The struggle in the cause of Allah



From the meanings of the Holly Quran:

"As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely, guide them to Our paths (i.e., Allah's religion - Islamic Monotheism). And verily, Allah is with the Muhsinun (gooddoers)". (29:69)

"And worship your Rubb until there comes unto you the certainty (i.e., death)". (15:99)

"And remember the Name of your Rubb and devote yourself to Him with a complete devotion.'' (73:8)

"So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it". (99:7)

"And whatever good you send before you for yourselves (i.e., Nawafil - non-obligatory acts of worship: prayers, charity, fasting, Hajj and Umrah, etc.), you will certainly find it with Allah, better and greater in reward.'' (73:20)

"And whatever you spend in good, surely, Allah knows it well.'' (2:273)
- From Hadith:

95. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah the Exalted has said: 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (prayer or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him. When I love him I become his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks (something) from Me, I give him, and if he asks My Protection (refuge), I protect him".[Al-Bukhari].

Commentary:
1. Those who make innovations in religion and associate partners with Allah (such as Hululi - who believe in the indwelling light in the soul of man, Wujudi - who believe in the physical form of Allah, and pagans who worship other than Allah) interpret this Hadith in support of their beliefs and thus seek support of one wrong from another although the meaning and interpretation of the Hadith is not at all what they describe. The Hadith means that when a person adds voluntary prayers to the obligatory ones, he becomes a favourite slave of Allah and on account of it, he receives special help from Allah. Then he is protected by Allah to the extent that He supervises every organ of his body. Thus, he is saved from disobedience of Allah. He bears what is liked by Allah, sees what is liked by Him, handles what pleases Him. When he attains that lofty position of love and obedience of Allah, then Allah in return also grants prayers of His obedient and loyal slaves.

2.  A saint is not one who has a peculiar attire and appearance, or who occupies the seat of a righteous as his successor, or a person who is lost in meditation, or a half-mad, or one who has invented his own style of remembrance and worship of Allah, but it is one who strictly fulfills the obligations imposed by Islam, is fond of voluntary prayers and adheres to Divine injunctions in every walk of life.

3.  The love of such righteous is a means to attain the Pleasure of Allah, and enmity (hatred and repulsion) with them is a cause of His serious displeasure and wrath.

4.  Voluntary prayer is certainly a means of attaining the Pleasure of Allah, but it must be preceded by the fulfillment of obligatory prayers. The former is of no value if the latter is neglected. The desire to attain nearness of Allah without strict observance of the obligatory prayers is fallacious and meaningless.


96.   Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Allah says: ' When a slave of Mine draws near to Me a span, I draw near to him a cubit; and if he draws near to Me a cubit, I draw near to him a fathom. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.'''.[Al-Bukhari].

Commentary:  This Hadith mentions infinite benevolence, generosity, kindness and regard of Allah for His slaves, which is evident from the reward that He gives to His slaves even on their minor good deeds.


97.  Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "There are two blessings in which many people incur loss. (They are) health and free time (for doing good)".[Al-Bukhari]

Commentary:
1.  Al-Ghabn in Arabic means loss. What it really signifies is to sell something of one's own on less than its due price, or to buy something on its double or triple price. In both cases one is a loser. When a person comes to know about such a loss, he repents and feels sorry for it. This loss coupled with regret is called Al-Ghabn. In Ahadith, man has been compared with trader, and health and leisure enjoyed by him with merchandise. One who uses his
merchandise with care, gains profit while he who wastes it, that is to say, uses it carelessly, will be a loser on the Day of Resurrection.

2.  The majority of people do not take proper care of both these things, with the result that one wastes the time in useless activities and spends the physical strength and energy in the disobedience of Allah. One will have to face severe consequences of it on the Day of Resurrection when he will be brought into account for everything.


98.  `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (PBUH) would stand (in prayer) so long that the skin of his feet would crack. I asked him, "Why do you do this while your past and future sins have been forgiven?'' He said, "Should I not be a grateful slave of Allah?''[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary:
1. All the Prophets were free from major sins. However, some religious scholars justify some of their minor sins with plausible reasons but the majority of them maintain that they are free from all sins because of their innocence. In this situation, it does not make any sense to speak of their sins. But the fact of the matter is quite different. Anything short of excellent done by them is counted as a sin.

2.  The more one is rewarded by Allah, the greater the proportion of one's gratitude of Allah for His Benevolence should be. The best form of doing so is that one should not only be highly obedient and dutiful in the performance of the obligations but also add maximum voluntary prayers to them.

100.  Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "A strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than a weak one, and both are good. Adhere to that which is beneficial for you. Keep asking Allah for help and do not refrain from it. If you are afflicted in any way, do not say: `If I had taken this or that step, it would have resulted into such and such,' but say only: `Allah so determined and did as He willed.' The word `if' opens the gates of satanic thoughts".[Muslim].

Commentary:
1. In this Hadith, goodness is acknowledged in weak as well as strong because the real Faith is a common feature of both. The one who is stronger is, however, better with Allah for the reason that he is more active and energetic in the matter of noble deeds and performance of ritual prayers, obligatory as well as voluntary.

2.  This Hadith ordains that in case of trouble, one should exercise patience and show submission and obedience rather than saying `ifs' and `buts' about it, because it provides Satan with a chance to mislead the sufferer.


104.  Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Three follow a dead body: members of his family, his possessions and his deeds. Two of them return and one remains with him. His family and his possessions return; his deeds remain with him".[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Commentary:  This Hadith induces one to perform such deeds which always remain with him in the grave, where every being and thing leaves one and he is all alone in the grave. What is left is his good deeds which become the means of refuge and salvation.


107. Thauban  (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "Perform Salah more often. For every prostration that you perform before Allah will raise your position one degree and will remit one of your sins".[Muslim].

Commentary:  Abundance of prostrations means strict observance of Salat and performance of obligatory and optional and voluntary prayers, it is a means for atonement of sins and the elevation of one's status in this life and the Hereafter.

Source: Riyad-us-Saliheen, The book of miscellany: CH.11 The struggle in the cause of Allah

Home - Quran & Hadith – Charity - Family & Health – Islam – Miscellaneous – Matrimonials

Human Rights - Women – Newscenter – BoycottChechnya – Palestine - Links