بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
We have to attribute every blessing to Allah alone. Attribute the actions to Allah when you discuss His blessings.
Don't let your heart be turned to the people or the means. In this way you will fulfil Tawheed ar-Ruboobiya.
The purpose behind our creation is to fulfil Tawheed. You will never be able to fulfil it until you know about Allah.
The name القيوم implies all the actions of Allah. The detail of all the blessings we enjoy is mentioned in Surah Nahl.
People are ungrateful to Allah, and attribute it to other than Allah. This is why Allah called them كافرين.
HADITH: "All of you are hungry, except those whom I feed."
Feeding is an action of Allah. Why don't we see that Allah is the One feeding and providing for us? The means (الأسباب). We only see the people who helped us, the medicine that cured us, etc.
The more you attribute the blessings to Allah the more you will perfect your Tawheed.
People vary in their level of Tawheed. The poor people are more inclined to being stronger in Tawheed than the rich because they don't have, and ask Allah directly. The rich already have the means, and this blocks them from seeing and attributing the blessing to Allah.
By nature we are in need. You could be a billionaire, but you'll still be in need. We need our bed to sleep, our clothes to cover ourselves, etc.
By nature we are incapable, weak.
Why did Allah create us like this? In order that we resort to Him.
Those who admit their weakness and need are those who always ask Allah. People who are strong and intelligent think they can manage their lives on their own. But the reality is that we are all weak and incapable unless Allah gives us the strength. This is why لا حول و لا قوة الا بالله is one of the treasures of Paradise.
The true believers admit their weakness, need, and incapacity. The ignorant people rely on themselves, and this is why they always fail. Allah is showing them that they are incapable, and that they should rely on Him. Allah makes us fail in order that we implore Him.
One of the greatest names of Allah is القيوم. One of the impacts of believing in this name is that it strengthens your توكل.
In سورة الفيل:
"الم تَر كيف فعل ربك باصحاب الفيل"
You have to focus on the actions of Allah in this Surah.
"الم يجعل كيدهم في تضليل"
Allah is the One who made their plot go astray. Abrahah was in Yemen and built a huge church in order to divert the attention from the Ka'bah to himself. One of the Arabs smashed filthy things on the wall of his church, which angered Abrahah. He decided to go and destroy the Ka'bah.
Allah could've destroyed him then and there, but Allah made him go alll the way to Makkah as a test for both parties.
The Quraish ran to the mountains, and no one stayed to defend the Ka'bah.
"و أرسل عليهم طيرا ابابيل"
"ترميهم بحجارة من سجيل"
All the soldiers were killed, except for Abrahah who went back to Yemen to tell his people, where he died.
"فجعلهم كعصف ماكول"
This Surah teaches us how to strengthen our توكل. It is as if you are told, if you are going through a situation in life where people plot over you, and Allah may give him power over you as a test for you and him. The believer will know that just as Allah destroyed Abrahah at the last moment, He is able to make their plots go in vain. Allah is telling us this story in order that we may benefit.
People who are weak in faith will worry, and get upset, but the true believer will put his trust in Allah. We need to put our trust, certainty, and confidence in Allah. You need to be certain that Allah will not neglect you, and will take care of you, and will make their plot go astray. This is how you will be kept firm in front of the enemy.
In any situation you go through in your life, remember who Allah is. When you know Allah you will know how he deals with his Slaves in this life. Allah may grant oppressors power, to the point they reach the pinnacle of tyranny, as a test, until He seizes them with punishment.
Like the people of Saleh. When they killed the she-camel, Saleh told them to enjoy for three days, in order to do whatever they want and reach the utmost evil such that they will deserve the punishment of Allah.
Don't be depressed when you see evil doers being given power and authority. The believer knows that this is temporary and will come to an end. Allah is giving them respite. You need to have confidence and certainty that Allah will give victory to the believers. The land is the land of Allah, and He promised to give it to the righteous people. No matter how much the disbelievers take, a time will come when Allah will stop them from their tyranny and oppression.
You may not see the victory now or in your lifetime, but be sure that it will happen.
سورة الفيل is an important Surah which describes the actions of Allah.
People say they are putting their trust in Allah yet they are afraid, worried, unable to sleep at night, etc. This is contrary to التوكل.
What is التوكل? It is a state which the slave practices with his heart.
The matter is the heart, not the tongue.
This state is not perpetual, it is practiced when there is a need for it. Eg. When you're afraid of something, or you have a need you want to fulfil, or a task you want to accomplish, etc.
How do you practice this?
1) As soon as this need exists, you need to immediately resort to Allah.
2) Have confidence and trust in Allah. Know that Allah is near, He sees, hears you, knows what you want. In his hand is the entire dominion, He is able to give you what you want, take care of you.
Why do we resort to Allah directly? You want Allah to comfort your heart, give you peace and tranquility, and nobody amongst the people can give you that. Because the hearts are in Allah's hand. You can talk to people for hours and they may still never understand you.
التوكل is based on three things:
1) Knowledge about Allah
You have to know Allah by His names and attributes. Allah is your Lord, your وكيل, the One who disposes all your affairs in the best way, He is the One who suffices you, who can give you whatever you want, in His hands are all the graces. He is the One who can bring you out of your difficulty to ease. He is الحكيم, He knows what is good for you, and what isn't.
When you know about Allah you will be at rest. Your Lord is ملك who is free of deficiencies, the One who keeps His promises and grants you security, المحيمين, الرقيب، شهيد، حفيظ، عزيز, His command is executive, no one can repel it. He is the owner of all might and power. He is الجبار, The one who will mend your heart if it is broken. المتكبر, Nothing is greater than Him. Allah is greater than your problem, and is able to solve it.
When you know all this about Allah, how can your heart turn to other than Him? He is perfect and is able to give you what you want. The more you know about Allah, the more you will feel tranquil.
2) Knowledge about the way of Allah, how He deals with His servants.
The person who knows Allah knows that when He asks Allah he won't always get it in the way he wants. Does this mean that everything you do will go in vain? Nothing goes in vain with Him. Whatever effort you put, Allah will recompense you for it.
One of the names of Allah is الطيف, He will bring you provision in the way, time, and amount He knows is best for you, in a subtle, hidden way which you could never have imagined.
3) Knowledge about how Allah recompenses and compensates the believer when he puts his trust in Him.
If the person goes in the way Allah prescribed for him, and he puts his trust in Allah, Allah will recompense him.
E.g. You need a job. You invoke Allah, put your trust in Him, and then proceed to take the means and apply for it. You didn't get the job in the end. The believer knows that although he didn't get the job, he is getting reward for all those stages, when you put your trust in him, took the means, etc.
When we don't get what we want we get depressed, disappointed, and upset. We feel like we wasted our time and regret it. We don't realise that from the moment you resorted and put your trust in Allah, your efforts didn't go in vain with Him.
In (20:112):
"و من يعمل من الصالحات و هو مؤمن فلا يخاف ظلما و لا هضما"
The condition required when you do a good deed is that you should believe in Allah. Believe that Allah will never allow your efforts to go in vain.
The person who does righteous deeds and believes in Allah, He should not fear any injustice from Allah nor will He be deprived from the reward of his good deeds. Nothing goes in vain with Allah.
Even if the thing you want to get is something worldly, as long as you put effort and relied on Allah, it is all recorded and you will receive reward for it.
HADITH: "A Prophet will come with one or two followers, and a Prophet will come with no followers on the Day of Judgement"
They spent years calling people, but only a few or none accepted their call. This will not diminish their reward in the least.
You will be rewarded for the amount of effort you put.
If you are a teacher, and you prepare and put effort, and yet there is no response from the students, know that Allah is aware of it. Every minute you spend in the cause of Allah, He will aappreciate it from you, and reward you for it, even if you see no result in this world. Have this trust in Allah, that nothing goes in vain.
"ان الله مع الصابرين"
"و من يتوكل الله فهو حسبه"
"و من يتق الله يجعل له مخرج و يرزقه من حيث لا يحتسب"
You will be rewarded and recompensed as a consequence of your good deeds.
If you resort to Allah but still worry and fear then you aren't really resorting in Him.
E.g. Istikharah is a kind of putting your trust in Allah. You are entrusting your affair to Allah and giving Him the full authority to dispose it in the best way. You are confused about a matter in your life, or you already made a decision, and you consult Allah.
It needs to be established in your heart that Allah will either give you regarding what you have consulted Him, or He will not give you, but He will make you pleased.
"ثم ارضني به"
Know that when you make Istikharah in any matter, Allah will test you to show you if you were really truthful in what you said.
If you make Istikharah and you worry, this is the first indication that you aren't really trusting in Allah and have no confidence in Him. The Shaytan will come and whisper "What ifs" and "Maybe's" in order to nullify your توكل.
If you really put your trust in Allah you should be calm. Your trust in Allah is dependant on your knowledge of Allah.
Ex. You made Istikharah and it will be made difficult and your heart feels constricted. Allah will compensate you with something else, and that substitute is better for you.
Our problem is that we are hasty. We want the result immediately.
HADITH: The Prophet said, "Allah will respond to you as long as you are not hasty"
Wait, until Allah broadens your chest for that matter.
Also, many people think bad of Allah.
Ex. You made Istikharah to get a helper. You took the means and got what you wanted. After a couple of months you found out that she's not good. Some people fall into suspicion and think evil of Allah. Some people say, "Everytime I make Istikharah something bad happens". This is accusing allah.
Sit and contemplate. It might appear evil in your perspective, but there could be abundant good behind it. Perhaps it was due to this helper that you became a patient person, invoked Allah, etc. You practiced good actions because of this evil person. By itself this is abundant good.
We've created our own limited image of good and evil. We don't realise that good is in whatever Allah has written and chosen for you. That is the best for you.
We don't see beyond and behind the matter, and this is a bad thinking of Allah.
You will go through a test after every Istikharah you make, as a test for your thinking and faith in Allah. Don't be hasty, don't think evil of Allah, whatever Allah writes for you is good.
If it happened that you made Istikharah and waited and nothing was clear for you, you can perform it again. Then wait a while. If it is still not clear, do it for the third time. If after the third time, the matter isn't clear, then consult a knowledgeable person in that matter, and see what he guides you to. That is the result of your Istikharah.
Istikharah is an act of worship. We have to be good mannered with Allah when we practice it.
Another impact of knowing Allah by His name القيوم: You will attribute every blessing and action to Allah.
In (16:83)
"يعرفون نعمت الله ثم ينكرونها و أكثرهم الكافرون"
They recognise the graces of Allah but deny it by disbelieving in Allah, attributing the blessings to other than Him, being ungrateful to Him, etc.
This verse came after a series of verses which discuss the actions and blessings of Allah. In Verse 65:
أنزل = Allah is the One who brought down rain
فأحيا = Allah gives life to the death earth
Verse 66:
نسقيكم = Allah is the One who gives us milk. He brings out pure milk from between two filths.
Verse 67:
This verse was revealed before intoxicants were prohibited in Islam.
Verse 68:
اوحى = Allah is the One who inspired the bees to take habitations from the mountains, trees, and houses.
Verse 70:
خلقكم
يتوفاكم
Verse 71:
فضل
Verse 72:
جعل لكم spouses, and from them grandchildren.
رزقكم من الطيبات
Then, in Verse 73: و يعبدون من دون الله ما لا يملك لهم رزقا من السماوات والأرض شئا و لا يستطعون
In Verse 78:
أخرجكم = Allah is the One who brought us out of our mothers wombs
جعل لكم = He gave us our eyes, hearing, hearts.
Verse 79:
يمسكهن = Allah is the One who holds the birds in the sky.
When the pigeons fly, they don't flap their wings and they still glide in the sky. People attribute it to all these forces, etc. It is Allah who is holding these birds.
Verse 80:
جعل = Allah has made in our homes an abode. How many times have we thanked Allah for this?
جعل لكم من جلود الانعام بيوتا... = All the furniture is from Allah.
Verse 81:
جعل لكم = He has created shade for us.
جعل لكم من جبال أكنانا
جعل لكم سرابيل
After all this,
"يعرفون نعمت الله ثم ينكرونها و أكثرهم الكافرون"
Still, they say so-and-so gave me, such-and such. They attribute the blessings and actions to other than Allah. We have to be very careful in our speech. Don't attribute any action of Allah to yourself, the means, or someone else.
One of the most famous examples of this is, "The doctors cured me"
The ruling of attributing the blessing to other than Allah:
Shaykh Saleh alShaykh said, "It is deficiency in the completion of Tawheed and minor Shirk"
"Whoever attributes the favour of the creator to other than Him, He has made a partner in the Lordship of Allah (ربوبيه)" - Ibn Uthaymeen
AlBukhari said, "...as the man says, 'wouldn't it been for so-and-so, such-and-such wouldn't have been accomplished"
When a person says this, He has also committed Shirk in Uloohiya, because gratitude is an act of worship.
This is the gravity of the matter. We have to watch our tongues.
Shouldn't we thank people?
HADITH: If you want to thank someone say جزاك الله خير
HADITH: "Whoever does a favour to you, either give him something in return or pray for him until you think you have compensated him"
This is in order to free your heart from attachment and excessive love of the people.
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