Be conscious of Allah

Every Muslim should learn from the lives of these elders and should cultivate the fear and consciousness of Allah in the hearts.  We should all remember that a time will come when Allah will reward the smallest good deed and may punish the smallest bad one.  Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

 

Then he who will have done even an atom’s weight of good will see it. 

 

 

 

And he who will have done even an atom’s weight of evil will (also) see it. 

 

 

 

 

 

(Surah Zilzalah: 7,8)

 

 

 

Hadhrat Imam Azam and fear of Allah

 

Shaykh Ul Islam Imam Muhammad Anwaarullah Farooqui (May Allah shower His mercy on him), the founder of Jamia Nizamia writes about the Salaat of Hadhrat Imam Azam Abu Hanifa (May Allah shower His mercy on him) and how conscious he was of Allah on the authority of Al Intisaar, Al Khairaat Ul Hassaan and Tabyeedhus Saheefa:

 

Translation: Yazid bin Laith (May Allah shower His mercy on him) said: One day the Imam recited Surah Zilzalah in Salaat Ul Isha and Imam Azam Abu Hanifa (May Allah shower His mercy on him) was also present in the congregation.  After the Salaat, I saw that anxiety was written large on his face and his entire demeanor had changed.  I went away.  When I came just before dawn, I saw that he was standing clutching his beard and saying:

 

Translation: O You who reward the smallest good deed with more than what it is worth!  O You who return the smallest bad deed as it is!  Free your slave Noman from hell and all those things that make one near to it and grant him a place in Your mercy which is expansive.

 

(Haqeeqatul Fiqh, Vol. 1 Pg. No. 280)

 

 

 

 

Blessings of having fear of Allah and good deeds

 

 

There are innumerable blessings on obeying Allah, following His Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and being steadfast on the laws of Islam with the fear of Allah in one’s hearts. 

 

 

 

Allah showers His blessings on them in this life and has promised success for them in the hereafter as well.  Let us understand this in light of the following Hadith:

 

Translation: It has been narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Ali (May Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Three people went together for some purpose and put up in a cave.  A huge rock fell on the opening of the cave and there was no chance of coming out of it.  They discussed among them:  Friends!  Think about your good deeds and supplicate Allah through them.  Surely Allah will remove this hardship.

 

One of them said: O Allah!  I had relations with a woman and I used to go to her frequently.  Out of fear for You and to please You, I left her.  If I separated myself from her only to please You, remove this hardship.  The rock moved back about 1/3^rd of the distance.  Their hopes of getting out were raised, but still they couldn’t get out.

 

The second person said:  O Allah! I had few laborers who used to work for me.  The narrates says:  I think the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  All of them took their wages and one person left his wages and he thought that his wages were more than the wages of his fellow workers.  That person continued:  I separated his wages from my wealth.  Eventually, that wealth increased and included a lot of animals as well.  That laborer came to me needy and in his old age and said:  I remind you of Allah about my wages.  I need it now.  I took him to the terrace of the house and showed him the lower plain and the blessings which Allah had granted in his wages in the form of wealth and animals.  I told him:  All this is yours.  That person said:  Don’t joke with me.  May Allah bless you!  If I had asked from something less than this, you could have refused, but instead you are ready to give me all this.  In spite of his saying it o Allah, out of fear of you and to please you, I gave him all that.  If I did that to please You, please remove this difficulty!  The rock moved back even further, but still they couldn’t get out.

 

The 3^rd person said: O my Lord!  My parents were old and weak.  They had no attendant and helper except me.  I would take care of them and spend day and night in their service.  The herding grounds were very far and I went far with my flock.  Once I returned after dusk.  Until then, both of them had slept.  I milked the animals in a vessel and took that vessel and sat beside their beds.  I did not consider it correct to awaken them unless and until they didn’t woke up on their own.  O Allah!  You know if I did this for You, then remove this difficulty.  The rock moved drew back from the opening of the cave and they came out easily.

 

 

(Majma ‘Uz Zawaid, Hadith No: 13415) 

 

 

 

 

The status of these pious slaves of Allah is such that they are making it a means of supplicating Almighty Allah and Allah grants it His acceptance also.  Now we should think that if good deeds have this high a status that it is being granted acceptance in the court of Allah, then how high will be the status of those perform those good deeds.  What will be their worth before Allah and how much will Allah reward those who attach themselves to them and make them their Wasila before Him! 

 

 

 

This is also a lesson for us that whatever we do out of fear of Allah, that deed is accepted.

 

 

 

Introspection and Fear of Allah - Need of hour

 

In today’s materialistic times, we should introspect ourselves.  Today, everyone is in the rat race of gathering money and wealth.  We don’t even think about lawful earning and we have no regard about unlawful ones.  We don’t even realize our economic and social responsibilities.

 

May God give you a storm,

There is no stir in your ocean.  (Iqbal)

 

We should cultivate fear of Allah and handle our affairs as per the Shariah.  We should try to mould our social life and manners in the mould of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

 

 

Shaykh Ul Islam and Fear of Allah

 

We receive a supreme example of piety and righteousness from the lives of Auliya (saints).  What was their manner of life with worship and prayers, how they dealt with other affairs in their life, how meticulous they were about earnings and trade and how they were conscious of Allah.  We need to know all this so that we have a straight path before us.  In this regard, we can learn from the following incident from the life of Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam, Imam Muhammad Anwaarullah Farooqui, Founder of Jamia Nizamia (May Allah shower His mercy on him):

 

After 3 years of the marriage of Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam, Founder of Jamia Nizamia (May Allah shower His mercy on him) was appointed as an accountant in the government’s revenue department.  After 1½ years a file came to him which had an interest based transaction.  Instead of writing down this transaction, he wrote his resignation and presented it.  When the superior officer asked the reason, he said:  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has cursed those who indulge in interest-based transactions, those who testify to it and those who write them down.  Thus, it is not permissible for me to work here.

 

The superior assured him that from then onwards such files will not be given to him and requested him to withdraw his resignation.  But Hadhrat Shaykh Ul Islam said that this leniency would be only under that person.  It is not necessary that the person coming after him would also show him the same courtesy.

 

We should remember the aforementioned verses of the Holy Quran, the Hadith and the anecdotes of the pious elders.  If wehave the fear of Allah in our hearts and are conscious of Him, then all of deeds will be as per the Shariah.  If we worship, we will do it wholeheartedly.  If we are in business, then we will run it as per His wish.  We will fulfill the right of the parents, other relatives, neighbors and all others.  At every step in life, we will think whether we are displeasing Allah with this.  Then, if that deed pleases Allah, we will go ahead with it.  Otherwise, we will prefer Allah’s will over that.  In this manner, we will gain the approval of Allah and His Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

May Allah imbue our hearts with His fear and guide us to introspect ourselves by following the Companions, the Ahle Bait and the pious elders.