Then surely, We shall question those (people) to whom it
(the Book) was sent and verily, We shall question the
Messengers. [Soorah al-A’raaf (7):6.]
(71) The Prophet ρ said, “It has been revealed to me that you
will be put to trial through me and that you will be
questioned about me,”15 meaning the questioning in the grave.
(72) Therefore, if the sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah ρ comes to
someone and he abandons it for the saying of anyone amongst
people, it will be rejected (from him) on the Day of Resurrection and
he will come to know (the truth).
The Fourth-Observing Ihsaan
(73) This is (observing) muraaqabah, which is that you worship
Allaah as if you are seeing Him. This observance begins with and
emanates from perfect faith in Allaah, His Names and His Attributes
such that a person sees Allaah, free is He from all imperfection, the
Most High, above His heavens, ascending His Throne, speaking with
His commands and prohibitions, controlling the affairs of the whole
creation, the command coming down from Him and ascending to
Him, and actions and the souls (at the point of death) of the
servants being presented to Him.
(74) So he witnesses all of that with his hear. He witnesses His
Names and His Attributes and he witnesses a Qayyoom (SelfSustainer and Protector of all that exists), a Hayy (Ever-Living), a
Samee’ (All-Hearer), a Baseer (All-Seer), an-‘Azeez (Mighty), a
Hakeem (Most-Wise), one who commands and forbids, loves and
hates, there being nothing hidden from Him of the actions of the
servants, their statements or their inner condition and realities.
Rather, He knows the deception of the eyes and what the hearts
conceal.
(75) And this level of Ihsaan is the foundation of all the actions of
the heart, for it necessitates veneration and magnification (of
15
Reported by Imaam Ahmad with the wording, “As for the trial of the grave, then by
me you will be put to trial and about me will you be questioned.” Declared hasan by
Shaikh al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami’, no. 1361
Allaah), awe and love, repentance and reliance, submission to Allaah, free is He from all imperfection, and humbling oneself to
Him. It also cuts off the whisperings and murmurings of the soul and unites the heart and the concern (together) for Allaah.
(76) Therefore, the servant’s share of nearness to Allaah is in accordance with his share of observing Ihsaan, and it is with respect
to Ihsaan that the prayer (of each individual) differs such that there may be a difference in excellence between the prayer of two
men-the difference between their standing, bowing and prostrating being equivalent to the difference between the heavens and the
earth. The Fifth-Seeing that the Blessing is from Allaah (77) This is that a person witnesses that the favour and blessing
belongs to Allaah, free is He from all imperfections, in that He made the person and his family stand in this position, and He also granted
them successes in making their hearts and bodies stand in service to Him. Therefore, if it had not been for Allaah, free is He from all
imperfections, nothing of this would have occurred. As the Companions used to say, whilst in front of the Prophet ρ:
By Allaah, if it had not been for Allaah We would not have found guidance
And we would not have given charity And nor would we have prayed
(78) Allaah, the Exalted, said:
They regard as a favour upon you (O Muhammad (ρ)) that
they have embraced Islaam. Say, “Count not your Islaam as
a favour upon me. Nay, but Allaah has conferred a favour
upon you, that He has guided you to the Faith, if you indeed
are true.” [Soorah al-Hujuraat (49):17].
For Allaah, free is He from all imperfections, is the One who made a
Muslim a Muslim and the one who prays to be one who prays, as
al-Khaleel (i.e., Ibraaheem) said:
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“Our Lord! And make us Muslims (submissive unto You) and
of our offspring a Muslim nation (submissive unto You), and
show us our Manaasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage, Hajj
and ‘Umrah, etc.,)…” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2):128].
(79) And he said:
“O my Lord! Make me one who performs Salaah and (also)
from my offspring…” [Soorah Ibraaheem (14):40].
So (granting) the blessing and favour belongs to Allaah alone in that
He made His servant to be obedient to Him. This is of the greatest
of His blessings over him, and the Exalted said:
“And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is
from Allaah.” [Soorah an-Nahl (16):53].
(80) And He said:
But Allaah has endeared the faith to you and has beautified it
in your hearts, and has made disbelief, wickedness and
disobedience (to Allaah and His Messenger (ρ)) hateful to
you. These! They are the rightly guided ones. (This is) a
Grace from Allaah and His Favour. And Allaah is All-Knowing,
All-Wise. [Soorah al-Hujuraat (49):7~8].
This matter (seeing that the blessing is from Allaah) is one of the
greatest of observances and the most beneficial of them for the
servant. Every time the servant is greater and stronger in his
tawheed, his share of this observance is more perfect and complete.
(81) It has a number of benefits: That it comes in between the
heart and becoming amazed with the action and looking at it (with
admiration). When a person sees that it is Allaah who favoured him
with it, who granted him success in performing it and who guided
him to it, this will keep him from looking at his own self, becoming
amazed with his action and assailing the people (with this action he
did). So he removes this from his heart and does not become
amazed with it, and (he removes it) from his tongue and does not
show it (to others) and nor does he start demanding things for it.
This is the sign of an action that is raised (to Allaah).
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(82) And amongst its benefits is that he attributes the praise to the
One who deserves it and its (true) owner. He does not see any
praise for himself, but in fact he witnesses it, all of it, for Allaah, just
as he witnesses that the blessing and favour is all from Allaah. That
the bounty is all from Allaah, and that all goodness is in His Hand.
This is from the completion of Tawheed.
(83) His heart will not be established upon Tawheed except with
this knowledge and witnessing of this knowledge. When he knows
this and it becomes firmly rooted in him, it will become a marvel to
him and when it becomes a marvel to his heart, it will produce for
him – from (the fruits of) love and intimacy with Allaah, fondness of
meeting Him, enjoying His remembrance and obeying Him – that for
which there is no comparison in the greatest pleasure of the world,
ever.
(84) There is no goodness for any man in his life when his heart is
hindered from this and when the path towards it is obstructed, but
he is as Allaah, the Exalted, has said:
Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let them be preoccupied
with (false) hope. Soon will they will come to know! [Soorah
al-Hijr (15):3]
The Sixth-Seeing Deficiency in Oneself
(85) This is that even when the servant strives his utmost in
fulfilling an order and sacrifices (himself) in abundance, he is still
negligent and the right of Allaah over him is much greater (than his
striving). That which should be given (to Him) of obedience and
servitude is many times more than that. His Might and Grandeur,
free is He from all imperfections, requires such servitude that is
necessitated by these two (qualities of Him).
(86) When the aides of the kings and their servants serve in
obedience to them whilst honouring them, aggrandizing them,
showing them respect and reverence, displaying modesty, having
fear and awe of them and being sincere (in advice to them) – such
that they empty their hearts and single out their limbs for (service)
to these kings – then the King of all kings, the Lord of the Heavens
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and the Earth is more deserving of being served with multiples of
(all of) that.
(87) So when the servant sees in himself that he has not given to
His Lord, with regard to His servitude, His due right, not even close
to His due right, he will come to know of his negligence and
shortcoming and failure to fulfil that which is fitting for Allaah, from
His due right (upon His servant), and that he is in greater need of
Allaah’s forgiveness and His pardon (with respect to the shortcoming
in servitude to Him) than that he should request reward from Him
for his servitude.
(88) If he had fulfilled his servitude (to Allaah) truly and properly,
that would have been as was due of him because of the requirement
of servitude (‘uboodiyyah) to Allaah. For the servant’s serving of his
master is a duty upon him because he is his servant and subject. So
if he were to request some recompense for his actions and his
service (to his master), the people would consider him foolish,
stupid. Yet this is when he is not in reality his (master’s) servant
and subject. In reality, he is the servant of Allaah and His subject,
from every single aspect. Therefore, his work and his service is a
right due from him because he is His servant. If Allaah were to
reward him for that, then that would be a mere blessing, favour and
benevolence towards the servant, which he does not deserve.
(89) It is from this (perspective) that the Messenger ρ said, “None
of you shall enter Paradise on account of his actions
(alone).” It was said, “Not even you, O Messenger of
Allaah?” He replied, “Not even me, unless Allaah covers me
with His mercy.” 16
(90) And Anas ibn Maalik said, “Three scrolls will be brought out for
the servant on the Day of Judgement. A scroll of his good deeds, a
scroll for his evil deeds and a scroll containing the favours and
blessings that Allaah bestowed upon him. The Lord, free from all
imperfections, will say to His favours and blessings, ‘Take your due
right from the good deeds of My servant.’ He will say to the smallest
16 Reported by Bukhaaree (7/ 157) and Muslim (4/2170) with his wording, “None of
you will have his actions enter him into Paradise.” They said, “Not even you, O
Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Not even me, unless Allaah covers me with
blessing and mercy.”
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favour (ever bestowed upon him), ‘Take your due right from the
good deeds of My servant.’ So the smallest favour will stand (to take
its due right) but the good deeds of the servant will be exhausted.
Then (this smallest favour) will say, ‘By your Might-my due right has
not been fulfilled.’ Then when Allaah wishes to show mercy to His
servant, He bestows blessings upon him, forgives his sins and
multiplies his good deeds.”
(91) This is amongst the clearest of evidences of the perfect
knowledge of the Companions concerning their Lord and His rights
over them, just as they are the most knowledgeable of the ummah
concerning the Prophet ρ, his compassion and his Religion. There is
contained in this narration such knowledge and cognisance which
none but those of keen insight and those having knowledge of
Allaah’s Names, Attributes and His due right, can grasp.
(92) It is from this that the saying of the Prophet ρ can be
understood, in the hadeeth which is reported by Aboo Daawood and
Imaam Ahmad, from the hadeeth of Zaid bin Thaabit and Hudhaifah
ibn al-Yaamaan and others, that, “If Allaah were to punish the
inhabitants of His Heavens and the inhabitants of His Earth, then He
would certainly punish them and this would entail no injustice on His
part (ever). And if He was to show them mercy, then His Mercy
would be better for them than their own actions.” 17
CONCLUSION
(93) And (finally), the chief and fundamental issues of this whole
affair are four:
| (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) |
a correct intention overwhelming strength which is accompanied by (both) aspiration (raghbah) and awe (rahbah) |
17
He said in ‘Awnul-Ma’bood, “And in its chain of narration is Aboo Sinaan ashShaybaanee whom Yahyaa ibn Ma’een and others declared trustworthy and Imaam
Ahmad and others spoke about him.” (12/467). This hadeeth is declared authentic by
Shaikh al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan Abee Daawood, no. 3932 and researched in
Zilaalul-Jannah (no. 245).
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(94) These four matters are the principles in this whole affair and
whenever any deficiency occurs in a servant, in his eemaan, in his
condition, his inner-self and his outward appearance, then that is
due to the deficiency in these four matters, or in some of them.
(95) Therefore, let the wise person contemplate over these four
things and let him make them (as the road upon which he) travels
and traverses. (And let him) construct (all of) his knowledge,
actions, sayings and states (of being) upon them. No one who
progresses does so except by them and no one who falls behind
does so except by losing them.
(96) Allaah is the One from whom aid is sought, upon Him is the
placing of trust and to Him is (one’s) longing and hope. He is the
One requested to grant us and all of our brothers from
Ahlus-Sunnah success in actualising these four principles, in
knowledge and action, indeed He is capable of that and the One who
bestows it. Sufficient is He for us and He is the best disposer of
affairs.
(97) The treatise has been completed by the blessing of Allaah and
His praise, there is no partner to Him. The dominion belongs to Him
as does the praise and He has power over all things. May Allaah
send prayers and many salutations upon our chief, Muhammad, the
unlettered Prophet, and upon his family and his Companions, till the
Day of Judgement.
Aameen, aameen.