After you know the names and attributes of Allah, you need to call Allah by them. "فادعوه بها"
We have three types of دعاء:
1) دعاء المسألة
You ask Allah by this name.
2) دعاء الثناء
You have to praise Allah by it.
3) دعاء العباده
You have to worship Allah by this name
E.g. When you know that Allah is الرقيب, البصير، السميع, you would not commit a sin even when you're alone, because you are aware that He sees you.
The different types of عزة mentioned in the Qur'an:
1) In (4:56):
Allah tells us about the punishment of the disbelievers.
نضجت is used for cooking. Allah will exchange their dead skin cells with new ones so they can taste the pain again and again.
= عزة القوى
2) In (31:8-9):
= عزة المتناع / عزة القهر
3) In (31:27):
Allah speaks and ordains whatever He wills. (كلمات قدريه و كلمات دينيه).
= عزة القهر و الغلبة
4) In (59:1) and (59:24):
Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies Allah, submits to Allah, worships Him, subdued to Him.
= عزة القهر
5) In (54:42):
= عزة القوي / عزة القهر
6) In (48:7):
The soldiers of Allah are the Angels, the wind, the sea, etc. which are all subdued to him. They cannot be a mercy or a punishment without the command of Allah.
= عزة القهر / عزة القوى
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Continuation: Q. If Allah overpowers us, and everything He wills will happen, and everything He does not will will not happen, then what's the point in doing good deeds?
A. Allah mentioned in the Qur'an that when He created us, He showed us the way to Paradise and the way to Hell. He showed us what is good for us and what is bad for us.
"فمن شاء فليؤمن و من شاء فليكفر"
Allah created you, gave you a mind, heart, senses, sound disposition, and didn't give that all to you in vain. He gave it so that you would think, decide, and take actions.
It's up to you to choose the way to Paradise or the way to Hell.
Knowledge
Allah knew in advance what was going to happen until the establishment of the Day of Judgement. He knows who will be in Hell and who will be in Paradise and He knew it even before the creation of the heavens and earth, because His knowledge is perfect.
Writing
Allah wrote everything He knew that was going to happen in The Preserved Tablet. This writing is based on His knowledge.
Will
What happens now of decrees is by Allah's will. And this is considered عزة القهر. Nothing can stop or repel what Allah has willed. By His dominance He allows these decrees to befall us, whether they are good or not. We have no choice over it.
This is considered a test for you.
E.g. Allah made you poor. He made you single. He made you childless. These are all considered tests.
What is my part in this? الخلق
Allah created in us the ability and strength to take an action; to respond to the test. We are responsible for our response to this test; whether we answer correctly (you take an action which pleases Allah) or incorrectly (you take an action displeasing to Allah). You either pass or fail this test with Allah.
E.g. Allah knew and wrote that you will go through a financial problem. This happens by Allah's will and you have no choice. It's a test.
You will either think good of Allah, know that through It He wants to forgive your sins, increase you in reward, etc. You passed the test.
Or you will either wonder why problems always happen to you even though you pray and do good. You begin to think ill of Allah. You've failed the test.
The matter doesn't end here. The Qadar that comes next will come based on your response, whether you passed or failed.
Let's say you passed the test. Allah will put contentment in your heart and you become pleased with Allah, even if you still have problems.
But the person who failed will feel more constriction, less hope, get angrier, and more discontent. As long as she doesn't understand the Qadar this will continue with her.
Evidence:
In (14:7):
"و إذ تأذن ربكم لئن شكرتم لأزيدنكم و لئن كفرتم إن عذابي لشديد"
Allah gave us blessings.
If your response to this blessing was gratitude, and you use it in obedience to Allah, the next Qadar will be that Allah will give you more of His blessings.
If you are ungrateful, accordingly the next Qadar, will be punishment. This punishment is because of YOUR response to the test. So Allah is fair with us.
Whenever anything befalls you, sit down, check and analyze the situation. YOU did something, and because of that you are suffering. Don't accuse people, or Allah. What's happening to me is because of me.
(57:22):
"ما اصاب من مصيبة في الارض و لا في انفسكم الا في كتاب من قبل ان نبرأها ان ذالك على الله يسير"
Nothing befalls the world of floods, hurricanes, etc. or yourself like problems, conflicts, sickness, etc. except that Allah has written it. He knew about it and wrote it in the preserved tablet. And He brings into existence by His command, will, and permission.
(64:11):
"ما اصاب من مصيبة الا باْذن الله و من يؤمن بالله يهد قلبه والله بكل شئ عليم"
و من يؤمن بالله
This person believes that the calamity is from Allah, that He is testing his faith, to see if he really believes in Allah's wisdom, mercy, etc. He knows that Allah isn't testing him or putting him through problematic situations in vain or to torture him. Even if he can't see the wisdom behind the situation now, He knows that Allah is All-wise. He shows patience hoping that Allah rewards him and makes his scale heavy on the Day of Judgement.
What is the result? يهد قلبه
Allah will make this persons heart good. He will feel at rest, content with Allah, tranquility. This is the result of His belief.
You didn't have a choice in the first Qadar, but when you responded correctly, this was the result. You caused this to happen to yourself.
The opposite case: A calamity befell another person, and he disbelieved in Allah. He started to doubt, wonder why he was going through this punishment, that he doesn't deserve it, and that Allah is oppressing him. He thinks bad about Allah, and is discontent with what is happening, nor does he show patience,
This persons heart will not be guided. He will increase in confusion, doubt, distress, unhappiness. this was the result of his answer.
Allah already knew beforehand what you would choose and what would happen, and He has written it all in the preserved tablet. The Qadar will come again and again.
HADITH: "Know that what missed you could not have hit you, and what hit you could not have missed you."
HADITH:
E.g. An earthquake happened in a country. Both the disbelievers and believers died. Allah made you hear about this. Why did He make you hear and see this matter? It means you are now under a test; will you pass or fail?
The attitude of the one who fails: It's not fair. Allah isn't just. The disbelievers deserve it, but what about the believers?
This is thinking bad about Allah. This is how he failed.
The attitude of the one who passes: He believes that on the Day of Judgement Allah will resurrect everyone in the state they died, whether they died in the state of ايمان or disbelief. Allah will be fair with them.
This is why we are shown things again and again. We wonder why we hear and see things again and again. It's because we failed before and Allah wants us to succeed this time.
In a nutshell:-
We are not compelled
Allah perfected our creation. He gave us natural disposition, all our senses, to see right from wrong, to think, judge, analyze.
Allah showed us the right from wrong. He showed us what is good and bad for us
We have to know that Allah tests us in every situation we go through.
If you passed the test, then the next Qadar will be good for you. But if you didn't answer correctly in the first Qadar, the next Qadar will be worse for you.
E.g. The People of Saba
Allah granted the people of Saba many blessings. He willed that for them. He gave them two gardens which brought forth different kinds of fruits, vegetables, big reservoirs of water to water these gardens, and made it easy for them to travel.
He granted them these blessings as a test.
What was their response to this Qadar? They showed ingratitude. They didn't thank Allah, and felt boredom with these blessings.
Our children have all types of blessings and then say they're bored with it and want something new. This is ingratitude.
They failed with Allah, and because of this, the next Qadar Allah decreed for them was: The damn was destroyed, the two gardens were spoilt and their gardens of fruits became gardens of thorny trees, and Allah scattered them all over the Arabian peninsula.
Allah removed their blessings as a result of their failure with Allah.
E.g. Someone committed a lot of sins in the past, and after Allah guided him he realized how bad the sins he committed were. He can't bring back the past and change the situation. What is he required to do? استغفار, be grateful to Allah that He showed him his sin before he died so he can repent.
Some people, when they remember their past, they feel doomed and that the gate of forgiveness is closed. They despair of Allah's mercy (which is a great sin), and may even think of suicide.
We can't change the past.
E.g. The person transgressed against his family. He wasn't dutiful to his parents or didn't raise his children in the right way and now he's suffering, He has to ask Allah's forgiveness for his shortcoming, make دعاء, and ask Allah to reform and guide his children, have hope in Allah that the situation will change one day by Allah's will, and wait for the relief. These are all considered acts of worship. If you show truthfulness, Allah could change the situation in a day or night without you doing anything except dua. Don't despair and feel depressed. What happened happened, and it was Qadar. Answer the test correctly now, and ask Allah to help you and make your life better.
E.g. A lady had all her children married, and now she's alone in the house. She feels lonely. This is a Qadar. Most people sink into depression, complain all the time, blame their in-laws, etc. The person who passes this test, however, rejoices because Allah freed her of all her responsibilities so that she has more time to dedicate for her hereafter.
E.g. You are running a center or class for teaching Islam. Allah made you to hear about another center. This is a test.
The incorrect attitude: Jealousy, competition.
The correct attitude: الحمد لله Islamic centers are increasing, more and more people are becoming aware of Islam.
Q. Does crying negate my pleasure and contentment with Allah's decree?
A. When the Prophets son, Ibrahim, passed away, he shed tears. Abdur-Rahman Ibn Auf said, "You are weeping O Messenger of Allah" He replied, "Ibn Auf, this is mercy," and then said:
"إن العين تدمع، وإن القلب يحزن، ولا نقول إلا ما يرضي ربنا وإنا بفراقك يا إبراهيم لمحزونون"
"Our eyes shed tears and our hearts are filled with grief, but we do not say anything except that by which Allah is pleased. O, Ibrahim we are sorrowful due to your separation."
You aren't blamed for missing whoever you are separated from, or from feeling sad, and weeping. This is natural grief. But be content and know that there is good in what Allah had decreed for you.
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