A Brief Introduction to KHUSHU Hamza Andreas Tzortzis
‘He it is Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth to make it victorious over all (other) religions even though the Mushrikûn (polytheists) hate (it).’ [Qur’an 61:9]
The dawah carrier’s life revolves around a central pillar. This pillar is his mission, his goal and ultimate objective; thus everything else in his life submits to this higher purpose. Without this aspiration the believer is not a dawah carrier but someone who has made the Qur’an redundant in his heart and has refused the opportunity raise his status to a Muslim who is the ‘deputy’ of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
"Say: Verily, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, Lord of the Worlds." [Qur'an, 6:162]
This mission is the re-establishment of the khilafah – sincere leadership based upon the harmony and justice of Islam - the call to Islam and making Allah’s deen prevail over all other deens. Thus the dawah carrier has sold his whole life to Allah in return for His pleasure, eternal bliss and closeness with his Beloved. In pursuit of this ultimate objective the dawah carrier recognises that the Qur’an must be a seal in his heart, ever ready to walk the path of jannah; the path of revival, the call to Islam.
In order to achieve this objective and accomplish this mission, the dawah carrier must use all the tools Allah has given him to reach this goal. Due to the immense nature of this mission, it is a prerequisite that the dawah carrier ensures that he has the Islamic personality; without which his mission fails and his purpose remains just a dream.
Within the context of re-establishing the Islamic way of life, the dawah carrier has to constantly seek Allah’s (swt) pleasure by doing all the necessary actions to achieve this ultimate goal. Some of these actions include:
· Conveying the message to family and friends
· Regularly speaking to contacts
· Giving circles and talks
· Attending events and lectures
· Writing articles and letters
In addition to this he must gain enough of the necessary knowledge to facilitate the dawah and its objectives. The knowledge areas include:
· Essential Fiqh of Islam and related to the dawah
· Sufficient understanding and pursuance of politics and current affairs
· Memorising Qur’an and Hadith
· Arabic language
· General Islamic culture including the Seerah of the Prophet
Therefore the re-establishment of the Islamic way of life is dependent, through the will of Allah, upon its callers to have an Islamic personality. Consequently, this will manifest itself by the dawah carrier performing all the necessary actions and gaining knowledge to reach his goal.
However the dawah carrier will not perform any of the necessary actions with success or be endowed with knowledge in the absence of ikhlaas and khushu. Allah (swt) describes the successful believers as those who have khushu.
“It is the believers who are successful: those who have khushu (the khaashioon)…” [Qur’an 23:1-2]
Allah (swt) describes how those who have been given knowledge are people who have khushu.
“Certainly, when it is recited to them, those who were given knowledge fall on their faces in prostration, saying, ‘Glory be to our Lord! The promise of our Lord is truly fulfilled!’ Weeping, they fall to the ground in prostration, and it increases them in khushu.” [Qur’an 8: 107-109]
Allah (swt) is telling us that we will fail in our mission if we do not have Khushu. Therefore, we must understand what khushu is and initiate all the necessary steps to achieve this essential state. Not only is this state essential to gain proximity with Allah; it is a fundamental pre-requisite to achieve the sole desire of the dawah carrier – Allah’s pleasure and the establishment of His deen.
The Meaning of Khushu
The term khushu has the following meanings:
· Softness of heart
· Gentle disposition
· Submissiveness to Allah
· Yearning Allah’s pleasure
· Humility
When the believer is in a state of khushu it should affect his behaviour and actions. The messenger of Allah said “Of a surety there is a morsel of flesh in the body, if it sound, the whole body will be sound, but if it is corrupt, the whole body will be corrupt. It is the heart.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
When the heart has khushu, the whole body has khushu. This is why the Scholars would say, “If the heart of a person has khushu so would his limbs”. As a result, khushu is not just a state of mind or a condition of our hearts; it is a prerequisite for the success of the dawah.
As a dawah carrier, the believer must seek for ways to succeed in his mission. Once he has found new ways to move forward and achieve his goal, he must grab the opportunity and take action. Allah has explicitly told us how to succeed: acquire and develop khushu.
Our sincerity towards Allah (swt) should be enough motivation to use this opportunity, to achieve what is necessary for revival. Failing to attempt to achieve a state of khushu will not only be an injustice to our own souls but it will also be a grave mistake, inevitably failing in the most important issue that the ummah has faced; the re-establishment of the khilafah, the much needed shade of Allah.
The link between the salah and your mission
Brothers and Sisters! Allah (swt) has explicitly told us in His Book, that we will not achieve success in our actions or be endowed with knowledge if we do not have khushu. It is of immense importance that the dawah carriers do all the necessary actions and gain all the knowledge needed to establish Allah’s (swt) deen on this earth. If these prerequisites are not performed in the state of khushu the mission will not be accomplished and the dawah carrier will fail. Therefore khushu is as important as the ultimate objective of establishing Islam.
The development of khushu can not be achieved without salah.
Salah: The tool for change
Salah is the tool Allah (swt) has given the believer to ensure that he aligns his disposition with the message of Islam. Salah is the method to strengthen ones conviction and adherence to Allah’s (swt) commandments and abstain from His prohibitions.
“Surely, the salah prevents evil speech and bad deeds…” [Quran 29:45]
Salah is a unique act of worship that prevents the believers from anything that deserves the anger of Allah (swt). It is the ultimate medium for change for it includes all aspects of ibadah:
· Dhikr
· Praising Allah
· Dua
· Conversation with Allah
· Means for proximity with Allah
· Recitation of Qur’an
· Contemplation
· Sending salaams to the Prophet
· Enjoyment
· Means for Sabr
· Alleviation of burden
· Solace and tranquillity from the shackles of the dunya
In order to achieve success in our salah, thereby strengthening our Islamic personality, acquiring khushu is paramount.
“It is the believers who are successful: those who have khushu (the khaashioon)…” [Qur’an 23:1-2]
Brothers and Sisters! Ponder over this! If the Islamic Personality is essential for the achievement of the mission of the dawah carrier, and this personality can only be achieved and strengthened through having khushu in our salah, then its importance is as great as the mission itself!
Salah and Khushu
Mujahid, a famous tabieen, said “The foundation of khushu is in the heart and quietude in prayer”
In similar fashion Allah (swt) described the earth as having khushu:
“Among His signs is that you see the earth laid bare and then we send down water on it, it quivers and swells” Qur’an 41:39
The meaning of its quivering and its swelling is that its bareness and stillness (khushu) has been removed and in its place vegetation grows. This then shows that the khushu that it has was stillness, lowliness, and lack of growth. The same applies to the heart; when it has khushu, its base desires and thoughts arising from the following of lusts are laid to rest, and it breaks and submits to Allah. Khushu replaces the hearts remoteness, haughtiness, arrogance, and lordliness. When it settles in the heart the limbs, organs, and motions – even the voice – are stilled.
The dawah carrier must not only desire that the earth be in submission to Allah by carrying the call of the khilafah, but his heart must be full of khushu filling it with submissiveness and humility in order to achieve this.
How to Gain Khushu in Salah
In order to get the most out of salah and achieve khushu in this essential and obligatory act of ibadah, the dawah carrier must ensure that the following are in place:
Not looking around
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah who said “The Prophet would look left and right in prayer and then Allah, Mighty and Magestic, revealed,
“It is the believers who are successful: those who are humble in their prayer” [Qur’an 23:2]
So the Messenger of Allah humbled himself and would no longer look left or right.” [Abu Dawud]
On the authority of Aishah who said “I asked the Prophet about looking here and there in prayer and he said, ‘It is a snatching away that shaytaan steals from the servants prayer.’” [Bukhari]
“Prostrate and draw close” Qur’an 96:19
The sajdah is one of the greatest outward manifestations in expressing our obedience as Muslims. The believer places his symbol of his being, his face, and places it in the lowest position thereby facilitating the emergence of humility, submissiveness and yearning for Allah. It is for this reason that the Muslim is rewarded with closeness to his Lord in this position as stated by the Prophet “The closest a servant is to his Lord when he is prostrating.” [Muslim]
When the believer is in a state of sajdah he completes his state of khushu and subservience to Allah (swt) as if he is saying: ‘O Allah subservience and humility are descriptions of me. I rely on you for all my affairs, there is no help but your help, and success lies in your hands. Glory be to You, my Lord is great.’
"The closest a servant comes to his Lord is in Sujood; therefore make excessive du'a, for it is most likely to be answered." [Muslim]
When submission is truly established in the heart, only then will the believer be humble. Submission is not confined to Salah alone. Actually, submission is Islam. To understand this, we must grasp the deeper aspects of khushu.
Making du’a in sujood is the dawah carrier’s method of discoursing with his Lord. For he knows that Allah (swt) is with the humble believers who strive in His cause; he knows Allah (swt) answers the du’a of His servants.
The dawah carrier achieves a state of khushu by sincerely asking for Allah’s (swt) forgiveness, mercy and to hasten the inevitable return of the Khilafah.
Being attentive in Prayer
Isam ibn Yusuf, passed by Hatim al-Asamm who was talking in his gathering. He asked, ‘Hatim have you made your prayer good?’ he replied, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘How do you pray?’, he replied ‘I stand at the command, I walk in fear, I commence with the intention, I perform the takbir baring in mind His greatness, I recite at a measured pace, carefully and with contemplation, I bow with khushu, I prostrate in meekness, I sit and read the whole tashahud and then I perform the salaam in accordance to the sunnah. I pray with sincerity to Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, and yet I fear that it will not be accepted of me; however I will preserve it as much as I can until I die.’ He said ‘Keep talking for you have indeed excelled in your salah.’
Sincerity
Ikhlas, or sincerity, refers to the complete absence of negative intentions and the performance of actions purely for the sake of Allah. It means not only performing salah to fulfil the obligation, but to really establish khushu in your prayer. This in turn will create the need for salah, all out of total love for Allah, wanting to get nearer and nearer to Him, hoping for the highest level in paradise amongst the Muqarraboon, those close to Allah. The Messenger of Allah related the following:
"Allah the Almighty has said: Whosoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have imposed upon him, and my servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask (something) of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant it to him." [Bukhari]
Introspection
"Has not he time arrived for the Believers that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and the Truth which has been revealed (to them) and that they should not become like those to whom was given the Book a foretime? But long ages passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebellious transgressors." Qur'an 57:16
Complacency is the not a characteristic of the dawah carrier. He should always be assessing himself using the sahaba (ra) as the yard stick and not the society that he is trying to change. He must at all times scrutinise himself by evaluating his intentions and feelings towards the mission. He should never be satisfied with his state, as the sahaba constantly worried about their motivations and inclinations. Was it not Umar (ra), of the ones who were promised paradise, that asked if his name was on the list of the hypocrites?
This should make us shiver.
Assessing the salah
In the dawah carriers attempt to establish khushu in his heart he must examine his salah daily. If there is any defect in his performance, such as missing fajr, he should repent. A sin without repentance hinders the way to success, in this case acquiring khushu. The dawah carrier has sold his whole life to raise Allah’s word as the highest on this earth. If he can not establish fajr, how can he work towards establishing Allah’s deen?
Assessment of oneself is not meant to instil a feeling of failure or incompetence. As long as the believer’s intention is for Allah’s pleasure, and he follows through with it, and continues trying, the reward will be given to him.
"Verily! As for those who believe and do righteous deeds - certainly! We shall not suffer to be lost the reward of anyone who do his (righteous) deeds in the most perfect manner." Qur'an 18:30
Recognising the defects in the believer’s salah shouldn't pull his motivation down but should rather motivate him to improve.
Brothers and Sisters! Remember! Salah is the key to closeness with Allah and the essential tool to change ourselves thereby facilitating the success of the dawah!
Recitation of the Qur'an and Dhikr, accompanied by contemplation of the meaning is one of the most tremendous ways of softening one's heart, thus gaining khushu.
"Allah has revealed the most beautiful Message in the form of a book, consistent with itself, repeating; the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble threat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the remembrance of Allah." [Qur'an 39:23[
Recitation of the Qur'an and Dhikr is a protection from shaytaan and a cause of tranquillity of the heart. If the believer’s heart is really pure, he would never stop reciting Qur'an. 'Uthmaan radi (ra), would pray Fajr then remember Allah in Dhikr. Then he would recite Qur'an till Dhuhr!
"Those who believe and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah; for without a doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction." [Qur'an 13:28].
Reflecting on All the Aspects of Salah
A man came to the Prophet and said:
"Give me brief advice in which I don't need anything else. He said to Him: "When you pray, pray like a person who is saying farewell." [Ibn Majah, Al-Hakim, and Al-Bukhari]
When you stand to pray and pronounce Allahu Akbar, reflect upon the meaning of Allah's Greatness, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment. When you bow for rukoo' and say, Subhana Rabbi Al-Adheem strive to refine the inner feeling of your own impotence and insignificance before the Might of Allah (swt). The words Subhanna Rabbi Al-A'alaa should be said with full awareness of the believer’s complete poverty to Allah. When the prayer is concluded, the dawah carrier should feel a sense of gratitude to Allah, for having enabled him to complete this act of worship. He should imagine that he is saying his farewell prayer and that he may not live to offer another like it.
Understanding the rewards and punishments
The believer who has khushu benefits enormously whereas one who is lacking in khushu will suffer various consequences. By knowing the rewards associated with khushu and the punishments for the lack thereof, the believer may better conceive the importance of developing this very special aspect of salah.
The Rewards
1. "Successful indeed are the Mu-mineen, those who humble themselves in their prayer." [Qur'an 23:1-2]
2. The right to enter Jannah through Baab As-Salah - The door of Prayer.
3. Khushu will provide you relaxation and will become 'pleasing to the eye'. You will experience tranquillity and calmness.
"Truly man was created very impatient. Fretful when evil touches him. And niggardly when good reaches him. Not so those devoted to prayer. Those who remain steadfast in their prayer." [Qur'an 70:19-23]
4. It will become a source of strength and power and will serve as a protection from Shaytaan and provide you with stability. Allah (swt), says:
"Seek help through Sabr (patience) and Salah." [Qur'an 2:45]
This is evident in the following Hadith:
"He (pbuh), when saddened by a thing, would seek refuge in prayer." [Ahmad and Abu Dawud]
5. The falling of sins from your body. The Prophet (saws) said:
"Verily when a Muslim performs Wudu properly, and then observes Salah five times a day, his sins fall off just as these leaves have fallen off.
He then recited the following ayat:
“And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night; for those things which are good removes those things which are evil. That is a reminder for the mindful." [Qur'an 11:114]
The Punishments
1. Life will be full of discomfort, agony and misery.
"But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment." [Qur'an 20:124]
2. All deeds will be a complete loss. If Salah is not performed, it will definitely affect all other deeds in life.
"The first thing that the servant will be called to account for on the Day of Judgement will be Salah. If it is good, his deeds will have been good. If it is bad, his deeds will have been bad." [Tabarani]
3. Rejection from Allah. We know the great benefits of Allah's love. What will become of us, if He turns away from us?
"But, after them followed a posterity who lost Salah and followed after lusts; soon then will they face destruction." [Qur'an 19:59]
In the tafseer of this Ayah it is mentioned that the phrase who lost Salah does not mean that they completely stopped praying, but that they delayed it, not praying it at the proper time.
Surah al-Fatiha
"There is no prayer for whom do not read the Fatiha." [Bukhari & Muslim]
Surah al-Fatiha is a pillar of salah. It is recited at least 25 times a day for the Muslim who completes the obligatory prayer and the sunnah. It is the first surah believers learn as a child and it is a chapter of the Qur’an Muslims are most familiar with.
To facilitate the development of khushu it is of immense importance that the dawah carrier understands, reflects, contemplates and meditates on surah al-Fatiha.
The Name of the Surah
Due to the surah’s importance and comprehensiveness it has been named Ummul Qur`an, the Mother of the Qur`an, and Ummul Kitab, the Mother of the Book..
Ibn Jareer at-Tabari said that it was named so because the meaning of the entire Qur`an is summarised therein. The Arabs named anything that concisely summarises something or comprises the most important part of something Umm, or Mother.
For similar reasons it is also named al-Qur`an al-Adheem, the Great Qur`an. It is also named Sab`ul Mathani, the Seven Oft Repeated Verses, because they are frequently recited and indeed recited in every rak`ah of salah.
It is also named ar-Ruqya, the Spiritual Cure due to the hadeeth of Abu Sa`eed (RA) reported in Bukhari that after he had recited it to cure a person who had been bitten by a scorpion, the Messenger of Allah said to him,
“And what made you to know that it was a ruqya?” [Bukhari]
Isti`adhah (Seeking Refuge)
Before the believer recites surah al-Fatiha he must seek refuge from Shaytaan. Allah (swt) tells us to seek refuge in Him from Shaytaan – our enemy and the enemy of the dawah.
“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good and turn away from the foolish. And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Shaytaan then seek refuge with Allaah. Indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Qur’an 7: 99-200]
“Repel [evil] with that which is better then indeed the one, between whom and you there was enmity, [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. But none is granted [this quality] except those who are patient and none is granted it save one who possesses a great portion [of high moral character]. And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Shaytaan then seek refuge with Allaah. Indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Qur’an 41:34-46]
“When you wish to read the Qur`an then seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytaan. Indeed he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord. His power is only over those who follow him and join partners with Him.” [Qur’an 16:99-100]
al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy upon him, explained the meaning of a`oodhu (I take refuge) in a beautiful way. He said,
“Know that the verb `aadha and its derivatives carry the meaning of being careful and wary, guarding and fortifying, being rescued and victorious. Its essential meaning is to flee from that which you fear will harm you to that which will safeguard you from it. This is why the one you seek refuge with is named m`aadh and malja` (the source of refuge and recourse).”
Brothers and Sisters! Reflect on the beauty and the wisdom of this statement. The dawah carrier must always be willing to cling to Allah and ensure he is far away from the path of shaytaan.
The Basmallah
Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
“I was riding behind the Prophet (SAW) when his mount stumbled and so I said, ‘may Shaytaan perish!’ Upon hearing this the Prophet (SAW) said, "do not say may Shaytaan perish for when you say this Shaytaan becomes exultant and grows in stature and says, ‘it was by my power that I injured him.’ But when you say, ‘with the Name of Allaah’ he becomes humiliated and grows small until he ends up the size of a fly." [Abu Daawud & Ahmad]
Ibn Mas`ud said, “Whosoever wishes to the saved from the nineteen Angels over Hellfire then let him recite with the Name of Allaah, Most Beneficient, Most Merciful.”
Reflect upon the power of the basmallah, its significance and its beauty. Allah is the most gracious in that we can see the manifestations of that grace and compassion. Humanity has been given a message, Islam, to take the out of darkiness into light! We have been given health, wealth and family! We have been given this life and the opportunity to achieve higher goals and objectives such as closeness with the Lord of the Universe! Allah’s grace encompasses everything and can been seen in the birth of a child to the water that we drink.
Allah (swt) is also most merciful in that this mercy has been reserved for the believers. He has given the believers jannah with its everlasting bliss!
All Praises
Alhamdu lillahi rabbi alAAalameena
All Praises is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds
This verse means that every and all types praise are due to Allah. The ‘li’ here indicates ‘deserved praise’ rather than the mistranslated ‘owner of praise’. Allah deserves all praise because He is the creator of the whole universe! Everything good is from Him! He is the source of everything!
Allah (swt) is the Lord of the universe. The Arabic word ‘Rabb’ translated as ‘Lord’ has connotations of the cherisher, sustainer, caring and compassionate Creator. These are the meaning the dawah carrier must reflect on when pronouncing this word.
The world ‘Aalameen’ comes from the root for sign, indicating that the whole world and universe is a sign of Allah’s creation. This word, usually translated as ‘Worlds’, means all of creation. Therefore the dawah carrier is praising the cherisher, sustainer and creator of the whole of existence! All Praise is due to Allah!
Most Merciful
Alrrahmani alrraheemi
Most Gracious, Most Merciful
These are two descriptions of Allah and two of the Names from amongst His Beautiful Names derived from ar-Rahma (Mercy) in a way to express intense and exaggerated meanings.
The graciousness and mercy of Allah (swt) is now more clearly understood by reflecting on the previous verses. Allah being the Lord or the Universe and the sustainer and cherisher has indeed given humanity a gift and a blessing called life.
Accountability
Maliki yawmi alddeeni
King/Owner of the Day of Judgment
This life that Allah (swt) has given us should not be taken for granted. Humanity will be accounted for the blessings given to them. There is a judgment, an inevitable day of recompense, of which our deeds will not be unaccounted for.
The meaning of the verse would be that on that Day, Kingship belongs to Allah Alone and not to any of the creation who before then used to be kings on earth, vying with each other for power and dominion, exulting in what they had, pompously boasting about their grandeur and trying their best to outdo their competitors. However on that day they will come to know with certainty that in reality they are powerless and humiliated and that Grandeur, Power and Authority belongs in its entirety to Him Alone. Allah says,
"That Day when they will all come out, nothing of them will be hidden from Allah. Whose is the kingdom this Day? It belongs to Allah, the One, the Irresistible!" [Qur’an 40:16]
The other the meaning of the verse would be that on that Day, everything would belong to Him and no one else. No one will be able to voice an opinion or enforce a ruling as they used to do on this world. Allah says,
"That Day on which the Spirit and the Angels will stand forth in rows, none shall speak except he whom the Most Beneficent allows and he will speak only that which is correct and true." [Qur’an 78: 38]
"All voices will be humbled for the Most Beneficent and nothing shall you hear but the low sound of their footsteps." [Qur’an 20:108]
"They cannot intercede except for one with whom He is pleased." [Qur’an 21:28]
Worship and Help
Iyyaka naAAbudu wa-iyyaka nastaAAeenu
You alone we worship; You alone we ask for help.
This verse is an affirmation of ‘la ilaha ila Allah’. This verse points to the actualisation of its meaning. It is comprised of two matters: negation and affirmation. So the negation aspect, contained in the words la ilaha, means to remove every single object of worship apart from Allah in all the actions of worship. The affirmation aspect, contained in the words ila Allah, means to single out the Lord of the heavens and the earth Alone for all matters of worship in the way that has been legislated by the Share`ah.
This negation in the laa ilaaha illaa Allaah was indicated by placing the object of worship first in the verse such that it reads "You Alone…" It is established in the rules of the Arabic language that placing the object first in a sentence is one of the ways of confining the meaning of the verb to the object alone.
“And whosoever rejects all that is worshipped besides Allaah and believes in Allaah has held onto the most trustworthy handhold” [Qur’an 2:256]
Brothers and Sisters! Reflect upon this! Is it not one of the highest forms of worship to struggle in His cause to make His word the highest?
Request
Ihdina alssirata almustaqeema
Guide us to the straight path
Meaning that we do not seek aid from anyone but You because the affair in its totality is under Your control Alone, no one else has even an atoms weight of control over it. Again the object of the verb has been brought before the verb to stress this fact. In this statement’s following His saying, ‘You Alone we worship’ lies an indication that it is not permissible to put our trust in anyone except the One Who deserves worship because no one else has control over the affairs. This meaning which is indicated here is clearly explained in other verses, like His saying:
“So worship Him and put your trust in Him” [Qur’an 12:123]
Why does the verse state ‘we worship’ when there is only one person reciting it? The answer lies in the fact that the wise Share`ah has legislated many actions of worship to be done in congregation and it has also recommended the servant of Allah to supplicate for his brother Muslims. Significantly the re-establishment of the khilafah can not be done alone; we need to work in a jama’a..
The Path
Sirata allatheena anAAamta AAalayhim ghayri almaghdoobi AAalayhim wala alddalleena
The path of those upon whom you have bestowed your blessings. Not (the path) of those upon whom their portion is anger, nor of those who go astray.
After praising Allah, the believer then proceeds to ask of Him from His bounty and blessings. This is the most virtuous way of asking Allah by first praising Him and then asking of Him.
“The Messenger of Allaah (SAW) heard a man supplicating in prayer. He did not glorify Allaah and neither did he invoke blessings on the Prophet (SAW). The Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said, "he made haste." He then named him and said to him or to those around him, "if any one of you prays, he should commence by glorifying his Lord and praising Him; he should invoke peace and blessings on the Prophet (SAW) and thereafter he should supplicate Allaah for anything he wishes." [Abu Daawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa’i, Ahmad]
Al-Ghadab linguistically means anger; it is the opposite of pleasure (ridaa) and one of the Attributes of Allah. Maghdoob refers to the objects of Anger.
Dalaal linguistically means to divert from the intended goal or to diverge from the true path and it is the opposite of guidance.
"And indeed you [O Muhammad] are guiding [mankind] to the Straight Path." [Qur’an 42:52]
The Essence of Surah al-Fatiha
"Allah the Exalted had said: I have divided the prayer into two halves between My servant, and My servant and Me will receive what he asks. When the servant says:
"Praise is to Allah, the Lord of the universe",
Allah the Most High says:
"My servant has praised Me."
And when he (the servant) says:
“The Most Compassionate, the Merciful",
Allah the Most High says: "My servant has lauded Me."
And when he (the servant) says:" Master of the Day of Judgment,"
He remarks: "My servant has glorified Me," and sometimes He would say: "My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me."
And when he (the worshipper) says: "(You) we do worship and of (You) we do ask help,"
He (Allah) says:
"This is between My servant, and My servant and Me will receive what he asks for."
Then, when he (the worshipper) says: "Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom you have bestowed your Gracious, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray." He (Allah) says: "This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asked for." [Muslim]
O Brothers and Sisters! Allah is telling us that we will be guided and that He will help us! Let us be sincere in this mission and ask Allah to protect and guide this ummah. Let us pray with khushu to facilitate the dawah and let us plead for His forgiveness and the inevitable victory!
"Indeed, Allah will aid those who aid His cause. Indeed Allah is all-Powerful, all-Mighty." [Qur’an 22:40]
The dawah carrier’s life revolves around a central pillar. This pillar is his mission, his goal and ultimate objective; thus everything else in his life submits to this higher purpose. Without this aspiration the believer is not a dawah carrier but someone who has made the Qur’an redundant in his heart and has refused the opportunity raise his status to a Muslim who is the ‘deputy’ of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
"Say: Verily, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, Lord of the Worlds." [Qur'an, 6:162]
This mission is the re-establishment of the khilafah – sincere leadership based upon the harmony and justice of Islam - the call to Islam and making Allah’s deen prevail over all other deens. Thus the dawah carrier has sold his whole life to Allah in return for His pleasure, eternal bliss and closeness with his Beloved. In pursuit of this ultimate objective the dawah carrier recognises that the Qur’an must be a seal in his heart, ever ready to walk the path of jannah; the path of revival, the call to Islam.
In order to achieve this objective and accomplish this mission, the dawah carrier must use all the tools Allah has given him to reach this goal. Due to the immense nature of this mission, it is a prerequisite that the dawah carrier ensures that he has the Islamic personality; without which his mission fails and his purpose remains just a dream.
Within the context of re-establishing the Islamic way of life, the dawah carrier has to constantly seek Allah’s (swt) pleasure by doing all the necessary actions to achieve this ultimate goal. Some of these actions include:
· Conveying the message to family and friends
· Regularly speaking to contacts
· Giving circles and talks
· Attending events and lectures
· Writing articles and letters
In addition to this he must gain enough of the necessary knowledge to facilitate the dawah and its objectives. The knowledge areas include:
· Essential Fiqh of Islam and related to the dawah
· Sufficient understanding and pursuance of politics and current affairs
· Memorising Qur’an and Hadith
· Arabic language
· General Islamic culture including the Seerah of the Prophet
Therefore the re-establishment of the Islamic way of life is dependent, through the will of Allah, upon its callers to have an Islamic personality. Consequently, this will manifest itself by the dawah carrier performing all the necessary actions and gaining knowledge to reach his goal.
However the dawah carrier will not perform any of the necessary actions with success or be endowed with knowledge in the absence of ikhlaas and khushu. Allah (swt) describes the successful believers as those who have khushu.
“It is the believers who are successful: those who have khushu (the khaashioon)…” [Qur’an 23:1-2]
Allah (swt) describes how those who have been given knowledge are people who have khushu.
“Certainly, when it is recited to them, those who were given knowledge fall on their faces in prostration, saying, ‘Glory be to our Lord! The promise of our Lord is truly fulfilled!’ Weeping, they fall to the ground in prostration, and it increases them in khushu.” [Qur’an 8: 107-109]
Allah (swt) is telling us that we will fail in our mission if we do not have Khushu. Therefore, we must understand what khushu is and initiate all the necessary steps to achieve this essential state. Not only is this state essential to gain proximity with Allah; it is a fundamental pre-requisite to achieve the sole desire of the dawah carrier – Allah’s pleasure and the establishment of His deen.
The Meaning of Khushu
The term khushu has the following meanings:
· Softness of heart
· Gentle disposition
· Submissiveness to Allah
· Yearning Allah’s pleasure
· Humility
When the believer is in a state of khushu it should affect his behaviour and actions. The messenger of Allah said “Of a surety there is a morsel of flesh in the body, if it sound, the whole body will be sound, but if it is corrupt, the whole body will be corrupt. It is the heart.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
When the heart has khushu, the whole body has khushu. This is why the Scholars would say, “If the heart of a person has khushu so would his limbs”. As a result, khushu is not just a state of mind or a condition of our hearts; it is a prerequisite for the success of the dawah.
As a dawah carrier, the believer must seek for ways to succeed in his mission. Once he has found new ways to move forward and achieve his goal, he must grab the opportunity and take action. Allah has explicitly told us how to succeed: acquire and develop khushu.
Our sincerity towards Allah (swt) should be enough motivation to use this opportunity, to achieve what is necessary for revival. Failing to attempt to achieve a state of khushu will not only be an injustice to our own souls but it will also be a grave mistake, inevitably failing in the most important issue that the ummah has faced; the re-establishment of the khilafah, the much needed shade of Allah.
The link between the salah and your mission
Brothers and Sisters! Allah (swt) has explicitly told us in His Book, that we will not achieve success in our actions or be endowed with knowledge if we do not have khushu. It is of immense importance that the dawah carriers do all the necessary actions and gain all the knowledge needed to establish Allah’s (swt) deen on this earth. If these prerequisites are not performed in the state of khushu the mission will not be accomplished and the dawah carrier will fail. Therefore khushu is as important as the ultimate objective of establishing Islam.
The development of khushu can not be achieved without salah.
Salah: The tool for change
Salah is the tool Allah (swt) has given the believer to ensure that he aligns his disposition with the message of Islam. Salah is the method to strengthen ones conviction and adherence to Allah’s (swt) commandments and abstain from His prohibitions.
“Surely, the salah prevents evil speech and bad deeds…” [Quran 29:45]
Salah is a unique act of worship that prevents the believers from anything that deserves the anger of Allah (swt). It is the ultimate medium for change for it includes all aspects of ibadah:
· Dhikr
· Praising Allah
· Dua
· Conversation with Allah
· Means for proximity with Allah
· Recitation of Qur’an
· Contemplation
· Sending salaams to the Prophet
· Enjoyment
· Means for Sabr
· Alleviation of burden
· Solace and tranquillity from the shackles of the dunya
In order to achieve success in our salah, thereby strengthening our Islamic personality, acquiring khushu is paramount.
“It is the believers who are successful: those who have khushu (the khaashioon)…” [Qur’an 23:1-2]
Brothers and Sisters! Ponder over this! If the Islamic Personality is essential for the achievement of the mission of the dawah carrier, and this personality can only be achieved and strengthened through having khushu in our salah, then its importance is as great as the mission itself!
Salah and Khushu
Mujahid, a famous tabieen, said “The foundation of khushu is in the heart and quietude in prayer”
In similar fashion Allah (swt) described the earth as having khushu:
“Among His signs is that you see the earth laid bare and then we send down water on it, it quivers and swells” Qur’an 41:39
The meaning of its quivering and its swelling is that its bareness and stillness (khushu) has been removed and in its place vegetation grows. This then shows that the khushu that it has was stillness, lowliness, and lack of growth. The same applies to the heart; when it has khushu, its base desires and thoughts arising from the following of lusts are laid to rest, and it breaks and submits to Allah. Khushu replaces the hearts remoteness, haughtiness, arrogance, and lordliness. When it settles in the heart the limbs, organs, and motions – even the voice – are stilled.
The dawah carrier must not only desire that the earth be in submission to Allah by carrying the call of the khilafah, but his heart must be full of khushu filling it with submissiveness and humility in order to achieve this.
How to Gain Khushu in Salah
In order to get the most out of salah and achieve khushu in this essential and obligatory act of ibadah, the dawah carrier must ensure that the following are in place:
Not looking around
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah who said “The Prophet would look left and right in prayer and then Allah, Mighty and Magestic, revealed,
“It is the believers who are successful: those who are humble in their prayer” [Qur’an 23:2]
So the Messenger of Allah humbled himself and would no longer look left or right.” [Abu Dawud]
On the authority of Aishah who said “I asked the Prophet about looking here and there in prayer and he said, ‘It is a snatching away that shaytaan steals from the servants prayer.’” [Bukhari]
“Prostrate and draw close” Qur’an 96:19
The sajdah is one of the greatest outward manifestations in expressing our obedience as Muslims. The believer places his symbol of his being, his face, and places it in the lowest position thereby facilitating the emergence of humility, submissiveness and yearning for Allah. It is for this reason that the Muslim is rewarded with closeness to his Lord in this position as stated by the Prophet “The closest a servant is to his Lord when he is prostrating.” [Muslim]
When the believer is in a state of sajdah he completes his state of khushu and subservience to Allah (swt) as if he is saying: ‘O Allah subservience and humility are descriptions of me. I rely on you for all my affairs, there is no help but your help, and success lies in your hands. Glory be to You, my Lord is great.’
"The closest a servant comes to his Lord is in Sujood; therefore make excessive du'a, for it is most likely to be answered." [Muslim]
When submission is truly established in the heart, only then will the believer be humble. Submission is not confined to Salah alone. Actually, submission is Islam. To understand this, we must grasp the deeper aspects of khushu.
Making du’a in sujood is the dawah carrier’s method of discoursing with his Lord. For he knows that Allah (swt) is with the humble believers who strive in His cause; he knows Allah (swt) answers the du’a of His servants.
The dawah carrier achieves a state of khushu by sincerely asking for Allah’s (swt) forgiveness, mercy and to hasten the inevitable return of the Khilafah.
Being attentive in Prayer
Isam ibn Yusuf, passed by Hatim al-Asamm who was talking in his gathering. He asked, ‘Hatim have you made your prayer good?’ he replied, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘How do you pray?’, he replied ‘I stand at the command, I walk in fear, I commence with the intention, I perform the takbir baring in mind His greatness, I recite at a measured pace, carefully and with contemplation, I bow with khushu, I prostrate in meekness, I sit and read the whole tashahud and then I perform the salaam in accordance to the sunnah. I pray with sincerity to Allah, Mighty and Magnificent, and yet I fear that it will not be accepted of me; however I will preserve it as much as I can until I die.’ He said ‘Keep talking for you have indeed excelled in your salah.’
Sincerity
Ikhlas, or sincerity, refers to the complete absence of negative intentions and the performance of actions purely for the sake of Allah. It means not only performing salah to fulfil the obligation, but to really establish khushu in your prayer. This in turn will create the need for salah, all out of total love for Allah, wanting to get nearer and nearer to Him, hoping for the highest level in paradise amongst the Muqarraboon, those close to Allah. The Messenger of Allah related the following:
"Allah the Almighty has said: Whosoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have imposed upon him, and my servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask (something) of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant it to him." [Bukhari]
Introspection
"Has not he time arrived for the Believers that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and the Truth which has been revealed (to them) and that they should not become like those to whom was given the Book a foretime? But long ages passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebellious transgressors." Qur'an 57:16
Complacency is the not a characteristic of the dawah carrier. He should always be assessing himself using the sahaba (ra) as the yard stick and not the society that he is trying to change. He must at all times scrutinise himself by evaluating his intentions and feelings towards the mission. He should never be satisfied with his state, as the sahaba constantly worried about their motivations and inclinations. Was it not Umar (ra), of the ones who were promised paradise, that asked if his name was on the list of the hypocrites?
This should make us shiver.
Assessing the salah
In the dawah carriers attempt to establish khushu in his heart he must examine his salah daily. If there is any defect in his performance, such as missing fajr, he should repent. A sin without repentance hinders the way to success, in this case acquiring khushu. The dawah carrier has sold his whole life to raise Allah’s word as the highest on this earth. If he can not establish fajr, how can he work towards establishing Allah’s deen?
Assessment of oneself is not meant to instil a feeling of failure or incompetence. As long as the believer’s intention is for Allah’s pleasure, and he follows through with it, and continues trying, the reward will be given to him.
"Verily! As for those who believe and do righteous deeds - certainly! We shall not suffer to be lost the reward of anyone who do his (righteous) deeds in the most perfect manner." Qur'an 18:30
Recognising the defects in the believer’s salah shouldn't pull his motivation down but should rather motivate him to improve.
Brothers and Sisters! Remember! Salah is the key to closeness with Allah and the essential tool to change ourselves thereby facilitating the success of the dawah!
Arrogance
One of the enemies of the dawah carrier is arrogance and admiration of one's self. Not only is this the anti-thesis of khushu, it is a type of associating oneself with Allah.
"He who has in his heart a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise." [Muslim]
The dawah carrier must never admire himself or his deeds, particularly his performance of salah. The one who strives for Allah’s pleasure looks to those who are better than himself; this will encourage and humble him.
Ihsan
"To worship Allah as though you see Him, knowing that though you cannot see Him, He sees you." [Muslim]
This profound statement, if reflected upon, must make us in awe of Allah (swt). Our bodies must shiver and our eyes must be moist from acknowledging that Allah is watching us and has knowledge of everything. Failure to understand this can only mean failure in our conviction in Allah’s attributes.
Do we not believe that Allah exists? Does He not know everything? Isn’t He All-Aware? Doesn’t He know our innermost secrets and intentions? Brothers and Sisters! We need to re-affirm our basic understanding and ensure that it has affected our hearts! These concepts and ideas are not cold concepts! They are real and essential elements that will build our personalities to ensure we are manifestations of Islam and products of this noble call!
We all know the universe has stars. For many of us, the idea of a star is a cold concept that doesn’t affect our hearts and minds. Yet, the star is a truth; it is a real phenomenon. However, for the Bedouin, the star is not just another cold concept representing a natural phenomenon – it is a reality that exists in his heart and mind that affects his whole being. For it illuminates his path and guides him towards his goal. This is how we should accept our deen and embrace these key concepts. They should remove the coldness within out hearts and bring warmth and love of the deen.
Failure to so indicates that we have not allowed the deen to mean anything in our lives – it can only suggest that we do not believe that the khilafah is the solution; but are just acting out an obligation in the cold sense of the word.
This not the description of the dawah carrier.
The dawah carrier must fall in love with the message, for it will mean that he loves Allah and His Messenger.
“None of you truly believes until your own inclinations are in accordance with the message I have brought.” [An-Nawawi from kitab al-hujjah on the authority of 'abdullah ibn 'amr ibn al-'as]
Recitation of the Qur'an and Remembrance of Allah
One of the enemies of the dawah carrier is arrogance and admiration of one's self. Not only is this the anti-thesis of khushu, it is a type of associating oneself with Allah.
"He who has in his heart a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise." [Muslim]
The dawah carrier must never admire himself or his deeds, particularly his performance of salah. The one who strives for Allah’s pleasure looks to those who are better than himself; this will encourage and humble him.
Ihsan
"To worship Allah as though you see Him, knowing that though you cannot see Him, He sees you." [Muslim]
This profound statement, if reflected upon, must make us in awe of Allah (swt). Our bodies must shiver and our eyes must be moist from acknowledging that Allah is watching us and has knowledge of everything. Failure to understand this can only mean failure in our conviction in Allah’s attributes.
Do we not believe that Allah exists? Does He not know everything? Isn’t He All-Aware? Doesn’t He know our innermost secrets and intentions? Brothers and Sisters! We need to re-affirm our basic understanding and ensure that it has affected our hearts! These concepts and ideas are not cold concepts! They are real and essential elements that will build our personalities to ensure we are manifestations of Islam and products of this noble call!
We all know the universe has stars. For many of us, the idea of a star is a cold concept that doesn’t affect our hearts and minds. Yet, the star is a truth; it is a real phenomenon. However, for the Bedouin, the star is not just another cold concept representing a natural phenomenon – it is a reality that exists in his heart and mind that affects his whole being. For it illuminates his path and guides him towards his goal. This is how we should accept our deen and embrace these key concepts. They should remove the coldness within out hearts and bring warmth and love of the deen.
Failure to so indicates that we have not allowed the deen to mean anything in our lives – it can only suggest that we do not believe that the khilafah is the solution; but are just acting out an obligation in the cold sense of the word.
This not the description of the dawah carrier.
The dawah carrier must fall in love with the message, for it will mean that he loves Allah and His Messenger.
“None of you truly believes until your own inclinations are in accordance with the message I have brought.” [An-Nawawi from kitab al-hujjah on the authority of 'abdullah ibn 'amr ibn al-'as]
Recitation of the Qur'an and Remembrance of Allah
Recitation of the Qur'an and Dhikr, accompanied by contemplation of the meaning is one of the most tremendous ways of softening one's heart, thus gaining khushu.
"Allah has revealed the most beautiful Message in the form of a book, consistent with itself, repeating; the skins of those who fear their Lord tremble threat; then their skins and their hearts do soften to the remembrance of Allah." [Qur'an 39:23[
Recitation of the Qur'an and Dhikr is a protection from shaytaan and a cause of tranquillity of the heart. If the believer’s heart is really pure, he would never stop reciting Qur'an. 'Uthmaan radi (ra), would pray Fajr then remember Allah in Dhikr. Then he would recite Qur'an till Dhuhr!
"Those who believe and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah; for without a doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction." [Qur'an 13:28].
Reflecting on All the Aspects of Salah
A man came to the Prophet and said:
"Give me brief advice in which I don't need anything else. He said to Him: "When you pray, pray like a person who is saying farewell." [Ibn Majah, Al-Hakim, and Al-Bukhari]
When you stand to pray and pronounce Allahu Akbar, reflect upon the meaning of Allah's Greatness, hoping for His reward and fearing His punishment. When you bow for rukoo' and say, Subhana Rabbi Al-Adheem strive to refine the inner feeling of your own impotence and insignificance before the Might of Allah (swt). The words Subhanna Rabbi Al-A'alaa should be said with full awareness of the believer’s complete poverty to Allah. When the prayer is concluded, the dawah carrier should feel a sense of gratitude to Allah, for having enabled him to complete this act of worship. He should imagine that he is saying his farewell prayer and that he may not live to offer another like it.
Understanding the rewards and punishments
The believer who has khushu benefits enormously whereas one who is lacking in khushu will suffer various consequences. By knowing the rewards associated with khushu and the punishments for the lack thereof, the believer may better conceive the importance of developing this very special aspect of salah.
The Rewards
1. "Successful indeed are the Mu-mineen, those who humble themselves in their prayer." [Qur'an 23:1-2]
2. The right to enter Jannah through Baab As-Salah - The door of Prayer.
3. Khushu will provide you relaxation and will become 'pleasing to the eye'. You will experience tranquillity and calmness.
"Truly man was created very impatient. Fretful when evil touches him. And niggardly when good reaches him. Not so those devoted to prayer. Those who remain steadfast in their prayer." [Qur'an 70:19-23]
4. It will become a source of strength and power and will serve as a protection from Shaytaan and provide you with stability. Allah (swt), says:
"Seek help through Sabr (patience) and Salah." [Qur'an 2:45]
This is evident in the following Hadith:
"He (pbuh), when saddened by a thing, would seek refuge in prayer." [Ahmad and Abu Dawud]
5. The falling of sins from your body. The Prophet (saws) said:
"Verily when a Muslim performs Wudu properly, and then observes Salah five times a day, his sins fall off just as these leaves have fallen off.
He then recited the following ayat:
“And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night; for those things which are good removes those things which are evil. That is a reminder for the mindful." [Qur'an 11:114]
The Punishments
1. Life will be full of discomfort, agony and misery.
"But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment." [Qur'an 20:124]
2. All deeds will be a complete loss. If Salah is not performed, it will definitely affect all other deeds in life.
"The first thing that the servant will be called to account for on the Day of Judgement will be Salah. If it is good, his deeds will have been good. If it is bad, his deeds will have been bad." [Tabarani]
3. Rejection from Allah. We know the great benefits of Allah's love. What will become of us, if He turns away from us?
"But, after them followed a posterity who lost Salah and followed after lusts; soon then will they face destruction." [Qur'an 19:59]
In the tafseer of this Ayah it is mentioned that the phrase who lost Salah does not mean that they completely stopped praying, but that they delayed it, not praying it at the proper time.
Surah al-Fatiha
"There is no prayer for whom do not read the Fatiha." [Bukhari & Muslim]
Surah al-Fatiha is a pillar of salah. It is recited at least 25 times a day for the Muslim who completes the obligatory prayer and the sunnah. It is the first surah believers learn as a child and it is a chapter of the Qur’an Muslims are most familiar with.
To facilitate the development of khushu it is of immense importance that the dawah carrier understands, reflects, contemplates and meditates on surah al-Fatiha.
The Name of the Surah
Due to the surah’s importance and comprehensiveness it has been named Ummul Qur`an, the Mother of the Qur`an, and Ummul Kitab, the Mother of the Book..
Ibn Jareer at-Tabari said that it was named so because the meaning of the entire Qur`an is summarised therein. The Arabs named anything that concisely summarises something or comprises the most important part of something Umm, or Mother.
For similar reasons it is also named al-Qur`an al-Adheem, the Great Qur`an. It is also named Sab`ul Mathani, the Seven Oft Repeated Verses, because they are frequently recited and indeed recited in every rak`ah of salah.
It is also named ar-Ruqya, the Spiritual Cure due to the hadeeth of Abu Sa`eed (RA) reported in Bukhari that after he had recited it to cure a person who had been bitten by a scorpion, the Messenger of Allah said to him,
“And what made you to know that it was a ruqya?” [Bukhari]
Isti`adhah (Seeking Refuge)
Before the believer recites surah al-Fatiha he must seek refuge from Shaytaan. Allah (swt) tells us to seek refuge in Him from Shaytaan – our enemy and the enemy of the dawah.
“Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good and turn away from the foolish. And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Shaytaan then seek refuge with Allaah. Indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Qur’an 7: 99-200]
“Repel [evil] with that which is better then indeed the one, between whom and you there was enmity, [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. But none is granted [this quality] except those who are patient and none is granted it save one who possesses a great portion [of high moral character]. And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Shaytaan then seek refuge with Allaah. Indeed He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Qur’an 41:34-46]
“When you wish to read the Qur`an then seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytaan. Indeed he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord. His power is only over those who follow him and join partners with Him.” [Qur’an 16:99-100]
al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy upon him, explained the meaning of a`oodhu (I take refuge) in a beautiful way. He said,
“Know that the verb `aadha and its derivatives carry the meaning of being careful and wary, guarding and fortifying, being rescued and victorious. Its essential meaning is to flee from that which you fear will harm you to that which will safeguard you from it. This is why the one you seek refuge with is named m`aadh and malja` (the source of refuge and recourse).”
Brothers and Sisters! Reflect on the beauty and the wisdom of this statement. The dawah carrier must always be willing to cling to Allah and ensure he is far away from the path of shaytaan.
The Basmallah
Bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
“I was riding behind the Prophet (SAW) when his mount stumbled and so I said, ‘may Shaytaan perish!’ Upon hearing this the Prophet (SAW) said, "do not say may Shaytaan perish for when you say this Shaytaan becomes exultant and grows in stature and says, ‘it was by my power that I injured him.’ But when you say, ‘with the Name of Allaah’ he becomes humiliated and grows small until he ends up the size of a fly." [Abu Daawud & Ahmad]
Ibn Mas`ud said, “Whosoever wishes to the saved from the nineteen Angels over Hellfire then let him recite with the Name of Allaah, Most Beneficient, Most Merciful.”
Reflect upon the power of the basmallah, its significance and its beauty. Allah is the most gracious in that we can see the manifestations of that grace and compassion. Humanity has been given a message, Islam, to take the out of darkiness into light! We have been given health, wealth and family! We have been given this life and the opportunity to achieve higher goals and objectives such as closeness with the Lord of the Universe! Allah’s grace encompasses everything and can been seen in the birth of a child to the water that we drink.
Allah (swt) is also most merciful in that this mercy has been reserved for the believers. He has given the believers jannah with its everlasting bliss!
All Praises
Alhamdu lillahi rabbi alAAalameena
All Praises is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds
This verse means that every and all types praise are due to Allah. The ‘li’ here indicates ‘deserved praise’ rather than the mistranslated ‘owner of praise’. Allah deserves all praise because He is the creator of the whole universe! Everything good is from Him! He is the source of everything!
Allah (swt) is the Lord of the universe. The Arabic word ‘Rabb’ translated as ‘Lord’ has connotations of the cherisher, sustainer, caring and compassionate Creator. These are the meaning the dawah carrier must reflect on when pronouncing this word.
The world ‘Aalameen’ comes from the root for sign, indicating that the whole world and universe is a sign of Allah’s creation. This word, usually translated as ‘Worlds’, means all of creation. Therefore the dawah carrier is praising the cherisher, sustainer and creator of the whole of existence! All Praise is due to Allah!
Most Merciful
Alrrahmani alrraheemi
Most Gracious, Most Merciful
These are two descriptions of Allah and two of the Names from amongst His Beautiful Names derived from ar-Rahma (Mercy) in a way to express intense and exaggerated meanings.
The graciousness and mercy of Allah (swt) is now more clearly understood by reflecting on the previous verses. Allah being the Lord or the Universe and the sustainer and cherisher has indeed given humanity a gift and a blessing called life.
Accountability
Maliki yawmi alddeeni
King/Owner of the Day of Judgment
This life that Allah (swt) has given us should not be taken for granted. Humanity will be accounted for the blessings given to them. There is a judgment, an inevitable day of recompense, of which our deeds will not be unaccounted for.
The meaning of the verse would be that on that Day, Kingship belongs to Allah Alone and not to any of the creation who before then used to be kings on earth, vying with each other for power and dominion, exulting in what they had, pompously boasting about their grandeur and trying their best to outdo their competitors. However on that day they will come to know with certainty that in reality they are powerless and humiliated and that Grandeur, Power and Authority belongs in its entirety to Him Alone. Allah says,
"That Day when they will all come out, nothing of them will be hidden from Allah. Whose is the kingdom this Day? It belongs to Allah, the One, the Irresistible!" [Qur’an 40:16]
The other the meaning of the verse would be that on that Day, everything would belong to Him and no one else. No one will be able to voice an opinion or enforce a ruling as they used to do on this world. Allah says,
"That Day on which the Spirit and the Angels will stand forth in rows, none shall speak except he whom the Most Beneficent allows and he will speak only that which is correct and true." [Qur’an 78: 38]
"All voices will be humbled for the Most Beneficent and nothing shall you hear but the low sound of their footsteps." [Qur’an 20:108]
"They cannot intercede except for one with whom He is pleased." [Qur’an 21:28]
Worship and Help
Iyyaka naAAbudu wa-iyyaka nastaAAeenu
You alone we worship; You alone we ask for help.
This verse is an affirmation of ‘la ilaha ila Allah’. This verse points to the actualisation of its meaning. It is comprised of two matters: negation and affirmation. So the negation aspect, contained in the words la ilaha, means to remove every single object of worship apart from Allah in all the actions of worship. The affirmation aspect, contained in the words ila Allah, means to single out the Lord of the heavens and the earth Alone for all matters of worship in the way that has been legislated by the Share`ah.
This negation in the laa ilaaha illaa Allaah was indicated by placing the object of worship first in the verse such that it reads "You Alone…" It is established in the rules of the Arabic language that placing the object first in a sentence is one of the ways of confining the meaning of the verb to the object alone.
“And whosoever rejects all that is worshipped besides Allaah and believes in Allaah has held onto the most trustworthy handhold” [Qur’an 2:256]
Brothers and Sisters! Reflect upon this! Is it not one of the highest forms of worship to struggle in His cause to make His word the highest?
Request
Ihdina alssirata almustaqeema
Guide us to the straight path
Meaning that we do not seek aid from anyone but You because the affair in its totality is under Your control Alone, no one else has even an atoms weight of control over it. Again the object of the verb has been brought before the verb to stress this fact. In this statement’s following His saying, ‘You Alone we worship’ lies an indication that it is not permissible to put our trust in anyone except the One Who deserves worship because no one else has control over the affairs. This meaning which is indicated here is clearly explained in other verses, like His saying:
“So worship Him and put your trust in Him” [Qur’an 12:123]
Why does the verse state ‘we worship’ when there is only one person reciting it? The answer lies in the fact that the wise Share`ah has legislated many actions of worship to be done in congregation and it has also recommended the servant of Allah to supplicate for his brother Muslims. Significantly the re-establishment of the khilafah can not be done alone; we need to work in a jama’a..
The Path
Sirata allatheena anAAamta AAalayhim ghayri almaghdoobi AAalayhim wala alddalleena
The path of those upon whom you have bestowed your blessings. Not (the path) of those upon whom their portion is anger, nor of those who go astray.
After praising Allah, the believer then proceeds to ask of Him from His bounty and blessings. This is the most virtuous way of asking Allah by first praising Him and then asking of Him.
“The Messenger of Allaah (SAW) heard a man supplicating in prayer. He did not glorify Allaah and neither did he invoke blessings on the Prophet (SAW). The Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said, "he made haste." He then named him and said to him or to those around him, "if any one of you prays, he should commence by glorifying his Lord and praising Him; he should invoke peace and blessings on the Prophet (SAW) and thereafter he should supplicate Allaah for anything he wishes." [Abu Daawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa’i, Ahmad]
Al-Ghadab linguistically means anger; it is the opposite of pleasure (ridaa) and one of the Attributes of Allah. Maghdoob refers to the objects of Anger.
Dalaal linguistically means to divert from the intended goal or to diverge from the true path and it is the opposite of guidance.
"And indeed you [O Muhammad] are guiding [mankind] to the Straight Path." [Qur’an 42:52]
The Essence of Surah al-Fatiha
"Allah the Exalted had said: I have divided the prayer into two halves between My servant, and My servant and Me will receive what he asks. When the servant says:
"Praise is to Allah, the Lord of the universe",
Allah the Most High says:
"My servant has praised Me."
And when he (the servant) says:
“The Most Compassionate, the Merciful",
Allah the Most High says: "My servant has lauded Me."
And when he (the servant) says:" Master of the Day of Judgment,"
He remarks: "My servant has glorified Me," and sometimes He would say: "My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me."
And when he (the worshipper) says: "(You) we do worship and of (You) we do ask help,"
He (Allah) says:
"This is between My servant, and My servant and Me will receive what he asks for."
Then, when he (the worshipper) says: "Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom you have bestowed your Gracious, not (the way) of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray." He (Allah) says: "This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asked for." [Muslim]
O Brothers and Sisters! Allah is telling us that we will be guided and that He will help us! Let us be sincere in this mission and ask Allah to protect and guide this ummah. Let us pray with khushu to facilitate the dawah and let us plead for His forgiveness and the inevitable victory!
"Indeed, Allah will aid those who aid His cause. Indeed Allah is all-Powerful, all-Mighty." [Qur’an 22:40]
