Faraz Rabbani – The Rawha #009 The Elect Servants of God
AI: Summary ©
The speaker discusses the multiple messages of Islam, including striving to become one of the friends of Allah and being careful about rights of others. They emphasize the importance of humility and proving true love through voluntary works, avoiding becoming a friend of Allah, and fulfilling obligations in actions of worship. The reality of love is being actively conscious of the creator, not just as a mental thing, and is based on mercy of the final revelation.
AI: Summary ©
The messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be
upon him, encouraged us to strive for uprightness
by seeking assistance in the early mornings, late
afternoons at and something of the depths of
the night. From this tradition, the scholars made
it a habit to briefly read text of
religious guidance in the late afternoon and often
term such readings the daily.
The term refers to the late afternoon, but
also to a time of rest from worldly
toils and reinvigoration of one's spirit.
In this day, Sheikh Harazrabani will be covering
2 texts. Imam Zarrnouji's primer on the etiquette
of seeking knowledge,
and Imam Youssef An Nabhani's beautiful collection of
40 sets of 40 prophetic hadith.
We're continuing our look
at
the 40
hadith Qudsi, the 40 sacred hadiths
from this collection by Sheikh Youssef and Nabhani,
and yesterday, we looked
at the hadith on
the Fatiha.
And the hadith could see on the Fatiha
that I have divided the prayer
between myself and my servant into 2 halves,
and my servant shall have
whatever
they asked for.
My servant shall have
whatever they asked for,
And we looked at the meanings of that.
Right?
And it's I've divided the prayer between me
and my servant. Right? So the prayer is
the distance
of journeying
to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
Right?
And the prayer is about closeness
to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
The prayer and the fatha itself.
What is the fatha is the opening and
what is it what is it an opening
to? It's an opening to the divine. It
is an opening to
closeness to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
Now those
who pursue this journey
from
between
distance
to presence
are
the elect servants of Allah,
the chosen servants of Allah, the
The
the the elect servant of Allah. They say
is the one who chooses Allah so Allah
chooses them.
That is the elect servant of Allah. They're
the one who choose
they're the ones who choose Allah so Allah
chooses them.
The one who chooses Allah above all else
so Allah chooses them above all else. So
it's not an accident that the previous hadith,
the hadith 12 that we looked at on
the
prayer, the faitha as being what is between
the servant and Allah, and my servant shall
have whatever they asked.
Right?
And the 13th hadith, which we'll begin by
looking at today,
the
friend of
mine, a chosen
servant of mine, one of the auliya,
I
declare open
I,
openly declare
war upon them. And Mubaraza,
baraza
is to,
you know, you take out. Baraza is for
something to come forth.
Right?
Baraza is to take something out. If you
when you unsheathe your weapon.
Right?
So it's not just
a threat of war, but it's now open
war. It's not just you show up
for war, but now you take out your
swords,
it's an open battle.
I have now openly declared war upon them.
Whoever
whoever
denigrates, whoever puts down
a friend of mine.
Because putting them down
is putting down someone who is dear to
Allah.
Because who is a wali?
Someone who chose Allah.
So Allah chose them. This is someone special
to Allah. And who is Allah? Allah is
the sustainer of all things.
So the whole purpose of creation,
I have not created jinn nor humans except
that they may submit to me,
that they may worship me, that they may
choose me.
So the purpose of creation is fulfilled
truly only by the awliyah of Allah.
Right? Creation has a purp creation has a
potential
purpose
and it has a fulfillment of that purpose.
Who fulfills the purpose of creation?
Those who choose Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
and their levels of choosing.
The righteous there's
those who
are good servants of Allah, there's righteous servants,
there's virtuous servants, there's a form of servants.
And to the degree of their choosing Allah,
they are more
special.
And there are signs
of this.
Right?
Their signs are upon them. Right?
So
what is the message there?
There's several messages. 1 is strive to become
one of the friends of Allah.
And number 2, be careful about the rights
of others because you don't know who is
a friend of Allah
and how
they are special to Allah.
But this also tells that Allah does have
special friends.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala does have special friends.
So he says
Then Allah Subhanu wa Ta'ala says in this
hadith Qudsi,
I do not hesitate regarding anything that I
that I do
as I hesitate
in taking
the soul of a believing servant of mine
who naturally dislikes
death,
and I dislike
displeasing them.
But there's no way out for them
from it
because the human being has been created as
a perishing being.
The human being has hasn't been created for
this dunya.
The the human being
is
a lasting soul
and a perishing body.
The the the body must perish,
but the the human was not created for
this dunya.
The human
as Imam al Shafi said in famous lines
of poetry, you are by your soul, not
your body, human.
So the body must come to die. So
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says, I do not
hesitate. Now what is the tarradud of Allah?
Right?
This is
a facilitative
expression,
right, to approximate for us
meanings that are beyond our comprehension.
That if I were to hesitate,
that's one way
Allah says, if I were to hesitate in
anything that I did, I would have hesitated
in this. But Allah Subhanahu has transcended
beyond hesitation. Why? Because time does not relate
to Allah. There's no if and then with
respect to Allah.
Allah is
the Lord of time and He is transcendent
beyond
being
limited by time.
Time relates to creation, it does not relate
to the creator.
So if I did hesitate if I if
I were to hesitate, I would hesitate about
nothing like I would hesitate about this.
The other is that Allah wills it
despite
this not being something that is pleasing to
Him. That Allah's will comes to pass
on certain matters even though they are not
pleasing to Him. So the Ulema understood as
a what's called
the indication
of the text
from this, the fact that Allah's will
is distinct from his good pleasure.
It is something that's discussed in theology.
There is a difference between Iradah,
His
Will and His Riba and His Good Pleasure.
Allah may will something
and destine it
despite it being not in accordance with what
is pleasing to him, right,
and vice versa.
But
it also tells us that
who attains,
who is who has the
who has the particular concern of Allah, it
is those who choose Allah
that I dislike displeasing them.
I dislike displeasing
these servants.
And we know from many other hadiths
from the Quran
about the of Allah.
Right?
That theirs is the glad tidings in this
life and in the next.
Right?
That these are people whose
If they ask me, I shall indeed grant
them.
Right?
And if they seek protection in me, I
I will surely grant them protection.
Right? So this hadith is related by Imam
Bukhari and there's a number of related,
narrations of this hadith.
Right? Because the prophet
mentioned this
a number of different times.
Other narrations of it mentioned the drawing closer
to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and the path
of drawing closer,
which is the next hadith.
Right? It's similar.
And this has come in Sahih al Bukhar
interesting. This this narration and the next one
which we'll look at right now,
in
the chapter on humility,
the chapter on humility,
which is very
interesting. What
does what
does
having enmity to the friends of Allah
and humility have in common? Under
the chapter on humility.
And they say there's several things. You do
not become a friend of Allah,
one of the Awliya,
except by having the quality of humility. You're
humble with the truth
in your relationship with Allah and in your
relating to people.
That's a
key.
Whoever humbles themselves for the sake of Allah,
Allah
exalts.
And also humility
with Allah entails recognizing the good of others
and having a good opinion of others
and being free of ill feeling towards Allah's
creation.
Right?
So this is why this is mentioned under
the under humility.
The 14th hadith which is related to this,
declared war upon them.
And we've talked about this part. So do
not beware
of speaking ill of the of anyone who
has any relationship with Allah
at any level and that
is for anyone who believes in Allah.
But also of someone who will believe in
Allah
and you don't know who they are.
Right?
The ulama say Sayidna Umar was beloved to
Allah
even when he was going to attack his
to to kill the prophet
in in Mecca. Why?
Because Allah's judgment of people is according to
their endings and you and you don't know
what those are.
But how does one become of the Awliya
of Allah?
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala tells us in the
same hadith
My servant draws close to me
by nothing more beloved to me than what
I have made
incumbent upon them.
And my servant continues
to draw close to me through
voluntary works
that which is above and beyond the obligatory
until I love them.
So from this, we see that what is
the purpose
of our
of our actions,
right?
Our actions are divided into what is obligatory
and into what is
voluntary.
What we Allah has obligated us to do
and what he has given us choice which
is the nefil.
The
the meaning behind
any of these acts is
is
drawing closer to Allah.
That is what the servant
seeks
the presence of their of their master.
Moved by what? Why are you seeking closeness?
Because the the relationship of
between the servant
and the merciful master is love.
My servant draws close to me by nothing
more beloved to me than what I have
made
obligatory upon them.
What is the servant seeking? They're seeking the
love of Allah.
My servant draws close to me by nothing
more beloved to me.
So
the servant is moved by the love,
by not so much loving their Lord, but
to be beloved
to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
And my servant continues to draw close to
me
by voluntary works until I do love them.
So you draw close by the obligatory,
but attainment
of love
is through
proving true in that love by going above
and beyond.
And it's not just to fulfill
one's commitments, that's expected of you.
And that's the most important thing is to
fulfill commitments.
What Allah has made obligatory upon you, but
whether in
acts of worship
or in all other limits,
either imposed
or undertaken.
And one of the meanings there, the Alemay
tell us, is
one
as much as one can, one should be
moved
by
fulfillment of obligation.
Right? Whatever one does
in acts of worship, but also
in
one's in the mundane intention in the mundane
matters.
The most important type of intention to make
in it is an intention that is fulfilling
an obligation.
So when you go to sleep,
right,
you can say I'm going to sleep so
you make some but
what are obligations
related
to
sleep?
Giving your body its due,
fulfilling the rights of your body,
seeing your body as an Amana from Allah
that you are entrusted with.
Right?
To to have the strength
to obey Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. To have
a strength to fulfill
your worldly obligations, etcetera.
So you the intentions that relate to obligation.
You go to work, you say, well, I
want to earn a lawful living. That's good.
But you
relate your intentions to obligations.
I want to provide for my family from
the halal. I want to stay within the
limits of Allah. I want you know, so
you think of all the intentions
that relate to obligations
in your relationship with Allah and obligations
that you've been entrusted with in
life. That is why those are the most
powerful. Why? Because my servant draws close to
me and by nothing more beloved than what
I have made incumbent upon them. And then
the intentions that are above and beyond that
and the actions that are above and
beyond that are the key to love.
So from this,
the the ulema, one of the subtle things
that they point out in this hadith is
the obligations
relate not just to how many things you
do, but to magnify
the intentions
related to the obligatory in anything that you
do.
Right?
Present or future. So you're you're you're still
in school.
You don't have any obligations right now,
but you do your study. You don't like
geography or history. But say I'm doing this
as a means of fulfilling future obligations,
future responsibilities.
And the responsibilities and obligations are personal and
they're collective.
Right? And the voluntary intentions above and beyond
that. Right? The.
But it also relates to to extra actions.
Right? Extra actions. The believer doesn't just do
the minimum, they strive to do the most
possible.
But that's that's that's where love is found,
is in going above and beyond.
Right? The lover
takes the extra step.
Right?
So
this
is until I love them. But what is
love?
Right?
What is love?
Right?
And this is from the mercy of the
final revelation.
Allah Subhana Wa Ta'la tells us more about
himself
in the final revelation than in any previous
divine
revelation.
So when I love them,
how can you
what how can you understand
what it means for the for
for the Lord of all existence
to love
some someone
fleeting and perishing.
If I love them, I am the hearing
by which they hear.
And the hearing
the is what? The sight
by which they see.
And the hand, and I am the hand
by which they strike.
And I am the the leg by which
they walk.
Because this is not it's not meant literally.
You the servant does not become the lord.
Someone who claims literalism
gets stuck. Okay?
Be literal here, so I can't.
Good.
Don't.
But then commit to not being literal with
other texts too.
Right?
If I love them, I am
the hearing by which they hear
and the sight by which they see and
the hand by which they strike and the
feet by which they walk.
The Wailema have explained this in many different
ways. Some said just say it as it
is
and
and say it is with complete transcendence
to it while saying that Allah is
absolutely
transcendent
beyond any similitude.
But how do we understand this?
The the ulama of Hadith and the masters
of the spiritual path explain
that I am the hearing by which they
hear that
the the the person who attains onto closeness
to
Allah.
What is closeness to Allah?
You're reaching Allah. You're reaching closest to Allah
is you're reaching
experiential
knowledge of him.
That
that the points of knowledge
become
now
they're beheld
in your consciousness. So you don't just affirm
that I love Allah,
but you behold Allah first.
Right?
Because that's reality.
What exists first? The cup
and the water in it or the one
who created the cup in the water?
What comes first? The creator or the created?
The creator. Right?
Now for us, we see the cup and
we say,
Right?
The the cup
and and the drink,
they're they're
real.
You reflect
and they say, they have a creator. The
creator is Allah. But where is Allah?
He's distant from our consciousness.
Whereas the reality is,
who is more real?
The creator or the creation?
The creator.
So closeness to Allah
is
being actively conscious of that reality, not just
as a mental thing. No no sane human
being would deny that the creator is more
real than creation.
That the necessary existent
is the basis of the existence
of that that which is merely possible.
All of existence is merely possible
and its origin is nothingness.
How did it come into existence? Because the
one who is the necessary existent, the supreme
being Allah
brings it into existence. What keeps it in
existence?
Allah.
He is the real. The reality of everything
else is a derivative fleeting reality.
So the person who attains closeness to Allah
beholds
Allah
and the creating of Allah before
their own hearing.
I am the hearing by which they hear.
That when they hear something,
they are more conscious of
their creator and sustainer and the creator and
sustainer of what they hear
then of themselves and the hearing.
Because Allah created you and he created the
hearing.
What when you see something,
what is more real? The wall that you
see or the creator of the wall?
So I am the sight by which they
see, that they are conscious that Allah is
sustaining you,
that Allah is sustaining me and he is
sustaining that wall.
So you see the wall, but you see
it
after you see Allah.
Not you don't see the wall and then
the fact that it's created,
then the creator. That's distance from Allah.
I am near. He is closer to you
than your existence itself.
We are closer to them than their very
jugular vein. And likewise,
with the hand, who is sustaining your hand?
Allah. When you pick up the cup,
where's the hand from? Allah is sustaining
it. Who is sustaining the cup? Allah. So
is am I picking up the cup?
Yeah.
Okay.
I'm tempted to throw. Anton, get up.
You better catch this. So,
good.
Right?
Who threw that?
Right?
The one who has any would realize that
the prophet told in the Quran, you did
not throw when you threw,
but rather it was Allah who threw.
You did not throw.
You did not throw
in creating the throwing and in bringing into
existence.
When you threw
by your choice and acquisition of responsibility.
But in reality, it is Allah
who threw. So we affirm our choice, but
it is all from Allah. The servant behold
that the one who attains closeness.
And this is the state the lover
beholds the beloved.
That is love.
Right?
The reality of love is beholding the beloved
at all times.
Otherwise,
right, as the one of the poets said,
In the way of lovers,
we are abased indeed. If we have to
give signs
of our
beloved,
how can any other be manifest
to real
intellects?
When their beauty
clothes all creation.
And if they ask me
such a servant
realized in love, they seek nothing but Allah
and they find nothing but Allah. Their consciousness
is connected
with their presence with Allah.
If they ask me, I shall surely
grant them.
If if they seek refuge in me, I
shall surely grant them refuge.
And I do not hesitate about anything that
I that I will do as I hesitate
in taking the soul
of
a believer.
Who dislikes death because they want to to
draw ever closer to their
beloved.
And I dislike
displeasing them. This is related
by Imam al Bukhari
as well.
So this is what we wanted to look
at today.
So this hadith tells us about that Allah
has elect servants
and the path of electhood
is the path of fulfilling one's obligations
and then going above and beyond. But the
obligations,
one brings them into
anything that one does,
one multiplies
the intentions.
Right? One multiplies
the intentions. And sometimes the most obvious
is an obligation.
Right? And it fulfills
the sense of trust.
So even there's obligations related to drive. Driving
is a permitted act.
But if you intend
to drive, what are the obligations related to
driving?
Yeah. But more broadly, to preserve one's life
and others, but more broadly?
To obey the law.
Why?
Because
obey Allah and obey his messian and those
in authority over you. Right? And that applies
to
to worldly authority as well. Obeying the law
is an obligation.
Right? So you intend to obey the law.
So it's not merely permissible. Yeah. It's purely
permissible to drive. There's no intrinsic reward in
driving. But if you go with the intention
that you're going to obey the law,
that you will there's rec and there's recommended
intent, but in anything that we do, there's
almost always some obligatory intentions.
So your, you know, your your mother tells
you to do something. Oh, well,
you've learned through reinforcement that if you don't
listen, you'll be in trouble. So you do
it well, avoid harm.
I'll listen. But if you intend
the the obligatory in it. This
nurtures the meaning of a manah of trust,
right? Of trust.
And the believer sees everything
as being a trust,
but a trust from whom? A trust from
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
So that's one of the ways
of they say,
the believer
is
always
concerned with trusts, right? Because all these things
are
obligations. So inshallah we wanted to
to touch upon that.
And
today we're
we're not going to look at, the
the the adab of
of knowledge.
Thank you for listening to the
daily guidance for seekers with Sheikh Harazrabani.
Help us continue to give light to millions
around the world by becoming a monthly donor
at seekershub.org/
donate.
Your donations are tax deductible in the US.