IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL
INTRODUCTION
The main hadith which describes perfectly this topic is as follows:
Aisha reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ““Whoever sought the pleasure of Allah though it was displeasing to the people then Allah becomes pleased with him, and will make the people please with him, and whoever sought the pleasure of the people though it was displeasing to Allah then Allah becomes displeased with him and will make the people displeased with him.”
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2414
Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ الْتَمَسَ رِضَا اللَّهِ بِسَخَطِ النَّاسِ كَفَاهُ اللَّهُ مُؤْنَةَ النَّاسِ وَمَنْ الْتَمَسَ رِضَا النَّاسِ بِسَخَطِ اللَّهِ وَكَلَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَى النَّاسِ
2414 سنن الترمذي كتاب الزهد باب منه
Many of us face various issues personally.
All the above examples are not uncommon which Muslims face. Allah set up numerous examples in the Qur’an on who should we seek pleasures from – Allah or the people. Let us analyse some important issues:
UNDERSTAND WHO ALLAH IS
A lot of my students, when they first joined Steps2Allah, were questioned by me – “What is Tawheed?” Sadly only 10% were able to answer this question perfectly. Many do not even know the meaning of Tawheed even though they claimed to have practised Islam for many years.
All of us must understand that we have a purpose in this life – which is to worship Allah. We have to ensure that we understand this purpose, because if we end up facing Allah not knowing this purpose, we will feel regretful in the Hereafter.
Unless one full understand Tawheed completely, he or she would always fail to prioritise Allah over any of His Creations.
The three categories of Tawheed are commonly referred to by the following titles:
1. Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah (lit. “Maintaining the Unity of Lordship”)
2. Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (lit. “Maintaining the Unity of Allaah’s Names and Attributes”)
3. Tawheed al-‘Ebaadah (lit. “Maintaining the Unity of Allaah’s Worship”)
The division of Tawheed into its components was not done by the Prophet (saws) nor by his companions, as there was no necessity to analyze such a basic principle of faith in this fashion. However, the foundations of the components are all implied in the verses of the Qur’aan and in the explanatory statements of the Prophet (saws) and his companions.
Simple questions:
So, when we know the answers to all these questions are ALLAH, why should we seek pleasures from others when we should prioritise Allah is all of our affairs? When the prayer time comes, why should we continue working when it was Allah who Allowed us to see and write on the computer, Provide us with the computer, Gives us the brains to think and Provides us money in our bank account at the end of the month? It is not our employer!
The surah that completely explains Tawheed is surah Al Ikhlas, which is equivalent to one third of the Qur’an:
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the) One [Ahad].
2. Allaah‑us‑Samad [Allaah — the Self‑Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)].
3. He begets not, nor was He begotten.
4. And there is none co‑equal or comparable unto Him”
[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4]
Allah also Reminded us:
وَإِلٰهُكُم إِلٰهٌ واحِدٌ ۖ لا إِلٰهَ إِلّا هُوَ الرَّحمٰنُ الرَّحيمُ
“And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah [ilaahun waahidun] (God — Allaah), Laa Ilaaha illa Huwa (there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful”
[al-Baqarah 2:163]
UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
We have been Reminded by Allah directly about our purpose of life:
وَما خَلَقتُ الجِنَّ وَالإِنسَ إِلّا لِيَعبُدونِ
“And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).” 51: 56
Allah Reminded the whole of mankind, NOT JUST the Muslims to worship Him, in the next verse:
يا أَيُّهَا النّاسُ اعبُدوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذي خَلَقَكُم وَالَّذينَ مِن قَبلِكُم لَعَلَّكُم تَتَّقونَ
“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become Al-Muttaqun. 2: 21
In another part of the Qur’an, Allah Reminded us:
قُل إِنَّ صَلاتي وَنُسُكي وَمَحيايَ وَمَماتي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ العالَمينَ
لا شَريكَ لَهُ ۖ وَبِذٰلِكَ أُمِرتُ وَأَنا أَوَّلُ المُسلِمينَ
“Say (O Muhammad [Peace be upon him]): “Verily, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.” 6: 162-163
OUR MEETING AND COVENTANT WITH ALLAH LONG TIME AGO
In fact, we have made a covenant with Allah that we would recognise Him as our Rabb:
وَإِذ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَني آدَمَ مِن ظُهورِهِم ذُرِّيَّتَهُم وَأَشهَدَهُم عَلىٰ أَنفُسِهِم أَلَستُ بِرَبِّكُم ۖ قالوا بَلىٰ ۛ شَهِدنا ۛ أَن تَقولوا يَومَ القِيامَةِ إِنّا كُنّا عَن هٰذا غافِلينَ
“And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed (or from Adam’s loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves (saying): “Am I not your Lord?” They said: “Yes! We testify,” lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: “Verily, we have been unaware of this.” 7: 172
ACCOUNTABILITY WITH ALLAH
For sure, there will be accountability with Allah on the Day of Judgment:
Allah is Reminding us in a surah which we recite every Friday: Surah al Kahf (18). When we come to the last verse, we are reminded to do good deeds and avoid shirk – all these will be accountable on the Day of Judgment:
فَمَن كانَ يَرجو لِقاءَ رَبِّهِ فَليَعمَل عَمَلًا صالِحًا وَلا يُشرِك بِعِبادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا
And Allah even Swears upon His own Name, on this Meeting with Him:
اللَّهُ لا إِلٰهَ إِلّا هُوَ ۚ لَيَجمَعَنَّكُم إِلىٰ يَومِ القِيامَةِ لا رَيبَ فيهِ ۗ وَمَن أَصدَقُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حَديثًا
“Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Surely, He will gather you together on the Day of Resurrection about which there is no doubt. And who is truer in statement than Allah?” 4: 87
WHY PEOPLE GET CONFUSED
STARTING WITH THE FALL OF THE CALIPHATE
Many people now in general are more prosperous than they were before, for example, 100 years ago. With the increase in the success of this world, many have forgotten the purpose of life and their duties to Allah. With an increase in affluence and power, there is an arrogance that has developed in many people that their success was only due to their own strength and efforts and intelligence, and at the same time, the people surrounding them, that they would rather please themselves and the people surrounding them rather than pleasing Allah.
To make matters worse, there is also a humiliation and disgrace that has fallen on the Muslim Ummah – with the fall of the khilafah. The Muslim influence has developed since the appointment of prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as the prophet and spread of Islam has gone very rapidly. The Islamic Empire expanded beyond the Arabian Peninsula and even went as far as Europe at the early stage. The traders went as far as Asia, where Islam spread rapidly, through the Will of Allah, so much so that Indonesia is now the most populous Muslim country in the whole world. There was a golden era of Islam. However, with the expansion of Islam came greed, arrogance and most importantly, many forms of disobedience to Allah. People have started to abandon the Qur’an and authentic hadiths. The Qur’an has become merely decorations in palaces and mere recitations WITHOUT understanding and more importantly, applying the verses in our daily lives. Even with the Qur’anic translations on the increase and with the advancement in technology where the Qur’an and hadith books are available free of charge, the implementation of the teachings are decreasing and being diluted, especially with the misconception that the western lifestyle is a superior lifestyle and that the Islamic lifestyle is barbaric and not updated to suit the 21st century. Secularism began to dominate society and even the mighty Ottaman Empire which held the last caliphate, fell in the hands of one of the most evil secular leader – Ataturk.
Until today, it seems that society has evolved, sadly even in the Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia. Leaders in Muslim countries now are more keen to please the superpower such as America, China and Russia rather than to please Allah. Even when there are clearly human rights violations against fellow Muslims in Palestine and Uighurs in China, and the ban of entry of Muslims in America during the Trump era, leaders in Muslim countries largely turn a blind eye and even praise some of these countries that commit these violations. Some middle eastern countries praised President Trump and China even though the human rights violations and oppression against fellow Muslims are obvious in these countries. Criticisms of Israel are getting less from these Muslims countries, even though Israel has oppressed and stolen the lands of the Palestinians, and gross human rights abuse occurs on a large scale against Palestinians. Unashamedly, some Muslim countries are even starting to resume ties and trades with Israel.
Therefore, it seems that pleasing those in power is more important to many leaders in Muslim countries than pleasing Allah.
Did these people forget that everyone will be accountable to Allah on the Day of Judgment? Allah Warned us:
وَلا تَحسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غافِلًا عَمّا يَعمَلُ الظّالِمونَ ۚ إِنَّما يُؤَخِّرُهُم لِيَومٍ تَشخَصُ فيهِ الأَبصارُ
“Consider not that Allah is unaware of that which the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, etc.) do, but He gives them respite up to a Day when the eyes will stare in horror.” 14: 43
Did these Muslims forget who must be our awliya’(protector, adviser) in this world?
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا لا تَتَّخِذُوا اليَهودَ وَالنَّصارىٰ أَولِياءَ ۘ بَعضُهُم أَولِياءُ بَعضٍ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِنكُم فَإِنَّهُ مِنهُم ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَهدِي القَومَ الظّالِمينَ
“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya’ (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but Auliya’ to one another. And if any amongst you takes them as Auliya’, then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers and unjust).” 5: 51
Sadly, those who try to speak the truth in Muslim countries are behind bars and being oppressed by those in power. Didn’t Allah Mentioned specifically about justice in Islam and its fundamental principle?
لَقَد أَرسَلنا رُسُلَنا بِالبَيِّناتِ وَأَنزَلنا مَعَهُمُ الكِتابَ وَالميزانَ لِيَقومَ النّاسُ بِالقِسطِ
“Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice…” 57: 25
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا كونوا قَوّامينَ بِالقِسطِ شُهَداءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَو عَلىٰ أَنفُسِكُم أَوِ الوالِدَينِ وَالأَقرَبينَ ۚ إِن يَكُن غَنِيًّا أَو فَقيرًا فَاللَّهُ أَولىٰ بِهِما ۖ فَلا تَتَّبِعُوا الهَوىٰ أَن تَعدِلوا ۚ وَإِن تَلووا أَو تُعرِضوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعمَلونَ خَبيرًا
“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice, and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do.” 4: 135
A woman of the Makhzoom family with good connections was found guilty of theft. For the prestige of the Quraish, some prominent people including Usaamah Ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, interceded to save her from punishment. The Prophet (Peace be upon him)) refused to forgive the crime and expressed displeasure saying: “Many a community ruined itself in the past as they only punished the poor and ignored the offenses of the exalted. By Allah, if Muhammad’s (My) daughter Fatimah would have committed theft, her hand would have been severed.” (Bukhari)
Allah has commanded his messengers to establish justice and spoke to them in affirmative tone as quoted in Hadith: “O My slaves, I have forbidden injustice for Myself and forbade it also for you. So avoid being unjust to one another.” (Sahih Muslim)
Allah detests a ruler who has bestowed with supremacy yet is ignorant of justice. Allah will deprive him of His shade in His territory at the Day of estimation as Hadith narrates: “There are seven categories of people whom God will shelter under the shade of His throne on the Day when there will be no shade except this. [One is] the just leader.” (Sahih Muslim)
In another hadith Holy Prophet (SAW) stated that: “People, beware of injustice, for injustice shall be darkness on the Day of Judgment.”(Musnad Ahmed).
ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
The pleasure of Allah must be our ultimate aim:
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ المُؤمِنينَ وَالمُؤمِناتِ جَنّاتٍ تَجري مِن تَحتِهَا الأَنهارُ خالِدينَ فيها وَمَساكِنَ طَيِّبَةً في جَنّاتِ عَدنٍ ۚ وَرِضوانٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَكبَرُ ۚ ذٰلِكَ هُوَ الفَوزُ العَظيمُ
“Allah has promised to the believers -men and women, – Gardens under which rivers flow to dwell therein forever, and beautiful mansions in Gardens of ‘Adn (EdenParadise). But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of Allah. That is the supreme success.” 9:72
Life is always a distraction in our pursuit of a permanent life in the Hereafter. The purpose of life may sometimes be compromised because of the many factors which may come in between seeking the pleasure of Allah.
ALLAH GAVE EXAMPLES IN THE QUR’AN
وَمِنَ النّاسِ مَن يَشري نَفسَهُ ابتِغاءَ مَرضاتِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ رَءوفٌ بِالعِبادِ
“And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is full of Kindness to (His) slaves.” 2: 207
Ibn `Abbas, Anas, Sa`id bin Musayyib, Abu `Uthman An-Nahdi, `Ikrimah and several other scholars said that this Ayah was revealed about Suhayb bin Sinan Ar-Rumi. When Suhayb became a Muslim in Makkah and intended to migrate (to Al-Madinah), the people (Quraysh) prevented him from migrating with his money. They said that if he forfeits his property, he is free to migrate. He abandoned his money and preferred to migrate, and Allah revealed this Ayah about him. `Umar bin Khattab and several other Companions met Suhayb close to the outskirts of Al-Madinah at Al-Harrah (flat lands with black stones). They said to him, “The trade has indeed been successful.” He answered them, “You too, may Allah never allow your trade to fail. What is the matter” `Umar told him that Allah has revealed this Ayah (2:207) about him. It was also reported that Allah’s Messenger said, “The trade has been successful, O Suhayb!”
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) also set another example by obeying Allah rather than the polytheism that was committed by his father and as well as the people surrounding him. He was even thrown in the fire by the people but he sought solace in Allah by saying “HasbunAllah wa ni’mal wakeel” – Allah Alone is sufficient for me, He is the Best Disposer of my affairs.
Another example is set by Allah in the stories of the people of the cave. They sacrifice the love of their families by running away solely to earn the pleasure of Allah, because the family members were all idol worshippers.
The Muhajiroon who perform Hijrah for the sake of Allah sacrificed many things in order to seek the pleasure of Allah. They participated in many battles which may even invlve against their own family members in Makkah.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was abused and humiliated in Ta’if. He was patient and made a beautiful du’a:
Dua of prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Ta’if
To You, my Lord,
I complain of my weakness,
lack of support and the humiliation I am made to receive.
Most Compassionate and Merciful!
You are the Lord of the weak,
and you are my Lord.
To whom do You leave me?
To a distant person who receives me with hostility?
Or to an enemy You have given power over me?
As long as you are not displeased with me,
I do not care what I face.
I would, however,
be much happier with Your mercy.
I seek refuge in the light of Your face by which
all darkness is dispelled and both this life and the life to come
are put in their right course against incurring your wrath
or being the subject of your anger.
To You I submit,
until I earn Your pleasure.
Everything is powerless without your support.
In the midst of being humiliated by the children in Ta’if and even after he was injured by the stones that were thrown at him, our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) exercised restraint and patience – preferring to seek the pleasure of Allah.
Many examples were given by Allah. How far are we able to emulate him (peace be upon him) and place Allah and seeking His Pleasure as our most important priority in life, than seeking the pleasure of the people?
May Allah Guide us to Increase our ability to seek His Pleasure and Love.
