His creation). Every one of these has a right upon you. Hope is the right of the promise, fear is the right of the threat, having a firm resolution to obey Him is the right of His commands and prohibitions, taking a lesson and warning is the right of His admonitions, gratefulness is the right of his favour and consideration is the right of the stories He has narrated.

Al-Qasimi (rahimahullah) said: "These meanings are related to the levels of understanding and the levels of understanding are related to the abundance of knowledge and the clarity of the heart. The levels and degrees of this (amongst people) cannot be comprehended. The prayer is the key to the hearts. Within it, the secrets of the words (which are recited) are uncovered. This is the right of the recitation and is also the right of the remembrances, and the glorifications. Then the worshipper should oberve and maintain awe and fear of Allah during his recitation by reciting with tartil (slow rhythmic tones) as this makes it easier to reflect."

The Ruku' and the Sujud

Ibn Qudamah (rahimahullah) said: "Try to feel modesty in your ruku' and humility in your sujud because in such a position you have placed the soul in its proper place. In sujou you have returned the limbs to their place of origin, upon the dust from which they were created. Understand also the meaning of the remembrances with inclination and zeal."

Al-Qasimi (rahimahullah) said: "It is desirable that you renew the mention of the Greatness of Allah the Sublime during them, that you strive to soften your heart, renew your khushu' and that you sense and realise the power of your Master and His transcendency and then your own lowliness and insignificance. Seek help from Allah to establish all of that in your heart and upon your tongue. Glorify Allah (above all defects) then give testimony for His Grandeur and that He is mightier than every single thing. Repeat this so that it is confirmed and established (in your heart). By saying: Allah listens to the one who praises Him, which means He will respond to the one who is grateful to Him, you raise your head from the ruku' with certain hope. Then follow that with additional gratefulness by saying: O Lord to You belongs all praise. Then fall into prostration which is the highest form of submission and yielding oneself (to Allah). Place and fix the noblest of your limbs, the face, upon the lowest of things and that is the dust. Along with this renew in your heart the greatness of Allah and say: Glorified is my Lord the Highest then raise your head while declaring His greatness and asking Him for your need by saying: O Lord forgive me and show mercy to me. Confirm your modesty and humility by repeating this a number times and then return to the sujud for a second time."

The Tashahhud

Al-Ghazali said: "When you sit then sit courteously and declare that all of what you express is from the salawat and the tayyibat, that is from the pure characteristics of Allah. Likewise, that the dominion belongs to Allah, and this the meaning of tahiyyat. Recall in your heart the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his noble personality when you say: Peace be upon the Prophet and the Mercy of Allah and His blessings. Send peace upon yourself and upon all of Allah's sincere slaves. Then testify to the oneness of the Exalted and to the messengership of Muhammad (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) thereby, renewing the covenant with Allah the Sublime with these two words of testification. Send prayers upon the Messenger (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), like those of Ibrahim and then seek refuge in Allah from the four things: Punishment of the Fire, punishment of the grave, the trial of life and death and the trial of Dajjal, the Masih. Then with the final salutations, intend peace and security for the angels and those besides you. Feel grateful to Allah for giving you success and capability over this act of obedience. Fill yourself with awe and humility because you might have been negligent in your prayer and fear that it may not be accepted from you, that you might be disliked for a sin that you committed and as a result of which your prayer is thrown back at your face. Along with all of this hope that Allah will accept your prayer with His Generosity and Bounty."

This then, is the explanation of the prayer of the khashi'in, those who are humble and submissive in their prayers, the ones who guard their prayers, the ones who are constant in offering them, the ones who converse with Allah to the extent that they are able to become enslaved to Him. Let the worshipper turn himself to this prayer, let him rejoice to the extent to which it has been made easy for him and let him be grieved to the extent that the prayer has passed him by, and let him strive to find the cure for that.

As for the prayer of the inattentive and heedless, it is very risky, unless Allah covers him with His Mercy and Allah's Mercy is vast and His Generosity is abounding.

We ask Allah that He covers us with His Mercy and that He showers us with His forgiveness as there is no way for us except to admit our incapacity to perform His obedience.

(s) Risalah Ta'dhim Qadr as-Salat
(t) Abu 'Iyad as-Salafi

All praise is due to Allah, the One in whose hands is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Sovereignty and praise belong to Him and He is a witness over all things. He possesses wisdom in His affairs, in His law and ability. He does as He wishes and judges as He likes and I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone having no partner and that He is the Protector, the Praised.

I also bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger, seal of the Prophets, their leader and chief of the believers, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and upon his family, upon his companions and those who follow them in righteousness until the last day.

To proceed - Verily Allah, the Most High, spoke clearly of the completeness of His power, the perfection of His wisdom and that the command and legislation are for Him alone and that He is the Ruler over His servants as He wishes in regards to security, fear, prosperity, severity, ability, anxiety, deficiency, abundance, etc.

Allah says:

"All that are in the heavens and the earth entreat Him. Every day He is upon some task." [Al-Qur'an 55:29]

So for Allah, the Most High, in His creation there are affairs for which he exercises Judgement, which is sometimes necessitated by His wisdom and His Graciousness, and sometimes by His Wisdom and Justice, and your Lord does not oppress anyone.

"We did not wrong them, but they themselves were unjust." [Al-Qur'an 44:76]

O Muslims, indeed we believe in Allah and His divine decree; indeed having faith in the divine decree of Allah is one of the pillars of belief. We believe that which benefits us from goodness and prosperity, it is from the favour of Allah upon us. It is an obligation upon us to thank the benefactor and patron of this favour by returning to his obedience, abstaining from what He has forbidden and doing what He has commanded. Verily if we stand in obedience to Allah, then we are those that are thankful for His favours and thus are deserving of what Allah has promised us and conferred upon us from an increase of this favour. Allah says:

"And whatsoever blessing you have, it is from Allah ... " [Al-Qur'an 16:53]

And Allah, the Most High, says:

"And when your Lord proclaimed: 'If you are thankful I will increase you. But if you are ungrateful, My torment shall be severe." [Al-Qur'an 14:7]

O Muslims, indeed we who are in this kingdom, we live, and all praise is due to Allah, in safety and prosperity, but this safety and security will not stay forever except by obedience to Allah, the Most High, and until we stand in obedience to Allah, until we command the good and forbid the evil, until we help those who command the good and forbid the evil, because these people who command the good and forbid the evil are the standpoint of the Ummah. They are the ones who drive away the causes for penalty and punishment, so it is upon us to help them and to be amongst their ranks ... it is also upon us, if they make a mistake, to realize the mistake and to warn them from it and to guide them to that within which there is guidance, not that we make an excuse in what they have made a mistake in as a cause of removing them and pushing them away on this basis, indeed this custom is not good ...

O Muslims, indeed whatever befalls the people from harm or constraint be it monetary or from a position of trust, be it upon the individual or the society, then certainly it is because of their sins and their neglect of the commands of Allah and their forgetfulness of the law of Allah and their seeking of judgement amongst the people, without the law of Allah, the One who created the creation and is more merciful to them than their mothers and father and is more knowledgeable about their affairs than they are.

O Muslims, I return to this sentence because of its importance and because of the avoidance that many of the people show to it. Certainly I say (again), indeed whatever befalls the people from harm or constraint be it monetary or from a position of trust, be it upon the individual or the society, then certainly it is because of their sins and their neglect of the commands of Allah and their forgetfulness of the law of Allah and their seeking of judgement amongst the people, without the law of Allah, the One who created the creation and is more merciful to them than their mothers and father and is more knowledgeable about their affairs than they are. Allah, the Most High, says that clearly in His Book so that we become clear on the matter.

Allah, the Most High, says:

"Whatever misfortune befalls you, is for what your own hands have earned, and He pardons much." [Al-Qur'an 42:30]

Whatever has come to us from good favours and security, then it is from Allah. It is He who bestowed it upon us from the beginning to its end. He is the One who conferred benefit upon us and we have become steadfast because of Him. He is the One who conferred benefit upon us and bestowed it amply upon us ...

As for what has befallen us from those things which are evil, from drought, fear and things of this nature that afflict us, then that is from ourselves, we are the reasons for it, we, the ones who have oppressed ourselves and have brought it upon ourselves in ruin and destruction.

O Mankind, verily there are many from the people today who ascribe the difficulties that they are facing (whether they are monetary, economic or political security issues) to material, political or monetary reasons or to limiting factors. There is no doubt that this is from the shallowness of their understanding and the weakness of their faith as well as their heedlessness on the contemplation of the Book of Allah and the prophetic traditions.

O Muslims, O Believers in Allah and His Messenger ... Indeed the basis of these reasons are religious. Reasons for these difficulties are greater, mightier and more severe in their effects than material reasons, but it is possible that the material reasons are placed as an intermediary.

Allah says:

"Corruption has appeared on land and in the sea for what men's hands have earned, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, that they may return." [Al-Qur'an 30:41]

O Mankind, O Muslims, O people of Muhammad, peace be upon him ... Be thankful of the favour of Allah upon you. Indeed you, O people of Muhammad, are the best of peoples and the most noble of them to Allah. Indeed Allah did not place the punishment of this nation upon it's sins and wrong-doings as were the punishments of the nations that came before. He did not bring about a destruction for the Ummah as what transpired with the people of 'Ad when they were destroyed by a ferocious raging wind, that he subjected them with for a gruelling seven nights and eight days, in which you the people fell down demented as if they are the devastated stumps of palm trees - look around, do you think there is anyone left from amongst them?

He did not bring about a punishment similar to that of Thamud, those people that were taken by the loud piercing scream and mighty tremors. Not like the punishment of the people of Lot, those to whom Allah sent upon stones from the sky and Allah turned their houses upside-down.

O Muslims, indeed Allah with His wisdom and His mercy for this nation has placed their penalties upon their wrong-doings and sins in order that they should impose penalties upon each other. Allah, the Most High, has said:

"Say: 'He is Able to send torment upon you from above you or from beneath your feet, or to bewilder you with dissension and make you taste the violence of one another. See how We display the signs so that they may understand.' " [Al-Qur'an 6:65]

And certainly al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir mentioned in his commentary on the Qur'an numerous narrations in connection with this verse. From these narrations is what Imam al-Bukhari authenticated on the authority of Jabir ibn 'Abdillah, may Allah be pleased with them both, where it is reported that when this verse was revealed, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

"I seek refuge in Your Face."

And what has been authenticated by Imam Muslim on the authority of Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

"We were accompanying the Prophet, peace be upon him, until we passed by the mosque of Bani Mu'awiyah. So the Prophet entered the mosque and prayed two rak'at, and we prayed with him. Then he said something in secret to his Lord, the Most High, for a long time. Then he said:

'I asked my Lord for three things; I asked Him that He should not destroy my nation by a flood, so He granted me that and I asked Him not to destroy my nation by a drought as what transpired with the people of the Pharoah so He granted me that, and I asked Him that they did not fight one another, which He has refused to me.' "

And on the authority of Jabir ibn al-Urut, may Allah be pleased with him:

"I came before the Prophet, peace be upon him, at night and we prayed until it was close to the time of the morning prayer, so the Prophet, peace be upon him, ended his prayer. I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, certainly you have prayed this night a prayer that which I have not seen you pray the like of.' The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:

'The reason for that is because it was a prayer between desire and fear. I asked my Lord, the Most High, in the prayer for three qualities for which He gave me two and denied me one. I asked my Lord that He not destroy us in the way He destroyed the previous generations and so He granted me that, and I asked my Lord that He not cause us to be overcome by an enemy so He granted me that. Then I asked my Lord, the Most High, that He not make us into factions and that he not make us inflict harm upon each other but he did not grant this to me.' " [Reported by Ahmad, an-Nisa'i and at-Tirmidhi]

O Muslims, indeed you believe in these verses and you believe in these narrations. Those which have been authenticated on the authority of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, so why do you not contemplate on them? Why do you not contemplate on them? Why do you not ascribe these difficulties, those which arise, to the laxness in your worship so that you may return to your Lord and save yourselves from the causes of disastrous annihilation?

So fear Allah and look to your affairs and seek repentance from your Lord. Rectify your journey to Him and know that these punishments that come down to you O people and these trials that befall you are indeed from your own souls and your sins, so bring forward for every punishment, repentance and a return to Allah and seek refuge with Allah, the Most High, from the trials. Material trials that are with people, with killing, with injury with frightening and with money, with deficiency and destruction. And the religious trials that are in the heart with misconceptions, desires that block the nation from Allah's religion and distance it from the success of it's predecessors and blow it to the Fire, for indeed the trial of the hearts is mightier and greater and with a more evil result that the worldly trials because if the worldly trials were to befall someone, there would be no loss except that of this world ... and the world will eventually waste away sooner or later ... as for the religious trials then with it is the loss in this life and the hereafter.

" ... The real losers will be those who lose themselves and their housefolk on the Day of Arising. That will be the manifest loss." [Al-Qur'an 39:15]