ON OBEDIENCE TO ALLÂH, LOVE FOR HIM AND LOVE FOR HIS MESSENGER R

Allâh says: “If you have love for Allâh then follow my way so that Allâh may love you.” [42] You should know that a servant’s love for Allâh and His Messenger entails obedience to them and following their orders. And that Allâh’s love for His servants entails His blessing them with forgiveness. It is said that when a person realizes that real perfection belongs to none but Allâh and that all the perfection that he sees in himself or in others is from Allâh and through Him, then his love will only be for Allâh and solely for His pleasure. This demands the will to obey Him and the desire to do all that He consents to. It is for this reason that love is explained as the will to obey and it has been made a requirement for following the Messenger of Allâh in worshipping Him and urging one to obey Him.

Al-Hasan reports: “Some people in the era of the Messenger of Allâh said: ‘O Muhammad! We certainly love our Sustainer.’ So Allâh revealed the above verse.” Bishr al-Hâfî rahimahullâh says: “I saw the Prophet in a dream so he asked me: ‘O Bishr! Do you know why Allâh raised you above your contemporaries?’ I replied: ‘No. O Messenger of Allâh.’ He said: ‘On account of the services you rendered to the righteous, the advice you gave to your fellow brothers, your love for your companions and those who follow my Sunnah, and your following of my Sunnah.’”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Whoever revives my Sunnah has in fact loved me. And he who loves me shall be with me in Paradise on the day of resurrection.”

It is stated in famous Traditions that the person who holds on to the Sunnah of the leader of the creation and the leader of the Messengers at a time when the creation has become corrupt and people are following divergent ways, he will receive the reward of 100 martyrs.

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Everyone of my ummah shall enter Paradise except he who refuses.” He was asked: “Who is the one who refuses?” He said: “He who obeys me shall enter Paradise. He who disobeys me has in fact refused. Every act that is not in accordance with my Sunnah is an act of disobedience.”

A person said: “If you see a shaykh flying in the air, walking on water, eating fire, or any other similar act, while he leaves out one of the incumbent duties of Allâh or intentionally leaves out one of the Sunnahs, you should know that he is a liar in his claims, and that these acts of his are not miracles. They are merely lures towards destruction. We seek refuge in Allâh from such a person.”

Al-Junayd rahimahullâh said: “No one reached Allâh except through Allâh. And the manner of reaching Allâh is obedience to the Messenger of Allâh .”

Ahmad al-Hawârî rahimahullâh said: “Every act that is not in accordance with the Sunnah is baseless. As the Messenger of Allâh said: ‘Whoever destroys my Sunnah, my intercession becomes prohibited on him.’” As related in Shir‘ah al-Islâm.

It is related that a man saw some mad people doing things which he did not know about. So he went and informed Ma‘rûf al-Karkhî rahimahullâh about this. The latter smiled and said: “O my brother! Allâh has lovers who are small and big, intelligent and mad-men. What you have seen is from mad-men.”

It is stated that al-Junayd rahimahullâh said: “Our teacher as-Surî rahimahullâh became ill and we did not know what medication to give for his illness nor did we know the reason behind his illness. Someone recommended an expert physician so we took a bottle of his urine. The physician looked at the bottle and began staring at it for quite some time. He then said: ‘This is the urine of a person who truly loves Allâh.’ Al-Junayd says: ‘I was stunned [at hearing this] and fell unconscious. The bottle also fell from my hand. I then returned to as-Surîy rahimahullâh and informed him of what transpired. On hearing this he smiled and said: ‘The physician has a very good sight.’ I said: ‘O teacher! Love becomes apparent in one’s urine as well?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’”

Al-Fudayl rahimahullâh said: “If someone asks you if you love Allâh , then remain silent. Because if you reply in the negative, you will be making a statement of unbelief. If you reply in the affirmative your description of yourself will not be that of those who truly love Allâh. You should then beware of hatred.”

Sufyân rahimahullâh said: “The person who loves he who loves Allâh has in fact loved Allâh . The person who honours he who honours Allâh has in fact honoured Allâh .”

Sahl rahimahullâh said: “The sign of love for Allâh is love for the Qur’ân. The sign of love for Allâh and love for the Qur’ân is love for the Prophet . The sign of love for the Prophet is love for his Sunnah. The sign of love for his Sunnah is love for the hereafter. The sign of love for the hereafter is hatred for this world. The sign of hatred for this world is that it is only considered to be a means and a conveyance to the hereafter.”

Abû al-Hasan az-Zunjânî rahimahullâh said: “The foundation of worship is on three pillars: the eye, the heart and the tongue. The eye for admonition, the heart for contemplation, and the tongue for honesty, glorifying and remembering Allâh . Allâh says:

“O believers! Remember Allâh with unceasing remembrance, and continue glorifying Him at morning and evening.” (Sûrah al-Ahzâb, 33: 41-42)

It is related that Abdullâh and Ahmad ibn Harb stopped at a place. Ahmad ibn Harb cut a blade of grass from the ground. So Abdullâh said to him: “By doing this, five points are written against you: (1) You have occupied your heart with something thereby preventing you from glorifying your Master. (2) You have habituated your soul to occupy itself in something that does not entail remembrance of Allâh . (3) You have made this to become a way which others will follow you in. (4) In so doing, you would be preventing others from glorifying Allâh . (5) You have subjugated your self to the proof of Allâh against you on the day of resurrection.” As related in Raunaq al-Majâlis.

As-Surîy rahimahullâh said: “I saw that al-Jurjânî rahimahullâh had some sawîq (a kind of mush made of wheat or barley, with sugar and dates) from which he would constantly eat. I said to him: ‘Why do you not eat some other food as well?’ He replied: ‘I calculated that the difference in time between chewing food and swallowing this sawîq, was 90 tasbîhs (saying glory to Allâh). I therefore never chewed any bread for the last 40 years.’”

It was the habit of Sahl ibn Abdillâh to eat every 15 days. When the month of Ramadân would come, he would have just one meal [for the entire month]. At times he would do without food for 70 days. [He had habituated himself to this to such an extent] that if he ate, he would become weak. And if he remained hungry, he would become strong. Abû Hammâd al-Aswad remained in al-Musjid al-Harâm for 30 years. He was never seen to eat or drink. And not a single moment of his was devoid of the remembrance of Allâh .

It is related that ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd would only leave his house for three reasons: (1) To offer the salâh in congregation. (2) To visit the sick. (3) To attend a funeral. He used to say: “I see that people are thieves and highway robbers. Life is a valuable jewel. No price can be attached to it. It is therefore appropriate to fill thereof a treasure that will remain in the hereafter. You should know that the one who desires the hereafter has to abstain from this worldly life so that his main concern remains one. And that his internal self should not differ from his outward. One cannot safeguard his condition without controlling his inner and outward selves.”

Ibrâhîm ibn al-Hâkim said: “When sleep would overtake my father, he would go to the sea and swim therein. The fish of the sea would gather around him and swim with him.”

It is related that Wahb ibn Munabbih asked Allâh to take away his sleep at night. He thus did not sleep at night for 40 years.Hasan al-Hallâj tied himself from his ankle to his knee with 13 chains. With those chains he used to offer 1000 rak‘ats of salâhevery night. In the beginning stages, al-Junayd rahimahullâh would go to the market, open his shop, go inside, close the curtain [to the shop], offer 400 rak‘ats of salâh and then return to his house. Habshî ibn Dâ’ûd rahimahullâh offered the fajr salâh with the ablution of the ‘ishâ salâh for a period of 40 years. It is the duty of a believer to always be in a state of purity. Every time his wudû(ablution) breaks, he should perform a fresh ablution and offer two rak‘ats of salâh. He should always try to face the qiblah whenever he is sitting, and imagine himself to be sitting in front of the Messenger of Allâh . That he is before the Messenger of Allâh and that he is watching him. A person should do this so that he develops Allâh-inspired peace of mind and dignity in all his actions. He should bear difficulties, do not confront the one who does harm to him, and forgive everyone who harms him. He should not become self-conceited nor proud of his knowledge. This is because conceit is one of the attributes of Satan. He should look at himself as being totally insignificant while he should look at the pious servants with respect and honour. The person who does not recognize the sanctity of the pious ones, Allâh will deprive him of their company. The person who does not recognize the sanctity of obedience will have the sweetness of obedience removed from his heart.

A person asked Fudayl ibn ‘Iyâd rahimahullâh: “O Abû ‘Alî! When does a person become a righteous person?” He replied: “If advice is in his intention, fear in his heart, honesty on his tongue, and good deeds in his limbs.” When the Prophet went onmi‘râj, Allâh said to him: “O Ahmad! If you want to become the most pious person, detach yourself from the world and yearn for the hereafter.” He said: “O my Allâh! How should I detach myself from the world?” Allâh said: “Only take from the world that which would suffice you your food, drink and clothing. Do not store for tomorrow, and be constant in My remembrance.” He asked: “O my Allâh! How can I be constant in Your remembrance?” He replied: “By secluding yourself from people. Make salâhyour sleep and hunger your food.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Detachment from this world provides comfort to the heart and body. Hankering after this world causes abundant worry and grief. Love for this world is the cause of every sin while detachment from this world is the source of every good and obedience.”

It is related that a pious servant of Allâh happened to pass by a group in which there was a physician who was describing an illness and the medication for it. So he said to the physician: “O you who treats bodies, do you treat hearts as well?” He replied: “Yes. Tell me what is its ailment?” He replied: “Sins have caused it to become dark. It has therefore become hard and course. Is there any treatment for it?” The physician replied: “The treatment for it is submission [before Allâh ], beseeching [Him], seeking forgiveness night and day, hastening towards the obedience of the Mighty and Forgiving [Allâh], and asking pardon from the Almighty, all-Powerful [Allâh]. This is the treatment for the hearts and the cure will come from the unseen.” On hearing this, the pious man screamed out, continued on his way, crying, and said: “What a good physician you are. You have correctly diagnosed the treatment for my heart.” The physician replied: “This is the treatment for the heart of the one who repented and returned with his heart to al-Barr – the Good, the One who accepts repentance.”

It is related that a person purchased a slave. The slave said: “O my master! I am making three conditions with you. (1) You must not stop me from offering the compulsory salâh when its time comes. (2) You can order me to do whatever you want during the day, but do not ask me to do anything at night. (3) You must provide separate quarters in your house for me. These quarters must be such that no one but myself can go to it.” The person replied: “I accept all these conditions.” He then said to the slave: “Go and check out the living quarters and choose one for yourself. He found one that was ruined. So he said: “I take this one.” The master said: “O slave! You have chosen one that is ruined.” He replied: “O master! Don’t you know that a ruined place in the sight of Allâh is a garden.” So this slave used to serve his master during the day and set aside the night for the worship of his Sustainer. One night the master began walking around and came to the room of the slave. He found that the room was illuminated. The slave was in prostration. There was a candle of light on his head which was suspended between the heavens and earth. The slave was talking to Allâh and beseeching Him and saying: “O my Allâh! You have made incumbent upon me to fulfil the rights of my master and to serve him by day. Were it not for that, I would have spent all my day and night in Your service. So forgive me, O my Sustainer!” The master continued watching his slave right till dawn. The candle of light returned and the roof of the house closed. The master returned and informed his wife of what he saw. The following night he took his wife by the hand and led her to the slave’s room door. They both saw the slave in prostration with the candle of light on his head. They stood by the door, watching him and crying right till the morning. He then called his slave and said to him: “You are free for the sake of Allâh so that you can be free for the worship of that being to whom you were asking forgiveness. The slave raised his hands towards the sky and said:

“O the one who knew my secret! The secret has now been exposed. Now I do not want to live after it has been exposed.”

He then said: “O my Allâh! I ask you for death.” The slave then fell down dead. This is the condition of the righteous, those who love Allâh and those who seek Him alone.

It is stated in Zahr ar-Riyâd that Mûsâ had a friend whose company he used to like. One day he said: “O Mûsâ! Supplicate to Allâh that I be able to recognize Him as He ought to be recognized.” Mûsâ supplicated in his favour and the supplication was accepted. So this friend went away into the mountains, living with wild animals. Mûsâ could not find him, so he said: “O my Sustainer! My brother and my friend. I am missing him.” An answer was given: “O Mûsâ! The person who truly recognizes me will never remain in the company of the creation.”

It is related that Yahyâ and Îsâ were walking in the market when a woman knocked into them. Yahyâ said: “By Allâh! I did not even perceive her.” So Îsâ said: “Glory to Allâh! Your body is with me, but where is your heart?” He said: “O my cousin! If my heart were to find tranquillity with someone other than my Sustainer for even the blink of an eye, I would imagine that I did not truly recognize Allâh .”

It is said that true recognition entails divorcing this world and the hereafter, and devoting oneself solely to Allâh . And that the person be intoxicated with the drink of love [of Allâh ] and that he only becomes sober when he sees Allâh . It is then that he will enjoy a special illumination from his Sustainer.