Friday, June 19, 2009

How to win Allah's love

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah the Exalted has said: 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (prayer or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him. When I love him I become his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks (something) from Me, I give him, and if he asks My Protection (refuge), I protect him".
[Al-Bukhari].
 
Commentary:
1. Those who make innovations in religion and associate partners with Allah (such as Hululi - who believe in the indwelling light in the soul of man, Wujudi - who believe in the physical form of Allah, and pagans who worship other than Allah) interpret this Hadith in support of their beliefs and thus seek support of one wrong from another although the meaning and interpretation of the Hadith is not at all what they describe. The Hadith means that when a person adds voluntary prayers to the obligatory ones, he becomes a favourite slave of Allah and on account of it, he receives special help from Allah. Then he is protected by Allah to the extent that He supervises every organ of his body. Thus, he is saved from disobedience of Allah. He bears what is liked by Allah, sees what is liked by Him, handles what pleases Him. When he attains that lofty position of love and obedience of Allah, then Allah in return also grants prayers of His obedient and loyal slaves.
 
2.  A saint is not one who has a peculiar attire and appearance, or who occupies the seat of a righteous as his successor, or a person who is lost in meditation, or a half-mad, or one who has invented his own style of remembrance and worship of Allah, but it is one who strictly fulfills the obligations imposed by Islam, is fond of voluntary prayers and adheres to Divine injunctions in every walk of life.
 
3.  The love of such righteous is a means to attain the Pleasure of Allah, and enmity (hatred and repulsion) with them is a cause of His serious displeasure and wrath.
 
4.  Voluntary prayer is certainly a means of attaining the Pleasure of Allah, but it must be preceded by the fulfillment of obligatory prayers. The former is of no value if the latter is neglected. The desire to attain nearness of Allah without strict observance of the obligatory prayers is fallacious and meaningless.

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