IDC Study Circle (Class notes) The Way of the Muslim http://thewayofthemuslim.wordpress.com/ Etiquette towards Allah Dates delivered: 17/07/11 Info@idconline.org 1
Introduction Topic regarding how we are towards Allah and what Allah expects from us. The area we concentrate on regarding this issue is the heart. Why the heart? Indeed there is in the body a morsel of flesh which if it be sound and wholesome, the whole body will be sound and wholesome and which if it be corrupt, the whole body will be corrupt. Indeed it is the heart. (Bukhari) PRINCIPLE: our principles in Islam are derived from the Qur an and Sunnah. We don t choose a principle and find an ayah to back it up. Etiquette towards Allah using Surah al- Fatihah Points of benefit regarding Surah al- Fatihah Has many different names: o Opener of the Book. o Umm Al Kitab / Quran o Ar- Ruqyah (a Remedy) o As- Salah Allah has never revealed in the Tawrah / Injeel anything similar to Umm Al Quran. It is the 7 repeated verses and it is divided into 2 halves between Allah and His servants (At- Tirmidhi) On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH), who said: I have heard the Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be up on him) say: Allah (mighty and sublime be He), had said: I have divided prayer (as SALAH THE FATIHAH) between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. When the servant says: Al- hamdu lillahi rabbi l- alamin (3), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has praised Me. And when he says: Ar- rahmani rahim (4), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has extolled Me, and when he says: Maliki yawmi d- din (5), Allah says: My servant has glorified Me - and on one occasion He said: My servant has submitted to My power. And when he says: Iyyaka na budu wa iyyaka nasta in (6), He says: This is between Me and My 2
servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. And when he says: Ihdina s- sirata l- mustaqim, siratal ladhina an amta alayhim ghayril- maghdubi alayhim wa la d- dallin (7), He says: This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. First 3 verses form the basis of how we recognize and see Allah. Emotions we have when we turn to Allah to Worship him. Alhamd Start by Praising Allah. (LOVE) A praise that only HE is deserving of. Alhamdulillah. A statement that Allah liked for Himself, was pleased for Himself and He likes that it be repeated. (Ali ibn abi Talib) Allah recognizes / hears those who praise Him. Praising Allah with a praise that only belongs to Him And verily if u were to sit and think of all the bounties and blessings Allah has given u, you would not be able to count them all. o o Reflect over this ayah how much Allah gives us, granting us more and more each day. Our 5 senses, health, loved ones, imaan etc. Recognising He is the LORD of all of the Alamin, the worlds, the Creation. Heart should fill with the love of Allah With LOVE of Allah, comes THANKING Allah. Thinking about the countless blessings from the moment we were a drop of fluid in the womb of our mother all the way until we meet our Lord. Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying). I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless Favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me [al- Baqarah 2:152] How do we thank Allah? Prophets are the ones who showed gratitude the most. Allah says about Prophet Nuh: O offspring of those whom We carried (in the ship) with Nûh (Noah)! Verily, he was a grateful slave [al- Isra 17:3] 3
Follow their example. Showing thankfulness through tongue (praise), actions (ibadah), doing what Allah loves. Important point asking Allah to give us the help to give him thanks. o It was narrated from Mu aadh ibn Jabal that the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) took his hand and said: O Mu aadh, by Allaah I love you, by Allaah I love you. Then he said, I advise you, O Mu aadh, do not fail following every prayer to say: O Allaah help me to remember You, thank You and worship You properly. (Abu Dawud) Ibn al Qayim - Gratitude may be in the heart, in submission and humility; on the tongue, in praise and acknowledgement; and in the physical faculties, by means of obedience and submission. (Madaarij al- Saalikeen (2/246) ) Heart Heart senses the values of the blessings Allah bestows upon us, fully acknowledging Allah alone is the one who gave it. And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allaah [al- Nahl 16:53]. An obligatory acknowledgement Whoever attributes blessings to anyone other than Allah = disbelief. (Shaykh Abd al- Rahmaan al- Sa di (may Allaah have mercy on him) What man should do is attribute blessings to Allaah and acknowledge them fully. Thus he will attain complete Tawheed. Whoever denies the blessings of Allaah in his heart or on his tongue, is a kaafir and has nothing to do with Islam. If one does attribute a blessing to other than Allah himself, others, his actions must repent. Tongue: Acknowledging verbally - after believing in the heart- that the one who grants blessing is indeed Allaah, and keeping the tongue busy with praise of Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: Allaah is pleased with a person who eats some food and then praises Him for it, or who drinks some drink and then praises Him for it. Narrated by Muslim (2734). POINT OF BENEFIT: Mentioning the blessings not to show off. Hence some of the salaf said: Whoever conceals a blessing has denied it, but whoever manifests it and spreads it has given thanks for it. Ibn al- Qayyim said, commenting on that: This is based on the words: When Allaah bestows a blessing upon a person, He loves the effect of His blessing to be seen on His slave. Madaarij al- Saalikeen (2/246). 4
It was narrated from Umar ibn Abd al- Azeez (may Allaah have mercy on him) that he said: Remind one another of blessings, for mentioning them is gratitude. Limbs Obeying Allah and keeping them from committing sins and acts of disobedience that Allaah has forbidden. It was narrated that Aa ishah said: When the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) prayed, he would stand for so long that his feet became swollen. Aa ishah said: O Messenger of Allaah, are you doing this when Allaah has forgiven your past and future sins? He said: O Aa ishah, should I not be a thankful slave? (Bukhari) Abu Haroon said: I entered upon Abu Haazim, and said to him: May Allaah have mercy on you, what is the gratitude of the eyes? He said: If you see something good with them, you mention it, and if you see something bad with them, you conceal it. I said: What is the gratitude of the ears? He said: If you hear something good with them, you remember it, and if you hear something bad with them, you forget it. Hence one of the salaf said: Gratitude means giving up sin. o And one of them said: Gratitude means not using any blessing to help one to disobey Him. It is not from the etiquette towards Allah to be ungrateful If you re tested with a trial what is the etiquette? Patience. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Strange is the affair of the Mu min (the believer), verily all his affairs are good for him. If something pleasing befalls him he thanks (Allah) and it becomes better for him. And if something harmful befalls him he is patient (Saabir) and it becomes better for him. And this is only for the Mu min."[muslim] Acknowledgement of the heart of all the blessings that Allaah has bestowed upon him, and upon others, and talking about them; praising Allaah for them; and using them to obey the One Who bestowed the blessings and to worship Him. Al- Qawl al- Sadeed fi Maqaasid al- Tawheed (p. 140) Ar Rahman Ar Raheem (HOPE) Generosity and compassion of Allah showing mercy towards all His creatures. This life and the next. Heart should fill with the hope in Allah 5
The mercy of Allah, hoping to be forgiven. Our behavior towards Allah To humble ourselves to Allah with sincere humility and supplication Not proper etiquette to despair of receiving the mercy of Allah. O you who believe. Do not despair of the Mercy of Allah. Indeed Allah forgives all things and He is oft- forgiving, Most Merciful Maliki yawmi- deen (FEAR) Make us think about this life and the next. o Think about the Day of Judgment o Think back and wished we did things differently. o No opportunity to do that! o Any/every regret No chance then this is our chance now. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: On the Day of Judgment, Allah will grasp the Earth and fold up the heavens with His Right Hand and proclaim, I am the King! Where are the kings of the earth? Where are the tyrants? Where are the arrogant?? Allah says: Verily, (O Muhammad), the Seizure (punishment) of your Lord is severe and painful. (85:12) On that Day, no one will be able to claim ownership for anything all belongs to Allah Heart should fill with the fear of Allah Fear of His punishment Fear that He won t forgive us for our sins a reminder of death. Three Important ingredients Love for His favours (and praise Him) Hope in His Mercy (and rush to gain His mercy through repentance) Fear in His Punishment (and do good) Behaviour towards Allah Making sure we obey Him, living and dying without disobeying Him accountable for our actions. 6
Not from the etiquette towards Allah to commit acts of disobedience and wrong towards Him. But when Allah wills a people s punishment, there can be no turning back of it; and they will find besides Him no protector. (13:11) Placing your trust in Allah Ponder Allah s power and control over us no escape / fleeing from Him. No refuge or shelter except Allah. Our behaviour towards Allah - We flee to Allah and put our trust in Him alone. When we re in need, our depressed or down, things are not going our way, whom else can we turn to for support? NOT proper etiquette to rely upon the one who has no power. Trust in one having no power or ability. Allah says: Put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed. (5:23) Expecting from Allah having a good opinion of Allah. Muslim should think about Allah while he is disobeying him as if Allah s threat is already applying to him and his punishment has already come due to the disobedient action. Also think about Allah while obeying Him as if His promise of Paradise and Allah being pleased with him has already come. From correct etiquette having good thoughts of Allah. Not sit there and think Allah will throw me into Hellfire. I m doomed. Im in Hell etc! (This gives people justification to continue disobeying Him) "Allah says: `I am just as My slave thinks of Me when he remembers Me. By Allah! Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His slave than one of you who unexpectedly finds in the desert his lost camel. `He who comes closer to Me one span, I come closer to him a cubit; and he who comes closer to Me a cubit, I come closer to him a fathom; and if he comes to Me walking, I come to him running". [Al- Bukhari and Muslim]. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Let none of you die unless he has good expectations from Allah". [Muslim]. 7
Not from the proper etiquette to fear Allah and obey Him while suspecting that he will not be rewarded for the good deeds he performed or that he shall not be recompensed for his obedience and acts of worship to feel despair or that the promise of Allah will not come true. Allah says: And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (SAWS), fears Allah, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful. (24:52) Allah also says: Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he or she is a true believer, verily to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter). (16:97) Conclusion Be thankful to Allah for the bounties He gives. Be shy towards Allah whenever committing a sin. Sincerely turn to Allah Trust Him Hope in His Mercy Fear in His Punishment Have a good expectation in Allah fulfilling His promises. The more we stick to these things, the greater our status in the sight of Allah will be elevated. o Blessed by Allah and become on of His devoted servants whom Allah protects. 8