Questions of the Grave- Class 7 Muharam 5, 1438 May Allah make us benefit from the reminder, hold what is there in the reminder. The Book, in it, is a reminder. We should take it seriously by listening to reminders. Remember that Allah is Al-Ghani. If you don t feel benefit from reminders, what will happen? Destruction, replacement. We must keep on our toes Last week, we had man rubbuka (Who is your Lord?), and different type of worship. My Rab, my Lord is the One who nurture me, and nurture everything by His blessings and Decree. So what do you do? Maboodi, meaning I need to worship Him alone, and worship no توكل و istiaana.. one else. We have different ibaadah. Last time we talked about tawakul and استعان Istiaana - -استعان I want to do something and I need help. Help me for this.. Tawakkul- -توكل You are asking something from Allah and not worrying about it- every high level. Tawakul gives you relaxation, Allah will bring victory, Allah bring provision. Allah will bring everything. Not al Musteen Mutawakkul, but all Mutawakkul Musteen. Istiaatha الاستعاذة We have diffferent varieties of Ibaadah, even these things are actions of the heart. As if your heart is jumping, clinging and attaching. In our religion, we have different place for different things. So many things, specific things of how to attach Allah. Istiaatha- I need refuge. It is a type of Istiaana ( seeking help for everything), Istiaatha is for refuge. Istiaatha means Al-Awn -العون Like you want to be sheltered, to be in a cave Istiaana- I need help, give me rope. But Isitaatha- A rope is not enough, I need shelter too! I need a cave to be under. Imagine that feeling. When do I need that protection? If you re having a a big danger, to be protected. Min kull shar كل شر -من From every evil, meaning anything that will want to harm you خیر & شر The concept of good and evil For children, things are simple, good behavior and bad behavior. Ie: Black and White
The more we grow, we see more, more details ie: more colors We will not know khayr exactly without knowing what evil is. Because this is how real life is, and we don t just let them fall into trap. That s why its important to teach our children about evil. Istiaatha- we really need to seek refuge, because we are surrounded with so much evil. What is the evil? 1) Shaytaan (100% evil) الشیطان he wants you to do evil and disobey Allah. He can come in different faces, he can make the evil beautified. He has a mission and he is dedicated to fulfill this mission. He said he will mislead all this people, except the sincere. We still need to teach the children about shaytaan, warning them. Al-gharoor- he is a deceiver, cheater (even if he comes in a beautiful and nice way.) Everyone needs to know he is one of the biggest evil. 2) Nafs- النفس - (itself, is not evil, but it can be evil) There are different types of souls: atrest soul, soul that is self accusing ( why did I do this, etc.? ), and a soul that is amaara always commanding for evil. Yourself is telling you bad. In a situation, you want to do something bad, but the reminder of Allah stops you. You want to backbite, but you stop because you remember it is like eating the meat of your brother. Nafs is more powerful shaytaan, because you love yourself. Imagine, your children do something wrong in front of people, but you don t want people to know they did something wrong. Your nafs is like your child. It s stronger than the shaytaan because you say autho billahi min ashshaytaan ar-rajeem and he will go. But not the nafs. Always make jihad against nafs, okay you want to pray.. You drag to pray.. You want to come to class, and say oh I will listen online, etc. The nafs is always telling you just be lazy. Just wear a blanket and sleep -شر ما خلق nafs. Any evil rather than the shaytaan and the شر ما خلق creation- 3) Evil in the anything else that can harm you physically, the evil of the creation. It can be people, scorpions, enemies, microbe, sickness, can be anything else. It can harm you physically or with faith, feelings, etc. This also means that not all the creation is evil. A person in front of you is not all evil, but there is an evil from him. All of these types of Ibaadah, shows how much we need Allah subhanhu wa tala. Istiaatha is like you are in a fortress in a cave, and all these evil cannot harm you. Istiaatha- seeking refuge from all the evil meaning al-awn: Al-Awn -العون two meanings: o الاستر( 1 -as-sitr- to be inside, covered, ie:bulletproof armor
SubhanAllah we believe in these things but we don t believe that istiaatha has this power. Istiaatha is the best of all protection, best of all covers, covers you from all. Istiaatha Al-Mujawarah- Nearness, to be close. Cannot leave this armor. Need -المخاورة 2) to be attached to it, you need to have it always. Imagine if you have all this armor but then you keep it in a bag (ie: away from you). When do people not wear it (ie their armor), when they are feeling safe. But subhanallah we need to wear it all the time. Anything can harm us, we are weak. Most of the evil we do not see it, like shaytaan, nafs, etc. This means we always need to wear your armor (meaning we seek refuge in Allah). The first form of evil is Shaytaan: The shaytaan you cannot fight him by yourself. You need to go to his Master. You need to go to his Rub, his Lord, to fight him. Allah will stop him. Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the foolish (i.e. don't punish them). And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaitan (Satan) then seek refuge with Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower. (7:200) When people bother you, just take it, pardon them, and just leave. But what about shaytaan? Shaytaan, he tries to pinch you, to suggest to you something bad, sin, or not do something good. Allah said if shaytaan whispers on to you, then what do you do? Fastaith billah= seek refuge in Allah. If an evil idea comes, something you never thought of before and you know its bad, then this is from shaytaan. Shaytaan brings bad thoughts to you, Malaika (Angels) bring good thoughts. It depends on which one you are supporting and welcoming. If you open the door for him, he will come (Ideas, evil ideas from the shaytaan.) So, how do you close the door? I seek refuge in Allah.
But Allah knows what is really in your heart. Not, just uttering by the tongue without feeling in the heart. Quickly I need refuge, I am always in danger. Allah Samiun Aleem.. Allah hears you, and Allah knows, Allah knows what is really in your heart. We don t think about it but we need to activate your heart. Sitr wa Mujaarah, to be protected and to be close.. Allah don t leave me! Also, There are people who are following their desire and there are people who are not following their desires- these are mutaaqeen. Taaifun min ash-shaytaan. Taaifun - pass by. He try to come near you, just passing by, he is just investigating. Then Allah make them remember him, and straight way shaytan will stop. Usually, Shaytaan tests the people, before he actually attacks. Special shaytaan for the prayer, his name is khunzul, he comes just to disturb in the prayer. How to seek refuge from Shaytaan: 1) Seek refuge in Allah 2) Taqwa- Fearing Allah Don t let the shaytaan really hurt you deeply! Repel evil with that which is better. We are Best-Acquainted with the things they utter. And say: "My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings (suggestions) of the Shayatin (devils). (Al Muminoon 96-97) Whatever bad people do to you, need to repel evil with good. o The story of Abu Bakr AS-Sideeq: Someone came and started insulting him and insulting him. The Prophet was sitting right next to him. The moment Abu Bakr As-Sideeq answered, the Prophet left. Abu Bakr asked why he left. He said, when
you were quiet, there was an angel supporting you. When he started to answer, shaytaan came. But unlike with the people, with Shaytan, must fight by seeking refuge with Allah: Authobillahi min Ash-shaytaan.. he will run, he cannot stand this action! This is evidence on how to fight the shaytaan, In Surah A raaf, we learn you seek refuge in Allah when he comes to bother you, but here we learn that we say authobillahi min ash-shaytaan ar-rajeem in general situations. Ex: when you read Quran, when you do anything, etc. The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend. But none is granted it (the above quality) except those who are patient, and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion (of the happiness in the Hereafter i.e. Paradise and in this world of a high moral character). And if an evil whisper from Shaitan (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad SAW) (from doing good, etc.), then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All- Knower. (41:34-36) Also, first mention how to deal with the people enemies first! Good cannot be equal to evil. So repel evil with good. o Do something good with a good heart. Not because you want bad intention. You do Ahsan than him= better than him. Then what will happen? Allah will change
the heart. If that person has enmity, then Allah will change it to a close friend, wali haleem, like a burning heart for you. The one who does this is the one who is patient and who has a big fortune subhanallah! May Allah give us patience. After mentioning the human enemies, Allah says about the Shaytan.If from the Shaytan come, say authobillah min ash-shaytaan ar-rajeem. There is a different form of treatment from they shaytaan from people and from jinn. Don t do anything else than seeking refuge in Allah. If you fightt he shaytaan bc they are scared, this makes him happier. There is nothing working for shaytaan, the only solution for shaytaan is seeking refuge in Allah and taqwa. The second form of evil is the Nafs: I cannot say I am innocent. Shaytaan gives you ideas, but the nafs insists on you. The shaytaan will suggest but he is weak. The shaytaan comes to you, if you mention Allah he will not bother you. But the nafs is actually ourselves, we have to make jihad an-nafs, to fight our ego, fight our greed. Must suppress it. How to fight it? There is a dua! Allahumma inni authobikka min sharri nafsi. Oh Allah I seek refuge in You from the evil in my self this in the morning and evening supplication. Say this with yaqeen (certainty). The whole day you are fighting against your nafs. So you go to the master of your nafs to protect you from the evil from it. Also in Khutbah Hajjah- we say in the beginning of the lecture. Ask Allah for refuge from the evil of ourselves and the bad consequence of our deeds. SubhanAllah. Now every time we say it, we need to feel it!