By Iris Khadijah Lim

رَضيـتُ بِاللهِ رَبَّـاً

Raḍītu billāhi Rabba

I am pleased with Allah as my Lord,

وَبِالإسْلامِ ديـناً

wa bil-Islāmi dīna,

with Islam as my religion,

وَبِمُحَـمَّدٍ نَبِيّـاً

wa bi-Muḥammadin (ṣallallāhu `alayhi wa sallama) nabiyya.

and with Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as my Prophet.

“Allah has promised that anyone who says this three times every morning or evening will be pleased on the Day of Resurrection.” (Ahmad , Tirmidhi)

WE HAVE TO BE THANKFUL THAT ALLAH SWT GAVE US CLARITY OF MIND AND IMAN TO WORSHIP HIM AND NOT CREATION, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

This is a gift from the Lord of the worlds, so never sell this imaan for anything else because the choice is clear:

Choose Allah SWT forever, for He is Forever

He created everything in this world for our usage and not for us to bow down to them. It doesn’t matter to Him that we are Muslims or not because He doesn’t even need us. But He chose us because He loves us, and He guides whom He Wills. No one can question Allah SWT. Accept that there’s nothing exceptional about us, He chooses to do what He Wills. And after receiving this imaan, we need to prove to Him that we are deserving of His Acceptance.

Allah SWT is The One who truly raised us from nothing. He made us from a drop of despised water to a fully formed human being and understand that His divine calculation is Perfection. We cannot be divorced from Him in any point in our lives because He has already given us the perfect religion, the perfect way of life. He has given us the answer sheet to life already, so being away from Him at any point in our lives at all is non-negotiable at all. 

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِؓ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَي رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَال: وَا ذُنُوبَاهُ وَا ذُنُوبَاهُ فَقَال هذَا الْقَوْلَ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثاً فَقَال لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ: قُلْ: اَللّهُمَّ مَغْفِرَتُكَ أَوْسَعُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِي وَرَحْمَتُكَ أَرْجَي عِنْدِي مِنْ عَمَلِي فَقَالَهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ: عُدْ فَعَادَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: عُدْ فَعَادَ، فَقَالَ: قُمْ فَقَدْ غَفَرَ اللهُ لَكَ.

رواه الحاكم وقَالَ:حديث رواته عَنْ اخرهم مدنيون ممن لايعرف واحد منهم بجرح ولم يخرجاه ووافقه الذهبي:١/٥٤٣

186. Jabir ibn ‘ Abdullah Radiyallahu ‘anhuma narrates that a man came to Rasullullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam and said:

Alas, my sins! Alas, my sins! He said this twice or thrice. Rasullullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam asked him to say. O Allah, Your forgiveness is more encompassing than my sins; and I expect far more of Your Mercy than my own deeds. The man said these words: Rasullullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: Say it again! He repeated it. Rasullullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: Say it once more! He repeated these words. Then Rasullullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: Now get up; indeed, Allah has forgiven you.

Mustadrak Hakim

Do not despair at the Mercy of Allah SWT. Keep talking to Him, keep crawling back to Him, we don’t know the vastness of His Mercy. Have yaqeen in Him. Be desperate in His presence. Be vulnerable in His presence, do not despair. He answers in marvellous ways and we need to look carefully.

Attend, learn, revise, practice, share – these are the 5 traits of learning

Seeking ilm part of the practice. We may not be able to put them into practice overnight, but attending class is already part of fulfilling the Ibadah and InsyaAllah, in time, Allah SWT will push us to practice it. Removing ignorance is part of our responsibility because if you do not seek knowledge, we will still be held accountable.

We seek knowledge so that we know what to do and how to worship Allah SWT properly. Since we want to always be close to Allah SWT or want to attain His blessings, we need know how, what, when to perform these acts of worship, i.e. worship Him in what He decides is the Best Way. If we can practice what we’ve learnt, then masyaallah.

Strength and the opportunity to worship Allah is only given to us if He permits it.

Thauban reported:

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished his prayer. He begged forgiveness three times and said: O Allah! Thou art Peace, and peace comes from Thee; Blessed art Thou, O Possessor of Glory and Honour. Walid reported: I said to Auza’i: How is the seeking of forgiveness? He replied: You should say: I beg forgiveness from Allah, I beg forgiveness from Allah.”

Muslim

أَسْـتَـغْـفِـرُ اللهَ وَ أَ تُـوبُ إِ لَـْيهِ

Astaghfirullah wa atuubu ilaih

I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent towards Him

If coffee, which is halal, can stain the teeth, what more sins that rust the heart. Yet Allah SWT, the Most Merciful, Most Loving, does not use painful means to exterminate the rust. Knowing that He is capable over all things, He ordained upon us the simple act of sincere Istighfar.

Allah SWT has given us a full set of operations and blessings in a cup of tea and it is His Right that we live a life of la ilaha ilallah. Even when you are working, studying, etc because this constant remembrance makes your activity an act of Ibadah.

This is the ilm of remembrance of Allah SWT, this takes time to build. Learn the ilm until it becomes difficult to forget Allah SWT. This is the sweetness of life.

عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ الصَّحَابِيِّؓ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِﷺ: يَقُولُ اللهُ لِلْعُلَمَاءِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِذَا قَعَدَ عَلَي كُرْسِيِّهِ لِفَصْلِ عِبَادِهِ: إِنِّي لَمْ أَجْعَلْ عِلْمِي وَحِلْمِي فِيكُمْ إِلاَّ وَأَنَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَغْفِرَ لَكُمْ عَلَي مَا كَانَ فِيكُمْ وَلاَ أُبَالِي.

25. Tha’labah ibn Hakam As-Sahabi Radiyallahu ‘anhu narrates that Rasullullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said:

Allah ‘Azza wa Jalil, when seated on His Chair to judge His slaves on the Day of Resurrection, will say to the ‘Ulama (Islamic Scholars): I blessed you with My knowledge and My kind forbearance in order to pardon you despite your faults, and I care not, as to the magnitude of your sins, as forgiving you is of no consequence to Me.

Tabarani , Targhib

There is a special grade that is reserved for people who seek knowledge and spread the good of religion.

It is never too late to learn the knowledge of Allah SWT. In fact, hasten this good deed.

But do not neglect your responsibilities. Never stop your loved ones away from seeking the knowledge of Allah SWT. The criteria for sustenance is adequacy instead of insatiable wealth or morbid amounts that take you away from the things that Allah has ordained. The idea of “not enough” is actually a narrative of capitalism and modern society (see hustle culture) so you never get to enjoy the time and money because one is busy hustling for the temporal dunya.

Abu Huraira reported:

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

“The poor Muslims will enter Paradise before the rich by half of a day, the length of which is like five hundred years.”

Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2354

Do things for the sake of Allah SWT, this is how you reach success, because this is in line with the Sunnah of Rasulullah SAW. Exhaust yourself and exercise your rations and resources in seeking knowledge and good deeds. This is how you can get a wholesome picture of the Deen.

Seek qualified teachers with ijaza (mastery and permission)

We need a mursheed (a spirtual mentor) to follow, then you embody their character and learn from them. A book is not just a book, a book is a collection of knowledge that is hidden between the lines. This is why you need to read a book with teachers for they will be able to pull knowledge from n other books in a single page.

Compatibility between teacher and student is from Allah SWT. There’s no such thing as one teacher fits all. Allah SWT will lead you to a teacher of His choice, so ask Him sincerely with the intention to fight the nafs and the whispers of Shaitaan.  

Do not criticise the knowledge of your teacher, just like how you won’t question the diagnoses of a doctor. The nafs and shaitaan will make you arrogant before your teacher, so keep lowering yourself and be reminded to be humble before your teachers and the knowledge, for an arrogant way of seeking ilm is a dangerous path to walk on. 

“If he is unable, let him leave his company until his interior is consistent with his exterior. He should be on his guard against socializing with the wicked, so as to check the power of the demons among jinn and men in the recess of his heart, and so be rid of the taint of villainy, and at any rate he should choose poverty over wealth.”

Ayyuhal Walad P.38

Polishing the heart is painful and that is exactly why the believer needs a teacher because the teacher needs to reveal the ego in their student in order to remove this ego. 

Only a teacher can identify the tricks of the nafs that are hiding in plain sight

So do not run away just because your ego gets bruised because running away is an excuse to follow the nafs to return to their old ways

That’s why consistency and patience is key

If you need to depart, then depart for the sake of Allah SWT instead of following the nafs because it is dangerous and it will bring you to an even worse state than when you started. 

If you haven’t put an old piece of knowledge into practice, the teacher will not feed the student new knowledge. Teachers give tarbiyyah to their students.

Be careful of who you mix around with, avoid those who backbite, slander, gossip – avoid those who put you in a situation who will make you want to backbite, slander, gossip.

Even as simple as saying “that tall/big sized man”, can fall in the category of backbiting

Make intentions for the sake of Allah SWT. Lower yourself for the sake of Allah SWT

Be careful of what you browse and spend time on (i.e. social media) for dangerous material will block the nur of Allah SWT

“Then know that Tasawwuf has two characteristics: correctness towards God the Exalted; and withdrawal from mankind”

Ayyuhal Walad P.38

The 3rd level of Islam is tasawwuf. This is part of fardhu ain to rectify the nafs to be satisfied and present with Allah SWT, never dismissing Allah SWT.

3 obligation of fardhu ain:

Islam: The study of fiqh (Practice)

(stick to one madhab, the Shafi’i in Singapore because we have easy access to it) the four madhabs (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali) are students of each other which makes the Shari’a practical in application. Fiqh will change depending on modern day circumstances (by the irshad and fatwa of high scholars) but the Shari’a will never change. i.e. only the application will change to suit modern times

Imaan: Tawheed and Aqeedah (Creed & Conviction)

We follow the Ahl Sunnah wal Jamaah schools of theology (Ashari or Maturidi) which are passed down with sanad leading back to the Prophet s.a.w

Be careful of scholars without sanad for they might infuse other ideas into the purity of religion. Still think good of them, but seek the Protection and Guidance of Allah SWT

Nonetheless, we still should have tolerance for Ahl Kibla (people of the same Qibla

Ihsan: Tazkiah and tasawwuf (purification of the heart)

Schools of Ihsan

Every school must be under the strict umbrella of the Shari’a

Correctness before Allah SWT, seclusion from mankind (not physically but detachment from the reliance of other humans). Like Rasulullah SAW, live amongst people but the heart should never sleep and is consistent in remembering Allah SWT.

You do not abandon social practices like getting married and working and exercising etc.

The real struggle is to be amongst society and nations while still remembering Allah SWT. This requires a lot of ilm. 

“Whoever is correct towards God (Mighty and Majestic!), and masters his character with men, dealing with them mildly, is a Sufi. Correctness is to sacrifice the ego’s pleasure to God’s command (the Exalted). And excellence of character with men is not to get men to do what your ego wants, but to get your ego to do what they want, as long as they are not at odds with the Shari’a“

Ayyuhal Walad P.38

This is not just about the external physical appearance but also the internal devotion towards Allah SWT. There’s no compromise towards his worship to Allah SWT.

Keep your head down and know that you are worse than everyone else. That everyone else has traits for you to learn from.

You constantly lower yourself especially in front of family members, your spouses and amonsgst those whom Allah ordained for you to treat well, with the ultimate goal of achieving peace in your life.

“Next you questioned me about servanthood, and it is three things. The first of them is observing the ordinance of the Shari’a.”

Ayyuhal Walad P.38

The feeling of neediness towards Allah SWT through the 5 pillars of islam.

The feeling of closeness and desire for Allah SWT in the 5 daily prayers – this is the apex of servanthood

Knowing the halal and haraam. Avoiding the haraam.

“…The second of them is being satisfied with the divine decree, with predestination, and the fate allotted by God the Exalted.”

Ayyuhal Walad P.38

Taking the preference of Allah SWT. Giving up your preference and take on the preference of Allah SWT

You always want what Allah SWT wants. 

You restrain your nafs and not feed it what it wants, instead you pacify it by remembering to put what Allah SWT loves first

Pull the nafs away from food, sleep, talking and socialising.

“…The third of them is rejecting the satisfaction of your ego, in seeing the satisfaction of God the Exalted.”

Ayyuhal Walad P.38

Attaining the rida of Allah

“You questioned me about the reliance on God. It is that your creed about God the Exalted on what He has promised (and threatened), come to be sincerely held. I mean you should believe that what has been predestined for you will inevitably reach you, even if all that is in the world tried to divert it from you. And what is not written will not come to you, even if the whole world helped you.”

Ayyuhal Walad P.38

Just put in your efforts and be pleased with what Allah SWT has written for He is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing and He knows what’s best for you.

Tawakkal (Administer & Desire to attain by one’s efforts): Still sees one as having a greater involvement & decision making in one’s affairs

Tafwidh (Delegate efforts to Allah but still desire to attain): Starts to witness Allah’s Will in effort making and results

Tasleem (Delegate both efforts, desire and results to Allah totally): Totally surrenders to Allah in all affairs and sees His Involvement in also the efforts

e.g Nabi Ayuob AS – total surrender – you don’t think about the effort or the result – you don’t actively search and wait for it to be given to you in His Time and His Decision – fully knowing that it will happen. Being pleased with what Allah SWT has decided

The people of iman tasleem takes the means knowing all well that it was given at the perfect time by Allah SWT

i.e. when you are using your phone, did you view it as “my phone, my chat, my texts” or did you saw it as a gift and bounty by Allah SWT for His Slaves to do things for His Sake?

Never let yourself be deceived that you are doing good for Allah SWT (i.e. the path of dawah) because you will be taken to account and questioned if your intentions were purely for His Sake and if you have lived a life of la ilaha ilallah in everything that you do.

عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍؓ قَالَ:قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ:مَا مِنْ رَاكِبٍ يَخْلُو فِي مَسِيرِهِ بِاللهِ وَذِكْرِهِ إِلاَّ رَدِفَهُ مَلَكٌ وَلاَ يَخْلُو بِشِعْرٍ وَنَحْوِهِ إِلاَّ رَدِفَهُ شَيْطَانٌ.

رواه الطبراني واسناده حسن مجمع الزوائد:١٠ /١٨٥

83. ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir Radiyallahu ‘anhu narrates that Rasullullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said:

Any rider who keeps his heart free for Allah and His remembrance during a journey, then an angel becomes his companion. And one who engages in nothing but absurd poetry and similar useless things is accompanied by the Shaitan.

Tabarani, Majma-‘uz-Zawaid

Laa ilaaha illallaah

Associating any attributes of Allah SWT to any creation = shirk

Bring this same concept into your day-to-day

Such as thinking that money and power can give you the same things that comes from Ar-Razzaq is a terrible disease of the heart

This is a narrative was passed down from ancestors. Our parents and grandparents have brought us up telling us that we cannot survive without money, power and education. And it is a dangerous narrative to live by. Break the cycle.

We cannot have this conviction – this is a hidden shirk. The person with apparent or hidden shirk will find it difficult to attain closeness to Allah SWT.

Allah SWT has given us the basic conversion of the mind , which is to know that Allah SWT is above creation, that He doesn’t need any forms. He did not disgrace us because He guided us.

Now we need to convert our hearts to see means as means and that everything, including the means came from Allah SWT.

Use money, but don’t put it in your heart. Do not lower yourself and lose your dignity for the means 

Money, a piece of paper, can’t give you life, sight, hearing, etc, BUT Allah SWT says be and it will be.

The one that gave you the bottle of water is not the $2-note but it came from Allah SWT who provided you the means and the availability of resources who put those favours in front of you. 

Ilm of Tawhid

Do not get sucked in by the religion of capitalism, do not let society rob the narrative.

Hold on tightly to la ilaha ilallah. See Allah SWT in everything.

Apply la ilaha ilallah in practice.

Do You Believe in One God
& Ready to [Re]start your Journey of Faith & Gratitude as a Muslim?