The first matter that it befits him to employ is Taqwa of Allah secretly and openly, by exercising caution (wara’) with regards to the sources of his food, drink, dress and earnings. He is perceptive about his time and the corruptions of its people that he may beware of them regarding his religion. He concentrates on his own situation, having the aspiration to reform whatever is corrupt in his affairs, guarding his tongue and choosing his words.
If he speaks, he speaks with knowledge when he sees speech to be
correct. He fears from his tongue things more severe than he fears from his
enemy. He imprisons his tongue the way he imprisons his enemy, so that he may
be safe from its evil and bad consequences. He rarely laughs at the matters
which people laugh, due to the bad consequences of laughter. If he is pleased
by something in accordance with the truth, he smiles. He dislikes joking,
fearing frivolity: if he jokes, he speaks the truth. He is accommodating in
countenance and pure in speech.
He does not allow himself to be praised for qualities he has, how
then for qualities he does not have? He is wary of his self, that it should
overcome him for what it desires, of the things that will anger his Master. He
does not backbite anyone. He does not look down upon anyone. He does not abuse
anyone. He is not happy at the affliction of others. He neither transgresses
upon anyone, nor envies them. He does not think the worst about anyone, except
for one who deserves it. He loves with knowledge, and hates with knowledge. He
speaks about a person’s faults only with knowledge, and remains silent about a
person’s real nature with knowledge.
He has made the Qur’an, Sunnah and Fiqh his guide to every good and
beautiful quality, guarding all his limbs from what has been forbidden. If he
walks, he walks with knowledge. If he sits, he sits with knowledge. He strives
hard so that people may be safe from his tongue and hand. He does not behave
ignorantly: if someone behaves ignorantly towards him, he is forbearing. He
does not oppress: if he is oppressed, he forgives. He does not transgress: if
he is transgressed upon, he has patience. He restrains his fury to please his
Lord and enrage his enemy. He is humble in himself: when the truth is presented
to him, he accepts it, whether from one younger or older.
He seeks status from Allah, not from the creatures. He despises
arrogance, fearing for his self from it. He does not (earn to) eat by the
Qur’an, nor does he like his needs being fulfilled by way of it. He neither
runs with it to the sons of kings, nor sits with it amongst the rich so that
they may honour him.
If the people earn plenty from the world without understanding or
perception, he earns a little with understanding and knowledge. If the people
wear fine luxury, he wears of the halal with that which conceals his private
parts. If his circumstances ease, he eases; if they tighten, he tightens. He is
content with little, so it suffices him.
He bewares for his self from the world that which will make it
tyrannical. He follows the obligations of the Qur’an and the Sunnah: he eats
food with knowledge; he drinks with knowledge; he dresses with knowledge; he
sleeps with knowledge; he has union with his wife with knowledge; he
accompanies his brothers with knowledge; visiting them with knowledge, seeking
permission to enter upon them with knowledge, and greeting them with knowledge;
he treats his neighbour with knowledge.
He imposes strictly upon himself the honouring of his parents: he
lowers his wing to them, and lowers his voice before their voices. He expends
his wealth for them, and looks upon them with the eye of respect and mercy. He
prays for their longevity, and is thankful for them in old age. He is not
irritated by them, and does not look down upon them. If they ask for his help
in a matter of obedience, he helps them. If they ask for his help in a matter
of disobedience, he does not help them, but is gentle with them in his
disobedience of them: he shows beautiful etiquette such that they may return
from the ugly matter that they intended, that it does not befit them to do. He
maintains family relations and despises breaking them. If someone breaks off
relations with him, he does not break off relations with them. If someone
disobeys Allah regarding him, he obeys Allah regarding him.
He accompanies the believers with knowledge, and sits with them
with knowledge. He benefits those who accompany him, being an excellent
companion for those whom he sits with. If he teaches another, he is gentle with
him. He is not harsh with the one who makes a mistake, and does not embarrass
him. He is gentle in all his matters, extremely patient in teaching goodness.
The leaner finds comfort in him, and the one sitting with him is joyous at his
company. Sitting with him brings goodness. He educates his companions with the
etiquettes of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
If he is afflicted with a difficulty, the Qur’an and the Sunnah are
two educators for him. He grieves with knowledge. He cries with knowledge. He
has patience with knowledge. He purifies himself with knowledge. He prays with
knowledge. He gives zakat with knowledge. He gives charity with knowledge. He
fasts with knowledge. He performs the hajj with knowledge. He wages jihad with
knowledge. He earns with knowledge, and he spends with knowledge. He eases in
matters with knowledge, and tightens in them with knowledge. The Qur’an and the
Sunnah have taught him his manners. He looks through the pages of the Qur’an in
order to teach himself manners, and he is not pleased for himself to fulfil
with ignorance the obligations imposed by Allah. He has made knowledge and
understanding his guide to every goodness.
When he studies the Qur’an, it is with the presence of
understanding and intelligence: his aspiration is to understand that which
Allah has imposed upon him of following His commands and avoiding His
prohibitions. His aspiration is not: when will I complete the soorah? His
aspiration is: when will I be enriched by Allah, so that I am in no need of
other than Him? When will I be of the pious? When will I be of those who excel?
When will I be of those who have total tawakkul? When will be of those who
humble themselves? When will I be of the patient ones? When will I be of the
truthful ones? When will I be of the fearful ones? When will I be of the
hopeful ones?
When will I have non-attachment to the world? When will I have
yearning for the Hereafter? When will I repent from sins? When will I recognize
the widespread favours? When will I be grateful for them? When will I understand
from Allah His address? When will I understand what I recite? When will I
overcome my self regarding its base desires? When will I strive in Allah’s
cause with a true jihad? When will I guard my tongue? When will I lower my
gaze? When will I guard my chastity? When will I be ashamed before Allah with
true shame? When will I be preoccupied with my faults? When will I reform the
corruptions in my life? When will I call my self to account?
When will I take provision for the Day of Resurrection? When will I
be pleased with Allah? When will I have trust in Allah? When will I be
admonished by the warnings of the Qur’an? When will I be preoccupied with His
remembrance away from remembrance of other than Him? When will I love what He
loves? When will I hate what He hates? When will I be sincere to Allah? When
will I purify my deeds for Him? When will I reduce my vain hopes? When will I
prepare myself for the day of my death, when my remaining term shall have
vanished? When will I build the life of my grave? When will I reflect upon the
Standing and its severity? When will I reflect upon my solitude with my Lord?
When will I reflect upon the Return?
When will I beware that which my Lord has warned me of: a Fire
whose heat is severe, its depth great and its grief lengthy. Its inhabitants do
not die that they may rest; their sins are not forgiven; their tears are not
shown mercy. Their food is zaqqoom, and their drink is boiling water. Every
time their skins are roasted, they are replaced with new ones so that they may
taste the punishment. They regret when regret does not benefit them, and they
bite upon their hands in sorrow at their falling short in obeying Allah and
their embarking upon the disobedience of Allah. Thus, one of them says,
“Alas! If only I had sent something forward for my life!” (89:24)
Another says, “My Lord, return me! It may be that I work
righteousness in what I have neglected!” (23:99-100)
Another says, “O woe to us! What is the matter with this
Book? It does not leave a minor or major matter, except that it counts it!” (18:49)
Another says, “O woe to me! If only I had not taken
so-and-so as a close friend!”(25:28)
Another group of them says, with their faces turning in different
kinds of punishment, “Alas! If only we had obeyed Allah, and obeyed the
Messenger!”(33:66)
So this is the Fire, O assembly of Muslims! O Bearers of the
Qur’an! Allah has warned the believers of it in more than one place in His
Book, out of mercy from Him towards the believers. Allah, Mighty and Majestic,
said. “O you who have believed! Save yourselves and your families from
a Fire whose fuel is people and stones. Upon it are angels, stern and severe:
they disobey not Allah in what He commands them, and they do as they are
ordered.” (66:6)
He, Mighty and Majestic, also said, “O you who have
believed! Fear Allah, and let each soul see what it has sent forth for
tomorrow; and fear Allah: truly, Allah is Aware of what you do.” (59:18)
He then warned the believers against being heedless of what Allah
has obligated upon them and what He has entrusted to them not to lose, and to
guard His limits that He has entrusted to them, and not to be like the others
who rebelled against His command and so He punished them with different types
of punishment. Thus He, Mighty and Majestic, said, “And do not be like
those who forgot Allah, so He caused them to forget themselves: they are truly
rebellious ones.” (59:19)
He then informed the believers that the people of the Fire and the
people of the Garden are not equal, saying, “Not equal are the people
of the Fire and the people of the Garden: the people of the Garden, they are
the truly successful ones.” (59:20)
Thus, when the intelligent believer recites the Qur’an, he presents
himself to it, so it becomes like a mirror in which he sees which of his
actions are beautiful and which are ugly. Thus, whatever his Master warns him
against, he is wary of it; whatever He instils fear regarding its consequences,
he fears; whatever his Master encourages him in, he desires it and hopes for
it.
Thus, whoever fits this description, or close to this description,
he has recited it as it should truly be recited, and has attended to it as it
should truly be taken care of. The Qur’an becomes for him a witness,
intercessor, comfort and support. Whoever has these qualities benefits himself
and benefits his family, and returns with every goodness upon his parents and
his children in this world and the Hereafter.
Abu Al-‘Aaliyah reports that a
man once asked `Ubay bin K`ab – may Allah be pleased with him – for advice.
He said:
§ “Take the Book of Allah as your
leader (imam) and be pleased with it as a judge and ruler.
§ It is what your Messenger left
amongst you.
§ It will be an intercessor for
you.
§ It is to be obeyed.
§ It is a witness never doubted.
§ In it is a mention of you and
those before you,
§ and judgment for whatever
happens amongst you.
§ And in it is news about you and
whatever will come after you.”
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