format_quote Originally Posted by
Adib Shaikh
I dont know if this questions was asked before but i have no source to get information from and i find that this forum is my best friend, hence il post it here.
I have become very religious though i know im still far and need to learn a lot, what i mean to say is i hardly use to do salaat and since past couple of weeks i do salaat and remembrance of allah swt.
What i know is that all muslims are equal in sight of allah swt just like teeth of a comb and the only way to raise our status in front of allah is to have taqwa (god consciousness) now my questions is how do you have taqwa? and after u sincerely do that do u get a feeling that ur status is being raised in front of allah?
thats the best way i can put it though i still feel i did not elaborate properly still i hope someone who has good knowledge would certainly understand what im taking about.
Also someone told me that every muslim is not a momin, can somone tell me the exact difference between muslim and a momin?
Jazak Allah Khair
Asalaamu Alaikum Wr Wb, I have collected together various beneficial and various articles which will help you and others on their journey.
Consider this:
The Station of Fear
By Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah (RA)
From among the stations of worshipping Allah and seeking His help is the station of fear.
Fear is one of the most important stations on the path and most beneficial for the heart. Fear is an obligation upon everyone,
Allah said, "So fear them not, and fear Me alone, if you are believers."
[3:175] (The actual word used for fear in this verse is
'khawf.') Another verse says, "And Me alone you all should fear,"
[2:40] the actual word being a derivative of
'rahba.' And, "So do not fear people, but fear Me,"
[5:44] the actual word in Arabic being 'khashya.' Different connotations of these various terms in Arabic for fear will be discussed shortly.
Allah has praised those who possess the attribute of fear saying, "And such (are the believers) who are humbled by the fear of their Lord..."
[23:57]
Fear (of Allah's displeasure or punishment) is not only for grave sinners, but also for the pious, observant believers, as in the following hadeeth:
Aisha said, "O Messenger of Allah, is the verse "And those who dispense their charity while their hearts fear that to their Lord they must return"
[23:60] referring to someone who commits fornication, drinks alcohol and steals and still fear Allah? The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "No, O daughter of as-Siddiq, but it refers to one who fasts, perform salah and gives charity, and fears that it may not be accepted from him."
(Tirmithi) Al-Hasan, commenting on this, said, "By Allah, they (the Companions) obeyed Him and strove hard in it, yet they feared it might be rejected. A believer combines righteousness with fear in his heart, while a hypocrite combines evil with impunity."
The terms
'wajal,' 'khawf,' 'khashya' and
'rahba,' are used in the Qur'an to refer to what we have translated as ‘fear', but they are not synonyms. Abul-Qasim al-Junayd said, "Al-khawf is the anticipation of punishment." Another scholar said, "Al-khawf is the moving of the heart upon the cognizance of that which is feared."
The word khashya is more specific than khawf, for it is specific to the true knowers of Allah - as Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, said, "Truly, those who fear Allah from among His servants are the knowers."
[35:28] Hence, khashya. is fear associated with the intimate knowledge (ma'rifa) of Allah-as the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "I am most mindful of Allah among you, and most intense in fearing Him."
(Bukhari, Muslim) Khawf is movement in its essence, while khashya is concentration, stillness, and holding of breath. For example, someone who sees a fierce enemy or a flood or something like that has two states: first, movement in order to flee from it, and this is the state of khawf. Second, his stillness in a place safe from the danger-and this is khashya.
Ar-Rahba means the urge to run away from the danger-which is the opposite of ar-Raghba, which means the urge of the heart to journey towards that which it likes.
Al-Wajal is the trembling of the heart upon the cognition or remembrance of someone whose power or punishment one fears.
Al-Haybah is fear associated with awe and glorification, and its greatest form is that which occurs in association with love and intimate knowledge (ma'rifa).
Al-Khawf, then, is for the common believers, while al-kbashya is for the scholars with profound knowledge, while at-haybah is for those nearest to Allah. The extent of one's fear for Allah is proportional to one's knowledge, both formal and experiential, of Allah. As the Prophet, sallallahu alaybe wa sallam, said, "I am the most knowledgeable of Allah among you, and most intense in His khashya." In another narration of the same hadeeth, the word used is khawf instead of khashya. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, also said, "if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much, and would not enjoy intimacy with women, and would go out wandering in the wildernesses and praying to Allah."
(Ahmad)
When faced with his object of fear, a man with khawf turns to fleeing and grabbing, while a man with khashya seeks the support of knowledge. For example, when a lay person is faced with an illness, he seeks to protect himself (and seeks someone who could help) while a skilled physician turns to investigating the illness and the cure.
Abu Hafs says, "Al-khawf is Allah's lash with which He straightens up those fleeing from His door." He also said, "Al-khawf is a lamp in the heart, with which the good and the evil inside of the heart can be seen-and everyone you fear from, you run away from him, except Allah-when you fear Him, you run towards Him for refuge."
Hence, the one who fears Allah is a refugee towards His Lord's [mercy] from his Lord's [displeasure].
Abu Suleiman said, "Whenever fear (of Allah) departs a heart, it is ruined." Ibraheem ibn Sufyan said, "When fear of Allah resides in hearts, it burns away the sources of lust and eradicates worldly attachments." Thun-Noon said, "People will stay on the path so long as they have (Allah's) fear when this fear leaves them, they will go astray."
Fear, however, is not the end in itself, but a means towards an end. When that end, Allah's ultimate pleasure, is attained, there is no need for fear. As Allah says to the people of Paradise: "there is no fear upon them, nor do they grieve."
Fear is associated with actions, while love is connected with being and attributes. When the believers enter the Realm of Allah's eternal blessings, their love will multiply, while their fear will disappear. Hence, the place of love is higher and nobler than the place of fear.
The true and praiseworthy fear is that which stops a person from the prohibitions of Allah. But when fear exceeds this boundary, it may bring hopelessness and despair.
Abu Uthman said, "Sincerity of fear is vigilance from sins, open and secret." I also heard Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah honor his soul, say, "The praiseworthy fear is that which prevented you from the prohibitions of Allah."
The author of al-Manazil, Shaykh al-Harawi, said, "Al-khawf, or fear, is to do away with careless sense of security by envisioning the great news (of the Last Day)."
He further said, "The beginning of fear is the fear of punishment, and this kind of fear is sufficient to establish the soundness of one's faith. It is born out of one's affirmation of the warning (of Allah's punishment), recognition of one's transgressions and consideration of the punishment." Thus, fear is preceded by cognition and knowledge for a man cannot fear what he does not know.
Two more things are related to fear:the thing or occurrence that is feared, and the way that leads one to it. Lack of knowledge of either of these leads to a concomitant lack of fear. If one does not know that a certain act leads to a feared outcome or he knows so but does not know the value or might of that which he claims to fear, one does not really have true fear. Similarly, an active awareness of the punishment or loss that one fears, not just a passive and abstract knowledge of it, is an indication of the sincerity of fear and sound faith.
Another praiseworthy category of fear is to fear returning to the state of sinfulness and heedlessness after one has attained closeness to Allah and sincere fear of His displeasure-for if one feels unduly secure in one's state, it is likely that one will go back to the state of sinfulness.
Balancing Fear with Hope
The heart in its journey towards Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, is like a bird whose head is love, and hope and fear are its two wings. When the head and the two wings are sound and healthy the flight of the bird is good, but when the head is cut off, it immediately dies, and when either or both wings are deficient, the bird cannot properly fly and may become victim of any hunter or snare. The righteous predecessors preferred to strengthen the wing of fear during good times when heedlessness is feared, and to strengthen the wing of hope at times of calamity and when near death.
Some have said that it is better to strengthen fear more than hope because when vain hopes overcome a person he is ruined. Others say that the best of situations is a complete balance of hope and fear with overwhelming love, for love is composite, while hope is a sharpener and fear a driver.
One will never be close to Allah unless they abandon that which Allah has forbidden:
The Abandonment of Wrongdoing
By Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah (RA)
Glory be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. There is not in the abandonment of misdeeds and wrongdoing save
1. the establishment of manhood;
2. the protection of honor;
3. the preservation of prestige;
4. the conservation of wealth - [all matters] which Allah has placed as a foundation for the correction of the Dunya and the Hereafter - the love of creation [for him] and a statement of approval amongst them;
5. a righteous substinence;
6. a healthy body;
7. strength of the heart;
8. tranquillity of the soul;
9. happiness of the heart;
10. a state of pleasure and cheerfulness;
11.safety from the perils of the sinners and wrongdoers, [and] an absence of purpose, grief, and sorrow;
12. a sense of honor from the possibility of ignominy and disgrace;
13. protection for the light of the heart from being extinguished by the darkness of transgression;
14.the acquirement of an escape from [that matter] which has caused the sinners and transgressors to become depressed and dejected;
15. the availability of sustenance [for him] from [an avenue] where it was not considered [possible];
16.the facilitation of [that matter] which has become difficult for the masters of sin and transgression [to obtain];
17. the facilitation of righteous deeds [for him];
18.the acquisition of knowledge and beautified praise amongst the people;
19. an abundant amount of supplication [for him];
20. a beautified countenance;
21. the veneration which is cast into the hearts of the people [for him];
22. their help and protection [for him] whenever he is hurt and oppressed;
23. their act of defending his honor whenever he is defamed and slandered;
24. a swift response to his supplication;
25. the removal of estrangement between [the individual] and Allah;
26. the proximity of the Angels [towards him];
27. the distancing of the Shayaateen from amongst the men and Jinn [from him];
28. a rivalry amongst the people to serve him and fulfil his needs;
29. their engagement for his love and companionship;
30. his absence of fear from death;
31. rather he rejoices in that [matter], for his arrival before His Lord and his encounter with Him [leads to] his fate amongst Him;
32. the insignificance of the Dunya in his heart;
33. the importance of the Hereafter amongst him;
34. his yearning for the Sublime Kingdom, and the lofty success therein;
35. the sweet taste of obedience;
36. the love for the sweetness of Imaan;
37. the supplication of those who carry the Throne, and whosoever surrounds Him from amongst His Angels;
38. the delight of the Scribes, and their continuous supplication for him;
39. an increase in intellect, understanding, faith, and comprehension;
40. his acquisition of the Love of Allah, and His [act] of Turning towards him;
41. [the attainment] of His Delight for his act of penitence;
42. this [matter] rewards him with delight and happiness. For there is no connection for [the individual] to His Delight and Happiness by means of wrongdoing, [and] its various types.
Accordingly, these are some of these signs [actualized] by the abandonment of wrongdoing in this world.
When the individual dies, the Angels receive him, and convey upon him the glad tidings of Paradise from his Lord. In addition to [the good news] that no fear or sorrow shall be upon him. He will alter his residence from the prison of this Dunya and its confinement, to a garden from amongst the Gardens of Paradise. He shall experience its delights therein until the Day of Judgment.
When the Day of Judgment [arrives] the people shall be [in a state] of [extreme] heat and perspiration, [however] he shall be in the shade of a Throne. When they depart from before Allah, the Companions of the right-hand shall take him with His God-Fearing allies, and His Victorious Party. Indeed:
"That is the bounty of Allah. He confers it to upon whosoever He desires, and Allah is in possession of the Sublime Bounty."
[Surah al-Jumu`ah, Ayah 4]
In order to be closest to Allah one also has to perfect their character:
Perfecting One's Character
By Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah (RA)
The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam used to make a number of supplications related to good character.
"O Allah, guide me to good character, none guides to good character but You..."
[Muslim]
"O Allah, I seek refuge in you from bad character, deeds and desires."
[at-Tirmidhee]
"O Allah, You perfectly created me, so perfect my character."
[Ahmad]
"O Allah, I seek refuge in you from disability and laziness; from cowardice and avarice; from decrepitude and harshness; from negligence and impoverishment, from lowness and humiliation. And I seek refuge in You from poverty and disbelief; from sinfulness, disunity and hypocrisy; from notability and riyaa' (show off)..."
[Ahmad, Maalik, Bazaar, Haithami and ibn `Abd al-Barr authenticated it.
The following beneficial excerpt is from "The Magnificent Journey" by ibn ul Qayyim [published by QSS]. It explains three conditions needed to acquire good manners, meaning proper nature, controlling one's nafs and sound knowledge.
Three Conditions to Acquire Excellent Manners
This is one example of the excellent manners with which Allah (ta`aala) has equipped his Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam). He described him as,
"Verily, You [Muhammad] are on an exalted standard on character."
[68:4]
`Aa'ishah, radhiallaahu `anhu, described him as, "His character was just [a reflection of] the Qur'aan."
[Muslim, Aboo Daawood, Ahmad]
Such excellent character cannot be attained without three conditions:
1. The foundation must be good. Inf one has a rough and dry nature, it will be hard for him to submit to this [excellence of character] through knowledge, will, or practice. On the other hand, a mild and smooth nature will be ready and willing to receive the plowing and the seeds [to prepare it for character excellence].
2. The soul must be strong and capable of conquering calls of laziness, transgression, and desire. Those matters contradict perfection, and souls which cannot defeat them will always be defeated and conquered.
3. [One must possess] a discerning knowledge of the truth of matters, enabling one to put them in the rightful position, and to distinguish between flash and cancer - between glass and jewels.
If these three qualities are present in a man, and Allah's facilitation helps him, then he will be among those whom the best (husnaa) has been decreed and for whom Allah's care has been secured.
In order to achieve highly:
Achieving High Aims
By Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah (RA)
Achieving high aims depends upon having a firm intention and a strong will. Whoever loses them will never attain one’s goals, because when one’s intention is firm, it adheres to the plan, and if one’s will is strong, the servant will walk along the right way that leads to that aim. Having a strong will opens the way and a resolute intention focuses one on the aim. If one’s aim coincides with the way that reaches to it, one will be successful.
If one’s intention is weak, one will not have a high aim. If one’s will is not strong, it will (also) not lead one to the aim. The whole matter depends upon the will and the intention of the servant, and they will never be achieved without the following:
First, neglecting innovations which people make.
Second, abandoning worldly benefits and vain pleasures, which hinder one from one’s way and aim.
Third, purification of one’s heart from any vain desires that will distract one’s intention.
The Perfect Believer
By Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah (RA)
The believer is not one who performs the ordained religious duties superficially and avoids what is forbidden only, but he is one whose faith is absolute, with no objection whatsoever arising in his heart and no obsession dwelling in his soul. The more hardships he faces, the more his faith grows and the more his submission strengthens.
He could pray and not see a trace of an answer to his prayers, yet he does not change because he knows that he is owned by One who deals with him in whatever way He chooses. For if an objection was to arise in his heart, he then forsakes the role of the slave and takes on the role of a protester such as that of Iblees (the devil).
A strong faith unveils itself in strong hardships.
A believer sees in Yahya, son of Zakariyya, a fine example. He was killed by a tyrant who confronted him, yet He (subhanahu wa ta`ala), who made him a prophet, did not intervene nor defend him.
Similarly all the tyranny that befell the prophets and the believers was not held back from them. If one goes to think that Divinity cannot answer for them then one is an unbeliever. However if one believes that Divinity can answer for them but chooses not to, and that God (subhanahu wa ta`ala) can make the believers go hungry while infidels are full and inflict the believers with sickness and grant the infidels health, then one is only left with submission to the Owner even when tormented or scorched.
Jacob cried for eighty years when Joseph son of Jacob (peace be upon him) was gone, he never gave up; all he said when his other son was gone too is “May God bring all of them back to me”.
Moses (peace be upon him) prayed against Pharaoh, who killed children and crucified magicians and cut their hands, for 40 years before he was answered.
In such submission the intense of one’s strong faith is manifested not in mere rak`at (bowings in prayer).
So many of those who glorify Qadar were afflicted with tribulations and this did not increase them except in submission and pleasure (with their Lord), and there lies an explanation of the meaning of His words, "Allah is pleased with them"
(Qur'an, 5:119 and elsewhere).
Al-Hasan Al-Basree said: people are the same in health but when hardship befalls they show distinction.
Constant Awareness of Being 'Prepared'
By Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah (RA)
It is a duty upon every sane person to be prepared for his departure (from this world), for one does not know when he will be served by his Lord's commands (to take away his soul) nor does he know how long it is going to be before he will be summoned (for the Day of Judgment).
I have seen so many people enchanted by their youth. They have forgotten that their peers no longer exist, yet they are preoccupied with prolonged hopes (to stay alive).
A person in the process of acquiring knowledge may tell himself;
'I will acquire knowledge today and will adopt it the following day.' Such (postponement) may leave him in his deviation whilst giving himself a break (for the day)! Delaying his readiness to achieve repentance, whilst exposing himself to be indulged in (sins, such as) backbiting or listening to such (backbiting) or getting involved in a Shubhah (suspected, Halaal or Haraam) matters. He hopes to cancel it out (i.e. the bad deed/s) through his would be observance, the following day, forgetting that death may be sudden.
The wise one is he who values each and every moment of his life, observing one's due duties. Then, if death was to come suddenly, one would be ready (to face The Judge, Allaah subhanahu wata'aala). However, if one is granted his wish (in his life being prolonged) that would mean the increasing of (one's scale of) good deeds.
The Patience of Noble People and the Patience of Ignoble People
By Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah (RA)
Every person has to exercise patience in order to face difficulties, whether he does so willingly or unwillingly. The noble person exercises patience willingly, because he realizes the benefits of patience, and he knows that he will be rewarded for his patience and will be criticized if he panics. He is aware that if he does not have patience, panicking and impatience will not help him to regain missed opportunities, and will not take away things he dislikes. Whatever is decreed and is qada' wa qadr cannot be prevented from happening, and whatever is decreed not to happen cannot be made to happen. So an attitude of impatience and panic actually causes harm.
A wise man said: "A man with wisdom as soon as adversity appears does that which a foolish man does after a month (i.e. he resorts to patience)".
The ignoble man exercises patience only when he realizes he has no choice. After wasting a lot of time and energy and panicking and struggling, he realizes that his impatience will not help him. Then he exercises patience in the same way that a person who has been tied up to be whipped exercises patience.
The noble person practices patience in obeying Allah, whilst the ignoble person exercises patience in obeying the Shaytan. So ignoble person have the greatest patience in following their own whims and desires, and have the least patience in obeying their Lord. They have the greatest patience in spending in the way of Shaytan and no patience when it comes to spending even a few pennies in the way of Allah. They will endure many difficulties in order to follow their own whims and desires, but cannot bear even the least difficulties in order to please their Lord. They will endure slander for the sake of committing wrong action, but cannot exercise patience in putting up with slander for the sake of Allah. Such people will avoid enjoining the good and forbidding the evil for fear of what people will say about them for doing so, but they will expose their honour to slander and bear it most patiently for the sake of following their own whims and desires. Similarly, they are not prepared to practise patience in devoting themselves to Allah, but when it comes to devoting themselves to Shaytan and their own whims and desires, they will exercise remarkable patience. Such people will never be noble in the sight of Allah, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be raised with the people of nobility and decency.
Requirements of the Journey
By Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah (RA)
One of the best ways of mutual support (in righteousness and piety) is to help one another on the journey of migration to Allah and to ar-Rasool (peace be on him) with hands, tongues and hearts, and by teaching, educating and caring. A person having the attitude toward al-`Ibaad (the worshippers) of Allah will see prosperity rush to him from all directions. Allah will move toward him the hearts of His `Ibaad, will open for his heart the gates of knowledge, and will make smooth for him the path bliss. Conversely, one with an opposite attitude will receive opposite consequences.
If one then asks, “You have described a very great journey and a very important matter; but what provisions should be taken along? What’s the way to follow? And what are the means to be used for transportation?” The answer would be as follows.
The Provisions
The provisions for this journey are the knowledge inherited from the Seal of the Prophets, peace be on him. There are no other provisions. Let anyone not prepared with these provisions stay in his home and sit with those who lag behind. He will find a multitude of others who lag behind to accompany him. Let him follow their example, but let him know that this company will not avail him anything on the Day of Distress. Allah Ta`ala said:
“When you have done wrong, it will avail you nothing on that Day; then you shall be partners in punishment.”
[Az-Zukhruf:39]
Thus Allah Ta`ala assures us that the association of the wrongdoers in punishment will not help them. It is tru4 that people feel comforted when they share disasters in this life. Al-Khansaa`, an Arab poetess who lived in the early days of Islaam, said,
“If it were not for the large numbers of people wailing around me because of the loss of their brethren, I would have killed myself. And even though none of those for whom they are wailing resembles my brother, yet, I comfort myself in that we all share similar disasters.”
However – this kind of consolation will not exist among those sharing the punishment on the Day of Resurrection.
The Way
And the way to accomplish this journey is by exerting full capacity and by striving to the extreme. It can never be accomplished by wishes, or by going slow. It is only as an Arab poet once said.
“Dive into the darkness of death and rise to eminence. Thus will you earn a distinguished and lasting honor. No good is there in a soul which fears death, nor in a willpower which is annoyed by the reproaches of those who like to find faults.”
In fact, it is not possible to take this way except by two means:
Firstly, never to be afraid, so long as you are right, of the reproaches of those who like to find faults. Some forms of reproach can hit even a strong knight so hard as to cause him to drop to the ground dead.
Secondly, one’s self should be so worthless to him, for Allah’s sake, that he would rush forward, fearless of any perils. The moment the soul becomes fearful, it retreats and turns away from facing dangers, preferring the lowliness of the Earth.
These two matters cannot be further fulfilled without patience. One who exercises patience, or just a short while will find dangers turn into a smooth breeze, which can carry him where he wishes. Thus the danger that he feared suddenly changes to become his best helper and assistant. This is a matter that cannot be comprehended well except by those who have tried it.
The Means of Transportation And the means of transportation in this journey are true confidence in Allah, turning to Him with the whole self, satisfying Him and seeking His help. It is by lying down before Him as a subdued and defeated person, who possesses nothing, a person who looks up to his Master for dignity and security and for attaining some of His bounty, hoping that He would shelter him. Such is the one whom, it is hoped, Allah will guide and to whom He will show what has been concealed from others concerning the way of this Hijrah (migration).
Finally:
Between The Past And The Future
By Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah (RA)
Your life in the present moment is in between the past and the future. So what has preceded can be rectified by tawbah (repentance), nadam (regret) and istighfar (seeking Allaah’s forgiveness). And this is something that will neither tire you, nor cause you to toil as you would with strenuous labour. Rather it is an action of the heart. Then as regards the future (then it can be corrected) by withholding yourself from sins. And this abandonment is merely the leaving of something and to be at ease from it. This also is not action of the limbs, which requires you to strive and toil. Rather this is a firm resolve and intention of the heart – which will give rest to your body, heart and thoughts. So as for what has preceded, then you rectify it with repentance. And as for the future – then you rectify it with firm resolve and intention. Neither of these involves any hardship or exertion of the limbs. But then your attention must be directed to your life in the present - the time between two times. If you waste it, then you have wasted the opportunity to be of the fortunate and saved ones. If you look after it, having rectified the two times – what is before and after it, as we have said – then you will be successful and achieve rest, delight and ever-lasting bliss. However, looking after it is harder than that which comes before and after it, since guarding it involves keeping to that which is most befitting and beneficial for your soul, and that which will bring it success and well-being.