Allah Almighty says: {As for those who strive in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our ways, for Allah is certainly with those who do good.} [Surat al-‘Ankabūt: 69] Allah Almighty also says: {And worship your Lord until the certainty [of death] comes to you.} [Surat al-Hijr: 99] Allah Almighty also says: {And remember the name of your Lord, and devote yourself completely to Him.} [Surat al-Muzzammil: 8] -- Allah Almighty also says: {So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.} [Surat az-Zalzalah: 7] Allah Almighty also says: {Whatever good you send forth for yourselves, you will find it with Allah, much better in condition and much greater in reward.} [Surat al-Muzzammil: 20] Allah Almighty also says: {And whatever wealth you give, then Allah is All-Knowing of it.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 273] There are many other well-known verses in this regard.
Striving: it is to exert efforts to reform oneself and others.
Self-reform is achieved through complying with the commands while refraining from the prohibitions, and the only means to do so is to gain beneficial knowledge and do good deeds.
As for reforming others, it is achieved through lucid preaching and endurance of harm.
On the other hand, reforming those who resist and transgress the Shariah is achieved through Jihad with weaponry to ward off their evil and deter their ilk.
1) They urge choosing the path of striving, because guidance is with those who strive. {As for those who strive in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our ways} [Surat al-‘Ankabūt: 69]
2) Anyone doing good deeds will reap its fruits even if they were few; so, the individual should never look down upon any good deed.
95/1- First: Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah Almighty said: ‘I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshiper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My servant draws nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My servant keeps drawing nearer to Me through performing supererogatory acts of worship till I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he seizes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks (something) from Me, I give him, and if he asks for My Protection, I protect him.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
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Pious worshiper refers to any righteous believer. {Indeed, the allies of Allah will have no fear, nor will they grieve. Those who believe and fear Allah.} [Surat Yūnus: 62-63]
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1) A pious worshiper is a person who seeks closeness to Allah Almighty by means of observing the obligations, the most critical of which is monotheism, and then performing many supererogatory acts of worship.
2) The Hadīth establishes that Allah supports the true believers. He protects them, guides their words and deeds, and defends them: {Indeed, Allah defends those who believe} [Surat al-Hajj: 38]
3) The obligatory acts of worship are the most beloved deeds by which Allah likes that His worshipers draw closer to Him.
4) Performing the supererogatory acts alongside the obligatory ones ensures the love of Allah Almighty for the servant.
The statement: “I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees...” is explained in another narration: “by Me he hears and by Me he sees...”
In other words, the servant is entirely preoccupied, in all his words and deeds, with what pleases Allah Almighty such that he does not hear nor see except what pleases Allah. He also does nothing with his hands or his legs except what is permissible and legitimate. Only then does one become a pious worshiper favored by Allah.
96/2- Second: Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah, Glorified and Exalted, said: “If the servant draws closer to Me by a hand span, I shall draw closer to him by a cubit (the span of a forearm); and if he draws closer to Me by a cubit, I shall draw closer to him by the span of two outstretched arms. If he comes to Me walking, I shall come to him running.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
This form of Hadīth indicates a Qudsi (divine) Hadīth.
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1) It shows Allah Almighty’s kindness to His obedient servants. He doubles His reward for their deeds.
2) It shows that whoever is sincere in his worship, Allah Almighty will guide him to more of it.
97/3- Third: Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “There are two blessings in which many people incur loss: health and free time.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
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1) One must seize the opportunities of health and free time in the worship of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, as much as possible.
2) The blessings of Allah are varied, and among the greatest of His blessings, after faith, are health and free time.
3) Reacting to the blessings of Allah, Glorified and Exalted, by gratitude and performing acts of worship ensure their continual presence and preservation; for indeed gratitude increases blessings.
98/4- Fourth: ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand in prayer at night until the skin of his feet would crack. I asked him: ‘O Messenger of Allah, why are you doing this while your past and future sins have been forgiven for you?’ He said: ‘Should I not like to be a grateful servant (of Allah)?’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim] This is the version narrated by Al-Bukhāri. There is a version with a similar wording narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim, reported by al-Mughīrah ibn Shu‘bah.
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1) Gratitude is reflected in obeying Allah, and its practical aspect is to do acts of worship.
2) One of the privileges of the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is that Allah forgave for him all his sins, past and future.
3) The excellence of night prayer and standing for long during it. They are among the most beloved acts to Allah that bring the servant closer to Him.
99/5 - Fifth: ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “With the start of the last ten nights of Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) would pray all night, wake up his family, show diligence (in worship), and tie up his lower garment firmly.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
-- “Tie up his lower garment firmly” is a metaphor meant to show his abandonment of sexual intimacy with his wives [during those ten nights]. Another opinion suggests that this metaphor refers to his resolved preparedness to worship, like rolling up one’s sleeves.
1) The excellence of the last ten nights of Ramadan given the extra care the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) paid them, spending them in prayer and worship, and the presence of the Night of Qadr within them.
2) One of the practices of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is that he never stood the entire night in prayer except in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
3) It instructs that a worshiper observing I‘tikāf should keep away from sexual intimacy with his wife.
4) One should strive in virtuous days and fill them with the worship of Allah Almighty because they present opportunities for a successful trade with Allah that shall bring success in this life and in the Hereafter.
100/6- Sixth: Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in both. Adhere to whatever brings you benefit, seek the help of Allah, and do not feel helpless. If something befalls you, do not say: ‘Had I done such-and-such, it would have been such-and-such.’ Indeed, 'if' opens the way before the devil to act.” [Narrated by Muslim]
A strong believer means strong with regards to faith and abundant acts of worship.
A weak believer means weak with regards to faith and a small amount of acts of worship.
Do not feel helpless: helplessness here refers to the inability to perform good deeds.
1) It shows the believer’s keenness to strengthen his faith through performing acts of obedience to Allah and refraining from committing what He prohibited.
2) A rational person who complies with the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is expected to adhere to what benefits him in his life and in his religion as well as refrain from anything that is of no benefit.
3) It urges reliance on Allah for help in all affairs, no matter how minor; for indeed reliance on Allah negates helplessness.
4) Part of the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is that a person completes his deed without laziness, and that he starts with what is more important then what is less in importance.
5) The Hadīth affirms fate and the obligation of feeling content with it, because everything happens according to a divine decree and predestination.
The Prophet’s saying: “adhere to what benefits you” instructs prioritizing beneficial acts according to their level of importance. So if there is a conflict between a religious benefit and a worldly benefit, the former takes precedence because if one’s religion is sound, his worldly life becomes sound and vice versa.
101/7 - Seventh: He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Hellfire is veiled by lusts and Paradise is veiled by adversities.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
In another version narrated by Muslim, it reads: "surrounded" instead of "veiled". Both signify the same meaning; that this is what stands between the person and his destination; he would enter the destination that his actions lead to.
1) It shows that the prohibited lusts are doors to hellfire; and it means following one’s desires that violate the Sharia.
2) Arduous deeds lead to honor and admission to Paradise.
3) If the individual pushes himself to worship Allah, his self will eventually love this worship and grow accustomed to it.
102/8- Eights: Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: “I prayed with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) one night and he started reciting Surat al-Baqarah. I thought that he would bow in Rukū‘ at the end of one hundred verses, but he continued. I thought that he would probably recite it (this Surah only) in one Rak‘ah, but he continued. I thought he would perhaps bow in Rukū‘ on completing (this Surah). He then started reciting Surat an-Nisā’ and read it all, then he started reciting Surat Āl ‘Imrān and read it all. He recited slowly; when he came across a verse of Tasbīh (glorifying Allah), he would glorify Him, and when he came across a verse of asking Allah (for something), he would ask from Him, and when he came across a verse of seeking refuge (with Allah), he would seek refuge (with Him).Then he bowed in Rukū‘ and said: ‘Subhana Rabbi al-‘Azīm’. His bowing lasted about the same length of time as his standing. Upon rising from Rukū‘, he said: ‘Sami‘ Allahu liman hamidah. Rabbana lak al-hamd’ (Allah listens to him who praises Him. Praise be to You, Our Lord). He then remained standing about the same length of time as he had spent in bowing. He then prostrated and said: ‘Subhana Rabbiy al-A‘la,’ and his prostration lasted nearly the same length of time as his standing.” [Narrated by Muslim]
He recited slowly: without haste; a measured recitation with clear proper pronunciation of the letters.
1) It shows how the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to strive diligently to perform acts of obedience in the most perfect manner (to set an example for all Muslims).
2) It is sometimes permissible to observe the night prayer in congregation as long as it is not arranged and not done on a regular basis. In Ramadan, however, the Sunnah is that people perform the night prayer in congregation.
3) The individual praying the night prayer should combine supplication, remembrance of Allah, and contemplation. He should ask for mercy when he recites a verse of mercy, seek refuge when he recites a verse of threatening, and glorifies Allah when he recites a verse of glorification.
4) It shows the excellence of long standing in the night prayer, which is a kind of striving against the self for the sake of Allah Almighty.
103/9- Ninth: Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “I prayed one night with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and he continued standing for long until I was about to do something bad.” Someone said: “What were you about to do?” He said: “I was about to sit down and leave him (standing).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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1) It is recommended to stand for a long time in the night prayer.
2) Long standing in worship at night is from the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). If one wants to push himself to observe the night prayer, he should follow the example of the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
104/10 - Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A dead person is followed by three: his family, his wealth, and his deeds. Then two of them return - his family and his wealth - and only his deeds remain (with him).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) The believer must take every opportunity to do good deeds because it is the only asset that remains with him.
2) It encourages the believer to do more of good deeds so that it accompanies him and comforts him in his grave.
This Hadīth is well-suited under the chapter of striving because increasing good deeds require striving against the self. The more good deeds one does, the more he becomes accustomed to doing them and they raise him to higher ranks.
105/11- Eleventh: Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Paradise is nearer to one of you than the straps on his sandals, and so is Hell.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
“the straps on his sandals”: this is an expression that signifies how close something is.
1) The individual may say a word or do something out of the pleasure of Allah without considering how significant it is, yet it takes him to the bliss of Paradise.
In contrast, the individual may say a word or do something of the displeasure of Allah without considering how significant it is, yet it ditches him in the depth of hellfire.
2) Providing examples when educating ensures better understanding.
106/12- Twelfth: Abu Firās Rabīʿah ibn Ka‘b al-Aslamī (may Allah be pleased with him), the servant of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and one of the people of Suffah (i.e. the destitute Companions), reported: “I used to spend my night in the company of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and used to bring him water for his ablution and anything else he needed. One day he said to me: ‘Ask something of me.’ I said: ‘I request your companionship in Paradise.’ He said: ‘Anything else?’ I said: ‘That is all.’ He said: ‘Then help me in your request by making a lot of prostration.’” [Narrated by Muslim]
Suffah people: are the Companions who migrated to Madīnah but were homeless so the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) housed them at the rear of the Prophet’s Masjid. Sometimes, their number reached eighty or less at other times. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to bring them food and milk and other forms of charity.
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1) It shows the excellence of this honorable Companion and his high resolve because he asked for something pertaining the Hereafter.
2) It demonstrates the excellence of prostration over the rest of the positions during prayer, since “... the nearest a servant is to his Lord is when he is prostrating.”
3) The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) cannot make anyone enter Paradise, therefore he could not ensure it for this man though he was his servant and quite close to him. Accordingly, the believer should beware of relying only on lineage, prestige, or social status because none of it will avail him if he lacks sincere faith and good deeds.
107/13- Thirteenth: Thawbān (may Allah be pleased with him), the freed slave of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), reported that he heard the Prophet saying: “Make frequent prostration. For every prostration you make for Allah, He will raise you with it one rank and remit one of your sins.” [Narrated by Muslim]
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1) Prostrating more in prayer (by praying more) was recommended by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), and it is a kind of striving against the self.
2) Prostration induces two great benefits for the individual: Allah raises him one rank and remits one of his sins.
108/14 - Fourteenth: Abu Safwān ‘Abdullah ibn Busr al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The best of people is the one whose life is long and his deeds are good.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)] --
1) The believer should ask Allah to make him among those whose lives are long and their deeds are good.
2) Long life does not necessarily bode well for the individual except if his deeds are good.
Some scholars disliked making supplication for long life without restricting it (to long life in obedience to Allah). Instead, one should supplicate for a long life filled with obedience to Allah. Um Habībah, wife of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) once said: “O Allah, give me the joy of being with my husband, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), and of being with my father Abu Sufyān, and my brother Mu‘āwiyah.” The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: “You have asked Allah regarding life terms that are already set, and days already allotted, and sustenances already fixed. Nothing will happen before its decreed time or be delayed beyond its decreed time. Had you asked Allah to provide you refuge from the torment of the hellfire or from the torment of the grave, it would have been better for you.” [Narrated by Muslim]
109/15- Fifteenth: Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “My uncle Anas ibn an-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not take part in the Battle of Badr; so he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I was absent from the first battle you fought against the polytheists. If Allah gives me a chance to fight them, no doubt, Allah will show how (bravely) I will fight.’ So, on the day of (the Battle of) Uhud, when the Muslims left their posts and were defeated, he said: ‘O Allah, I apologize to You for what these (i.e. his companions) have done, and I denounce what these (i.e. the polytheists) have done.’ Then he advanced with his sword and met Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh passing in front of him so he said to him: ‘O Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh! Paradise, by the Lord of An-Nadr! I smell its fragrance near Mount Uhud.’ Sa‘d later said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, what he did was beyond my power.’” Anas said: “We found on his body over eighty wounds caused by swords, spears, and arrows. He was killed and mutilated by the polytheists to the extent that no one was able to identify him except his sister, from his fingertips. We believe that this Qur’anic verse refers to him and the likes of him: {Among the believers there are men who have been true to their pledge with Allah} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 23] until the end of the verse. [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
The part “Allah will show how (bravely) I will fight” is narrated in another version as follows: “Allah will see how (bravely) I will fight.”
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1) It showcases the individual’s resolve to do good deeds and use the means leading to them.
2) It shows that disavowing the actions of the people of disbelief and disobedience is proof of one’s sincere faith.
3) It reflects the excellence of the Companion Anas ibn an-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him) and his bravery in the battle against the disbelievers.
7) It urges steadfastness in the battlefield even if the fellow warriors abandoned their posts.
110/6- Sixteenth: Abu Mas‘ūd ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amr al-Ansārī al-Badri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “When the verse of charity was revealed, we would carry loads on our backs (in return for money that we can give for charity). A man came and gave so much in charity, so they said: ‘He is showing off.’ Another man came and gave a Sā‘ (about three kilos) in charity, so they said: ‘Allah is in no need for the Sā‘ of that one.’ Thereupon, the following verse was revealed: {Those who disparage the believers who voluntarily give charities and ridicule them for having nothing to give except their effort.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 79] [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
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Showing off: doing a deed so that people would see the doer and he would earn some worldly gain from them.
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1) When the believer learns that Allah, Glorified and Exalted, and His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) ordained something, he must hasten to do it, whether it is a command or a prohibition. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) complied with the command of charity by offering the best they could.
2) It shows the Companions readiness to hasten to good deeds and strive throughout the cause, which is one of their excellent features (may Allah be pleased with them).
3) Allah, Glorified and Exalted, defends the believers, which is one of the fruits of faith.
111/17- Seventeenth: Sa‘īd ibn ‘Abdul ‘Azīz narrated from Rabī‘ah ibn Yazīd from Abu Idrīs al-Khawlāni from Abu Dharr Jundub ibn Junādah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) who reported from Allah, Blessed and Exalted, that He said: “O My servants, I have forbidden injustice for Myself and made it forbidden amongst you; so, do not wrong one another. O My servants, all of you are misguided except those I guide; so, ask Me for guidance and I will guide you. O My servants, all of you are hungry except those I feed; so, ask Me for food and I will feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except those I clothe. So, ask Me for clothing and I will clothe you. O My servants, you commit sins by day and by night, and I forgive all sins, so ask Me for forgiveness and I will forgive you. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and you will not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as pious as the one with the most pious heart amongst you, this would not increase My Kingdom an iota. O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all as wicked as the one with the most wicked heart amongst you, this would not decrease My Kingdom an iota. O My servants, if the first of you and the last of you, and the humans of you and the jinn of you, were all to stand together in one place and ask of Me, and I were to give everyone what they requested, that would not decrease what I possess except what is decreased of the ocean when a needle is dipped into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I count for you, and then I recompense you for. So whoever finds good should praise Allah, and whoever finds other than that, let them blame no one but themselves.” Sa‘īd said: whenever Abu Idrīs related this Hadīth, he would kneel down. [Narrated by Muslim]
It has been narrated to us that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “The people of Levant have not reported any Hadīth superior to this one.”
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1) It demonstrates the servants’ absolute need of their Lord in the fulfillment of all their worldly and religious needs. The guidance of the heart and all the worldly graces such as food, drink, and clothing, are all from Allah Almighty out of His grace and favor.
2) The depositories of Allah Almighty are full, and expenditure does not decrease them. Therefore, one should supplicate Allah as best as he could whilst being certain that Allah Almighty will grant him good, because the fruit of having good expectations of Allah is all good.
3) Allah, the Exalted, prohibits Himself from doing things and obligates Himself to do things out of His wisdom and omniscience.
4) Beneficial knowledge and good deeds are the nourishment of the heart just as food and drink are the nourishment of the body.
5) Everyone is judged according to his deeds; if he does well, he is rewarded, but if he wronged himself, he will be punished.
6) One must push himself to do good so that he would find the reward for that in this life and in the Hereafter.