Servitude and supplication
Dr. Sultan bin Abdul Rahman Al Amiri
In his explanation of the Minor Will by Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
Supplication is for the sake of worship and the most honorable to God because it includes meanings of servitude that are hardly found in other acts of worship, including:
First meaning: Supplication includes declaring poverty and showing the need for God Almighty.
Second meaning: Supplication includes declaring the wealth, glory, and power of God Almighty.
Third meaning: Supplication includes sincerity in turning to God and achieving monotheism for God Almighty.
When a Muslim calls upon God Almighty, he declares that he does not pay attention to any of the creation, but rather turns to God Almighty.
Fourth meaning: Supplication is a demonstration of sincerity and love for God Almighty. When a Muslim experiences a need or wants anything, even if it is small, he turns to his beloved.
Fifth meaning: Supplication is a manifestation of trust and repentance in God Almighty.
Supplication includes these meanings of faith, and that is why supplication is for the sake of worship and whoever honors it before God. When a Muslim raises his hands and directs his heart to God, he is in fact not performing a single action, rather he is performing many actions, and that is why the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, says: “There is nothing God is more honorable than supplication” ( [1] ).
One of the educational lessons is the necessity of being careful to show these meanings in supplication. If a Muslim supplicates to God Almighty, he must remember that his action includes a number of types of worship and is not limited to seeking only the desired achievement.
The author says: “It is the key to all goodness.” Rather, supplication is the key to all goodness because of the abundance of goodness and blessings that result from it. It is one of the greatest deeds that achieve a person’s servitude to his Lord, and one of the greatest things by which a servant brings God’s love for him, and it is one of the greatest acts of worship that result from it. Many rewards, and with it he brings goodness from God, and with it evils and harms are repelled, and with it they are removed after they occur, and with it the Muslim is steadfast before his enemies and defeats them, and with it he achieves reassurance for himself.
Mutarrif bin Abdullah bin Al-Shakhir said: “I remembered what good intercourse is, and then goodness is abundant: fasting and prayer, and then it is in the hand of God Almighty, and if you are unable to obtain what is in the hand of God Almighty except that you ask Him and He gives you, then then good intercourse is supplication” ( [2] ).
The author says: “And he does not rush, saying: I prayed, but it was not answered.” The author points to a type of defect that occurs in supplication, which is haste, and the criterion for haste is showing complaint about not being answered, and abandoning supplication when what is desired is not achieved.
This criterion was mentioned by the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, because he, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “The servant will continue to be answered, as long as he does not supplicate for sin or severing family ties, as long as he is not in a hurry. It was said: O Messenger of God, what is the rush? He said: He says: I have prayed and I have I prayed, but I did not see him responding to me, so he became sad at that and abandoned the supplication” ( [3] ).
This hadith indicates that reprehensible haste includes the Muslim speaking and verbalizing and saying I prayed and I prayed. Complaint is expressed through words, so he becomes sad, despair falls in his heart, and he abandons supplication.
And his saying: “showing complaining” is an important restriction that excludes many things that do not fall under reprehensible haste:
The first matter: heartache. If a kind of pain and regret occurs in the Muslim’s heart that God did not respond to him, this does not fall under haste, unless this pain settles and begins to affect the person.
But if a person is in pain and feels sadness within himself, or finds some degree of distress within himself, then there is no problem with it, and it is not considered a rush.
How many Muslims have a wish that they prayed to God Almighty for many times and for many years, but God did not answer him! Perhaps one day he will remember this wish and that he prayed to God Almighty and his desire was not fulfilled, and a kind of sadness or a degree of distress comes to his heart. This is not included in reprehensible haste. Rather, this is a natural matter. The Muslim does not demand that it not happen, but rather he demands that we not submit to it.
The second matter: Wishing for the speed of what is desired. This means that a person prays to God Almighty for something and hopes that it will happen quickly. This does not come under the heading of rushing.
The third matter: supplication to God Almighty for hastening, such as the Muslim saying: O God, bring me this matter sooner rather than later, O God, hasten this matter for me, O God, hasten for me the fulfillment of this matter. Praying for hastening does not fall within the category of haste, because the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, used this. The type of supplication for rain, so he said: “Sooner than later” ( [4] ).
The relationship between supplication and the basis of reasons:
One of the important rules in dealing with supplication is that supplication is one of the reasons, and accordingly, the rule of reasons applies to it.
The rule of causes: There is no cause except that it has conditions that must be met, and it has impediments that must be absent, so the cause does not lead to its cause unless they are present. Ibn Taymiyyah repeated this rule many times in his books, and he established its generality in all causes and did not exclude anything from it . That is his saying: “The reality of the threat is an explanation that this action is a cause of this torment” ( [5] ). He also says: “The benefit of the threat is an explanation that this sin is a necessary reason for this torment” ( [6] ), and that is why Ibn Taymiyyah said after his previous words: “The effect may depend on the presence of a condition and the absence of an obstacle” ( [7] ).
It is an important rule that helps us to understand the jurisprudence of the chapter on causes and the jurisprudence of the chapter of supplication. The meaning of this is that not every supplication is answered. A person may pray for a supplication, but he does not meet the conditions for responding, so it is not answered.
A person may supplicate with a supplication that meets the conditions for response, but he has an impediment, such as eating forbidden food, injustice, or haste, so it will not be answered, because he has not eliminated all impediments. This is one of the important rules in jurisprudence dealing with the chapter on causes.
The wisdom behind delaying or not answering prayers:
In this context, an important issue of faith is usually mentioned, which is: What is the wisdom behind not responding? Why does God Almighty delay responding to a number of people?
There are a number of rulings ( [8] ) , and we will mention here seven rulings:
First wisdom: Testing and testing, and this is the basis of wisdom. God Almighty may test some people by not answering His supplications.
The concept of affliction is broader than calamities. God Almighty may afflict some people with illness, some people may be afflicted with suspicion, some people may be afflicted by not having His supplications answered, some people may be afflicted with a corrupt friend, some women may be afflicted with an unfit husband, and some people may be afflicted with a healthy son. The tests of God Almighty are numerous.
If a Muslim is patient with this affliction, God will expiate many of his sins and bad deeds.
One of the meanings of the test related to the delay or lack of response is that God Almighty may test some people with this, to test His love for them, or to test their patience, and to test their faith in God Almighty.
The second wisdom: That what is sought may be evil for a person. A Muslim may ask God Almighty for a specific thing, and it will be evil for him, sooner or later, so God does not grant him what he wants, or delay what he seeks from him until the evil for which he has mercy is removed.
The lack of what is desired may be more good for the servant than what is desired, sooner or later, from what he does not know, so God does not grant him what he desires because He wants good for him.
It was narrated on the authority of some of the predecessors: He was asking God to fight, so he shouted to him, saying: If you fight, you will be captured, and if you are captured, you will be converted ( [9] ).
Ibn Masoud said: “The servant is interested in the matter of trade and leadership until it is made easy for him, then God looks at him and says to the angels: Turn him away from him, for if I make him easy for him, I will put him in the Fire. Then God turns him away from it, and he continues to fly, saying: So-and-so preceded me, so-and-so anointed me, and it is nothing but superfluity.” God Almighty" ( [10] ), and this includes failure to answer prayers.
Third wisdom: Praying and continuing in it may be good for a person. It means that God Almighty wanted a high status for the person in Paradise, but his deeds do not qualify him to achieve this status except through his supplication. If he prays a lot and supplicates before God Almighty and is defeated and disappointed in His hands, then God Almighty will not respond to him. Until a person makes this supplication a lot, so his good deeds increase, and he rises to the level that God wanted for him in Paradise.
In some reports, a worshiper from the Children of Israel prayed to God Almighty for many years, but he was not answered, so he despaired and abandoned his supplication. Then he heard a caller saying: O my servant, if I had responded to you, I would have stopped praying ( [11] ). God Almighty wanted you to continue worshiping until Your status will rise before Him, Glory be to Him.
Fourth wisdom: Provoking the Muslim’s heart to review its situation and become defeated before God. This is because failure to accept the Muslim’s call and request makes him return the blame to himself, and say to it: God did not respond to me because of your shortcomings. This shows more return to his Creator and beloved, and more defeat in His hands, so that he may gain With His acceptance, this state is one of the greatest acts of worship that God Almighty loves.
This blame is more beloved to God than many acts of obedience. If it is necessary for the servant to be broken before his master, and to admit to him that he is not worthy of answering his supplication, then the answer to the supplication and the relief of distress will be hastened to him, for He is exalted when their hearts are broken for His sake, and according to the extent of the brokenness, there will be redress ( [12] ).
In some reports from the past, a man worshiped for a period of time, then asked God Almighty for a need, and fasted for God for seventy Saturdays. He ate eleven fruits every Saturday, asking God for his need, but it was not given to him. When that passed and he did not give it, he turned to himself and said: I came from you. If there was good in you, I would give you what you needed, but there is no good in you. Then an angel of his time came down to him and said: O son of Adam, this hour of yours, in which you have made yourself miserable, is better than your worship. God has given you what you need” ( [13] ).
Fifth wisdom: The supplication may be weak. Sometimes, God does not respond to a servant because the supplication he made is weak. Either he did not offer it out of supplication or he lacks some reason for responding or something else, so the servant prevents the supplication from being answered because of the weakness of his supplication, so he seeks to complete and strengthen it.
Ibn al-Qayyim says when praying: “With affliction, there are three positions for it: One of them: That it be stronger than the affliction and repel it. The second: That it be weaker than the affliction, so that the affliction strengthens it, so the servant is afflicted with it, but it may be mitigated, even if he is weak. The third: That they both resist and prevent Each of them has its own friend” ( [14] ).
Sixth wisdom: That there may be an obstacle in a person from answering the supplication. The one who supplicates to God Almighty, and God does not respond to him, should check himself. He may have injustices with people or an attack on their honor and condemn them. Perhaps he eats from what is forbidden and feeds himself from what is forbidden, so he seeks to get rid of that. All of it. He, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, says: “God Almighty is good and accepts only that which is good, and God commanded the believers as He commanded the messengers to do.” And God Almighty said: “O you messengers, eat of the good things and do righteousness” [Al-Mu’minun: 51]. And God Almighty said: “O you who Believe and eat of the good things We have provided for you [Al-Baqarah: 172]. Then he mentioned a man who travels for a long time, disheveled and dusty, extending his hands to the sky: O Lord, O Lord, and his food is forbidden, his clothing is forbidden, and he is fed with forbidden things, so how will he be responded to ?! 15] ).
Seventh wisdom: God Almighty may love the voice of this servant calling, love his worship, love his crying, and love his supplication before Him, so He delays responding to him, because He, Glory be to Him, knows that if He gave him what he wanted, he would stop worshiping Him.
On the authority of Kardos bin Amr, he said: “In what God Almighty has revealed from the Books, God Almighty tests the servant while He loves him, so that He may hear his supplication” ( [16] ). Do not rush to fulfill the needs of my servant, for I love to hear his voice” ( [17] ).
Ibn al-Qayyim, may God have mercy on him, says: “God Almighty tests His servant so that he may hear his complaints, his pleas, and his supplications. And God Almighty has condemned those who do not supplicate to Him and do not submit to Him at the time of trial, as God Almighty said: And We seized them with torment, but they did not submit to their Lord, nor did they supplicate, and the servant is too weak to be stubborn before his Lord, and the Lord God Almighty did not want His servant to be harsh with Him, but rather He wanted him to be calm before Him and supplicate to Him” ( [18] ), and in some of the previous books: God tests the servant, and He loves him, to hear his supplication ( [19] ).
If we know that God Almighty loves us to pray, we will pray a lot, even if He does not answer us, because God Almighty loves this work, and this is one of the great wisdoms that a Muslim should remember often.
One of the most important religious and educational lessons from knowing this ruling is that a Muslim commits himself to being satisfied with God Almighty and appreciating Him, for contentment with God and His provision is one of the greatest stations and the kindest conditions that a servant can live with his Lord.
This meaning is one of the greatest meanings in which people differ in their journey to God Almighty and their dealings with His appreciation and management. If a Muslim reaches satisfaction with God, his state of worship, humility, and submission increases.
The righteous predecessors had a special interest in being satisfied with God and submitting to His management. Muhammad bin Ali Al-Baqir says: “We pray to God for what we love, so if something happens that we hate, we do not disobey God in what He loves” ( [20] ), and Omar bin Abdul Aziz says: “What do I have to do with it? “Things are merely matters of whims and matters that God Almighty has decreed.”( [21] ).
Muaz bin Yahya says: “If you are not satisfied with God, how can you ask Him to be satisfied with you?”( [22] ), and Abu Uthman al-Nahdi says: “For forty years, God has not placed me in a state that I disliked, nor transferred me to another state that displeased Him.”( [23] Abdul Wahid bin Zaid says: “Contentment is God’s greatest gate, the paradise of the world, and the resting place of worshipers” ( [24] ).
The author says: “And let him look for the virtuous times: such as the end of the night, the end of prayers, at the time of the call to prayer, the time of rain, and so on.”
The author mentioned here literature One of the etiquettes of supplication is seeking the virtuous times - which are the expectation of being answered.
In this case, three things must be noted:
The first matter: Determining the appropriate times for supplication is a matter of discretion and is only valid based on the Sharia texts, and the Sharia texts came to specify many of these matters.
The second matter: The legal texts did not specify all the times when supplications are expected to be answered, but rather mentioned a certain amount of them, and there remained another amount that they concealed from those responsible so that they might strive to investigate it.
What indicates this is that he, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “There is an hour during the night when a Muslim who asks for good from the matter of this world and the hereafter will not consent to it except that he will give it to him, and that is every night” ( [25] ), and his saying, peace and blessings of God be upon him: “Do not claim for your wealth, for you will not agree to God is an hour in which He asks for a gift, and He responds to you” ( [26] ).
What this means is that a Muslim should strive to supplicate and supplicate every moment of the night, perhaps it will coincide with that hour.
The third matter: The paths of scholars differed in defining what is the expected response. Some of them mention it in general and call it times, as the author mentioned, and some of them differentiate between them, dividing them into temporal, spatial, and current causes, and what is meant by them is the state of the supplicant, such as lack, necessity, and other circumstances.
His statement: “Like the end of the night, the end of prayers, the call to prayer, the time of rain falling, and the like,” the author mentioned here a number of virtuous times that were mentioned in the texts.
In total, the author mentioned four times, and we will add others to them:
The first time: the last third of the night. This hadith about it is famous. The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, says: “Our Lord, Blessed and Most High, descends to the lowest heaven every night when the last third of the night remains, saying: Who will call upon Me, so that I may respond to him? Who asks of Me, so I will grant him? Who seeks My forgiveness, so I may forgive him” ( [27] ).
The second time: the end of the prayers. On the authority of Abu Umamah, he said: It was said to the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace: Which supplication should I hear? He said: “In the middle of the night, and after the prescribed prayers” ( [28] ).
Scholars have differed in defining what is meant by the end of prayers, based on two opinions:
The first: It is after completing the prayer, that is, after the greeting.
Second: It is at the end of it before the greeting of peace. This opinion was chosen by Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim ( [29] ).
The most likely thing is that a person does it in both cases. Either after the prayer after he finishes the remembrance, or before the greeting.
The third time: At the time of the call to prayer, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, says: “Two times are not rejected, or rarely are they rejected, the supplication at the call to prayer and at the time of battle when they fight each other” ( [30] ).
The fourth time: between the call to prayer and the iqama. It has been authenticated on the authority of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, that he said: “The supplication is not rejected between the call to prayer and the iqama” ( [31] ).
The sixth time: When the rain falls, the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, says: “There are two things that are not rejected: supplication at the call to prayer and under the rain” ( [32] ).
The seventh time: The hour on Friday. The Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said about Friday: “There is an hour at which no Muslim servant, standing and praying, asks God Almighty for something except that He gives it to him, and he gestures with his hand to reduce it” ( [33] ).
Scholars have differed greatly in determining the hour of Friday, and a number of scholars have suggested that it is the last hour of Friday ( [34] ).
It must be noted that what is meant by hour here is a moment in time, and not the amount equal to sixty minutes.
The eighth time: In prostration, the Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, says: “The closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so supplicate often” ( [35] ).
The ninth time: The supplication of the fasting person. The Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, says: “Three supplications are not rejected: the supplication of a father for his child, the supplication of a fasting person, and the supplication of a traveler” ( [36] ).
The tenth time: The time during which the Muslim is traveling, according to the previous hadith, and it is correct to make this matter a condition and not a time.
Educational and faith lessons related to supplication:
The first lesson: A Muslim should always remember that the soul’s motivations for supplication are multiple and are not limited to seeking a need from God. The Muslim supplicates to God because God loves supplication; He supplicates to Him, Glory be to Him, because through supplication he achieves closeness to Him, Glory be to Him, and performs worship for the sake of worship, and he supplicates because he seeks his need from God.
One of the most important things that a Muslim should remember in supplication is that he performs this solemn act of worship for a number of purposes and not just for the purpose of necessity. Remembering this matter gives the supplication a special flavor that the Muslim enjoys and is happy with in his life.
Lesson Two: Realizing the breadth of God’s grace and generosity. God Almighty has set times when supplications will be answered , and this abundance indicates what God Almighty wants for His servants of mercy and grace. The multitude of times of response and the multiplicity of its reasons is only because He wants the mercy of His servants, Glory be to Him.
The third lesson: Supplication is one of the situations that most reminds a person of his poverty to his Creator and Master, and shows his inability and need and reveals his brokenness and concealment. These meanings are for the stations of faith and educational conditions, so a Muslim must preserve them and increase them, for the more of them and the more he displays them, the greater his honor. And height and closeness to God Almighty.
Lesson Four: Invoking Divine Providence. Supplication and what is associated with it are among the most powerful things that demonstrate God’s care for His creation and His care for them, even though He, Glory be to Him, does not need them, and it indicates His love for them and His mercy towards them.
God Almighty descends every night to the lowest heaven and asks His worshipers to present their prayers and needs and ask for forgiveness, so that He may fulfill them for them and respond to them, and repeatedly urges them to supplicate to Him and present their needs to Him.
This is one of the greatest things that increases reassurance in the souls of Muslims and instills tranquility in them, for God Almighty is their Creator and Sustainer, He cares for them and takes care of them.
He says: “As for the most likely gains: trust in God, confidence in His sufficiency, and good faith in Him, and that is because the one concerned about the matter of provision should turn to God and call upon Him for it, as God Almighty said, as His Prophet narrated: “All of you are hungry except those whom I have fed, so seek food from Me and I will feed you.” . O My servants, all of you are naked except those whom I have clothed, so seek clothing from Me and I will clothe you.”
As Al-Tirmidhi narrated it on the authority of Anas, may God be pleased with him, he said: The Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “Let one of you ask his Lord for all his needs, even the length of his sole if it is torn, for if He does not facilitate it, it will not be achieved.”
God Almighty said in His Book: (And ask God of His bounty). And God Almighty said: (Then when the prayer is completed, spread out over the land and seek God’s bounty), and even if it is on Friday, its meaning applies to all prayers.
For this reason, and God knows best, the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, commanded whoever enters the mosque to say: “O God, open for me the doors of your mercy,” and when he leaves, he commands him to say: “O God, I ask of You of Your bounty.” Al-Khalil, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said (So seek sustenance from God, worship Him, and give thanks. (For him) and this is a command, and the command requires an affirmation, so seeking God’s help and resorting to Him in matters of sustenance and other matters is a great principle.”
His saying: “As for the most likely gains: trust in God, trust in His sufficiency, and good faith in Him,” the author moved to another topic from the topics that the questioner asked about, which is: the most likely gains.
Abu Al-Qasim’s question is possible, as it is possible that he intends the most likely goals in general, so what includes religion and religion is included, and the author’s answer is identical to the questioner’s intention, or his intention is to ask about the most likely worldly gains, so the author’s answer includes an important faith meaning, the result of which is that consideration of gains Worldly gains must be based on consideration of otherworldly gains, and for this reason he made the most likely gains achieved by relying on God, trusting Him, and having good faith in Him. These meanings of faith must be accompanied by seeking worldly gains.
The truth of these meanings is due to severing attachment to creation and delegating the matter to creation, Glory be to Him. This is why Imam Ahmad says about trust: “It is severing expectation due to despair of creation” ( [37] ), and Ibn Hibban says: “Tawakkul is severing the heart from relationships by rejecting creation.”( [38] ).
This is one of the greatest places in which Islam diverges from materialism and secularism, as they do not consider seeking worldly gains except the material aspect only, but in Islam, the view is completely different, and for this reason, consideration of worldly gains necessarily included consideration of afterlife gains; Because a Muslim cannot do without the help of his Lord and seeking from Him in seeking what he earns in this world, the result of this is that the Muslim’s demand for gains is a combination of religious and worldly matters.
One of the meanings of faith that it is worth noting in this regard is that trust in God Almighty is not limited to worldly matters, but rather it includes even religious matters, and the meaning of this is that man relies on God in fulfilling acts of worship, and trusts in God Almighty in achieving guidance and attaining Him. Cress.
This meaning may not be remembered by many people. If one hears the words of God: (And put your trust in God if you are believers), one would think that what is meant is for us to trust in God in marriage, for example, or in a job, or in other life matters.!
This is one of the shortcomings in dealing with the meaning of trust. Trust in God Almighty includes everything that you, O man, ask for. The greatest thing that a person asks for is submission to God Almighty, faith in Him, and obtaining guidance. One of the greatest things in which we trust in God is to achieve worship. To God Almighty.
How many people have strayed from the path of guidance, and one of the reasons for that is that they did not rely on God in the jurisprudence of religion, or in examining the texts.
A person must rely on God Almighty to obtain guidance from the texts of revelation, and exert appropriate legal reasons for this, such as seeking knowledge and asking scholars. He must beware of being negligent in relying on God or relying solely on himself, for that entails destruction and misguidance.
The author says: “And trusting in His sufficiency.” The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that trusting in God is different from trusting in Him, Glory be to Him, and this is why he linked them together. Ibn al-Qayyim, may God have mercy on him, mentioned that among the stages and stations, “You we worship, and You we seek help,” is trust in God, in another status, and he mentioned trust in God in a status, So differentiate between the two positions.
It can be said about the difference between them: Trust is trust and increase, that is: Trust in God is the highest level of trust, and it means delegating the matter to God while giving reasons and removing fear.
It includes the addition of the disappearance of fear, which means that the person trusts in God and delegates the matter to God and acts according to the reasons, with some degree of the disappearance of fear, or a lack of fear.
Abu Hazem says: “How can I fear poverty when my Lord has everything in the heavens and what is on earth, and what is between them and what is under the earth?!” ( [39] ).
The author says: “And having good thoughts in Him” means having good thoughts: expecting success and giving from God Almighty, while giving reasons. Therefore, having good thoughts in God is a reality composed of the work of the heart and the work of the limbs.
Having good faith in God has the meaning of expectation, and it is an additional value to the meaning of delegation. Trust is that a Muslim delegates his affairs to God, and then if he adds in his heart the expectation of goodness, then this is good faith in God. If he adds to that the disappearance or decrease of fear, then this is the status of trust in God Almighty.
These are three levels, which are interconnected and interconnected, and these are subtle differences between them.
The author says: “This is because the one who is concerned about sustenance should turn to God and call upon Him.” What is meant by sustenance here is everything that benefits a person in his worldly life, because the author was asked about it specifically, and sustenance in its legal meaning is broader than that, as it includes everything that he obtains through it. Benefiting oneself in religion and this world, or this world and the afterlife.
Based on this definition, one of the greatest types of blessings is that related to religion and guidance to the truth. Commitment to the obligations is sustenance, praying the night prayers is sustenance, preoccupation with knowledge is sustenance, and working in calling to the religion of God is sustenance.
A Muslim should turn to God Almighty in seeking these sustenances just as the Almighty turns to Him in seeking worldly sustenances, and even more so.
If you want to pray the night prayer, turn to God and call upon Him. If you want to continue seeking knowledge, turn to God and call upon Him. If you want to pray well and perform it well, turn to God and call upon Him.
Our awareness of the correct meaning of Al-Razzaq and knowledge of its breadth and comprehensiveness has a significant impact on understanding a number of legal texts, including: The saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: “And a man is deprived of sustenance due to a sin that befalls him” ( [40] ).
You see in many people the first thing that comes to mind when they hear this hadith is sustenance in matters of life, such as money, health, and the like.
This perception has shortcomings, as one of the first things included in this hadith is sustenance in the matter of religion. A person may be deprived of praying at night because he committed a sin, and a person may be deprived of continuing to seek knowledge because he committed a sin, because a person may be deprived of calling to God Almighty because he committed a sin. Because praying at night and seeking knowledge is a call to God Almighty, a type of sustenance.
The author’s statement: “This is because the one concerned about the matter of provision should turn to God and pray to Him.” The apparent meaning of the author’s words is that there is a difference between resorting to supplication, and this is what is apparent.
Refuge: is higher in status than supplication, as it has the meaning of seeking refuge and reliance, and reliance is higher than the meaning of request, so supplication means request, and calling for it: means I asked for it, but he resorted to it: it means that he relied on it, relied on it and delegated his matter to him.
The origin of the meaning of refuge goes back to reliance, and this meaning is more specific than request. Therefore, refuge is more specific than supplication, and it is one of the high levels of supplication.
His saying: “He turns to God and calls upon Him.” This is a warning from the author that the Muslim must, in all his circumstances, not ignore God Almighty and rely on Him himself or someone else’s plans for him. The Muslim has his heart attached to God in everything, and is dependent on God in everything, and is empowered. His command rests with God in everything.
The first thing that brings goodness is to pray to God and trust in Him, as these things are the first steps to success, success, and success.
The Muslim differs from the materialist and the secular, in that if a need arises for him or a cause befalls him, the first thing his attention turns to is God’s grace, generosity, presence, and success, so his heart turns to the gates of heaven and his heart and sight submit to his Creator and Sustainer. As for the materialist, if a need or cause befalls him, the first thing he turns to is He looks at his personal abilities, planning, skills, and earthly forces.
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( [1] ) Narrated by Ahmad (8748), Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (712), and Al-Tirmidhi (3370).
( [2] ) Asceticism, by Imam Ahmad (1330).
( [3] ) Narrated by Muslim (7036).
( [4] ) Narrated by Abu Dawud (1169), and Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahih (1494).
( [5] ) Al-Fatawa, Ibn Taymiyyah (20/255).
( [6] ) Previous reference (12/484).
( [7] ) Previous reference.
( [8] ) See: Sayd al-Khatir, Ibn al-Jawzi (82), he mentioned six rulings.
( [9] ) Hunting of Thoughts (83).
( [10] ) Jami’ al-Ulum wa al-Hikam (2/559).
( [11] )
( [12] ) Majmo’ Ibn Rajab’s Messages (3/174), and see: Jami’ al-Ulum wal-Hikam (2/589).
( [13] ) Asceticism, Imam Ahmad (81).
( [14] ) The sufficient answer is (10).
( [15] ) Narrated by Muslim (2309).
( [16] ) Relief after distress, Ibn Abi Al-Dunya (pp. 41-42).
( [17] ) Jami’ al-Ulum wa al-Hikam (3/1158).
( [18] ) The Kit of the Patient (36).
( [19] ) Collection of Messages of In Rajab (3/170).
( [20] ) Hilyat al-Awliya (3/187), and contentment with God’s decree, Ibn Abi al-Dunya (106).
( [21] ) Satisfaction with God’s will, Ibn Abi Al-Dunya (49).
( [22] ) Sifat al-Safwa (2/293).
( [23] ) Hilyat Al-Awliya (10/244).
( [24] ) Hilyat Al-Awliya’ (6/156).
( [25] ) Narrated by Muslim (757).
( [26] ) Narrated by Muslim (3009).
( [27] ) Al-Bukhari (1145).
( [28] ) Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi (3499), Al-Nasa’i in the work of the day and the night (108), and others.
( [29] ) See: Zad al-Ma’ad (1/305), Fath al-Bari, Ibn Hajar (2/328), Sharh al-Masabih, Ibn Malik (2:45).
( [30] ) Narrated by Abu Dawud (2540), and authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami’ (3079)
( [31] ) Narrated by Abu Dawud (521) and Al-Tirmidhi (212). See Sahih Al-Jami’ (2408).
( [32] ) Narrated by Abu Dawud (3450), and authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Jami’ (3078).
( [33] ) Narrated by Al-Bukhari (935) and Muslim (852).
( [34] ) See: Zad al-Ma’ad, Ibn al-Qayyim (1/378) et seq.
( [35] ) Narrated by Muslim (482).
( [36] ) Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi () and it is in Al-Sahih (1797).
( [37] ) Al-Tabisrah, Ibn Al-Jawzi (1/112)
( [38] ) Rawdat al-Aqlaa (156)
( [39] ) Contentment, Ibn Abi Al-Dunya (49).
( [40] ) Narrated by Ahmad (22386), Ibn Majah (4022), and Ibn Hibban in his Sahih (872).
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