Madarij As-Salikin (Paths of Seekers) – Lesson (011-100) – The Rank of Attachment to Allah.
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In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings to our Master Muhammad, the Faithful and the Honest. O Allah, we know nothing but what You teach us, You are the All- Knower, the Wise. O Allah our Lord, teach us what is useful for us, let us make use of what You have taught us and advance us in knowledge. O Allah, show us the righteous things as righteous and help us do them, and show us the bad things as bad and help us keep away from them. O Allah our Lord, make us amongst those who listen to the Word and follow the best meaning of It, and admit us, by Your Grace, to the ranks of Your righteous servants.
The rank of Al-Ittisal (attachment to Allah):
Dear noble brothers, this is a new lesson from Madarij As-Salikin, and today's rank is Al-Ittisal (attachment to Allah).
In fact, I do not know where to begin, however; if I were to say that the entire religion serves the purpose of establishing a connection with Allah, I would not be far from the truth.
If I were to say that Allah subjugated the heavens and the earth to humankind, so that they might come to know Him, establish a connection with Him and attains happiness through that connection, I would not be exaggerating. Better yet, establishing a connection with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, is the ultimate purpose. In fact, this connection reflects the status of the people of Jannah (Paradise).
Every Shari'ah ruling, act of worship, transaction and regulation is prescribed by Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, so that you may know Him and establish a connection with Him. Accordingly, the main purpose of Ramadan, Al-Hajj, Az-Zakat, and As-Salah is to establish a connection with Allah.
By saying that establishing a connection with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, is the ultimate purpose of all purposes, this, indeed, is an indisputable fact. Furthermore, Allah Almighty has commanded us to be Rabbaniyeen (those who seek close relationship with Allah). He describes the one who strives to strengthen his relationship with Him as Ar-Rabbani, while the opposite type of such a person is the one who follows his desires and lusts.
The reality of the universe:
There is one undeniable fact in this universe: The existence of the universe, with all its galaxies, quasars, stars, commits, planets, lands, seas, fish, birds and plants, is derived from the Existence of Allah Almighty. Allah says:
﴾ Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. ﴿
The only undeniable fact in this universe is "Allah". Accordingly, any behavior, thought, pursuit of knowledge or science that brings you closer to this fact is permissible, while anything distances you from it is not allowed.
Allah is the only undeniable fact in this universe; He is Al-Awwal (The First before Whom is nothing) and Al-Akhir (The Last after Whom is nothing); He is Adh-Dhahir (The Manifest, Whose existence is undeniably clear) and Al-Batin (The Hidden, Whose true essence is concealed from human perception, and He encompasses the innermost, hidden realities of all things.)
Meanings of Al-Ittisal:
I started this lecture by saying: I do not know where to begin.
As I have said earlier, today's rank is Al-Ittisal. It is the essence of religion, and the purpose of your existence on earth. Allah Almighty created us in order to bestow His Mercy upon us, and this Mercy is manifested through being connected to Him.
Strengthening your connection with another person brings you benefit, gazing upon a beautiful landscape brings you happiness, listening to a melodious sound fills you with delight, and making a scientific breakthrough brings joy to your intellect, so, what would be the result of being connected to the First and Last Truth (i.e. Allah), Who is the Source of all power, wisdom, mercy, abundance, and omnipotence in the universe?
The essence of religion is this transcendental connection with Allah. The universe was created as a means for us to know Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, and this knowledge, in turn, leads to a loftier purpose: attaining true happiness through closeness to Him. Hence, the rank of Al-Ittisal has a unique sweetness, for it is the essence of religion. In fact, it is religion itself, because it is the very purpose of your existence on earth. It was reported in the relic that Allah Almighty says:
(I have created everything in the universe for you so do not be overstrained, and I have created you for (obeying) Me so do not play (do not be negligent), by My Right upon you, do not be busy with what I guarantee for you at the expense of what I enjoin on you.)
If your eyes saw the beauty of Ours they have seen,
you would never turn your back on Us for other's sake
If your ears heard Our nice speech,
you would throw away the arrogance garb and come to Us
If you tasted an atom like of love,
you would excuse him who loved Us to death.
If you felt the breeze of our closeness to you,
you would die in excitement and longing for Us.
Attaining Our love is not that easy
and who pretends the otherwise
We say to Him, "You indeed is not aware of Us."
***
﴾ …And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) for My Remembrance. ﴿
﴾ Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah! ﴿
﴾ …And the remembering (praising, etc.) of (you by) Allah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed [than your remembering (praising, etc.) Allah in prayers ﴿
This topic bewilders me, because it is the topic of all topics. Al-Ittisal is the essence of religion in the sense that it means being connected to Allah. Therefore, the stronger your faith, the more refined your spiritual awareness becomes. For example, if you utter a word of arrogance, you will immediately feel a sense of distance from Allah Almighty, but why is that? You feel that, because Allah is Pure and accepts only that which is pure, and only the one who strives for perfection can draw near to The Perfect One (i.e. Allah). Hence, the strength of your faith, makes you avoid befriending a foul-mouthed person and an unfaithful person or someone who uses obscene language. Moreover, you will not even be willing to sit with such a person.
Allah Almighty is The Only ultimate Truth in this universe. The universe derives its existence, its characteristics and all its properties from Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. Allah is The One and only Creator of this universe and this is the essence of Tawheed (believing in Allah as the only Deity worthy of worship). Indeed, worshippers have never learned anything better than Tawheed.
In the universe there are two truths only: Allah is The First, and connecting to Him is the second. Allah Almighty is The Creator, and everything is in need of Him in every aspect, because nothing would exist without Allah. Needless to say, the sustenance of everything is from Him. Accordingly, the first point is that Allah is the Only, The First and The Last truth, while being connected to Him is the essence of religion.
We fast and we pray to build a connection with Allah Almighty. We perform Hajj, spend tens of thousands on this journey and leave our children, family and business to travel to a very hot, overcrowded country, all in order to feel that we have done something for Allah in order to draw closer to Him and build a connection with Him, and thus attain happiness in that pursuit. This is the rank of Al-Ittisal with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He.
I believe that, after some time of possessing true faith, a believer develops a refined spiritual awareness whereby he is drawn to whatever brings him closer to Allah and turns away from whatever distances him from Him. For example, a person may experience a sense of unease after spreading a gossip among people and may feel that a veil has been drawn between him and Allah. This is an indication that he committed a sin.
Verily, the closer a person draws to Allah, the more refined his spiritual awareness becomes. On the other side, the farther he is from Allah, the less refined and perceptive that awareness becomes. For a believer, a sin weighs heavily upon him as though a mountain were pressing on his chest, whereas to the disbeliever and the hypocrite it is no more significant than a passing fly.
Types of Al-Ittisal:
1- Al-I'tisaam (holding firmly to Allah):
In Madarij As-Salikeen, Ibn Al-Qayyim outlines three stages of connection to Allah as the soul progresses spiritually: Al-Itisaam (holding firmly to Allah and returning to Him all the time), Ash-Shuhood (attachment of witnessing; where the worshipper witnesses Allah's Greatness manifested in His Divine Signs, and so he becomes so attached to Him that worships Him as if he sees Him), and Al-Wujood (attachment of having your heart present while worshipping Allah).
The first type (I'tisaam) is the foundational connection of holding firmly to Allah's Guidance, namely to be pious. Allah Almighty says:
﴾ And hold firmly, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur'an) ﴿
When a person does a favor for another person, the latter seeks to please him in every way he can. Therefore, if he knows that this person likes a particular perfume, or enjoys reading a certain type of books, he may give such things to him as gifts. His first and last concern is to please this benevolent person.
In the same vein, the believer's first and last concern is to draw closer to his Creator by being pious, performing good deeds, serving others, being patient and forbearing and striving against his own desires.
I would like to repeat; the first type of Al-Ittisal is Al-I'tisaam, through which the believer holds firmly to Allah by aligning his life with Allah's Commands.
The closest example of holding firmly to Allah is that of a child holding firmly to his mother, as he follows her wherever she goes, and clings tightly to her dress. This sense of closeness to his mother fills him with feelings of love, belonging, closeness, security and safety. Hence, the believer holds firmly to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, by obeying Him. He will feel distant from Allah Almighty for mere staring at a woman in the street, because Allah forbids him from doing so.
Upon lowering his gaze from staring at this woman, man becomes nearer to Allah. He will experience the same sense of closeness to Allah when he treats a poor person kindly, gives charity to someone in need, or forgives a person who has wronged him out of humility rather than weakness. This is a manifestation of Al-I'tisaam (the first type of Al-Ittisal).
2- Ash-Shuhood (attachment of witnessing):
In this type the believer moves from Islam to having true faith. True faith provides the believer with clemency, insight and compliance.
Abiding by Allah's Commands makes a person a Muslim, as he aligns himself with Allah's Path and Guidance. After this stage, and upon drawing closer to Allah, his Ittisal shifts to the second type which is Ash-Shuhood (witnessing). Thus, he moves from Al-I'tisaam to Ash-Shuhood. However, when he rises from true faith to the rank of Al-Ihsan (excellence in worship), his Ittisal advances to the third type, which is Al-Wujood (attachment of having the heart present). Hence the believer moves between these three states: Al-I'tisaam, Ash-Shuhood and Al-Wujood. Allah Almighty says:
﴾ …And hold firmly to Allah [i.e. have confidence in Allah, and depend upon Him in all your affairs] He is your Maula (Patron, Lord, etc.), what an Excellent Maula (Patron, Lord, etc.) and what an Excellent Helper! ﴿
A man may feel proud of having a relationship with someone and consider it a great gain. In other cases, a person may feel ashamed of having a relationship with someone. However, Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ …And hold firmly to Allah [i.e. have confidence in Allah, and depend upon Him in all your affairs] He is your Maula (Patron, Lord, etc.), what an Excellent Maula (Patron, Lord, etc.) and what an Excellent Helper! ﴿
In another Ayah, Allah says:
﴾ And whoever holds firmly to Allah, (i.e. follows Islam Allah's Religion, and obeys all that Allah has ordered, practically), then he is indeed guided to a Right Path. ﴿
You are at your best when you hold firmly to Allah Almighty. Here is a third Ayah:
﴾ Except those who repent (from hypocrisy), do righteous good deeds, hold fast to Allah, and purify their religion for Allah (by worshipping none but Allah, and do good for Allah's sake only, not to show-off) ﴿
They repent, do righteous good deeds and hold fast to Allah; thus, man's true dignity lies in Istiqamah (steadfastness). Allah says:
﴾ So stand (ask Allah to make) you (Muhammad PBUH) firm and straight (on the religion of Islamic Monotheism) as you are commanded and those (your companions) who turn in repentance (unto Allah) with you. ﴿
You ask Allah for true dignity, and He asks you to hold firmly to Istiqamah.
In a fourth Ayah, Allah says:
﴾ And hold firmly, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur'an) ﴿
Once again, the first type of Al-Ittisal is Al-I'tisaam (holding firmly to Allah) as a form of connection with Him.
Istiqamah upon Allah's Guidance strengthens your connection with Him. So, be aware that every sin is a veil that is drawn between you and Allah, and by obeying Allah (remaining steadfast), these veils are lifted one after another. This is the essence of the first type of Ittisal, which is Al-I'tisaam.
Al-I'tisaam has two types:
The first type of Al-I'tisaam is to put your trust in Allah, seek His Assistance, submit to Him completely, turn to Him, take refuge in Him, entrust all your affairs to Him and accept His Decree with contentment. This is the first type.
The second type is to hold firmly to the Revelation manifested in the Quran by abiding by Allah's Commands and avoiding His Prohibitions. This type of I'tisaam is to hold firmly to the Revelation.
The first type, as mentioned earlier, is to put your trust in Him, turn to Him, entrust Him with your affairs, obey Him and free your heart from worldly concerns by choosing Allah over everything else. This is another type of Al-I'tisaam.
Holding firmly to Revelation means making the Quran your primary reference rather than people's opinions, theories, standards, convictions, orientations, findings and discoveries, for all of these are insignificant when compared with the Quran's standards, guidance, values, principles and truths.
Holding firmly to the Quran is a sign of holding firmly to Allah, for it reflects submission to Him, trust in Him and entrusting one's judgment to His Guidance.
The Quran is the Word of the Creator of this universe; it is the truth, the guidance, the ultimate reference, the criterion, the reality and the credibility.
As for Ittisal Ash-Shuhood (attachment of witnessing), it is an attachment that pertains to one's conduct and awareness. Here, we have an intellectual issue and a psychological one. You witness Allah's Perfection and, as a result, you love Him. When you draw closer to Him, you experience the sweetness of nearness to Him and clung to it until it becomes a lasting disposition that you embrace.
You progress from reason, obedience, knowledge and actions to a lasting conduct you embrace in your life. Knowledge and actions are one rank, while conduct and awareness are another.
With regard to Ittisal Al-Wujood, one may ask: What led Ibn Al-Qayyim to formulate this term? Actually, he took it from the following Hadith Qudsi:
(( O son of Adam, seek Me, you find me, and when you find Me, you find everything, but when you lose Me, you lose everything. I should be adored by you more than everything. ))
In the first phase, you believe that the Quran is the Word of the Creator of the universe, so you apply its commands. This is Ittisal Al-I'tisaam of Al-Wahee (attachment to the Revelation).
In the second phase, you believe that you can put your trust in Allah, so you do so. This is Ittisal Al-I'tisaam of Al-Istislam (attachment of submission to Allah).
After you follow Allah's Path, put your trust in Him and sense His Beauty, Perfection, Kindness and Mercy, you enter another phase of Ittisal, which is Ittisal Ash-Shuhood.
This phase brings awareness and special spiritual state to the heart of the believer, as the awareness is a higher rank than acquiring knowledge by learning, while the spiritual state is higher than the feeling of belonging to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He.
Now, you have a spiritual state with Allah Almighty.
3- Al-Wujood (finding Allah and worshipping Him with a present heart ):
The third rank or phase is when you find that Allah Almighty is everything. You find Him when you find yourself and this is the treasure you have obtained. It is the treasure of finding Allah and finding awareness, obedience and love.
This third phase, as named by scholars, is the rank of Al-Wujood (attachment of finding Allah and having the heart present while worshipping Him). The one who reaches this state will find Allah Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful.
If he puts his trust in Allah, he will find Him All-Sufficient in taking account and in general.
If he is sincere in turning to Allah, he will find Him Near (by His Knowledge) and Responsive.
If he is sincere in loving Allah, Allah will love him in return.
If he is sincere in seeking Allah's Help, he will find Him The Reliever of Distress.
If he is sincere in being in need of Allah, he will find Him Merciful and Sustainer.
If he is sincere in taking refuge in Allah, he will find Him The Provider of Safety from fear.
If he is sincere in his request from Allah, he will find Him as he expected Him to be.
This is the meaning meant in the following Hadith Qudsi:
(( On the authority of Abi Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Verily Allah Ta'ala has said: 'Whosoever shows enmity to a Wali (friend) of Mine, then I have declared war against him. And My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved to Me than the religious duties I have obligated upon him. And My servant continues to draw near to me with Nafil (supererogatory) deeds until I Love him. When I Love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, and his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to seek refuge with Me, I would surely grant him refuge.'" ))
As if Allah the Almighty says, "If he asks something of Me (i.e. Allah), I would surly give it to him." Because this person has found Allah.
These are the stages: Al-I'tisaam (abiding by Allah's Commands), Ash-Shuhood (witnessing Allah's Greatness and turning to Him all the time) and Al-Wujood (finding Allah) which is the highest rank a believer may reach.
He who loves Allah will be loved by Him in return; he who asks Allah will be granted his request; he who finds sufficiency in Allah will receive His Help and Sustenance.
I am conveying what may seem mere words to you, but the one, who follows the path of faith, who is keen on obeying Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful), who sacrifices what is dear and precious to him, and who strives to earn Allah's Love, will truly understand their meaning.
Some scholars said, "Only the one who follows in the footsteps of the Prophet PBUH will understand our words."
No one truly knows longing
except the one who endures it
and no one understands passionate love
except the one who suffers through it
***
When someone gets married and it turns to be a happy one, people may wonder about the reason. Well, this person becomes a source of happiness for the family due to many characteristics he possesses, such as being easy on the eye, smart, sociable and knowledgeable. Such qualities bring happiness to this marriage and make it a successful and joyful one. In the same vein, if someone gets to know Allah Almighty who is the Source of beauty, perfection, power and affluence, definitely this will bring happiness to him. Having a strong connection with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, is a state that we should strive to attain:
﴾ "Be my worshippers rather than Allah's." On the contrary (he would say): "Be you Rabbaniyun (learned men of religion who practise what they know and also preach others) ﴿
Ar-Rabbany is the one who strives to attain a strong connection with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. The one who finds Allah Almighty truly finds his self, and disciplines it until it comes under his complete control.
Some selves resist their owners. If a deviated person tries to compel his self to obey Allah, to be truthful or to lower its gaze, he fails. He is immersed in sin, and when he strives to follow the path of Allah, he fails. On the other hand, the one who has gained control over his self has attained a very high rank of faith. His self is submissive to his will, so if he compels it to lower its gaze, speak the truth or turn away from the vanities of the worldly life, it responds with ease and compliance. This means that this person has taken control over his self.
In fact, a person either owns his self or it owns him. Furthermore, it may remain in constant struggle with it, at times it gains control over him, and at other times he gains control over it. However, when someone reaches the state of Al-Wujood, he undoubtedly gains control over his self. Our Lord, Exalted and Sublime be He, says:
﴾ …You are not to be blamed (as you have conveyed Allah's Message). ﴿
In this Ayah, Allah informs His Messenger PBUH that he has reached a rank at which he will never be blamed by Allah, people or his own self. Allah Almighty says:
﴾ And verily, you (O Muhammad PBUH) are on an exalted standard of character. ﴿
Having an exalted standard of character should not be a reason for inner struggle. A person may sometimes restrain his self from backbiting someone mentioned in a gathering, or prevent it from overreacting toward someone who has provoked him. This inner struggle between acting and refraining is a very good rank. However, a higher rank than this is when a person is firmly grounded in good manners.
﴾ And verily, you (O Muhammad PBUH) are on an exalted standard of character. ﴿
This rank is the rank of Al-Wujdan (finding one's self). Whoever reaches this rank gains control over his self, and it becomes submissive to his will and at his disposal.
Finding one's self comes after finding Allah, and is manifested in having one's Du'as (supplications) answered, being granted what one needs, and experiencing happiness whenever one turns to Him. This is the third rank (i.e. Al-Wujood).
Al-I'tisaam is the first rank (holding firmly to Allah and obeying His Commands), followed by the rank of Ash-Shuhood (establishing a connecting with Allah and experiencing the sweetness of closeness to Him) and then the rank of Al-Wujood or Al-Wujdan (finding oneself after finding Allah).
More details about Al-I'tissam:
Let us now speak in details about Ittisal Al-I'tisaam.
Man may sometimes be inclined toward worldly desires, therefore, the first stage of I'tisaam is to correct one's intention. Such as asking these questions: Why am I in this Masjid? Why did I say these words? Why did I take that stance? Why did I give this Sadaqah? Why did I prevent this? Why did I get angry? Why was I pleased? Why did I like this? Why did I dislike that?
Now, what is the motivation behind all these actions? Is it to please Allah? Well, if your intention is to please Allah then you are in the stage of I'tisaam; the stage of rectifying one's intention and strengthening one's determination.
Al-I'tisaam requires determination. Most people hold good convictions, but they fail to put them into practice. Something is missing here. The missing element is determination, which helps transform convictions into actions.
Upon rectifying one's intention, his determination becomes stronger, which leads him to develop a strong connection with Allah Almighty. Once again, rectifying one's intention, strengthening one's determination and putting one's convictions into actions are all related to the state of I'tisaam.
You will not attain the rank of I'tisaam unless you rectify your intention, strengthen your determination and put your convictions into actions.
Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned another detail, saying, "Tasheeh Al-Qasd (correcting the intention) entails Ifraad Al-Maqsood (singling devotion to the One Intended, i.e., Allah Almighty)", which means rectifying one's intention requires devoting it exclusively to Allah.
Everything should be directed to Allah Alone. We live in a society in which people sometimes strive to please their bosses, spouses, neighbors and others in order to maintain a good reputation. In such cases, they direct their actions toward other than Allah Almighty, whereas they should direct all of these efforts to Allah alone seeking His Pleasure.
Your actions should express these words: O my Lord, You are my ultimate aim, and Your Pleasure is what I seek. So, let no blame of a blamer deter you in matters concerning Allah. Do not fear or seek other than Allah.
Ibn al-Qayyim said, "Purifying and strengthening one's will means freeing it from impurities and from attachments to anything other than Allah and from seeking substitutes and compensations. The will cannot be strong unless you desire Allah alone, but if you desire other than Him, the will becomes divided; like a beam of light that scatters, disperses, and loses its focus. True realization of this state is only achieved through practical application."
Let me tell you this: It is impossible to gain Islamic knowledge without applying it and then expect to have a strong connection with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. If you do so, you will be like other people in this world; consumed by anxiety, dullness, confusion, boredom and restlessness. However, if you apply what you know and put your Islamic knowledge into actions, Allah Almighty will grant you a state of happiness.
Details about seeking spiritual presence:
Regarding the second phase which is Ittisal Ash-Shuhood, Ibn Al-Qayyim said, "The perfection of witnessing lies in its freedom from defects (free from weaknesses, impairments, being occasional and being discontinuous), its independence from the need for proof, and the disappearance of the heart's distractions and scattered inner preoccupations." Strong words!
If someone tells you during the day that there is electricity in the house, you might ask, "What is the proof that there is electricity?" However, if he says the same thing at night while the lights are on, do you think you need a proof that electricity is on?
You do not need a proof of something whose existence already apparent. Accordingly, Ittisal Ash-Shuhood is free from defects such as needing a proof and free from heart distractions and scattered inner preoccupations.
Al-Waseelah (the means):
All these states and ranks are realized when a person knows Allah and tastes the sweetness of knowing Him. The path to Allah Almighty is accessible to everyone. Thus, any person, at any time, may draw closer to Allah Almighty and seek His Pleasure. Allah says:
﴾ O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah and fear Him. Seek the means of approach to Him, ﴿
What does "means" here refer to? Can anyone tell me?
﴾ O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah and fear Him. Seek the means of approach to Him, ﴿
The good deeds are means. There is a wide spectrum of good deeds, whether at home, at work, out in the street or toward one's neighbors. There are spiritual deeds and tangible ones. Smiling at others is a good deed, so is helping them. Therefore, the "means" denotes good deeds. Is there an Ayah in the Quran that supports this meaning? Allah says:
﴾ …And the righteous deeds exalt it (the goodly words i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allah unless and until they are followed by good deeds) ﴿
There is a stronger proof in another Ayah. Allah says:
﴾ So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness ﴿
Do you not feel closer to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, when you discover a scientific fact? Science, like righteous deeds, is also a means of drawing closer to Allah.
Do you not feel closer to Allah when you sit with righteous people, or when you sit with a believer, travel with him, or visit him? On the other hand, do you not feel distant from Allah when you sit with someone who turns away from Allah, rejects His Guidance, or lives in hypocrisy?
Keeping the company of righteous people is a means of drawing closer to Allah, as are Islamic knowledge and good deeds and a righteous environment.
(( Narrated Abu Musa: Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said, "The example of a good companion (who sits with you) in comparison with a bad one, is like that of the musk seller and the blacksmith's bellows (or furnace); from the first you would either buy musk or enjoy its good smell while the bellows would either burn your clothes or your house, or you get a bad nasty smell thereof." ))
Loneliness is better than befriending bad companions, whereas the righteous companion is better than loneliness, and this is also a means.
Giving Sadaqah for the Sake of Allah is a good deed and is therefore among the means of drawing closer to Allah.
Acts of worship, such as supererogatory Siyaam (fasting), voluntary Salah (prayer), reciting Quran, or Da'wah (calling people) to Allah, are means of drawing closer to Allah Almighty. A scholar once said, "The paths to Allah are as many as the number of people on earth."
Saving an ant from drowning in the water while performing Wudu at the sink is a good deed by which you may be elevated in the Sight of Allah; likewise helping a weak person is a good deed.
The good deed is the price for the meeting with Allah:
Dear noble brothers, performing good deeds is the price for the Meeting with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. Allah says:
﴾ So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness ﴿
How can a person move to a higher level of knowing Allah Almighty? Reflection is the answer. The more you reflect on the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, the more you know Allah Almighty, which in turn brings you closer to Him.
I hope that each one of you believe beyond doubt that establishing a connection with Allah Almighty is the essence of religion. Remember, "There is no good in a religion in which there is no Salah (because in Salah, you establish a connection with Allah, and without it you are disconnected with Him)."
Keep in mind that you should stay away from any sin, for it distances you from Allah Almighty and brings estrangement into your relationship with Him. If you befriend someone and feel that he is pulling you away from Allah, you should stay away from him.
Befriend those who follow the Path of Allah and His Messenger PBUH; this is what we may call "social protection". Allah says:
﴾ And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya', then surely he is one of them. ﴿
﴾ Take not as friends the people who incurred the Wrath of Allah (i.e. the Jews) ﴿
Literally there is what we may call "spiritual contagion". To elaborate, if you sit with someone who loves Allah, you will have feelings of longing for Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, sense your faith strengthening, and become eager to obey Allah and offer good deeds. On the other hand, if you sit with worldly-oriented people, you will develop a longing for the worldly life. Likewise, if you sit with those who freely follow their desires, you will be inclined to follow yours. Regarding this point, it is said, "A companion influences his companion." Also, "Tell me who you befriend and I will tell you what you are made of."
What is the opposite of establishing a connection with Allah? It is the severance of that connection.
Ibn al-Qayyim said, "Let the one who is near beware of being cast away, and let the one who is connected beware of separation. For the Truth, Exalted and Sublime be He, is jealous for His servant. He is not pleased that one who has come to know Him, tasted the sweetness of knowing Him, whose heart has become connected to His Love and Intimacy, and whose soul has become attached to seeking His Most High Countenance, should turn his attention to anything besides Him whatsoever. The moment you turn your attention to other than Allah, estrangement occurs and the connection is severed."
When our Prophet Ibrahim PBUH became fond of his son, he was ordered to sacrifice him. Allah is jealous for His worshiper when he becomes attached to other than Him.
Today's lecture focuses on strengthening the connection with Allah, lest we become disconnected from Him.
In concise, the first truth in this universe is Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. You should do everything that brings you closer to Him, such like following Allah's Commands, performing acts of worship, doing good deeds, offering supererogatory (Nafl) Salat, avoiding prohibitions and staying away from everything that distracts you from remembering Allah Almighty.
You should stay away from the things that distance you from Him. You will never rise to the level of true faith unless your heart tastes the sweetness of closeness to Allah Almighty which can be attained through obeying Him and refraining from disobeying Him.
Allah Almighty never punishes those who love Him:
Ibn al-Qayyim said, "When the heart is struck with the whip of distance and veiling, those who inflict the harshest torment are given power over it."
Yesterday, we mentioned the following Ayah:
﴾ And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are the children of Allah and His loved ones." Say: "Why then does He punish you for your sins?" Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, ﴿
Imam Ash-Shafi'i deduced from this Ayah that Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, will never punish those whom He loves. If Allah loves you, He will not punish you, and if you love Allah, He will not punish you either.
Ibn al-Qayyim said, "Whoever has his heart struck by the whip of distance and veiling from Allah, will be left under the control of those who inflict upon him the worst of punishment. His heart is filled with worries, grief, and sorrows. A person may forget that his negligence in deeds leads Allah to afflict him with distress. Worry is a great problem and a calamity of being distant from Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He. His heart then becomes a place for filth and corruption. Intimacy is replaced with estrangement, honor with humiliation, contentment with greed, closeness with distance and expulsion, and unity with fragmentation and division."
Listen to the following Hadith Qudsi, please:
(( Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Whoever makes the Hereafter his goal, Allah makes his heart rich, and organizes his affairs, and the world comes to him whether it wants to or not. And whoever makes the world his goal, Allah puts his poverty right before his eyes, and disorganizes his affairs, and the world does not come to him, except what has been decreed for him." ))
One should act upon every piece of knowledge he acquires. Whoever acts upon what he knows, Allah will grant him knowledge of that which he does not know.
Beware, you will not taste the sweetness of closeness to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, a strong connection with Him, prosperity and security unless you obey Him.
Allah Almighty is jealous:
Some scholars said, "Beware, for Allah is jealous, and He does not like the heart of a believer to be attached to anything besides Him."
Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, does not like to see a believer turning to anyone other than Him, but if this happens, how will Allah deal with that believer? Harm will come from the very person to whom the believer turned. The following Hadith confirms this concept
(( Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported the Prophet as saying: "If I were to take a friend I would take Abu Bakr as a friend, but we have the brotherhood and love of Islam." ))
Ibn al-Qayyim said, "Part of His Divine Jealousy, may His Glory be Glorified, is that when Adam, His chosen one, became attached in his heart to Jannah and desired to remain there forever, Allah caused him to leave it. Likewise, when Isma'il occupied a portion of the heart of Ibrahim, Allah commanded him to sacrifice him."
This type of treatment is exclusive to Prophets PBUT. As for the believer, if he becomes excessively attached to something, it may be taken away from him. If he becomes so fond of a new suit, for example, it may be torn by a nail the very first time he wears it, leaving it in need of repair.
Man, sometimes, boasts about the things he is fond of, such as his house, his vehicle, his job, or his specialty. However, once he makes a mistake, he may quickly become of little standing.
Beware, Allah is jealous!
Ibn al-Qayyim said, "Shirk is considered a sin". Why is Shirk considered great Zulm (wrong)? It is because if you turn to someone other than Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, Who is jealous for His believing servant, you commit a great sin. Even without turning to someone other than Allah, if your connection with Him is weakened, it will also be a problem, but why? Ibn al-Qayyim answered, "Because Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, loves to hear the voice of His anxious servant calling upon Him of his own free will, before he is compelled to call upon Him in distress."
Being connected to Allah is the best thing in worldly life:
Some scholars said, "There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. How great is the loss of one who sells the purest and best of this life, which is connected to the good life in the Hereafter, for a life in this world that is troubled, bitter, and fleeting, leading to painful and lasting punishment!"
Indeed, the one who sells the Hereafter for this transient worldly life is in great loss. In this respect, some scholars said, "How wretched the people of this world are! They came into it and left it without tasting the best of what it contains; having a strong connection with Allah is the best of what it contains."
Next lecture insha' Allah, we will speak about Allah's Most Beautiful Names.
I intended to speak about this rank (Al-Ittisal) today, because we are in Ramadan, which is the month of strengthening one's connection with Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, and seeking closeness to Him. If this rank needs further explanation, I will provide it.
The more a person excels in Istiqamah, the more he will find its effect. Try it—although Allah Almighty is not to be tested, nor is He to be bargained with. Yet if you strive to perfect your Istiqamah, you will find Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, with you at all times.
