Faraz Rabbani – The Rawha #070 Angels Seeking Out Gatherings of Remembrance Keeping Ones Self Busy the Good
AI: Summary ©
The importance of strong engagement in gathering for Allah's teachings is highlighted, as it is a part of their core teachings. Visits are encouraged, but not pursued by sex or culture. Conscious awareness is emphasized, and the need for caution is emphasized. The importance of trust and concern in one's life is also emphasized, along with tests and tests for achieving good deeds. It is essential to stay focused on one's work and not worry too much.
AI: Summary ©
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You're listening to the daily
guidance for seekers with Sheikh Rasra Behni, who
will be covering Imam Yusuf al Nabhani's beautiful
collection of 40 sets of 40 hadith of
the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,
as well as imam Zarnooji's guidance for seekers
of knowledge regarding the ways of seeking knowledge.
In our
daily,
we've
we've been looking at
guidance of our beloved messenger
through covering sets of 40 hadiths
gathered by
Sheikh Yusuf
and Nabhani,
And
last session, we started
40 hadiths
on
the virtues of the remembrance of Allah,
mighty and
majestic.
So we're on hadith number 6.
The messenger of Allah relates
that truly,
Allah has angels
that go around
the roads
or the pathways
seeking out
the people of remembrance.
The word
linguistically means to to go around.
Right?
And
religiously, it has a specific meaning, which is
to go around
the Kaaba.
Right?
Seeking out. And
is used for
seeking,
but seeking with attention and care.
The the root meaning of
is from literally from which is to touch.
Carefully seeking out
the people of remembrance.
And if they find people,
they find
a people,
a
group of people
remembering
Allah,
they call out to one another
they call out to one another
rush
to your need
rush to your need
so they encircle them
with their wings
all the way up
to the sky.
The prophet said, so then their lord will
ask them, though he knows better than them.
What were my servants
saying?
So the prophet
said, so the angels respond to Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala. They are glorifying you,
making tasbih of you and
magnifying
you, making takbih of you, saying Allahu Akbar.
And they are praising you saying
and
magnifying you.
Right?
By other ways of praise.
So Allah will ask the angels, have they
seen me?
The angels say, no. They have not seen
you.
By Allah, oh lord, they have not seen
you.
Allah will ask the angels, how would it
be?
Had they beheld me?
So the angels respond
that, oh lord, had they seen you, had
they beheld you, they would have been even
more intense
in worshiping
you and more intense
in magnifying you
and they would glorify you, may make this
be of you even more.
So, of course, this tells us and this
is as we will see, this is a
rigorous, authentic hadith that's related by ma'am Bukhari
and similarly by a Muslim
that what does what what is one of
the ultimate goals of the believer
is to behold Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. In
the hereafter,
that beholding of Allah is
an outward beholding of Allah, a beholding that
is absolutely distinct from the beholding of created
things.
Right?
This is a point of because
it's mentioned clearly in the Quran.
On that day,
faces will be radiant.
Some faces will be radiant.
To their lord,
gazing. Right? But with
a beholding that is absolutely distinct from the
seeing of created things without directionality
and without modality.
But in this life,
it is a beholding of the heart,
a beholding
of
intense consciousness
with the heart.
But the sign of that
consciousness of Allah
is
devotedness to Allah.
Intensity,
right, intensity
in worship,
intensity
in remembrance.
So then Allah ask the angels, what are
they asking me for? Because they engage in
remembrance,
but they're also engage in supplication.
The angel the prophet
said, the angels respond,
they are asking you they ask you for
paradise.
So the prophet said, then Allah asked them,
have they seen it? Have they seen paradise?
So the prophet said, so the angels respond,
no. By Allah,
oh Lord, they have not seen paradise.
So Allah will respond,
how would they be had they but beheld
it?
The prophet
said the angels respond to Allah had they
seen paradise.
They would be even more intense
in seeking it and more avid
and more
absolute
in longing
for it.
So
Allah asks them and this asking is not
to discover
but to manifest.
Right? It's to manifest.
So what are they seeking refuge
from?
The prophet said the angels respond,
they are seeking refuge from the fire.
The prophet said Allah asks the angels, have
they seen
it? So the angels respond to Allah, no,
by Allah, they have not seen * fire.
So Allah asks them,
how would it be had they seen it?
Said had they seen it, they would be
more intense in fleeing from it
and more
intense
in awe of it.
Then the prophet said that Allah most high
says to the angels
Allah says to the angels, I bear witness
to you
that truly I have forgiven them.
So one of the angel, an angel from
amongst the angel says
that amongst them is so and so who
is not from them.
He's not from the people of remembrance. He
didn't gather to remember Allah.
Right?
That amongst them is so and so who's
not of them. He only went there for
a need.
Allah
responds, they're the people
whom by them,
no one who sits with them will be
in loss.
This is related by Imam Bukhari with this
wording,
and it's related by Imam Muslim with wording
that is very
similar.
Right?
Right. So this tells us about the the
clear merit of gathering to remember Allah
Now the sunnah does not specify
a particular mode
in which one gathers to remember Allah
So
the ulema said
so the olema
understood it in different ways. Some said that
one gathers
together
but engages in remembrance on one's own.
And that's a possibility.
But others
but
took,
you know, Hadith like this and precedent from
the sunnah that no. It it says they
say.
Right, which would entail if if they are
gathered
and they say
it's being said as if they're saying it
in one voice. So they said,
hadith such as this indicate
the recommendation
of gathering
for remembrance, number 1, but also of group
remembrance, which is engaging
in remembrance
together.
Because the hadith says, they
glorify you, they
praise you, they magnify you. So they say,
subhanAllah, they say, Alhamdulillah,
La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar etcetera.
Right? And this is something that is a
well established this is
across the 4 schools of Sunni Islam
that,
you know, a majority of scholars considered
group
to be
right. I mean, gathering for it
it is undeniable. The praiseworthiness of the just
the act of coming together to remember Allah,
it is highly praiseworthy
by explicit texts.
But
gathering to remember Allah and remembering Allah together
meaning with 1 with,
you know,
you know, with
in engaging
together in remembrance
that too has been
a majority opinion within mainstream Islamic scholarship.
And most of the difference opinion has been
with respect to what is superior.
Right?
And what it would be generally more praiseworthy
that if one gathers to remember.
Right?
And
so it it is certainly not
permitted to condemn because it it is based
Its basis
is in prophetic teachings.
Right? Its basis is in prophetic teachings. And
we also see the tremendous
expiatory
benefit
of such a gathering
that even those who were there for ulterior
motives
will be forgiven.
Right?
And for this need
for
cleaning one's slate,
it it was a practice from the early
Muslims from the time of the Sahaba
as deduced from how
from many, many hadiths
of the prophet
that one should have at least once a
week
a gathering of remembrance of Allah's that one
goes that one strives to attend.
And this is something if we want to
bring our communities to life, one of the
things that are needed
that are from
the
inherit from the neglected sunnahs
is
to reestablish
gatherings of remembrance of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
in any sound way that they are performed.
And in the wording in in a Muslim,
at the end, the angels say
In the the narration in Muslim, the angel
an angel asked, but but, oh lord, amongst
them
is so and so, who is a
truly sinful servant.
Is
Someone who's
an inveterate sinner.
He was only passing by so he sat
down.
So Allah says, and
him have I forgiven.
They're the people whom
no one by them
will be at loss.
Right? But it also tells us not just
the merits of the gathering,
but the merits of those gathered.
That no one will fear will be in
loss by them.
Right?
Which is something also we neglect in our
times, the reality that they are that that
they are that while everyone has
all human beings have an honor. And
this
and they have a sacredness
and an inviolability.
The the believers have a,
have an elect hood,
but
not all people are are are spiritually equal,
that there are people who are special to
Allah.
And of the categories of people who are
special to Allah are the people of
remembrance.
Other hadiths as we will see and we
have seen when we looked at the 40
hadiths and the virtues of Quran, the people
of
Quran,
the people of service.
Right? There are certain categories of people who
are particularly
special to Allah. The people of knowledge.
They have a great
inviolability.
And
the
there's a number of similar
similarly narrated,
hadiths
affirming
this
great meaning. Yeah. So this should urge one
to strive
to
benefit
from
such gatherings and not to deprive oneself and
one's family from such gatherings. But also,
this is
practically
on a weekly basis, one should
attend
such a gathering. If one is in a
community where there aren't such gatherings, one should
take the means, consult
people of learning that one trust.
It's not very difficult to do to establish
such a gathering.
What should one say in it?
Right?
And
follow the hadiths. Right? The the the various
acts of remembrance mentioned in the hadith go
back to the 4
core
that the prophet
referred to as
The lasting good deeds.
And this is something that one can do
in one's own home too.
And in houses that Allah permitted
to be established.
And what's their characteristic?
In which, his name
is mentioned.
In it,
glorify
by morning time and by nighttime
accomplished ones,
right,
whom nothing
neither trade nor transaction business
from remembrance of Allah
and establishing the prayer, etcetera.
So in one's home too. Right?
One of the things
to do and one doesn't have to make
it fancy.
Right? But if you have some friends gathered,
you have family,
you say, okay. Let's
make you'll you know, we're going to do
some make some brief brief zikr.
And what are we going to do? Let's
make
let's recite the
together. Mention this hadith
that this is the great merit
of
gathering to remember Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
and
Allah's
bounty is vast. It's not they're okay. It's
only if you do this much, will you
get that much. Is there anything mentioned in
the hadith of how much you have to
engage in? No.
So keep it light. So, okay, we're going
to make recite 10
or 11 if you want to an odd
number.
11 times,
you say,
and then 11 times
11 times
11 times 11 times
11
times salah and the prophet
or whatever is facilitated for 1 and that's
it. Wouldn't even take a few minutes
and let's say you have
in a family gathering, how many people would
you have there?
10, 15 people. Say 15 people. You
recited
11 of each of these. You may say
it's nothing but that it's
45
the 50
repetitions
times 15 people there. That's a a lot
of remembrance just took place just like that.
Right? And the the there's
and then it also has the meaning by
facilitating
that, you inspire people. The people experience
the benefit and impact and resonance
of the remembrance of Allah.
So they may bring it into their lives
and if you facilitated that, then there's tremendous
reward. So this is something
that one should
not hold oneself
from benefiting from. And tomorrow inshallah, we'll look
at a similar hadith
about
the great
merit
of
gatherings of of remembrance. And there's many, many
Hadith on the topic.
Right?
Insha'Allah, may Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala make us
of the people of
remembrance and facilitate for us to establish
and
bring to life gatherings of remembrance.
We are also looking in our daily rauha
at
advice for seekers of knowledge from Imam Zanuji's
work, Talim ul Mutalim,
and
we
are in the chapter on trust in Allah
Right?
That this is absolutely necessary because
seeking of knowledge being
of the acts in which one steps away
from the world of means,
it is easy to feel
hesitation
regarding it.
Right?
And this is something that one one has
to be careful about.
Says,
cautions because the believer
focuses on
true lasting benefit
and what will fulfill for them true and
lasting benefit in their relationship with Allah.
A'la. And
one could be in the world of means.
Right? So you have a career, etcetera,
but Allah facilitates
with that for you to seek knowledge,
to
be worshipful of Allah, to have spiritual routines,
etcetera.
But instead of making the most of where
Allah places you, you say, oh, I wish
I could go overseas and study.
But you don't make the most of
where Allah has placed you. You don't make
the most of your work itself
by engaging in remembrance, making most of the
slack time at work.
Right?
Why? Because the nature of
one's hawa, one's caprice,
is to wish for what you don't have.
But it is also from the nature of
that caprice is that when Allah facilitates for
you they have that opportunity to learn,
that opportunity to focus, whether it be full
time or now you're finally
connected with the class.
But instead of showing up to the class,
you say, you know what? I should go
to the gym. I should go
I I haven't gone to
I haven't had
a nice margarita pizza for a long time
or whatever. So you get these whimsical inclinations.
That's where
you
oh, I haven't met my uncle. You could
meet your uncle anytime in the week. It
didn't have to be at that time. Right?
So there is that whim. That's where you
have to place your trust in Allah and
remain focused on what's before you.
So the author quotes,
you know, mentions an incident
A
man asked Mansur Al Hallaj was a controversial
figure,
differed upon amongst the
The scholars say he was he was a
righteous man
of great knowledge of Allah,
but whose
who
whose overwhelming states caused him to to make
many ecstatic utterances,
right, which got him killed in the end.
So,
he but he someone asked him for advice.
So he said, it is your ego. It
is your lower self.
If you do not busy it, it will
busy you.
Right? You have
these lower inclinations.
Right? The nefs
just inclines in any way. If you don't
busy it with benefit, it will benefit busy
you with things
bereft of benefit.
Right?
They say an empty mind is a devil's
workshop.
Right?
So
So it befits every person.
And this is not just for the seeker
of knowledge, but anyone
that one busy oneself
with works
of good
so that it doesn't busy oneself
with
one's mere whims.
And the whims can be sinful whims.
Right? You have nothing to do. You say,
well, there's nothing to do, so you go
go watch a movie. You start with a
harmless movie, then you end up with harmful
movies.
Or it could be wasting time.
And they say,
missing out is loss itself.
Or
it is by from capris is doing foolish
things or things, you know, lacking in benefit.
Like just talking about things that concern you.
Then he says,
This is a principle
which
if you applied,
you relieve sorrow,
distress, and sadness from your life.
Right? Everyone should write this out.
A person of intelligence
would not worry and here
is. Right?
That
the intelligent person should not worry
about
worldly matters
because
worry
and sorrow
will not
turn away
difficulties
and will not benefit,
but rather
worry and sorrows
will
harm will your heart
and your mind and your body.
And the Olehma say there's a difference between
worry,
which is
thinking about things
in a manner that does not result
in action,
and there's no benefit in it. Even if
it may seem,
you know,
a noble thing. You're sitting there, said, oh
my god. What's happening to the children in
Aleppo? Can you do that? Like,
if you spend hours thinking about it, will
you improve the state of the children in
Aleppo by worrying about them for 5 hours?
No.
One dua is better than 5 hours of
worry.
Right?
A dollar in charity. The prophet
said, do not deem anything of the good
to be paltry.
So concern,
there's difference. Worry
is
is that
concerned
is that
thought about something troubling
that does not result
in a a plan
and in realizable action.
And it is blameworthy in our deen.
The prophet sought refuge
from Alham.
Right? This kind of worry.
What is praiseworthy
in our deen is
concern.
And
the concern is that which
translates into a plan of action,
an action that is realizable.
Because you know that you are responsible to
the extent of your ability. So you look
what is within your ability,
you plan of how you will realize
what is in your immediate
and
long term ability and that's what you direct
yourself to.
And also this worry and sorrow, it also
it
it is to and it serves
in detriment to acts of good because it
demotivates.
So you're sitting there worrying, oh my god.
I wonder how many children died. And what
about that woman who
was wondering whether she should commit suicide
rather than getting raped and oh my god.
But then
you didn't pay your you know, it's end
of the year, but you haven't paid your
zakat yet.
You you know, there's a visiting scholar. You
don't go there. Why? I'm just so distraught
about what's going on in Halab.
Yeah. You're
so
have concern.
Right?
And the question is,
what do I do about this that will
be a benefit to me in my hereafter?
And one is concerned about
the matter of the hereafter.
Because that's what benefits.
Right? So then he goes into
a question that arises. If you're not supposed
to worry about worldly matters,
then what about the words of the prophet
that there
are certain sins that are only expiated by
having concern for one's livelihood.
So what's meant by concern for one's livelihood?
He said, this is an extent of concern
that does not prevent one from good deeds.
Right? If your work is preventing you from
doing good in life,
then that work is a fitna.
K? So this is one test that are
your priorities
right in life?
That the things that you're prioritizing,
are they keeping you from doing good
spiritually
and socially
for yourself,
for those you're responsible for, and for God's
creation in general? That's one
question.
A second question is that it doesn't busy
your heart so much that it affects your
presence of heart in prayer.
The most important thing you do in life
is
your prayer. It's more important than your work.
It's more important than your family.
Right? And that's a test.
Is it affecting your presence of heart and
prayer? If it is,
then you have to
make adjustments.
And if you can't
successfully,
gradually make adjustments for improvement, then you have
to go in for some spiritual consultation.
And then he explains
how one attains
that
freeing up of concern, and we'll be looking
at that
tomorrow
Muhammad.
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