ON REMAINING STEADFAST ON OBEDIENCE AND GIVING UP THE PROHIBITED

Obedience means fulfilling the compulsory injunctions of Allâh , abstaining from His prohibitions, and remaining within the limits set by Him. With regard to the verse: “and do not forget your portion of this world”[88] Mujâhid rahimahullâh said: “It means that a person should act in the obedience of Allâh .”

You should know that the essence of obedience is knowledge ofAllâh , fear of Allâh , hope in Allâh , and being constantly vigilant about Allâh . If a person is devoid of these qualities, he will not acquire the reality of îmân. This is because obedience toAllâh is not valid except after having knowledge of Him, believing in His existence as the creator, knower, and all-powerful being whose knowledge cannot be encompassed and cannot even be imagined, that there is nothing similar to Him, and that He alone is all-hearing and all-seeing.

A Bedouin said to Muhammad ibn ‘Alî ibn al-Husayn y: “Did you see Allâh when you worshipped Him?” He replied: “I will not worship someone I cannot see.” He asked: “How did you see Him?” He replied: “The sight does not see Him with the witness of the eyes. Rather, it is the hearts that see Him with the essence of îmân. He is not perceived by the senses. He cannot be likened to the people. He is known by signs and described by indications. He is not conceivable in matters. That is Allâh, there is none worthy of worship but Him. He is the Sustainer of the earth and heavens.” The Bedouin replied: “Allâh knows best where He placed His message.”

A saint was asked about internal knowledge (‘ilm al-bâtin). He replied: “It is one of the secrets of Allâh . He casts it in the hearts of His beloved ones. He does not inform any angel or human about it.”

Ka‘b al-Ahbâr said: “If people acquired an atom’s weight of conviction in the grandeur of Allâh , they would walk on water and wind. So glory to that Being who made the acknowledgement of one’s inability to truly recognize Him an intrinsic part of îmân just as He made a person’s acknowledgement of his inability to truly thank Allâh for His bounties upon him an intrinsic part of gratitude.”

Mahmûd al-Warrâq said:

“If my gratitude to Allâh for His bounties on me is a bounty in itself, then it is incumbent on me to express gratitude to Him. It is not possible to continue expressing gratitude except through His grace even though many days may pass and life may continue [for a long time]. When He blesses me with prosperity, the happiness thereof is all-pervading. When He afflicts me with a calamity, He follows it with reward. So both these [prosperity and calamity] are bounties from Him. Our thoughts, the earth and the sea are all insufficient to encompass this.”

When knowledge of the divinity of Allâh is established, acknowledgement of His worship is realized. When îmân is established in the heart, obedience to the Sustainer becomes incumbent. Îmân is of two types: external and internal. External îmân entails expressing it with the tongue. Internal îmân entails belief with the heart. The believers are at different distances in their level of proximity to Allâh and they differ in their levels of obedience. Îmân brings them together according to the share that each one is given. It also enables the person to gain high stages in devotion to Allâh , placing trust in Him and being pleased with His decree. Devotion entails a person not seeking any reward from the Creator for what he does. Allâh is the one who created you and whatever you do as well. Therefore, if obedience is out of hope for reward and fear of punishment, then such a person does not have perfect devotion. He actually did whatever he did for himself.

It is reported that the Messenger of Allâh said: “You should not be like a bad dog that only does work when it fears. Nor should you be like a labourer who does not do any work when he is not given a wage.”

Allâh says: “Among people is he who worships Allâh on the border-line: if prosperity reaches him, he remains steadfast on that worship [of Allâh]. But if adversity afflicts him, he turns about on his face. He loses both this world and the hereafter.”[89] The worship of Allâh is imposed on us and obedience to Him is incumbent upon us on account of His grace upon us and the good that He has done to us. This is in addition to the fact that He commanded us to worship and obey Him. In so doing, He rewards for obedience out of His grace, and He punishes for disobedience out of His justice.

As for tawakkul, it entails relying on Allâh at the time of need, having confidence in Him at the time of necessity, placing one’s trust in Him at the time of an affliction – all this while the soul is at ease and the heart is at rest. So those who place their trust inAllâh know that He is the one who destines, that the causes are under the command of the Creator, the Dispenser of affairs. They do not rely on parents, children, wealth, occupations, etc. Instead, they refer all their affairs to Him and they rely on no one but Him irrespective of what the situation may be. Whoever places his trust in Allâh , He is sufficient for him.

As for being pleased with His decree, this entails the soul being satisfied with whatever He has destined. Some 'ulamâ’ say: “The one who is closest to Allâh is the one who is most pleased with what He has destined for him.” Some wise people said: “At times, happiness is the illness while illness is the cure.” A poet says:

“Many bounties are concealed for you within the jaws of calamities. Many an occasion of happiness comes to you from a place where you expect hardships. You should exercise patience over the incidents that take place in your life, for all matters have a consequence. For every difficulty there is ease and every untainted thing has a blemish.”

The words of Allâh are sufficient for us: “Perhaps you dislike a thing while it is better for you.” [90]

You should know that a person can never perfect his obedience to his Sustainer except by discarding the world. Some of the wise sayings have the most eloquent admonitions as long as no cover conceals them from the heart. These covers are the attractions of this world. Some wise people say: “This world is just for an hour, so turn it into obedience.” Abû al-Walîd al-Bâjî said:

“If I know for sure that my entire life is like a single hour, why should I not be thrifty with it? And why should I not utilize it in goodness and obedience?”

A person said to the Messenger of Allâh : “I dislike death.” He asked: “Do you have any wealth?” He replied: “Yes.” He said: “Spend your wealth for a person is attached to his wealth.”

It is related that ‘Îsâ said: “Piety is in three things: in speaking, in looking and in remaining silent. The person whose speech is not utilized in the remembrance of Allâh has in fact engaged in foolishness. The person whose sight is not utilized in taking admonition has in fact forgotten. The person whose silence is not utilized in pondering has in fact engaged in something useless.” Discarding the world entails discarding all thoughts about the conditions of the world and abstaining from desiring its enjoyments. This is because thoughts give birth to intention because the soul is attached to thoughts.

One should beware of looking at things that are not lawful. Because this is an arrow that gets its target and a power that overpowers a person. The Messenger of Allâh said: “The sight is one of the arrows of Satan. The person who abandons this out of the fear of Allâh , He will replace it with îmân whose taste he will experience in his heart.”

A wise person said: “The person who gives free reign to his sight has many causes of sorrow. Excessive looking exposes things, disgraces man, and causes him to remain longer in the Hell-fire. Safeguard your eyes for if you give them a free reign, they will place you in difficulty. If you are able to control your eyes, you would have controlled your entire body.”

Plato was asked: “What is more harmful to the heart, the ears or the eyes?” He replied: “Both, the ears and the eyes, are like two wings for a bird. It cannot fly without both of them and it cannot climb up without the strength of both wings. If either one is cut, it will climb with the other with fatigue and difficulty.”

Muhammad ibn Daû’ said: “It is sufficient as a loss for a person in the sight of Allâh and a disgrace in the sight of the intelligent that he looks at everything that presents itself before him.”

A pious man saw a man laughing at a boy. So he said to him: “O you whose intelligence and heart are wrecked! O you whose sight is wrecked! Are you not ashamed of the noble scribes [angels that are recording your deeds], and the angels that remember all deeds, that record everything you do, that watch you all the time, who testify against your outward trials, your hidden and concealed deception in which you have stood like a person who does not bother about who is looking at him and who from the creation is watching him?”

Qâdî al-Arjânî says:

“O my eyes! You have enjoyed one glance but you have brought the most evil to my heart. O my eyes! Spare my heart for it is an injustice when two [eyes] get together to kill one [heart].”

‘Alî said: “The eyes are the traps of Satan. The eye is the most effective part of the body in its speed and the most severe in fighting. The person who subjugates the parts of his body to his soul in the obedience of his Sustainer has in fact reached his goal. As for he who subjugates the parts of his body to his soul in fulfilling his desires has in fact destroyed his deeds.”

“When the soul of a murîd is inclined towards obedience and there is no resemblance of the blemishes of acts of disobedience, and he followed all this with actions of the other parts of his body – then these are all bounties and prizes that are showered upon him. He will receive honour in the eternal abode at a time when the hump and withers of a camel will be cut for a disobedient person.”

‘Abdullâh ibn al-Mubârak rahimahullâh said: “Îmân entails confirming all that the Messengers came with. He who confirms the Qur’ân will go out practising on it and will save himself from living for eternity in the Hell-fire. He who abstains from the unlawful shall go towards repentance. He who takes his sustenance from his lawful earnings shall go towards piety. He who fulfils the obligatory duties, his Islam [submission to Allâh ] will be valid. He who speaks the truth will save himself from [evil] consequences. He who repulses injustices will save himself from retribution. He who practises on the Sunnah, his actions will be pure. He who is sincere to Allâh, his deeds will be accepted.”

It is narrated that Abû Dardâ’ said to the Messenger of Allâh : “O Messenger of Allâh! Advise me.” He replied: “Earn that which is pure, do good deeds, ask Allâh for sustenance of one day for one day, and consider yourself among the dead.”

One should beware of self-conceit in one’s actions. For this is one of the greatest calamities and it causes actions to fall. This is because the person who has this self-conceit is actually trying to show that he is doing a favour to his Sustainer. But does he know whether that action has been accepted or not? At times, an act of disobedience which causes disgrace and dejection is better than obedience which causes pride and haughtiness.

One should also beware of showing off. Allâh says: “And there will appear before them, from Allâh, what they did not even imagine.” [91] It is said that they used to do deeds which they considered to be good deeds in this world. But on the day of resurrection, they were exposed to them as evil deeds. One of the pious people of the past used to recite this verse and say: “Destruction to those who do things in order to show off.” The following is also explained with regard to this verse: “and should not ascribe anyone as a partner in the worship of his Sustainer.” [92] In other words, he should not display his acts of worship in order to show off, nor should he conceal them out of bashfulness.

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn Mas‘ûd that the last verse to be revealed of the Qur’ân was this verse: “Fear the day in which you will be returned to Allâh. Then every soul shall be given in full whatever it earned. And they will not be wronged.” [93]

Muhammad ibn Bashîr says:

“Just yesterday passed as a just witness [to you or against you]. And this day of yours is also a witness to your actions. So if you committed any wrong yesterday, follow it [today] with a good deed so that you may be praised. Do not hope of doing good tomorrow [do not procrastinate in doing good] for it is possible that tomorrow will come but you would have passed away.”

Another poet says:

“You hasten in committing whatever sin you like. Yet you hope to repent later, while death comes without your being aware of it. This is not the way of a person of resolve and intelligence.”

Dâ’ûd said to Sulaymân : “The piety of a believer can be gauged through three things: (1) To have complete trust in Allâh in what he has not achieved. (2) To be completely pleased withAllâh in what he achieved. (3) To be completely patient over what he missed.”

There is a famous saying that the person who exercises patience over a calamity will reach the stage of loyalty. A poet says:

“Remain patient if any calamity afflicts you at any time, and do not become vexed. If the world presents itself before you with its beauty, remaining patient [turning away from it] is a proof of goodness and piety. Always fight your soul with full force concerning both these things. In so doing, you will receive whatever you hope for, without it being refused to you.”

Another poet says:

“Patience is the key to whatever is hoped for, and it always comes to one’s assistance. Remain patient, then, even if it is for a long time. At times it helps in removing worries and at times you acquire what you want through patience. It will not have to be said, ‘If only that did not happen.’”

Another poet says:

“Patience is the tightest knot of îmân and it is a shield from the incitement of Satan. Patience entails good consequences while recklessness causes destructive consequences. So if you experience any calamity at any time – and that is what time normally does to us – then equip yourself with good patience with full conviction. Surely patience is a quality that brings on the pleasure [of Allâh ].”

There are different types of patience. Patience in fulfilling the compulsory injunctions – by fulfilling them with constancy, with perfection and at the times that are most meritorious. Patience in fulfilling optional acts. Patience on the harms imposed by companions and neighbours. Patience on illnesses. Patience on poverty. Patience on sins, desires, doubtful things, and excesses of all parts of the body, and other types as well.