Part of Milestones on the path to stability (series completed)
· Lesson 22 of 23
Milestones on the path to stability | Episode (22) | One of the means of steadfastness is insecurity from God’s deception
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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Milestones on the path of steadfastness.
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Not feeling secure from the plan of Allah.
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Among the means of steadfastness
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is not feeling secure from the plan of Allah.
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For feeling secure from the plan of Allah
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leads one to persist in sins,
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relying upon the mercy of Allah,
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while being heedless of the punishment of Allah.
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Allah the Almighty says:
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“And if the people of the townships had believed and kept from evil, surely We should have opened for them blessings from the sky and from the earth. But (unto every messenger) they gave the lie, and so We seized them on account of what they used to earn.” (7:96)
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We would have opened for them blessings
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We would have opened for them blessings
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from the heaven and the earth.
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But they denied [the truth],
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but they denied [the truth].
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“And if the people of the townships had believed and kept from evil, surely We should have opened for them blessings from the sky and from the earth. But (unto every messenger) they gave the lie, and so We seized them on account of what they used to earn.” (7:96)
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“Are the people of the townships then secure from the coming of Our wrath upon them as a night-raid while they sleep?” (7:97)
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“Are the people of the townships then secure from the coming of Our wrath upon them as a night-raid while they sleep?” (7:97)
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“Are the people of the townships then secure from the coming of Our wrath upon them as a night-raid while they sleep?” (7:97)
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Our punishment [came upon them] in the morning while they were playing.
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Do they then feel secure from the plan of Allah?
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“Are they then secure from Allah's scheme? None deemeth himself secure from Allah's scheme save folk that perish.” (7:99)
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except the people who are the losers.
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Ibn Kathir said in his Tafsir:
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“Are they then secure from Allah's scheme? None deemeth himself secure from Allah's scheme save folk that perish.” (7:99)
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except the people who are the losers.
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This is why al-Hasan al-Basri said,
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may Allah have mercy on him:
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"The believer performs acts of obedience
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while being apprehensive, anxious, and fearful,
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whereas the wicked person performs sins
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while feeling secure."
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Al-Sa'di said in his Tafsir:
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"This noble verse
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contains a severe warning,
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indicating that a servant should not
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feel secure
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regarding the faith he possesses;
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rather, he should remain fearful and anxious
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that he might be afflicted with a trial
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that strips away the faith he possesses.
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He should constantly supplicate, saying:
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'O Turner of hearts,
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keep my heart steadfast upon Your religion.'
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He must work and strive through every means
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that will save him from evil when tribulations occur.
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For a servant, no matter how his state
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may have reached,
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is never certain of safety.
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And since deeds are judged by their endings,
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the one traveling toward Allah
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is always in a state of fear and anxiety."
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In the two Sahihs, on the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud,
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who narrates from the Truthful and Believed,
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peace and blessings of Allah be upon him:
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"Indeed, one of you performs
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the deeds of the people of Paradise,
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until there is nothing between him and it
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but a cubit,
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then the decree overtakes him,
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and he performs the deeds of the people of the Fire,
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and enters it.
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And indeed, one of you performs
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the deeds of the people of the Fire,
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until there is nothing between him and it
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but a cubit,
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then the decree overtakes him,
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and he performs the deeds of the people of Paradise,
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and enters it."
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And in the two Sahihs,
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with the wording being Muslim's,
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on the authority of 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him,
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he said:
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"We were at a funeral
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in Baqi' al-Gharqad,
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when the Messenger of Allah,
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peace be upon him, came to us.
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He sat, and we sat
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around him, and he had with him
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a stick; he lowered his head
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and began scratching the ground with his stick.
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Then he said:
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'There is not one of you,
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not one,
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no soul,
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but Allah has written
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its place in Paradise
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or the Fire,
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and it has been written
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whether it is wretched or happy.'
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He said:
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A man asked:
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'O Messenger of Allah,
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should we not then rely upon our decree
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and abandon action?
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For whoever is among the people of happiness
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will surely be guided to the deeds of the people of
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happiness,
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and whoever is among the people of
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wretchedness will surely be guided to the deeds of the people of wretchedness.'
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He, peace be upon him, replied:
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'Act,
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for everyone is facilitated
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[to that for which he was created]. As for the people of happiness,
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they are facilitated
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for the deeds of the people of happiness,
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and as for the people of wretchedness,
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they are facilitated
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for the deeds of the people of wretchedness.'
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Then he recited:
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'As for him who
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gives and fears Allah,
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and believes in the best [reward],
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We will facilitate
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him toward ease.
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But as for
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him who withholds
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and considers himself self-sufficient,
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and denies the best [reward],
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We will facilitate
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him toward difficulty.'"
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Therefore, it was among the supplications of
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the Prophet, peace be upon him:
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"My Lord,
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help me and do not help
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against me; grant me victory
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and do not grant victory against me;
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plan for me and do not
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plan against me;
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guide me and make
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guidance easy for me;
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and grant me victory over those who
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transgress against me.
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My Lord, make me ever-grateful to You,
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ever-remembering of You,
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ever-fearing of You, ever-
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obedient to You,
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humble before You,
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and ever-turning back to You in repentance.
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My Lord, accept my repentance,
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wash away my sins,
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answer my supplication,
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make my argument firm,
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guide my heart,
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make my tongue truthful,
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and remove the malice from my heart."
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Conclusion.
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After this journey
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through the milestones of steadfastness,
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we conclude that
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the foundation of steadfastness
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is to know that Allah is the One who grants steadfastness.
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Then we strive
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for that through the legitimate means
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that have come
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in the Book and the Sunnah,
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such as supplication, reliance
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upon Allah, truthfulness,
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sincerity, faith,
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righteous deeds, following [the Prophet],
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and obedience to
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Allah and His Messenger,
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maintaining a connection with the Qur'an,
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reflecting upon the stories [of the prophets],
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responding to admonitions,
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the remembrance of Allah,
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feeling a sense of shortcoming,
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not being deceived by the world,
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not exposing oneself to trials,
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keeping the company of the steadfast,
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and fulfilling
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covenants and contracts,
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supporting the cause of Allah,
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not being deceived
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by the multitude of those who perish,
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doing good,
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and not feeling secure from the plan of Allah.
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O Turner of hearts,
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keep our hearts steadfast
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upon Your religion.
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O Allah, O Guardian of Islam
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and its people,
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keep us upon Islam until we meet You with it.
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And our final prayer
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is that all praise is due to Allah,
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Lord of the worlds.
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Milestones on the path of
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steadfastness.