Photo: Sacha Fernandez

Names of Allah Series:  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 | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI | Part XXVII | Part XXVIII | Part XXIX | Part XXX |Part XXXI | Part XXXII | Part XXXIII | Part XXXIV | Part XXXV | Part XXXVI | Part XXXVII | Part XXXVIII | Part XXXIX | Part XXXX | Part XXXXI | Part XXXXII | Part XXXXIII 

When Bilal radi Allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him), a Companion of the Prophet ﷺ, spoke a single, specific word, it infuriated his tormentors. Bilal was an Abyssinian slave who had accepted Islam without the permission of his masters. They were furious, so they tortured him – but all he would say was one word:

(The below scene contains violence and may be unsuitable for sensitive viewers.)

As he was being beaten, Bilal (ra) only said “Ahadun Ahad. Ahadun Ahad. Allahu Ahad.”

God is One.

One

Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) is both Al-Waahid and Al-Ahad. Most linguists say that they both come from the same root but differ slightly in meaning. The root is waw-haa-dal (و-ح-د), which means ‘to be one’, ‘the only one’ or ‘to unify’.

Al-Ahad is completely unique. Al-Waahid has no partner. So we can say that Al-Waahid is the One and Al-Ahad is the Only One. So Allah (swt) is the One and Only.

Theologically, this was a response to Quraysh who said that they worshipped Allah (swt), and wanted to know what was so different about the Muslims who also worshipped Allah (swt). Surat al-Ikhlas (Qur’an 112 ‘Sincerity’) clarified the attributes of Allah (swt); that He is Al-Ahad and As-Samad (the Eternal Refuge). The differences between the two will be explored in the next section.

Back to the Essence
This Name brings us back to the essence of Islam. It brings us back to what this is really about.
It is about Allah (swt): One, Unique.

And we cannot really talk about al-Ahad without talking about the chapter which mentions this Name, the chapter on sincerity (Surat al-Ikhlas). How amazing that the Name Al-Ahad is only mentioned once in the Qur’an, yet the chapter it appears in is equal to one third of the whole Qur’an! ((The Prophet ﷺ told his Companions: “Are you not able to read a third of the Qur’an in one night?” They found this very difficult and replied that nobody amongst them could do so. The Prophet ﷺ replied: “Allah, The One, the Self-Sufficient, Surah ‘Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad’, equals a third of the Qur’an.” (Bukhari) )) It is possibly the most important name, since our profession of faith is based on it: “la ilaha ila Allah – there is no deity but God”. Some scholars have said that this chapter is equal to a third of the Qur’an because one third of the Qur’an talks about the attributes of Allah (swt). Yet if you only have this surah, you have all you need to know Allah (swt). Why?

The way the word ‘ahad’ is used in this verse is incredible. ‘Ahad’ is used in Arabic to negate, so one would say ‘la ahad’ meaning ‘there is no one’. To refer to someone, there would have to be an addition; for example, ‘ahadukum’ means ‘one of you’. However, without an addition, ‘ahad’ can only refer to Allah (swt). Al-Ahad negates anything else, and in this form can never be used to describe another – only Allah (swt). It signifies His utter uniqueness. This provides the basis for understanding His other Names, because while we as humans might possess a limited portion of His other attributes (such as mercy or knowledge), we cannot truly be compared in any way to them.

This is why, when Bilal (ra) said that one word, the Quraysh could not take it. It shattered all of their notions about their gods, as well as what they thought about Allah. That is why this chapter was so beloved to the Companions radi Allahu `anhum (may God be pleased with them all). For example, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once sent a Companion out at the head of an expedition. During their travels, the Companion led those with him in prayer and always recited Surat al-Ikhlas. When the expedition returned, they told the Prophet ﷺ about it, and he told them to ask the man why he did always read this surah. The man replied: “It is because it this surah describes the Most Merciful, and therefore I love to recite it.” Upon hearing the man’s reply, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Tell that man that Allah loves him.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

The Name Al-Waahid, on the other hand, appears 15 times in the Qur’an, six times with His Name Al-Qahhar. Allah (swt) brings Al-Waahid al-Qahhar together because, in order to overpower others, human beings usually need to bring their armies and cannot do it alone. However, Allah (swt) is telling us that He is the One, and He overpowers all others alone. Moreover, al-Ghazali states that Al-Waahid is the one who can neither be divided nor duplicated. Theologically, this sums up the difference between Islam and other faiths; for example, those who say that God is One but is also three, or that God is One but He is in everything. The Name Al-Waahid tells us that He is just that: One, without any parts or equals.

What are the implications of knowing He is One, Unique, Unparalleled?

Can you feel what Bilal felt when he said, “Ahadun Ahad”? He felt conviction in his heart that there is nothing equal to Him, from which he was able to derive his strength. Not even torture could bring him down – and this is what the best of people were tried for. This is what the Companion, `Ammar bin Yasir (ra), was tried and tortured for. This is why Asiyah, the wife of Pharaoh, was tormented.

So we need to ask: ‘Is Allah One in my life? Do I direct everything to Him – from fears and hopes to needs?’ Realizing that He is One is to know that there is no love like His love, that there is no One who gives like Him, and that there is no One else who can fill the void – only Him, the One. His Oneness and Uniqueness force us to say to ourselves, ‘I cannot put my desires in one hand and Him in another. He is Al-Ahad.’ The weight of that knowledge should negate our lower desires and those subtle things that we worship – be it money, status or anything else. Knowing that He is al-Waahid al-Ahad reminds us that this life is about Him. He is our ultimate goal. This life is temporary; its joys and the pains will disappear, and this knowledge should negate our worldly attachments.

How else do we connect to this Name?

• Sincerity: Since He is Al-Ahad, we should direct our intentions towards His pleasure and love. The effect of this is that we do not ‘see’ people any more in terms of their praise or their criticisms. It is all about Allah (swt). This is the Name that brings everything to its essence and reminds us of the importance of sincerity. You might do things for praise but you may or may not receive it. Even if you do receive it, it will slowly wither. If you prevent yourself from doing the right thing because of what people will say or do, their reaction becomes a false idol that you worship alongside Allah. However, we know that anything done for Him in the right manner will remain. If this Oneness is realized in our hearts, that is when we actualize true freedom.

That Oneness will weigh heavily on the scales. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah will save a man of His community, the record of whose sins fills 99 books, each book extending as far as the eye can see. Against all this will be weighed the one good deed that he has, which is his witnessing that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, and it will outweigh all the rest.” The Messenger of God ﷺ then said: “Nothing is of any weight compared to Allah’s Name.” (Ahmad)

• Renew your faith: The Prophet ﷺ told his Companions: “Renew your faith.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, how can we renew our faith?” The Prophet ﷺ said: “Say often, ‘there is no God but Allah (la ilaha ill Allah)’.” (Ahmad)

Why is this important? When the dunya (this world) takes over again, we become burdened by its worries and our intentions start to mix once more, this statement will remind us what this life is really about. It will remind us of al-Waahid al-Ahad and all the implications of these Names.

• Be ‘unique’: Sheikh Hisham al-Awadhi added that another way to connect to this Name is to know that the One who is truly Unique has created you in a unique way too, and you have your own purpose to fulfill. Thus, try to leave a legacy that is specific to you.

Photo: xalamay

By Hamza Nabi

Bismilah. Alhamdulillah. Was salatu was salamu ‘ala Rasoolillah. Amma ba’d.

(In the name of God. All praise be to God. And peace and blessings on the Messenger of God.)

There are things we are supposed to learn in life. Balancing our fear of God’s Punishment and our hope in God’s Mercy. Figuring out a way to earn a livelihood. Embodying character traits such as honesty, altruism, patience and loyalty. Dealing with people justly, doing our best not to tread upon the rights of others and forgiving when our rights are not duly respected. Of course, the list goes on and on.

There is something about this list that is different than other lists. The average to-do list has boxes beside each point to indicate whether the task has been completed or still needs to get done. The list of things we are supposed to learn in life isn’t that simple. This list has levels and stages. This list does not have an exam at the end, nor a completion date. The contents of this list are all a work in progress. Everyone has a level and a stage but there are very few who will get straight A’s on this report card. And that is important. It is important to recognize because this recognition breeds humility. It is important to recognize because this recognition renders arrogance an impossibility. There will be tests along the way and we might get indications as to how well we are doing, but we will not really find out until it’s all over. Until it is too late.

So. As people who wish to be successful in every facet of our lives, how do we improve ourselves? How do we attain the ranks which give our hearts peace? How do we know whether or not it is “too late”? Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), has given us the clear answer to this. As long as we are alive, it’s never too late. No matter how much we wrong ourselves, there is always a path to redemption. The road to sincerity is never too far away. The thief has forgiveness. The adulterer has forgiveness. The one who commits shirk (belief in more than one God) knowingly is clearly not a Muslim, yet her/his acceptance of Islam wipes this away.

Some say it sounds too easy, it’s too good to be true, things don’t just work that way. What they fail to realize is that it’s not that easy. It’s really not. To be real. To be honest. To be sincere. To be truthful. All of this takes a lot of strength. Rectifying oneself after a lifetime of misconduct is not as easy as it sounds. Even after knowing what is right, look at how many people fall short.

There is no running away from Allah, except to Allah (swt). The sooner we recognize that, the better. The sooner we understand that and act according to its implications, the sooner our lives will be much happier and far more peaceful.

Our mistakes give us two things. They present a greater challenge to do better. Textbook recidivism. Yes, it’s a liability. Yes, we need to put more barriers up to keep us from falling. Yes, our mistakes can change our mindset and we can either adopt a lax attitude, or fall into excessive cynicism about ourselves and others. These mistakes, however, have also been given the ability to add to our sincerity. To strengthen our resolve. To understand that we don’t want to be disgraced when we stand before our Lord. Some honest reflection allows us to understand that we cannot change the past. It is up to us to use our past constructively, or let it affect us destructively. This goes along with another benefit that we need to actively identify and seek. Our increased ability to learn from the mistakes of others that stems from the learning process we underwent is priceless. The goal is to minimize our mistakes and continuously improve ourselves. Aim high. There are people whose choices are between good and a greater good—bad leaves the equation after a certain point.

Where we will end up depends on a lot of factors. Our best bet is to truly give it our all. Again, easier said than done. Sometimes we will slip where we least expect it. Many times we will find ourselves exceeding our own expectations. If our general direction is up, then we are on the right track. If we are falling, then we better catch ourselves quick. The sooner the better. Do not let it be “too late.”

Thanks for reading.

Photo: Egizia

You invest all of your hope and love in another person. You surrender yourself to them and allow them to witness your vulnerabilities, your weaknesses. You are certain that this person is the one. The one you can confide in. The one to whom you can expose your deepest, darkest secrets. The one you can fully and wholeheartedly trust.

And then, one day, the world you have created around them comes crashing down. Something happens that shatters your perfect conception of this person. As you struggle to grasp the pain that has seeped into your heart, you realize that although this person may have been your “everything”, in reality they are nothing. Nothing more than a source of insincerity in your life.

The pain of realizing that someone has been insincere with you is like no other. No one likes to be lied to. To be manipulated and made a fool of. But this is what happens when the reality of a person—or object, fantasy, ideology, etc.—that you’ve put on an undeserved pedestal comes to light. You become the victim.

Now, imagine yourself as the perpetrator—the one guilty of being insincere. We tell ourselves that we could never be such a backstabbing, conniving, dishonest human being; yet, if we look closely enough, we might find ourselves guilty of this very insincerity. And we express this insincerity to the One most deserving of every ounce of sincerity our hearts can muster: Allah, The Most Glorious, The Most High.

We lazily make our way through salah (ritual prayer). We cheat, lie, steal, and backbite. We engage in haram (forbidden) actions with our tongues, eyes, ears, and limbs. We immerse ourselves in this world of fitnah (tribulation), all the while proclaiming our love and devotion to Allah (subhanahu wa ta`ala – exalted is He). And yes, although this love and devotion may be real to a certain extent, sometimes our actions indicate otherwise. As a result, we may experience an internal disconnect: deep down, we feel hypocritical. Many of us are constantly shifting between the two modes of repentance and returning to sin: some of us make our way back onto the path of sincerity towards Allah (swt), while some of us fall deeper and deeper into sin.

But you know what I find to be the most painful aspect of being insincere to Allah (swt)? The fact that because Allah (swt) is Al-Ghani, the One who is completely free of any need, He is not in need of our sincerity; rather, we are in need of Him. Therefore, by being insincere to Him, we only end up hurting ourselves. We end up pushing ourselves over the edge, bringing about depression, agony, self-loathing, guilt, and so on and so forth. Indeed, we become the perpetrator that I spoke of earlier – this time towards ourselves.

Lately, I have found myself questioning my sincerity again and again. I found my religiosity reduced to sharing a quote, ayah (verse), or hadith (tradition attributed to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, peace be upon him) as opposed to actually extrapolating lessons and depth from it. As carelessly as one might post a silly video of a cat, I found myself regurgitating heavy information (such as verses of the Qur’an, ahadith, etc.) with the simple and thoughtless click of a button. At first, I had deluded myself into thinking it was truly beneficial (and to some extent, I cannot deny that it was), but after a while, I became aware of my own superficiality. My own insincerity. And you know what? I do not want to be that type of Muslim. I would rather be the type who, although from the outside may look like a regular muslimah, is a spiritually strong and sound person on the inside.

Sisters and brothers, do you feel the same pain when you are insincere to Allah (swt)? Do you feel this unsettling, anxiety-inducing, ball of discomfort when you know you’ve transgressed against The Most Merciful, The Most High? I’m sure you all realize what I am talking about. And if you do, here’s some food for thought: maybe our realization of our insincerity to Allah (swt) is a blessing in disguise. Maybe He wants us to realize our faults and turn back to Him with a new, pure, untarnished sincerity. I mean, imagine if we did not feel strange after disobeying Allah (swt). How frightening is it to think that Allah (swt) could have allowed us to be spiritually numb, as countless others who walk the Earth?

So as painful as the act of our insincerity may be towards Him, our repentance and turning back to Him—how ever many times that may be—may be a means of salvation for us. So do not despair at the mercy of Allah (swt) after you have sinned, nor use your insincere actions as an excuse to continue on your spiritually destructive path. Instead, grow from the pains of your insincerity towards Him while never giving up in turning back to Him, so that bi’ithnillah (with the permission of Allah) He may heal and rectify you of all your pains.

And Allah (swt) knows best.

Names of Allah Series:  

Sometimes we just don’t know where to turn. We have needs and we also have aspirations, wants and hopes. We get confused. Sometimes we just need someone to talk to. Sometimes we need shelter from the storm. And this is why Allah is as-Samad (the Eternal).

Some Names of Allah contain meanings that acknowledge His other attributes. For example, when we say Allah is al-Mujeeb (the One who responds), it is implicit that He is as-Samee` (the all-Hearing), al-Baseer (the all-Seeing) and al-Qawiyy (the Strong). Other Names seem to be very similar in meaning, but the context reveals the nuances. For example, al-Ghafur (the Forgiving) and at-Tawwab (the One who accepts repentance): They both have to do with repentance. Al-Ghafur refers to Allah covering up our sin and forgiving the sin, whereas at-Tawwab is more. He is the One that accepts the servant when he turns back. He listens to our excuses and reasons and still accepts us.

Today’s Name is similar in that regard. As-Samad has many meanings but what it is important is how we relate to Him. Al-Ghazali states that as-Samad is “the One to whom one turns to in need and the One who one is intended in our desires, for ultimate dominion culminates in Him.”

In the dictionary Samad is defined as the eternal; to remain unaffected or unchanged; to intend or turn to; something that is solid, with no holes or emptiness inside; and the ultimate Master who is obeyed. We say sumood (from the same root s-m-d), which is to remain firm and steadfast. Ali bin Abi Talib radi allahu `anhu (may God be please with him) said:

فصمدا صمدا حتى يَتَجلى لكم عمود الحق

“So stay firm, stay firm (samdan samdan) so that you may reach the pillars of truth.”

Thus Allah is the One who we turn to for both our needs and desires and who is our ultimate goal, because fundamentally He is the Master, the Eternal, the One who remains firm and unchanged – so who else can we turn to?

This Name has been mentioned in the Qur’an once, in Surat al-Ikhlas:

Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One,

Allah, the Eternal Refuge.

He neither begets nor is born,

Nor is there to Him any equivalent.”

Surat al-Ikhlas was revealed when the people of Mecca asked the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) to describe to them His Lord. This Surah answers their question and tells them (and us) about Allah. So when the people of Mecca were being told who Allah was, His being as-Samad was mentioned. Why would this be mentioned out of all His attributes? Because essentially what you need to know is that Allah is One and Unique (Ahad), and also that He is as-Samad, the Eternal Refuge, that One who is our means and our end. We go to Him for our desires but we should also ultimately desire Him—this is sincerity (ikhlas). The Prophet ﷺ told us that Surat al-Ikhlas is equal to the a third of the Qur’an (Muslim). And the reason is that if you want to know Allah, Surat al-Ikhlas summarizes His attributes. Thus knowing that He is as-Samad is crucial.

We all have hopes—marriage, sustenance, good kids, peace of mind. And we ask Allah for them. We turn to Him in good and bad, for needs and for desires. And don’t think that the One who has named himself as-Samad will let you down. At Ta’if, when the Prophet ﷺ went to seek refuge with the people, they pelted him with rocks in return. So he turned to Allah as-Samad for his needs—even if it was just for Allah to provide him with some peace at that moment. “If you are not angry with me, I do not care,” he ﷺ said, “only that Your favor is a more expansive relief to me.” When the Prophet ﷺ migrated to Medina with the companions, they were not used to the conditions there. Many companions (ra) fell ill. Bilal (ra) even recited poetry about returning to valley of Mecca. And the Prophet ﷺ turned to Allah for that need, and indeed Medina became as beloved as Mecca, if not more.

When we think of du`a’ (supplication), we tend to think of material or physical things that we need or want. “I want a house, I want a car, I want a job, I want to be healthy…” and so we ask al-Mujeeb, the One who responds to His servants. But as-Samad is slightly different because you turn to Him with all the needs of your heart, body and soul. And you can, because as-Samad is unshakeable. You can be confident and assured, because the One you are turning to is the Master, unaffected by the changes around us. Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi gives an example for this. In fiqh (jurisprudence), the child of a wealthy person is not eligible for zakaat. While he may be technically in need and poor in that he does not possess anything himself, his parents are wealthy and so he is regarded as being wealthy because he is taken care of by them. Now switch this to our relationship with Allah. We may be in need, but in actual fact, because we have Allah to turn to for our needs, we are not really in need at all (in terms of in this dunya). Rest assured because you have as-Samad.

There are many sayings of the Prophet ﷺ that encourage us to turn to Allah for all of our needs. The Prophet ﷺ said: “You should ask Allah for all of your needs, even if the strap of your sandal breaks,” [Tirmidhi, Ibn Hibban]. Sheikh Ratib an-Nabulsi says that implicit in this is that Allah wants you to turn to Him for your needs. He quotes al-Ghazali who said that Allah has chosen this Name so that His servants would turn to Him, because they know that He is the One who does not waver and is there for His servants to turn to, for ALL of their needs. Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ said that “Allah descends during the last third of the night asking: ‘Is there a person asking, or a person turning back, or a person seeking forgiveness from sin?’ And this continues until the sun rises.” [Muslim] A beautiful verse of poetry reads:

Do not ask the son of Adam for your needs

But ask the One whose doors do not close

Allah is angry when you do not ask

And the son of Adam, if asked, is angry

We need both dunya (this life) and akhirah (the hereafter), so we shouldn’t be ashamed when we feel we have worldly needs. The Prophet ﷺ makes a beautiful du`a’ where he asks for both dunya and akhirah:

اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي

وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

Allahumma aṣliḥ lī dīn al-lathi huwa `iṣmatu amrī, wa aṣliḥ lī dunya-ya al-lati fīhā ma`āshī, wa aṣlih lī ākhirati al-lati fīhā ma`ādī, wa-j`al al-ḥayāta ziyādatan lī fī kuli khayr, wa-j`al al-mawta rāḥatan lī min kuli sharr.

“O God, set right for me my religion which is the safeguard of my affairs. And set right for me the affairs of my world wherein is my living. And set right for me my Hereafter to which is my return. And make the life for me (a source) of abundance for every good and make my death a source of comfort for me protecting me against every evil.” [Muslim] ((Translation and transliteration can be found here: http://www.tayyibaat.com/2011/08/25/ramadan-supplication-series-deen-dunya-and-akhirah/))

So we need to ask, what is our relationship to as-Samad? Do we really turn to Him for all of our needs?

A final point with regards to as-Samad—some may ask whether turning to Allah with all our needs negates striving and using the physical means around us. This is obviously not true because Allah commands us to strive. But turning to as-Samad is recognizing where all these physical means come from, and that they can only work with the help of God. When Musa `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him) felt that he couldn’t go to Pharoah because he wasn’t as eloquent as his brother Harun (as), he went to Allah first and said, “And appoint for me a minister from my family—Aaron, my brother. Increase through him my strength and let him share my task,” [Qur’an, 30:29-32]. So he asked Allah for his need to have someone with him, and ultimately he was reliant on Allah, not his brother.

Being with As-Samad

First, go to Allah with every need. Rely on Him only. Don’t ever think that a need or a want is too small or too great to go to Allah with. As the Prophet ﷺ said, go to Him even if the strap of your sandal breaks.

Secondly, be there for people. Allow people to turn to you and offer them your help. The Prophet ﷺ told us that “The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind,” [Tabarani]; and “If Allah wants good for a person then He uses him,” [Ahmad]. Al-Ghazali says: “The one whom God has appointed to be a model for His servants in fulfilling their worldly and religious duties, and who secures the needs of His creatures by his word and action—to that one God bestows a share in His attribute. But the absolutely eternal is the One to whom one turns to in every need, and He is God—may He be praised and exalted.”

May we always turn to as-Samad for all of our needs.

Excerpts from

By Dr. `Umar Sulayman Al-Ashqar (may Allah have mercy on him) | Translated by Naiyerah Kolkailah

The Difficulty of Attaining Sincerity

Having true sincerity is one of the most difficult things to achieve, and it is not only the common people who experience this; many scholars and righteous people struggle with it too. Sufyan Ath-Thawri says: “I have never dealt with anything more difficult than my intention; it keeps changing on me.”

That is why the Messenger ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) would often supplicate, “O turner of hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your faith.”

He would also often say in his oaths, “Nay, by the turner of hearts.”

The heart changes frequently in its aims and intentions, and you can see this just by how much your heart’s aims and wishes vary within one hour. The Messenger ﷺ says: “There is no heart except that it is suspended between Two Fingers of the Most Merciful; if He wills, He keeps it firm, and if He wills, He deviates it; and the scale is in the Hand of the Most Merciful—He elevates some people and debases others, until the Day of Judgment.”

The Messenger ﷺ says: “Surely, the heart of the son of Adam turns over and over more than a pot of boiling water.”

The reason hearts change and turn so much is because of the amount of factors influencing the heart. As Sahl ibn Abdillah says, the heart is “delicate and easily affected by passing thoughts.”

Al-Harith al-Muhasabi mentions three factors that affect the heart.

The first is the warnings of the Most-Merciful. As the hadith (narration) says, “Whomever Allah wills good for him, He will place for him a warning conscience in his heart.”

In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ says, “Allah, the All-Mighty, sets forth a parable of the straight path: on either side of the path are walls with open doors, and the doors are draped with curtains. On the path, there is a caller saying, ‘O people enter all of you onto the path and do not deviate.’ Another caller also calls at the head of the path. So, when a person attempts to open one of these doors, the caller says, ‘Beware, do not open it. If you open it, then you will go through it (and leave the straight path).’ The path is Islam, and the walls are Allah’s legal boundaries, and the open doors are what Allah has forbidden. The caller at the head of the path is the Book of Allah, and the caller on the straight path is the warning conscience of Allah that is in the heart of every Muslim.”

The second element that influences the heart is Satan’s adornment of evil acts, and all his suggestions and whispers. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) has commanded His messenger to flee to Allah, seeking refuge from Satan’s attempts: “And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah. Surely, He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”

It is out of Allah’s wisdom that He made the hearts of His servants this battlefield, where both an angel and a devil vie for influence; one overtakes it sometimes, and the other at other times. The All-Mighty says, “Satan threatens you with poverty, and commands you to evil, while God promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty.”

The Messenger ﷺ elucidates this in the hadith: “Surely, an angel puts thoughts in the heart of the son of Adam, and the devil also puts thoughts. The angel’s thoughts promise goodness and affirm the truth, and the devil’s thoughts promise evil and reject the truth.” Then he read, “Satan threatens you with poverty, and commands you to evil, while God promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty.”

As Ibn Al-Qayyim says, “Satan bewitches the mind until it overpowers it, and nobody is safe from his magic except whomever Allah wills. He makes the harmful act seem appealing, until a person imagines that it is the most beneficial of things; and he turns him away from beneficial things, until he imagines that they are harmful to him. La ilaha illa Allah (there is no deity but God). How many people are deceived by this magic, and how many hearts are deprived of Iman (faith), Islam, and Ihsan (excellence in faith/worship) because of it; and how much has falsehood been adorned so it appears positive; and how much has truth been denigrated so it appears negative!”

The third source of influence on the heart is the self, since it commands one to do evil acts, and calls to disobedience: “Surely, the self constantly commands to evil.” The Prophet of Allah, Ya`qub (Jacob), told his sons when they claimed that the wolf ate Yusuf (Joseph): “No, your own selves enticed you to something (evil).” The All-Mighty also said regarding Adam’s son who killed his brother, “Then his own self persuaded him to kill his brother.”

The Muslim cannot be saved from the self that incites evil, and his own whims and desires, except through persistent struggle and self-discipline, and through arming oneself with the weapons Allah (swt) gave him, such as dhikr (remembrance of Allah), recitation of the Qur’an, acts of devotion and worship, etc.

Why God is the Ultimate Aim

The human being will be miserable if his aim is directed toward anything besides His Creator, and he will become even more miserable when he accumulates more worries and aimless endeavors. If a person’s aim is not uniformly devoted to One above all worldly endeavors, this person will find herself not knowing where to go and what direction to take. But a Muslim’s aim is One, and the methodology that guides her toward this aim is one; and thus, she is able to please God and follow His guidance.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ says, “Whoever makes the Hereafter his goal, Allah places abundance in his heart, and organizes his affairs, and the world comes to him despite its unwillingness. And whoever’s aim is worldly gain, Allah puts poverty before his eyes, and disorganizes his affairs, and nothing of this world comes to him, except what has been decreed for him.”

Signs of Sincerity

Imam al-Shafi`i (may Allah have mercy on him) says, “How I wish the creation would learn this knowledge without attributing even one letter of it to me.”

He also says, “I have not spoken to anyone except that I wished that he is supported and aided, and that he is under Allah’s care and protection.”

Imam al-Ghazali says, “There is one sign that shows true sincerity in a person who counsels and advises others for the sake of God and not for people’s acceptance; if he is replaced by someone who is better, more knowledgeable, or more articulate than him, and people’s acceptance of that person surpasses his own, then he will be pleased, and he will thank Allah for relieving him from his obligation with someone more qualified than him.”

The sign of one who aims to impress others is that he will be pleased with words of praise or appreciation, even if they are not true; and he will be upset with words of criticism, even if they are true. The same applies to those who are after money. But that is not the case with the sincere one; she is pleased with the word of truth—whether it be for her or against her, and she is angered by a word of falsehood—whether it be in her favor or against her.

The sincere person finds no problem in everyone’s hearts being void of appreciation for him, if his heart is sound in the Eyes of Allah, the All-Mighty. He also does not wish for any person to see even an atom’s weight of his good deeds. If the sincere person is presented with two matters, one for Allah and one for worldly gain, he will prefer what is for Allah— knowing that this life is fleeting and the Hereafter permanent.

Surat Al-Fatiha Series: 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 | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV

The fourth one is ar-riya’ bil ‘amal: riya’ (arrogance) through one’s actions. This means you do certain actions – like salah (prayer)–only in front of other people. In a story about a man who wants to get married, the man says to himself, “You know, I’m going to go to the masjid of some religious people, and I’m going to pray for a long time. I’m sure that those guys have some daughters. When they see me praying they’ll think, ‘Masha’Allah (what God wills), what a dazzling young man!’”

So the man went to the masjid to complete his mission. As he was concentrating hard, there were some old men in the back observing: “Masha’Allah, look at this young man. Masha’Allah he’s so amazing, and so great. Look how long he’s been praying.”

The key to your station with Allah is ikhlas.

There is a frightening hadith about a scholar, a martyr and a charitable man on the Day of Judgment. They all expect to enter Paradise because of their good deeds. Instead, they are sent to the Fire, because their deeds were done with the intention of pleasing people – not pleasing Allah. They wanted people to see them as they were doing good because they wanted people’s praise.

What is Ikhlas?

Ikhlas is to do everything, internal and external, only desiring the pleasure of Allah. It is to forget the eyes of the people, and whether they view your deeds or not, with the only thing on your mind that Allah is watching you. There are beautiful verses in the Qur’an in this regard, where Allah describes the Abraar in Jannah:

“They [are those who] fulfill [their] vows and fear a Day whose evil will be widespread. And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [saying], “We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.” (Qur’an, 76:7-9)

Imam al-Ghazali said that if you want to know whether something you did was purely for the sake of Allah or not, you should test your reaction when someone acts ungratefully. Do you feel self-righteous, like you were doing the person a favor? Do you feel angry that they did not appreciate your work? It may not mean that your act was ostentatious, but it points to the fact that it was not solely for the sake of Allah. We were expecting, at the very least, recognition and respect from the person as a result of the good we did to them.

We all know the famous story of the prostitute who was rewarded with Paradise for giving a dog water – but what truly got her into Paradise? Was it just that simple act? It could not have been, because as we mentioned above, there are scholars, martyrs and charitable people who will be thrown in hell because they were insincere. But she was helping the dog for Allah only. Look at how your intention elevates your deeds. This is why the scholars have said that it is the most important act of worship of the heart – to have the driving force of your acts be to please Allah.

This is closely linked to ihsan – that you are worshipping Allah as though you see Him and you know that He sees you.

Khurram Murad states that “purpose and intention are like the soul of a body or the inner capability of a seed. Many seeds look alike, but as they begin to grow and bear fruit, their differences become manifest. The purer and higher the motive, the greater the value and yield of your efforts.”¹

Ikhlas is the foundation of any work that we do – if the foundation is corrupt, then the building can easily be broken.

Does this only apply to specific acts of worship or can it also apply to regular habits?

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

“Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (6:162)

This verse tells us that everything can be for the sake of Allah. Moreover, Khurram Murad reminds us of something crucial. He states,

“People are in the habit of classifying life’s activities into those which are mundane and those which are religious. Remember, though, only those things done for the sake of Allah are the ‘religious’ things. Everything that is done for other than Allah – however ‘religious’ it may seem – is a worldly act… If he earns thousands of pounds to support his family and to spend for the cause of Allah, seeking only Allah’s pleasure, it is a highly spiritual act.”

Even your sleep can be for Allah; if you say you will sleep at a certain hour so you can wake up for Fajr, then your sleep is for Allah. Imagine being rewarded for 6-8 hours of sleep!

Importance of Ikhlas

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth…” (Qur’an, 98:5)

If we look at the story of Yusuf (as), it was ikhlas that saved him. Allah describes him in Surat Yusuf:

“And she certainly determined [to seduce] him, and he would have inclined to her had he not seen the proof of his Lord. And thus [it was] that We should avert from him evil and immorality, for he was one of Our servants, sincere and purified.” (Qur’an, 12:24)

Subhan’Allah. And moreover, Satan can get to all humans except those who have ikhlas. In the Qur’an, Allah tells us:

“[Satan] said, “My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all. Except among them Your sincere servants.” (Qur’an, 15:39-40)

This should remind us of what the Prophet ﷺ said about ‘Umar: Satan would avoid the path that ‘Umar was on because he was afraid of him. Imagine being at that level!

The more complete the ikhlas becomes, the more the person is upright. We are prone to making mistakes, and we may find that sometimes our intentions are mixed; sometimes there may not be an apparent intention behind whatever act we are doing. That is why we need to aspire to be of the sincere. As long as we are constantly reminding ourselves of doing things for Allah, He will even reward us for that insha’Allah.

We should not despair and be paranoid. It is narrated by ‘Amr bin al-Aas, that the Prophet ﷺ said “A person from my Ummah will be summoned in the presence of all creatures on the Day of Judgment. Ninety-nine records (of his deeds) would be unfolded, each extending as far as the eye can see; then he would be asked: ‘Do you deny any of these deeds?’ He will reply: ‘No, My Lord.’ He will be asked: ‘Do you have any excuse or any good deed?’ The man will say: ‘No.’ It will be said to him: ‘Yes you have some good deeds. No iniquity will befall you.’ A card will then be shown to him. On it will be written: ‘La ilaaha ila Allah, Muhammad Rasul Allah.’ He will say: ‘O Allah! What cards and records are these?’ It will be said to him: ‘No injustice shall befall you.’ The (ninety-nine) records will then be placed in one pan of the scale and the card on the other. The card will then outweigh the records.” [Tirmidhi]

This is due to his sincerity with la ilaaha ila Allah – there is no deity other than Allah.

Secrets of Ikhlas

Ikhlas is something that Allah puts in the heart of worshipers who seek it. Sheikh Omar AbdelKafy said that there are 3 secrets of Ikhlas:

1. The servant who has ikhlas does not look at it, because that would make him arrogant. For example, if we pray in a small room where no one can see us and yet due to that we feel that we are better than others because ‘obviously’ have ikhlas, we fall into the trap of arrogance. At the end of the day, success is only from Allah.
2. Ikhlas is between the servant and His Lord; even the Angels don’t write it down because they don’t know it. Reflective of this is the story of the martyr, scholar and charitable man that we mentioned above – the Angels had written down the good they did, but it was Allah who exposed their intention.
3. Satan cannot get to you if you have ikhlas ²

Examples of those with Ikhlas

There is a beautiful example in the mother of Mariam (as). “When the wife of ‘Imran said, “My Lord, indeed I have pledged to You what is in my womb, consecrated [for Your service], so accept this from me. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing” (Qur’an, 3:35). She was having a beautiful private conversation with Allah. She told Him the child that was in her womb was solely for Him. She would raise it in the way of Allah, so that the child would be a worshipper of Allah, not for any reason save His pleasure. And for that sincere conversation, Allah rewarded her with one of the best women: Mariam (as), who fulfilled her mother’s pledge, by the grace of Allah.

Another example is Khalid bin al-Walid (ra). He was removed from his post as commander of the army by ‘Umar. Imagine being the head of a youth group, captain of a sports team, or a manager at a company. Suddenly there is a change of management – you are removed from your position and demoted to a regular team member or employee. How would you react? How would that affect your work? Instead of being offended and refusing to fight, Khalid fought with even more vigor. When he was asked why, he said: “I fight for Allah and not for Umar.” He wanted to ensure that he was not working hard because he was put in a specific position – rather wherever he was, he would work hard for the sake of Allah.

May Allah help us attain ikhlas.

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 | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV | Part XXVI | Part XXVII | Part XXVIII

Love

Khushoo’ in prayer increases as our love for Allah increases. Think of meeting with someone; when you meet with someone you love, what you feel in your heart is different than when you meet with someone you don’t love.

We have mentioned in previous articles that love increases due to the beauty of the person, the character of the person, or what they have done for you; and Allah combines all of these to the maximum degree. We mentioned how Allah is the Most Beautiful, but what about the ‘character’ aspect? What He has done for us? You know a person’s character when you deal with them. So what can we say of the Most Forbearing (al-Haleem), the Most Merciful (ar-Raheem), the Generous (al-Kareem), the Loving (al-Wadud)?

Dealings with Allah

Ibn Al-Qayyim says we can recognize the Mercy of Allah in how He speaks to His servants gently. When talking to those of us who have transgressed, He does not say, “O you sinners!” Rather Allah says:

“…O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful,” (Qur’an, 39:53).

Look at Allah’s dealings with us. He has given us all of our faculties which we take for granted: eyes, nose, ears, tongue… Then we use it for what He has forbidden and He does not punish us. Rather, He is forbearing and gives us chances to return to Him. When we do return to Him and ask forgiveness, He erases that sin and it is as though we did not even commit it.

Think of the way Allah treats us—how many things have we thought were bad at the time, then later realized the good in them? We spend time complaining, and then say, “Oh wow, alhamdillah (all praise be to Allah) it was actually great for me.” Imagine someone gives you a gift which you don’t like and you show them you don’t like it. Then later when it benefits you, you say, “Oh thank you, your gift saved me!”

Ibn Al Qayyim says, “Allah is shy of His servants, yet His servants do not feel ashamed in front of Him.” Allah sends us Prophets so that we return to Him, He comes down to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night asking us to ask Him if we need anything, to repent and He will forgive us. All of this, yet He has no need for us. And we have all the need for Him and are not ashamed to ignore all that He has given.

Knowing

Ibn Al-Qayyim said that if you know Allah, you will love Him. How could you not love the One who answers du`a’ (supplications), who rewards more than you give, who forgives, who veils the faults, and who is more merciful towards you than your mother?

Watch the following video. It is a true story about two men who raised a lion. When it grew too big, they then had to send it back to the wild. They missed it and decided to go back and look for it. Look what happens (the music is a little distracting so you can mute if you want):

They were told that the lion would be too wild, but subhan’Allah (glory be to Allah) look at how the lion greeted them.

This should make us think of our relationship with Allah. He takes care of us everyday, and gives us all of our sustenance, and when we make a mistake, if we repent, He forgives. Allah says in the Qur’an:

“Is the reward for good [anything] but good?” (Qur’an, 55:60)

An animal that is by its nature wild and ferocious knew to appreciate those to whom it attributed goodness. What about us? This is the way we should feel in our salah (prayer)!

If you were to visit a King, you would have to make an appointment, and if your appointment is accepted, if he decides to let you, only then can you appeal to him; and when you ask him he may or may not give you what you ask for. And if he gives it to you, you feel so grateful and small.

What of Allah, who only requires us to stand between His Hands by raising our hands “Allahu Akbar (Allah is great)” in prayer?