~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As one of only two Muslims in a small Kentucky town one summer, it was The second-generation Muslim, and seventh generation American, left the <\/p>\n EMAAN <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Your most valuable possession Anyone who contemplates the verses of the Qur’an will find people are Shoring up your Character Here are a few Qur’anic verses relating to the loss of guidance and “So when they turned away (from the path of Allah), Allah turned their “I shall turn away from My signs those who behave arrogantly on the “And recite to them (Oh, Mohammed) the story of the one to whom We gave The last verse tells us that some even have knowledge, but instead of The young girl was eventually ensconced within the circle of her Muslim Deviation from the right path and the degradation of emaan are a result WHEN WE SLIP<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Emaan is the core of all actions. It is the motivation necessary for a The strength of emaan does not only show itself in the apparent deeds; We have to be certain that our emaan is deeply rooted into our hearts. A Balance emaan with Islamic knowledge The mere memorization of the Qur’an and concepts does not mean one has Seeking Islamic knowledge saves thoughts from turning to desires and Slough the dead skin of sin Viewing sins as little things has adverse effects:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n -The sins multiply in the sight of Allah. -He is drawn to individuals similarly engrossed. This alone is among the -The sin becomes a hard habit to break. Even if the sins are minor, they Arrogance and pride are traps If one does not rid himself of arrogance and pride, an end similar to -Claiming perfection leads one to not feel the need to improve himself -Admiring one’s own deeds results in the gradual relinquishment of -When one loses the fear of requital it becomes easy to forget about -Vanity leads to backbiting and rumor mongering. Moreover, whomever As the little sister grew, she continued to work at healing and finally, Tackle Tarbiyah with Joy<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n After a person has turned to Allah in repentance, he leaves behind an Most of the apostates\/defectors comprised those who had just recently However, the being within a group must hinder one from developing his Furthermore, Allah’s Messenger, sallaallahu alayhe wa sallam, explains Predominance of desires The ones who repent and turn to Allah are just as human as any one else- You find a person following the path which pleases Allah but once he On the other hand, he might respond due to a weakness in emaan and the The ugly gut of excessiveness And Allah’s Messenger, sallaallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, “Beware of Being immoderate in worship is a deviation in itself, but nevertheless, Choose friends wisely 1. The first is acquired in the company of relatives, neighbors, school The effects of this influence become apparent through certain factors He begins to please others at the expense of pleasing Allah by STEADFAST <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n On the Path to Righteousness There is no doubt that the diagnosis of the causes behind an Concentrate on tarbiyah (constant self-development) Be sincere and truthful to Allah. Being fearful of an evil death Duaa (supplication). Persistence in doing good Advice and counseling Participating in the dawah work After spending some time pondering over this problem and its causes and \u00a0 by\u00a0 Anonymous \u00a0 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FALLING INTO SIN al-Jumu’ah Magazine ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IN TODAY’S SOCIETY, WHAT CAN ONE DO TO PROTECT HIS EMAAN, IMPROVE HIS CHARACTER AND BE THE MUSLIM HE WANTS TO BE? 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\nFALLING INTO SIN
\nal-Jumu’ah Magazine
\n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nIN TODAY’S SOCIETY, WHAT CAN ONE DO TO PROTECT HIS EMAAN, IMPROVE HIS
\nCHARACTER AND BE THE MUSLIM HE WANTS TO BE?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nhard not to notice the stares. Coming from a mostly Muslim setting, it
\nwas a difficult adjustment for the sixth-grader visiting Christian
\nrelatives. “I felt I went from being a perfectly normal, happy child
\nwith many interests and friends, to something akin to a monster.”
\nEverything about her suddenly became wrong; and so, beyond the eyes of
\nthe Ummah, some set about fixing her. “The funny thing is that I was
\ntaught to have a healthy respect for Allah’s revelations. And that, in
\npart, is what they used against me. I was in a nightmare filled with
\nemotional vampires and spiritual cannibals and I knew this was not the
\nteachings of the honorable Prophet Eesa alayhes sallam. But I wanted to
\nbe liked and accepted.” <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\ntown with her faith shaken in a God who could have put her through
\nthat, and in her belief in the inherent goodness and oneness of people.
\nBut mostly her emaan, her faith in Allah now felt just beyond her
\nreach. Her better instincts had been dulled. She’d done a few things
\nshe felt ashamed of and she sometimes lapsed into small bouts of
\ndepression. There was a small ball of anger eating at her gut. She
\ndidn’t think she could ever tell anyone about her experiences. She just
\nwanted to be left alone…<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nIn a time when faith in God is many times considered a weakness, where
\nthe relationship between cause and effect are bandied about as
\nnegotiable, emaan may seem like a fantasy at best, an albatross at
\nworst. The line between right and wrong is deliberately blurred,
\nredrawn and blurred again. Throughout time-ancient as well as
\nmodern-examples of what comes of the convolutions of mankind abound.
\nYet still we allow ourselves to be guided into the web of the true
\ndelusion: that in going against the blueprint for mankind that Allah
\nreiterates in the Qur’an, we can cheat the fate our own hands wring,
\nthat among ourselves we make adequate lesser gods. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nultimately responsible for their own deeds. Allah is not unjust to
\nanyone, that the reason behind a person’s deviations is one’s own self.
\nDeeds, by heart or limb, result in steadfastness or perversion. They
\nare linked together in the same fashion a consequence is linked to its
\ncause and an effect to its influence. And sometimes Allah plots for you
\na course of hills, valleys and straightaways that will ultimately make
\nthe legs of your deen-your emaan-lean and well-muscled.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nAllah guides those who perform good deeds. And the more we do, the more
\nguidance we receive. Likewise, evil doing feeds on itself. Ibn-ul-Qayyim
\nsaid, “This is because Allah likes good deeds and rewards on them, and
\nabhors evil deeds, and punishes for them.” Scholars have taken this
\ntruth and crafted the rule: “Recompense is according to deeds.” <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\ndecrease in emaan: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nhearts away (from the right path).” [61:5] <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nearth in a wrongful manner. If they see all the signs they will not
\nbelieve in them. And if they see the way of righteousness, they will
\nnot adopt that way.” [7:146].<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nour verses (signs), but he turned them away, so Satan followed him up,
\nand he became of those who went astray. Had he willed We would surely
\nhave elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his
\nown vain desires. So his description is the that of a dog; if you drive
\nhim away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he
\n(still) lolls his tongue out.” [7:175-176]. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\napplying it, they choose to follow their whims and worldly desires. In
\nthe end they lose their blessing and stray from Allah.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\ncommunity but she had changed. She felt disconnected somehow. “I always
\ndid good deeds and tried to be helpful. I made good grades. But I was
\ntrying to sort out my relationship with people and was trying to see
\nmyself. My anger had turned to hatred and I thought that feeling, that
\nrush made me brave. But it wasn’t my nature, to feed off of that kind
\nof negativity. It wasn’t who I thought Allah wanted me to be. It wasn’t
\nwhat my family brought me up to be. I could never reach my potential
\nholding on to that baggage. “There was a time when I feared nothing but
\nAllah. And now I had to admit that I feared what people could do when
\nthey discover you’re different. Going to school, walking to the store,
\nmeeting new people, voicing an opinion…” The more she hid and tried
\nto blend in, the more obvious it became that she was different. “I
\ndidn’t gossip. I dressed modestly. I stood up for what I felt was right.
\nI thought globally … I achieved things and some people admired me.
\nBut that made me uncomfortable because I knew that any good that came
\nmy way or through me was the will of Allah. I never really belonged. I
\nhad yet to really stand up for myself, to allow people to get to know
\nme on my own terms. I had created something of a prison for myself that
\nonly I knew I was in.” Everyone is solely responsible for his\/her
\ndeviation. Allah does not oppress anyone. Nor does Allah turn away
\nservants when they sincerely strive for guidance. Allah is the most
\njust. And He is the most merciful.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nof one’s own deeds and a reflection of one’s own behavior and
\ncharacter. Muslims must always be aware of that. They should assume
\nthey will face challenges sometimes and be ready to protect themselves
\nand to heal and to grow. The first step towards achieving that is to
\nknow why and how does it happen. Most times it isn’t the big wars that
\ndefeat a people, it is the little internal skirmishes which go unmet
\nthat eat away at character long before a clear enemy comes knocking on
\na half-opened door.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nMuslim to accomplish whatever needed to lead a good life. Depending on
\nthe strength of his emaan, a person may or may not be able to abandon
\nsinning, strive against his own desire and compel his soul to take
\nheed. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\ntrue emaan actually fills and saturates the heart. Allah’s Messenger,
\nsallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, pointed out “three (factors), whoever has
\nthem will find the sweetness of emaan: that Allah and His Messenger are
\nmore beloved to him than any thing else, that he loves a person solely
\nfor the sake of Allah, and that he hates to revert to disbelieve, as he
\nhates being thrown into hellfire.” (Bukhari and Muslim) In another
\nhadeeth, Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam said, “(He
\nhas) experienced the taste of emaan, who is contented that Allah as his
\nLord (Rabb), Islam as his religion and Mohammed as a Prophet.”
\n(Muslim).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nperson may repent to Allah, following the path of righteousness, yet
\nemaan may not have entered his heart. So, at the first sign of
\ndestructive desires, doubts set in and convictions dissipate. Signs
\nthat this disease has entered the heart include rigidity of our
\nhearts, courage in committing sins and laziness toward good deeds.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nJust as a person needs emaan for motivation, action and strength in the
\nheart, he, likewise, needs knowledge, to do what is right, rectify his
\nworship and purify his turning to Allah alone. When emaan and Islamic
\nknowledge are deeply rooted into a person’s heart, there remains no
\npossibility for him to turn away from the path of righteousness. “The
\nseizing of amanah (trustworthiness) and emaan (which has been reported
\nin the authentic hadeeth) is not the seizing of knowledge,”
\nIbn-Taymiyyah said, “For it is known that a person may be bequeathed
\nwith emaan even though he lacks knowledge. An emaan like this one could
\nbe snatched from his heart -like the emaan of Bani-Israel after they
\nsaw the calf.
\n“As for the one bequeathed with both, knowledge and emaan, emaan is
\nnever seized from his breast and such a person never reverts from
\nIslam. Conversely, if one is bequeathed with Qur’an alone or emaan
\nalone, emaan can be seized and this is the reality. We have seen it
\noften that the most to revert from Islam are those who recite Qur’an,
\nwithout understanding or emaan, or those who possess emaan without
\nknowledge and Qur’an. But as for the one who has acquired Qur’an and
\nemaan, and hence obtained knowledge, for this one, emaan is never
\nseized from his heart and Allah knows best.” (Majmou’a al-Fatawa
\n18\/305).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nacquired knowledge, especially since the Qur’an is read by the munafiq
\n(hypocrite), the mu’min (believer) and the illiterate. Al-Hasan Al-Basri
\nsaid, “Knowledge is of two types; knowledge in the heart and knowledge
\non the tongue.” So knowledge in the heart is the useful one while
\nknowledge on the tongue is Allah’s argument against His servants.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nsins because there is no spare time, and because those things pale in
\nthe face of the joy of the revelation of truth. He will be so engrossed
\nin the pleasure of acquiring knowledge such that the chance of him
\nlooking for activities that may weaken his emaan or cause him to
\ndeviate will be minimum.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nAllah says, “You counted it a little thing while it was very great in
\nthe sight of Allah.” [24:15] Some companions said, as reported by Anas,
\n“You are doing deeds which you view to be finer than a hair, but we, in
\nthe days of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, used to consider
\nthem as major sins.” (Bukhari).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n-The path of repentance becomes distant, since he does not anymore feel
\na need for it. It is the one who realizes its severity, adheres to
\nmaking istighfaar (asking for forgiveness) and regretfully seeks
\nrepentance from Allah who has his sin erased.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nmajor factors behind a person’s deviation. Moreover, it results in him
\navoiding the gatherings where Allah is remembered. As a result,
\nopportunities that would otherwise help him remain steadfast on good
\ndeeds are missed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\ngather around a person leading him to devastation, as Allah’s Messenger
\nwarned. Abdullah bin Mas’ood said, “Beware of viewing the sins as
\nlittle for they gather upon a person till he is devastated and
\nAllah’s Messenger, sallallaahu alayhe wa sallam, has coined a
\nsimilitude for it as a group of people stopped in a desert and the
\ncook among them arrived. So a person would go and bring one stick,
\nand another one would go and bring one stick till they gathered many
\nof them, lit a fire and brought to ripeness all that they have thrown
\nin it.” (Authentic, Ahmad)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nThese two attributes are among the worst for man to acquire. Arrogance
\nand pride led Iblis (Satan) astray, although he was in the company of
\nthe angels. That happened because, Allah tells us, “I (Iblis) am better
\nthan him (Adam). You created me from fire and him You created from
\nclay.” [7:12].<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nthat of Satan is a sure result. But even a little part of
\nthem-especially if related to how one views one’s worship-can very
\ndevastating to one’s emaan:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nthrough good deeds and other means of nurturing his emaan. But emaan as
\nstated by scholars either increases or decreases. Therefore, it will
\ncertainly decrease when one does not work hard to increase it with a lot
\ngood deeds.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nworshipping Allah, because worship is based on humbling oneself to Him
\nand acknowledging that all the gratefulness is to Allah and to Him
\nalone. How could one be proud of his deeds while Allah’s Messenger,
\nsallaallahu alayhe wa sallam, used to say, “None of you will be saved
\nbecause of his deeds.” They asked, “Not even you Oh Allah’s Messenger?”
\nHe said, “No, not even me, except that Allah bestows me with His
\nmercy.” (Bukhari and Muslim)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nfalling from the straight path. A sense of security in this aspect can
\nbe the first step towards falling a victim to it. Would such an
\narrogant person continually beseech Allah for guidance and seek
\nsteadfastness on his path?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nmocks his brother about a particular sin will not die till he himself
\nsuccumbs to it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nthrough salah, good deeds and study was able to rid herself of much of
\nthe scars of the past. Though it was painful, she admits she learned
\nsome valuable lessons that helped shape her deen and character,
\nstrengthen her emaan and define her sense of humanity. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nenormous amount of evil ideas, perceptions and habits. It is not
\npossible to get rid of all the past by a mere repentance to Allah. A
\npersonal training effort (Tarbiyah) is required to erase all the
\neffects. An effort that ingrains the right emaan and sufficient Islamic
\nknowledge to further pave the road with a firm foundation. Taking a
\nquick look at the apostasy events that occurred in the days of the
\nProphet, sallaallahu alayhe wa sallam, much evidence supports this
\nfact. Was there any among the Muhajireen or Ansaar who defected? Were
\nthere any defectors among those who witnessed the battle of Badr? Or
\nthe Ridwaan Pledge? Or those who accepted Islam in its initial phase?
\nWere there any of those among the apostates about whom Allah says,
\n“Only those are the believers who have believed in Allah and His
\nMessenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and
\ntheir lives for the cause of Allah. Those, they are the truthful.”
\n[49:15].<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nentered the circle of Islam and had not yet received the type of
\ntraining that would instill emaan and its branches in their heart. Mere
\nrepentance and an apparent change are neither the first step nor the
\nlast. In fact, it is only one step in the right direction, which is
\nfollowed by putting in an effort to attain emaan and taqwa. To attain
\nemaan and taqwa, find a group which assists through regular encounters.
\nOne cannot be expected to experience the fruits of brotherhood and
\nsisterhood, when isolated and not practically involved with others.
\nFind an appropriate example that can help one stand up against daily
\nchallenges by holding tight to the rope of Allah altogether.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nown formidable relationship with Allah in the form of deeds far away
\nfrom the sight of people. One must spend the effort in worship at
\nnight, charity, siyaam, seeking knowledge and so on. One must try to
\ncreate an intuition of individual responsibility within himself as it
\nis established in the Qur’an, “Whoever goes right, then he goes right
\nonly for the benefit of his own self. And whoever goes astray, then he
\ngoes astray to his own loss. No one laden with burdens can bear someone
\nelse’s burden.” [17:15].<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nhow a person is responsible and accountable for his own deeds by
\nsaying, “There is none among you but his Lord will speak to him without
\nan interpreter. He will look to his right and will find only his deeds.
\nHe will look to his left and will find only his deeds…” (Bukhari &
\nMuslim) All this and much more must make a person aware that his being
\nin a group is good and recommended, but still it does not exempt him
\nfrom the individual responsibility he has to account for on the Day of
\nJudgment.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nDeviation from the right path is caused by one of the two factors-
\neither doubt which has mixed with clarity and truth, or desires which
\npredominated a persons heart and hence, deviated and obstructed him
\nfrom the truth and obeying Allah, a factor clearly noticed in our days.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nthey desire as others do. The problem of lustful desires begins
\nprimarily with an evil look or idea and ends with flooded actions or an
\nerupted volcano-leading a person to perversion. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nsights something forbidden (e.g., a beautiful woman), a struggle in his
\nheart begins; the light of emaan is kindled within him calling him to
\nrepent and turn to Allah. Eventually, the pitch of this call is reduced
\nand the call of the desire rises. In this way, an immense struggle
\nwithin begins. At one stage, the call of emaan might predominate and he
\novercomes this hurdle, even if the dust of the sin might have touched
\nhim, which he immediately washes off with repentance and good deeds.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nlight of desire rises and predominates, ensnaring his heart and
\nobstructing any chances of turning to Allah. As a result, he falls
\nvictim to the sin and can not turn to Allah in repentance, which would
\nraise him from this downfall. At this moment, he would say to himself,
\n“You have already been affected by the dirt of sin, so you might as
\nwell keep on going. So many times you have tried to repent, but to no
\navail. You are weak, there remains no hope for you to repent, and your
\nway is different from that of the pious!”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nWhenever Allah commands us to do something, Satan incites us to fall
\ninto either extreme-either exaggerating the act on one hand or be
\nnegligent and careless about it on the other. Even though the latter is
\na common phenomenon with many, Satan chooses to incite one towards the
\nopposite extreme of exaggeration and immoderation. Accordingly, we have
\nbeen warned against taking such an approach as Allah says, “Say, O
\npeople of the scripture, exceed not the units in your religion.”
\n[5:77].<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nghulow (excessiveness) in religion, for indeed, what devastated those
\nbefore you was ghulow in religion.” (Nisaai) In another hadeeth he
\nsaid, “Those who go to extremes (in preaching their religion) were
\nkilled and destroyed.” (Muslim).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nit is not the end of the road. When a person takes the first step
\ntowards immoderation, he overloads himself in a manner while an easier
\npath could have been opted for.
\nOne might be capable of enduring this path for some time, but eventually
\nafter recognizing the tiresome effort he had to sacrifice, he starts
\ncontemplating a retrieve. But here, the excitement which led him in the
\nfirst place to chose the road of extreme immoderation will not be
\nsufficient to return him to the road of balance and moderation. In
\nfact, it will transfer him to the opposite extreme of negligence and
\ncarelessness. None of this overburdening approach is encouraged in
\nIslam since we should always remember that our deeds alone are not
\ngood enough for us to enter Jannah. Allah’s Messenger, sallaallahu
\nalayhe wa sallam, clarified this by saying, “Be moderate and practice
\nthe same in proportion and know that your deeds will not make you
\nenter Jannah and the most beloved deeds to Allah are those which are
\nregularly done even if they were little.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nThere is no doubt that the company of friends influences the formation
\nof our characters. For this reason, Allah’s Messenger, said, “A person
\nis influenced by his companions religion, so watch who your companions
\nare.” (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi) This influence is acquired from two
\naspects:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nand all those with whom a person is compelled to spend time.
\n2. The second type of influence is acquired within more religious
\ncompany which is likely to meet those who are less concerned. Though
\nthey pray and fast, they are less serious in carrying the message of
\nIslam, dawah, sacrifice, etc. And if a person’s faith is weak and is
\ninclined towards desire and negligence, he will find comfort in this
\ncompany.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nthat include doing things he never used to do before. He begins
\nconsidering those on the deviated path as examples in life and as a
\nresult, he starts imitating them saying, “If he can do this, why can’t
\nI?” <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nperforming actions never done before or abandoning some good deeds. He
\nabandons, for example, praying sunnah, or starts showing up late for
\ncongregation salah, starts getting used to watching and hearing
\nforbidden things- as a result, he even stops forbidding the evil. All
\nthis is no doubt a consequence of weak emaan and the influence of
\neither a bad company or a group who are less serious with Islam and
\nmore inclined towards desire.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nChange can happen sometimes in the blink of an adjusted perspective. For
\nmany Muslims living in the West, it is simply the realization that it
\nis just as hard to live in a self-styled prison of ego and desire as it
\nis to strive toward the right path. Freedom of choice and religion only
\ndevelops and grows when it is exercised. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nindividual’s deviation is a primary step towards treatment. But what is
\nthe cure?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nparticularly from the spiritual aspect. See everyday challenges as an
\nopportunity to exercise truth, patience, good deeds, courage and
\nconstancy. One is encouraged to nurture his emaan by performing
\nrighteous deeds as Allah says, “O you who believe, believe in Allah and
\nHis Messenger…” [4:136] Usually, emaan is present in the hearts of
\npeople but still, they are encouraged to nurture and increase it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nIkhlaas (sincerity) is a privileged characteristic for those who seek
\nAllah’s pleasure. Its absence displaces a person’s deeds, and it is a
\nrequirement by everyone as Allah says, “And they were commanded not,
\nbut that they should worship Allah, making their religion sincere for
\nhim and offer salahs perfectly and give zakah and that is the right
\nreligion.” [98:5]
\nIbn-Al-Qayyim, may Allah’s mercy be upon him, further clarifies the
\neffect of Ikhlaas and truthfulness on a persons perseverance on the
\npath of Islam. He said, “A person experiences difficulty in abandoning
\n(bad) habits and customs only if he does so for the sake of other than
\nAllah. As for he who abandons them truthfully and sincerely with his
\nheart, he does not experience any difficulty except in the first
\nattempt, to be tested whether he was truthful or not. So if he remains
\na little patient during that difficulty, desire would not last any
\nlonger.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nA sincere believer must be overwhelmed with the fear of dying in a state
\nthat would displease Allah. This was the condition of the righteous
\npredecessors- due to a constant fear of an evil death while in a state
\nof Islam since, if a person falls victim to a sin, a state of
\nnegligence and transgression, it overpowers his heart and mind. A state
\nin which his light is extinguished, and his vision blocked- a moment
\nwhen no reminder would benefit- here, death might surprise him. He
\nwould die in a state that would attain the wrath of Allah. Therefore,
\none must always be fearful of an evil death and hence, use every moment
\nin a manner that pleases Allah, even though uncertain whether it is
\naccepted by Allah or not. He says, “And those who give that which they
\ngive (good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether accepted or
\nnot) because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning).”
\n[23:60] <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nSupplication is a Muslim’s refuge and resort when he is encountered with
\nhardship in this world. One must always turn to Allah and seek His
\nassistance. Allah’s Messenger used to supplicate, “O rotator\/turner of
\nthe heart, make my heart steadfast on your religion.” (Tirmidhi) And
\nhe also used to say, “O Allah, increase my knowledge and do not let my
\nheart deviate (from the truth) after you have guided me and grant me
\nmercy from You. Truly, you are the bestower.” [3:8] These and many
\nother forms and occasions of supplication makes one realize his need
\nto invoke Allah for guidance searching for its causes and abstaining
\nfrom all that blocks a persons urge to obtain it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe best of deeds and the most beloved of it are those which a person
\ndoes constantly as Allah’s Messenger said, “And the most beloved of
\ndeeds to Allah are those which are regularly done even if they were
\nlittle.” (Bukhari & Muslim) Regular persistence in doing good deeds
\neventually becomes a habit and a part of ones daily life after an
\ninitial struggle to practice it. This persistence in good deeds
\n(salahs, charity, siyaam, and thikr…) will make one live in the light
\nof steadfastness and righteousness, and far away from deviation and its
\ncauses.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nWhen someone starts showing the signs of deviation, he must be
\nimmediately advised, as it is one of the rights on a fellow Muslim.
\nJabir bin Abdullah said, “I made a pledge to Allah’s Messenger to offer
\nsalah, pay zakah and advice every Muslim.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
\nCounseling one another was the trend practiced by the companions of the
\nMessenger of Allah and if any of them showed any signs of weakness,
\nthey would never hesitate in advising him. This must be our case. We
\nmust not ignore anyone at the time of his weakness in emaan, because
\nsuch ignorance is a way of assisting Satan against our brother.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nThere are many fruits obtained doing dawah. One who strives in seeking
\nguidance for people is certainly guided by Allah. The one, who calls
\npeople to do good deeds, will in turn be motivated to perform the deeds
\nhe is asking people to do. Being involved in dawah keeps one from acts
\nthat might result in deviation. There is a sweetness of emaan a person
\nfeels when he observes people turning to Allah instead of observing
\nthings forbidden by Him.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nremedies it is clear that emaan is a blessing for which we each must
\nstrive. If it is missing, it is we who misunderstand or underestimate
\nthe power of our relationship with Allah. We must acknowledge the great
\nvalue of strong emaan. It is a lifelong challenge we must accept with
\njoy. And for those who succeed, they will be the first to acknowledge
\nthat it is not due to their mental agility or consistent efforts as
\nmuch as it is a bounty from Allah, a bounty that deserves to be
\nprotected and cared for in our hearts and in our lives.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"