بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The most important knowledge we should learn is Tawheed; which is Allah's right upon His slaves. Ones Tawheed will be perfected when it is affirmed and negated.
E.g. Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiya
Whenever Allah mentions any of His Actions, we should negate it from everyone and affirm it to Him alone.
If you perfect your Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiya, you will perfect your Tawheed Al-Uloohiya (Worship). Your heart will only be attached to Allah; it will love Him, magnify Him, and no one else.
Tawheed Al-Asmaa Wa Sifat
Allah has Names and Attributes. How will you single Allah out in His Names and Attributes, especially regarding the Names and Attributes which are common between Allah and His creation? By singling Allah out in Perfection.
When you see someone who has a good quality, you negate the perfection of that attribute from him, and attribute it to Allah.
"No one is perfect in kindness except Allah"
"No one is perfect in their knowledge except Allah"
Etc.
And you should attribute whatever this person has of good qualities to Allah.
"Allah is the One who taught him"
"Allah is the One who made him generous and kind"
Etc.
It is in this way you will be fulfilling the right of Allah. If you live in this Dunya like this (as a monotheist), what are the fruits you will gain?
الإيمان is to believe in the unseen mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The greatest of all unseen is Allah. It is this belief that distinguishes the believers from the hypocrites on the Day of Judgement; the People of Paradise from the People of Hell.
In order to bring ourselves out of the fold of hypocrisy, we should take care of our belief in the articles of faith; especially in Allah. We should strengthen our belief in Allah's Names, Attributes, and Actions. We should be increasing every day in our knowledge and certainty about Allah, so that we will not be shaken when we are asked "Who is your Lord?" in our graves.
This entire life teaches us who Allah is; we see the impacts of Allah's attributes in every situation we go through.
If a person has knowledge about everything in this life, yet no knowledge about Allah, all this knowledge will not benefit him when he dies. Yet if a person has knowledge about Allah, all the other types of knowledge he learns will benefit him.
So if you want to be saved, check yourself: Do you have enough knowledge about Allah? Before you go learn anything of the Dunya, learn about who Allah is first.
As-Sa'di رحمه الله mentions the fruits of fulfilling Tawheed in his book, "التوضيح و البيان لشجرة الإيمان":
If a person has faith, it will not just benefit him in the hereafter, it will benefit him both in this life and the next, in his body, heart, and spirit.
How will it benefit his body?
E.g. When the believer drinks ZamZam and believes with certainty that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"إنها مباركة إنها طعام طعم"
"It is a blessing, and it is food that satisfies.” [Muslim, 4/1922]
Al-Tayaalisi (61) added, in a version that he narrated:
"وشفاء سقم"
“and a cure for the sick.”
His certain belief that ZamZam is a cure and food affects his body. This is not like the effect of ZamZam on the weak believer; no matter how much he drinks, it does not benefit him. The problem is not in the ZamZam, or the honey, or the black seed,it is in his weak belief. This is how الإيمان benefits the body of the person.
When you tell the youth to learn about the religion, they think that it will only benefit them in the hereafter and not in this world. Whoever thinks his faith will only benefit him when he dies is thinking bad about Allah. The believer enjoys a good life and tranquil soul whilst he is in this world.
How do you connect this with the statement of the Prophet ﷺ in this Hadith:
عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ النَّاسِ أَشَدُّ بَلاَءً قَالَ " الأَنْبِيَاءُ ثُمَّ الأَمْثَلُ فَالأَمْثَلُ يُبْتَلَى الْعَبْدُ عَلَى حَسَبِ دِينِهِ فَإِنْ كَانَ فِي دِينِهِ صُلْبًا اشْتَدَّ بَلاَؤُهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي دِينِهِ رِقَّةٌ ابْتُلِيَ عَلَى حَسَبِ دِينِهِ فَمَا يَبْرَحُ الْبَلاَءُ بِالْعَبْدِ حَتَّى يَتْرُكَهُ يَمْشِي عَلَى الأَرْضِ وَمَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ خَطِيئَةٍ "
It was narrated from Mus’ab bin Sa’d that his father, Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas, said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which people are most severely tested?’ He said: ‘The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his religious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious commitment, he will be tested more severely, and if he is frail in his religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment. Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.’” [Ibn Majah #4023] ?
A. Imagine a marble floor, and an iron ball hanging from the ceiling above it. If this iron ball falls directly on the marble, it will completely damage it. But if there is an air bag over the floor, and you drop this iron ball, there will be no effect on the marble.
This iron ball represents the calamities and afflictions that come one after the other. The air bag represents the faith of the person - if faith is strong in his heart, the calamity will not affect him at all. But if his faith is weak, or not there at all, the calamity will cause damage to the heart of the person.
This is the benefit of الإيمان.
The Prophets and Messengers had strong faith, thus their calamities were stronger, but these calamities did not affect their hearts. It made them even more submissive, more patient, therefore they got more reward, unlike those lesser than them in belief.
Some people do not want to be strong believers out of fear that adversity will increase. But remember the above example - the air bag will break the fall of the iron ball. If you are strong in faith, no matter how much calamities afflict you, you will be firm, tranquil, pleased with Allah, content, patient. This is the fruit of belief. Faith makes ones reaction towards the decree of Allah such. So one does not just attain reformation and goodness in the hereafter, but in this world as well.
"Its roots become strong"
i.e. The person fulfills the conditions of Tawheed.
One should not be hasty in getting the fruit. You should plant the seed of faith in your heart, take care of it, protect it from evil, water it with knowledge and doing good, until your faith grows. Then as it grows, protect it from the dangers and risks - take care of the evil of your tongue, limbs, and heart - until it grows and becomes strong. Do not expose your faith to risks, temptations, and فنتة (trials of the Dunya) otherwise it will wither away.
If you do this, what is the greatest fruit you will get?
What is Al-Wilayah? Al-Wilayah here refers to the Special of Wilayah of Allah, which is Allah's Guardianship, Protection, Guidance, Love of the person. Thus this person will be supported, helped, guided, loved, guarded, and protected by Allah. This is why the Sheikh رحمه الله said this is the greatest fruit.
Who are Al-Awliyaa? Those who did two things:
1) Believed "الذين ءامنوا"
And المؤمن = المؤحد (Believer = Monotheist)
2) Feared Allah (in their Actions) "و كانوا يتقون"
They performed everything Allah commanded with and abstained from everything Allah prohibited them from.
Because of their belief and deeds, Allah took these people into His Guardianship.
What are the impacts of the Wilayah of Allah?
What are the impacts of the Wilayah of Allah?
1) Allah removes the coverings of lust, desires, sins, from the person and he sees the reality of everything around him.
Allah said in a Hadith Qudsi:
"مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا، فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ، كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطِشُ بِهَا، وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لَأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنْ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لَأُعِيذَنَّهُ، وَمَا تَرَدَّدْتُ عَنْ شَيْءٍ أَنَا فَاعِلُهُ تَرَدُّدِي عَنْ نَفْسِ عَبْدِي الْمُؤْمِنِ، يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ وَأَنَا أَكْرَهُ مَسَاءَتَهُ"
"Whosoever shows enmity to a Wali of mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works until I love him. When I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him." [Bukhari]
As your Faith and Taqwa increases as the Wilayah of Allah will increase.
"I will be his sense of hearing..."
Allah will protect his ears from hearing evil and only make him hear good. Allah will protect his eyesight so that he does not see except that which is good and pleasing to Allah. He will only see the ءايات of Allah, hear messages from Allah. When he reads the Qur'an, it immediately affects his heart - because the eyes and ears are the two passages to the heart.
As the person comes closer to Allah, as Allah will protect him, increase his faith, and remove the coverings from his eyesight, hearing, and his heart which prevent the Qur'an or any good admonition from reaching it.
Whatever this person sees around himself in the world, he sees as a message and sign from Allah. Everything in the Universe tells him the impacts of Allah's attributes. Everyone sees this, but he is the only one who understands.
When you see yourself behaving hazardously, acting without guidance, without knowing what decision to take, you need to increase your faith - in order for Allah to take you into His Allegiance and grant you these fruits. You will not be supported and helped unless you are close to Allah.
You will be led to the straight path and correct thinking if Allah takes you into His Guardianship. The Awliyaa of Allah see the facts of Eeman.
Are of the people of the same degree in their Wilayah? No, they differ according to their degree of Faith. There are those whose faith is strong, and those whose faith is weak. The strong believer hears the truth more, sees the truth more, and takes actions towards the truth more, because Allah is with him more than He is with the weak believer.
If you want Allah to be with you and guide you, strengthen your faith. Accordingly, the impact of that will be an increase in your faith. الإيمان + العمل are the keys to attaining the Wilayah of Allah.
All people pray and fast, but the fasting and prayer of the strong believer differs from the fasting and prayer of the person who is weak. The one whose faith is strong understands that from the beginning until the end of the Salaat he is talking to Allah. Even if he is distracted during it, he makes Istighfar after, believing that Allah is غفور شكور - who Forgives sins and deficiencies and Appreciates and gives the full reward.
Thousands of people perform Tawaf around the Ka'bah. But they are not of the same level of faith when they perform it. When the strong believer makes Tawaf, he will not be distracted with people around him, looking at what people around him are doing or saying. His faith makes him see that every step he takes is elevation with Allah in ranks, expiation of sins, a good deed in his record. He sees the Ka'bah, and believes that there is the Bayt Al-Ma'mur exactly above it, and that Angels circumbulate it.
He looks at the Haram as a great, sacred place. So he is watchful of his actions, his tongue, of his heart. He does not criticize people or take pictures. He is busy in thinking about these facts of belief. Allah protects his eyes and ears. This is the Wali of Allah and this is how Eeman affects the worship of the person. The more you know about Allah, the more the facts of Eeman will be clear to you. There will be no veil on your hearts and eyes. Allah will remove all these coverings, and you will see the reality of everything, which many people do not see.
If you have strong faith throughout your life this is how you will live wherever you go, whether you are alone or amongst the people. You will only see the reality of things.
In Surah Fatir [35:34]:
"And they will say: "All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has removed from us (all) grief. Verily, our Lord is indeed OftForgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (good deeds and to recompense)."
"Who, out of His Grace, has lodged us in a home that will last forever; there, toil will touch us not, nor weariness will touch us."
What was their state whilst they lived in this life? In Verses 29-30:
"Verily, those who recite the Book of Allah (this Quran), and perform AsSalat (IqamatasSalat), and spend (in charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for a (sure) tradegain that will never perish."
"That He may pay them their wages in full, and give them (even) more, out of His Grace. Verily! He is OftForgiving, Most Ready to appreciate (good deeds and to recompense)."
يتلون = They recite and follow the Book of Allah
When they did that, what did they hope for? A commerce which never perishes; A commerce with Allah.
Because their Lord is غفور شكور. When they recited Qur'an, were praying, and fasting, they used to ask Allah to forgive their deficiencies, because He is غفور. And He is شكور, the one who will give them the full reward for their deed, and even more than that. When you do any good deed, ask Allah غفور شكور to forgive your shortcomings and multiply the reward.
Because they believed that Allah is غفور شكور without any doubt whilst they were in this world, Allah dealt with them accordingly on the Day of Judgement. We have to deal with Allah with حسن الظن (Good Thinking). Do not say my sins are too much, and do not despair. Even if you come with an earthful of sins, and you do not commit Shirk, Allah will forgive you.
So Allah removes the coverings of lust, desires, sins, from the person and he sees the reality of everything around him.
E.g. If someone comes and praises her, she will not be proud or arrogant, because she knows that Allah is الستّير - Allah is the One who concealed her defects from people, that is why they praised her. Had it not been for Allahs concealment, she would have been exposed and scandalized.
Therefore Abu Bakr رضي الله عنهused to say when he was praised:
And Ibn Masoud رضي الله عنه said, "If you knew my defects, you would beat me with your shoes.."
2) Allah brings him out of darkness into light
How can you detect this darkness? There are people who are in the darkness of their evil thoughts and wrong beliefs, but do not know that. They look at the covered woman as a مسكينة and the woman who is dutiful to her husband as a slave. They look at everything Islam brought as a chain or burden. As soon as these people embrace Islam or Eeman enters their heart, and Allah gives them the gift of light, they will realize that they were in darkness before, and Allah guided them to the right path.
How many people used to defend their sins, but when Allah enlightened them, they realized that they were in the darkness of disbelief? Many people who are in the darkness of sins see himself as good and everyone else as wrong. Therefore, when you face or meet someone like that, do not fight with him, because he does not see what you see. Leave him to Allah. If Allah wills good for him, he will enlighten him one day, and he will realize he was wrong. But do not argue or force people to accept what you believe in. People are of different levels of faith, you see what they do not see. It is not your responsibility to guide people or force them to accept what you say. Your duty is merely to convey the message, and your reward is upon Allah.
Therefore the only person who can tell the difference between being in darkness or light is the person guided by Allah. No one will be able to distinguish unless Allah gives them light.
We may go through situations where we have problems with our children, husband, families, and not know how to act or what to say. You do not know if you should speak, keep silent, take such and such decision. Here you should ask Allah to give you light, and strengthen your faith, rely on Him, until He gives you the light to make the right decision.
Many people do not feel that they are in confusion, so they do not ask Allah for light. We need to always ask Allah for light to see the truth.
The Prophet ﷺ taught us to say:
Light will come and show you the reality of everything according to the Qur'an and Sunnah.
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