SIGNS OF ALLAH'S LOVE FOR HIS SLAVES AND THE EFFORTS FOR ITS ACHIEVEMENT

SIGNS OF ALLAH'S LOVE FOR HIS SLAVES AND

THE EFFORTS FOR ITS ACHIEVEMENT

MASJID PLOT 94, ODUDUWA CRESCENT, PHASE 2 SITE 2, KUBWA, ABUJA

Assembled by Mallam Abba Abana, Kubwa, Abuja, Nigeria

http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com

Emails:gonidamgamiri@yahoo.com; abba.abana@gmail.com

TO BE DELIVERED ON

28^th January 2017 and 30^th Rabiul Thani 1438 AH

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Narrated Haritha bin Wahb Al-Khuzai (Radi-Allahu 'anhu):
I heard the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) saying. "May I tell you of the people of aradise? They are every weak, poor and obscure person whom the people look down upon but when he takes an oath to do something, his oath is fulfilled by Allah. And may I inform you of the people of the Hell-Fire? They are all those violent, arrogant and stubborn people." (Bukhari Vol. 6 : No. 440)

1.0 SIGNS OF ALLAH'S LOVE FOR HIS SLAVES AND THE EFFORTS FOR ITS ACHIEVEMENT

Allah, the Exalted, says:

"Say (O Muhammad (PBUH) to mankind): `If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e., accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.''' (Holy Quran Chapter 3:31)

"O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower.'' (Holy Quran Chapter 5:54)

Hadith No. 386. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah, the Exalted, has said: `I will declare war against him who treats with hostility a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (voluntary prayers or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) until I love him, (so much so that) I become his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me something, I will surely give him, and if he seeks My Protection (refuge), I will surely protect him". [Al-Bukhari]

Commentary:

This Hadith tell us the status and distinctive signs of the favoured men of Allah ('Auliya' Allah) The Noble Qur'an has defined them as:

"Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah) and used to fear Allah much (by abstaining from evil deeds and sins and by doing righteous deeds)". (Holy Quran Chapter 10:63).

According to this definition, every believer who really fears Allah is a favoured of Allah. It means that except for Faith and piety, favoured of Allah are neither people of the special kind nor have they any special distinctive signs, as is generally thought by some people. In this respect, the ignorance of the general public is shocking because they regard even such persons as favoured of Allah who not only neglect the religious obligations and the practice of the Prophet (PBUH), but also woefully lack cleanliness. Sometimes they call even mad or half-mad persons as

favourites of Allah, whereas a Wali in the true sense is one who is meticulous about observing the obligations and is fearful of Allah.

This Hadith brings about the following four points:

Firstly, the love of those whom Allah loves entail the love of Allah, and hating them entails the hatred of Allah.

Secondly, when a true Muslim acquires nearness and love of Allah by means of performing religious obligations, supererogatory and voluntary prayers, Allah then becomes his special helper and protects his limbs and organs and does not let them work for His disobedience. Then he does not use any part of his body for things which are disliked by Him. It is wrong to infer from this Hadith, as men of heretical and polytheistic trend try to do, that Auliya' become the eyes, ears, hands, feet, etc. of Allah. That is to say that Almighty Allah descends in them. Thus, on the basis of this contemptible reasoning, they conclude that it makes no difference whether one begs from Allah or Auliya because the two are one being. For such people supplicating "O Allah! Help us'', "O Prophet of Allah! Help us'' and "O Ali! Help us'' etc., are all right. One who says so has certainly gone astray, rather commits Shirk (polytheism). May Allah save us from these sins. According to the Hadith, a true pious man likes and adopts what is liked by Allah, and avoids all such things which are not liked by Him.

Thirdly, the performance of the obligatory acts of worshipping has the first and foremost importance for attaining the pleasure of Allah because their fulfillment is liked the most by Allah and also because they furnish the foundation, on which the edifice of Islam is built. As we cannot think of a building without foundation, similarly, we cannot think of voluntary worship without fulfilling the basic obligations. The fact is that one who neglects them ceases to be a Muslim. This is the reason for the severe warnings of Allah to those who default on this account. Those who neglect voluntary prayers have not been given any warning. It is, however, true that their performance in addition to the obligatory ones increases lustre of obligations. Nawafil (voluntary acts of worship) help one to attain the exalted place of being loved by Allah by virtue of which one is endowed with the special Help of Allah.

Fourthly, Almighty Allah certainly grants the prayers of those whom He loves. But acceptance of their prayers, however, does not mean that their results appear at once. Sometime the results of these prayers appear after a long time. The prayer of virtuous persons is certainly granted but whether it takes a long or short time depends solely on the Will of Allah.

Hadith No. 387. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "When Allah loves a slave, calls out Jibril and says: `I love so-and-so; so love him'. Then Jibril loves him. After that he (Jibril) announces to the inhabitants of heavens that Allah loves so-and-so; so love him; and the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him and then make people on earth love him". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Another narration of Muslim is: Messenger of Allah, (PBUH) said: "When Allah loves a slave, He calls Jibril (Gabriel) and says: `I love so-and-so; so love him.' And then Jibril loves him. Then he (Jibril) announces in the heavens saying: Allah loves so-and-so; so love him; then the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him; and then people on earth love him. And when Allah hates a slave, He calls Jibril and says: `I hate so-and-so, so hate him.' Then Jibril also hates him. He (Jibril) then announces amongst the inhabitants of heavens: `Verily, Allah hates so-and-so, so you also hate him.' Thus they also start to hate him. Then he becomes the object of hatred on the earth also". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary:

This Hadith mentions the reward of love for the sake of Allah. A person who loves for the sake of Allah is not only loved by Allah but also by the inhabitants of the earth as well as the heavens. On the other hand, those who are hated by Allah are also hated by the inhabitants of the earth and the heavens. It must be borne in mind that they alone remain popular in this world who are righteous by nature - who strictly maintain the distinction between the lawful and the unlawful (Ma`ruf and Munkar). But those whose nature is defected by constant sins, cease to distinguish between right and wrong and lose their credibility. They generally hate the pious persons for the reason that every category of people loves and likes people of its own kind.

Hadith No. 388. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: Messenger of Allah, (PBUH) appointed a man in charge of an army unit who led them in Salat (prayer); he always concluded his recitation with Surat Al-Ikhlas: "Say (O Muhammad (PBUH)): 'He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (Allah - the Self-Sufficient). He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none equal or comparable to Him.''' (Holy Quran Chapter 112:1-4) Upon their return to Al-Madinah, they mentioned this to Messenger of Allah (PBUH), who said, "Ask him why he does so?'' He was asked and he said, "This Surah contains the Attributes of Allah, the Gracious, and I love to recite it. Messenger of Allah (PBUH) then told them, "Tell him that Allah loves him". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary: We learn from the Hadith the following:

1. The Companions always rushed to the Prophet (PBUH) to ask his opinion about anything they noticed strange to them.

2. The superiority of Surat Al-Ikhlas as it clarifies points of Tauhid.

3. The permissibility to recite two Surah during Salat, apart from Surat Al-Fatihah, in one single Rak`ah.

4. The permissibility of reciting the same Surah over and over again, as this Sahabi (Companion) who led the Salat used to recite Surat Al-Ikhlas after each recitation.

2.0 WARNING AGAINST PERSECUTION OF THE PIOUS, THE WEAK AND THE INDIGENT

Allah, the Exalted, says:

"And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, they bear (on themselves) the crime of slander and plain sin.'' (Holy Quran Chapter 33:58)

"Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression. And repulse not the beggar.'' (Holy Quran Chapter 93:9,10)

Hadith No. 389. Jundub bin Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who performs the Fajr (dawn) prayer comes under the Protection of Allah, so beware lest Allah questions you about what you owe Him. For if He questions anyone of you and he falls short of fulfilling the duty which he owes Him, He will requite and then throw upon his face into the Hell-fire". [Muslim].

Commentary:

A Muslim who performs Fajr prayer receives the protection of Allah. But he who does not fall short of fulfilling the duty which he to owes Allah. It also serves a warning in case of not observing such duty, Allah will demand failing to it. If He does, Hell will be the requital. This highlights the merit of performing the Fajr prayer with congregation, while the second warns a Muslim that since he has started that day by a pledge with Allah, he must keep it for the full day and abstain from doing anything which goes against it.

3.0 MAKING JUDGMENT OF PEOPLE KEEPING IN VIEW THEIR EVIDENT ACTIONS AND LEAVING

THEIR HIDDEN ACTIONS TO ALLAH (SWT)

Allah, the Exalted, says:

"But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-As-Salat), and give Zakat, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'' (Holy Quran Chapter 9:5)

Hadith No. 390. `Abdullah bin `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "I have been commanded (by Allah) to fight people until they testify that there is no true god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and perform Salat and pay Zakat. If they do so, they will have protection of their blood and property from me except when justified by Islam, and then account is left to Allah". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary:

This Hadith brings out the following three points:

1. The objective of Jihad. This objective warrants that one must struggle against Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (polytheism) and the worship of falsehood in all its forms. Jihad has to continue until this objective is achieved. This contention is supported by a Hadith, to the effect that Jihad will continue till the Day of Resurrection. In this Hadith the word (An-Nas) translated above as "people" stands for the polytheists and idolaters. The reason being that other Nasus (pl. of Nass, meaning `text') confirm the exemption of Ahl-ul-Kitab (people of the Scriptures) from it subject to the condition that they agree to pay Jizyah (dues imposed by Islam on the people of the Book living under the protection of an Islamic state) and submit to the Muslim rule. The Arab pagans have only the choice to either embrace Islam or face war. In the latter case, it is incumbent on the Muslims to wage Jihad against them to wipe out Kufr and Shirk and raise the banner of Tauhid everywhere.

This Hadith strongly refutes the people who distort the Islamic concept of Jihad and hold that Islam preaches defensive war only. It is an apologetic approach because defensive war has to be fought in any case by every nation and country. Thus, it is a compulsion and needs no justification. The real distinction of Islam lies in its enjoining Muslims to wage war for upholding the truth beside fighting for their own defense. The domination of Kufr, Shirk and falsehood is darkness, heresy and tyranny, and the objective of Islam is to purge the world of all these evils. It aims at liberating man from the worship of man, set them on the path of worship of Allah, and to provide a just and equitable society to mankind. Wherever in the world there is tyranny, ignorance and heresy, Muslims are bound to fight such evils and finish them by means of Jihad.

There is also a third form of Jihad which is waged against countries where Muslims are victims of aggression, suppression and cruelties of the non-Muslims. It is incumbent upon Muslims to liberate their brethren in Faith from the clutches of the non-Muslims by means of Jihad. So long Muslims performed this obligation with a sense of duty, Islam and its followers were dominant in the world and ever since they have ignored this obligation, both are in subjugation and disgrace. In other words, the secret of power and stability of Muslims lies in Jihad. Muslims need to understand this secret like their ancestors.

2. Life and property of every person is secured after his joining the fold of Islam. He will, however, be subject to the law of Islam, one of which is payment of Zakat. If he murders any Muslim, he will also be killed in return, unless the heirs of the victim pardon the murderer or accept blood-money (Diyah) for it.

3. When a person embraces Islam, the laws of Shari`ah apply to him according to his apparent condition only. His heart will not be probed for this purpose. In case, he is not sincere or he has some design in joining the fold of Islam, no action will be taken against him until guilt is fully proved. What he has in his heart will be left to Allah Who will pass judgement on his intention on the Day of Resurrection. This Hadith is related to this chapter for its third point.

In their debate on this point, some `Ulama' have contended that such people who believe in Tauhid and obey the injunctions of Shari`ah are not to be declared as infidels.

Hadith No. 391. Abu Abdullah bin Tariq bin Ashyam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who professes La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah), and denies of everything which the people worship besides Allah, his property and blood become inviolable, and it is for Allah to call him to account". [Muslim].

Hadith No. 392. Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I said, "Tell me, O Messenger of Allah, if I meet an infidel, and we fight together, and he cuts off my hands with his sword, then hides from me behind a tree and (then) says he has submitted himself to Allah. Shall I kill him after he has said it?'' He (PBUH) replied, "Do not kill him.'' I submitted, "But O Messenger of Allah, he cut off one of my hands and only then he said it.'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) then replied, "Do not kill him, for if you do so, he will be in the position in which you were before you killed him (i.e., he will be considered a Muslim and thus his life will be inviolable), and you will be in the position in which he was before he made his testimony (i.e., your life will not be inviolable, for his heirs can ask for Qisas)". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary:

This Hadith tells us that injunctions of Islam will be enforced on a person according to his apparent condition not his insight. The reason being that nobody is capable of knowing the insight of others. When a person professes Islam, we have to accept him a Muslim; and it will be our duty to protect his life and property. If, in spite of knowing that his life and property are sacred, a Muslim murders him, then it will be quite fair for the heirs of the victim to have Qisas for the murder. If the murderer poses ignorance or takes shelter of some reason, then he will be liable for Diyah only. The Prophet (PBUH) arranged payment of Diyah to the heirs of the victim in the case mentioned in this Hadith because some of the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) had advanced the argument that the murderer had slain the victim on the presumption that he had professed Islam just to save his life.

Hadith No. 393. Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) sent us to Huraqat, a tribe of Juhainah. We attacked that tribe early in the morning and defeated them, (then) a man from the Ansar and I caught hold of a man (of the defeated tribe). When we overcame him, he said: `La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah).' At that moment, the Ansari spared him, but I attacked him with my spear and killed him. By the time we went back to Al-Madinah, news had already reached Messenger of Allah (PBUH). He said to me, "OUsamah, did you kill him after he professed La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah)?'' I said, "O Messenger of Allah! He professed it only to save his life.'' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) repeated, "Did you kill him after he had professed La ilaha illallah?'' He went on repeating this to me until I wished I had not embraced Islam before that day (so that I would have not committed this sin). [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Another narration is: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Did you kill him in spite of his professing La ilaha illallah?'' I said, "O Messenger of Allah! He said out of fear of our arms.'' He (PBUH) said, "Why did you not cut his heart open to find out whether he had done so sincerely or not?'' He continued repeating it until I wished that I had embraced Islam only that day.

Commentary:

The relevance of this Hadith with the present chapter is evident from the fact that it stresses that injunctions of Islam will be enforced on every Muslim according to his apparent condition. It is a very wise course indeed for the reason that it has closed the door of retaliation; otherwise, everyone could kill his enemy on the pretext that the victim was not sincere in his profession of Islam. In order to rule out the possibility of any such mischief, probing into the true condition of the heart is ruled out. A Muslim has to be treated according to his apparent condition only.

Hadith No. 394. Jundub bin `Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) dispatched a contingent of the  to a tribe of the polytheists. The two sides met (in combat) at one place. A man among the polytheists was so dashing that, whenever he intended to kill a man from Muslims, he killed him. Amongst the Muslims, too, was a man looking forward to (an opportunity of) his (polytheist's) unmindfulness. He (the narrator) said: We talked that he was Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him). When he raised his sword, he (the soldier of the polytheists) uttered: "La ilaha illallah (There is no true god except Allah).'' But he (Usamah bin Zaid) killed him. When the good news of victory reached Messenger of Allah (PBUH) he asked him (about the events of the battle), and he informed him about the man (Usamah) and what he had done. He (Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) sent for him and asked him why he had killed him. He (Usamah) said, "O Messenger of Allah, he struck the Muslims and killed such and such of them.'' And he named some of them. (He continued): "I attacked him and when he saw the sword he said: `La ilaha illallah.''' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Did you kill him?'' He (Usamah) replied in the affirmative. The Messenger of Allah then remarked, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?'' He (Usamah) said, "O Messenger of Allah! Beg forgiveness for me". He (the Prophet (PBUH)) said, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?'' He (Messenger of Allah (PBUH)) added nothing to it but kept repeating, "What would you do with regard to (the utterance): La ilaha illallah, when it comes (before you) on the Day of Resurrection?". [Muslim].

Commentary:

This Hadith mentions the incident which has been quoted in the preceding one. There is only a slight variation in the wording of the two. This Hadith is reported by Muslim under the chapter "The prohibition of killing a Kafir (disbeliever) after having testified that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah".

Hadith No. 395. `Abdullah bin `Utbah bin Mas`ud reported: I heard `Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) reported saying: "In the lifetime of Messenger of Allah (PBUH) some people were called to account through Revelation. Now Revelation has discontinued and we shall judge you by your apparent acts. Whoever displays to us good, we shall grant him peace and security, and treat him as a near one. We have nothing to do with his insight.

Allah will call him to account for that. But whosoever shows evil to us, we shall not grant him security nor shall we believe him, even if he professed that his intention is good.'' [Al-Bukhari].

Commentary:

This Hadith also proves that the injunctions go with the apparent acts of a person and not with will and intention. It also indicates that a good intention does not waive the Qisas and establishing the justice.

Sources

Chapter 47, 48 and 49; RIYAD-US-SALIHEEN