Speaker: Abu Idrees Muhammad ibn Aslam Khan

Country of Speaker: United Kingdom

Category: Raqaa'iq

Download / Listen [20:50 mins]

Brief Notes From This Lecture:

• The Prophet (ﷺ) told us to seek out Laylatul-Qadr in the last ten odd nights.
• Some of the Salaf of ijtihad said that it is likely to be Laylatul-Qadr if the odd night coincides with Laylatul-Jumu’ah and Allāh Knows best.
• Focus on this talk is being thankful to Allāh.
• Reflect on being surrounded by disbelievers in a strange land that Allāh chose you from His Perfect Wisdom to be guided, to have health, to have the ability to come to a masjid and be there in Ramaḍān on the odd nights.
• Allāh says,

وَآتَاكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ ۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ

“And if you should count the favours of Allah, you could not enumerate them.” (Sūrah Ibrahīm; 14:34)

• Bakr ibn ‘Abd Allāh Al-Muzani (رحمه الله‎) said, “O son of Adam! If you really want to see to the degree Allāh has blessed you, just merely close your eyes.” - meaning the ni’mah (blessing) of eyesight.
• In order to preserve that which Allāh Has blessed us with, you need to be thankful servants.
• As the Salaf used to say, “Allāh would not take away your blessings while you are thankful servants and at the same time remember that your blessings will not remain while you are not thankful.”
• Reflect upon this especially in this blessed month.
• Allāh says,

وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ

“And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed, “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you (in favour); but if you deny, indeed My punishment is severe.” (Sūrah Ibrahīm; 14:7)

• This was instilled in the Salaf; this is how they were constantly.
• Wuhayb ibn Al-Ward (رحمه الله‎) said, “Many question me about those who come to this house (the Ka’bah) about the reward of circulating it. I used to say to them may Allāh forgive us and forgive you. Why is it that you are questioning me what is the reward, rather what you should be questioning me is regarding what is obligatory upon by way of being thankful servants and thanking Allāh for the ability to make tawaf.”
• This is the mindset we should adopt; whatever of favours Allāh has bestowed on us, we should reflect on being thankful to Him.
• The 'Ulamā` said that one of the ways of being thankful to Allāh is by being obedient.
• It was said to Abu Tamīma al-Hujaimi, “How were you this morning?”, so he replied, “I am between two blessings. I don’t not know which one is more virtuous than the other. The first one is that I have sins that my Lord The Exalted covers so that no one can disparage and criticize me. As for the second, Allāh has placed love and affection in the hearts of the slaves for me but my actions are not deserving of it.”
• Look at the mercy of Allāh that He can give is something that we are not deserving us.
• We should seek refuge from being like those who Iblīs has mentioned in the Qur’ān, where he says haughtily regarding those servants who are not thankful,

ثُمَّ لَآتِيَنَّهُم مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَائِلِهِمْ ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ

“I will come to them (the sons of Adam) from in front of them and from behind them and on their right and on their left and You would not find most of them (thankful) to You.” (Sūrah Al- A’rāf; 7:17)

• The great Imām Abu Hāzim Salama Ibn Dinār al-A’raj (رحمه الله‎) said, “If every blessing of Allāh does not draw you closer to Him, it is a calamity upon you.”
• Allāh says,

مَّا يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ بِعَذَابِكُمْ إِن شَكَرْتُمْ وَآمَنتُمْ

 "Why should Allah punish you if you have thanked (Him) and have believed in Him." (Sūrah Al-Nisā’; 4:147)

• These are the two conditions – thankfulness and belief.
• The messengers constantly made du’ā to Allāh to bless them to be thankful.
• The Prophet (ﷺ) said to Mu’adh ibn Jabal, “O Mu`adh, By Allah, I love you and advise you not to miss supplicating after every Salat (prayer) saying: `Allahumma a`inni `ala dhikrika wa shukrika, wa husni `ibadatika,’ (O Allah, help me remember You, be thankful to You and worship You in the best manner)”.
• Reflect on the du’ā of Prophet Sulaymān,

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ

"My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."(Sūrah Al-Naml; 27:19)

• Another signs of being thankful is by doing righteous deeds.
• Allāh says,

“And whoever fears Allāh - He will make for him a way out And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allāh - then He is sufficient for him.” (Sūrah Al-Talaq; 65:2-3)

• Condition – fearing Allāh.