Names of Allah Series:

All of us become ill. We may be inflicted yearly with the flu, get a fever or infection from time to time, or suffer from something more serious and/or more frequently, may Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), protect us all and ease the suffering of those who are ill. We are suddenly confronted with how weak we can be, and, sometimes without being conscious of it, plead with Allah (swt) to heal us. Indeed, as the Prophet Abraham, `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him), said:

“And when I am ill, it is He who cures me (yashfeen).” (Qur’an, 26:80)

Aisha, radi Allahu `anha (may God be pleased with her), narrated that when she or any of the Prophet’s ﷺ (peace be unto him) wives would become ill, he would put his right hand over the place of ailment and say:

“O Allah, the Lord of the people! Remove the trouble, for You are the Healer (al-Shāfī). No healing is of any avail but Yours; healing that will leave behind no ailment.” (Bukhari)

This du`a’ (supplication) teaches that it is Allah (swt) who is the Healer: He is al-Shāfī.

Sheikh Abdulrazzaq al-Bader said that the meaning of Allah al-Shāfī is that He is the healer of the diseases of the body and He is the healer of the diseases of the heart—such as rancor, envy, and hatred. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“… and [Allah will] heal the hearts of a believing people.” (Qur’an, 9:14)

The Healing of the Body

When we become ill, there are some of us who will grab a pill or visit the doctor. Others of us may try to figure out what the du`a’s of the Prophet ﷺ were in a similar situation.

Which one of the two groups believes with certainty that Allah is al-Shāfī?

The answer is: both, depending on the state of their heart. The Prophet ﷺ taught us that, “Every disease has a cure. So if the treatment is applied to the disease, the disease is cured by the Will of Allah.” (Muslim) The Prophet ﷺ set up a make-shift hospital in the form of a tent in Madina and appointed a woman named Rufaydah al-Aslamiyah (ra) to run it. Aisha (ra) stated that the companion Sa’ad bin Mu’ath was injured during the Battle of the Trench, and it was Rufaydah who tended to him (Muslim). Moreover, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani praised Rufaydah’s skill and wisdom, as she realized that the arrow that had hit Sa’ad (ra) was too deep to pull out, and so she worked on stopping the bleeding instead.

Al-Shāfī is the source of all cure and healing. Allah (swt) created this world and its laws. He decreed that when a chemical reaction at a certain temperature occurs between oxygen and a fuel, the result would be fire. He also decreed that water would put out (most) fire. Similarly, the laws dictate that when certain things happen—injury, infection, an unhealthy lifestyle or particular genes—we become ill. And those same laws provide for us a prevention from or cure for disease.

Seeking these cures (or making use of the prevention) and making du`a’ are complimentary when we understand that al-Shāfī is the source. He heals us through the laws that He created in the universe—which is why we are commanded to seek cures for our illnesses—and through our asking for His healing. Indeed, the Prophet Ayyoub (as) (Job) prayed to Allah (swt):

“Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.” (Qur’an, 21:83)

And Allah (swt) healed him.

We must remember though that we can cause our own illnesses. Think of a person who is a heavy smoker and is then afflicted with diseases in his lungs and throat. Indeed Allah is al-Shāfī, and He can cure whom He wills, but we must also take responsibility for our actions. We cannot be resigned and say, “Well, Allah willed it,” as an excuse to avoid accountability. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

“…do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction.” (Qur’an, 2:195)

This verse is in specific reference to withholding charity, but mufasiroon (commentators on the Qur’an) such as Tabari stated that the general meaning is also applicable to doing the things that may bring about your own destruction.

Illnesses, whether self-inflicted or not, also provide us with opportunities:

1. Realizing our need for Allah

There is nothing like illness that reminds us of our weakness and how much we need Allah (swt). It is important to be a worshipper of Allah (swt) in all circumstances, whether things are good or bad.

2. Purifying us

The Prophet ﷺ told us that, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that,” (Bukhari). In another narration, a companion visited the Prophet ﷺ when he was ill. The Prophet ﷺ told him: “No Muslim is afflicted with any harm but that Allah will remove his sins as the leaves of a tree fall down,”  (Bukhari).

3. Raising our station

Allah says in the Qur’an: “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.” (Qur’an, 39:10)

When we strive to be patient and steadfast through our illness—meaning here we continue in our trust in Him, pray to Allah (swt) and persevere with treatment if we have it—we have to understand that Allah (swt) gets it. He knows what we are going through. And nothing that you go through is wasted. The verse cited tells us that those who are patient will be given their reward without having to go through the meezan (scale) on the Day of Judgment (Tabari). So rest assured that your patience and perseverance has not gone unnoticed.

The Healing of the Hearts

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children, But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” (Qur’an, 26:88-89)

While a person may be rewarded during their physical illness and forgiven for sins, there is no such reward for the diseases of the heart. The reward for the disease of the heart is in the effort put into its removal.

Allah (swt) tells us about a beautiful du`a’ in the Qur’an:

“And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, ‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.’” (Qur’an, 59:10)

Allah (swt) talks to us about those who come after the muhajiroon (people who emigrated from Mecca) and the ansar (the helpers), and the beautiful du`a’ that they make. They ask Allah (swt) to not allow any resentment in their hearts towards others. Knowing that Allah (swt) is al-Shāfī is turning to Him first in our quest to purify our hearts.

Many scholars have enumerated the diseases of the heart, and to go through that would entail a whole separate series. ((Sheikh Hamza Yusuf’s The Purification of the Heart is a must-read for the diseases of the heart and their cures.)) The diseases of the heart can manifest themselves in many ways, such as arrogance, envy, following base desires, miserliness, ostentation, heedlessness and others. The cure is in seeking knowledge – because knowledge empowers us to identify these diseases; remembering and returning to Allah (swt) frequently – as that connects us to Him, reminding us of our love for and fear of Him; and finally obeying Allah (swt) and good deeds – as they give us a spiritual light and teach us discipline.

What is beautiful is that there is a relationship between the healing of the hearts and the healing of the body. Related to following desires and discipline, for example, an article in the Journal of Personality found that exerting self-control can make you happier both in the long-term and in the moment, because disciplined people are able to avoid situations of temptation. Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ taught us:

“There lies within the body a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound; and if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Verily this piece is the heart.” (Bukhari)

Healing Body and Soul

1. Seek cures for your illnesses.

Pay attention to both the diseases of the heart and the body, and seek the appropriate cure.

2. Pray to Allah for healing.

Remember that He is the al-Shāfī and that healing starts with Him.

3. Remember the du`a’s of the Prophet ﷺ.

In addition to what was mentioned above:

i) When visiting a sick person:

أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ أَنْ يَشْفِيَكَ

“I ask Allah the Mighty, Lord of the Mighty Throne that He cures you.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

ii) Reciting Surat al-Fatiha seven times. (Tirmidhi)

iii) Aishah (ra) said, “When a member of the Prophet’s family got ill, the Prophet would blow over his body by reciting the two protective surahs (Al-Falaq [113] and An-Nas [114]) and would rub him with his hand.” (Muslim)

iv) A`udhu bi `izzati Allahi wa qudratihi mimma ajidu wa uhadhir.

“I seek refuge and protection in the august might and power of Allah from the pain and illness I am suffering from and I am afraid of.” (Ibn Majah)

4. The Qur’an is a healing.

Allah (swt) says about the Qur’an:

“And We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers…” (Qur’an, 17:82)

The Qur’an is a physical healing and is an ultimate spiritual healing for our hearts.

May Allah al-Shāfī heal our hearts and bodies. Ameen (Amen).

Photo: Stewart Baird

“And out from where they had been concealed walked two other detectives. They’d had me covered. One false move, I’d have been dead…

If I hadn’t been arrested right when I was, I could have been dead another way. Sophia’s husband’s friend had told her husband about me. And her husband had arrived that morning, and had gone to the apartment with a gun, looking for me. He was at the apartment just about when they took me to the precinct…

I have thought a thousand times, I guess, about how I so narrowly escaped death twice that day. That’s why I believe that everything is written.” ((The Autobiography of Malcolm X, p. 241-242))

These are the words of the late Malik el-Shabazz – Malcolm X – may Allah’s mercy be upon him, as he told the story of the day he got arrested. It was through prison that he was exposed to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam. It would be many more years before he visited Makkah, as a member of the Nation, and accepted orthodox Islam. It was as though someone was taking care of him all this time – nudging him, teaching him through hardship and blessing, and caring for him. It may not have been clear at the time, but it became apparent later on.

Because someone was taking care of him. The same One who takes care of you and me.

He is Allah, Al-Rabb (the Lord). This attribute is mentioned so many times in the Qur’an, but it is different from His other Names. While Allah is Al-Haleem (the Forbearing) or Al-Wahhab (the Giver of Gifts), you cannot say, “Allah is my Haleem”, for example. Linguistically it does not make sense. You can say He is forbearing with you, or He is The Forbearing, but you cannot use it in the possessive form. But when ‘Rabb’ is mentioned, you can change the form.

He is not just Al-Rabb. He is ‘Rabby’ – my Rabb. This  shows us how close Allah is to us. That’s why the first verses to be revealed to the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) were:

“Recite in the name of your Rabb who created –” [96:1]

Though the Prophet ﷺ was an orphan, it is as though this verse came to tell him, ‘You have a Rabb, Someone has been taking care of you all this time.’ ‘Rabb’ is hard to translate because it has so many meanings attached to it. It is commonly translated as ‘Lord’, but that is only part of the meaning. In the dictionary it is stated:

الرَّبُّ يُطْلَق في اللغة على المالكِ، والسَّـيِّدِ، والـمُدَبِّر، والـمُرَبِّي، والقَيِّمِ، والـمُنْعِمِ
والرّبُّ: المُصْلِح للشّيء.
والله جلّ ثناؤُه الرَّبٌّ؛ لأنه مصلحُ أحوالِ خَلْقه.

Al-Rabb linguistically is said to be the Owner, the Master, the One who arranges all matters, the Nurturer, the Sustainer, and the One who bestows favors and blessings. Al-Rabb is also the one who mends something; and Allah is al-Rabb – subhanahu wa ta`ala, exalted is He – because He mends the conditions of His creation.

Because Rabb encompasses all of these meanings, Surat al-Fatiha (Qur’an 1) is a beautiful introduction to His Name. We are told:

“[All] praise is [due] to Allah…” [1:1]

Imagine you are reading this for the first time. You might say ‘well, who is Allah (swt)?’

“…Rabb of all the worlds.” [1:1]

If He is a Rabb – with all of the meanings this word encompasses – then the logical conclusion is ‘I must be a slave’. But what is my relationship with this Rabb? What kind of Rabb is He?

“The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.” [1:2]

Wow. That is who is He is. That is the type of Rabb Allah (swt) is. He is the The Rabb, the One who is your Master, but the Master who nurtures you with His All-Encompassing Mercy. So how can we not worship Him? How can we not seek His nearness?

Allah shows us how he arranges everything in this world, how He is master of things that you are not even aware of. When He first speaks to Moses `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him) and tells him that he must confront Pharaoh, Moses (as) makes a supplication. Allah (swt) grants Him what he asked for, but then He reminds Moses (as):

‘And We had already conferred favor upon you another time, When We inspired to your mother what We inspired, [Saying], ‘Cast him into the chest and cast it into the river, and the river will throw it onto the bank; there will take him an enemy to Me and an enemy to him.’ And I bestowed upon you love from Me that you would be brought up under My eye. [And We favored you] when your sister went and said, ‘Shall I direct you to someone who will be responsible for him?’ So We restored you to your mother that she might be content and not grieve. And you killed someone, but We saved you from retaliation and tried you with a [severe] trial. And you remained [some] years among the people of Madyan. Then you came [here] at the decreed time, O Moses. And I produced you for Myself. Go, you and your brother, with My signs and do not slacken in My remembrance. Go, both of you, to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed. And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah].’ [20:37-44]

Allah (swt) reminds Moses (as) that He was there for him all along – even when he did not know it. Even when he thought that he was going through a hardship, Allah (swt) was there. Allah (swt) was teaching him, like a Rabb would. And what do Moses and Aaron (as) say?

‘They said, “Our Lord, indeed we are afraid that he will hasten [punishment] against us or that he will transgress.”’ [37:45]

They say ‘Rabbana’ – our Rabb. That is how personal this Name is. They beseech their Rabb, telling Him of their fears. And Allah (swt) responds, reassuring them once more:

‘[Allah] said, “Fear not. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see.’ [37:46]

In another chapter, Moses (as) and the Children of Israel are being hunted down by Pharaoh and his army. They are fast on their heels. The Children of Israel cry out in despair, “Indeed, we are to be overtaken!” ((Qur’an, 26:61)) But Moses (as), firm in his faith, says, “No! Indeed, with me is my Lord [Rabby]; He will guide me.” ((Qur’an, 26:62))

There is a hadith (saying) of the Prophet ﷺ in which he says:

اللّهُمّ إِنّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ لا إِلَهَ إِلاّ أَنْتَ المنّانُ بَدِيعُ السّمَاواتِ وَاْلأَرْضِ يَاذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ يَاحَيُّ يَاقَيّومُ

“O Allah, I ask You by virtue of the fact that praise is due to You, there is no god but You, Who shows favor and beneficence, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendor, O Living One, O Eternal One.”

The Prophet ﷺ then said, “He has supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name; when supplicated by this name, Allah answers, and when asked by this name, He gives.” (Abu Dawud)

There are other sayings with different wordings. Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi stated that some are of the opinion that Al-Hayy Al-Qayyum (the Ever-Living, the Sustainer) are His greatest Names, while others were of the opinion that the greatest Name is that which pertains to your situation. For example, if you are poor, you may ask Allah Al-Razzaq (the Provider) or Al-Ghani (the Self-Sufficient). If you are sick, you would ask Al-Shaafi’ (the Healer). Others stated that His greatest Name is Al-Rabb. If we look at the Qur’an, the Prophets (peace be upon them) call on Allah (swt), their Rabb:

‘And [mention] Zechariah, when he called to his Lord, “My Lord (Rabby), do not leave me alone [with no heir], while you are the best of inheritors.”’ [21:89]

The Prophet Zechariah (as) calls out “Rabby” when asking for an heir. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, when he was expelled from Ta’if, made a heartfelt call to his Rabb:

“O Allah! To you alone I complain my weakness, my scarcity of resources, and the humiliation I have been subjected to by people. O Most Merciful of those who have mercy! You are the Lord (Rabb) of the weak, and You are My Lord (Rabby) too.

To whom have you entrusted me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy to whom you have granted authority over my affair?

But as long as You are not angry with me, I do no care, except that Your favor is a more expansive relief to me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger or Your displeasure descend upon me.

Yours is the right to reproach until You are pleased. There is no power and no might except by You.”

Al-Rabb is a beautiful Name and attribute of Allah (swt) that should make us feel close to Him. Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi likens this attribute, which is sometimes used for a human being, to a compassionate father who takes care of his household. With a human, there has to be an addition, for example ‘rabb al-bayt’ – the rabb of the house. But Allah (swt) is the only One who is Al-Rabb – The Rabb.

Coming alive with this Name

• Look back at your life and see how He has been taking care of you all along

Just like the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Prophet Moses (as), Malcolm X, and many more, look back at your life and see how Allah (swt) has been taking care of you. Talk to Him and thank Him for being there with you. Remember that in every hardship there is a lesson from ‘a Merciful Lord’ [36:58].

• Worship your Rabb

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

‘Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.’ [3:51]

‘And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty (death).’ [15:99]

Knowing that Allah (swt) is our Rabb is to worship Him wholeheartedly. And that worship has a sweetness, especially when we know who we are worshipping. As Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an to the people of Paradise:

‘[And] “Peace,” a word from a Merciful Lord.’ [36:58]

]]> https://www.virtualmosque.com/personaldvlpt/overcoming-hardships/my-rabb/feed/ 9 36275 https://www.virtualmosque.com/islam-studies/prophet-muhammad/careless-silence/ https://www.virtualmosque.com/islam-studies/prophet-muhammad/careless-silence/#comments Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:00:59 +0000 http://www.virtualmosque.com/?p=20165 by Ahmed Zaafran

If you have ever been involved or seen an altercation between Egyptians, it happens to be one of the most intense, yet hilarious moments you’ll see.

Here’s the situation: Two Egyptian men are involved in a scuffle about something. One shoves the other, both are screaming, and sandals are in hand. Intense. And then, something quite beautiful happens. Amidst all the chaos, somebody screams out, “Salla `ala Nabi!” which means “pray on the Prophet”! The guy about to swing his dusty slipper stops, people are still trying to hold him back and he starts making prayers on the Prophet and calms down.

Somehow, people in Egypt have figured out that sending prayers and blessings on the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) when angry, is like pouring ice cold water over a raging flame and immediately extinguishing it.

May God grant him our prayers and salutations.

I did not bring this up to exemplify the Egyptian people for implementing this into their cultural psyche. I brought it up to illustrate the power of the remembrance of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and to analyze the reasons why God commanded Muslims to do so. Through these we can learn the pragmatic reasons why it is solely for our benefit.

In the Qur’an chapter entitled The Confederates, God says,

“Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [Allah to grant him] peace.” (Qur’an, 33:56)

On hearing this verse, most Muslims fulfill this commandment, but often do it without the emotion and understanding of why. One of the most disheartening feelings of going to some masajid (mosques) these days is that when the name of Prophet Muhammed ﷺ, peace and blessings upon him, is mentioned, all you hear are mumbles and mechanical utterances. Where is the love?

Sometimes, we forget that one of God’s most profound favors upon us is that He sent us a man as a guide who ate like us, slept like us, married like us, and lived like us. But he was perfect in his demeanor and was clearly a blueprint to which, if sincerely sought after, we could emulate and strive to personify.

Some people, when feeling insecure about their own lives and their perceived shortcomings, often say, “What do expect from me! I’m not the Prophet and I’ll never be anywhere near him.” Well, that might be true but that’s hardly the point of trying.

Look at your own lives for a moment. Better yet, look at the lives of those around you and take a look at some of the hardships that they endure. Some have lost a spouse. Some have lost children, and some are going through terrible financial times. Some have dealt with murder, others with revenge. Have you ever thought that all of these calamities were in fact faced as a singular issue by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, personally, in his lifetime? Why? God used His beloved Prophet, the only man who could deal with such stresses, as an amorous gift to humanity and an exemplar to how we can live our lives.

May God grant him our prayers and salutations.

In the year 619 AD, the “year of sadness”, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ lost his wife of 25 years, Khadijah (ra). He also lost his uncle Abu Talib, a source of protection and familial strength. Pause for a second. When people lose loved ones, reading about them in texts is hardly a realistic way to relate to them. The Prophet ﷺ was still dealing with the death of the love of his life, the first person to enter Islam wholeheartedly. Khadijah was the one who covered him physically and spiritually when the weightiness of revelation shocked him. And still, revelation never ceased after her demise nor did he have an opportunity to rest for a long period. He had to move forward and endure. He still had to go home to sleep without the warm soul next to him that gave him so much strength and love. He, peace be upon him, did this for you and for me.

That same year, after inviting a neighboring town called Ta’if to Islam, he was met with a violent response. People rejected him and his message and he was chased out of the town to the retched tune of insults and shouts and stones thrown at his face by children. It wasn’t until his arrival at a private orchard that he was able to tether his camel to a palm tree and sit in its shade.

Now, for many of us, we would have used our favor with God to seek revenge or question why on this depth of abuse would be happening to us. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did not do this. He raised his hands to the sky and prayed,

“O, God, unto You do I complain of my weakness, of my helplessness, and of my lowliness before men. Oh, Most Merciful of the merciful, You are Lord of the weak. And You are my Lord. Into whose hands will You entrust me? Unto some far-off stranger who will ill-treat me? Or to an enemy whom You hast empowered against me? I care not, so You will not be angry with me. But Your favoring help – that were for me the broader way and the wider scope! I take refuge in the Light of Your Countenance whereby all darkness is illuminated and the things of this world and the next are rightly ordered, unless You make Your anger upon me, or unless Your wrath overwhelms me. Yes, it is Yours to reproach until You are well pleased. There is no power and no might except through You.” ((Martin Lings, Muhammad-His Life Based on the Earliest Sources (United Kingdom:Inner Traditions, 2006), 100-101))

When we are maliciously hurt by others, sometimes our inclination is to curse them or reciprocate the harm done unto us. We can clearly see here the merit of keeping your emotions at bay, introspecting over the event that just occurred, and seeking comfort from the One who actually instills comfort. Our reactionary ways are a bottomless pit into our own insecurities. If we follow the Prophet’s example, we learn to control ourselves and place our souls directly in the hands of God; the One who will lift us out of our despair.

In the Qur’an, God says,

“If We had sent down this Qur’an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled and coming apart from fear of Allah. And these examples We present to the people that perhaps they will give thought.” (Qur’an, 59:21)

So let’s reflect. No, the Qur’an was not sent down to a gargantuan mountain, not even the most magnificent mountain ever created. It was laid upon the shoulders of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, a human being sturdier than a mountain, a beacon of light to mankind, and the example we must strive to mirror. Take the time and make the effort to reflect on why we say our prayers over him every time his name is mentioned. And the real wisdom lies in the fact that when we pray and greet him with salutations, the blessings transcend directly into our hearts.

May God grant him our prayers and salutations.

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV

A few days before Ramadan I saw the movie The Book of Eli. As a Muslim, if I watch a movie I try to find something with a meaning or a message that my believing heart can ponder. This movie had a few of those, although for a sensitive person I advise against this movie as there are a couple of gruesome scenes. The movie depicts the destitute state of the world after World War 3. It portrays the world in anarchy and that to obtain the things you need, you either find them, fight for them or trade something you have. In one scene the central character Eli, who lived before the war, explains to a young girl what life was like before. He makes his point after trading some “valuable” KFC wet naps, now used for bathing in a place with not much water saying, “We used to waste stuff much more valuable than this!”

This brought home a matter that is neglected even by some practicing Muslims. The fact that every penny of our sustenance is valuable and we should treat it that way. A Muslim should strike a balance between being frugal with his wealth and being generous to people in need. This brings us to our next characteristic of the Servants of the Merciful. Almighty God says that they are those who,

“When they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, justly moderate.” (Qur’an, 25:67)

The commentators on this ayah tell us that The Merciful is teaching not be extravagant or wasteful in spending our wealth. We are also prohibited from being greedy – or even stingy! Some of the commentators said that we must spend in the cause of Allah and that no matter how much is spent in the cause of Allah, it is not considered excessive or wasteful while spending even one penny on something unlawful is wasted. Some others explain that we must first provide for our families and then others in need with sufficient financial support. On the other side of the coin, we must avoid greed and stinginess in which we neglect the rights of our family, Zakat and charity.

We must pay off all debts as soon as possible. We have to make sure that we are expedient in providing our family all of the food, clothing and other things they need. If we buy a house, we should get one according to our income and family needs. We should also do everything in our power to stay away from an interest-based loan and try and support the growth of Islamic options.

If we buy a car it must be without interest and we should not spend thousands of dollars collecting cars. I know a brother who keeps a nice Porsche that he drives a few times a year in the spring and summer. This is wasteful.

If we buy or cook food we need to make enough for the people eating and not so much extra that will be wasted. At the same time if we take food we only take what we need, not dive in head first at the mosque iftar; be considerate of others. We avoid eating more than satiating our appetite and we never throw away food unless we are directly giving it to birds or cats.

My dear sisters need to refain from pressing their husbands or fathers to buy a new dress for a new celebration every few months (to the extent that they literally have a closet full of brand new clothes that have not seen daylight). If you have NEW clothes or shoes that you haven’t worn in over a year then there is a problem. We only have one body to cover. There are thousands of bodies on earth that do not have a sheet to cover their back. Give what is extra for you, to them.

Every Friday Prayer we attend we must have at least $10 for the collection as our good deed. And before the students and  those who are struggling say ‘we can’t afford that!’ I remind you we are all rich, and however much you give in Allah’s cause will come back to you ten-fold. It’s a guarantee. Unfortunately in most communities we only average $2 /$3 a person at Jumu’ah collection. That is almost $7 less than most Churches and Synagogues. We should direct our expenditure in supporting Muslim causes, keeping local ones in priority so we can build a comfortable infrastructure for Islam in America. If we see someone in need of what we have , then we should help them.

For those who are homeless or beggars, it is best to get them actual food or clothing because of the high probability of them using money for unlawful means. We should set the bar for our needs and the required savings for our future below that which goes for the sake of Allah.

This is the true balance of Islam – spending from His wealth that he has blessed us with, in His name for the greater good. May Allah guide us to be balanced spenders!

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV

The people in heaven are rewarded differently based upon how much they made this life a means to achieving success in the hereafter. Those who disciplined themselves to live this life for the hereafter are those who embraced the test of life with faith and wisdom. We all have goals that we would like to achieve in life. Attaining the characteristics of the servants of the Merciful is part of reaching our eternal goal of being with our Beloved Creator in heavenly bliss.

The first trait of the servants of the Merciful is humility and its opposite is arrogance. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (exalted is He) says in the Qur’an:

“The servants of the Merciful are those who walk upon the Earth easily…” (25:63)

The consensus of Qur’an commentaries says that this verse is not to be taken literally for two reasons: the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) used to walk in fast strong strides and the verse “walk upon the earth easily” is a kinaayah (metaphor) for those who are characterized by humility.

Being humble is best defined in general as being unassuming of one’s own greatness, precedence, or importance among others. Humility as an Islamic concept was probably best defined by Ibn Al-Qayyim:

“There are two realities which we must fully grasp in order to be truly characterized with the noblest characteristic of humility. First and foremost is to come to truly know Allah’s perfection, His abundant favors upon us and how we are fully dependent upon Him. Secondly, we have to come to know ourselves, where we come from and our numerous weaknesses and shortcomings.”

In this definition we see that there are two ways to increase our humility with God and His creation. Firstly, we need to come to know God and be thankful for the fact that everything comes by His blessing. The best way to attain this part of humility is in putting heavy use in the remembrance of doing things in the name of God and praising and thanking God for everything. The second part of humility is that we should take account of ourselves and always remind ourselves of our weaknesses and shortcomings and that we are just creatures made from dust who will return to dust. Constant repentance and seeking the forgiveness of the Merciful, is a great way to implement this part of humility.

Sadly, some people think that humility is a weak characteristic, while the Prophet ﷺ said, “God only increases a person in status if he forgives, and no one ever humbles himself before God but He will raise him in status.” (Muslim) Imam Nawawi explains  that there are two ways that God will raise our status. The first is that He will cause the hearts of people to love us because of our humility, as He has made it a Sunnah of mankind that we dislike arrogance and admire humility. The second is that God will raise our place in heaven and reward us for our humility.

So let’s look at the humility shown by our beloved Prophet ﷺ and his close companions. The companions’ love and respect for the Prophet ﷺ was undoubtedly more exemplary than the followers of any other king or emperor in history. They were always ready to serve him. Yet when A’ishah radi Allahu `anha (may God be pleased with her) was asked about how he was at home she replied, “He was in the service of his family…” (Bukhari) The Prophet ﷺ used to milk the sheep, sew and patch his own garments, go to the market and buy his own things, sit and eat with his servants, initiate greetings with others, and act as though he was like any other one of the companions, joining them in whatever they were doing.

Abu Bakr (ra) used to help young orphan girls milk their sheep. When he became the Caliph (the leader of the Islamic state), they assumed that his new position of responsibility meant that he would not help them anymore. However he came weekly and helped milk their sheep throughout his Caliphate.

During the wars with Persia, a messenger from the Persian king came to give a message to `Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra), requesting a visit to the palace of the king. A Muslim responded by saying that they did not have a palace or a king. He told the Persian ambassador that they have a ‘Commander of the Faithful.’ They both went looking for ‘Umar (ra) and they found him sleeping under a tree. Naturally, we can assume the ambassador was amazed as he expected a big palace and a difficult process to see the great Muslim leader.

A man visited `Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz one day during his Caliphate. While they were sitting there, a lamp went out and `Umar got up and fixed it. His guest then asked him, “Commander of the Faithful, why did you not command me or someone else to get up and fix the lamp?” The noble Caliph responded, “I got up and I was `Umar and I did what I did and I was still ‘Umar and I lost no nobility in doing it. The best people in the sight of Allah are the humble.”

Arrogance, on the other hand, is the opposite of being a servant to the Merciful. People are stuck in themselves and get stuck in the “I” rather than the “He,” not realizing that “I” is nothing without Him, the Exalted. They get stuck in the “I” rather than the “we,” meaning no matter what they have done, someone else will do it better. God says in the Qur’an,

“…Indeed, He does not like the arrogant.” (16:23)

Arrogance is the basic root of all evil; it was a main factor in the first divergence from Islam. When Iblees declared that he would not obey God and bow down to Adam (as) because he thought he was better than him. A very serious hadith that should be a heavy deterrent from arrogance and haughtiness is, “Whoever has an atom’s weight of arrogance in their heart will not enter heaven.”

One of the worst manifestations of arrogance among practicing Muslims is “religious arrogance” in which one deems himself as having a monopoly on the truth of Islam and that his or her teachers are more “right” than anyone else’s. This causes them to look down on other Muslims and judge them. You also have Muslims who look down upon other Muslims because of their nationality, race, wealth, status, or gender. Abu Bakr (ra) once said, “Don’t any of you look down upon or despise any Muslim because even the smallest Muslim is big to God.”

We pray God counts us from His blessed servants and that He makes it easy for us to attain humility. Ameen.

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV

After following our beloved sister and teacher Jinan’s series on Prayer in Islam, we thought it would be suitable to follow up her amazing work with another series. Over the next several weeks, God willing, we will take an analytical yet practical look at the last fifteen verses of Surat al-Furqan. In my estimation, if we were moved by the Prayer series – and we all were – then this is the next logical step. That is because prayer is supposed to make us better, spiritual people with a higher overall standard of conduct and devotion to the Almighty.

The first step in understanding verses from the Qur’an is knowing the reason why they were originally revealed. The answer to this question was mentioned in verse sixty of Surat al-Furqan,

“When it is said to them, ‘Prostrate to the Most Merciful,’ they respond, ‘And what is the Most Merciful? Should we prostrate to that which you [Muhammad] order us?” And it increases them in aversion (to faith).” (25:60)

This verse is related to a verse in Surat al-Israa when Allah says,

“Say, ‘Call upon Allah or the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call – to Him belong the best names…’” (17:110)

The polytheists objected the Prophet’s ﷺ claim to being a strict monotheist while he called upon Allah and Al-Rahman (the Entirely Merciful). According to some commentaries the polytheists knew of Allah being referred to as Al-Rahman, but they are just waiting for any reason to show their rejection of Muhammad’s ﷺ Prophethood. In response to this, Allah revealed Surat al-Rahman to clarify this compassionate characteristic of His and how it manifests itself to us.

In addition to that, He revealed the last fifteen verses of Surat al-Furqan to show what the characteristics are of those who live a life of gratitude to the innumerable bounties and favors that the Most Merciful surrounds us with.

According to the Arabic dictionary Lisan al-Arab, all human beings are – whether they admit it or not – servants and slaves of God. This is because they are His creation whose bodies’ functions are subjugated to His service. The test of life for all mankind is that we come to know the Most Merciful and thus choose to consciously serve Him to the best of our ability.

The following series will be about the characteristics of those people who truly know God, the Most Merciful and thus live a lifestyle which reflects that. Choosing this most special relationship is about fulfilling the purpose of life which will lead to eternal life in bliss in the presence of the Divine, where we will have all our heart’s desire and more.

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX| Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XVI | Part XVII