Accepting and obeying commands of Allah
By Dr Shariffa Carlo
At some point in our lives, we have all had our trust betrayed. There exist few of us who trust anyone implicitly. The same goes for principles or philosophies. We have trusted them, only to be disappointed. In the same light, we have followed religious scholars, only to find that they too have betrayed us -- either by being undereducated or imperfect. Maybe that is why it is so hard for us to let go of ourselves and truly trust Allah.
When we start to analyse a command, we find in it things we can not explain or fully understand, so we stop doing it or do the thing which was forbidden to us, because the opposite does not make sense to us. Let me put that in more specific terms: We know that at the 120th day of life, Allah writes for us our sustenance (rizq).
Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said, "Allah puts an angel in charge of the uterus and the angel says, 'O Lord, (it is) semen! O Lord, (it is now) a clot! O Lord, (it is now) a piece of flesh.' And then, if Allah wishes to complete its creation, the angel asks, 'O Lord, (will it be) a male or a female? A wretched (an evildoer) or a blessed (doer of good)? How much will his provisions be? What will his age be?' So all that is written while the creature is still in the mother's womb." (Sahih Bukhari: Volume 8, Book 77, Number 594)
We know that Allah has planned out our jobs and our income. Yet, we may shave our beard or take off the hijab when we go for an interview because we are afraid that we will not get a particular job. There is a huge contradiction in our beliefs here. If we know that what is for us is for us, then why are we going against Allah's orders to achieve the objective. The reason is simple. We are not trusting Allah.
This is a sad fact. Even though we know that Allah is our Lord and Protector, we have a hard time letting go and allowing ourselves to trust that He will protect us. I doubt we do this intentionally, it is Satan, whispering to us, "The people will not understand, so shave the beard, maybe later you can grow it again" or "There is no way someone will hire you with that thing on your head, take it off."
We make excuses, like, my religion is in my heart, not what I show, even though we have been told:
Narrated Hadhrat Umar bin Al-Khattab (Radhi Allaho anho): People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing of a Divine Inspiration during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle but now there is no longer any more (new revelation). Now we judge you by the deeds you practise publicly, so we will trust and favour the one who does good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, for Allah will judge him for that; but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good. (Sahih Bukhari: Volume 3, Book 48, Number 809)
Even, we may leave our prayers until after they have expired because we fear being watched or something happening to us while we are praying. There is no trust that Allah will protect us, give us our rizq or take care of us. We have to learn to truly trust Allah. Allah says:
When two parties from among you had determined that they should show cowardice and Allah was the guardian of them both, and in Allah should the believers trust. (3:122)
And: If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, Let believers put their trust. (3:160)
It does not matter what you do, obey or disobey, the result will be that you will receive what Allah has ordained for you. You cannot add to it or subtract from it. What you do is either benefit yourself with the blessings of obedience or harm yourself with the fruits of your disobedience. We have been told that what is for us can't miss us and what is not for us can't hit us.
Narrated Hadhrat Abdullah bin Amr bin al-'As (Radhi Allaho anho): I heard Allah's Apostle (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) as saying: Allah ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water. (Sahih Muslim: Book 32, Number 6416)
We have to learn to trust that Allah will take care of us when we obey Him and that He will withdrawal His Great Mercy when we disobey. Every morning the bird goes out to seek the provision Allah has given him, and every night he comes home with it. Allah has promised us our provision.
Hadhrat Umar bin Al-Khattab (Radhi Allaho anho) narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) say, "If you were to trust in Allah genuinely, He would give you provision as He does for the birds which go out hungry in the morning and come back full in the evening. (Tirmizi and Ibn-e-Majah).
Also, we need to stop thinking that having done a good where things did not work out as we expected would have turned out differently if we had done the wrong thing instead. Let us say one of us goes to an interview in Hijab and then is denied the job. To assume that it was because of the Hijab is wrong. We have to remember that this person cannot keep Allah's Qadr from us. This interviewer cannot stop what Allah wants to happen from happening.
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas (Radhi Allaho anho) narrated that one day he was riding behind Allah's Messenger (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) and he said, "Young man, if you are mindful of Allah, He will be mindful of you, and if you are mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. When you ask for anything, ask it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek help in Allah. Know that if the people were to unite to do you some benefit, they could benefit you only what Allah has recorded for you, and if they were to unite to do you some injury, they could injure you only with what Allah has recorded for you. The pens are withdrawn and the pages are dry. (Ahmad and Tirmizi)
Also, Narrated Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allaho anho): Allah's Apostle (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said: A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don't say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and your "if" opens the gate for the Satan. (Sahih Muslim: Book 32, Number 6441)
Also, we need to accept that not getting the job was indeed best for us.
Hadhrat Suhaib (Radhi Allaho anho) reported that Allah's Messenger (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said, "It is remarkable that everything turns out well for a believer while that applies only to a believer. If happiness befalls him, he gives thanks, and it turns out well for him, and if misfortune befalls him, he shows endurance (patience) and it turns out well for him. (Sahih Muslim)
We need to stop thinking that the key to the truth is only what we can understand or what we know. There is a point when we have to submit, be Muslims and say, Labaik Allahuma Labaik. We have to obey without fighting it because we know that there is justice and mercy in it, even though we cannot see it right now. When the verse of Hijab was revealed, the Ansaar women went and immediately covered themselves.
Narrated Hadhrat Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin (Radhi Allaho anha): Safiyyah, daughter of Shaybah, said that Aisha mentioned the women of Ansaar, praised them and said good words about them. She then said: When Surah an-Nur came down, they took the curtains, tore them and made head covers (veils) of them. (Sunan Abu Dawood: Book 32, Number 4089)
They did not analyse it, or think about how this is an oppression for women or a humiliation or anything of this sort, they obeyed. When the verse forbidding alcohol was revealed, the Companions (Sahabah) literally spat it out of their mouths. No arguing, no questioning. They trusted that Allah Knows Best. We need to stop worshipping our minds so much and start worshipping Allah more.
Trusting in Allah means that when we hear a command, we obey it. We recognise that we are limited and that Allah has no limits. He Knows what we do not know. We do not try to explain away the commands of Allah by saying that it is for another time or another people. We do not say that what Allah has commanded for us is oppressive. We accept and obey. This is faith and trust.
Narrated Hadhrat Imran bin Husain (Radhi Allaho anho): The Apostle of Allah (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said: Seventy thousand people of my Ummah would be admitted into the paradise without rendering any account. They (the Sahabah) said: Who would be those (fortunate persons)? He [the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam)] said: Those who do not cauterise and practise charm, but repose trust in their Lord. (Sahih Muslim: Book 1, Number 0422)
There is much reward in trusting Allah, paradise. There is sin in distrusting Him. We need to stop relying on our desires, our minds, our version of logic and realise that Allah is the One Who Knows while we know not. Allah is the Wise, and His judgements are wise by default. Allah is the Just and His verdicts are Just by default. We cannot see everything in every issue as Allah can, so why do we insist on believing that our minds can be trusted before or instead of Allah?
I pray to You, O Allah, to make us trust you and only you. May you make us of the Trusting and keep us from trusting or worshipping our minds before you. Ameen.
Iqra
Accepting and obeying commands of Allah
By Dr Shariffa Carlo
At some point in our lives, we have all had our trust betrayed. There exist few of us who trust anyone implicitly. The same goes for principles or philosophies. We have trusted them, only to be disappointed. In the same light, we have followed religious scholars, only to find that they too have betrayed us -- either by being undereducated or imperfect. Maybe that is why it is so hard for us to let go of ourselves and truly trust Allah.
When we start to analyse a command, we find in it things we can not explain or fully understand, so we stop doing it or do the thing which was forbidden to us, because the opposite does not make sense to us. Let me put that in more specific terms: We know that at the 120th day of life, Allah writes for us our sustenance (rizq).
Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said, "Allah puts an angel in charge of the uterus and the angel says, 'O Lord, (it is) semen! O Lord, (it is now) a clot! O Lord, (it is now) a piece of flesh.' And then, if Allah wishes to complete its creation, the angel asks, 'O Lord, (will it be) a male or a female? A wretched (an evildoer) or a blessed (doer of good)? How much will his provisions be? What will his age be?' So all that is written while the creature is still in the mother's womb." (Sahih Bukhari: Volume 8, Book 77, Number 594)
We know that Allah has planned out our jobs and our income. Yet, we may shave our beard or take off the hijab when we go for an interview because we are afraid that we will not get a particular job. There is a huge contradiction in our beliefs here. If we know that what is for us is for us, then why are we going against Allah's orders to achieve the objective. The reason is simple. We are not trusting Allah.
This is a sad fact. Even though we know that Allah is our Lord and Protector, we have a hard time letting go and allowing ourselves to trust that He will protect us. I doubt we do this intentionally, it is Satan, whispering to us, "The people will not understand, so shave the beard, maybe later you can grow it again" or "There is no way someone will hire you with that thing on your head, take it off."
We make excuses, like, my religion is in my heart, not what I show, even though we have been told:
Narrated Hadhrat Umar bin Al-Khattab (Radhi Allaho anho): People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing of a Divine Inspiration during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle but now there is no longer any more (new revelation). Now we judge you by the deeds you practise publicly, so we will trust and favour the one who does good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, for Allah will judge him for that; but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good. (Sahih Bukhari: Volume 3, Book 48, Number 809)
Even, we may leave our prayers until after they have expired because we fear being watched or something happening to us while we are praying. There is no trust that Allah will protect us, give us our rizq or take care of us. We have to learn to truly trust Allah. Allah says:
When two parties from among you had determined that they should show cowardice and Allah was the guardian of them both, and in Allah should the believers trust. (3:122)
And: If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, Let believers put their trust. (3:160)
It does not matter what you do, obey or disobey, the result will be that you will receive what Allah has ordained for you. You cannot add to it or subtract from it. What you do is either benefit yourself with the blessings of obedience or harm yourself with the fruits of your disobedience. We have been told that what is for us can't miss us and what is not for us can't hit us.
Narrated Hadhrat Abdullah bin Amr bin al-'As (Radhi Allaho anho): I heard Allah's Apostle (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) as saying: Allah ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water. (Sahih Muslim: Book 32, Number 6416)
We have to learn to trust that Allah will take care of us when we obey Him and that He will withdrawal His Great Mercy when we disobey. Every morning the bird goes out to seek the provision Allah has given him, and every night he comes home with it. Allah has promised us our provision.
Hadhrat Umar bin Al-Khattab (Radhi Allaho anho) narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) say, "If you were to trust in Allah genuinely, He would give you provision as He does for the birds which go out hungry in the morning and come back full in the evening. (Tirmizi and Ibn-e-Majah).
Also, we need to stop thinking that having done a good where things did not work out as we expected would have turned out differently if we had done the wrong thing instead. Let us say one of us goes to an interview in Hijab and then is denied the job. To assume that it was because of the Hijab is wrong. We have to remember that this person cannot keep Allah's Qadr from us. This interviewer cannot stop what Allah wants to happen from happening.
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas (Radhi Allaho anho) narrated that one day he was riding behind Allah's Messenger (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) and he said, "Young man, if you are mindful of Allah, He will be mindful of you, and if you are mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. When you ask for anything, ask it from Allah, and if you seek help, seek help in Allah. Know that if the people were to unite to do you some benefit, they could benefit you only what Allah has recorded for you, and if they were to unite to do you some injury, they could injure you only with what Allah has recorded for you. The pens are withdrawn and the pages are dry. (Ahmad and Tirmizi)
Also, Narrated Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allaho anho): Allah's Apostle (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said: A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don't say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and your "if" opens the gate for the Satan. (Sahih Muslim: Book 32, Number 6441)
Also, we need to accept that not getting the job was indeed best for us.
Hadhrat Suhaib (Radhi Allaho anho) reported that Allah's Messenger (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said, "It is remarkable that everything turns out well for a believer while that applies only to a believer. If happiness befalls him, he gives thanks, and it turns out well for him, and if misfortune befalls him, he shows endurance (patience) and it turns out well for him. (Sahih Muslim)
We need to stop thinking that the key to the truth is only what we can understand or what we know. There is a point when we have to submit, be Muslims and say, Labaik Allahuma Labaik. We have to obey without fighting it because we know that there is justice and mercy in it, even though we cannot see it right now. When the verse of Hijab was revealed, the Ansaar women went and immediately covered themselves.
Narrated Hadhrat Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin (Radhi Allaho anha): Safiyyah, daughter of Shaybah, said that Aisha mentioned the women of Ansaar, praised them and said good words about them. She then said: When Surah an-Nur came down, they took the curtains, tore them and made head covers (veils) of them. (Sunan Abu Dawood: Book 32, Number 4089)
They did not analyse it, or think about how this is an oppression for women or a humiliation or anything of this sort, they obeyed. When the verse forbidding alcohol was revealed, the Companions (Sahabah) literally spat it out of their mouths. No arguing, no questioning. They trusted that Allah Knows Best. We need to stop worshipping our minds so much and start worshipping Allah more.
Trusting in Allah means that when we hear a command, we obey it. We recognise that we are limited and that Allah has no limits. He Knows what we do not know. We do not try to explain away the commands of Allah by saying that it is for another time or another people. We do not say that what Allah has commanded for us is oppressive. We accept and obey. This is faith and trust.
Narrated Hadhrat Imran bin Husain (Radhi Allaho anho): The Apostle of Allah (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam) said: Seventy thousand people of my Ummah would be admitted into the paradise without rendering any account. They (the Sahabah) said: Who would be those (fortunate persons)? He [the Holy Prophet (Sall Allaho alaihe wasallam)] said: Those who do not cauterise and practise charm, but repose trust in their Lord. (Sahih Muslim: Book 1, Number 0422)
There is much reward in trusting Allah, paradise. There is sin in distrusting Him. We need to stop relying on our desires, our minds, our version of logic and realise that Allah is the One Who Knows while we know not. Allah is the Wise, and His judgements are wise by default. Allah is the Just and His verdicts are Just by default. We cannot see everything in every issue as Allah can, so why do we insist on believing that our minds can be trusted before or instead of Allah?
I pray to You, O Allah, to make us trust you and only you. May you make us of the Trusting and keep us from trusting or worshipping our minds before you. Ameen.
