Who is Muslim to Allah

We have written a number of posts on defining Muslims, yet many a reader keep asking to define a person who is a Muslim to Allah. Generally speaking, a Muslim is someone who submits to the will of Allah, believes in the oneness of God (Tawhid), and follows the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as conveyed in the Quran and Hadith. The identity of a Muslim is defined by their faith (Iman), their actions (Amal), and their adherence to the principles of Islam. 

At many a places in Qur'an, Allah has laid down the conditions for someone to be a Muslim. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has also explained these verses to educate the non Muslims to know these pre-conditions before entering the fold of Islam. Most people do not know the truth of the Qur'an of Allah, and comment on Islam without knowing what actually Allah, Qur'an and Islam is. Thus it is the responsibility of everyone wanting to know about Islam to read Qur'an once in own language, then the canvass of confusion, mistrust and  ambiguity will start to clear and answer many a lies about Islam.

" .... And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims." (Surah Al Nahl 16:89)

That is Qur'an clarifies all doubts and answers questions to tell the world who is a Muslim to Allah and those who understand and follow the Divine Commandments contained in Qur'an are true Muslims. Let us know these pre-conditions for being a Muslim is to Allah, based on the Quran and Hadith.

Submission to Allah (Islam):

Let us first understand what Islam is, for the word Muslim takes its roots from the very word Islam. The word "Muslim" comes from the Arabic root "S-L-M," which means submission or surrender. A Muslim is one who submits to the will of Allah.

Surah Al-Imran (3:19): "Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah is Islam. And those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them - out of jealous animosity between themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of Allah, then indeed, Allah is swift in [taking] account."

Surah Al-Imran (3:85): "And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers."

These verses highlight that being a Muslim means submitting to the will of Allah, which is the essence of the faith.

Belief in the Oneness of Allah (Tawhid):

Tawhid is the foundation of a Muslim's faith, emphasizing the absolute monotheism that is central to Islam. Thus, a Muslim is someone who believes in the oneness of Allah, acknowledging Him as the sole creator and sustainer of the universe.

Surah Al-Ikhlas (112:1-4): "Say, 'He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.'"

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:163): 

وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

Your God is ˹only˺ One God. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful 

The above verses make it clear that anyone who claims to be a Muslim must have firm belief in the Oneness of Allah. Anyone who has a doubt about oneness of Allah and tend to follow and route his grievances to worldly deities or even associating someone to share the powers of Allah is surely misled and cannot claim himself to be a Muslim.

Following the Guidance of the Quran and Sunnah:

A Muslim is one who follows the guidance provided by the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Surah Al-Ahzab (33:36): "It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error."

Surah Al-Imran (3:31): "Say, [O Muhammad], 'If you should love Allah, then follow me, so Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.'"

These verses emphasize the importance of adhering to the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah (the practices and sayings of the Prophet).

Righteous Actions (Amal Saleh):

Merely proclaiming to be a Muslim is not enough. One has to show by his actions, his dealings with others and being a righteous, for a Muslim is not only defined by his belief but also by his righteous actions.

Surah Al-Asr (103:1-3): "By time, indeed, mankind is in loss, except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience."

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:277): "Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give zakah will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve."

These verses show that true faith (Iman) is coupled with good deeds, such as prayer, charity, and other acts of kindness and justice.

Sincerity (Ikhlas) and Intention (Niyyah):

The sincerity of a Muslim's heart and their intentions are crucial to their identity as a Muslim. The sincerity in belief and faith draws a thin line between the Muslims and the hypocrites (Munafiqun المنافقون). In the early days of Islam, many pretended to be Muslims outwardly, but in their hearts they remained disbelievers. A Muslim thus has to have a clear understanding of what he beleives and have sincere intentions in what he does.

Surah Al-Bayyinah (98:5): "And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion."

Hadith (Sahih Bukhari, 1): The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended."

These teachings highlight the importance of performing actions with sincerity and pure intention for the sake of Allah.

Brotherhood and Community (Ummah):

A Muslim is part of a global brotherhood, united by faith and mutual support. A true Muslim is a brother to the other Muslim and this bondage should be supreme over all other wordily pledges and bondages.

Surah Al-Hujurat (49:10): "The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy."

Hadith (Sahih Muslim, 2586): The Prophet said, "The believers, in their mutual kindness, compassion, and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever."

Muslims are encouraged to support one another, fostering a sense of unity and brotherhood. It is this bondage which ensure co-existence specially in times of distress, aggression and subjugation. 

Devotion to Worship:

Worship is central to the life of a Muslim, as it is the means through which they connect with Allah and seek His guidance and mercy. A Muslim is devoted to worshipping Allah through various acts such as prayer (Salah), fasting (Sawm), charity (Zakah), and pilgrimage (Hajj).

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:21): "O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous."

Surah Al-Ankabut (29:45): "Recite, [O Muhammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do."

In the light of the Quran and Hadith, a Muslim is someone who submits to Allah's will, believes in His oneness, follows the guidance of the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, performs righteous deeds with sincerity, and is part of a global brotherhood. A Muslim is devoted to worship and seeks to live a life of piety, modesty, and righteousness in accordance with the teachings of Islam. This identity is defined by both faith and action, with the ultimate goal of earning the pleasure of Allah and attaining success in this life and the Hereafter.

Isn't it time to carryout a reappraisal of our faith and ascertain our level of faith in Allah and be the Muslims Allah wants us to be??

Please read our previous posts to grasp the theme in totality:

• Who is a Muslim
• What are the traits of a Muslim
• What are the qualities in a Muslim that Allah loves
• Seven qualities of Muslims that Allah loves
• 10 virtues of Muslims for whom Allah promises a mighty reward

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Photo | 

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Who is a Muslim to Allah

Ask someone in the Western world: Who is a Muslim? And one will get a widely varied response. The perception of Muslims in the West is rather complex, influenced by historical, social, and political factors. It can range from positive to negative, depending on various contexts and individual perspectives. For many, the word Muslim brings to mind the image of a terrorist, an Afghan Taliban and someone living in desert chasing camels. This perception mainly arises from the perception of Muslims aired on the social media. One would never get to see someone defining Muslim as a well educated and literate person, for a large number of Muslims are employees of some of the major conglomerates and business empires.

Today, let us define for you who actually is a Muslim. Or should we say who a Muslim is to Allah, for there is bond between a true believing Muslim and his Creator. This bondage thus defines who a Muslim is.

A Muslim is defined in the Quran as someone who submits to the will of Allah, believes in His oneness, accepts all His prophets, believes in the unseen, performs righteous deeds, accepts Allah's decree, and supports the community of believers. This comprehensive definition encompasses faith, practice, and ethical conduct, reflecting the holistic approach of Islam to human life and spirituality.

Let us now elaborate the above quoted definition of Muslim as condensed form a number of verses from Qur'an, meaning by this the man whom Allah considers to be a Muslim. Herein under is the further elaborate the characteristics of the person called Muslim:

Submission to Allah:

A Muslim is one who submits his will to Allah. This is the fundamental meaning of the term "Muslim" (from the Arabic root S-L-M, meaning "to submit" or "to surrender").

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:112): "Yes, whoever submits his face to Allah and he is a doer of good, then his reward is with his Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve."

Belief in Allah and the Prophets:

Muslims are those who believe in Allah and accept all His prophets, including the final prophet, Muhammad ﷺ. Here it may be said that Muslims believe in the entire chain of prophets and messengers right from Adam, followed by Noah, Moses, Abraham, Ishmael, and Ishaq. The list also includes Eesa (called Jesus by Christians) as a prophet of Allah too, and not as an associate or even a god at par with the One and the Only God of the universe.

"The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], 'We make no distinction between any of His messengers.' And they say, 'We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.'"

Faith in the Unseen: This is the hallmark of a person called Muslim. Often atheists ask Muslims whether they have seen Allah they believe in? And even ask scientific explanations for they know nothing beyond 2+2=4.  But they fail to see the signs, not only the earth and countless living creations as small as a being which can only be seen with the help of a microscope, but also the fathomless and never ending ends of the universe. Even the Hubble Telescope, the marvel of the present day science has not been able to reach anything close to the ends, which to my mind do not exist. Yet Muslims believed in Allah unseen when Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked the illiterate, rigid, hard core Bedouins of Arabia.

Muslims believe in the unseen, including the existence of Allah, angels, the afterlife, and other metaphysical aspects.

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:3): "Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them."

Righteous Deeds: Being a Muslim involves performing righteous deeds, which include prayer, charity, fasting, and other acts of worship and kindness.

"Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is in one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives his wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:177):

 

Acceptance of Allah's Decree: Muslims accept Allah's decree and trust in His wisdom and judgment.

"And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good." (Surah Al-Ankabut 29:69) 

Community and Brotherhood: Muslims are part of a global brotherhood, the Ummah, and are encouraged to support and care for each other.

"The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy." (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:10)

Muslims are asked by Allah to call others to the Straight Path: Allah expects a person who calls himself a Muslim to invite others to Islam as has been directed in the verse mentioned below:

For every people We have prescribed a way of worship which they follow. So, (O Muhammad), let them not dispute with you concerning this, and call them to Your Lord. You are certainly on the Straight Way. (qur'an 22:67) 

The act of worship differs between the people of the Book, that is Jews, Christians and the Muslims. In the verse above, While Muslims have been asked to interfere with their form or act of worship, they have been asked to call them to Your Lord. You are certainly on the Straight Way.

These attributes are of  person whom Allah calls a Muslim and will reward them if they follow His prescribed path with complete faith in Allah and invite others to the staright path that leads to One Omnipotent Allah.

You may also like to read our earlier post: Who is a Muslim

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Compiled verses from Qur'an on specific subjects: Muslim (Traits and Character Qualities)

We have been sharing verses from Qur'an and then compiling these as per specific subject for quick reference. Today we share the verses from Qur'an which define a Muslim and his various attributes and traits.

Before we do that, just in a few lines describing a person known as Muslim. All non-Muslims know that a Muslim is a follower of Islam, who are monotheistic and worship one, all-knowing God, or Allah as in Arabic. According to the Quran a Muslim is one who has absolutely surrendered to Allah and his commands and believes in the oneness of God without any associates and helpers. 

Thus, a Muslim not only submits himself wholly to one True God, but also believe in whatever commands have been given in the Qur'an. These Divine Commands pertain to all walks of life of a man, whether personal, inter personal or social with due respect to rights of others, whether Muslims or non-Muslims. He adheres to respecting the five pillars of Islam and lives a life of Siraat e Mustaqeem. 

A Muslim who attains a high degree of perfection by adhering to all tenets of Islam without any hesitation and doubts, is known as a Mu'min.

A word of caution here: A Muslim with a beard and skull cap but not adhering to the tenets of Islam will still be a Muslim for he has taken a shahada. But he has a weak faith in Allah and is overawed by evil. That does not mean that there is a something wrong with Islam for Qur'an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad are only sources of guidance. Those who adhere to these guidelines are better Muslims as compared to those who skip many obligations and taint the religion in the eyes of non-Muslims. Just like there are good or bad Jews, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists, there are also good and bad Muslims. The verses given below give out the character and traits of a true and God-fearing Muslim. And it is these qualities that are attracting more and more non-Muslims to Islam every day.

We now share, herein under, all those verses (already posted separately) that define a Muslim, his traits and character already posted, to serve as a ready reckoner and reference wherever needed:

Muslim / Traits

• Traits of Believers who attain true success (Reference Page)
• Traits of a True Muslim
• Two contrasting characters of men - One Liked and one disliked by God (Surah 2. Al-Baqara:276-77)
• Three Likeable Traits of Believers (Surah 3. Al-i'Imran: 134)
• Who are recipient of glad tidings of Allah (Surah 9. At-Tawba: 112)
• Responsibility of a Man towards His Actions vs Doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement (Surah 6. Al-An'am:164)
• Traits of the righteous (Surah 22. Al Hajj:25)
• Description of Believers of Good Deeds (Surah 23. Al-Muminun: 57-61) 
• Who are the true servants of Allah (Surah 25. Al-Furqan: 63-65Believers!! Fear Allah and speak the truth (Surah 33. Al-Ahzab:70Believers!!! be not like those who forget Allah (Surah 59 Al Hashr:19)
• Reward for those who fear Allah (Surah 65. At-Talaq:2-3)
• Who has been promised prosperity as mentioned in Qur'an
• He who purified himself shall prosper (Surah 87. Al A'la:14)
• Sabr: Patience with Perseverance - the best trait of a Muslim

Traits of the Rightly Guided

• Seven qualities that Allah loves in a believer
• Who are the rightly guided (Surah 6. Al-An'am:62)
• Who are the rightly guided?  (Surah 6. Al-An'am:82)
• Mention of the Attributes of the Blessed Believers in the Qur'ān
• Characteristics of Believers who will inherit Paradise - Jannah الۡفِرۡدَوۡسَؕ (Surah 23. Al-Muminun: 1-11) 
• 10 Virtues (of Muslim Men and Women) for which Allah promises a mighty reward (Surah 33 Al Ahzab:35) 
• Who is a self-reproaching soul by whom Allah swears in Qur’an (Surah 75. Al Qiyama (The Resurrection))

We will keep updating this reference page so as to make this collection wholesome.

For compiled verses for more specific subjects, please refer to our exclusive reference page: "Selected verses from Al-Qurʾān about a specific subject."

In addition, for more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Photo | Resource References: | 1 | 2 |

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Four Things a Muslim Should Never Leave

Islam is a wonderful religion for it provides immense opportunities to a true believer to live a blessed life. And the most amazing thing is that to be blessed, one doesn't have to work very hard. Small things, gestures, prayers, thankfulness and repentance is all what is needed to draw blessing from Allah.

Today a friend shared four things with me that a Muslim should never leave to stay blessed and receive Allah's unlimited rewards and bounties for Allah is always on the lookout for His servants who are busy remembering Him and seeking His pleasure. 

Without going into any further premise, let me go down straight to these small four acts which would take him closer to Allah:

Being Thankful to Allah
Yes, simply thankfulness. If we carry out a reappraisal of ourselves, we will find that Allah has given us far more than we truly deserve, and many of these blessings have been without even asking. Instead of lamenting of not having what others have, we must always be thankful for what we have and other do not have. A very large portion of the world population lives in deprivation and utter poverty. But we only look towards those who have a better car, house, job or worldly pleasures better than us. But we never compare ourselves with those who are suffering and cannot even afford a good meal in a day.

So thank Allah all the time for what has been given to us and what others do not have. The more one thanks Allah, the more pleased Allah is and gives them more:

وَاِذۡ تَاَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمۡ لَـئِنۡ شَكَرۡتُمۡ لَاَزِيۡدَنَّـكُمۡ​ وَلَـئِنۡ كَفَرۡتُمۡ اِنَّ عَذَابِىۡ لَشَدِيۡدٌ‏ 

"Also call to mind when your Lord proclaimed: "If you give thanks, I will certainly grant you more; but if you are ungrateful for My favours, My chastisement is terrible." [Surah Ibrahim 14:7]

In the above verse, Allah promises more to those who thank Him and are grateful to Him for having been blessed. But along with it comes a warning too: "But if you are ungrateful for My favours, My chastisement is terrible." 

Allah tests His servants by giving them more even without asking to see whether they are grateful to Him or boast to others of their own abilities due to which they are being better than others. When such an approach of being ungrateful starts to take place, it invokes Allah's wrath and needless to mention "Allah's chastisement is terrible."

So always be grateful and thankful to Allah for it will usher in more blessings to you and your family. And do not forget to help others who have been blessed less as Allah has blessed us for we never truly deserved His bounties.

Remembering Allah
No matter in which condition you may be, never forget to remember Allah. The more you remember Allah, the more He will remember you:

فَاذۡكُرُوۡنِىۡٓ اَذۡكُرۡكُمۡ وَاشۡکُرُوۡا لِىۡ وَلَا تَكۡفُرُوۡنِ

"So remember Me and I shall remember you; give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful to Me for My favours." [Surah Al Baqarah 2: 152]‏  

The above quoted verse says it all and is an add up to what has been written earlier. Those who remember Allah, they will be reciprocated accordingly. In fact remembering Allah is thanking Him so as not being ungrateful to Him for His favours. Offering prayers five times a day no matter where one may is the best form of thanking Allah. 

Praying (Dua)
Dua (prayer) is the most powerful tool in the hands of a true Muslim to invoke Allah's pleasures and goodwill. Those who profusely pray to allah whenever in need or even otherwise are never returned empty handed:

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادۡعُوۡنِىۡۤ اَسۡتَجِبۡ لَـكُمۡؕ اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُوۡنَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِىۡ سَيَدۡخُلُوۡنَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِيۡنَ

"Your Lord said: “Pray to Me, and I will accept your prayers. Surely those who wax too proud to worship Me shall enter Hell, utterly abased.” [Surah Mu'min 40:60]

Allah categorically says here that "you should not pray to others but pray to Me." To understand the spirit of this verse well, three points should be comprehended properly:

• First, man should pray only to Allah and not the wordily deities who are themselves dependent upon Allah's mercy. Pray to the One Who is All- Hearing and All-Seeing and is Possessor of supernatural powers. And the real motive of prayer for man is the internal feeling that the natural means and resources of the material world are not enough to remove any of his troubles and to fulfill any of his needs, or are not proving to be enough. Therefore, a true believer must invoke that Being even without having seen Him; he invokes Him at all times, at all places, and under all circumstances; he invokes Him in solitude, aloud as well as in a low voice, and even in the depths of his heart. He does so inevitably on the basis of the belief that that Being is watching him everywhere, is also hearing whatever he has in his heart, and possesses such absolute powers that, it can come to the help of the supplicant wherever he is, and can help him out of every trouble and difficulty. After having known this truth about the prayer, it remains no longer difficult for man to understand that the one who invokes another than Allah for help, commits shirk absolutely and purely and clearly, for he believes those attributes to be belonging to the other being, which only belong to Allah. Had he not believed the other being to be an associate of Allah in the divine attributes, he would never have even thought of invoking it for help.
• Second, one should fully understand that man’s merely thinking about a being that it is the possessor of powers and authority, does not necessitate that it should actually become possessor of the powers and authority. Being possessor of powers and authority is a factual matter, which is not dependent on somebody’s understanding or not understanding it. The one who is actually the Possessor of the powers will in any case remain the Possessor whether man regards Him so or not. And the one who is not in reality the possessor, will not be able to have any share whatever in the powers only because man has believed it to be possessing the powers. There is none else in this Universe, who may have any power to hear the prayers and to answer them or reject them. Those who entertain the belief that some prophets, saints, angels, jinns, planets or imaginary gods also are shareholders in the powers, the reality will not change in any way whatsoever. The Owner will remain the Owner and the helpless servants will remain the servants.
• Thirdly, the one who invokes others than Allah behaves like the supplicant who takes his petition to a government office, but leaving aside the real officer who has authority, presents it before one of the other supplicants who may be present there with his petition, and then starts imploring him humbly, saying: you possess all the powers, and yours is the only authority here; so, you alone can fulfill my needs. Such a conduct, in the first place, is in itself highly foolish, but in a case like this it also amounts to high insolence, because the real officer who has the authority, is present and before his very eyes applications and petitions are being made before another, apart from him. Then this ignorance and folly reaches its height when the person before whom the petition is being presented makes the petitioner understand over and over again that he himself is a petitioner like him and possesses no power at all, and that the real officer who has the powers is present, and he should make his petition before him. But in spite of this counsel and warning, the foolish person goes on saying: You are my lord, you alone can fulfill my need.

Keeping these three things in view, one should try to understand what Allah has said here: Call upon Me, I shall answer your prayers, it is for Me to accept them.

In the verse above, Dua (prayer) and ibadat (worship) have been used as synonyms. The prayer of the first sentence has been called worship in the second. This makes it explicit that prayer itself is worship, rather the essence of worship.

According to Numan bin Bashir, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The prayer is the very essence of worship. Then he recited this verse. (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Daud, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Ibn Abu Hatim, Ibn Jarir). According to Anas, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Prayer is the marrow of worship. (Tirmidhi). Abu Hurairah says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah becomes angry with him who does not ask Him for anything. (Tirmidhi).

It would be pertinent to mention here the enigma that often causes confusion in the minds is also resolved. In connection with prayer, people say that when the evil or the good destiny is in the control of Allah and whatever He has already decreed in accordance with His dominant wisdom and expedience has to take place inevitably. What is then the use of the prayer? This is a serious misunderstanding which destroys the importance of prayer from the heart of man, and with this false notion even if man prays, his prayer would be soulless. The above verse of the Quran removes this misunderstanding in two ways:

• In the first place, Allah says in clear words: Call upon Me: I will answer your prayers. This proves that fate or destiny is not something which, God forbid, might have tied the hands of Allah Himself also, and the powers to answer the prayer might have been withdrawn from Him. The creatures have no power to avert or change the decrees of Allah: but Allah Himself certainly has the power to change His decrees and decisions on hearing a servant’s prayer and petition. 
• The other thing that has been stated in this verse is that whether a prayer is accepted or not, it is never without an advantage. The servant by presenting his petition before his Lord and by praying to Him acknowledges His Lordship and Supremacy and admits his own servitude and helplessness before Him. This expression of servitude is in itself worship, rather the essence of worship of whose reward the servant will in no case be deprived, irrespective of whether he is granted the particular thing for which he had prayed or not.

The aspect of prayer (dua) is explained in the sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Salman Farsi relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Nothing can avert destiny but the prayer. (Tirmidhi). That is, no one has the power to change the decisions of Allah but Allah Himself can change His decisions, and this happens when the servant prays to Him.

However, while praying one must be very mindful of one's language. Abu Hurairah says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whenever one of you prays, he should not say: O God, forgive me if You so please, show me mercy if You so please, grant me provisions if You so please, but he should say definitely: O God, fulfill my such and such need. (Bukhari).

There the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Pray to Allah with the certainty that He will answer it. (Tirmidhi). The servant’s prayer is granted provided that he does not pray for a sin or for severing connections with the kindred. 

Continuous Astaghfar [Repentance]
"Astaghfar" means to pray to Allah that He may protect the supplicant from the evil consequences and poisonous influences of His transgressions and misdeeds, both in this world and the hereafter.

وَمَا كَانَ اللّٰهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمۡ وَاَنۡتَ فِيۡهِمۡ​ؕ وَمَا كَانَ اللّٰهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمۡ وَهُمۡ يَسۡتَغۡفِرُوۡنَ‏ 

"But Allah was not to chastise them while you are in their midst; nor was Allah going to chastise them while they sought His forgiveness." [Surah Anfal 8:33]

Asking for forgiveness of Allah is to accept that one has sinned or done a bad deed that may have hurt others. But repentance  / astaghfar means taking a solemn pledge of not repeating the sin again. Those who recognize that they have been negligent and heedless and have been guilty of iniquity, and thus seek Allah's forgiveness and strive to reform themselves are one of the most liked servants of Allah. For they not only acknowledge their sins and ask for forgiveness, but also pledge to reform themselves so as not to repeat any such act that displeases Allah.

Allah promises the believers that those who wholeheartedly confess and sincerely repent, would be forgiven:

فَمَنۡ تَابَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ ظُلۡمِهٖ وَاَصۡلَحَ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ يَتُوۡبُ عَلَيۡهِؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏ 

“But whosoever repents after his crime and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allah), then verily, Allah will pardon him (accept his repentance). Verily, Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Surah al-Maa’idah 5:39]  

Usually Muslims say "Astaghfirullah" when they see someone doing an utterly bad deed. Astaghfirullah  literally translates to "I seek forgiveness in Allah". But remember, as explained earlier, forgiveness is the first step, which must be followed by repentance for without pledging wholeheartedly not to reform oneself, asking for forgiveness bears no meaning.

So what do we do when we err, sin or do a wrong thing? Here are four steps one should so straightaway:

• Ask forgiveness from the one who we have harmed and try to make good the loss so incurred to him
• Beg for mercy and forgiveness from Allah (glorified and exalted be He).
• Regret from the heart of the heart for the sin so committed.
• Refrain from re-committing a sin or misdeed immediately.
• Take a solemn pledge never to return to any sin or wrongdoing again.

Here it must be remembered that the sin / wrongdoing or transgression involved infringes on the rights of other (s), then one must return the infringed rights back to the individual to whom they belong. And then thereafter, try one's level best not to sin, err, or do a thing that is contrary to teachings of Islam.

Remember no priest, saint or a holy man can listen to your confession and assure you of your forgiveness. This matter is directly between the sinner and the God. For Allah is the Most Ever Forgiving and in fact All Forgiving. It is for this attribute of Allah that He is called Al Ghaffar  (الغفار) - The All-Forgiving, The Absolver,  Al-Ghafur (الغفور) - The Forgiving, The Pardoner, Al-'Afuw (العفو) - The Pardoner 

For details please read our earlier post on Repentance which also contains an enlightening commentary on "How do we know that our repentance has been accepted."

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Photo | For more Q&A about understanding Islam click here

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More