Last 3rd Special: In the Midst of a Starry Night Thursday 1 st Nov 2012. Lecture by Sister Eman al Obaid www.alhudasisters.wordpress.com When Allah subhana wa ta'ala makes it easy for you to do any type of ibadah this is a blessing from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. The last 3 rd of the night is a blessed time, Allah subhana wa ta'ala descends to the lowest heaven. Allah subhana wa ta'ala asks His creation if anyone has any request? Allah subhana wa ta'ala asks does anyone want the forgiveness? Does anyone want anything from the dunya or the akhirah? We all need Allah subhana wa ta'ala. It is a great blessing to study and share the knowledge at this time. Only the stars come out at this time. The stars mean the guidance, the beauty which adorns the sky. We are learning about Allah subhana wa ta'ala, the taqwa, Kalamullah we need to reach to Allah subhana wa ta'ala with this knowledge. To reach Allah means there is a path. We all need to go on this path. The way to Allah subhana wa ta'ala you cannot take this way without the stars = a guideline, a means to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. The journey to Allah subhana wa ta'ala - which we are supposed to take is a journey to the Pleasure of Allah. Every moment in your life makes you closer to the hereafter. Your journey is heading to your Creator. This journey has some rules and means I need to take. 1
The ones on the way to Allah subhana wa ta'ala are Al Mustaoon the ones chosen by Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Not everybody can take this way but if you feel you want this way, this is from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. The way to Allah subhana wa ta'ala and the people taking this way, Allah subhana wa ta'ala mentioned them and praised them in the Quran: 1:5 Ihdinas siratal mustaqeem. The chosen one 1:6 Siratal lazeena an amta alayhim. When you want that path - these are the people whom Allah subhana wa ta'ala chose. When you are on any journey in your life if you want to take and adhere to that path you need a signal, a guideline, signs of the guidance. We all want to reach to allah and seek his pleasure. When you know this goal you need signals on the way. You need two things, two powers: The knowledge The actions You need the provision on the way to Allah, al ilm and al amal. The journey to Allah subhana wa ta'ala there are different types of knowledge and various actions so we need the guidance. You will take the Rihal Allah by the heart. In life you are occupied, your limbs are busy, but your heart is going to Allah, moving on, not standing still. With your heart will make the steps to be closer to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Who took theses steps before you? Those whom Allah subhana wa ta'ala bestowed His blessing upon them. O Mankind, all of you are struggling towards your Rabb, and in the end you will meet Him. You have a path to go to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. 2
Don t forget while on this path in your heart you are in need, you are poor to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You need to feel istighfar to Allah subhana wa ta'ala in all your conditions, in every moment throughout your journey. You need to remember: We are in need of Allah subhana wa ta'ala, we need Your Guidance, we need Your Provision we need Your Mercy we need Your Help If we don t have this feeling we will be careless about so many things. The people will not appreciate that when they invoke Allah subhana wa ta'ala they will get it, they think they can get it themselves. We need to feel: We are in need We need Allah subhana wa ta'ala s guidance We need Allah subhana wa ta'ala to reform our deeds We need Allah subhana wa ta'ala to reform our akhlaq / manners We need Allah subhana wa ta'ala to perfect our faith A scholar said: if your sins scaring you, if you fear your sins, your love to Allah subhana wa ta'ala will rescue you, will help you. I feel I cannot live without Allah subhana wa ta'ala, I am nothing without Allah subhana wa ta'ala, I feel nothing in my heart without Allah subhana wa ta'ala, I really need La illaaha illa Allah. Loving Allah subhana wa ta'ala will rescue you, my Master, my Creator, I tie my heart to the rope of Allah s love. O my Lord make my heart travel to you and be happy when you are remembered. Du a O Allah, I cannot to anything by myself, you grant the taqwa and purify it. You are my Master and my Guardian. On the way we are in need to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Allah subhana wa ta'ala rules the Universe with a divine way and the divine laws. The universe is not random. Allah subhana wa ta'ala controls the Universe with the divine laws, very perfect and very accurate. 3
Allah dealt with the people of Adam alaihi as-salaam and the people of Prophet Muhammad ṣallallahu alayhi wa sallam all in the same, the divine way. What is His way? THE DIVINE LAW IS THAT INSAN IS BEING AFFLICTED IN THIS DUNYA. From the time of Adam alaihi as-salaam, for every human being the divine law is that the insan is afflicted in this way. Nobody knows His creation more than Allah subhana wa ta'ala himself. Nobody knows about you except your Creator. After we know these 3 points we can look at the stars which we need on our way to Allah. - Allah subhana wa ta'ala rules the Universe with divine laws - Allah subhana wa ta'ala afflicted you in this life - Nobody know you more than Allah subhana wa ta'ala 1 st Star the divine star to go to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. A means to go to Allah to brighten and lighten your life: The start is upon you; to complete it and perfect it is upon Allah subhana wa ta'ala. You need to take the first step. Allah subhana wa ta'ala created us in this life for the ikhtibar tests, this is a reforming for you, whether it is in the worship or whether it is with the decree of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Any tests you are going through in your life: a worship you need to do; prayer, fast or good deeds a decree you need to be pleased with and be patient with any relationship with the people or dealing with the people 4
Don t forget you need to take the first step. Nobody will take the first step on your behalf. You need to take the first step in anything on the way to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Allah subhana wa ta'ala ordained and decreed for His servant the different types of worship and several akhdar, you need to take the first step, there is no escape: don t worry about the perfection you cannot perfect it, trust Allah subhana wa ta'ala, rely on Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Allah al Wakil wal Musta an, (The Trustee, The Helper) the One you should rely on, the One you should trust. Allah subhana wa ta'ala said in the Qur an: O Reformer don t you want to be reformed, raise your hands invoke Allah say Ya Rabbi. Chapter (2) sūrat l-baqarah (The Cow) 2:186 And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will respond to you but for you you need to raise your hands, your heart should flee to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, you should take the first step. What is information is Allah subhana wa ta'ala telling me, what news is Allah subhana wa ta'ala telling me? When he calls Me. Allah subhana wa ta'ala is close, Allah subhana wa ta'ala is responding to whom? The one taking the first step. These are the guidelines we need to take in life. Don t run to anyone other than Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Don t think it is too long a journey and too hard to be righteous, just take the first step, don t worry about the 2 nd step, just take the first step and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will bring you closer 10 steps, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will bring you closer 100 steps. Hadith: Allah's Messenger said that Allah said: He who comes with a good deed, its reward will be ten like that or even more. And he who comes with vice, his reward will be only one like that, or I can forgive him. He who draws close to Me a hand's span, I will draw close to him an arm's length. And whoever draws near Me an arm's length, I will draw near him a fathom's length. And whoever comes to 5
Me walking, I will go to him running. And whoever faces Me with sins nearly as great as the earth, I will meet him with forgiveness nearly as great as that, provided he does not worship something with me. You need to take the first step you need to start, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will bless and perfect your step huwa Al Kareem, the Most Generous. Allah subhana wa ta'ala appreciates the small things you do. Some people don t take the first step, they feel lazy, the moment you feel lazy just think of any good deed and start, for example the dhikr, or reading the Qur an. Allah subhana wa ta'ala will be your companion. People are waiting for the guidance, waiting for the steadfastness, waiting for the reforming of their heart with a miracle. A miracle will not come you need to take the first step. Don t live in this life like it is luck or a situation, just you start wherever you are and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will complete it for you. But in life we do the opposite, we are worried about completing, about the result. Just you start and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will complete it for you. Allah subhana wa ta'ala completes everything i.e you don t know what to say, just you start and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will put the right words on your tongue, Allah subhana wa ta'ala will help you to speak. You need to start. Who made Adam alaihi as-salaam to utter the words of forgiveness? Allah, but Adam alaihi assalaam took the first step, he said I want to be guided. The start is the movement of your heart, having the fiqh, being truthful, then Allah subhana wa ta'ala will complete it for you. This star, on the way to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, is to take the first step flee to Allah subhana wa ta'ala with truthfulness. We are all on this path. Be truthful and take the first step with your heart and Allah subhana wa ta'ala will make it perfect for you. This is the best time for the ibadah to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Nothing is more beautiful than taking and sharing the knowledge. You will get the forgives of the sins the mercy of Allah subhana wa ta'ala and Allah subhana wa ta'ala himself is close. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala reward you with the best and the barakah and may we enter paradise zumaran zumarah. AlhamduliLlah Rabbil Alameen. This is a transcript of a lecture given by Sister Eman al Obaid. We ask Allah subhana wa ta ala for His forgiveness and His Mercy. Anything that is good from these notes is from Allah subhana wa ta ala. Any mistakes & misrepresentations are my own. I ask Allah subhana wa ta ala for His forgiveness and to put forgiveness in the hearts of those who read them. JazakAllah Khairan. 6