Sat 6 Jan 2018
✏️ Safety from hypocrisy, curing the heart and The Great Reward of Gatherings of Knowledge
Lesson 2: Safety from hypocrisy, curing the heart and The Great Reward of Gatherings of Knowledge
- Engaging in the remembrance of Allah is a sign that a person has safety from Hypocrisy
- This is because the hypocrites do not remember Allah except a little, see Surah (chapter) An-Nisaa verse 143: “Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up for As-Salat (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not remember Allah but little.” [4:143]
- Allah mentions in Surah Munaafiquun (The Hypocrites): “O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers.” [63.9]
- The above verse is a warning from Allah to keep away from the hypocrites as they have left the remembrance of Allah
- from the signs of hypocrisy is the lack of remembrance of Allah, and this could be upon a Muslims even!
- Allah would not place hypocrisy upon a person who is constantly and sincerely remembering him.
- From the benefits of remembrance of Allah is that it is a cure for the diseases of the Heart
- The remembrance of Allah is a cure, but the remembrance of the people is an illness
- The remembrance of the Allah takes away the hardness or hardening of the heart
- A person came to Hasan Al-Basri (may Allah be pleased with him) and complained about the hardness of his heart, and Hasan Al-Basri advised him to soften it with the remembrance of Allah
- When you remember Allah, then Allah is with you
- The one doing the remembrance is close to the one whom he is remembering
- This is a specific type of Allah being with you (his creation), it is Allah aiding you, guarding you and giving you success
- Allah mentions in the Qur’an: “Truly, Allah is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinun (good-doers, – see the footnote of V. 9:120).” [16:128]
- And Allah says: “And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).” [8:46]
- More verses mentioned
- Also from the virtues of remembering Allah is that it is a means for blessings to come to you and will divert evil
- Allah says: “Truly, Allah defends those who believe. Verily! Allah likes not any treacherous ingrate to Allah [those who disobey Allah but obey Shaitan (Satan)].” [22:38]
- The more one remembers Allah, the more one has a share of this protection, and likewise the one who is deficient in this regard then he will likewise be deficient in these blessings
- When you remember Allah, then this is a form of worship
- Hadith of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) : “Some of the poor Emigrants came to Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and said to him, “The wealthy have obtained all high ranks and everlasting bliss.” He asked, “How is that?” They replied: “They offer Salat as we do, and observe Saum (fasting) as we do, but they give in Sadaqah (charity) and we do not, and they emancipate slaves and we cannot.” He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “Shall I not teach you something whereby you will catch up with those who have preceded you and will get ahead of those who follow you, and no one will surpass you unless he does the same as you do?” They said, “Surely, O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Say: Subhan Allah, and Allahu Akbar, and praise Him (by saying Al-hamdu lillah) thirty-three times at the end of every Salat.” They returned to him and said: “Our brothers, the possessors of wealth, having heard what we are doing, have started doing the same.” Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “This is Grace of Allah which He gives to whom He wishes.”” [Reported by Al- Bukhari and Muslim].
- This is a great blessing
- The above hadith shows that the remembrance of Allah can substitute for the reward of doing great acts of worship such performing optional hajj and will even allow a person to surpass this
- Who is better, a rich person who is grateful for his wealth (uses it for the path of Allah), or a poor person who remains patient upon Allah’s decree?
- It was narrated from Abdullah bin Busr that a Bedouin said to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “The laws of Islam are burdensome for me. Tell me of something that I will be able to adhere to. He said: ‘Always keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.’” [Reported by Ibn Maajah, Tirmidhi and others]
- The virtues of the gatherings of remembrance:
- The gatherings of remembrance are purest, noblest, beneficial and most high ranking of gatherings with Allah
- The salaf would often gather and do Dhikr (remembrance) by studying the chains of narrations
- NOTE: Gatherings of Dhikr is not what some Sufis do where they repeat words such as “Allaahu Allaahu”. This is an innovation and was not done by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) nor his companions and so cannot be an act of worship which will be accepted by Allah.
- Eemaan increases and decreases, he was asked how this was
- when Allah is remembered then eemaan (belief) increases, and when one is negligent of this then this will cause a deficiency of Eemaan
- Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “When you pass by the gardens of Paradise, then feast.” They said: “And what are the gardens of Paradise?” He said: “The circles of remembrance.” [Reported by At-Tirmidhi, also Musnad of Imam Ahmed]
- Ibnul Qayyim said whoever wishes to live in the gardens of paradise in this world then let him settle himself at the gatherings of knowledge
- The angles do not attend gatherings in this world except the ones where the remembrance of Allah is done.
- On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), who said: Allah (glorified and exalted be He) has supernumerary angels who rove about seeking out gatherings in which Allah’s name is being invoked: they sit with them and fold their wings round each other, filling that which is between them and between the lowest heaven. When [the people in the gathering] depart, [the angels] ascend and rise up to heaven. He (the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) said: Then Allah (mighty and sublime be He) asks them – [though] He is most knowing about them: From where have you come? And they say: We have come from some servants of Yours on Earth: they were glorifying You (Subhana llah), exalting you (Allahu akbar), witnessing that there is no god but You (La ilaha illa llah), praising You (Al-Hamdu lillah), and asking [favours] of You. He says: And what do they ask of Me? They say: They ask of You Your Paradise. He says: And have they seen My Paradise? They say: No, O Lord. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Paradise! They say: And they ask protection of You. He says: From what do they ask protection of Me? They say: From Your Hell-fire, O Lord. He says: And have they seen My Hell-fire? They say: NO. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Hell-fire: They say: And they ask for Your forgiveness. He (the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) said: Then He says: I have forgiven them and I have bestowed upon them what they have asked for, and I have granted them sanctuary from that from which they asked protection. He (the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) said: They say: O Lord, among them is So-and-so, a much sinning servant, who was merely passing by and sat down with them. He (the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) said: And He says: And to him [too] I have given forgiveness: he who sits with such people shall not suffer. [Reported by Al- Bukhari and Muslim].
- The above hadith is a tremendous encouragement
Next week insha Allāh: Few more points from introduction