SEEK REFUGE WITH ALLAH
Allah: the Great and Glorious name. Going back to the root of the word, we learn a special meaning. Some say that the name Allah comes from the root A-La-Ha. This means the one whom the hearts of people love, find peace in, are happy with, turn to, and accept as their God. Also, it is impossible for the heart to find peace or comfort with other than Him. For this reason, Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) taught her daughter the supplication of the one who is in distress:
“Allah, Allah, My Lord, I do not associate any partners with Him.”
(Say: ‘Allah [sent it down]’. Then leave them to play in their vain discussions.) (Qur’an 6: 91)
(And He is the Irresistible, above His slaves…) (Qur’an 6: 18)
(Allah is very Gracious and Kind to His slaves.) (Qur’an 42: 19)
(They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by His Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right Hand. Glorified be He, and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him)
(Qur’an 39: 67)
(And [remember] the Day when we shall roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books….) (Qur’an 21: 104)
(Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they should move away from their places.) (Qur’an 35: 41)
I PLACE MY COMPLETE TRUST IN HIM
Always turning to Allah, placing one’s trust in Him, and being satisfied with His care and protection — these are among the most important of factors that bring happiness to the believer.
(Do you know of any who is similar to Him? [Of course none is similar or co-equal or comparable to Him, and He has none as partner with Him].[There is nothing like Him and He is the All- Hearer; the All-Seer].) (Qur’an 19: 65)
(‘Verily my Wali [Protector Supporter; and Helper etc.] is Allah who has revealed the Book [the Qur’an], and He protects [supports and helps] the righteous.) (Qur’an 7: 196)
No doubt! Verily the Auliya of Allah [i.e. those who believe in the Oneness of Allah and fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden), and love Allah much perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve.) (Quran 10: 62)
THEY AGREE ON THREE POINTS
After steeping myself in books that deal with anxiety and mental ailments, I found that Muslim scholars agree upon three fundamentals for one who seeks a cure:
1. One should have a close relationship with Allah, by worshipping Him, being obedient to Him, and turning to Him when in hardship or in ease. And this is the paramount issue in faith:
So worship Him [Alone] and be constant and patient in His worship. Do you know of any who is similar to Him? [of course none is similar or co-equal or comparable to Him, and He has none as partner with Him]. [There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All- Hearer the All-Seer].)
(Quran 19: 65)
2. One must close the files of the past. Episodes of the past, which when recalled only induce pain, should be forgotten and eradicated from one’s memory. Thus, a new life for a new day!
3. One should leave the future alone. Whatever has yet to occur is from the world of the unseen. Therefore it should be left alone until it comes. More particularly, one should avoid being preoccupied with predictions, expectations, and apprehensions. Life should be lived within the boundaries of today.
‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
“Beware of having long-term expectations (for this world), for verily it makes one forget (his true purpose).”
(And they thought that they would never return to Us.)
(Qur’an 28: 39)
Beware of believing in superstitions and rumors:
(They think that every cry is against them) (Qur’an 63: 4)
I know people who for years now have been waiting for predictions of disaster and calamity to come true, predictions that, at least until now, have not materialized. They are putting fear into their own hearts and the hearts of others (How perfect is Allah!). Leading such a life is pathetic and deplorable. The example of these people is that of the tortured prisoner in China, whose captors place him under a tap, releasing from it a drop of water every minute. The prisoner desperately waits for each drop until he loses his mind. Allah described the people of the fire in the following verses:
(Neither it will have a complete killing effect on them so that they die, nor shall its torment be lightened for them.) (Qur’an 35: 36)
(Wherein he will neither die [to be in rest] nor live [a good living].)
(Quran 87: 13)
(As often as their skins are roasted through, we shall change them for other skins that they may taste the punishment.) (Qur’an 4: 56)
THE WRONGDOING OF THE TRANSGRESSOR
“To judgment is our destination on the Day of Gathering, And in front of Allah will be gathered all adversaries.”
Sufficient justice and retribution for the believer is that he waits for the day wherein Allah will gather the first and the last (of creation). The judge on that day will be Allah and the witnesses will be the angels:
(And we shall set up balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, we will bring it. And Sufficient are we as Reckoners)
(Quran 21: 47)
KHOSRAU AND THE OLD LADY
Buzrjamhar, the wise man of Persia, related the story of Khosrau the king and the old lady. The latter possessed a chicken and a small hut, which was situated on a small plot of land that neighbored the palace of Khosrau. One day, she had to travel to another village, and before departing she prayed, “O’ my Lord, I entrust my chicken to You. ” During her absence, Khosrau usurped her property in order to expand the gardens of his palace. His army slaughtered the chicken and destroyed the cottage. When she returned and discovered the deplorable act, she turned her gaze to the sky and said, “O’ my Lord, I was absent and where were You?” Then Allah granted revenge for her. It came to pass that the son of Khosrau attacked his father with a knife and killed him.
(Is not Allah Sufficient for His slave? Yet they try to frighten you with those [whom they worship] besides Him! And whom Allah sends astray, for him there will be no guide) (Qur’an 39: 36)
Would that we were all like the worthier of Adam’s sons, who said to the other:
(If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never stretch my hand against you to kill you…) (Quran 5: 28)
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him`) said:
“Be the slave of Allah, the murdered, and not the slave of Allah, the murderer.”
The Muslim has a mission and a message that are more important than revenge, malice, and hate.
A HANDICAP IN ONE AREA CAN BE COMPENSATED FOR BY EXCELLENCE IN ANOTHER
(Consider it not a bad thing for you. Nay it is good for you.)
(Qur’an 24: I1)
Most people who are remembered today for their greatness had to overcome many obstacles on their path: their perseverance was akin to obstinacy. They felt a weakness in one faculty or area that required compensation in another. Many great scholars of Islam were actually freed slaves, such as ‘Ataa, Sa’eed ibn Jubayr, Qatada, Bukhari, Tirmidhi and Abu Hanifah.
Many Islamic scholars, who in the vastness of their knowledge were like oceans, were afflicted with blindness e Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him), Qatada, Ibn Umm Maktoom (may Allah be pleased with him), Al-A’amash and Yazeed ibn Haroon, to mention only a few.
Among contemporary scholars, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraheem Aal-Shaykh, Shaykh ‘Abdullah ibn Humayd, and Shaykh Ibn Baaz are all blind.
Many great scholars were handicapped in one way or another. Some were blind, others were deaf, and yet others were bereft of a limb, and so on. Yet despite these handicaps, they influenced generations to come after them, and they were able to contribute to mankind.
(…He will give you a light by which you shall walk (straight)…)
(Qur’an 57: 28)
A diploma from a prestigious University is not everything. Do not be down or despondent because you weren’t able to earn a University degree. Even without a diploma in your hand, you can still shine and contribute greatly to mankind. There are many famous and eminent people who do not have degrees. They made their way in life and overcame insurmountable obstacles with an iron will and a strong determination. Speaking of present day Islamic scholars, there are many prominent ones without degrees. Shaykh Ibn Baaz, Malik ibn Nabi, Al-‘Aqqad, At-antawi, Abi-Zahrah, Al-Mawdoodi, An- Nadawi all come to mind as examples, yet there are many more.
On the other hand, there are thousands of holders of Ph.D. degrees in the Islamic world who remain obscure and who have had no impact on society.
(Can you (O’ Muhammad) find a single one of them or hear even a whisper of them?) (Qur’an 19: 98)
You have a great treasure with you if you are of the type who is contented with any situation. The Prophet (bpuh) said in an authentic hadith:
“Be contented with what Allah has apportioned for you and you will be the richest of people.”
Be contented with your family, your income, your car, and your job. If you are contented with all of these, then you will have found happiness and peace. And in another authentic hadith, the Prophet (bpuh) said:
“Richness is the richness of the soul.”
He (bpuh) also said:
“O’ Allah, make his wealth be in his heart.”
A man related that he once entered a taxi at the airport and ordered the driver to take him to the city. He said, “l noticed that the driver was happy and good-humored. He would constantly praise Allah, thank Him, and remember Him. I asked him about his family and he said that he was the breadwinner for two families. Meanwhile, his monthly salary was a paltry sum of 800 riyals, and he and his family had to live in a run-down building. Yet, his mind was at peace because he was thankful for what Allah had allotted for him.”
The narrator then went on to say, “I felt amazed when I compared this man to others who lead a life of affluence — with money, luxury cars, and large mansions. In spite of such opulence, they live such miserable lives, and upon reflection, I realized that happiness is not in wealth.”
I knew a tycoon who had hundreds of millions and a number of mansions. He was miserable in his relationships, always seething with anger and always brooding in a state of depression. He died estranged from his family, and he went through all of this misery because he was not satisfied with what Allah gave him.
(After all that he desires— that I should give more; Nay! Verily he has been stubborn and opposing Our Aayaat [proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) (Qur’an 74: 15-16)
Centuries ago in Arabia, one would find peace by isolating himself in the desert. In the desert and far away from human activity, a poet said:
“The whine of the fox, I’ve developed a liking for it, Then I heard the voice of a man and I almost flew away (from contempt for it).”
Suiyan ath-Thawri said:
“I long to be in an obscure valley without anyone knowing me.”
The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said in a hadith:
“The time is near when the best wealth of a Muslim will be sheep, with which he follows the places of rain and the paths of mountains; he will be fleeing with his religion from trials.”
In times of tribulation (i.e. the struggles of Muslims among themselves), the safest option for a Muslim is to run away from them. When ‘Uthmaan was wrongfully murdered, Ibn ‘Umar, Usaamah ibn Zayd, and Muhammad ibn Muslimah all stayed away from ensuing trials, may Allah be pleased with them all.
I know people who have been afflicted with poverty, misery, and depression. In the case of every one of them, the` cause of their downfall was that they were far away from Allah. You will find that one of them was rich, comfortable, and in a state of good health from his Lord. But then he turned away from the obedience of Allah. He was negligent in performing his prayers and he began to commit major sins. So Allah, The Almighty took away his health and wealth and replaced them with the hardship of poverty, worry, and anxiety. He went from misery to misery, from low-point to a point that was even lower.
(But whosoever turns away from My Reminder [i.e. neither believes in this Qur’an nor acts on its orders, etc.] verily for him is a life of hardship.)
(Qur’an 20: 124)
(That is so because Allah will never change a grace which He has bestowed on a people until they change what is in their own selves)
(Qur’an 8: 53)
(And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.) (Qur’an 42: 30)
(if they [non-Muslims] had believed in Allah, and went on the Right Way [i.e. Islam] We should surely have bestowed on them water [rain] in abundance.) (Qur’an 72: I6)
If I were able to perform a miracle, I would remove off you your troubles and grief; however, being bereft of the ability thereof, I will suffice by prescribing for you a medical prescription that is given by the scholars of Islam. It is to worship the Creator (without associating any partner with Him in worship), to be contented with your provision, to be abstemious, and to decrease the level of your expectations for this life.
The famous American psychologist, William James, spoke these words that caught my attention:
“We, humankind, brood over what we don’t own and we don’t thank God for what we do own. We always dwell on the tragic and dark side of our lives, and we don’t look at the brighter side of our existence. We rue over what is missing in our lives and we are not happy with what is there.”
(If you give thanks [by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allah], I will give you more [of My Blessings]…) (Qur’an 14: 7)
The Messenger of Allah (bpuh) supplicated:
“And I seek refuge in Allah from a soul that is insatiable. “
When one’s main concern becomes the Hereafter, Allah will make things well for him, and will make richness to dwell in his heart. And the world will come to him despite its unwillingness. And when one’s main concern becomes this world, Allah will scatter his affairs and will place poverty between his eyes; also, the world will not come to him, except what was written for him.
(If you were to ask them: Who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?’ They will surely reply; Allah’. How then are they deviating [as polytheists and disbelievers]?) (Qur’an 29:61)
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE FOOLISH
In the magazine Ar-Risaalah I found an interesting article on Communism, written by Zayyaat. The Russians sent a spacecraft to outer space and after it returned, one of their astronauts was quoted in Pravda as saying,
“We ascended to the sky and we found no god there, no paradise, no hell, and no angels.”
In response, Zayyaat wrote,
“Truly amazing you are, O’ red fools. Do you think that you will see Allah on His throne in the open? Do you have the temerity to think that you will see the maidens of Paradise walking around in silk? Or that you will hear the flowing of Al- Kawthar (a river in Paradise)? Or that you will smell the stench of those being punished in the Fire? lf you truly thought this, then your loss and failure is open for all to see. All that l can think of to explain your misguidance, wandering, and foolishness is the communism and atheism in your heads. Communism is a day without a tomorrow, a ground without a sky, work without an end, and a constant toiling without results…”
(Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; —-nay, they are even farther astray from the Path [i.e. even worse than cattle].) (Quran 25: 44)
(They have hearts wherewith they understand not, they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not [the truth].) (Qur’an 7: 179)
(And whomsoever Allah disgraces, none can honor him.)
(Qur’an 22: 18)
(Their deeds are like a mirage in a desert.) (Quran 24: 39)
(…..their works are as ashes, on which the wind blows furiously on a stormy day…) (Quran 14: 18)
ln A Religion of Defects, Al-‘Aqqaad inveighed against communism and its false premise of atheism:
“The soul that is intrinsically sound accepts this true Religion of lslam. As for those whose minds are crippled, or who have base and shortsighted ideas, it is plausible for them to be atheists.”
(Their hearts are sealed up [nom all kinds of goodness and right guidance], so they understand not.) (Quran 9: 87)
Atheism is a deathblow to one’s thinking. It is an idea that is as farfetched as any imaginary world that a child is able to conjure up and it is an error unsurpassed in the annals of errors. That is why Allah, the Exalted, says:
(What! Can there be a doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth?) (Qur’an 14: 10)
lbn Taymiyah said,
“The Creator’s existence has not been openly denied by anyone except Fir’aun, and even he recognized Him on the inside. That is why Prophet Moosa (Moses) said:
Moses said: ‘Verily you know that these signs have been sent down by none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth as clear [evidences i.e. proofs of Allah s Oneness and His Omnipotence, etc.] And I think you are, indeed,
O’ Firaun [Pharaoh] doomed to destruction [away from all good]! ‘)
(Qur’an 17: 102)
Fir’aun proclaimed the following at the very end (when it was too late), revealing what was in his heart:
(He said: ‘l believe that none has the right to be worshipped but He, in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am one of the Muslims (those who submit to Allah’s will).) (Quran 10: 90)
FAITH IN ALLAH IS THE WAY TO SALVATION
(And my affair (leave it to Allah). (Qur’an 40: 44)
(No calamity befalls, but with the Leave [i.e. decision and Divine Pre-ordainments] of Allah, and whosoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart [to the true faith with certainty]…) (Quran 64: 11)
Allah guides the heart of one who recognizes that a calamity is by pre-ordainment and decree.
(He releases them from their heavy burdens [of Allah’s Covenant], and from the fetters [bindings] that were upon them) (Qur’an 7: 157)
Some eminent western writers — such as Kersey Meerson, Alexis Carlyle and Dale Camegie —- readily admit that the savoir of the material-minded. declining West is a belief in Allah. They propound the view that the reason behind the increasingly alarming phenomenon of suicide in the west is atheism and a lack of faith in Allah, Lord of all that exists.
(Those who wander astray from the Path of Allah (shall) have a severe torment, because they forgot the Day of Reckoning.) (Quran 38: 26)
(And whoever assigns partners to Allah, it is as if he had fallen prom the sky and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far of place.) (Qur’an 22: 31)
In a 1994 edition of Ash-Sharq al-Awsat, an interview with President George Bush’s wife was printed. In it she admits to having made more than one attempt at suicide. One attempt was made by the method of choking herself and another was to drive a car over a cliff.
Quzmaan was at the battle of Uhud, fighting on the side of the Muslims. He fought intrepidly and fiercely. The people exclaimed,
“For him is the bliss of Paradise.” The Prophet (bpuh) said,
“Verily, He is from the dwellers of the fire!”
—- Why? Because when his wounds were serious, instead of being patient, he took his own life with his sword.
(Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds!) (Qur’an 18: 104)
(‘But whosoever turns away from my Reminder [i.e. neither believes in this Qur’an nor acts on its orders, etc.] verily; for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.)
(Qur’an 20: 124)
A Muslim does not take the path of suicide, no matter how severe the hardship. Two units of prayer that are performed with humility and presence of mind after making ablution will guarantee the banishment of anxiety and worry from your life.
(So bear patiently what they say, and glorify the praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before its setting, and during some of the hours of the night, and at the sides of the day [an indication for the five compulsory congregational prayers], that you may become pleased with the reward which Allah shall give you.) (Qur’an 20: 130)
In the Qur’an there is a cogent and powerful question for the misguided ones:
(What is the matter with them, that they believe not?) (Qur’an 84: 20)
What is it that makes them swerve away from belief, while the proofs and signs are clear?
(We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this [the Qur’an] is the truth (Qur’an 41: 53)
(And whosoever submits his face [himself] to Allah, while he is a good-doer, then he has grasped the mo.st trustworthy hand-hold [none has the right to be worshipped except Allah].) (Quran 31: 22)
EVEN THE DISBELIEVERS ARE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS
In George Bush’s memoirs, Moving Ahead. he mentioned that he had attended the funeral of Brezhnev, the President of the Soviet Union. Bush said, “I found the funeral to be dark and morbid; it was devoid of faith and spirit.” He said this because he is Christian and they are atheists.
(And you will find the nearest in love to the believers [Muslims] those who say: ‘We are Christians.) (Qur’an 5: 82)
Observe that although he is misguided, he was able to discern their falsehood. Thus, the matter becomes relative. How matters would have been different had he known Islam, the true religion of Allah!
(And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.) (Quran 3: 85)
This incident brought to my mind a saying of Ibn Taymiyah. He was speaking to a member of a deviant Sufi sect. The man said to Ibn Taymiyah, “Why is it that when we come to you (the people of the Sunnah), our miracles lose their effect and become useless? But, when we go to the Mongolian disbelieving Tartars, our miracles work?”
Ibn Taymiyah said,
“Do you know what the example of you, the Tartars, and us is? As for us, we are white horses. You are spotted horses, and the Tartars are black ones. When the spotted one enters upon a throng of black, he appears to be white. And when he enters upon a crowd of white, he appears to be black. Now, you have some remnants of light, and when you mix with the people of disbelief, that light becomes visible. But when you come to us, the people of the Sunnah who have the greater light, your blackness and darkness is all that is left for you. And this is the example of you, the Tartars, and us.”
(And for those whose faces will become white, they will be in Allah is Mercy [Paradise], therein they shall dwell forever) (Qur’an 3: 107)
AN IRON WILL
A student from a Muslim country went to London to study. He boarded with a British family in order to enhance his language skills. He was true to his religious principles and would wake up for the Morning Prayer early. He would make his ablution, go to his place of prayer, prostrate to his Lord, glorify Him, and praise Him. An old lady in the house was always keen to observe his foreign habits. She asked him after a few days, “What are you doing?” “My religion orders me to do this,” was his reply. “Couldn’t you delay saying this prayer until after you get your complete rest?” He answered, “But my Lord does not accept from me my prayer if I delay it until after its fixed time period.” She shook her head and exclaimed, “A will that shatters steel!”
Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts them from the Remembrance of Allah [with heart and tongue], nor from performing As-Salaat [the prayers]. (Qur’an 24: 37)
Such action springs from the determination of faith, which was inspired to the sorcerers of Fir’aun. They were inspired to believe in Allah, the Lord of all that exists, at the moment when Prophet Moosa and Fir’aun faced off against one another. They said to Fir’aun:
(We prefer you not over the clear signs that have come to us, and to Him [Allah] who created us. So decree whatever you desire to decree.)
(Qur’an 20: 72)
It was a challenge to Fir’aun that was unheard of up until that moment. Their mission suddenly became to convey the true and powerful message of Islam to the haughty atheist.
Habeeb ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) went to Musaylamah in order to call him to Islam. ln response, Musaylamah began to chop off limb after limb from Habeeb’s body. During this process that was drawn out in order to make Habeeb suffer, he did not cry, scream, or shake — until the very end, when he met his Lord as a martyr.
(And the martyrs with their Lord, they shall have their reward and their light.) (Qur’an 5 7: 19)
Source: Islam Basics By Aaidh ibn Abdullah Al-Qarnee
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