I am grateful to Allah for all His gifts and favours. But why should I, for example, perform my prayers every day, repeating myself again and again? Why don’t I pray only when I am free and focused? Well, our day is cram full with repetitions, isn’t it? We eat and drink every day; we go to the toilet every day; we sleep every day, we do a lot of things every day, don’t we? Also we make use of our vision, our hearing, our mind, our hands, our feet and much more every day. Wouldn’t it, then, make sense for me, as a believer, to give thanks to the Creator and Provider by remembering Him every day too? Allah says: “O mankind! Remember Allah's grace toward you! Is there any creator other than Allah who provideth for you from the sky and the earth?" (35.3) "Remember Allah as ye remember your fathers or with a more lively remembrance." (2.200) "O ye who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify Him early and late. He it is Who blesseth you, and His angels (bless you), that He may bring you forth from darkness unto light; and He is Merciful to the believers." (33.41-43) "Remember Allah, as He hath taught you that which (heretofore) ye knew not." (2.239) "Therefore remember Me, I will remember you. Give thanks to Me, and reject not Me." (2.152) "Such as remember Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! Thou createdst not this in vain. Glory be to Thee!" (3.191) "Who forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of that We have bestowed on them." (32.16)
Allah says in the Hadith Qudsi: "I am near to the thought of My servant as
he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers
Me in his heart, I also remember him in My Heart, and if he remembers Me in
assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he
draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he
draws near Me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands.
And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him." And in the Quran we read:
"Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom
Allah hath shown favour, of the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the
righteous. The best of company are they!" (4.69) That’s the real Elite.
As a believer I also have to pay Zakat. Zakat is meant to help the poor. But
that’s the state’s job, I would say. It’s the state who should take care of the
poor. I already pay taxes for that. Well, in return for the taxes we pay every
year, our state provides us with services (schools, hospitals, roads, etc) and
we need all that only and only as long as we are alright and fit. What about
when we begin to become unable to walk alone, unable to sit up or eat unassisted
or even hear or recognize our relatives? What could the state do for us then?
We may even be asked to pay for our funeral and burial after our death. Zakat,
when I can afford it, is what I pay for eternal bliss in Heaven, where there
are no economic crises, no racial tensions, no wars, no hurricanes, no
blizzards, no wildfires, no climate change, no viruses, no fear, no depression,
no death. And that does not have a price.
In the same vein, I may ask myself: why should I fast a whole month? Good question.
But, to be honest, I should also ask: how much would it cost me to spend a
month in a deluxe hotel in a beautiful country? What if I had to spend a 30-day
holiday in a good hotel every year? Then I ask myself: how much would I be
prepared to pay for one day -just one day- in Paradise (after my death)?
Fasting is but a symbolic price for a place in Heaven!
Follow me, I go past a cemetery. I take a glance. I see rows upon rows of graves. People who, like me, asked questions probably. People who, like me, had more or less the same aspirations and desires, the same hopes and fears. And then, one day, it was all over. The book was closed. No more news. No more job applications. No more salaries. No more cars. No more pleasures. All but silence. Hence this reminder from "the Living One Who dieth not" (25.58) He tells us, if we want to hear Him: "Lo! this life of the world is but a passing comfort, and lo! the Hereafter, that is the enduring home." (40.39) "The similitude of the life of the world is only as water which We send down from the sky, then the earth's growth of that which men and cattle eat mingleth with it till, when the earth hath taken on her ornaments and is embellished, and her people deem that they are masters of her, Our commandment cometh by night or by day and We make it as reaped corn as if it had not flourished yesterday. Thus do we expound the revelations for people who reflect." (10.24)
Heaven is no doubt great, I would say. What about my life in this world? Can’t I be happy here too? Allah says in the Quran: "Whoso desireth the reward of the world, (let him know that) with Allah is the reward of the world and the Hereafter. Allah is ever Hearer, Seer." (4.134) "No soul can ever die except by Allah's leave and at a term appointed. Whoso desireth the reward of the world, We bestow on him thereof; and whoso desireth the reward of the Hereafter, We bestow on him thereof. We shall reward the thankful." (3.145) But the Quran reminds me that "The reward of Allah for him who believeth and doeth right is better, and only the steadfast will obtain it." (28.80) "Better far is the abode of the Hereafter for those who keep their duty (to Allah). Have ye then no sense?" (6.32) "But ye prefer the life of the world Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting." (87.16-17) "Whoso desireth the harvest of the Hereafter, We give him increase in its harvest. And whoso desireth the harvest of the world, We give him thereof, and he hath no portion in the Hereafter." (42.20) "And verily We have displayed for mankind in this Qur'an all manner of similitudes, but man is more than anything contentious." (18.54)
So I may ask one more question. Normally, if I got it right, a good believer
should be much, much better off than a non-believer, no? In reality, though,
that's not always the case. Why? Well, Allah says: "He it is
Who hath placed you as viceroys of the earth and hath exalted some of you in
rank above others, that He may try you by (the test of) that which He hath
given you. Lo! Thy Lord is swift in prosecution, and Lo! He verily is
Forgiving, Merciful." (6.165) "Blessed is He in Whose hand is the
Sovereignty, and, He is Able to do all things. Who hath created life and death
that He may try you which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, the
Forgiving." (67.1-2) "And He it is Who created the heavens and the
earth in six Days - and His Throne was upon the water - that He might try you,
which of you is best in conduct." (11.7) "Then We appointed you
viceroys in the earth after them, that We might see how ye behave."
(10.14) "See how We prefer one of them above another, and verily the
Hereafter will be greater in degrees and greater in preferment." (17.21)
"Now hath come unto you light from Allah and plain Scripture, Whereby
Allah guideth him who seeketh His good pleasure unto paths of peace. He
bringeth them out of darkness unto light by His decree, and guideth them unto a
straight path. (5.16) "Thus Allah expoundeth unto you His revelations in
order that ye may give thanks." (5.89) If I am a sensible person, I
should thank Allah for this precious light. Or should I perhaps envy those who
I see are better off than I one way or another? Should I spend the rest of my
life comparing myself to others? In the Quran I read: "Rivalry in worldly
increase distracteth you Until ye come to the graves." (102.1-2) "Lo!
man is a state of loss, Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance." (103.2-3)
Now, what does it mean to be happy? It goes without saying that happiness means
different things to different people. So how can Allah make me happy? Well, I
don’t even need to ask such a question if I believe I can do without Allah. The
moment I ask what Allah can do for me to be happy I have to bear in mind what I
would have to give in return. There should be some kind of covenant. When the
government pays me unemployment benefits a time of economic crisis it’s because
I, or most people in my country, pay taxes to the state. By the way, can Allah
pay me weekly/monthly unemployment benefits in a time of a major economic
crisis? Of course not. Worse, He can make me lose my job and suffer from
poverty even in normal times when most people are well off. Why? Well, it’s not
a matter of capability, to be sure.
Allah says: "Every soul must taste of death, and We try you with evil and with good, for ordeal. And unto Us ye will be returned." (21.35) "But lo! with hardship goeth ease, Lo! with hardship goeth ease." (94.5-7) "Allah will vouchsafe, after hardship, ease." (65.7) Even the best religious society, led by the best religious ruler, would have problems. Societies are tried just like individuals. An individual believer can lose his job, a society (a people) can suffer from drought or an economic crisis. So what’s the use of religion if it will only add on to my problems? If I put that question bluntly, I will get nowhere. If I put it in good faith, there’s room for discussion. Allah says (to the Prophet (pbuh) : "Thou knewest not what the Scripture was, nor what the Faith. But We have made it a light whereby We guide whom We will of Our bondmen. And lo! thou verily dost guide unto a right path." (42.52) "And if We willed We could withdraw that which We have revealed unto thee, then wouldst thou find no guardian for thee against Us in respect thereof. (It is naught) save mercy from thy Lord. Lo! His kindness unto thee was ever great." (17.86-87) That means religion is a mercy, a divine favour, not a problem. Why should Allah bother sending thousands of prophets and messengers in so many languages to so many peoples over a long period of time? What’s the use for Allah to do that? Isn’t that a "problem" for Allah? When Allah says "Ah, the anguish for the bondmen! Never came there unto them a messenger but they did mock him!" (36.30) "Shall We utterly ignore you because ye are a wanton folk?" (43.5), what good would that add to Him? Yes, Islam says don’t do this, don’t do that. And yet many people don’t have a problem with that. They would even love to move up from Islam to Iman to Ihsan. Many people would love to elevate their nafs from ammara to lawama to mutmaina. Many people would love to approach beauty and greatness in the light of the Word of God. Many people would seek godly solutions rather than lament over Satanic problems. But that’s the minority of the minority. Allah says: "Whoso obeyeth Allah and the messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah hath shown favour, of the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they!" (4.69) That’s the Elite.
Can anybody attain that high level? Allah says: "And
vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a paradise as wide
as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off (evil);
Those who spend (of that which Allah hath given them) in ease and in
adversity, those who control their wrath and are forgiving toward
mankind; Allah loveth the good." (3.133-134) "Such as remember
Allah, standing, sitting, and reclining, and consider the creation of the
heavens and the earth, (and say): Our Lord! Thou createdst not this in vain.
Glory be to Thee!" (3.191) "Who forsake their beds to cry unto
their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of that We have bestowed on them."
(32.16) "The (faithful) slaves of the Beneficent are they who walk
upon the earth modestly, and when the foolish ones address them answer: Peace;
And who spend the night before their Lord, prostrate and standing."
(25.63-64) "The steadfast, and the truthful, and the obedient, those who
spend (and hoard not), those who pray for pardon in the watches of the
night." (3.17) "Who are constant at their worship And in whose
wealth there is a right acknowledged For the beggar and the destitute."
(70.23-25) "And to feed in the day of hunger, An orphan near of
kin, Or some poor wretch in misery, And to be of those who believe
and exhort one another to perseverance and exhort one another to pity."
(90.14-17) "And feed with food the needy wretch, the orphan and the
prisoner, for love of Him, (Saying): We feed you, for the sake of Allah
only. We wish for no reward nor thanks from you." (76.8-9) "And
let not those who possess dignity and ease among you swear not to give to the
near of kin and to the needy, and to fugitives for the cause of Allah. Let them
forgive and show indulgence. Yearn ye not that Allah may forgive you? Allah is
Forgiving, Merciful." (24.22)
So, roughly speaking, it’s all about gratitude towards Allah and solidarity
between humans. The details may differ from one verse to another, but the major
guidelines are the same. "Ihsan," as the Prophet (pbuh) said,
"is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though
you cannot see Him yet He sees you." How can I translate this into acts?
Well, the Quran answered this in the verses above. That’s what al-muhsinoon (the
good) do. But suppose I can’t do that. For one reason or another, I can’t fast
very often or worship Allah at night while people are sleeping, for example,
and yet I aspire to be among al-muhsinoon. What can I do? Well, if
I can’t do what al-muhsinoon (the good) and asseddeeqoon (saints)
do in terms of acts of worship I should not expect to get the wages they get or
the special place they get near Allah. Playing in the school games is not like
playing in the Olympic Games. However, I can still increase my Iman and
stand out in the Eyes of Allah. How? I should have a strong faith, an
unwavering faith. If I hear "Is there any God beside Allah?" (27.62),
my heart will say before my tongue NO ! I have to be among those "Who have
believed and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance of Allah." (13.28)
That means I have to be anything but "anxious", "fretful"
or "grudging." (70.19-21) If I have a problem I implore Allah: I
"call on Him in fear and hope. Lo! the mercy of Allah is nigh unto the
good." (7.56) In addition to praying I keep my duty to Allah, Who says:
"And whosoever keepeth his duty to Allah, Allah will appoint a way out for
him, And will provide for him from (a quarter) whence he hath no expectation.
And whosoever putteth his trust in Allah, He will suffice him. Lo! Allah
bringeth His command to pass. Allah hath set a measure for all things."
(65.2-3) If my prayers are not answered quickly, I presevere and keep hope.
"Such as are steadfast and put their trust in Allah." (16.42)
By doing so I discover things that I can only read about in the Quran and the
Hadith. It’s my problems and how I see them solved by the help of Allah, by the
power of Allah, by the knowledge of Allah, that will show me whether this
religion is about truth or about dogma. If I don’t have a problem, how will I
ever know that? Allah says: "And whosoever keepeth his duty to Allah,
Allah will appoint a way out for him, And will provide for him from (a quarter)
whence he hath no expectation." (65.2) Who can try that out? It’s my
personal experience (what I feel when I have a problem, what I do to solve that
problem, how I do it) that will teach me on Allah better than any scientific or
religious book. These are the signs that affect my life directly. Allah says:
"If Allah touch thee with affliction, there is none that can relieve
therefrom save Him, and if He touch thee with good fortune (there is none that
can impair it)." (6 .17-18) "And your Lord hath said: Pray unto Me
and I will hear your prayer." (40.60) "But lo! with hardship goeth
ease, Lo! with hardship goeth ease." (94. 5-6) "Lo! Allah defendeth
those who are true." (22. 38) "And whosoever keepeth his duty to
Allah, Allah will appoint a way out for him, And will provide for him from (a
quarter) whence he hath no expectation. And whosoever putteth his trust in
Allah, He will suffice him. Lo! Allah bringeth His command to pass. Allah hath
set a measure for all things." (65.2-3) "And whatsoever ye spend (for
good) He replaceth it. And He is the Best of Providers." (34.39)
If anyone tells me about reason versus obscurantism, well, I tell him that
there are things that can never be rationalized. If you ever have to go through
a real love experience, for example, chances are that you will be confronted
with situations where reason can’t help at all.
Fortunately for us, Ihsan is not a prerequisite to Heaven. An
ordinary Muslim who keeps his duty to Allah is entitled to Heaven. Ihsan is
a chance given to ambitious believers who would like to stand out with their
work, to express their gratitude to Allah in the best way possible. It’s a
further step towards Allah, Who made this world and gave you and me a
chance to live in this world. Many people in history began as low-ranked
soldiers and then became army leaders or even kings. It’s a matter of ambition
: to move up
from Islam to Iman to Ihsan. Allah says: "And vie one with another for
forgiveness from your Lord, and for a paradise as wide as are the heavens and
the earth, prepared for those who ward off (evil); Those who spend (of that
which Allah hath given them) in ease and in adversity, those who control their
wrath and are forgiving toward mankind; Allah loveth the good."
(3.133-134) "It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East
and the West; but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and
the angels and the Scripture and the prophets; and giveth wealth, for love of Him,
to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask,
and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due.
And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in
tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere.
Such are the God-fearing." (2.177) "Those who entered the city and
the faith before them love those who flee unto them for refuge, and find in
their breasts no need for that which hath been given them, but prefer (the
fugitives) above themselves though poverty become their lot. And whoso is saved
from his own avarice - such are they who are successful." (59.9) "And
feed with food the needy wretch, the orphan and the prisoner, for love of Him,
(Saying): We feed you, for the sake of Allah only. We wish for no reward nor
thanks from you." (76.8-9)
Now, do I want to stand out in the eyes of people or in the sight of Allah? Do
I want to be talked about by people or by angels? Do I want to be a celebrity
in the earth or a celebrity in the heavens? Do I believe in Allah because I am
sure that He is God or because I just want a deity -whoever it may be- to give
me a job or to give me this or that ? These are essential questions! My
intention should be clear and pure. Do I do what I do for the sake of Allah,
for love of Him? If only my initial faith (intention) were good! Allah would
then take care of the rest. He says: "As for those who strive in Us, We
surely guide them to Our paths, and lo! Allah is with the good." (29.69)
"Lo! Allah is with those who keep their duty unto Him and those who are
doers of good." (16.128) "While as for those who walk aright, He
addeth to their guidance, and giveth them their protection (against
evil)." (47.17) "Allah is the Protecting Guardian of those who
believe. He bringeth them out of darkness into light." (2.257) "O
ye who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify Him early and
late. He it is Who blesseth you, and His angels (bless you), that He may bring
you forth from darkness unto light; and He is Merciful to the believers."
(33.41-43) If I am a sinner, Allah says to me (and to you): "Save him who
repenteth and believeth and doth righteous work; as for such, Allah
will change their evil deeds to good deeds. Allah is ever Forgiving,
Merciful. And whosoever repenteth and doeth good, he verily repenteth toward
Allah with true repentance." (25.70-71) If I want Allah, Allah says to me
(and to you): "And whoever hopeth for the meeting with his Lord, let him
do righteous work, and make none sharer of the worship due unto his Lord."
(18.110) If I forget, if I relent from time to time, Allah reminds me: "O
man! What hath made thee careless concerning thy Lord, the Bountiful, Who
created thee, then fashioned, then proportioned thee? Into whatsoever form He
will, He casteth thee." (82.6-8)
If my faith is not that good, if it’s not pure, well, Allah will yet give me
another chance, but through a trial, maybe two, maybe more. He says: "Man
tireth not of praying for good, and if ill toucheth him, then he is
disheartened, desperate." (41.49) "And verily, if We cause him to
taste mercy after some hurt that hath touched him, he will say: This is my own;
and I deem not that the Hour will ever rise, and if I am brought back to my
Lord, I surely shall be better off with Him." (41.50) "When We show
favour unto man, he withdraweth and turneth aside, but when ill toucheth him
then he aboundeth in prayer." (41.51) "And if we cause man to taste
some mercy from Us and afterward withdraw it from him, Lo! he is despairing,
thankless. And if We cause him to taste grace after some misfortune that had
befallen him, he saith: The ills have gone from me. Lo! he is exultant,
boastful; Save those who persevere and do good works. Theirs will be
forgiveness and a great reward." (11.9-11)
My trials will show whether I really want Allah. It’s then when I am supposed
to do my best not to succumb to the lure of worldly pleasures; it’s then when I
have to show that I remember the Creator, I remember Him as I would remember a
loved one. Allah says: "... remember Allah as ye remember your fathers or
with a more lively remembrance." (2.200) My trial will not necessarily be
a hardship. I may be tried with a very good job, with a very happy family life.
And that may be even harder than being tried with a hardship. In either case, I
have to show what I want for myself in this world.
My belief in Allah entails a responsibility on my part; otherwise I'll be of
those of whom Allah said: "And when it is said unto them: Spend of that
wherewith Allah hath provided you, those who disbelieve say unto those who believe:
Shall we feed those whom Allah, if He willed, would feed? Ye are in naught else
than error manifest." (36.47) There’s good in all of us. The problem is
that many of us don’t want that good to bear fruit. We prefer evil to good
because evil is often easier than good. It’s easier to lie than to tell the
truth, for example. I can lie to people, but unless I am a pathologically
complex person, I would not lie to myself. I know my mistakes. If my faith is
alive there will be a struggle between me and my conscience. It’s in fact a
struggle between my nafs ammara and my nafs lawama.
The mere fact that I have this nafs lawama is a good sign.
It’s a sign that I care about my faith. When my nafs lawama is
stronger than my nafs ammara, what do I do? Well, I know that
"Unto Allah belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in
the earth. He forgiveth whom He will, and punisheth whom He will. Allah is
Forgiving, Merciful." (3.129) "Allah loveth the good; And those who,
when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore
forgiveness for their sins - Who forgiveth sins save Allah only? - and will not
knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did." (3.134-135) "Will they not
rather turn unto Allah and seek forgiveness of Him? For Allah is Forgiving,
Merciful." (5.74) So I beg Allah’s pardon. I know Allah is just. He says:
"And whoso doeth good an atom's weight will see it then, And whoso doeth
ill an atom's weight will see it then." (99.7-8) So I implore Allah to
forgive all my mistakes. That’s how I move up on the scale of my faith. Allah
says: "And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves,
remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins - Who forgiveth sins save
Allah only? - and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did." (3.135)
"Save him who repenteth and believeth and doth righteous work; as for
such, Allah will change their evil deeds to good deeds. Allah is
ever Forgiving, Merciful. And whosoever repenteth and doeth good, he verily
repenteth toward Allah with true repentance -" (25.70-71) Allah does not
expect me to be an angel. Allah expects me to be honest with myself first. I
should be the engineer of my own redemption. In theory, if I personally am good
and my family is good and my neighbourhood is good, who will ever be bad? In
practice, though, even if all society is good, that’s not a guarantee that I’ll
be good too. I have to perfect my own soul -regardless of what other people do.
Allah says: "And a soul and Him Who perfected it And inspired it (with conscience
of) what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it. He is indeed successful
who causeth it to grow, And he is indeed a failure who stunteth it."
(91.7-10)
Let’s imagine this. My brother and I are at the same university, at the same
campus;we have the same amount of money, the same amount of free time: I
personally buy books or papers to learn more about the world, my brother buys
beer and cigarettes; I go to mosque, he goes to nightclubs… When I go to mosque
I don’t find a devil who prevents me from entering; when my brother goes to the
nightclub he doesn’t find an angel who prevents him from entering. That's the
freedom of conscience. Hence the verse: "And a soul and Him Who perfected
it And inspired it (with conscience of) what is wrong for it and (what is)
right for it. He is indeed successful who causeth it to grow, And he is indeed
a failure who stunteth it." (91.7-10) The judgement will come on the Day
of judgement, not now.
But suppose Allah gave me the power to judge people, what would I do? Well,
this is not an absolute utopia. In a number of countries you could be a member
of a jury. And in the Quran we read: "They will ask thee of Dhu'l-Qarneyn.
Say: I shall recite unto you a remembrance of him. Lo! We made him strong in
the land and gave him unto everything a road. And he followed a road Till, when
he reached the setting-place of the sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring,
and found a people thereabout. We said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish
or show them kindness. He said: As for him who doeth wrong, we shall punish
him, and then he will be brought back unto his Lord, Who will punish him with
awful punishment! But as for him who believeth and doeth right, good will be
his reward, and We shall speak unto him a mild command." (18.83-88) Would
I be fair in my judgement, if I judged people? Wouldn’t I be subjective,
impulsive in my judgement? Allah wants me to be honest, free from
contradictions, fair in my judgement of myself first. He says: "As
for man, whenever his Lord trieth him by honoring him, and is gracious unto
him, he saith: My Lord honoureth me. But whenever He trieth him by straitening
his means of life, he saith: My Lord despiseth me. Nay, but ye (for your part)
honor not the orphan, And urge not on the feeding of the poor, And ye devour
heritages with devouring greed, And love wealth with abounding love."
(89.15-20) If I can be fair in my judgement I should judge myself first. If I
judge myself fairly my nafs may move up from ammara to lawama to mutmainna.
When I shed tears of repentance that’s a good sign that my nafs is
on the right track towards reconciliation with Allah. When I see someone not as
good as I (imagine myself) I should, at least in principle, implore Allah
to guide him. Allah says: "Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and
fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way. Lo! thy Lord is Best
Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is best aware of those who go
aright." (16.125) If I'm really good, if I see myself that religious,, am I
sure I will remain as religious as I am until the end of my days? Am I sure X
or Y is not going to become as good as or even better than me? A Moroccan
saying goes: "How many landfills have become mosques and how many mosques
have become landfills!" Besides, am I sure I am a religious person? Allah
says: "Ah, woe unto worshippers Who are heedless of their prayer; Who
would be seen (at worship) Yet refuse small kindnesses!" (107.4-7)
"Hast thou observed him who belieth religion? That is he who repelleth the
orphan, And urgeth not the feeding of the needy." (107.1-3) Do I urge the
feeding of the needy? Religious people would say: "We feed you, for the
sake of Allah only. We wish for no reward nor thanks from you." (76. 8-9)
Don’t I expect a reward or thanks when I do good to somebody?
That’s the kind of education Islam wants for the believer. Islam wants me to be
honest with myself. I should, as much as possible, do as I say and say as
I do. Otherwise I’ll be only lying to myself. It’s a matter of (good or bad)
faith, once again. Allah says: "And as for him who hoardeth, he hoardeth
only from his soul. And Allah is the Rich, and ye are the poor. And if ye turn
away He will exchange you for some other folk, and they will not be the likes
of you." (47.38) Islam is not only about the veil or the beard. Islam is
about every aspect of our life. Allah says: "A kind word with forgiveness
is better than almsgiving followed by injury. Allah is Absolute, Clement.
"(2.263) "O ye who believe! Spend of the good things which ye have
earned, and of that which We bring forth from the earth for you, and seek not
the bad (with intent) to spend thereof (in charity) when ye would not take it
for yourselves save with disdain; and know that Allah is Absolute, Owner of
Praise." (2.267) "Ye will not attain unto piety until ye spend of
that which ye love. And whatsoever ye spend, Allah is Aware thereof."
(3.92) "It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East and
the West; but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the
angels and the Scripture and the prophets; and giveth wealth, for love of Him,
to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask,
and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due.
And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in
tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere.
Such are the God-fearing." (2.177) "O Children of Adam! Look to your
adornment at every place of worship, and eat and drink, but be not prodigal.
Lo! He loveth not the prodigals." (7.31) "Say: Who hath forbidden the
adornment of Allah which He hath brought forth for His bondmen, and the good
things of His providing? Say: Such, on the Day of Resurrection, will be only
for those who believed during the life of the world. Thus do we detail Our
revelations for people who have knowledge." (7.32) "Now whatever ye
have been given is but a passing comfort for the life of the world, and that
which Allah hath is better and more lasting for those who believe and put their
trust in their Lord, And those who shun the worst of sins and indecencies and,
when they are wroth, forgive, And those who answer the call of their Lord and
establish worship, and whose affairs are a matter of counsel, and who spend of
what We have bestowed on them, And those who, when great wrong is done to them,
defend themselves, The guerdon of an ill-deed is an ill the like thereof. But
whosoever pardoneth and amendeth, his wage is the affair of Allah. Lo! He loveth
not wrong-doers. And whoso defendeth himself after he hath suffered wrong - for
such, there is no way (of blame) against them. The way (of blame) is only
against those who oppress mankind, and wrongfully rebel in the earth. For such
there is a painful doom. And verily whoso is patient and forgiveth - lo! that,
verily, is (of) the steadfast heart of things." (42.36-43)
"No soul can ever die except by Allah's leave and at a term appointed. Whoso desireth the reward of the world, We bestow on him thereof; and whoso desireth the reward of the Hereafter, We bestow on him thereof. We shall reward the thankful." (3.145) "What concern hath Allah for your punishment if ye are thankful (for His mercies) and believe (in Him)? Allah was ever Responsive, Aware." (4 .147)
Strong believers are not interested in being among the foremost when happiness is being doled out in this world, nor are they eager to be among the foremost when the heavens are being distributed in the Hereafter. And yet strong believers have yaqeen (strong faith) that Allah will not let them down however long and hard their trial may be. Their definition of happiness is different from that of most people. They believe that "the most wretched" is "He who denieth and turneth away." (92.15-16) Allah said to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): "We have not revealed unto thee (Muhammad) this Qur'an that thou shouldst be distressed." (20.2) And to all believers Allah says in the same Surah: "Whoso followeth My guidance, he will not go astray nor come to grief." (20.123) So those people, the strong believers, who have yaqeen, are willing to endure hardship(s) for decades, if need be. They endure and outdo everybody else in endurance, in patience, and they are ready to wait (until the end of their lives) to see salvation. These people worship Allah for what He is, not for what He has. This did not start with Islam, by the way. Allah says in the Quran: "Of the People of the Scripture there is a staunch community who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season, falling prostrate (before Him). They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency, and vie one with another in good works. These are of the righteous. And whatever good they do, they will not be denied the meed thereof. Allah is Aware of those who ward off (evil)." (3.113-115) "Those unto whom We gave the Scripture before it, they believe in it, And when it is recited unto them, they say: We believe in it. Lo! it is the Truth from our Lord. Lo! even before it we were of those who surrender (unto Him). These will be given their reward twice over, because they are steadfast and repel evil with good, and spend of that wherewith We have provided them, And when they hear vanity they withdraw from it and say: Unto us our works and unto you your works. Peace be unto you! We desire not the ignorant. Lo! thou (O Muhammad) guidest not whom thou lovest, but Allah guideth whom He will. And He is Best Aware of those who walk aright." (28.52-56) But Allah is "the Benign, the Merciful. (52.28) "Lo! Allah is ever Knower, Aware." (4.35) He knows that life in this world cannot be sustained if all believers, whatever their number,, are deprived and suffering. There should be enough manpower and money to keep the economy going and society at peace. So even in a Muslim society (be it devout or depraved) you’d see that most people lead more or less a normal life. In truth, Allah would not love to see Muslims in a miserable state (He boasts of them to the angels.) So most people work, marry, beget children, build homes, do business as normal, etc. And like all societies there’s a small minority who would suffer from some deprivations even in normal times -when there’s no war, no economic crisis. So to believers who find themselves caught up in such an unlucky minority, i.e. in the face of adversity, the Quran stands as a thoughtful reminder (a rampart, if you will) against despair and depression, so as to keep going no matter what, or as the Quran puts it, "that it may confirm (the faith of) those who believe, and as guidance and good tidings for those who have surrendered (to Allah)." (16.102)
When Ibrahim (pbuh) got married, in his youth, neither he nor his wife chose to be child-free. When he begot two sons, in his very old age, one became the spiritual leader of the Arabs, the other became the father (and forefather) of prophets and kings. But "man was ever hasty." (17.11) "And say not of anything: Lo! I shall do that tomorrow, Except if Allah will. And remember thy Lord when thou forgettest, and say: It may be that my Lord guideth me unto a nearer way of truth than this." (18.23-24)
Those people around Ibrahim (pbuh) were in no way better than him, and yet most
did not have this problem. Ibrahim (pbuh) continued to pray because such a
problem does have emotional ramifications, if not for one like himself, at
least for his wife –or for any other normal parent who wishes to have a child.
But Ibrahim (pbuh) did not condition his worshipping of Allah on anything. He
worshipped Allah with sincere devotion. Allah says: "Lo! Abraham was a
nation obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the
idolaters." (16.120) He alone was worth a nation, because of
his worship of Allah!
Why Ibrahim? Well, Allah called on our prophet (pbuh) to follow the creed of
Ibrahim. He said to him: "Follow the religion of Abraham, as one by nature
upright. He was not of the idolaters." (16.123) And to all Muslims He
says: "And strive for Allah with the endeavour which is His right. He hath
chosen you and hath not laid upon you in religion any hardship; the faith of
your father Abraham (is yours). He hath named you Muslims of old time and in
this (Scripture), that the messenger may be a witness against you, and that ye
may be witnesses against mankind. So establish worship, pay the poor-due, and
hold fast to Allah. He is your Protecting friend. A blessed Patron and a
blessed Helper!" (22.78)
What happens to many of us is that our faith weakens once we get the impression
that Allah does not care about us. At the same time some of us stop caring
about Allah once they feel they got all they wanted. Allah says: "And
among mankind is he who worshippeth Allah upon a narrow marge so that if good
befalleth him he is content therewith, but if a trial befalleth him, he falleth
away utterly. He loseth both the world and the Hereafter. That is the sheer
loss." (22.11) "Whoso chooseth Satan for a patron instead of Allah is
verily a loser and his loss is manifest." (4.119) "Is it then in
vanity that they believe and in the grace of Allah that they disbelieve?"
(16.72) "And whatever of comfort ye enjoy, it is from Allah. Then, when
misfortune reacheth you, unto Him ye cry for help." (16.53) "Yet most
of mankind believe not." (40.59) "Say: Who delivereth you from the
darkness of the land and the sea? Ye call upon Him humbly and in secret,
(saying): If we are delivered from this (fear) we truly will be of the
thankful. Say: Allah delivereth you from this and from all affliction. Yet ye
attribute partners unto Him. Say: He is able to send punishment upon you from
above you or from beneath your feet, or to bewilder you with dissension and
make you taste the tyranny one of another. See how We display the revelations
so that they may understand." (6.3-65) "Lo! Allah is a Lord of bounty
for mankind, yet most of mankind give not thanks." (40.61)
Others think that if they worship Allah "harder" they will get what
they want sooner. They start regarding what is commendable as obligatory and
what is blameworthy as illicit (haram). They become too rigid and impulsive to
see their wrong. They urge other people to do like they do. And when they run
into trouble they deflect blame to somebody else. Allah says: "He hath
chosen you and hath not laid upon you in religion any hardship; the faith of
your father Abraham." (22.78) "So keep your duty to Allah as best ye
can, and listen, and obey, and spend; that is better for your souls. And whoso
is saved from his own greed, such are the successful." (64.16) "What
concern hath Allah for your punishment if ye are thankful (for His mercies) and
believe (in Him)? Allah was ever Responsive, Aware." (4.147)
The first Muslims did not embrace Islam in order to improve their lives. They
embraced Islam because they believed it's the Truth. They believed and then
said: "Allah sufficeth us. Allah will give us of His bounty, and (also)
His messenger. Unto Allah we are suppliants." (9.59) "So Allah gave
them the reward of the world and the good reward of the Hereafter. Allah loveth
those whose deeds are good." (3.148)
In the Hadith we read: "Whoever possesses the following three qualities will have the sweetness (delight) of faith: 1. The one to whom Allah and His Apostle become dearer than anything else. 2. Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's sake. 3. Who hates to revert to Atheism (disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the fire." Do all people care about "the sweetness of faith". "And those who disbelieve say of those who believe: If it had been (any) good, they would not have been before us in attaining it. And since they will not be guided by it, they say: This is an ancient lie." (46.11) For these people it's a lie that alms should be taken from the rich to help the poor. For them it's "every man for himself".
In the end, everyone thinks as they want. To those who believe, the Quran says: "Lo! the righteous shall drink of a cup whereof the mixture is of Kafur, A spring wherefrom the slaves of Allah drink, making it gush forth abundantly, (Because) they perform the vow and fear a day whereof the evil is wide-spreading, And feed with food the needy wretch, the orphan and the prisoner, for love of Him, (Saying): We feed you, for the sake of Allah only. We wish for no reward nor thanks from you; Lo! we fear from our Lord a day of frowning and of fate. Therefor Allah hath warded off from them the evil of that day, and hath made them find brightness and joy; And hath awarded them for all that they endured, a Garden and silk attire; Reclining therein upon couches, they will find there neither (heat of) a sun nor bitter cold. The shade thereof is close upon them and the clustered fruits thereof bow down. Goblets of silver are brought round for them, and beakers (as) of glass (Bright as) glass but (made) of silver, which they (themselves) have measured to the measure (of their deeds). There are they watered with a cup whereof the mixture is of Zanjabil, (The water of) a spring therein, named Salsabil. There wait on them immortal youths, whom, when thou seest, thou wouldst take for scattered pearls. When thou seest, thou wilt see there bliss and high estate. Their raiment will be fine green silk and gold embroidery. Bracelets of silver will they wear. Their Lord will slake their thirst with a pure drink. (And it will be said unto them): Lo! this is a reward for you. Your endeavour (upon earth) hath found acceptance." (76.5-22)
