The Effects of Imaan

Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’aan: “So know (understand) that Laa ilaaha illallah…” (EMQ 47:19)

Allah ordered us to first learn about the meaning of Laa ilaaha illallah, and to believe, without doubt, that the Imaan is guidance from Almighty Allah. Whosoever doubts that the Book of Allah guides the Muslim to the Haq (truth), he becomes a Kaafir. Allah (SWT) says:

“This is the Book (the Qur’aan), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Muttaqoon (God-fearing, i.e. Muslims).” (EMQ 2:2)

Man is not needy for a person to guide him or for a scholar to guide him – guidance is from Allah. You may learn from a scholar, but you could be Kaafir (a Disbeliever), Jaahil (ignorant) or Daal (misguided). You could be a learned person, but also a liar, or Faasiq (sinner). Therefore, the scholar is not only one who is learned, he is one who is guided by Allah to the Haq.

We know there are many learned people around the world today, working for the kufr (non-Islamic) regimes – we see them and we hear them. There are many people learned in the West (and in Britain) but they speak on behalf of the Kuffaar (unbelievers) against the Muslims and Mujaahideen. This is all from weakness in Laa ilaaha illallah, and weakness in understanding its meaning.

The ‘Aqeedah (Islamic creed) has an effect on the personality of a Muslim, whether daa’ie (propagator) or activist, and it is manifested in the following ways:

Believing in Allah entails declaring absolute obedience to Him, and complete freedom from any slavery to anybody but Allah. The essence of ‘uboodiyyah (worship) is to love Him and the Messenger (SAW), and this means the Mu’min (Believer) must love what Allah loves, and hate what He hates.

Allah hates those who work for Taaghout (false gods); therefore, you must hate them, even if they are the most learned people on Earth. If they work for pharaoh, the king or the president, you must hate them for the sake of Allah, and if you do not, then you do not hate what Allah hates. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:

“The most powerful knot of Imaan is to love for the sake of Allah and hate for the sake of Allah.”

One of the signs that you love Allah and His Messenger is that you obey Him. How can a person rule by kufr law and claim to love Allah? And how can one say Laa ilaaha illallah and not reject Taaghout? The haq (truth) is known (distinguished) from the baatil. Allah (SWT) says:

“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taaghout and (then) believes in Allah, he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold (i.e. the Kalimah) that will never break. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (EMQ 2:256)

So the first sign and proof that you love and hate for the sake of Allah is that you obey Him and follow the Messenger Muhammad (SAW).

The second sign is to declare hatred and animosity to those who do not believe in Him, and those who desire to rule by other than what Allah has revealed.

Ibn Baa’ooraa’ was an individual who was given knowledge by Allah. However, although he was learned and knowledgeable, he died as a Mushrik (Kaafir). [Refer to the Qur’aan, 7:175]

Those who claim to be Believers are liars if they do not show animosity to the enemies of Allah, and fight for His sake.

In fact, you cannot only hate those whom Allah hates – you need to chase them until they either become Believers or live under the Sharee’ah (i.e. become a citizen of the Islamic state). Allah says:

“It is He Who has sent His Messenger (SAW) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make it superior over all religions even though the Mushrikoon hate (it).” (EMQ 9:33)

Which of the Sahaabah had ijaazah (authorization), certificates or PhDs? Which Taabi’ee (follower of the Sahaabah) had ijaazah or PhDs or degrees? None of them. They used to learn directly from the Qur’aan and Sunnah and refer to the understanding of the Salaf, and if there was someone learned among them, he would prove that he was a scholar through his actions and by emulating the Prophets – commanding good, forbidding evil, confronting and exposing Taaghout and working for the Deen of Allah. Therefore, those who are not doing the duties of the Anbiyaa’ (Prophets) are not ‘ulamaa, they are hulamaa. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said:

“The ‘ulamaa are inheritors of the Prophets.”

The third sign that you love what Allah loves and hate what He hates is that you are free from any obedience to anyone other than Allah.

Those who are not totally obedient to Almighty Allah will be afflicted with tribulations, and they will be soft targets for the enemy. All the calamities we see today are caused by the people of desires – those who are slaves of the dollar and Bush. When the enemy knows about them and are aware that they worship the dunyaa (material life), money and authority, they will offer all of this to them so they compromise and sell out Muslims. They will consequently obey whatever they say because they worship money and authority, and fear losing what they have. This is indeed the situation of the rulers today, and all their ministers, MPs and so-called learned people who are the bitaanah (inner garments and allies) of the Tawaagheet (false gods who do not rule by what Allah has revealed).

The true Believers, however, are those who reject to be under the authority of Taaghout and man-made laws; and because they seek Jannah (which is greater than the seven heavens and the earth), the enemy cannot offer them anything equivalent to it, and therefore they cannot take allies from them.

Before a battle with the Romans, the Believers wrote to Abu Bakr, informing him that the enemy were large in number, and requesting him to send more fighters. Hishaam bin al-‘Aas said (to the Muslims), “If you know victory is from Allah, fight! If you think it is from the support of Abu Bakr, I’ll go to him on my horse. Tell me!” It is reported that the Believers said, “By Allah, Hishaam left us speechless.” So the ameer stood and said, “Fight in the name of Allah.” It was a huge battle, and even Hishaam was killed, but Allah defeated the Romans. One man passed by Hishaam’s body and said, “May Allah bless you. That is what you were seeking – to die in the way of Allah.”

For the Battle of Mu’tah, there were only 3,000 Believers, against over 200,000 Romans and Arab Mushrikoon. They suggested writing to the Prophet and informing him of their situation. However, Abdullah bin Rawaahah rose for the occasion and gave a khutbah (speech), saying, “Oh people, what you hate (i.e. death) is what you should be seeking (martyrdom)! We do not fight people by numbers, power or strength – we fight with this Deen (Islam). Let us fight in the name of Allah, either we will be victorious or gain martyrdom. The Believers said, “Abdullah spoke the truth.”

This confidence in Allah is the fruit of believing in Him. It is what protected the Ummah in the past and gave them honour and dignity. If the Muslims go back to the right ‘Aqeedah and Tawheed they will never bother about their weaknesses, lack of technology or numbers.

In the beginning of the da’wah, the Muslims were attacked in Makkah; some were forced to migrate to Abyssinia, and some remained and were tortured. Despite this, they never sought help from the Persians or Romans, the two superpowers at that time, even though they were so needy for it. This was because they never relied on any Kaafir.

Even in Madeenah, during the Battle of the Trench, the Jews and Hypocrites conspired from within Madeenah and betrayed the Prophet. The Believers were under siege and the people of Banu Qaynuqaa’ came with their forces, offering to help and fight with the Prophet against the Mushrikoon. The Prophet (SAW) asked them, “Who are those divisions?” They said, “They are the people of Qaynuqaa’.” “Will they embrace Islam?” replied the Prophet. “No,” they replied. The Prophet (SAW) then said, “Go back! I will never seek help from a Mushrik.”

Believing that Allah gives victory, and believing what He has is better than what the creation has will make the ‘Aqeedah of the Mu’min sacrifice everything. Moreover, he will never fear being killed or imprisoned, providing he takes the necessary precautions.

One may leave the da’wah field to go somewhere else to do da’wah, but he should not make his life and personal interests obstacles, or he is not being subservient to Allah.

Allah blessed this Ummah with many things, from the ni’mah (blessing) of Tawheed and the personality of the Messenger. Allah nurtured him with good character and morals, and he made him a practical example to follow.

Are all Religeons the Same?

Question:
If Islaam respects all religions (as some people claim) and all deens, then why do you differentiate between Islaam, Christianity and Judaism?

Answer:
Allahul Musta’aan.

One who is sincere should not ask such questions. How can one claim that there is no difference between Islaam and other religions?

This is not a new question; rather it has been raised many times. It has been answered many times too. In fact, these types of questions hide under the banner of apostasy which diverts a Muslim from the fold of Islaam to the fold of kufr. And the carriers of such a question are those who call for interfaith.

The answer is simple to understand and remember… This call, to bond all religions with Islaam, is an evil call which brings apostasy and kufr to the scene.

The idea of interfaith started from the Sufis, from the people of Hulool, whereby such people carried the false claim of uniting with Allah (SWT); people such as Ibn Sab’een, Ibn Hood and Ibn ‘Arabi. These are the people who permitted the Muslims to become Jews and Christians.

It is known in Islaam by necessity, and from the consent of all the Salaf and the Khalaf (latter generations), that whoever permits, or declares that it is allowed to follow a deen (religion or ideology) other than Islaam or to follow a sharee’ah other than the Sharee’ah of the Messenger Muhammad (SAW), he is a Kaafir who has left the camp of Islaam.

Allah (SAWT) says: “Verily the only Deen accepted by Allah is al-Islaam…” [EMQ 3:19]

Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah and Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab reported on the issue of ‘the negations of the Deen of Islaam’: “The one who does not believe that the Jews and Christians are Mushrikeen, or he doubts their kufr, or he says their deen is like our deen, then he is a Kaafir with the consensus of all the Ulamaa’.”

Imam ibn Hazm said in his book Maraatibul Ijmaa’ (The Levels of Consensus): “The Muslims are the ones who consent that anyone who calls the Jews and Christians believers and that they belong to the brotherhood of the Muslims is Kaafir.”

Qaadhi Iyaadh mentioned in his book ash-Shifaa’: “We declare takfeer on anyone who follows a deen other than the Deen of Islaam. And we declare takfeer on anyone who doubts that those who do not follow Islaam are Kaafir.”

This is what the ulamaa’ used to believe and declare. But today we have people coming out with kufr. And because of such people, distortion will occur in the Deen unless the sincere Muslims can stop them by continuing to carry the haq.

And Allah (SWT) says: “Never will the Jews nor the Christians be pleased with you till you follow their religion. Say: ‘Verily, the Guidance of Allah that is the (only) Guidance.’ And if you were to follow their (Jews and Christians) desires after what you have received of Knowledge (i.e. the Qur’aan), then you would have against Allah neither any Wali (protector or guardian) nor any helper.” [EMQ 2:120]

Source:
http://www.omarbakri.info/index.php

Benefits of At-Taqwa

Umar Ibn al-Khattab (ra) wrote to his son Abd’Allah ibn Umar,
To Proceed:

“Verily I advise you to have taqwa (fear) of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, for whoever fears Him, Allah will protect him, and whoever gives a loan to Him, Allah will reward him, and whoever thanks Him, Allah will increase him.”

‘Ali Ibn AbiTalib radhiAllahu anhu gave advice to a man, and he said:

“I advise you to have taqwa (fear) of Allah the Mighty the Majestic. There is no escape in meeting Him and there is no other to meet you except Him when you reach the Hereafter, for verily Allah owns this world and the Hereafter.”

One of the righteous, wrote to his believing brother,

‘I advise you with taqwa (fear) of Allah who knows your secrets and sees your open actions, so remember Allah at every time of the night and day, and fear Allah according to His nearness, and the power He has over you. And know that He always sees you. And do not leave His Rule for another rule or His Dominion for another dominion, so glorify Him, by fearing Him immensely.’

The meaning of taqwa is that the servant puts between himself and that which he fears, a guard that will protect him.

The meaning of taqwa regarding Allah’s servants is ‘That the servant puts between himself and that which he fears, i.e. gaining the anger and the wrath of his Lord, a guard which will protect him.’ By obeying Him and abstaining from disobeying Him.[The word taqwa is a derivative of the word ‘ittaqa from the root word waqa, which means, ‘he protected himself from that which harms him.’ Essentially that is what taqwa is – a protection from that which harms the self].

Hasan al-Basri rahimaullah said, “The ones who have taqwa protect themselves from what Allah has prohibited abt upon what he has commanded. Taqwa remains with them until they forsake many halal things fearing they could be haram.”

Abu al-Darda radhiAllahu anhu said, “The complete form of taqwa is to fear Allah so much that one begins to fear Him from the potential sin a mustard seed and until one leaves that might be halal in the fear it could be haram based on the verse, ‘So whoever does an atom’s amount of good he will see it; and whoever does an atom’s amount of evil, he will see it.’ So do not prohibit any goodness and act upon goodness. Do not underestimate any evil and protect yourself from it.”

Abu Hurayrah radhiAllahu anhu was asked about taqwa so he asked the questioner whether he had trodden a thorn infested path. ‘The man said he did. Abu Hurayrah asked him how he walked on it. The man said, ‘When I saw a thorn, I kept away from it because I might be pricked by it.’ Abu Hurayrah radhiAllahu anhu said, ‘That is exactly what means to (to take actions to avoid sins).’

Ibn Rajab rahimaullah said, “The essence of taqwa is to make a shield (which guards) against Allah’s anger and punishment. That shield is to obey His commandments and abstain from His prohibitions…” Jami’ ul-Ulum al-Hikmah(190/191).

The benefits in this world.

-If a believer is in difficulty, indeed having taqwa, enables him to come out of it, and to attain provisions and ease from Allah, the likes of which he could never imagine.

Allah the Most High, says,
“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him (has taqwa), He will make a way for him, to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him (sources) he could never imagine.” [Surah at-Talaq: 2, 3]

-Taqwa causes a believer not to be frightened by any harm caused by the disbelievers or by their plots.

Allah the Most High, states,
“And if you are patient and have taqwa (fear) of Allah, their plot will not harm you at all. Indeed Allah is encompassing of what they do.” [Surah al-Imraan: 120]

-It is also the reason, for which Allah send help from the heavens at the time of adversity, and meeting the enemies of Allah.

Allah the Most High, says,
“And already had Allah given you victory at the Battle of Badr while you were a weak little force. Then have taqwa of Allah, so that you may be grateful. Remember when you (Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said to the believers, ‘Is this not sufficient for you that your Lord should reinforce you with three thousand angels sent down? Yes, if you remain patient and have taqwa of Allah and the enemy comes rushing to you in rage, your Lord will reinforce you with five thousand angels, having marks (of distinction). And Allah made it not except as a glad tiding for you and to reassure your heart; And victory is not except from Allah, the Exalted in the Might, the Wise.” [Surah al-Imraan: 123, 126]

The descending of help becomes a glad tiding for the believer, an assurance for the hearts and an attainment of help form the Most Powerful, the Most Wise.

Allah the Most High, says,
“Allah made it not, but as a message of good news for you, and as an assurance to your hearts. And there is no victory except from Allah, the All Mighty, and the All Wise.” [Surah al-Imraan: 126]

-Taqwa causes a lack of enmity of grievance between the servants of Allah.

Allah the Most High, says,
“Help you, one another in al-Birr and at-Taqwa (virtue, righteous and piety) but do not help one another in sin and transgression.” [Surah al-Ma’idah: 2]

At-Taqwa

“O you who believe! Have taqwa of Allah and see what you have prepared for tomorrow i.e. Hereafter” [Al-Hashr: 18]

Although many will say that Taqwa is to the fear Allaah, the term and its usage actually cover a much broader meaning than that. It literally means to place in between you and what you fear a ‘wiqaaya’ (a protection or a preventative measure), so to have taqwa of Allaah subsequently means to place in between yourself and what you fear from Allaah some form of protection. In a nutshell, it is to act only in His obedience and steer away from disobeying Him, performing that which is beloved to Him and abandoning whatever displeases Him, – it is to love Him, fear Him and have great hope in Him.

Taqwa reflects off a person in their lives and without realising it, many people will show what they possess of taqwa – whether great or small – in their day-to-day business. Hence it is an act of the heart which is deeply built within a person and it has the ability to grow, establishing itself firmly or slowly decrease until very little of it is left.

When the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) was asked, “What is the thing which enters people into Paradise the most?” he replied “Taqwa and a good character” [1] – two extraordinary traits that I find often take time to build up and perfect.

When asked about taqwa and what it meant, ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil-‘Azeez would say “Taqwa is not fasting by day and standing for prayer by night… but taqwa is to desert what Allaah has forbidden and to fulfil what He has commanded – and whoever puts forth goodness after that, then that is khayr upon khayr.” [2]

Talaq ibn Habeeb would also say, “Taqwa is to be obedient to Allaah upon a Light from Allaah, hoping for reward from Allaah, and it is to abandon sins upon a Light from Allaah fearing the punishment of Allaah.” [3]

Taqwa enters into a believer’s general alertness about his/her actions and it acts as the guard over their good deeds before and after its fulfilment. It is the shield which the believer uses to protect himself from the plots of the Shaytaan and his whispers. It is that which saves a person from the brink of destruction in this life and in the Hereafter.

Abu Hurayrah (radhi Allaahu `anhu) was once asked about Taqwa to which he replied, “Have you ever trodden along a thorny path?” ‘Yes’ said the questioner. “What did you do?” asked Abu Hurayrah. He replied, “If I saw a thorn, I moved away from it or crossed over it or held back from it.” – “That is taqwa” said Abu Hurayrah.

From the signs that a person has little taqwa is the belittling of sins and disregarding the accumulation of bad deeds – even if they are small. Ibn al-Mu’tazz said in a few lines of poetry

,خل الذنوب صغيرها *** و كبيرها ذاك التقى
و اصنع كماش فوق أر *** ض الشوك يحذر ما يرى
لا تحقرن صغيرة *** إن الجبال من الحصى

Abandon sins, big and small – that is Tawqa
And be like the one who walks on a thorny path, he is cautious of what he sees
Do not belittle the small sins; truly mountains are made from pebbles [4]

‘Ali ibn Abee Taalib (radhi Allaahu ‘anhu) would also describe Taqwa saying,

تقوى الله –
الخوف من الجليل
و العمل بالتنزيل
و الرضاء بالقليل
و الاستعداد إلى يوم الرحيل

He (ra) says that it is:
Fear from the Allaah, the Majestic,
And to do deeds according to the Revelation,
To be pleased with little,
And to prepare for the Day of Departure

One of the companions of Abul-‘Aaliya relates: I once saw Abul-‘Aaliya making wudhu and the water was dripping from his face and hands. I greeted him and said, ‘Indeed Allaah loves the Tawwaabeen (those that turn to Him in repentance) and the Mutatahhireen (those who purify themselves).’ He said, “Ya Akhi, the Mutatahhireen are not those who purify themselves from dirt, but it is them that purify themselves from sins with Taqwa.” [5]

Abul-‘Aaliya (Rufai’ ibn Mihraan) was a Taabi’ee known for his piety and ground knowledge of Qur’aan. It is said that out of his deep taqwa and in preparation for the Hereafter, he would dress up in his kaffan (shrouds), at least once a month. He also wrote out his will seventeen times in his life – even though he was perfectly healthy. He would set a date for each will and if that date came to pass while he was still alive, he would look back at the will and alter what needed to be altered and set another date. All this was his preparation for the great journey that every soul must undertake from this Dunya to the Hereafter. [6]

Piety is something that we must all aspire to attain and really seek to build within us. With taqwa were the Muttaqoon (those who have taqwa) able to supersede the norm, go against extreme odds, witness magnificent miracles and keep going when the world fell to its knees. Taqwa leads one to success in this life and the Next; it provides a way out for the believer in every difficulty, it remits sins, makes matters easier and continues to be the guiding light for its companion. The pages of the Qur’aan are filled with verses where Allaah ‘azza wa jall has declared His Love for them and how many times has Paradise been promised to them?

In the words of the Messenger (sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam)

,اتق الله حيثما كنت
“Have taqwa of Allaah wheresoever you are…” [7]

May Allaah make us from amongst them, forgive us for our mistakes and enter us into Paradise, ever-lasting gardens, a delight to the eyes of its dwellers. Ameen
____________________________________
References:

[1] Tirmidhee [no. 2004], Ibn Maajah [no. 4246], Ahmad [no. 291/2] and Ibn Hibbaan [476]

[2] Jaami’ ‘Uloom wal-Hikam by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali pg. 170

[3] See above reference

[4] Jaami’ ‘Uloom wal-Hikam, pg. 171

[5] Suwar min Hayaat at-Taabi’een by Abdur-Rahmaan al-Baasha pg. 448

[6] Suwar min Hayaat at-Taabi’een by Abdur-Rahmaan al-Baasha pg. 455 – 456

[7] Tirmidhee, hadeeth hasan (also declared saheeh)