I hear and I obey
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
In the past couple of years – I have faced some changes in my life. Changes that have come gradually and alhamdulillah they have brought much benefit and added a new dimension to the essence of this servant's life. What am I talking about? The role of religion! The role of Islam . And it's the role of this beautiful deen - Al-islam. I always knew I was a muslim and I always knew I follow Islam and I knew this is the way of life but I never knew why or how? It took so long to internalize – so long. Subhanallah! As i recall my past - it looks as if i was in a dark tunnel searching for the way out - to get some light. I’m still trying - i'm on my way. And i see some glimse of sunlight. Subhanallah! Over time I have also realized that as you try to adhere to the right path, there would be a lot of resistance. Resistence from all sides of the society – job, the loved ones - parents, relatives, friends and the list goes on. Alhamdulillah! And this is what I have been facing. Recently, I was complaining about certain things in life to one of my teachers. Upon hearing me, he told me something that I will never forget. He said, “The fact that things are not easy and perfect means you are being tested. Allah (swt) says, Verily with hardship comes ease. So have patience and say Alhamdulillah. The fact that you are complaining, shows that your are trying. So, this path isn’t easy as we might see it to be or would like it to be and there will be a lot of resistance. Never forget your first and foremost duty of being servant of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is the most generous and the most merciful – He will assist you so stay strong in His path and never compromise your religion”. I couldn't hold my tears as i was hearing those words.
This brings me to another issue that I have heard/faced frequently (specially recently). However, I never knew what to tell them in response. Or may be out of maintaining respect and not to talk back – I just remained silent. Some people say that the sahabas (the companions of the prophet) were different and special people chosen by Allah (swt) – following them is equivalent to bringing hardship upon us. There's never an end to seeking piety - and instead of focusing so much on deen we should rather focus on career and this life. Islam is very simple - pray, fast and fear Allah. Some of the words are true indeed. However, how do we fear Allah (swt) if we do not know Allah (swt). What perfects our worship to Allah (swt) is our love, hope and fear of Him and if any one of these are missing - we are missing something in our ibaadah. How can we attain all of these unless we learn about His deen? So, why is it that learning secular science has preceeded our priority to learning about this deen? Why is it that if a person is learning the islamic sciences and going to school for that - it's not considered education? What can you tell such people who think learning about deen is being an extreme? These people also say that the laws and the commands of the Quran applied only to a certain culture for a certain time. How can/should we possibly respond?
Although, the burden of proof is on the person who makes the claim – yet we do have a role to play. I admist i failed in responding as i didn't know where i could possibly start. So, after pondering on it for a whole i realized how i could respond (learned most of it from Shyakh Yasir Qadhi's aqeeda class =D ). First and foremost, we need to tell such people that our laws are the best of laws and the most perfect of laws. If we are saying that the Quran, which is the last revelation to all of mankind from Allah (swt) was revealed during a certain time to address certain people of some culture – aren’t we questioning the wisdom of Allah (swt)? Are we saying that He chose it to be the last revelation to guide some people of certain time and left the later generations without any guidance and direction? it's not possible that Allah (swt) would create us and leave us without any guidance to spend life on this earth. The claim that sharia (Islamic Law) is outdated and shouldn’t be taken into our everyday life – the dress code, the act of worship, the way of life etc. eventually means Allah (swt) is being accused of not knowing and that person is claiming to know better.
These days we have come to this system of grading Muslims – saying that he is a moderate Muslim, she is an extreme Muslim and so on. Having a combined lifestyle of Islamic faith and adopting some of the practices of western traditions (which are not Islamic) makes us better in the sight of a lot of those who are part of the moderate Muslim groups. Subhanallah! If we are convinced with the kalmia (islamic creed) of La Ilaha IllalAllah (there’s no God worthy of worship but Allah) – we shouldn’t even categorize Muslims. Since, with the kalima comes our conviction that Islam is the middle ground– and following the commands of Allah (swt) as laid down in the Quran and following the sunnah of our prophet (saw) is what should make us moderate Muslims – since that’s the middle path. How can the sharia be changed by the land and geographic boundaries? The problem with a lot of us who question the command of Allah (swt) is that we take Islam merely as a means of religion – just like any other faith who practice on certain days and times or occasions – we have forgotten that it’s a way of life. Unfortunately, the best of the generations – the lives of the prophets, the sahabas, tabe’ins and such righteous people does not appeal to us as role models – we are more enticed by the examples of those who we see in the magazine covers, or on the TV – or who win some world class prize. What about the greatest of the greatest reward of al-jannah? This is the reward that our pious predecessors have been granted. Sadly, al-jannah is not something we desire these days. We are more into the love of this temporary dunya – as long as we are recognized by some people in the society and as long as we can satiate our desires till it’s too tired to seek anymore.
Even I can recall myself being in certain situations where I never understood something – however, over time as things became clear, I realized that our entire problem is with our AQEEDA – how strong is our conviction to this. And how deep its rooted inside of us.
It’s so important that we clarify on our aqeeda – since it’s the tawheed which makes us muslims. We find it so easy and okay to ridicule anything religious these days – that so and so prays too much, so and so is too much into Islam, that person dresses up too conservatively and so on and so forth. And instead of obeying the commands we make fun of it when we see someone following it! Of-course we do not realize when we make the fun (and i hope that's the case instead of intentional mockery) – however, I hope it’s not too late on us and I hope time doesn’t give up on us. So, the problem is in the fact of our submission to the will of Allah (swt). These days we don’t question on abortion rights or any other rights that the society implements and enacts (which are of-course made man and has immense flaws) but when it comes to the issues of following the commands of Allah (swt) and His Rasul (saw) – we have a lot of questions, concerns and even come up with suggestions as to how we can make it suitable for this day and age. Where’s our conviction to our creed? Whenever we are reminded of our duties as servants of Allah (swt), we should say ‘I hear and I obey.’
May Allah (swt) give us the tawfiq to be submissive to His and His will alone and to have a qalb that is free from all desires except Him and Him alone. May He guide us – so that we may be of those who He loves and who He assists. May we be of those who find much sweetness in prostrating to His commands and laws. And may we be of those who hears and obeys! Ameen!
In the past couple of years – I have faced some changes in my life. Changes that have come gradually and alhamdulillah they have brought much benefit and added a new dimension to the essence of this servant's life. What am I talking about? The role of religion! The role of Islam . And it's the role of this beautiful deen - Al-islam. I always knew I was a muslim and I always knew I follow Islam and I knew this is the way of life but I never knew why or how? It took so long to internalize – so long. Subhanallah! As i recall my past - it looks as if i was in a dark tunnel searching for the way out - to get some light. I’m still trying - i'm on my way. And i see some glimse of sunlight. Subhanallah! Over time I have also realized that as you try to adhere to the right path, there would be a lot of resistance. Resistence from all sides of the society – job, the loved ones - parents, relatives, friends and the list goes on. Alhamdulillah! And this is what I have been facing. Recently, I was complaining about certain things in life to one of my teachers. Upon hearing me, he told me something that I will never forget. He said, “The fact that things are not easy and perfect means you are being tested. Allah (swt) says, Verily with hardship comes ease. So have patience and say Alhamdulillah. The fact that you are complaining, shows that your are trying. So, this path isn’t easy as we might see it to be or would like it to be and there will be a lot of resistance. Never forget your first and foremost duty of being servant of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is the most generous and the most merciful – He will assist you so stay strong in His path and never compromise your religion”. I couldn't hold my tears as i was hearing those words.
This brings me to another issue that I have heard/faced frequently (specially recently). However, I never knew what to tell them in response. Or may be out of maintaining respect and not to talk back – I just remained silent. Some people say that the sahabas (the companions of the prophet) were different and special people chosen by Allah (swt) – following them is equivalent to bringing hardship upon us. There's never an end to seeking piety - and instead of focusing so much on deen we should rather focus on career and this life. Islam is very simple - pray, fast and fear Allah. Some of the words are true indeed. However, how do we fear Allah (swt) if we do not know Allah (swt). What perfects our worship to Allah (swt) is our love, hope and fear of Him and if any one of these are missing - we are missing something in our ibaadah. How can we attain all of these unless we learn about His deen? So, why is it that learning secular science has preceeded our priority to learning about this deen? Why is it that if a person is learning the islamic sciences and going to school for that - it's not considered education? What can you tell such people who think learning about deen is being an extreme? These people also say that the laws and the commands of the Quran applied only to a certain culture for a certain time. How can/should we possibly respond?
Although, the burden of proof is on the person who makes the claim – yet we do have a role to play. I admist i failed in responding as i didn't know where i could possibly start. So, after pondering on it for a whole i realized how i could respond (learned most of it from Shyakh Yasir Qadhi's aqeeda class =D ). First and foremost, we need to tell such people that our laws are the best of laws and the most perfect of laws. If we are saying that the Quran, which is the last revelation to all of mankind from Allah (swt) was revealed during a certain time to address certain people of some culture – aren’t we questioning the wisdom of Allah (swt)? Are we saying that He chose it to be the last revelation to guide some people of certain time and left the later generations without any guidance and direction? it's not possible that Allah (swt) would create us and leave us without any guidance to spend life on this earth. The claim that sharia (Islamic Law) is outdated and shouldn’t be taken into our everyday life – the dress code, the act of worship, the way of life etc. eventually means Allah (swt) is being accused of not knowing and that person is claiming to know better.
These days we have come to this system of grading Muslims – saying that he is a moderate Muslim, she is an extreme Muslim and so on. Having a combined lifestyle of Islamic faith and adopting some of the practices of western traditions (which are not Islamic) makes us better in the sight of a lot of those who are part of the moderate Muslim groups. Subhanallah! If we are convinced with the kalmia (islamic creed) of La Ilaha IllalAllah (there’s no God worthy of worship but Allah) – we shouldn’t even categorize Muslims. Since, with the kalima comes our conviction that Islam is the middle ground– and following the commands of Allah (swt) as laid down in the Quran and following the sunnah of our prophet (saw) is what should make us moderate Muslims – since that’s the middle path. How can the sharia be changed by the land and geographic boundaries? The problem with a lot of us who question the command of Allah (swt) is that we take Islam merely as a means of religion – just like any other faith who practice on certain days and times or occasions – we have forgotten that it’s a way of life. Unfortunately, the best of the generations – the lives of the prophets, the sahabas, tabe’ins and such righteous people does not appeal to us as role models – we are more enticed by the examples of those who we see in the magazine covers, or on the TV – or who win some world class prize. What about the greatest of the greatest reward of al-jannah? This is the reward that our pious predecessors have been granted. Sadly, al-jannah is not something we desire these days. We are more into the love of this temporary dunya – as long as we are recognized by some people in the society and as long as we can satiate our desires till it’s too tired to seek anymore.
Even I can recall myself being in certain situations where I never understood something – however, over time as things became clear, I realized that our entire problem is with our AQEEDA – how strong is our conviction to this. And how deep its rooted inside of us.
It’s so important that we clarify on our aqeeda – since it’s the tawheed which makes us muslims. We find it so easy and okay to ridicule anything religious these days – that so and so prays too much, so and so is too much into Islam, that person dresses up too conservatively and so on and so forth. And instead of obeying the commands we make fun of it when we see someone following it! Of-course we do not realize when we make the fun (and i hope that's the case instead of intentional mockery) – however, I hope it’s not too late on us and I hope time doesn’t give up on us. So, the problem is in the fact of our submission to the will of Allah (swt). These days we don’t question on abortion rights or any other rights that the society implements and enacts (which are of-course made man and has immense flaws) but when it comes to the issues of following the commands of Allah (swt) and His Rasul (saw) – we have a lot of questions, concerns and even come up with suggestions as to how we can make it suitable for this day and age. Where’s our conviction to our creed? Whenever we are reminded of our duties as servants of Allah (swt), we should say ‘I hear and I obey.’
May Allah (swt) give us the tawfiq to be submissive to His and His will alone and to have a qalb that is free from all desires except Him and Him alone. May He guide us – so that we may be of those who He loves and who He assists. May we be of those who find much sweetness in prostrating to His commands and laws. And may we be of those who hears and obeys! Ameen!
posted by Seeking nearness to Allah at
4:13 PM
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