Faraz Rabbani – The Rawha #027 Peoples Hearts Under Gods Mercy Having Good Opinion of God
AI: Summary ©
The importance of the heart in praise of Allah is discussed, as it is used to describe actions of the prophet. The book margins and its title are highlighted as key moments in the development of the spiritual teachings of Allah. The speaker emphasizes the need for faith in Islam and affirming God's control, as it is a willharing of actions of the creator. The importance of having a clear heart to avoid negative emotions and having a good opinion of Allah's creation is also emphasized. The speaker concludes by reminding listeners to use their devotion to help others.
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 Anabahani's beautiful collection of 40
sets of 40 prophetic hadith.
So we're continuing to look at the 40
hadiths on praise of Allah most high and
his attributes
from the 40 sets of 40 hadiths by
Sheikh Youssef and Nabihani.
And hadith number 11
is
an amazing hadith
related by a Muslim.
And Abdullah ibn Umar radiAllahu ta'ala Anhu Ma'ala
Anahu
Alahu Muslim.
Our beloved Messenger SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam
said, truly
the hearts
of the children of Adam
are all
between 2 fingers of the fingers of the
all merciful,
mighty and majestic,
as
as one heart
which He
turns
as He
wills.
Then the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
said,
said,
that,
oh, turner of heart, oh Allah,
oh turner of hearts,
turn our hearts
to your obedience.
And there's a number of these
hadiths on
of duas on turning the heart.
Right?
Others
because the heart
has two things
The heart has called the heart
It is given to turning
And when given to turning, so Muhammad Al
Ma said the heart only has two sides
In
it has it either turns to something or
turns away from something
in that sense. Right?
But, you know, Abu Madin says,
The heart only has one face,
one way that it turns.
So be keen that it turned to Allah
and not away from him.
So here, truly the hearts
of
the children of Adam, all humans.
Right? Truly,
the hearts
of all the children of Adam. Right?
Entirely.
Here, if you it's important to have to
feel the meanings of the language because the
indicates what?
Tawkid,
emphasis.
Truly, indeed.
And kul,
you need here kulaha
is for emphasis. Because if you say the
hearts of the children of Adam, the children
of Adam,
it
indicates all of them
generally.
Right? But you could imagine a general statement
could
have exceptions.
The kul here turns it into an absolute
statement.
Right?
Truly,
the hearts of the children of Adam,
all of them,
right, which takes away the ihtimal
of
the the possibility of exceptions.
Right?
Because, you know, Imam in in logic, you
know, a general statement could have exceptions. Imam
Damanhuri
in his commentary on Akhdar e's sallam,
he uses the example if you say, Uhlul
Azhar or Ulema, the people of Azhar are
scholars.
The general statement.
But it's not like saying,
It's not the same as saying, every Azhar
is a Alim.
So because when you say,
The people of Azhar are scholars.
He's speaking in his time, and from them
are those who haven't even whiffed the scent
of knowledge,
let alone attained
actual knowledge.
So this is the emphasis. Truly,
the hearts of
the children of Adam,
all of them
are between 2 fingers of the fingers of
the all merciful.
As though one heart.
And this is this is we look at
the interpretation of this because this is from
the
as though one heart,
which he turns
as he wills.
And this is a temfil,
Right? That although
what who is he? He is ar Rahman.
He wants good for his servants.
Right. And they say, his mercy
is majestic
and his majesty
is
beautifully
merciful.
Right. Because he is both.
Right? I am the most merciful and compassionate,
the most forgiving
and merciful and my punishment is indeed
stern and intense. Right? We affirm both
the majesty, the mercy and majesty of Allah.
So here it's talking about majesty
that all of creation,
Their hearts are between 2 fingers of the
fingers of the all merciful as though one
heart,
and he can turn it as he wills.
Complete
control.
One of the adab in narrating things like
this is not to use fingers to say
like this because the prophet did not do
so. And in similar hadiths,
not exactly this one, Imam Ahmed said, anyone
who does so says,
I wish I could cut off their finger.
Not not a legal rule because it's it's
as if
it's a lie against the prophet. But he
didn't say that.
He didn't indicate that.
Then the prophet said,
oh Allah,
oh
overturner of hearts,
turn our hearts to your obedience.
Right?
And this hadith is related
by imam Muslim.
Here,
there is
an important
point, right, which is on the what is
meant by the
here by the expression, the
fingers of the all merciful. Right?
Right?
So Imam Abdul Raouf al Munawi
in his brilliant commentary
called
Fable Qadr
which is a commentary
on a work called
by Imam Masiyuti. Imam Masiyuti gathered
10,000
spoken hadiths of the prophet and
because the hadiths of the prophet, there are
hadith which
are the spoken Hadith
and then there's a Hadith which
describe the actions of the prophet
And there's a Hadith
that
the hadith was fear. A hadith that describe
the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
Right? And there's a hadith that's kuru.
In all the hadith they say
the prophet
confirmed
or negated.
Right?
We used to do such and such during
the time of the prophet. That's considered a
hadith.
Because
there's an or
such and such was done in the presence
of the prophet and
he did not negate it. So different type.
So Imam Masiyuti took 10,000 spoken hadiths of
the prophet which are the words of the
prophet
and he called it
the smaller compendium because he tried to he
is one of the scholars who tried to
gather
as many possible of the
transmitted hadith of the prophet in a larger
work called
which is much much larger. But
and he arranged it alphabetically which is very
useful
to look hadiths up
as facilitation.
You have a hadith that is a spoken
hadith of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam,
unless it's a very rare hadith, almost inevitably
you'll find it in Al Jameh Surih. It's
a very, very useful work. And the olema
paid a lot of attention to it, so
many of them wrote commentaries. And the olema
paid a lot of attention to it, so
many of them wrote commentaries.
The most notable and to show the importance
of it, Imam al Munawi wrote several commentaries
on it,
at least 3.
The the larger one is called Faydul Qadr.
Fayedul is the
is the
the overflowing assistance
of the all powerful
on Al Jamia Asadir. It's a brilliant, brilliant
work and very
it's a clear,
nuanced,
but very profound
commentary. It's beautiful.
And and Imam al Munawi was a very
special scholar for many reasons, which we won't
go into.
So he says that truly the hearts of
the children of Adam, all of them are
between 2 fingers, he says.
The meaning understood from it is that Allah
most high
is has the power to overturn hearts
with complete
power and ability.
His complete power and ability.
Right?
Why?
Like, in the Arabic language, you say so
and so is between my fingers.
What's meant? That you have complete control over
them. Like the expression in English that how
many a married man is wrapped around his
wife's finger
But it's not literal
that poor brother Tariq, sister Tariq has.
I mean it's it's absurd right? It's but
the meaning is is understood.
So it is
it is an example, right. It is
metaphorical, right.
Or
the 2 fingers here refers to Imam
al Munawi says, the 2 urges.
That the 2 urges.
Because Allah has placed in the heart 2
urges.
Because the heart
has the capacity within it to incline towards
good,
to to faith, and towards
disbelief, to towards belief and disbelief.
And it doesn't incline to 1 or the
other except
upon
the originating
of
a of
a call
and a will
that Allah originates in the heart. So the
heart has
2
fingers, 2
inclinations
that can incline to, both created by Allah.
Possible potential to incline towards
belief or disbelief.
Right? As if it's 2 faces. Right? Two
fingers. So the heart has 2 it could
go this way or it could go that
way between good and bad.
Right? Both created by Allah.
Here
be fingers
of the merciful in the sense and fingers
from the merciful.
Right? Because
the in the Arabic, the ascription
can be of ownership that they're Allah's or
that it's from.
Right?
Right? As the as anyone who understands a
language. Right?
And
was a brilliant commentator. He wrote a great
commentary on
which is a very which
is by
a scholar called
Tabrizi,
a very interesting, very unique work
because
Tabrizi took a previous work which is called
al Masabi or Masabi Hus Sunnah by Al
Bagawi
and
he rearranged it. He called he called it
Mishkaat al Musabi.
Very great great summary of the
central hadith of the Prophet arranged by chapter.
And Tabrizi had the unique distinction
of being one of the very few scholars
in Islamic history
who authored a work
that his own teacher commented upon.
So at Tabrizi wrote, compiled
which was commented upon
by his teacher, a Thibi.
Very rare thing because usually students comment on
their teacher's works.
Comment on their teacher's works.
And Octibi was a very distinguished scholar
He also wrote a Hashia on the kashaf
of Yom Hazam al Shari.
So
he
says
in
the
hearts,
the the plural here indicates
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's care and mercy
for all his community.
Right?
Right?
Or
the care and concern of the prophet sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam for his ummah.
Right?
Right. He says,
Al Munawi says that the fingers of the
O merciful
That ascribing
the turning of the hearts to Allah
himself
is to indicate that he himself
is the one
who
has control
over their hearts.
This is not something that the angels take
on.
And it mentions
the fingers of the of
of all humanity, of all the children of
Adam are between 2 fingers of the all
merciful that what does he want from them?
He wants mercy.
He wants
mercy for them. Right?
But he will grant them what they choose.
He
will only
deal with them in another way if they
insisted on it
or if they truly deserved it. That
and the basis is mercy.
Right?
That one doesn't that basis of divine mercy
is only left because of something clear.
Right? That Allah does not turn someone's heart
away from the good,
away from faith,
away from guidance,
except
because they truly
either chose it or they truly
deserved it like
through dulm. Nothing turns a heart
from faith,
from belief to disbelief,
from guidance
to loss of guide to misguidance,
from good to evil
except
something decisive because al Aslukuarrahma.
That's the wisdom here
of Rahmah being mentioned.
So that's
that's one
aspect. Right? Now
and also
that
because Allah's that this is under Allah's control
and the basis he deals with them with
their with his mercy and he doesn't
write against them that which
their mere inclinations for example. Right?
That the basis of the state of the
heart is because we get bad thoughts. Does
Allah
take us to account for them?
We get inclinations.
Does Allah take us to account for them?
No. So so many things that come to
the heart
but the heart is under Allah's mercy.
And that much of
we get up, we feel upset
until we decide we unless until we accept
the disbelief,
the evil, the wrong,
the ill thought,
till then,
right? So we we chose it fully. Until
then,
it's under divine mercy.
Right?
He turns it as he wills.
Right?
Right?
Of course, each heart is dealt with on
its own. It's as if one heart that
there's
it's
it is not in any way,
you know,
a burden on him. Right?
Right. As Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala mentions,
it is the easiest it's the least of
matters
for him. Right?
But then the issue
that how do we understand,
right,
that the term
literally
the fingers of the All Merciful. Right?
Some of
them are literally
inclined, methodologically
divergent brethren.
May Allah
guide us in them.
They say, well, we see that Allah has
fingers.
Literally.
But they're not like our fingers.
And
that
is completely we affirm what Allah affirms.
So I say Allah is affirmed
Oh, here the messenger of Allah
affirm the term
The fingers of the All Merciful.
But from that to say but it's a
different thing to say
The fingers
of the all merciful and to say the
all merciful has fingers.
It's like
Allah's camel does not mean that Allah has
a camel. It's a camel from Allah.
So
right? When you have when the ascription linguistically
has several possibilities.
It could be
belonging to him or from him at a
very simple level.
Right?
And then
the language
is either literal, which is the basis or
metaphorical.
And
the position of and
of the absolute overwhelming majority of the of
language,
almost without exception,
and the of
and the olema
of
tafsir
and fiqh, etcetera, is that
just as the Arabic language has metaphorical usage,
as the the poetry of the Arabs would
confirm, as the usage of the Arabs would
confirm in specific and as every human language
has metaphorical usage,
right?
You say
they, you know, the the maple leaves were
killed yesterday
or slaughtered. It doesn't mean they're that Rahmatullahi
alayhi alayhi that there'll be funeral services at
the maple leaf gardens.
Right?
For the deceased maple leaves and sometimes we
wish that they just that the whole enterprise
would die. Right?
But but it's understood.
Right? Similarly.
So
how do we understand
this expression?
Right? We are
we
the least
the basic thing is
we
now one problem what is the point of
the hadith?
The point of the hadith is not to
talk about
the Allah's limbs. What is the meaning understood
from the hadith?
Complete
that complete divine sway.
Number 1. Number 2,
the
the the basis of Allah's dealing with the
heart of his creation is what? So complete
control of Allah. The complete need, our complete
essential neediness, our very hearts
are under Allah's control. We are in complete
need of him but he is merciful with
us.
Right?
So we're between
these realities
recognizing
his complete
control,
our complete neediness,
fully recognizing His mercy,
always
seeking from Him, relying on Him, asking Him,
subhanahu wa ta'ala. And that's
the point.
The point isn't to affirm Allah has fingers
because of this hadith that is someone who
says that that's anthropomorphism.
Right?
So Imam al Munawi quotes Imam Fakhruddin al
Razi
says,
Right?
Right? This
what we understand from that, right, is,
right,
that
the heart
is makur,
is under the complete
control of Allah. The heart is limited.
Right?
It is
surrounded. It is overcome.
It is perishing. Right? And everything that's like
that,
right, cannot encompass
all things.
Right?
And it cannot truly know Allah himself even
because your heart is so limited. How can
something limitary know the infinite fully?
Right?
It is not talking about
ascribing
limbs to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
There is absolutely nothing like unto Him.
That
is the decisive,
clear affirmation.
We understand
the meaning indicated affirmed by the text
and as for the specific thing we say
and we move on.
The principle
in the mainstream of Ahlus Sunnah as Imam
Lakani
put
said,
Every text that would appear to indicate
similitude,
a sharing of qualities. We have fingers. Allah
says,
Allah's Messenger said, the
fingers of the All Merciful.
There's 2 ways of it within Ahlul Salah.
A willhu
interpret it.
Of course, this is addressing those who have
the capacity of interpret. Fingers of the all
merciful here referring to his
power and control. That's but that's not a
equals b, but that b is understood from
a. We understand from it
in accordance to the usage.
The end. I have him in my fingers,
in my
grasp. Doesn't mean literally. So where is he?
I don't see him there.
Right? Meaning, having control over something.
Right?
Oh, interpret it
or consign the meaning to Allah.
But the tafwid,
but always pursue the path of transcendence.
Always pursue the path of affirming Allah's.
He
is
the absolutely
transcendence
and sacred and pure of any
similitude with perishing creation.
We also understand from this hadith
the absolute necessity of being between
hope and fear,
between hope and fear
always feeling needy
even if
the is in
we always know that there's a that
is potential.
We may be find faith
but we may find belief in our hearts
and we're grateful
but we are also careful
that the potential for disbelief
lies in the heart and the heart has
the potential for all opposites.
So when we find the good predominating
or the good,
faith
is forward,
faith,
guidance,
good.
We are grateful
but we are cautious of the opposites.
Right? So we never
have
umn.
We never have,
we never feel safe
with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
because the potential for the opposite
does exist.
But also we understand the opposite
that if someone,
either ourselves or someone is in
disbelief,
the potential for faith is always there.
If someone is in misguidance, the potential for
guidance is always there.
If someone is in sin, the potential for
obedience is always there.
Right?
Right?
And that's the,
you know, that's and then the prophet used
to say, Allahumma
Musar rifal kulloop O Allah, O turner of
hearts.
Turn our hearts
towards your obedience.
So this is the this hadith, it required
some detailing on on this on this point.
Right?
But we also see how different an emphasis
the the great classical commentators have from
the
the shallow
the shallowness of literalism
the shallowness of literalism. Truly, the hearts of
the children of Adam are between 2 fingers
of the fingers of the All Merciful.
Meaning
are under the complete control
of the All Merciful.
Right. So the complete control is under
the majesty of but under the majesty of
whom? Of the All Merciful. And you understand
in that
the base of Allah's dealing with us because
our reality is our heart,
right, is his mercy. And that also that
he overlooks so much
with that takes place within the heart.
Our thoughts and our inclinations
are are excused.
Right?
Our thoughts and our considerations and even our
inclinations are excused.
We're only accountable for
our choices.
Internal choices
when we resolve
or external choices when we act.
Which is why we'll read the next hadith
too.
And Anjabir radiAllahu ta'ala Anhuqal
qala Rasool Allah SallAllahu Alaihi Wasallam
In this hadith related by Imam Ahmed that
Imam Muslim and others from the great companion
Jabir ibn Abdullah radiAllahu ta'ala Anhu, the messenger
of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said,
let none of you die
except
having a good opinion of Allah mighty and
majestic.
And Husnu Dhan
have a good opinion of Allah.
Right? Which is why Ibn Ata'illah
looking at so many of the teachings of
the prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said
and
this is in the hikam al suhura you
can find the exact quote. There are 3
qualities that are from the qualities of the
chosen servants of Allah.
Salamatussadir
There's 3 qualities of the qualities of the
friends of Allah, of the chosen servants of
Allah, the Awliya.
We see there's numerous hadith that prove this
and and it's commanded to as well.
Salam to have a heart
to keep one's chest clear and not to
have
ill will or ill feeling
towards Allah or towards Allah's creation
Not to be negative with Allah,
not to be negative with Allah's creation.
To keep one's chest
clear of any negative
feeling
towards Allah or His creation.
And to have a good opinion of Allah.
Right? When one sees when something happens,
to
see it in a good light,
to see the actual mercy in it or
the potential mercy in it,
to see the manifest favor in it or
the potential favor in it,
And both in pleasing things and in displeasing
things.
Alright?
And
as even our father says how often you
know may it may be that he caused
you to commit this sin and it may
be that it's the last sin that he's
destined for you to commit.
Maybe
he's teaching you something to have a good
opinion of Allah.
And to have a good opinion of Allah's
creation, not to think ill of them.
So this is
and, you know, this is related to the
previous, of course.
Right? To have a good opinion of what
is happening to you.
So you have a good opinion of Allah,
but
you have a good opinion of Allah. So
therefore you respond to the thing in a
manner that's Hasan, in a manner that is
good in the Allah with Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala.
Any questions before you stop before we pause?
So the the three qualities are have
a you have to
keep have a clear heart which
which is to avoid
thinking ill
thoughts being negative about Allah or to be
negative about Allah's creation.
Number 2
Husnu Zhanbilla to have a good opinion of
Allah
to have a good opinion
And this we'll read the next slide. It's
very brief.
Right? It's such a cute Habib, SubhanAllah.
Relates that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi
Wasallam said,
and may we never experience this
in any way whatsoever
except the last part
that Allah commanded a servant
of his
to the fire.
So when this servant stood
at the edge of the fire,
he turned around the servant and said,
truly, oh Allah,
truly by Allah, oh Lord,
I used to have I used to have
a good opinion of you, but he didn't
really do anything about it. Right? He
was deserving of the fire, like, so what
predominated
was his ill deeds.
Said but Allah had a good opinion of
you.
And Allah most high said said commands,
bring him back
for I am
in accordance with my servants.
I am as my servant thinks of me.
So Allah forgave that servant. That's the power
of faith
and power
of having a good opinion of Allah. And
of course, Shaitan himself experienced this.
Shaytan, if you don't understand the mercy of
Allah,
Shaytan
in that tremendous
manifestation
of divine wrath
when Allah casts him away.
Shaytan was amongst
the closest
appeared to be amongst the closest servants of
Allah. The angels
looked up
to Iblis
because he was more worshipful
than the angels.
That's why he was because he was amongst
them.
But he was of the jinn.
So Allah cast him away
but he
says,
give me some time
till
the day that they're resurrected.
And Allah says,
and you will be of those who are
given time.
Of course, they say at that time, if
shaitan had humility and if he just said,
forgive me,
he would have been forgiven.
He asked and Allah answered,
but also tells you have a good opinion
of Allah. Part of having good opinion of
Allah is to let go of one's
sense of self,
humility.
He was too arrogant to ask for forgiveness.
He was too self centered
to ask for that.
I
am better than him.
So he but he knew Allah enough
to say,
give me some more time
to the day that they're resurrected.
And Allah granted it.
Even though Allah knows and it's of course
with Shaitan, there's also Divine Wisdom because it
all happens by Divine Wisdom. Does Shaitan go
against Allah?
Did the
what? Yes. He did go he went against
Allah's
command. He did not go against Allah's will.
Who created shaitan?
Allah Subhanahu Ta'ala.
Who who allowed shaitan to get the inspiration
to disobey? Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. It's all
under the wisdom of Allah.
That's how Allah created.
But
we should the point being we should
that even in the worst of scenarios if
Shaitan could have his dua answered
then what you couldn't possibly be as bad
as Shaitan.
Okay. So you should have a good opinion
that your dua would be answered to. And
this is the point that this person was
already judged against him that this is of
the people of will be punished in *.
The edge of * turns out and says,
tells you about the power of faith too.
Oh oh, lord, I used to think well
of you,
and Allah will forgive.
As
Ibn
'A'ala
says,
let
the
the intent of your aspiration
not turn
to other than Allah
for the most generous,
even the highest of hopes
cannot go beyond his generosity.
SubhanAllah.
We ask Allah Subhana Wa Ta'la to realize
us in that.
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