Knowing Allaah By: Dr. Saleh-as-Saleh (‫)رمحه اهلل‬ Transcription by Abdul Khâliq ibn Faisal as-Saylâni Edited & references added by Abu AbdirRahman Nawwas al-Hindi as-Saylâni ‫حفظه اهلل‬

The Sheikh started by praising Allaah and sending salams upon our Prophet Muhammad (‫)ص َّل اهلل عليه و سلَّم‬. َ Today’s topic is ‘Knowing Allaah ‫ ’عز وجل‬Who is the Most High, the One free of all imperfections, Who has made Himself known to His creation by His Names & Attributes which He has mentioned and affirmed in His book, and in the authentic Sunnah of His Messenger Muhammad (‫)ص َّل اهلل عليه و سلَّم‬. َ Anyone who contemplates upon these Names & Attributes would know of a Lord, of a Rabb, "Who is The King; Who is the Ever-Living; Who is the One Who sustains and protects all that exists; Who is free of all wants and all of creation needs Him. He ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬has risen above His Arsh (throne), in the most Majestic way that befits Him. He ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬sees and hears; runs all

the affairs, orders and forbids. He sends the Messengers and Books. He ‫ عز وجل‬accepts and rejects, rewards and punishes, gives and takes, lifts whom He wishes in might and sinks whom He wishes in humility. He Sees and Hears from above the seven heavens. He ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬knows all that is manifested and all that is hidden. He does what He wishes. He is perfect and free from any deficiency. No atom can move without His permission, no leaf can fall except that He knows about it; No one can intercede with Him except with His permission. He hears the footsteps of the dark ant on the black rock, in the midst of full darkness ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬. He is described with ALL perfection, above any defect, and nothing is like unto Him. He puts everything in its due measures, with all Justice and all Wisdom, and He ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬is greater than everything, and He is Most Beautiful than everything." (These are the words of the great scholar of Islaam, Ibnul-Qayyim (‫) رمحه اهلل‬, from his classical book Al-Fawaa`id - The Benefits which are a collection of wise sayings.)

Knowing Allaah

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The slave of Allaah is in need of his Creator at all times. There is never a time when they are not in need of Him, even for the twinkling of an eye. If Allaah leaves (forsakes) him for other than Him ‫سبحانه وتعاىل‬, ُ he would be lost to one who might or might not bring upon him harm, nor cause him benefit, nor cause him death, nor give him life. He will be enslaved to other than Him, and his life will be meaningless if he loses the link to his creator.

All are in need of Allaah, the One whose Mercy encompasses everything. The most perfect of the slaves of Allaah are those who worship Him by all of His Names and Attributes, known to us. This is why the scholars have interpreted the saying of the Prophet (‫ص َّل اهلل عليه و سلَّم‬ َ ) as: 'To Allaah belongs ninety nine Names, one hundred, less than one; anyone who enumerates them will enter Paradise.' (Al-Bukhaari 6372 & Muslim 6233) This enumeration is just not the counting (number) in itself, but it refers to those who worship Allaah with His Names and Attributes (meaning knowing them with proper understanding). Therefore, the most honorable and the greatest of knowledge is the knowledge of Allaah ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬, ُ the True God, the Lord of all that exists, Who is the only One worthy of worship (in truth). The knowledge of Allaah is the basis of every other knowledge. For the one who knows Allaah, knows other than Him (His creation). And the one who is ignorant of Allaah, therefore by all means, he is ignorant of every other thing. That is why Allaah (‫)سبحانه وتعلى‬ ُ says:

ِ ‫ك هم الْ َف‬ ِ َّ ِ ‫اس ُقو َن‬ ُ ‫سوا اللَّهَ فَأَنْ َس‬ َ ‫َوََل تَ ُكونُوا َكالذ‬ ُ ُ َ ‫اه ْم أَنْ ُف َس ُه ْم أُولَئ‬ ُ َ‫ين ن‬

"And be not like those who forgot Allâh (i.e. became disobedient to Allâh) and He caused them to forget their ownselves, (let them to forget to do righteous deeds). those are the Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh)." (Al-Hashr 59:19) Thus, if you contemplate upon this verse, you will find a noble and honorable meaning implicated in this verse, i.e. if anyone forgets Allaah, then Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬will make him forget himself whereby he will not realize his reality nor would he realize what benefits him and harms him. As a result, he will be crippled like cattle, (even cattle could be more knowledgeable of its benefits, in that sense)!

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So, what is meant is that the knowledge of Allaah is the basis and foundation of every other knowledge and it is the basis for the slave of Allaah to know of his happiness and to perfect his affairs and to work for his other life. When our knowledge of Allaah is perfected, it would also lead him to properly estimate Allaah with the proper estimation (opinion) He deserves. It will lead him to be shy of Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬out of love and magnification; his heart would be attached to Him,

yearning to meet Allaah and to be close to Him, turning his affairs to Him, having awe and fear of Him. Mankind with respect, differ in such an estimation of Allaah. The Prophet ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬whilst invoking Allaah ‫ تعاىل‬said,

ِ ْ ‫« ََل أ‬ »‫ك‬ َ ‫ت َعلَى نَ ْف ِس‬ َ ‫اء َعلَْي‬ َ ‫ت َك َما أَثْ نَ ْي‬ َ ْ‫ك أَن‬ ً َ‫ُحصي ثَن‬

“I cannot enumerate praising You, as You have praised Yourself”. Muslim #486 The Prophet ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬indicated that even those most knowledgeable of Allaah invoke Allaah with this saying, “I cannot enumerate praising You, as You have praised Yourself O' Allaah." Love and eagerness are matters that follow the knowledge of Allaah. So the knowledge of Allaah brings forth and leads to loving Him ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬and yearning to meet Him. Therefore, knowledge of Allaah is the most great and most honorable knowledge and this leads to the proper estimation of Allaah, loving Him and eagerness to meet Him. The more a person is knowledgeable of Allaah the more perfection there is in his love for Him ‫وجل‬ ّ Therefore, whoever then believes in Allaah and his Names and Attributes ّ ‫عز‬. and knows of Him in this respect would love Him a great deal. He therefore, achieves a state of sweetness in his heart, and this sweetness places him in a state where he always yearn to meet Allaah and be close to Him, to see and look at His face, and listen to Him (to His words). This knowledge in itself leads to the proper estimation of Allaah. Malik ibn Dinar ‫ رمحه اهلل‬said, “The people of this life left it and did not taste the best of it,” and they said to him, “And what is it O' Abu Yahya, what is it?” he said, “Knowing of Allaah, the Most Mighty and the Most Majestic”. (Safwatu-s-Safwah for Ibnu-l-Jawzi 2/167)

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: )723 / 6( ‫صفة الصفوة‬ ‫ معرفة اهلل‬:‫ وما هو؟ قال‬:‫ قالوا‬.‫ خرج أهل الدنيا من الدنيا ولم يذوقوا أطيب شيء فيها‬:‫قال مالك بن دينار‬ .‫عز وجل‬ Meaning of what Malik ibn Dinar asserted: Those who know Allaah ‫وجل‬ ّ are those who ّ ‫عز‬ have really tasted what’s the BEST in this life, that is therefore the knowledge of Allaah, the Most High. Allaah says in His Noble Book:

               "They (the Jews, Quraish pagans, idolaters, etc.) did not estimate Allâh with an estimation due to Him when they said: "Nothing did Allâh send down to any human being (by inspiration)." (al-An’am, 2:97) - Tafsir Al-Qurtubî, Vol.7, Page 37 When the knowledge of Allaah ‫ عز وجل‬is strengthened, then his eagerness to meet Allaah is also strengthened. Abdullah bin Mas’ood ‫ رضي اللّه عنـه‬said, “The believer will not feel at rest until he meets his Lord, Allaah. Therefore anyone who sets his resting in this life in meeting of Allaah then as if he has reached that." It means that the believer will not rest in this life unless he is sincerely keen about this matter of meeting Allaah, yearning for it, so that he can achieve it. As Allaah ‫ عز وجل‬says,

             ”Those who believe and they have hearts had tranquility and peace with the remembrance of Allaah for indeed through the remembrance of Allaah the hearts will be in such a state of tranquility." (Surah ar-R'ad 13:28)

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So, this tranquility and rest, this is the thing that Abdullah bin Masood ‫ رضي اللّه عنـه‬was speaking about when he said that there is no real rest for the believer unless he meets Allaah and therefore this matter (of yearning to meet Allaah) should be alive. The process, (the means) is stated in Surah ar-R'ad verse 28, ”Those who believe and their hearts are in a state of tranquility and rest, through the remembrance of Allaah”, they will achieve that. Before this, Allaah gave the prophets (May Allaah`s salaam be upon them) the choice between increasing their stay on earth or death. They chose, the meeting of Allaah, the Most High, the Most Majestic. As Imaam al-Bukhaari ‫رمحهم اهلل‬, entitled his Saheeh in his book of collection of Hadeeth, chapter 4, “The one who loves to meet Allaah, Allaah loves to meet him." Underneath this chapter, Imaam al-Bukhaari presented the situation of the Prophet ‫ص َّل اهلل‬ َ َّ ‫ عليه و سلم‬as described by Ayesha ‫رضي اهلل عنها‬, his wife whilst he was in his last stages of death. She ‫ رضي اهلل عنها‬said, the Messenger of Allaah ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬used to say, “No prophet`s soul will be taken by Allaah until he sees his feet in Paradise and after that he will be given the choice.” So when the Prophet ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسّلم‬became ill and when the moment of death approached him, whilst his head was on my thigh, he ‫ صلّى اللَّ ُه عليه وسلّم‬would drift in and out consciousness. When he ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسّلم‬woke up, (finally) I saw him gazing up towards the roof, (the ceiling), saying, “Allaahumma Rafeeq ul-A'laa -- O' Allaah, the Highest Companionship." - meaning he ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬had chosen Allaah, to be with Allaah ‫عز وجل‬. So Ayesha ‫رضي اهلل‬ ‫ عنها‬said, "So, he ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬didn`t choose us, and I knew that this is what he used to say concerning the Prophets.” She then said, “These were the last words the Prophet ‫صلّى‬ ‫ اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬spoke: O' Allaah the Most High of Companionship.“ What this means is that the Prophet ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬chose to be with Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬.

The Names and Attributes of Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬has an influence in the heart (or in the hearts) that knows Him. This is because this person would then start obeying Allaah knowing that He ‫ تعاىل‬knows of him, that He ‫ تعاىل‬encompasses all of his affairs, therefore in this respect he will be shy of Allaah ‫سبحانه وتعلى‬. َ ُ That is why the Prophet ‫ص َّل اهلل عليه و سلَّم‬, indicated that the person would not indulge in sin, except when his heart at such moments will not have Imaan, (it will lack faith) and that`s why he will indulge in the sin. As reported in the Hadeeth of Abu Hurayra ‫رضي اللّه عنـه‬, wherein he said,

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“The one who commits adultery, doesn`t do it while he is in a state of Imaan, (while he is being a believer). It is the same with the thief when he steals, and so it is with the person who consumes alcoholic drinks." (Al-Bukhaari 6809 & Muslim 73) The interpretation for this was given vividly by Ibn Abbas ‫ رضي اللّه عنـه‬when he was asked, “How is it that belief is taken away from him, meaning, when he indulges in this sinful deed?" He ‫ رضي اللّه عنـه‬sat interweaving the fingers of both hands together. Then he pulled them apart saying, "if he repents it (Imaan) would return to him like this (re-matching them together)." That is why in the story of Nuh ‫عليه السالم‬, when he called his people to worship Allaah, they did not accept and respond to his message in the correct manner. In fact they did not believe in the message of Nuh. Nuh ‫ عليه السالم‬knew that the reason for them not accepting the message is due to the fact that they didn't really know of Allaah. They lacked the proper knowledge that Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬deserves. With regards to this Nuh ‫ عليه السالم‬invoked Allaah saying:

‫لِل َو َقارً ا‬ ّ َ ّ ‫ُون‬ َ ‫َما لَ ُكم َل َترج‬ "What is the matter with you, [That you fear not Allâh (his punishment), and] you hope not for reward (from Allâh or you believe not in His Oneness)?" (Nuh 71:13) This is because if the creation had the proper estimation and good opinion of Allaah ‫سبحانه وتعلى‬, ُ they would not indulge in any kind of shirk because all good is in His ‫'عز وجل‬s hands. Therefore, how is it that they go and seek other than Him? Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬addressed them saying,

            "... and there is not a thing, but with us are the stores (treasures) thereof. And we send it not down except in a known measure." (Al-Hijr 15:21) This is due to the ignorance and lack of proper knowledge of the people. Because of this they did not have the proper estimation of Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬that He so deserves.

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It is only Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬who can protect us from all the evils! Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬says in Surath-ul-Zumar:

                  "Is not Allâh Sufficient for his slave? Yet they try to frighten you with those (whom they worship) besides him! And whom Allâh sends astray, for him there will be no guide." (Az-Zumar 39:36) So if, people really give Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬the proper estimation that He deserves, then their hearts will be filled with awe (fear) whereby you would not see any of them committing sins. As Saeed ibn Jubair ‫ رمحه اهلل‬said:

: )57 / 6( ‫صفة الصفوة‬ ،‫ إن الخشية أن تخشى هللا حتى تحول خشيته بينك وبين معصيتك‬:‫ قال‬،‫عن سعيد بن جبير‬ ‫ والذكر طاعة هللا فمن أطاع هللا فقد ذكره ومن لم يطعه فليس بذاكر وإن أكثر‬،‫فتلك الخشية‬ .‫التسبيح وتالوة القرآن‬ (Safwatu-s-Safwah for Ibnu-l-Jawzi 2/45) Indeed the khashyah is that you fear Allah untill it prevents you from disobedience to Him. Remembrance is obedience to Allaah ‫سبحانه وتعاىل‬. ُ Therefore, anyone who obeys Allaah, has remembered Him. And anyone who doesn’t obey Him then indeed he isn’t really in remembrance of Him ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬even though he makes abundant Tasbeeh and recites the Qur'aan much.

Indeed these words carry a very important message which one should heed (pay serious attention to), i.e. a slave commits sins only when he is heedless about observing Allaah (‫!)سبحانه وتعلى‬ ُ Not giving thought that Allaah Sees and Hears him! When the slave of Allaah is indulging in sin he is neglectful of Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. He is unmindful that Allaah ‫ عز وجل‬Sees and Hears him. At first he is overwhelmed with eagerness to commit the sin, but if he remembers Allaah ‫عز وجل‬, and brings to mind that Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬Sees him and Knows all his moves, he will remember the saying of Allaah:

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َّ ‫أَلَ ْم يَ ْعلَ ْم بِأ‬ ‫َن اللَّهَ يَ َرى‬ "Doesn’t he know that Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬sees?" (Al-Alaq 96:14) So, Saeed ibn Jubair ‫ رمحه اهلل‬is saying: "Faman athaa Allaah faqad zakarahu." “And anyone who obeys Allaah then indeed he has remembered him.” Here, Saeed ibn Jubair ‫ رمحه اهلل‬is referring to, the essence of remembrance and its base – which is the heart. And this is the thing which will instigate, the obedience. As Maimoon ibn Mahraan ‫ رمحه اهلل‬said:

: )75 :‫الورع لبن أبي الدنيا (ص‬ ِّ " :‫ان َقا َل‬ ‫ك أَن َيذ ُك َر‬ َ ّ‫ضلُ مّن َذل‬ َ ‫ َوأَف‬، ٌ‫ان َح َسن‬ َ ‫ُون ب ّن مّه َر‬ ّ َ ‫ ذّك ُر‬:‫ان‬ ّ ‫هللا ّباللِّ َس‬ ّ ‫الذك ُر ذّك َر‬ ّ ‫َعن َميم‬ " ‫ َفيُمسّ َك َعن َها‬،ّ‫هللا ال َعب ُد عّندَ ال َمعصّ َية‬ ََ “Remembrance is of two types, remembrance by the tongue, and this is good; but that which is best is when the slave of Allaah remembers Him ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬at the time he is about to commit an act of disobedience thereby withholds himself from committing it”. So what we is stated above is that obedience and ceasing from committing sins relates to the knowledge of Allaah, having awe and observing Him ‫سبحانه وتعلى‬. ُ This also has another benefit that this knowledge of Allaah, leads the person to strive in worshipping Him. This is the third point which leads the believer to strive in worshipping Allaah ‫عز وجل‬ as mentioned in Surah Ad-Dhâriyât. Comprehend this statement about whom Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬describes:

           "... they used to sleep but little by night [invoking their Lord (Allâh) and praying, with fear and hope]. And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allâh) for Forgiveness." (Ad-Dhâriyât 51:17-18)

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They knew of Allaah ‫ عز وجل‬and this lead them to strive in the worship of Allaah ‫عز وجل‬. This is why we know that a person who commits a sin is the one who does not really give the proper estimation which is due to Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬as stated in Surah az- Zumar:

                   "They made not a just estimate of Allâh such as is due to Him. And on the Day of Resurrection the whole of the earth will be grasped by his Hand and the heavens will be rolled up in His Right hand. Glorified is He, and High is He above all that they associate as partners with Him!" (az-Zumar 39:67) The greatest form of ignorance is not estimating Allaah in a manner that is due to Him. This is the reason and the means by which the slave cannot transgress the limits set by Allaah, as He ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬says in Suratul-Hajj,

            ".... that (Manâsik prescribed duties of Hajj is the obligation that mankind owes to Allâh), and whoever honours the sacred things of Allâh, then that is better for him with his Lord..." (Al-Hajj 22:30) The fourth point is that ignorance stems from the improper knowledge of Allaah, which leads to an improper estimation of Him ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬as mentioned in Surah anNisaa wherein Allaah ‫ عز وجل‬says,

                      "Allâh accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards..." (an-Nisaa 4:17)

This is why one of the early scholars of Islaam said,

Knowing Allaah

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: )59 / 5( ‫ جامع البيان‬- ‫تفسير الطبري‬ ‫ كل‬:‫ أن أصحاب رسول هللا صلى هللا عليه وسلم كانوا يقولون‬:‫ أنه كان يح ِّدث‬:‫عن أبي العالية‬ .‫ذنب أصابه عبد فهو بجهالة‬ “The companions of the Prophet ‫ص َّل اهلل عليه و سلَّم‬ َ used to say that every sin committed by a slave is due to ignorance.” And such was the saying of Qataadah who stated,

: )59 / 5( ‫ جامع البيان‬- ‫تفسير الطبري‬ ‫ اجتمع أصحابُ رسول هللا صلى هللا عليه‬:‫ قال‬،"‫ "للذين يعملون السوء بجهالة‬:‫عن قتادة قوله‬ ."‫وسلم فرأوا أن كل شيء عُصيّ به فهو"جهالة‬ “The companions of the Prophet ‫ص َّل اهلل عليه و سلَّم‬ َ have been in agreement concerning this.” (Reported by Abdur Razzaak and Ibn Jareer in their tafseer and declared Hassaan.)

Therefore, this is the understanding of the Sahabah, the Fiqh of the Sahabah concerning the Book of Allaah, because they knew in this respect, the influence of tawheed in the purification of the souls. So when As-Suddi read this verse,

: )99 / 5( ‫ جامع البيان ت شاكر‬- ‫تفسير الطبري‬ ‫ ما دام يعصي هللا فهو‬،"‫"إنما التوبة على هللا للذين يعملون السوء بجهالة‬:‫عن السدي‬ .‫جاهل‬ "Allâh accepts only the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon afterwards..." (an-Nisaa 4:17) As-Suddi said, “As long as he commits sins and disobeys Allaah, then he is ignorant.” That is why Sheikh-ul-Islaam ibn Taymiyyah ‫ رمحه اهلل‬said: “What is meant here is that: "every disobedient person is 'jaahil' ignorant, and everyone who has awe and fear of Allaah is knowledgeable of Allaah and is obedient to Him." )779 / 3( ‫مجموع الفتاوى‬

Knowing Allaah

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This is because: "Li nuxi khawfihi" --- It is due to the diminishing of fear from one's heart, wherein he does not have the perfect fear of Allaah. But if his state fear of Allaah had been perfected, he wouldn`t have disobeyed Him ‫عز وجل‬. So the fifth point therefore is: 'The more the believer is knowledgeable about Allaah, the more he will fear Him.' And this is in accordance with the saying of Allaah ‫ُسبحانه‬ ‫وتعاىل‬:

        "... It is only those who have knowledge among his slaves that fear Allâh." (Al-Fathir 35:28) The most knowledgeable of the people who knows Allaah, is our Prophet ‫صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬. He used to fear Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعاىل‬yet Allaah ordered him in Surah Al An’aam:

          "Say: "I fear, if I disobey My Lord, the torment of a mighty Day." (Al-An'aam 6:15) Because the believers in the Tawheed of Allaah are the ones who know of Allaah, even if his sins are so minute they will feel as if they are like mountains. Why? Because of their knowledge of the greatness of Allaah ‫سبحانه وتعاىل‬. ُ That is why the generation of the companions feared Allaah the Most due to them knowing the rights of Allaah and having perfect ilm of Him. Anas ‫ رضي اللّه عنـه‬said,

ِ‫سر‬ َّ ‫ ِه َي أ ََد ُّق فِي أَ ْعيُنِ ُك ْم ِم َن‬،‫ «إِنَّ ُك ْم لَتَ ْع َملُو َن أَ ْع َم ًاَل‬:‫ال‬ ‫ إِ ْن ُكنَّا‬،‫الش َع ِر‬ َ َ‫ ق‬،ُ‫ض َي اللَّهُ َعْنه‬ َ ٍ َ‫َع ْن أَن‬ ِ ‫لَنَ ع ُّد َها َعلَى َع ْه ِد النَّبِ ِّي صلَّى اهلل َعلَي ِه وسلَّم ِمن الموبَِق‬ ‫ك‬ َ َ‫ات» ق‬ َ ِ‫ «يَ ْعنِي بِ َذل‬:‫ال أَبُو َعْب ِد اللَّ ِه‬ َ ُ ُ َ َ ََ ْ ُ ِ ‫الم ْهلِ َك‬ »‫ات‬ ُ ‘Now you do certain deeds considering them to be so minute in your eyes, or finer than the hair. However, we used to consider them as from the 'Mûbeeqaat' (meaning from the destructive ones) at the time of the Prophet ‫ص َّل اهلل عليه و سلَّم‬.” َ

Knowing Allaah

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Imaam Al-Bukhaari ‫ رمحه اهلل‬#2596 explained the meaning of Mûbeeqaat, to be the destructive ones. Imaam Al Awzaa’ee ‫رمحه اهلل‬, the great scholar of Islaam said,

: )776 :‫الزهد ألحمد بن حنبل (ص‬ » َ‫ص أيت‬ َ ‫ « َل َت أنظر إِ َلى صِ َغ ِر ا أل َخطِ ي َئ ِة َولَكِنأ ا أنظ أر َمنأ َع‬:‫ َيقول‬،ٍ‫س أعد‬ َ َ‫سم أِعت ِب ََللَ أبن‬ َ :َ ‫أاألَ أو َزاعِ ي َقال‬ “I heard Bilaal bin Sa’ad saying, 'don’t look at how small your sin is, but contemplate and look to the One whom you are disobeying.”' Allaahu Akbar!! That is why when Shaitân gets tired of seeing a believer not committing sins and devoting himself to Allaah, he will resort to other tricks such as trying to instigate Ar Riyaa’ (showing off) in him by speaking highly of him. Shaitân is persistent in this trickery until the moment of the believer's death. He continues working on him from the side of disobedience, and if he fears he is unable to get him through that, he will try his utmost to trap him through pride, showing off and so on. There is a very interesting story that 'Abdullaah bin Ahmad bin Hanbal (the son of Imaam Ahmad bin Hanbal ‫ )رمحه اهلل‬who said: "When death approached my father and I sat by his side. I had a piece of cloth with me. I looked at him and saw him drifting in and out of conscious until I thought that he had passed way. He would awake and say, 'laa ba’d laa ba’d (not yet, not yet).' He did this one time and then a second time, and when he awoke the third time I said to him ' Ya abathee (O' my father)! what is this you are saying at this time (of death)?' Whereupon he ‫ رمحه اهلل‬said to me, 'Ya bunayy (O' my son)! Maa thadree (You don’t know).' I said, 'No I don’t.' He said, "Shaitân may he receive the curse of Allaah was standing by my feet, biting his fingers saying, 'Ya Ahmad futhanee! (O' Ahmed) you are saved from me - you have escaped my grasp.' To that (statement of Shaitaan) I am replying, 'not yet, not yet, not until I die'" [Hilyatul Awliyaah v.9 p.183]

Knowing Allaah

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Why did Shaitân say, 'O Ahmed you are saved (protected) from me,' whilst Imaam Ahmed ‫ رمحه اهلل‬was at the throes of death? This is in order to make Ahmed feel proud about himself (develop Riyaa), which is a fitna (affliction) now. Shaitân was trying to cause a fitnah to Ahmad at the time of his death. That is why Imaam Ahmed ‫ رمحه اهلل‬said, “Laa ba’d haththaa amoot (Not before until I die). InshaAllaah, I will be safe from you after I die, but not now”. And this is one of the fruits of Eemaan. Because of one's true Eemaan Allaah will give the believer steadfastness against Shaitân and his temptations at the time of death. This has been explained by our Prophet Muhammad ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬when he recited the following verse,

"Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬will make the believers steadfast with the firm saying (speech) in this life and the Hereafter.” (Al-Bukhaari 7729 Muslim 6537) The firm statement (speech) in this life, is the ability for one to pronounce the Shahâdah (testimony of faith) which is "Laa ilaaha illallaah' at the time of death and at the time of questioning in the grave. Every person after being buried will be asked three questions in the grave: 1. Who is your Lord? 2. What is your religion? 3. What is the name of this person who was sent to you (meaning the Messenger)? Only those whom Allaah will give steadfastness and firmness to will be able to answer the above questions in the grave. So who are these privileged ones? They will be the true believers! We ask Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬to make us from those whom He will give steadfastness to in this life and in the Hereafter. That is why Imaam Ibnul Qayyim ‫ رمحه اهلل‬said,

Knowing Allaah

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: )576 / 7( ‫مدارج السالكين بين منازل إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين‬ َ ‫صلَى‬ ّ ‫ َوآ‬،‫ أَوَ ُل َما َيد ُخلُ بّ ّه فّي اْلّس َال ّم‬:‫َفال َتوحّي ُد‬ َ - ُّ‫ َك َما َقا َل ال َنبّي‬،‫خ ُر َما َيخ ُر ُج بّ ّه م َّن ال ُّدن َيا‬ ُ‫هللا‬ َ ‫ َل إّلَ َه إّ َل‬:‫خ ُر َك َال ّم ّه‬ َ ‫هللاُ؛ د‬ ‫خ ُر‬ ّ ‫ َوآ‬،ٍ‫جب‬ ّ ‫ان آ‬ َ ‫ « َمن َك‬:- ‫َعلَي ّه َو َسلَ َم‬ ّ ‫ َفه َُو أَوَ لُ َوا‬، »‫َخ َل ال َج َن َة‬ .ُ‫خ ُره‬ ّ ‫ أَوَ لُ اْلَم ّر َوآ‬:‫ َفال َتوحّي ُد‬،ٍ‫جب‬ ّ ‫َوا‬ “The first thing that a person enters into the fold of Islaam through (or by it) is Tawheed." And it (Tawheed) is the last thing he will leave with at the time when he departs from in this life. (Madaariju-s- Saalikeen 3/412) That is why the Messenger of Allaah ‫ صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم‬said, “The one who utters ‘‫ ال إله إال هللا‬- Laa ilaahi ilallaah’ (the testimony of faith) as his last words, then he will enter Paradise.” (Abu Dawud 3/190 and Saheeh al-Jaami 5/342) We ask Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬to make us of those, who will utter ‘‫ ال إله إال هللا‬- Laa ilaahi ilallaah’ (the meaning of which is: there is none worthy of worship in truth except Allaah) as our last words at the time of death. Ameen! This is why the believer who lives upon 'Pure Tawheed' and doesn’t mix and combine with any kind of distortions (falsehood), Allaah will make him die upon that state. This is especially (particularly) for those who call to this Tawheed and defend it. One of the scholars of Islaam Al Haafiz Abdul Ghaafir Al Faarisee ‫ رمحه اهلل‬said, 'I entered to see Abi Bakr al-Abbâd (who was one of the righteous Muslims) while he was at the throes of death. I heard him exerting himself and saying, “Al Malikul Quddoosus Salaamul Mu’min.”' Al-Mâlik – The King Al-Quddoos – The Most Pure. As-Salaam – The One who is free from all defects. Al-Mu’min – The One who is Trustworthy. These are the Names of Allaah ‫سبحانه وتعاىل‬. ُ

Knowing Allaah

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So he (Abi Bakr al-Abbaad) named all the Names of Allaah until he died. We end this talk by remembering what was stated by Ibraaheem and Ya’qoob (in their will) to their sons as mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah:

                                             "And this (submission to Allâh, Islâm) was enjoined by Ibrâhim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya'qûb (Jacob), (saying), "O my sons! Allâh has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the faith of Islâm (as Muslims - Islâmic Monotheism). Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya'qûb (Jacob) when he said unto his sons, "What will you worship after me?" they said, "We shall worship your Ilâh (God - Allâh), the Ilâh (God) of your fathers, Ibrâhim (Abraham), Ismâ'il (Ishmael), Ishâque (Isaac), one Ilâh (God), and to Him we submit (in Islâm)." (Al-Baqarah 2:132-133) This submission to Allaah in Tawheed was enjoined by Ibraaheem and Ya’qoob ‫عليه الصالة و‬ ‫ سالم‬upon their sons saying, "O my sons! Allâh has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islâm (as Muslims in Tawheed - Islâmic Monotheism)." When death approached Ya’qoob he said unto his sons, “what will you worship after me?” They said, "We shall worship your Ilaah (god) Allaah, the Lord of your fathers Ibraahim, Ismail and Ishâque, one Ilaah." What did they say? They said, 'we submit in Islaam to ONE GOD." So this is the greatest and most truthful end i.e. to be in a state of Islaam.

Knowing Allaah

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I ask Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬to make us one of those who know of Allaah ‫ ُسبحانه وتعلى‬and estimate him with the proper estimation He ‫ عز وجل‬deserves and to make us from those who live upon this, call to it, defend it, die on it and be resurrected upon it. Ameen!

‫محمد وعلى آله و صحبه تسليما كثي ار‬ ّ ‫وصلي أهلل على‬ ّ ‫نبينا‬

Knowing Allaah

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