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The Three Pillars of Gratitude- By Imaam As-Sadi [rahmahullaah]

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Allaah (The Most High) said:

لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ

وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ

In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the Favour of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: ”Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts).  And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!” (43:13-14)

Mentioned (in the above ayah) are the three pillars of gratitude, and they are:

  1. To acknowledge Allaah’s blessings
  2. To Proclaim Allaah’s Blessings, speak about them and Praise Allah for it.
  3. To Submit to Allah and utilise these blessings to carry out acts of worship for the sake of Allaah (alone).

That is because the intent behind the statement of Allah: [وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ   – And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return] is an acknowledgement of recompense and to prepared for it. The objective behind these favours is that they are an aid by way of which the slave (seeks) to fulfil that which Allah has commanded him (i.e. acts of worship and obedience etc)

And regarding Allaah’s saying: [ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ – And then may remember the favour of your Lord when you mount thereon]; this is a specific mention of the (favour) in that instance (i.e. at the time in which the person enjoys those favours) because blessings intoxicates many amongst the creation, makes them heedless, evil and ungrateful. Therefore, this state in which Allah commanded (a person to remember Allah for His Favours) is a medication for this destructive ailment.

When the slave recalls that he is completely surrounded by the blessings of Allah and that nothing is from him (or herself), but rather blessings are (from Allah) -its means are facilitated and its obtainment made easy (by Allaah)- he (she) submits to Allah, humbles him (or herself), thanks and Praises Allaah. And by way of this he (or she) is given continuous blessings.


[Source: Fataawa Sadiyyah page: 61.. abridged and slightly paraphrased]

 

Our Salaf- Shubah’s [rahimahullaah] Mercy Towards The Poor, Needy and Destitute

Abu Daawood At-Tayaalisee [rahimahullaah] said, ”Once we were with Shu’bah, so Sulaymaan Ibnul Mugheerah [rahimahullaah] came along whilst weeping. Shu’bah [rahimahullaah] said to him, ‘What makes you weep O father of Sa’eed?!’ He said, ‘My donkey died; I missed the Jumu’ah prayer and my needs.’ He (Shu’bah) said, ‘How much did you buy it for?’ He said, ‘Three Dinaars.’ He (Shu’bah) said, ‘I have three Deenaars; by Allaah I do not have other than it. O boy! Bring that scrap of cloth” and in it was three deenaars, so he gave it to him (i.e. Sulaymaan) and said, ‘Buy a donkey and do not weep.’ ”

Certificates of Graduation and Sincere Intention Or Desire For Worldly Status?!

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) said that some of the people say that sincere intention in this present era of ours is difficult (to achieve) or it may be impossible (to achieve) because those who seek knowledge do so with the aim of receiving a certificate.

The Shaikh replied to this statement saying that one’s intention is regarded to be corrupt if knowledge is sought in order to receive a certificate or a desire for an elevated worldly status by way of it. But a person’s intention is regarded to be good and not in opposition to sincerity if he wants an elevated status in order to benefit the people, for he knows that at present it is impossible for a person to achieve a high and beneficial position for the Ummah unless he has a certificate. And because of this, even if you were to find a scholar who is good in various affairs of knowledge but he has no certificate, it will not be possible for him to teach even in high school and this is the reality. And you will find that the one lesser in knowledge than this scholar will be accepted (as a teacher) at a university as long as he has a certificate.  So in accordance with a person’s (sincere) intention and choices the certificate is not considered harmful and its obtainment enters into the statement of the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam):

وما جاءك من هذا المال وأنت غير مشرف ولا سائل فخذه، وما لا فلا تتبعه نفسك

And what comes to you from this wealth without asking for it or having greed for it, take it; and if not given, do not run for it.” [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Number 1473. Vol 2. Book of Zakat]


See Sharh Hilya Taalib Al-Ilm’ page:22

O Allaah! Protect Us From Being Deceived By This Short Lived Worldly Life..Aameen

And put forward to them the example of the life of this world, it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is Able to do everything. Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world. But the good righteous deeds (five compulsory prayers, deeds of Allah’s obedience, good and nice talk, remembrance of Allah with glorification, praises and thanks, etc.), that last, are better with your Lord for rewards and better in respect of hope.

Preserve Your Salaah, Tongue and Heart!

A man came to the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) and said: ”Admonish me and be brief’”; so the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said to him:

إِذَا قُمْتَ فِي صَلَاتِكَ فَصَلِّ صَلَاةَ مُوَدِّعٍ

”When you stand for your prayer, then pray a farewell prayer (i.e. as if it is your last Salah before death).”

وَلَا تَكَلَّمْ بِكَلَامٍ تَعْتَذِرُ مِنْهُ غَدًا

”Do not speak with a statement for which you may have to apologize tomorrow.”

وَأَجْمِعِ اليَأسَ مِمَّا فِي يَدَيِ النَّاسِ

  ”And forgo what is in the hands of the people (i.e. do not be desperate for the worldly possessions of the people9).”


Reported by:

[Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullaah) Number: 23498)]

[Imaam Ibn Maajah (rahimahulllaah) Number: 4171]

[Imaam Albaani (rahimahullaah) in As-Saheehah. Number:401]

Amazing Indeed is The Affair of That One Who Faces Different Obstacles, Yet His [or Her] is Attached to Ibaadah and Obedience!

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said:

It is not amazing when one who is healthy and unoccupied adheres to worship of Allaah and obedience to Him; rather what is amazing is the affair of that one who is weak, sick, hindered by affairs that pre-occupies him [or her] and faced with different circumstances, yet his [or her] heart is attached to the worship of Allaah and obedience to Him, and not in opposition to what he [or she] is able to do.


[Al-Fawaa-id: page: 246]

The Nearest Means of Getting Close to Allaah – By Imaam Ibnul Qayyim

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said:

The nearest means of approach to Allaah are: [1] holding onto the Sunnah and strictly remaining upon it outwardly and inwardly; [2] being constantly in need of Allaah; [3] and seeking only His face through speech and actions. No one reaches Allaah except through these three affairs and no one is cut off from Him except due to being cut off from them or one of them. [Al-Fawaa-id: page: 167]

It is impermissible to praise ahlul bidah even if they have some truth with them- [By Shaikh Fawzaan]

Shaikh Saaleh Al-Fawzaan [may Allaah preserve him] said:

It is not permissible to exalt and praise the innovators even if they have some truth with them. That is because raising and praising them will spread their bidah and place them amongst the sincere ones-those who are taken as examples amongst distinguished men of this Ummah. The Salaf warned against having trust for the innovators, (warned against) praising them and their gatherings. In this regard, Asad Ibn Musa (rahimahullaah) wrote: ”Beware of being a brother of the innovator (by association) or a companion of his, or one whom you sit with; for indeed it has been narrated that ‘Whoever sits with a person of innovation has left the protection of Allaah and is entrusted to himself’.

The innovators must be warned against and kept away from even if they have some truth with them. Indeed, the most astray are not devoid of some truth, but as long as they have with them innovation, opposition and sinful views, it is not permissible to praise and exalt them. It is impermissible to not have an objection against their innovation because this spreads bidah, belittles the Sunnah and by way of this the innovator will emerge and become a guide for the Ummah.

As for giving consideration (to the fact) that the innovation has some truth, this does not justify praising him. This is -to a far greater extent- against what is of overriding benefit and it is known in relation to a principle in the religion that averting harm takes precedence over seeking that which is of benefit. And with regards to having hatred for the innovator, the harm that is averted from the Ummah is weightier than the benefit possessed by the innovator. And had we adhered to this concept (i.e. praising the innovator because he has some truth with him), then no one would have been judged to be misguided and declared an innovator. That is because there is not an innovator except that he has some truth and adherence to the Sunnah. The innovator (may) neither be a disbeliever nor be in opposition to all the Islamic legislation; rather he is either an innovator in some or most of the affairs. However, if the innovation is particularly related to affairs of Creed and Methodology, then the affair is dangerous indeed because it will become an example (to be followed); innovation will spread and the innovators will become active in spreading their innovation.

So, this person who praises the innovators and makes their affair obscure to the people -due to some truth they (i.e. innovators) have – is one of two (people): He is either one ignorant of the methodology of the pious predecessors and their stance against the innovators, and it is neither permissible for this ignorant one to speak nor is it permissible for the Muslims to listen to him; or he is one who has an objection to the truth because he knows the danger of innovation and the innovators, but he wishes to spread innovations. Nevertheless, this is a dangerous affair and it is not permissible to be lackadaisical with regards to innovation and its people, whatever that may be.


[Source: At-Tabdee Wat-Tafseeq Wat Takfeer. Page: 72-76. Abridged and slightly paraphrased]