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#16 [Permalink] Posted on 12th November 2019 19:59

This post is slightly long but it is definitely worth it..certainly worth reading and contemplating.

Who has your trust.?

By Jinen Yousef

Who do you trust? Who is that one person that gives you an internal tranquility, no matter what you entrust them with? For some of us it might be our mother or father, perhaps a best friend or our spouse. That trust gives us confidence, conviction and peace.

In reality though, we do not trust them in a fully comprehensive sense. We might trust them to be there for us, or trust them not to judge us harshly when we make a mistake. But would we trust our best friend to be our lawyer in court if she is a fashion designer and is not particularly eloquent? So our trust is in regards to certain things. What elements would have to be there in order for someone to have our trust 100%?

There are three main elements:

(1)The person is an expert in what they do: you might not trust your fashion designer best friend to be your lawyer, but you would trust the Harvard-educated lawyer who is known never to have lost a case (let’s call him “Adam”).

(2)The person is a moral person: Even if Adam is an amazing lawyer, if you weren’t sure about his moral character, you still wouldn’t be completely at ease. You might be afraid that he would cheat you out of your money for example. But if Adam is also an amazingly upright human being, you would be happier to give him a power-of-attorney.

(3)The person cares about you specifically: now imagine if Adam happens to be your close uncle who always treated you as his own child. Doesn’t that increase the trust, confidence and certainty? You absolutely know that Uncle Adam will get you through it all.
While Allah is far above any analogy, the above example just breaks down the concept of trust for us. While I can simply introduce Allah as al-Wakeel, or the Trustee, many of us don’t know what truly trusting in Him means—or what it means when He tells us that He is the Ultimate Trustee. Al-Ghazali explains that al-Wakeel “is the one to whom the matters have been entrusted. But one who has received such a trust may be either one to whom some matters have been entrusted—that one is deficient, or one to whom all matters have been entrusted—and that pertains only to God Most High.”

Trusting someone in that complete sense in all circumstances can be hard. We can’t even trust ourselves that much. But that’s why Allah puts us at ease. He says:

“And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.” [Qur’an, 4:132]

Allah is telling us that everything in this world is His. He is reminding us of that fact. He also says:

“And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die, and exalt [Allah] with His praise.” [Qur’an, 25:58]

As well as:

“[He is] the Lord of the East and the West; there is no deity except Him, so take Him as Disposer of [your] affairs.” [Qur’an, 73:9]

In these verses, Allah is reminding us of His Power. To Allah belongs everything, and moreover, He doesn’t die. Even the human being you trust the most could pass away. Allah does not. So when you trust in Him, don’t worry, “And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.” [Qur’an, 33:3]

In practical terms, this means two things. Firstly, that we work as hard as we can with the means given to us. This might seem like a reoccurring theme, and it is. Allah is teaching us through His Names and attributes that we need to work. But being intimately acquainted with Allah means that conviction, confidence and internal tranquility as we strive, because we have already surrendered to Allah. And this is the second element. While we work for a particular result through the avenues available to us, we have absolutely no doubt that Allah will get us through to whatever is best, because indeed He is the Trustee. The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) says:

“If you were to rely on Allah as He should be relied on, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds. They go out in the morning hungry and return in the evening full.” [Tirmidhi]

The bird does its part. It flies out in the morning in search for food. Now the bird has no reason to believe that she will find any food. She wakes up without any food at all. But still she leaves her nest. And Allah provides. Most of us stop ourselves from doing the right thing because we are afraid that we won’t be able to follow through, or that something is too difficult. But Allah is telling us to strive and have trust. The result is on Him.

Hajar, the wife of the Prophet Ibrahim `alayhi sallatu wa sallam (may God send his peace and blessings on him), is truly an epitome of what it means to have trust. When Ibrahim left her and their infant son in the desert, she was baffled. But then she asked him, “did Allah command you to do this?” and he (as) responded in the affirmative. So she accepted the decree. She knew God would not leave her or her son. She was a person who knew Allah. This didn’t stop her from striving. When baby Isma’el started crying, she ran back and forth between the mounts of Safa and Marwa seven times. Never once do we hear her bitter or resentful. She continued to search. Because she knew Allah would not leave them. And Allah rewarded that trust with the well of Zamzam, which we still drink from today. And Allah does not want us to forget that lesson, which is why when we go on Hajj [great pilgrimage] or Umrah [lesser pilgrimage], we follow in the steps of Hajar, going seven times between the mounts of Safa and Marwa. It is called the “sa`y”, which means “the striving”.

A question that may be on people’s minds is that what if we work, but after the striving we are in a worse off position—does that mean that Allah has not fulfilled His trust? To answer this question, let’s go back to the example of our seasoned lawyer Uncle Adam. If Uncle Adam tells you to enter into a plea bargain instead of fight, wouldn’t you trust his advice? It might seem like a temporary failure and it definitely isn’t what you want, but in actual fact, that is actually the best way to get you to your goal. Of course, with Uncle Adam it could just be that he can’t help you, and the plea bargain is the best he can do. But you still trust that he knows what he’s doing. With Allah the concept of impossibility does not exist. So our trust in Him should be infinitely greater, because whatever happens is out of His wisdom and has nothing to do with His ability.

Look at the example of the Prophet Yusuf (as). He went to jail for years. ‘Where was Allah?’ Some may ask. Allah was there all along. Allah brought to Yusuf (as) the two prisoners. It was through the prison that he then interpreted the dream of the king, everyone knew he was innocent, and then he was reunited with his family. While from the outside it seems like a punishment, it is simply one of the stops on the road. The journey hasn’t ended. Having tawakkul (trust in God) is the difference between despairing in those moments and pushing through with a tranquil soul and hopefulness.

Moreover, sometimes we make mistakes in our striving. Uncle Adam can still win the case, but we also have to deal with the consequences of our mistakes and learn from them. So if we miscalculated in our striving, it does not mean that Allah will leave us. When some of the Muslims disobeyed the Prophet ﷺ in the Battle of Uhud and as a result suffered severe losses, that wasn’t the end for them. It was a setback. But they learned. So don’t let your own mistakes make you lose hope—but don’t ignore the fact that you made a mistake either. Learn from it, move on, and have trust.

The Signs of Tawakkul

Amr Khaled mentions some of the signs of tawakkul:

(1) The remembrance of Allah, even in difficult circumstances.
A person who has tawakkul is a person who is connected to His Lord. The remembrance of Allah is a constant, whether that person is in situations of ease or hardship. Look at the Prophet Ibrahim (as). He was sixteen years old when his people were going to throw him in the fire. Ibrahim (as) was calm; he simply said, “Allah is sufficient for me, and He is the Best Trustee.” He was always with Allah. So Allah said “O fire, be coolness and safety upon Abraham” [Surat al-Anbiya, 21:69]. This wouldn’t have been possible if Ibrahim (as) was not a person who remembered Allah.

(2) Your hope does not decrease when your means do.
Sometimes our hope is dependent to our means. If we see that we have few means, then we do not strive. We lose hope. But tawakkul means that the conviction in our hearts does not falter even when our means do. Imagine someone who was so hopeful in Egypt after the January 25th revolution, yet is now faced with another military government. Tawakkul means this person is still hopeful, despite the odds. When Allah took Khadija radi Allahu `anha (may Allah be pleased with her) and his uncle Abu Talib from the Prophet ﷺ, he didn’t give up. He went to Ta’if to seek shelter. Even after he was kicked out, he sought help from the tribes during the Hajj season. The means had to change, there was a period of waiting, but in his heart, the Prophet ﷺ still had complete trust in Allah. Ten years after having to leave Makkah, he returned to it victorious and merciful.

(3) You do not use sin as your means.
Your income has to be halaal (from permissible means). If you pursue haraam livelihood (i.e. by the forbidden means), you don’t truly have trust in Allah because you do not believe that He can provide for you from halaal means. The only exception is in circumstances of dire need (a technical term that has its own conditions in Islamic jurisprudence).

(4) You are not excessive in your fear of the future.
All of us worry a little, and that is natural. But some people are paralyzed by that fear, constantly in a state of worry about their future, whether it is fear for their livelihoods, children and so on. That is not healthy for us. Worry will not help us in any practical sense. If we do have a problem with our livelihoods, for instance, being in a state of agitation simply adds another problem. Why have two problems instead of one? Allah reminds that “Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.” [Qur’an, 13:28]

(5) Striving with the limbs, submitting with the heart.
The Prophet ﷺ planned and worked hard. He put Ali رضي الله عنه in his bed as decoy when he was going to migrate to Madina. He waited until the evening so that they could leave discreetly. They covered their tracks. This is the external effort that is required of all of us when we undertake a task. At the same time, he knew that only Allah could save them. This is where the internal component comes in. Allah shows us what happened when they were in the cave as they were hiding from Quriesh, and Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه was worried that they would see them:
“Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, ‘Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.’ And Allah sent down his tranquility upon him and supported him with angels you did not see…” [Qur’an, 9:40]

See which of these five signs you can tick off, and work on strengthening them and adding to them. The result will be a content heart and wise actions, insha’Allah.

Some Du`a’ (Supplications)

The Prophet ﷺ trains us to have this trust in some supplications that he used to make:

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever says, when he leaves his house,

بسم الله توكلنا على الله و لا حول ولا قوة الا بالله

Bismillah tawakalna `ala Allah wa la hawla wala quwwata ila billah

‘In the name of Allah. I have relied on Allah and there is no power nor strength except by Allah’

will be told, ‘You have been guided, spared and protected,’ and Shaytan will be kept far from him.” [Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa’i and others]

The Prophet ﷺ said whoever says:

حسبي الله لا اله الا هو عليه توكلت وهو رب العرش العظيم

Hasby Allah, la ilaha ila huwa, ‘alayhi tawakalt wa huwa Rabb al-‘arsh al-‘adheem
Sufficient is Allah for me, in Him I put my trust and He is the Lord of the formidable throne

seven times in the morning and evening, Allah will spare him what worries him. [Abu Dawud]

Make Allah make us of those who embody true trust in him, like Muhammad ﷺ, Ibrahim (as), and Hajar (as).

Source... Virtual Mosque.

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#17 [Permalink] Posted on 14th November 2019 21:52

ALLAH IS SUFFICIENT FOR US.

By Jinan Yousef.

A sixteen-year-old boy was put in front of a fire. The fire was so huge that he had to be placed into a catapult in order to be thrown from a safe distance. This boy was the Prophet Abraham `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him), whose people wanted to burn him alive because he challenged their views on God and their way of life. Before he was thrown in, he said the following words with a heart full of conviction:

“Hasbuna Allah wa ni`m al-wakeel.”

“Sufficient is Allah for us, and He is the best Trustee.”

[Bukhari]

And then:

“Allah said, ‘O fire, be coolness and safety upon Abraham.’

And they intended for him harm, but We made them the greatest losers.”

(Qur’an, 21:69-70)

We might have all had small—or great—moments, when we’ve faced something unbelievably difficult, and yet our hearts have been calm. That calmness came from knowing that Allah is there, no matter what. It came from knowing that the ultimate source of everything is Allah, and only He gives and takes away. And it came from knowing Allah is sufficient because everything is from Him.

The feeling of “I have Allah, and I have all I need.”

We might have been lucky enough to have felt the same conviction that Allah describes in this verse:

“Those to whom hypocrites said, ‘Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.’ But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, ‘Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.’” (Qur’an, 3:173)

In the verse above, we are told of those people who were told to fear because people had gathered against them. Instead of fearing, they said that Allah is sufficient for them and He is the best Disposer of Affairs. The next verse explains what happens:

“So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.” (Qur’an, 3:174)

Those words, said by Abraham (as) and the believers described in the verse, are given to us to say every morning and evening. The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) said whoever says:

حسبي الله لا اله الا هو عليه توكلت وهو رب العرش العظيم
Hasby Allah, la ilaha ila huwa, `alayhi tawakalt wa huwa Rabb al-`arsh al-`adheem

‘Sufficient is Allah for me, in Him I put my trust and He is the Lord of the formidable throne’, seven times in the morning and evening, Allah will spare him what worries him. [Abu Dawud]

When explaining this statement, we usually focus on Allah’s Name al-Wakeel—the Trustee—and then we learn about tawakkul (relying on Allah). But that only accounts for the second half of the statement. The first half tells us that Allah is sufficient for us. Al-Haseeb is one of Allah’s Names. This Name comes from the root h-s-b (ح-س-ب). It means to count, calculate or to be sufficient.

As al-Ghazali says: “Al-Haseeb is the one who suffices, for He is all one needs who belongs to Him.” In another version: “He is of such a nature that when one has His blessing, one has everything.”

This Name reminds us where to place our trust and our hope. It reminds us that there is no scarcity with Him. It reminds us that if we have God, we have everything. `Umar bin al-Khattab radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) is reported to have said that when he was faced with a calamity, he would thank God that the calamity was not in his religion. He valued his relationship with God because he knew that with Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) he could face whatever hardship came to him. Being with Allah meant that he could see beyond the hardship, and indeed even see the blessing within it.

Knowing that Allah is sufficient—that He is al-Haseeb—should empower us. But we should not misunderstand; it does not mean that we should not seek help from worldly means. If we are going through, for example, depression, we should find a trained therapist to help us. Knowing that Allah is al-Haseeb is knowing that these remedies are ultimately from Him and He has provided them for us. So if we feel better, we thank Allah سبحانه وتعالى and thank the therapist. We know that it is Allah who has created the means by which the therapist was able to help us. Remember that it is the Prophet ﷺ who taught us to:

“Make use of medical treatment, for Allah has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it, with the exception of one disease, namely old age.” (Abu Dawud)

When we truly internalize that Allah is al-Haseeb, we are able to shed whatever internal shackles we have that are holding us back. We are able to act because we know that everything is in His Hands, and not in the hands of people. Allah suffices those who trust in Him, and in order for our trust to be true, we need to work with the means that we have. And if we are truly without any means, knowing that Allah is al-Haseeb is not despairing.

The Prophet ﷺ was the greatest embodiment of this. He planned everything to the minutest detail. We know that when he escaped Makkah, he left at night, and he let Ali bin Abi Taleb (may God be pleased with him) sleep in his bed as a decoy to buy time. He hid with Abu Bakr in the Cave of Thawr while the people of Qureish were fast on their heels. In those moments in the cave, Abu Bakr was worried that Qureish would find them. And the Prophet ﷺ said to him: “Do not be sad, Allah is with us.” That is one who knows that Allah is Sufficient.

He who Accounts for everything

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant (haseeba).” (Qur’an, 4:86)

Allah سبحانه وتعالى tells us that He also haseeb over everything, meaning He accounts for everything, even the tiniest of deeds. We sometimes make the mistake of belittling our deeds, whether good or bad. We belittle a sin because it is small, or think that doing a small good deed does not amount to anything. But Islam accounts for both the micro and the macro. Yes, we should try to do amazing great things and avoid the greatest sins. But we also do the small deeds that people might find insignificant, that are nonetheless appreciated and loved by Allah. And we try to avoid the so-called ‘minor’ sins, because as a scholar said, ‘Mountains are made up of small stones.’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Qur’an:

“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.” (Qur’an, 99:7-8)

Connecting to Allah with this Name

Connect your intention to Him
Al-Ghazali states: “Indeed the religious fruit from this for a man is that God alone suffices for him, in connection with his intention and his will, so that he wants only God – great and glorious.”

Remember that Allah is the source and trust in Him
Al-Ghazali also says: “Do not imagine that when you need food, drink, earth, sky, sun, or the like, that you need something other than Him, or that He is not all you need. He is the one who supplies all you need by creating food and drink, heaven and earth, so He is all you need.”

Do not belittle what is seen as small
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not belittle any good deed, even meeting your brother with a cheerful face,” [Muslim]. Those small things add up, and your intention can magnify the seemingly small deeds.

Take yourself to account
Sheikh Abdulrazzaq al-Badr stated that knowing that Allah counts all of our deeds should inspire us to be vigilant over ourselves, and guard against the major and minor sins

Source..Virtual Mosque.

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#18 [Permalink] Posted on 15th November 2019 20:43

And The Answer Is Al Wakeel.

Name_45_Al-Wakeel

Allah calls Himself Al-Wakeel— The Trustee, The Disposer of Affairs, The Guardian— on 14 occasions in the Quran. Al-Wakeel is the only One who takes charge of the affairs of those under His care, managing all matters as He pleases. He is the One to be relied on, for all power belongs to Him!

The Disposer of Affairs, The One to be Relied Upon
Wakeel comes from the root waaw-kaaf-laam, which points to three main meanings. The first meaning is to appoint or entrust for the care or management of something. The second main meaning is to be a guardian of one’s interests, and the third is to rely upon.

This root appears 70 times in the Quran in four derived forms. Examples of these forms include tawakkaltu (“I put my trust”) and al-mutawakkileen (“the ones who put trust”).

Linguistically the wakeel of someone else is the person who efficiently represents him or does what he is incapable of doing on his behalf. Al-Wakeel is the ultimate Trustee, guardian and administrator of all things and we can trust in the fact that Al-Wakeel will provide the perfect resolution for every matter!

Al-Wakeel Himself says: . . . But it increased them in faith, and they said, “Sufficient for us is Allah , and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs [Quran, 3:173] . . . To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs [Quran, 4:171] and The Lord of the East and the West; there is no deity except Him, so take Him as Disposer of [your] affairs [Quran, 73:]

Al-Wakeel and Other Names
In the ayaat in which the name Al-Wakeel is mentioned, Allah gives a reference to His power and authority. The name Al-Wakeel is related in meaning to Al-Haseeb (The Reckoner, The Sufficer) and to Al-Qadeer (The All-Powerful); we entrust our affairs to Allah because only He has control over all things and only He is sufficient for us as provider and reckoner.

How Can You Live By This Name?
1. Have trust and work hard.

Reliance on Allah (tawakkul) means you entrust your affairs to Him, take every worldly precaution, and submit to Al-Wakeel for the result. An example is the hijrah for which the prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wasallam and Abu Bakr radiyyallahu ‘anhu planned according to their means. However, they were overtaken by the Quraysh. This is when the prophet calmed Abu Bakr with a beautiful statement of tawakkul, saying What do you think is the destiny of two people who have Allah for their Companion?

2. Pray istakharah.

One of the most beautiful examples of trusting in Al-Wakeel’s choice is the istakharah prayer. Ask Allah that if the matter is good for you to make it easy for you and if not, to take it away and then be content with the decree of Al-Wakeel. Make it a habit to practice this sunnah in your daily life, for big and small matters, as the prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam taught the companions to make istakharah in all things, just as he used to teach them surahs from the Quran!

3. Don’t be anxious about the future.

Many people are depressed or worried about their or their children’s future. Don’t fear the power of the enemy, never go for unlawful earnings, and know that you can trust Al-Wakeel because He will manage your affairs in the way best for you! Be inspired by what Ibraheem ‘alayhi sallam said when he was thrown in the fire: Allah suffices me, for He is the best disposer of affairs (hasbunallaahu wa ni’mal wakeel)!* Take the example of those who entrusted their souls to Al-Wakeel, like Haajar, when she was left in the desert with Ismaeel ‘alayhi sallam who said with true belief: Did your Lord order you to do so, then He shall not forsake us.

4. Be someone others can trust and rely on.
Be someone others can turn to when they need help, and when you have to act on someone’s behalf fear Al-Wakeel and fulfill your duty as good as you can. The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: Allah will aid a servant (of His) so long as the servant aids his brother. [Muslim]

5. Train yourself to trust Al-Wakeel.
The first time Musa ‘alayhi sallam saw the stick becoming a snake, he ran away in fear. The second time he did not run but felt fright within himself upon being confronted by the magicians, and the third time, the most difficult of these situations, when the army of the Pharaoh was behind them and the sea in front of them, he had no fear; he said what can be translated as, Not at all. Surely my Lord is with me; He will soon guide me. [Quran, 26: 62] [paraphrased from the series In Thy Name we live by Dr. A. Khaled]

6. Do dhikr with this name.
Every morning and evening say: حَسْبِ اللهُ لا إله إلا هو، عليه توكلت و هو ربَ العرش العظيم
Allah is sufficient for me. There is no God but He. I have placed my trust in Him, He is Lord of the Majestic Throne. Whoever says this seven times in the morning after fajr, and seven times after Asr, Allah will take care of whatever worries him of the matter of this world and the hereafter. [Abu Dawood, Muslim]

The Prophet said: Whoever says(when he leaves his house) – Bismillaah, tawakkaltu ‘alaa Allaah, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa billaah – In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah and there is no power and no strength except with Allah- , it will be said to him: You are taken care of and you are protected and guided, and the devils will move away from him, and one devil says: What can you do with a man who has been guided, taken care of and protected? [Abu Dawood, At-Tirmidhi]
Wallahu ta’alaa ‘alem.

O Allah, Al-Wakeel, we know that You take care of all matters. Make us of the mutawakkileen, those who gracefully rely on You and guide us to work in this world to the best of our ability. Make us of those others can trust in, protect us against our enemies and ourselves, guard over us and make us entrust our souls to you in times of ease and hardship, ameen!

The Understand Quran Academy Team

Source....Understand Quran.com

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#19 [Permalink] Posted on 9th December 2019 16:02

Allah is Enough for Us - Shaykh Hasan Ali

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الإسلامُ یَعْلُو وَلَا یُعْلیٰ

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#20 [Permalink] Posted on 19th March 2020 03:18

Allah is Enough for Us, But Are We?

Eman Khan August 16, 2017 -

FAST ASLEEP, WARM in bed, my eyes flashed open to the shrilling sound of the phone ringing within the family room. I deliberated for a few moments whether I really wanted to get up from my cozy blanket. A look at the clock displaying 12:30 a.m. broke my haze and brought me to reality. Oh no! This can’t be good. It is not often that you get a late-night call ushering good news. But fortunately, at times it does happen, although the initial emotions of panic and fear still manage to find a way through you.

Now running to grab the phone, I found my sister’s pain stricken voice on the other line directing me to the hospital. My mother and I were in the car within minutes, anxious yet excited. At last, my sister was going to have the first baby in our family.

Pacing the hallways while running various errands, praying for my sister’s ease, tending to my mother, and fighting off sleep, the night passed along with no new information.

The next morning bore dreadful news that startled all of us.

My sister who had no real problems the past nine months was presently having complications in delivering the child. The lives of both, the mother and child were in question. How can this be possible, now at the very end? Where are the doctors and why are they not solving this problem? I found myself growing angry while terror laid its seeds within my pounding heart. Seeing the stressed look on my face, my mother whispered to me, “have tawakkul ‘ala Allah, my dear. trust Allah.”

Complete trust and faith in Allah under every and any condition—we all have inner access to it. Yet we don’t fully understand the magnitude of power it holds. More importantly, we tend to forget it when it matters most.

The Gracious Quran reminds our Ummah:

Thus have We sent you to a community, before whom other communities have passed away, in order that you recite to them what We have revealed to you, but they disbelieve in the Most Gracious. Say: He is my Lord; there is no deity except Him; upon Him I rely and to Him is my return in repentance. [Surat Al-Ra‘d,13:30]

So does this mean I can purposely do poorly in my studies yet still hold hopes and expect that Allah will allow me to attend my dream college? Not exactly. Rather, it means that I must do everything within my power to excel and then leave it to Allah. ‘Umar ibn Al Khattab heard the Prophet saying:

If you trust Allah with the right kind of tawakkul, He will provide you sustenance as He provides for the birds – they go out in the morning with empty stomachs and come back in the evening with full stomachs. (Tirmidhi)

Notice how the birds don’t sit around waiting in their comfy nests for food to miraculously appear. Similarly we must work to the best of our abilities, carefully fill out that application and then patiently wait, keeping faith that our Provider will do what is best for us. Allah reveals in Surat Hud:

My potential and inclination is only through Allah, upon Him I rely (in Him I have tawakkul) and to Him I turn. [Surat Hud, 11:88]

It is essential that we take precautions within our reach in any circumstance and thereafter leave the results to our Creator. This is beautifully illustrated through our role model, Prophet Muhammad who first took all possible safety measures in emigrating to Madinah and then kept faith in Allah. And even when everything seemed to hang in the balance, he calmly assured his Companion (Abu Bakr) to worry not. “Indeed, Allah is with us.”

There are some things that are beyond our control, things that we cannot change even if we want to. I may try time and again to sprout a few inches, but my five feet one inch height isn’t going to alter (at least upward) if Allah has not willed it for me to attain more than it. So I might as well simply accept it. Nor can I bring back my grandmother, to see that special smile come across my mother’s face. The Prophet said,

Allah condemns powerlessness [that is, hopelessness]. It is incumbent upon you to take a stand with hope and intelligent resolve. If you are overpowered in a matter, then say: ‘Sufficient is Allah for my means and He is the best supporter.’ (Abu Dawud).

Allah works in His way, which we often cannot immediately understand, testing His servants, yet with no more than they can bear. Whether the situation is dire or blissful, if handled properly it proves beneficial. The Messenger of Allah said,

How wonderful it is for a believer that he always ends up with goodness: If he suffers and remains steadfast, it is rewarding; if good things happen and he thanks Allah, that is also rewarding. (Muslim). Truly Allah loves His servants!

Let us create the most peaceful mindset, once aware that life is full of tests, some difficult, others gratifying—yet regardless of their severity my actions and my efforts all need to be working toward gaining the pleasure of my Lord. Whatever hardships, trials, and sufferings I endure in the course of my servitude to Allah are all part of His plan for my ultimate success. Enduring them with contentment without a word of complaint, nor becoming disheartened in any way is a part of my earthly assignment as His slave, which I perform to prove the trueness of my faith, at His pleasure.

Indeed, there is no authority for him (Satan) over those who believe and rely upon their Lord. [Surat Al-Nahl,16:99]

This is the lesson I learned that memorable day during my sister’s arduous delivery, a day that nearly drove me to insanity with worry and apprehension. The doctors can try with mighty efforts to solve a problem, and we can make du‘a’ with all our hearts, but in the end it is for Allah to decide how things will unfold and for me to be content with what befalls.

Being kicked out of the room to anxiously wait outside, I stood by the door making every du‘a’ I know, ready to pounce in when time called for. A shrieking cry suddenly made my throbbing heart fall into my stomach and without thinking twice I barged in and beheld the most beautiful creature in my mother’s arms. Trembling, I took hold of the infant still covered with blood and felt I had just witnessed a miracle of Allah, the Most High.

Alhamdulillah! our Lord blessed us with a baby boy that day while additionally blessing us with my sister’s good health. Little did I know that the birth of my pride and joy would teach me such a profound lesson that I continue to work and improve upon till this day. Now whenever faced with a calamity or a moment of happiness, instead of whining and complaining, I try recalling:

Whoever relies on Allah, He is sufficient for him. [Surat Al-Talaq, 65:3]

aljumuah.com/allah-is-enough-for-us-but-are-we/#.XnLjUVa2...

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#21 [Permalink] Posted on 3rd September 2020 19:02

I am as My Servant Thinks (expects) I am

The Prophet ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said, “Allah the Most High said, ‘I am as My servant thinks (expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me. If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself; and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it. If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.’”
[Sahih Al-Bukhari]

Commentary:

The Scholars (may Allah have mercy upon them) commented on the above Hadith Qudsi, where the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said that Allah said, “I am as my slave expects Me to be”:
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “meaning, I am able to do whatever he expects I will do.” [Fath al-Bari]

Imam Nawawi (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “The scholars say that expecting the best of Allah is to expect that He will have Mercy on him and relieve him of hardship.” [Sharh Sahih Muslim]

Imam Nawawi (may Allah have Mercy upon him) also said: “Al-Qadi ‘Iyad said that this means He will forgive him if he seeks such, will accept his repentance if he repents, will answer him if he supplicates, and will suffice him if he asks for something. It is also said that it refers to having hope and longing for relief, and this is more correct.” [Sharh Sahih Muslim]

Ahmad bin ‘Umar al-Qurtubi (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “It is said that His Saying “I am as my slave expects Me to be” means if one expects an answer when he supplicates, his repentance to be accepted, something repugnant to be repelled from him, his deeds to be accepted that are performed with their proper conditions…And this is supported by his saying: “Call upon Allah while you are certain that you will be answered.” Likewise, it is incumbent upon the one who repents, seeks Forgiveness, and does good deeds to exert himself in fulfilling his obligations while he is certain that Allah will accept his actions and Forgive his sins, as Allah has promised that He will accept any truthful repentance and righteous deeds. So, whoever performs such a deed and believes and expects that Allah will not accept it and that it will not benefit him, this is despair from the Mercy of Allah, and is from greatest of the major sins. Whoever dies upon this will be delivered to that which he expected.” [Al-Mufhim li ma Ushkil min Talkhis Kitab Muslim]

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “Most people – in fact, all of them except those protected by Allah – assume other than the truth, and assume the worst. Most people believe that they are deprived of their rights, have bad luck, deserve more than what Allah gave them, and it is as if they are saying: ‘My Lord has wronged me and deprived me of what I deserve,’ and his soul bears witness to this while his tongue denies it and refuses to openly state this. And whoever digs into his soul and comes to know its ins and outs will see this in it like fire in a triggered explosion…And if you dig into anyone’s soul, you will see that he blames fate and would rather have something else happen to him than what actually did, and that things should be this way or that…So, dig into your own self: are you protected from this? If you are safe from this, you have been protected from something great. Otherwise, I do not see that you have been saved.” [Zad al-Ma’ad]

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have Mercy upon him) also said: “The more you have good expectations of your Lord and hope in Him, the more you will rely on and trust in Him. This is why some explained true reliance and trust to be having good expectations of Allah. In reality, having good expectations of Him leads to relying on and trusting in Him, as it is unthinkable that one can trust in someone that he has bad expectations of or no hope in, and Allah Knows best.” [Tahdhib Madarij as-Salikin]

He (may Allah have Mercy upon him) also said: “The one who hopes in Allah should always be optimistic, cautious, and hopeful in Allah’s bounty, expecting the best from Him.” [Tahdhib Madarij as-Salikin]

Sayyid Qutb (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “As for the believers whose hearts are connected to Allah, whose souls are close to Him, who experience His constant bounty – they do not despair of the Mercy of Allah even if they are surrounded on all sides by disaster and severe hardship. The believer is in the mercy of the shade of his faith, the pleasure of his connection to his Lord, and the tranquillity of his confidence in his Guardian even when he is in the throes of hardship and disaster.”

He (may Allah have Mercy upon him) also said: “The believing heart assumes the best of its Lord, and always expects the best from Him. It expects good from Him in times of ease and times of hardship, and it believes that Allah wants good for him in either situation. The secret of this is that his heart is connected to Allah, and the flow of good from Allah is never cut off. So, whenever the heart is connected to Him, it touches upon this fundamental reality and experiences it in a direct and sweet way.” [Fi Dhilal al-Qur’an] Some of the Salaf (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Whenever a crisis comes your way, utilise your good expectations of Allah in order to repel it. This will bring you closer to relief.” [al-Faraj Ba’d ash-Shiddah]

Sa’id bin Jubayr (may Allah have Mercy upon him) would supplicate: “O Allah, I ask you to grant me true reliance on You and good expectations of You.” [Siyar A’lam an-Nubala]

‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (radi Allahu anhu) said: “By the One besides Who none is worthy of worship, the believer is not given anything good better than his good expectations of Allah, and by the One besides Who none is worthy of worship, no servant of Allah expects good of Him except that Allah gives him what he expected, since all good is in His Hand.” [Husn adh-Dhann bi Allah]

Sufyan ath-Thawri (may Allah have Mercy upon him) would say: “I do not want to be judged by my father, as my Lord is better to me than my father.” [Husn adh-Dhann bi Allah]

‘Ammar bin Yusuf (may Allah have Mercy on him) said: “I saw Hasan bin Salih in a dream, and I said: “I was hoping to meet you! What can you inform us of?” He replied: “I give you the glad tidings that I see nothing better than to have good expectations of Allah.” [Husn adh-Dhann bi Allah]

Success comes from Allah and Almighty Allah knows best

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#22 [Permalink] Posted on 14th October 2020 04:55

Hope and Despair in the Qur’ān

Life is full of highs and lows. Without exception, every person has a challenge or difficulty in their life. These difficulties can sometimes feel overwhelming to the point where one sees no way out and despairs. This article will highlight some Islamic teachings concerning hope in God. Those who lose all hope in life sometimes resort to taking their own life. And do not kill yourselves. Surely, God is Rahīm toward you (Qur’ān 4:29). The word raḥma, often mistranslated as mercy, conveys the meaning of love and compassion. The Qur’ān teaches that one should never lose hope of despair from God’s raḥma.

Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) was betrayed by his family, kidnapped, sold into slavery, falsely accused of adultery, and imprisoned. His father Yaqub (Jacob) was full of sorrow but never lost hope despite the fact that Yusuf was gone for decades. O my sons (said Prophet Yaqub )! Go you and enquire about Yusuf (Joseph) and his brother, and never give up hope of raḥma of Allah. Certainly no one despairs of Allah’s raḥma, except the people who disbelieve (Qur’ān 12:87). In the end, Yusuf (Alayhi-Salaam) became the minister of Egypt and was reunited with his family. Until today people throughout the world read the story of Joseph with awe and inspiration. Had Joseph known this it would have made all of his difficulties much easier. This does not mean that Jacob and Joseph did not feel pain. In fact, Jacob was so sad even after decades that his children thought he was going to perish in sorrow: They said: “By God! You will never cease remembering Yusuf (Joseph) until you become weak with old age, or until you be of the dead.” “He said: ‘I only complain of my grief and sorrow to God.” (Quran 12:86-7).

Not everyone will be remembered like Joseph, but the lesson is that God ultimately has a plan for each of us. We do not understand why things happen to us now, but down the line we may look back and recognize that those challenges were necessary to make us a better person. Even if one does not see the positive outcomes of challenges in this life, they may see them in the hereafter. Being tested and going through challenges is a necessary part one must experience before entering paradise. The Qur’ān tells the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and his Companions that previous Prophets and Messengers are tested: Do you think that you will enter paradise without such trials as came to those who passed away before you? They experienced suffering and adversity and were so shaken in spirit that even the Prophet and the faithful who were with him cried, “When will Allah’s help come?” Ah, verily the help of Allah is near (Qur’ān 2:214). One must keep in mind that this verse was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him when the Muslims were going through hardship. It is meant to remind us difficulty is a part of life, but also that God’s victory and help is always near.

There is a very beautiful verse in the Qur’ān that states that God will make things work out when and where someone does not expect: And whosoever fears Allah…He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he does not expect (Qur’ān 65:2-3). This verse is found in the chapter of Divorce (Talāq) in the Qur’ān. Divorce is an experience where one feels their life is falling apart. It is in the context of this tremendous difficulty that God reminds us that if we remain conscious of Him, do not transgress on the rights of others, that He will make a way out for us and provide us from where we did not expect.

The Qur’ān also highlights the fact that relief comes with difficulty. So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief: Verily with every difficulty there is relief. Therefore, when you are free (from your immediate task), still labor hard. And to your Lord turn (all) your attention (Qur’ān 94:5-7). Ultimately, the Qur’ān shifts the psychology of the person so that they see the greater picture of what they are going through. One must trust that God ultimately knows best and has the best plan for each person, be it in this life or the hereafter.

www.whyislam.org/quran/hopedespair/

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#23 [Permalink] Posted on 2nd June 2021 21:20

A Dhikr To Face Lifes Challenges.

If I were to ask you now: What are the six pillars of faith (arkaan ul emaan)? would you know the answer? To be productive in seeking knowledge we have to know the basics first.

Someone once gave a good tip on how to memorize the six pillars of faith: We believe in Allah (pillar one), Who created the angels (pillar two) and sent His books (pillar three) with His Messengers (pillar four) to warn about the Last Day (pillar five) and all of this is destiny (pillar six)!

Let’s talk about our belief in one of those pillars: belief that the life of this world will come to an end.
The question to you is: what does your belief in the Last Day mean to you in your daily life?

In this week’s Jumuah Special we learn about the concept of ‘hasaba’ and about one of the most powerful dhikr to battle any challenge in life and I mean any!

Allah Al-Haseeb, The Reckoner, mentions this dhikr in one of the most powerful and important ayaat of the Quran: Those to whom hypocrites said, “Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them.” But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, “Sufficient for us is Allah and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.” [Quran, 3:173]

What is hasaba?

Hasaba in Arabic means reckoning, counting, and calculating. It also means to suffice and to be sufficient and it repeats 109 times in the Quran. What does ‘hasaba’ have to do with your belief in the Last Day? The Day of Judgement is also called: Yawm-ul Hisbaab, the Day of Account and the dhikr we learn today is straight related to this dreadful day and to any hardship you face in life!

The hisaab

Imagine..you are standing there. Sweating. Scared. Trembling. Naked. Barefooted. Uncircumcised. Then the Lord of the Worlds will start speaking to you, directly with no translator, no intermediary. Can you imagine what will go through your mind? Wouldn’t you wish you left that bad habit? You helped your oppressed brothers and sisters? You read the Quran? The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: ..The person will look to his right, and will not see anything but his deeds. Then the person will look in front of himself and will see nothing but the hellfire facing him. So protect yourself from Hellfire even by giving a charity of half a date. [Al-Bukharee] It’s all about that moment now; will you get your book of deeds in your right hand or in your left, will you go to Jannah or to the blazing Fire?
Now the questioning starts.. the moment of the hisaab, your final account. Yawm-ul Hisaab is the day when you will see records of all your deeds and you will be held accountable for them. Imagine your mouth being sealed and all your limbs will start revealing what they were used for by you..Allah says: On the day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to their actions. [Quran 24:24]

The dhikr

One of the most powerful dhikr taught to you in the Quran and the Sunnah which you can and should use for all challenges you might ever face is:
حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيل
Hasbunallaahu wa ni’mal wakeel means: Allah is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs. And here are its facts:

Say it when you fear Yawm-ul Hisaab

Remember Yawm-ul Hisaab? The Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said, “How can I feel at ease when the Angel of the Trumpet, (Israfil) has put his lips to the Trumpet and is waiting for the order to blow it?” He (the Prophet) perceived as if this had shocked his Companions, so he told them to seek comfort through reciting: ‘Hasbunallaahu wa ni’mal wakeel.’

It was the dua of the Prophet Ibraheem

Can you imagine fire getting cool? These were the words of our father Ibraheem ‘alayhi sallam. Ibn ‘Abbas radiyallahu ‘anhu said: When (Prophet) Ibraheem was thrown into the fire, he said: “Allah (Alone) is sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs.

It was the instruction of Allah in the Quran!

In a seemingly overpowering situation this is what the Prophet salallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam and the Companions exclaimed as you can read in the central ayah; and so should we! But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, “Sufficient for us is Allah and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.” Have you seen our oppressed brothers and sisters on the news, raising their finger and saying ‘hasbunallaahu wa ni’mal wakeel!’ while they are in the most terrifying situations?

Saying this means:
Hasbunaa-llaah: from hasaba, meaning ‘sufficient for us’.
It means that you know that Allah is sufficient for you. He is the Bestower and Withholder and that only He can remove any harm.
Wa ni’mal wakeel: meaning ‘and He is the Best Disposer of affairs’.
This means that you put your trust in Him and leave your matters to Him to take care of. It means you accept His decree and submit to Him. Saying this dhikr, remind yourself of the hisaab, your belief in the Day of Judgement and being accountable for all your deeds.

This dhikr is the healing touch in your life and a true productivity tip from the Quran and the Sunnah to face life’s hardships!

Homework

1. Read ayaat 16 til 32 from Surah Al-Haqqah to learn about the moment of the hisaab and prepare for this moment now by repenting and following up your bad deeds with good deeds! [Link word for word]
2. Read the article about the Name of Allah Al-Haseeb and especially read the tips on how to live by this Name.
3. Memorize the dhikr حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيل !increase in saying it in your daily life.
4. Teach it to someone else!

Praying you will benefit,

Khawlah bint Yahya ~ United Kingdom

THE AYAH JOURNAL, Qur’an & Productivity is a global project with the exciting goal to inspire every Muslim worldwide to open the Qur’an every day, pick one ayah, and apply it to our own lives by making acting on the ayah your mission for the day. Let’s bring back the message of the Qur’an to our daily lives!

*Source Understand Quran.com

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#24 [Permalink] Posted on 15th February 2022 14:25

Understanding Tawakkul

As Muslims, we should never underestimate the need to take precautions to protect ourselves. We are taught to take precautions as much as we can and then leave the rest to Allah – we strengthen our faith by increasing our prayers and supplications to Him and doing that which pleases Him.

Our Prophet (Pbuh) shared two miracle arrows in Islam’s quiver. Sadaqah and Dua.

Charity blocks calamity

“Give charity without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity,” (Al-Tirmidhi)

Supplication can alter divine decree

“The dua meets the calamity that has been decreed and wrestles with it, until the Day of Resurrection” (Tabarani).

Understanding Tawakkul Tying Your Camel - By Shabbir Hassan

Many of us have heard of the concept of ‘tawakkul’ in Islam, but how many of us have really understood what it means?
Allah announces His love for the people of tawakkul, saying:

“When you are firm (in making a decision), then have tawakkul in Allah, for surely Allah loves the people of tawakkul.” [3:159]

Not only this, but Allah says He is enough for those who have tawakkul in Him:

“And whoever has tawakkul in Allah, He is sufficient for them.” [65:3]

You’ve probably realised that I haven’t yet translated the word tawakkul, which was intentional. Tawakkul in Allah can loosely be translated as having full hope in Him, or placing your reliance in God. However, we can understand what tawakkul means better when we understand what Allah’s name ‘Al-Wakil’ means.

We are taught to frequently recite the following:

“Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best of Guardians.”

Here Allah is referred to as Al-Wakil, which can be loosely translated as ‘The Guardian’ or ‘The Disposer of Affairs.”

The term ‘wakil’ is also a legal term which refers to a power of attorney. It is someone you trust who you transfer responsibility to, knowing that they will make decisions on your behalf in your best of interests. Allah is our Wakil, meaning we transfer responsibility to Him and Him alone to take care of us and do things in the best of our interests. In other words, He is our Guardian and Protector, and always has our back.

Coming back to tawakkul, how can it be applied? You may have heard of narration in Al-Tirmidhi:

“Tie your camel, then have tawakkul in Allah”

We may not be able to fully comprehend or understand. Why? It may have something to do with the fact that we’re not too familiar with camels! So let’s use language that we can all relate to.

When the Prophet ﷺ said: “Tie your camel”, we can understand this as “lock your car.” A person who has misunderstood tawakkul will, once they’ve parked their car up, leave their windows down, leave valuable belongings on display, and not lock their car. They would say that Allah will look after the car and them, and that there’s really nothing to worry about. Such individuals don’t actually have tawakkul, instead they have something called ‘tamanni’ which is having false hopes in Allah.

The true meaning of tawakkul is that we do whatever we can, and then leave the rest to Allah. In other words, we put our windows up, take valuable belongings with us, then lock our cars. We then trust that Allah will take care of it for us, and even if something were to happen, we can still find solace in knowing that we did what we could, and that the rest was up to the qadr (decree) of God Almighty.

Taking from the means of this world does not negate our tawakkul, rather part of tawakkul is exerting our efforts then leaving the rest to Allah. This is found in the example of our Prophet ﷺ . When he needed money, he would go out and work for it, then leave his rizq (provision) to Allah. Before a military expedition, he would prepare his army and even wear armour, before leaving the results to Him. And likewise when he fell ill, he turned to medication and other ailments as well as making du’a.

Tawakkul is an essential part of our faith, and correctly understanding and applying it is what helps us navigate and get through life. May Allah make us from the people of true tawakkul, and may He grant us goodness in this life and the next.

If you found this useful, please consider making a donation to Noor Ul Islam. We rely on our community to fund our progress. Now is as important as ever for you to continue supporting your Masjid.

The Prophet (Pbuh) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small.

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#25 [Permalink] Posted on 28th October 2023 16:18

Hasbun’Allah Wa Nimal Wakeel.

If you have noticed the videos, coming out of GAZA this is the Zikr you see the people reciting most often in their grief.

They are a living embodiment of this Zikr, a poor oppressed people, abandoned by the world.

With only ALLAH to rely on.

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#26 [Permalink] Posted on 1st November 2023 23:50

Bismillah.

Babar Ahmad on this being one of the Zikr he recited most often when unjustly imprisoned.

youtu.be/cLkhFUDpmY8?feature=shared

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HasbunAllah.

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