Outline
- Introduction
- Make Du’a Your Essential Habit
- Strive for Steadfastness on His Path
- Then, Prioritize Allah and His Commands
- So, Join the Club of the True Servants of Allah
- Aim to Win the Fight Against One’s Soul
- Conclusion
Introduction
Alhamdulillāh… All praise and thanks are due to the Almighty Allah, the One and Only who deserves our total submission and humbleness. I send peace and blessings upon the sincerest servant of Allah and the most submissive humble; Ḥabībī Muḥammad, his household, his companions and all those who follow his guided path, till judgement day.
This article comes to supplement my previous one, Determining the Path to God. That article discussed the path to God, and how both the Muslim and the non-Muslim can determine it. It also highlighted some of the challenges in the life of the Muslim, while following the ‘already made’ path in accordance to Islam’s prescription. Today, this article discusses how to strive on the path to Allah, once it’s determined. This is because maintaining consistency and steadfastness in doing anything is more difficult than learning how to do. This article also discusses how one can prioritize Allah and His commands in a way that will keep him on the path. It also looks at the true servants of Allah and how one can work on becoming part of them. Finally, we must aim to win the fight against our selves (nafs), in order to achieve the target, and this is also discussed in the article, insha Allah.
To begin, let’s make du’a our essential habit.
Make Du’a Your Essential Habit
In the pursuit of steadfastness and consistency in obedience to Allah, the first quality one needs to develop is to train himself to make du’a his routine and habit in all cases and at all times. This is because du’a is the essence of ‘ibādah. Du’a is also our mean of communication with Allah. Isn’t it?
Upon a quick reflection on our daily routines as Muslims, we find that every thing the Muslim does is (or is supposed to be) connected with supplication. To that effect, even when one enters and leaves the restroom, he is taught and encouraged to seek protection from Allah, by supplicating before entering and after leaving. The Muslim is taught what to supplicate even in his most private times; when making love. Furthermore, when the Muslim sneezes, he has to remember to be thankful to God, who has returned to him his life after his body system stopped for him to sneeze. Also, the Muslim knows he has to supplicate and invoke God before he eats and after eating. All this implies, that the Muslim is expected to connect with God in all he does, no matter how tiny, the weight of an atom, that activity or affair may seem to be.
Our loss of connection with Him leads us to confusion. This confusion likely starts when we begin to rely on ourselves, more so on technology which has emerged to be essential in our lives; it thinks for us, plans for us, and executes for us. It’s unfortunate that this has caused some to think technology can grant them protection in times of disasters.
Making du’a our essential habit is a good quality, which entitles us to be in continuous act of worship. This is because supplication is nothing but an act of worship. Moreover, All prescribed acts of worship, may consist of actions, but these actions are only significant when the supplications that come with them are activated and said accordingly.
Imām Abu Dāwūd and al-Nasā’ī reported a ḥadīth from the narration of Sayyiduna al-Nu’mān ibn al-Bashīr, raḍiya Allāhu ‘anhumā, that the Prophet, ṣallā Allāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:
إِنَّ اَلدُّعَاءَ هُوَ اَلْعِبَادَةُ
“Verily, supplication is worship.”
Our need for du’a is more than our need food and water. That is why we are obliged to pray (du’a) five times a day. But in normal circumstances, you don’t need to eat more than three times a day. Do you? This means, the more one devotes himself for supplications, the better his life becomes.
Why Do We Need to Be Constant in Du’a?
Imagine what a baby does when he needs attention. Imagine what he does when needs to eat or drink. Imagine what he does when he needs to get his diapers changed. Unless, his mother (obviously not his father J) realizes and decides to prepare for him before he seeks attention, he will cry out (invoke) to his mother to be breastfed, for his diapers to be changed or even to get bathed. The baby has to do this due to his weakness and inability to provide for himself.
The condition of our weakness, as humans, is more intense and more serious than that of babies. And the ḥadīth above (“Verily, supplication is worship.”) further emphasizes the fact that we are weak creatures –and all His creatures are– that we have no power nor might without His will, support and protection. Thus, anytime one submits to Him and seeks His assistance, especially with regards to guidance towards Him and perseverance on the path (that leads to Him), the person will surely be rescued and be in His good hands, so long as that supplication was done genuinely, with no hidden agenda. This is to say, du’a must be genuine for Him, and none other than Him should be invoked.
Why the Challenges then?
Yes, it’s through du’a that one can show his truest intention in submission and humbleness to Him. It’s also through du’a that we ask Him for his bounties and seek His protection. But this doesn’t mean that when one is steadfast in supplications or (lots of deeds of) worship, and carrying out all the obligations of the dīn (religion) to his very best, he won’t be tested in his faith, body and loved ones. Īmān is a package deal, which includes all the ingredients of life, such as happiness, sorrow, pains, hardship, death, and the list is endless. In fact, one should be prepared for tests in many unexpected ways as his īmān strengthens. For the believer, the higher īmān he builds, the more he is tested. The more he’s tested, the stronger the īmān he builds becomes. And the stronger the faith he develops, the firmer he becomes on the path which leads to Allah, inshā Allah.
Therefore, to remain on the path with steadfastness, constant du’a for guidance should be our habit and routine. One should make it more habitual that the habits he has developed for constant drinking of plain water for good health. Just make du’a your oxygen.
This is understood from the basic requirement made in our daily prayers. A Muslim can’t perform a valid prayer (ṣalāh) without reciting Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. The main point of the Sūrah is to seek guidance to the straight path. Guidance to the straight path includes remaining steadfast on the path. Since we seek guidance to the straight path, it’s even more a need that we seek assistance to remain on the straight path, once we’ve started following it.
Once you have agreed and started to make du’a your essential habit, it’s time to strive to for steadfastness on the path.
Strive for Steadfastness on His Path
Du’a is seeking for strength and power to face the challenges of this life. Striving for steadfastness is making use of the power and strength granted, to lighten and smoothen your path, as possible. This life is all about challenges, trials, calamities, tribulations, and, and, and… The path is undoubtedly straight, but it’s not meant to be smooth. Therefore, there’s no way one will enjoy a ‘smooth sailing’ on the path. Additionally, the branches that are laid along it are extremely attractive and can’t be resisted with ease. A slight carelessness will drag you out of the path. The worst is when one is out of the path and yet he thinks he is still on the right path.
قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُم بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا ﴿١٠٣﴾ الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا ﴿١٠٤﴾ـ
“Say, [O Muhammad], “Shall we [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work” (Qur’an, 18:103-104).
This happens when one insists on worshipping Allah the way he determines; ignoring the way, which is already prescribed for us. It’s not worth it, when we reject infidelity (being non-Muslim), or when we’ve chosen not associate idols with Him, only to end up replacing those idols with our desires and thus, find it difficult to submit to the Master, the Creator and the All-Knowing.
أَفَرَأَيْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُ هَوَاهُ وَأَضَلَّهُ اللَّـهُ عَلَىٰ عِلْمٍ وَخَتَمَ عَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ وَجَعَلَ عَلَىٰ بَصَرِهِ غِشَاوَةً فَمَن يَهْدِيهِ مِن بَعْدِ اللَّـهِ، أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
“Consider the one who has taken his own desire as a deity, whom Allah allows to stray in the face of knowledge, sealing his ears and heart and covering his eyes. Who can guide such a person after God [has abandoned him]? Will you not take heed?”
While on the path, among the test we will certainly encounter are losses in wealth, losses in souls, encountering hurtful words from those who differ in belief and faith with us. The personality of the individual Muslim is made, and his salvation is granted through the patience he practises in reaction to all such challenges.
لَتُبْلَوُنَّ فِي أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ وَلَتَسْمَعُنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا أَذًى كَثِيرًا، وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ
“You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah – indeed, that is of the matters [worthy] of determination” (Qur’an, 3:186).
It’s therefore, important to not perceive trials only in pains and hardship. Comfort is a trial for the one living it. Power is a test for the one who possesses it. Knowledge is another test to the knowledgeable, and in fact, being religiously committed can also be a test on its own, for the believer .
In order to succeed in making du’a our routine and an essential element of our lives, and in order to succeed in maintaining our position in the straight path, the Muslim must give priority to Allah and His commands. One must love for Allah and reject what He rejects. One must believe that Allah is in-Charge and everyone else comes secondary or everyone else is harmless, when Allah is by his side.
Then, Prioritize Allah and His Commands
Thinking of how to prioritize Allah and our ‘ibadah is the first step of achieving just that. In other words, when one wants to prioritize Allah and His commands, he starts making that part of His thoughts, including his sub-consciousness. He makes it his dream. The next step is to live the consciousness that nothing (no one or anything) is as important as Allah in the life of any human being. Whatever is important to us, Allah is more important; and above that. Of course, this does not contradict with being respectful to elders, leaders and people of authority.
It’s difficult to deny the fact that, sometimes, consciously or unconsciously, we less prioritize Allah and His commandments. For example, you are waiting for an important call from someone with high prestige (of course in the sight of fellow humans), say an elder in your community or a minister. While waiting for his call, another person calls you, this time not on your phone, but from the mosque to prayer. You choose to respond the second call. In the middle of your prayers, your elder/minister’s call comes in. What do you do? The one you choose to respond to is more important than the one you put on hold. Which one do you do?
In other words, you are in a meeting with an elder in your community or a minister, and it’s time for prayers. You’ve been hoping for the meeting to end before the the allocated time for that particular prayer ends. But it seems unlikely. It’s 15 minutes left for the time to finish. What do you do? Do you ask to be excused; so you can pray? Or you just can’t afford to loose your job?
It’s worth noting that this can be achieved while one still lives and leads a normal life, just like anyone else. It doesn't require that we isolate ourselves from the community or the surrounding we live in, unless there's a necessity to doing so.
Now, let me share with you three short stories.
The President’s Bodyguard
The late president of Togo Eyadema had a Muslim bodyguard. In one of his gatherings with his cabinet, the president enjoined the guard to the meal on table. The guard asked to be excused from joining. His reason was that he couldn’t join because the meal contained pork, and Muslims are forbidden from consuming pork. The dictator president (who no one dared to upset or oppose in private, let alone in public) got offended and made a remark: So and so in this meeting are Muslims, but they are all eating. Why are you not?
He banged on the table and angrily entered a room and came out to say: How dare you reject my order for you to eat?!
The bodyguard calmly said: Sir, it’s the command of my God, and I can’t disobey His instructions. Seeing how wild the man had gone, the guard further said: Sir, it’s up to you; you can dismiss me, and if you choose to kill me, it’s my fate.
Suddenly, the president said in a calm tone to the gathering: This is a true Muslim. From today onwards, he’s my only bodyguard.
Our brother, the president’s bodyguard remained in his job for the last eleven years of the life of the president, while no any other guard remained in that post for more than three months. Why was he not killed? It wasn’t his time. What did he gain? Human’s trust and respect after gaining Allah’s. Why did he do that? Allah and His commands were his priority.
The New Muslim Worker in the German Company
Many years ago, a North-African Arab was employed in a company in Germany, where there were many foreign workers, most of whom were Africans and Arabs. It was observed that this new worker would leave his workstation and stand in a corner doing some movements for the period of five to ten minutes. He was reported to his employer, who on his part counseled him to find out his story.
The employer found out that what the new worker was accused for, was actually prayers. He was a Muslim, and Muslims are obliged to pray five times a day. For that he’s obliged to respond to the call, whenever it’s the time to do so. He would also ensure that those short breaks do not affect his productivity.
The employer gladly granted him that time, and endorsed; that he’s allowed to go and pray anytime he needs to pray.
It was only then, that the other Muslims in the company, who had been there long before the arrival of our friend, started to claim that they were also Muslims, and would like to pray when the time comes. Unfortunately for them, the employer rejected their claim and request, saying, if they were true Muslims, they would have been doing so, far before this new employer came in.
Obviously, the new worker left his work to pray, truly because, although he loved his work, Allah was his priority. The others, if they were allowed, would have left their work, to have a rest, and not sincerely to pray, because Allah was not their priority.
A Young Muslim Quitted His Job on the First Day
A young Muslim man who was waiting for his enlistment in the national service successfully secured a part-time job as a sales person. On the day of the commencement of his job, he realized that he couldn’t pray his Maghrib while on duty. He appealed to be allowed to pray, since he’s not the only worker there, but his request was turned down.
To give priority to his prayers (Allah) over his job, he decided to resign immediately. Two weeks later, he secured a new (part-time) job as a schoolteacher. That job was certainly more flexible and he was fortunate to be in an environment he liked to be; an environment he perceives is better than his previous one.
When one prioritizes Allah, he knows that only He feeds him, and it’s only He, who can take away his provisions from him. He knows that the One who created him by His sole choice is the only One who decides how long he lives, how and where.
These are examples of the consciousness that the Muslim needs in order to be able to give priority to Allah at all times. Achieving this conscious and unconscious qualities entitles one to be among the true servants of Allah, whom some of their characters and characteristics are mentioned in Surah Furqān. Achieving this quality also entitles you to be among the VIPs of Allah on judgement day.
So, Join the Club of the True Servants of Allah
The term club used here is for the purpose of this article. It’s a club unlike any other club. It’s an open club, which belongs to none but Allah. Thus, no subscription or fees are needed. All it needs is selflessness, sincerity and contentment.
Joining this club helps one to fall in love with du’a. Joining this club means one prioritizes Allah above his desires, ego and materialism. He cares not about the praise and admirations of fellow human beings. His aim is the pleasure of Allah, which in return will earn him the acceptance of fellow human beings.
The idea, however, is inspired by the command in the Qur’an, which encourages the Prophet, ṣallā Allāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam, to keep himself attached to those who invoke their Lord most of the time. In Surah al-Kahf, 18:28, Allah says:
وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ، وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا، وَلَا تُطِعْ مَنْ أَغْفَلْنَا قَلْبَهُ عَن ذِكْرِنَا وَاتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَكَانَ أَمْرُهُ فُرُطًا
“Keep yourself attached to those who call on their Lord, morning and evening, seeking His pleasure; and do not let your eyes turn away from them, desiring the attraction of worldly life; and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, one who pursues his own whims and becomes dissolute.”
In addition to purifying one’s heart solely for Allah, a member in this club is expected to change his lifestyle by humbling himself and by paying no attention to the ignorant when they intend to mock or tease him. He is expected to spend the night in prostrating himself and standing before Allah.
A member in the club of the true servants of Allah is also economic in his expenses; thus he spends wisely. When it comes to invocations, he only invokes Allah, and does not take away innocent lives, as well as he does not commit adultery. In addition to not involving in corruption of any kind, he also does not bear false witness, and strives to minimize frivolity as possible. He is also open to honest advice that reminds him of Allah.
In a ḥadīth reported by Imam al-Bukhari and Muslim, from the narration of Sayyidina Abi Hurairah, the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:
سَبْعَةٌ يُظِلُّهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لا ظِلَّ إِلاَّ ظِلُّهُ: إِمَامٌ عَادِلٌ، وَشَابٌ نَشَأَ فِي عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ، وَرَجُلٌ قَلْبُهُ مُعَلَّقٌ فِي المَسَاجِدِ، وَرَجُلانِ تَحَابَّا فِي اللَّهِ؛ اِجْتَمَعَا عَلَيْهِ، وَتَفَرَّقَا عَلَيْهِ، وَرَجَلٌ دَعَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ ذَاتُ مَنْصِبٍ وَجَمَالٍ، فَقَالَ: إِنِّى أَخَافُ اللَّهَ، وَرَجُلٌ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ فَأَخْفَاهَا حَتَّى لا تَعْلَمَ شِمَالُهُ مَا تُنْفِقُ يَمِينُهُ، وَرَجُلٌ ذَكَرَ اللَّهَ خَالِياً فَفَاضَتْ عَيْنَاهُ
“Seven people Allah will give them His Shade on the Day when there would be no shade but the Shade of His Throne (i.e., on the Day of Resurrection): And they are: a just ruler; a youth who grew up with the worship of Allah; a person whose heart is attached to the mosques, two men who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allah; a man whom an extremely beautiful woman seduces (for illicit relation), but he (rejects this offer and) says: ‘I fear Allah'; a man who gives in charity and conceals it (to such an extent) that the left hand does not know what the right has given; and a man who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes become tearful.”
These are (some of) the VIPs of Allah on the judgement day. It’s obvious that none of them has attained their characters without striving to be a good servant of Allah. In order to be able to join them, one should start aiming to win the fight against his own soul (nafs).
Aim to Win the Fight Against One’s Soul
Winning the fight against one’s soul is one of the most important things a Muslim can do to remain on the path. The Nafs, by default, can be easily attracted to all wrongdoings and more so, immoralities. The Nafs needs to always remember that no matter what enjoyment one can attain here, the enjoyment of the next life is more worthwhile. All enjoyments in this life are fake and temporal, except remembrance of Allah.
Obviously, the presence or absence of greediness, hunger for fame or power and [in]ability to control one’s desires and obsession with materials are among the factors that determine whether or not one is ready to join the club.
Conclusion
This life is a temporal stopover and is meant to test your patience, perseverance and integrity. Therefore, Allah tests everyone. He tests the Muslim as well as the non-Muslim. He tests the very committing as well as the ‘not-so-committing.’ He tests one with his enemies, his friends, his relatives; his loved ones and even with his own soul.
One day, the pains you endure in this journey will come an end. If you find excitements in it, that too will come to an end, one day. The Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam said in a ḥadīth reported by Imām al-Bukhārī from the narration of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar, raḍiya Allāhu ‘anhuma:
كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ، أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ
“Be in the world like a stranger or a wayfarer.”
Including death in one’s thoughts really sharpens his focus and defines for him the true meaning of life. In Surah al-Baqarah, 2:281, Allah warns us, to prepare well for the day each one of us shall be returned to Him, and then everyone shall be paid in full the deal they chose to make here.
وَاتَّقُوا يَوْمًا تُرْجَعُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى اللَّـهِ، ثُمَّ تُوَفَّىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَّا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ
“Fear the Day when you shall be made to return to Allah; then every soul shall be paid in full what it has earned; and they shall not be wronged.”
May Allah guide us and hold our hands to Him. May He grant us the consciousness to prioritize him over our desires at all times. Amin. Allahummah iyyāka na'budu wa iyyāka nasta'īn. Ihdinā al-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm. Amin
Moral of the du'a above is that, as we put in our effort, we have to seek His assistance and guidance. We have no might nor power without Him.
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Allah knows best.
Allahu Hafiz 🙂
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