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- Ways of Access and Signs of Acceptance
The acts of worship are related to people’s interests:
Dear brother, we still discuss the subject that strongly associates with ‘ways of access and signs of acceptance’, which is the reverence.
Last meeting, I have clarified that there are acts of worship, as ‘Imam Shafi’i’ said about them: “Related to the interests of people”, and there are rituals from the traits of earthly positive religions. The rituals are movements, quietness, gestures, and meaningless mumbles; while the acts of worships are related to the interests of people.
"Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it,"
"O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun "
As regard Hajj:
" That you may know that Allah has knowledge"
So, the acts of worship are related to the interests of people.
Comprehending the wisdoms of worship and devotion in Salat:
Hence, when Allah the Almighty, says:
"Hold firmly to what We have given you [i.e. the Taurat (Torah)], and remember that which is therein (act on its commandments),"
Remember the wisdoms which are therein, the wisdom of worship is that it helps you to be devout during the prayer, for example, Allah, The Greatest, says:
" Reauthor, O Muhammad, what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Qur'an), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat). Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha' (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.) and the remembering (praising, etc.) of (you by) Allah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed [than your remembering (praising, etc.) Allah in prayers, etc.]. And Allah knows what you do."
The remembering of Allah is the greatest thing in salat, yet, the remembering of you by Allah is greater than your remembering Him in it, because if He has remembered you, He would grant you wisdom, satisfaction, tranquility, safety, happiness, success, support, and victory; so, no one knows the rewards of the salat but Allah.
"Nay! O Muhammad (Peace be upon him )! Do not obey him (Abu Jahl). Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!"
Draw near to Allah, so, the salat is approaching ( it brings you close to Allah).
"And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) for My Remembrance."
salat is remembering.
((The man is only rewarded for what he has recognized from his prayer.))
So, salat is a recognition.
" Approach not As-Salat (the prayer) when you are in a drunken state until you know (the meaning) of what you utter,"
Salat is approaching, remembering, recognition, and purification; as the Prophet, PBUH, said:
((salat is not accepted without performing Wudu( ablution), and alms is not accepted if it has been taken from an unlawful money.))
Salat purifies man from his filth, and from his deviated desires; it casts light in your heart by which you distinguish between right and wrong, and salat is delight and happiness.
((O Bilal, let’s feel comfort by it –it means the prayer-.))
You have to be familiar with the infinite wisdoms of the acts of worships, because these wisdoms may help you to be devout in the prayer.
The awareness of wisdoms helps to be devout to Allah:
Dear brother, the prophet, PBUH, said:
((“If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day would you notice any dirt on him?” They said, “Not a trace of dirt would be left.” The prophet added, “That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out (annuls)evil deeds.”))
So, the acts of worship are related to the interests of people. Hence, the awareness of wisdoms of worship helps you to be devout, yet, Imam Al-Ghazali, mercy of Allah be upon him, clarified in his book “The reviving of religion sciences” the wisdoms and secrets of each worship. The believer does not believe that in Hajj, Allah commands the believer to leave his home, his family, his wealth, and his work, and to come from distant lands in order to be in one place for moments in “Arafat” and it’s over, no.
The jurists are interested in the apparent meaning of worships, but the scholars who are interested in the essence of worship clarify its secrets and wisdoms; they say that the day of Arafah is the day of the greatest meeting with Allah, the day of Arafah is the day of the knowledge of Allah, and the day of Arafah is the day of approaching (of getting closer to Allah).
((If man has attended Arafat and he thought that Allah has not forgiven him, his Hajj would never be accepted.))
It means that when the acts of worship are emptied of their content, of their secrets, and of their wisdoms, and when they are emptied of the high goals that Allah has wanted from them, these acts of worships become just movements, quietness, mumbles, and words; at that time, because of the disgraceful ignorance, the worships approach from rituals.
The acts of worship are very great deeds, because Islam is divided into two main parts; the first part includes aqida ‘creeds’, and the other part includes the acts of worship, deals, and politesses, but the jurists are right, as they have discussed the matter outwardly, for example, they consider salat as words and deeds initiated with takbeer (saying, Allah is The Greatest), and concluded with tasleem (saying, al-salam a’alaikoum); but Allahthe Almighty, says:
" And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) for My Remembrance."
"Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah! "
Signs of reverence:
Brother, one of the signs of reverence is:
"The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts "
There is disorder, shudder, a state of being influenced, crying, and feeling close to Allah the Almighty.
"The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur'an) are reauthord unto them, they (i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone)"
It’s another one of reverence signs, the eye is tearing, the face is shining, there is heart reverence, skin shudder, nerves disturbance, and man weeps the cry of approaching Allah, the cry of love, and the cry of reverence. I think that the bitter truth is a thousand times better than the tranquilizing illusion, as if man has performed the prayer, has reauthord the Quran, and he has remembered Allah, but he did not feel any of reverence signs, at that time, he would have a big problem; and some people said, “ He has no heart at all.”
It means that man has a precise measure, as when you neglect the Sunnah practices, when you neglect a deed, when you exceed the limits, and when you do something you know that Allah has forbidden it, immediately, you feel a veil between you and Him. The real triumph is to be wise; and to know that the righteousness which Allah wanted is to destroy this veil between you and Him.
Reverence is going down with humbling before Allah:
Now, we have a concrete meaning for reverence.
The meaning of reverence is to go down, and the evidence is the ayah in which Allah, The Greatest says:
" Has there come to you the narration of the overwhelming (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) * Some faces, that Day, will be humiliated (in the Hell-fire, i.e. the faces of all disbelievers, Jews and Christians, etc.)* "
The reverence is to go down, it has been said, “To make the head lower with the humbling before Allah the Almighty.” Some scholars said: “The more you humble before Allah, the more your honor increases, and the lower you make your head, the more Allah raises your value.” So, it’s an inverse relation, the more you roll your face in the doorsteps of Allah, the more He raises your station.
The noble prophet, PBUH, saw a man making unnecessary excessive movements during his prayer, as you see nowadays in some countries, someone who fits his clothes, or he may count his money during his salat, so, the prophet said to that man:
((If his heart has shown reverence, his organs would show reverence.))
If he has shown reverence from the depth of his heart, his organs would remain motionless, yet, the increasing movement weakens the reverence during the prayer; as we said in a previous meeting: The reverence is imposed in prayer, not just a virtue. Consider the noble ayah below:
" And among His Signs (in this), that you see the earth barren,"
It means low.
" but when We send down water (rain) to it, it is stirred to life and growth (of vegetations). Verily, He Who gives it life, surely, (He) is Able to give life to the dead (on the Day of Resurrection). "
So, some of the meanings of reverence in the previous ayah are the dropping, the servility, and the submitting to Allah theAlmighty.
The subsidence of the fire of desire in the heart:
Dear brother, some scholars said: “The reverence is to be submissive and subservient in the presence of our Lord, Almighty.” And some scholars said: “The reverence is the submitting to the Truth as long as you have been subjected to the Rule of Allah.”
"It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. "
The injunctions mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet are not subjected to discussing and studying, not a matter of debate, not a matter of consideration, and not a matter of acceptance or rejection, "It is not for a believer", (It is not) is one of the most intense negation forms, the negation of affair:
" It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision."
Therefore, some scholars said: “Among the signs of reverence, the subsidence of the fire of desire, and the shining of the light of Allah in the heart. There is a fire, and there is a light, if you have approached to Allah, He would cast a light in your heart, and if you have submitted to your desire, the desire would be a raging fire; desires are symbolized by the fire, while the approaching from Allah is symbolized by the lights, and you are between fire and light, and the closer you were to the reverence, the more the light would shine, and the desire would go out.
Therefore, Imam Al-Shafi’i said:
I have complained to Wakee’ about the illness of my memorization
So, he guided me to leave the sins
He told me that knowledge is a light
And the light of Allah does not be given to a sinner
***
When you get closer to Allah, He casts a light in your heart:
Unless you feel that you are close to Allah, unless you feel a state of happiness that is difficult to describe, and unless you feel tranquility which Allah has mentioned in the noble Quran, hence, there is a problem in the acts of worship, as reverence is the mystery of worship, reverence means that you worship Allah as He has wanted, not as you have imagined, so.
" O you who believe "
p> Look at the strong evidence that when we connect with Allah the Almighty, He will cast a light in your heart:
"O you who believe! Fear Allah, and believe too in His Messenger Muhammad,PBUH), He will give you a double portion of His Mercy, "
It means that Allah will give you mercy in the worldly life, and mercy in the afterlife " Portion"
" But for him who fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two Gardens (i.e. in Paradise)."
" He will give you a double portion of His Mercy, and He will give you a light by which you shall walk (straight), and He will forgive you. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
That light makes you see the right as it is, and the wrong as it is.
Good deeds result in safety and happiness:
Dear brother, there is no deed, without exception, that man makes, but a vision is behind it, if this vision was right, the deed would be right, and if it was corrupted, the deed would be spoiled. What did the thief see before he has stolen? He saw that theft is the shortest way to earn money without effort; but he missed that he would be arrested, and he would go to jail; he missed that theft is followed by killing, and the killer is executed, he missed the results of this sin, and had a wrong vision, he had a demonic vision, that theft is the shortest way to earn money; therefore, all those who paid the price for their mistakes were in a situation of blindness (to the truth).
" Verily, it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts which are in the breasts that grow blind."
If the act of a person was right, he would be safe and happy in the worldly life, and so in the afterlife. The Prophet ‘Yusuf’ was a young man, he was a stranger, far from his family, and he was not married, his lady, who was a beautiful woman with a senior post, called him for adultery, and it was not of her interest to spread the news. What did the Prophet Yusuf see in adultery so that he said:
" I seek refuge in Allah "
Any other young man who is unaware of Allah thinks that this meeting is a huge benefit.So it’s just a vision affair, either your vision is right, so your deed would be right, and you will be safe and happy, or it is corrupted because you are far from Allah, then the deed will be spoiled, and you will be miserable and perishable. This is the brief summary, as there is a vision, and this right vision is because of a light that Allah has cast in your heart.
Therefore, it’s hard to imagine the results of the connection with Allah (of getting closer to Allah), as when you have connected with Him, He cast a light in your heart.
Sometimes, a huge campaign for corruption struggling is made, those whose vision has worsened and thus their work has worsened, are caught and placed in prison, if their vision had been right, they would not have done that.
Humbling yourself before Allah raises your value:
Who is the real believer? He is the one who has a right vision. If a person has imagined that the change in goods qualities will make them sold, he would be blind, if a man has thought that the false oath makes the trade widespread, he would be blind, and if a man has thought that cheating Muslims achieves large profits, he would be blind; it’s not possible that Allah leaves you without disciplining; so, it is certainly impossible to obey Allah and then you lose, and it is certainly impossible to disobey Him and then you win.
Therefore, either the vision of man worsens, so he disobeys Allah, or the vision of him becomes right, so he fears Allah. Imam Al-Junaid said:
“Reverence is heart humbling before Who knows the unseen.” Allah has granted man a sense of honor, but when person deals with Allah, he should be humble and he should rub his face in the doorsteps of Him, he should converse Him confidently saying: “O my Lord, I am in a lack for Your wealthy, I am ignorant, and I am neglecting.” You should accustom yourself to converse your Lord in humility. What did the prophet Yunus say when he was inside the whale? He said:
" La ilaha illa Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)], Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]. Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers. * So We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allah, abstain from evil and work righteousness). "
Even if you enjoy a high affair, a high position, and if you own very large capabilities, you should habituate yourself to be humble before Allah when you are alone with Him.‘Nour Al-Deen Al-Shaheed’, the hero who expelled the Tatars, had prostrated himself to Allah just before the battle began and said: “O My Lord, who is Nour Al-Deen, the dog, so that You grant victory to him? But, My Lord, grant victory to Your religion.”
As much as you could be humble before Allah between you and Him, He would raise your affair, raise your value, throw the light in your heart, and you would be successful.
Submissiveness is placed in the heart, not in the organs:
If Allah the Almighty has said:
"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things) "
What is reverence? In the previous ayah, reverence means the submissiveness to Allah, while reverence during the prayer is another thing; so, the reverence for Allah’s orders means to submit to them,
" Tell the believing men to lower their gaze"
A person must not say: I cannot, because if Allah had known that you cannot obey this command, He would never have ordered you to do it.All scholars have agreed that submissiveness is placed in the heart, not in the organs, so, raise your head, brother, don’t lower yourself, and don’t pretend that you’re poor, these are not believer’s characteristics, your reverence is placed in your heart, so raise your head, and be honorable.
((You are coming on your brother, so prepare your riding camels, and prepare your clothes in order to be as a mole (the most distinguished fellows) among people.))
The Prophet, PBUH, saw a man playing with his beard during the salat, so, he said:
(( If the heart of this (man) has shown reverence, his organs would do.))
It means that heart reverence corresponds to organs reverence.
Apparent politeness indicates interior politeness:
Brother, some scholars said: Apparent politeness is the symbol for interior politeness; when you are outwardly polite, the way you sit, talk, move or dress is polished,; it refers that your heart is polite.
Someone saw a man lowering his body and shoulders, so he said to him: “O man, the real reverence is here, and he pointed to his chest, not here! And he pointed to his shoulders.”
The prophet, ay Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw one of his companions walking proudly shortly before the battle; so, the prophet said: “Verily, Allah hates this gait, except on occasion like this, because it’s a charity to be arrogant upon the arrogant.”
There is no servile believer, that the believer must never humiliate himself, so ask for your needs by self-esteem because things are going according to the fate of Allah. The honor of believer is to worship his Lord after midnight, to be proud, and to do without people.
It was said to ‘Imam Al-Hassan Al-Basri’: “By which did you reach this position?”
He said: “By doing without people’s worldly life, and their need to my knowledge.”
The Da'wah (call to Allah) would fail if people have done without the knowledge of scholar, while the scholar needs people worldly life; therefore, I advise scholars to have their own work, and not earn money from their knowledge in order that they never submit to a rich or powerful, based on the words of the noble prophet (PBUH):
((If a person has sat with rich man, and claimed poverty in order to gain money, two thirds of his religion would be lost.))
The companions of the noble prophet (PBUH) had an amazing self- steam, Allah bless them.
If you ask the person who watches the execution of criminals about them, they are cringing, crying, and begging pardon. While our master ‘Khubaib’ was crucified on a trunk of palm tree, and before he has been killed, he was asked: “do you prefer that Muhammad be in your place?” He said: “By Allah, I do not like that the messenger of Allah gets damage by a thistle, while I am sitting among my family and children, enjoying all the luxury and health of the worldly life.” He was proud during he has been killed.
Reverence is in the heart, but outwardly you have to be proud.
((The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer.))
Complaining to believers and complaining to infidels:
So, beware not to complain your worry to the unbeliever. They said: “When man complains to the believer, as if he has complained to Allah; and when he complains to the infidel, as if he has complained from Allah.” There is a big difference between complaining to Allah, and complaining from Allah, so, all your problems are solved in the last third of night.
((Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: “Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgiving him? Till the raising of the dawn” ))
Therefore, do not complain to anyone, but to Allah.
" I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah "
The one who complains about Allah (about his fate), The Merciful, to the person who has no mercy, is criticized.
Sayyidina ‘Huthayfa’ said: “Beware of the reverence of hypocrisy,” it was said to him: “What is the reverence of hypocrisy?” He said: “It’s to see a devouting body, but its heart is not devouting.”
Sayyidina Omar saw a man bowed his neck during salat, so he said: “O His neck, lift your neck, because reverence is not in necks, but in hearts.”
Also, Sayyidina Omar heard a man who was shouting during circumambulating the Kaaba because he found an almond, he asked about the owner of the almond: “Who is the owner of this almond?” Then he said to the man: “Eat the almond, O his false piety, eat it, and enough.”
The mother of the believers Aisha (prophet’s wife) saw young men showing weakness from the impact of worship and asceticism, so she asked her companions: “Who are those?” They said: “Those are the hermits”, she said: “May Allah bless Omar, I didn’t see anyone more asceticism than him, he used to be quick while walking, generous while feeding people, brave while talking, and severe while punishing, May Allah bless Omar, nevertheless, I didn’t see anyone more asceticism than him.”
‘Al-Fudail’ said: “It is hated that the outwardly reverence of the man is more than the reverence in his heart.”
Reverence is the need for Allah:
Sayyidina ‘Huthayfa’ said: “The first thing you lose from your religion is the reverence, that your prayer will become without reverence, and the last thing you lose from your religion is the prayer.” It means the negative developments in the Islamic world, a prayer without reverence, and people leave the prayer, because prayer without reverence is boring.
"And truly it is extremely heavy and hard"
It means the prayer is hard."Except for Al-Khashi'un [i.e. the true believers in Allah]"
Some scholars said: “If reverence has been found in man’s heart, devil would never approach him.” Reverence is the lack for Allah the Almighty, and you are either under the protection of Allah or He would forsake you; if you have been in the lack for Allah, He would take care of you, protect you, support you, help you, grant victory over you, and He would preserve you; but if you say: “I'm so and so, I have high certificate, I have experience, and I have a lot of money,” He would forsake you.
Once, a righteous brother, as I think, had a mistake with his Lord, he said: “Money is medicine” (he meant that money is the treatment for all problems,) it’s a big fault, it’s a polytheism. Later, he was accused, while he was innocent, and he was held incommunicado for sixty-four days; he said to me: “In every minute, I was remembering my words: Money is medicine, and I have recognized that money could not save me from jail.” The real triumph is to be lack for Allah, not to pride with what you have.
The generous companions were in desperate need of Allah in ‘Badr’ battle, so they achieved victory.
But in ‘Hunain’ battle, the prophet (may Allah bless him anf grant him peace) and his companions admired their power and the large number of them, so they said:
((Twelve thousand fighters will not be defeated by few number of enemy fighters.))
In summary, they were proud of their large number, so Allah has forsaken them; so if you have been in the lack for Allah, He would take care of you; so, before performing an act, before having an operation, before delivering a lesson, and before meeting with a person in a high position; you ahould say: “O My Lord, I have resorted to You, I have forsaken my knowledge, my strength, and I have turned to Your knowledge and Your strength, O Lord of the Creations.”
