A Muslim thinks about the countless blessings that Allah has bestowed upon him. He considers the numerous bounties that Allah has given him -- from the time when he was a “drop of fluid” in his mother’s womb. These bounties continue until he meets His Lord. Therefore, a Muslim must thank Allah for these countless bounties with his tongue, by praising Him in a proper manner. He must also thank Him with his limbs by using them in obedience to Him. This is how he should behave towards Allah. Obviously, it is never considered proper etiquette to be ungrateful for the bounties one has received, or to reject the bounties of the One Who gives them. One also should never deny the goodness and bounties he has received. Allah Says in the Quran (what means):

• {And whatever of blessings or good things you have, it is from Allah.} [Quran 16:53]


• {And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them.} [Quran 14:34]


• {Therefore remember Me (by praying and glorifying), I will remember you. Be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me} [Quran 2: 152]

A Muslim thinks about Allah’s Knowledge and the fact that He is watching everything, under every circumstance. The Muslim’s heart, then becomes filled with awe, respect and love for Allah. He becomes shy and embarrassed to disobey Him. This is how he should behave towards Allah. Obviously, it is not proper for a slave to go against his master by disobeying him or by treating him with disrespect, while his master is witnessing and watching him.

A Muslim also ponders over Allah’s Power and Control over him, and submits to this control. He knows that there is no escape or fleeing from Him. Allah is the only source of refuge and shelter. Therefore, the Muslim flees to Allah and throws himself before Him. He leaves his affairs with Allah and puts his trust in Him. This is how he should behave with respect to his Lord and Creator.

Allah Says (what means): {There is not a moving (living) creature but He has grasp of its forelock.} [Quran 11:56]

Allah also Says (what means): {So flee to Allah. (from His Torment to His Mercy – Islamic Monotheism). Verily, I (Muhammad) am a plain warner to you from Him.} [Quran 51:50]

Allah Says (what means): {Put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed.} [Quran 5:23]

A Muslim also considers how Generous and Compassionate Allah has been to him in all of his affairs. He considers Allah’s Mercy upon him and upon all of His creation. He desires to have more of that mercy. He then humbles himself to Allah with sincere humility and supplications. He seeks a means of approach to Allah with the best of speech and good deeds. This is how he should behave towards his Lord, Allah. It is not proper to lose hope of receiving more of His Mercy, which encompasses everything, nor should one be pessimistic about receiving more of Allah’s Generosity.

Allah Says (what means): {My Mercy embraces all things.} [Quran 7:156]

Allah also Says (what means): {Allah is very Gracious and Kind to His slaves.} [Quran 42:19]

Allah Says again (what means): {Certainly, no one despairs of Allah’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.} [Quran 12:87]

In another verse Allah Says (what means): {Despair not of the mercy of Allah.} [Quran 39:53]

A Muslim always considers Allah’s power to punish severely and His swift reckoning. He does his best to obey Allah and tries to live without disobeying Him. This is all part of proper behavior towards Allah. People of intelligence know that it is not proper for a weak and incapable slave to commit acts of disobedience towards the Lord Who is the Powerful, the All-Capable, the Strong, the Dominant. Allah Says (what means):

• {But when Allah wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning back of it; and they will find besides Him no protector.} [Quran 13:11]


• {Verily, (O Muhammad) the seizure (punishment) of your Lord is severe and painful.} [Quran 85:12]


• {Allah is All-Mighty, All-Able of Retribution.} [Quran 3:4]

A Muslim should also think about Allah while he is disobeying Him, as if Allah’s threat is already being applied to him, that His punishment has come upon him due to his action. He should also think about Allah while obeying Him and following His Laws, as if His Promise has already come true for him, that Allah’s Pleasure is being bestowed upon him. Having good expectations or thoughts about Allah is part of the etiquette due to Allah. It is not correct for a person to have bad thoughts about Allah and disobey Him, and think that Allah is not watching what he is doing or will not call him to account. Allah Says (what means):

• {But you thought that Allah knew not much of what you were doing. And that thought of yours which you thought about your Lord, has brought you to destruction; and you have become (this Day) of those utterly lost!…}[Quran 41: 22-23]

• {And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, fears Allah, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful.} [Quran 24: 52]

In conclusion, a Muslim must be thankful to his Lord for the bounties He has given him; he must be shy towards his Lord whenever he is inclined towards committing a sin; he must sincerely turn to his Lord, put his trust in Him, hope for His Mercy and fear His punishment. He must have good expectations concerning Allah fulfilling His Promises and carrying out His threat to any of His slaves if He wills. This is how he should behave toward Allah. The more that he sticks to these matters and guards them, the greater his position will be and the higher his rank will be with his Lord. He shall be greatly blessed by Allah; he shall become one of the devoted slaves of Allah, and of those people whom Allah protects. He shall be enveloped by Allah’s Mercy and shall have Allah’s Blessings bestowed upon him.

This is the utmost that any Muslim could hope to achieve and what he should strive for throughout his life.

O Allah, make us Your devoted slaves. O Allah, make us among those whom You protect. O Allah, make us among those who are close to You, O Allah, Lord of the worlds.

 

The Prophet  used to invoke Allah The Exalted saying: “Allahumma anta rabbi la ilaaha illa ant, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduk, wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa‘dika mastata‘t, a‘oothu bika min sharri maa sana‘t, aboo’u laka bini‘matika, wa aboo’u laka bithanbi faghfir lee fa innahoo la yaghfiru ath-thunooba illa ant (O Allah, You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship except You. You Created me and I am Your slave; and I abide by Your Covenant and Promise as best I can. I take refuge in You from the evil that I committed and I am grateful to You for the blessing that You Conferred on me. I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sins except You).” [Al-Bukhari] The Prophet  also said, “Allahumma inni a‘oothu bika min ash shiqaaqi wan nifaaqi wa soo’u al akhlaaq (O Allah, I seek refuge with you from dissension, hypocrisy and bad morals.” [An-Nasaa’i]

• Avoiding exaggeration in making an invocation rhyme: A Muslim should not exaggerate in making a supplication rhyme because this is a state of humility and submissiveness. Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Avoid rhymes in supplication for the Prophet  and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to avoid it.” [Al-Bukhari]

Some of the righteous people said, “Invoke Allah The Exalted with a humble and mild tongue, not one that is eloquent and quick.”

• Invoking Allah The Almighty for one’s self and then for others. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {"Our Lord, Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and Put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful."} [Quran 59:10] The Prophet  used to invoke Allah The Almighty for himself first before invoking Him for any other person. [At-Tirmithi]

• Avoiding supplicating Allah The Almighty against one’s self, family, wealth or children. The Prophet  said, “Do not supplicate Allah against yourselves, your children or your wealth.” [Muslim]

• Supplicating Allah The Exalted for fellow brothers in their absence. The Messenger of Allah  said, “The supplication of a Muslim for another Muslim in his absence is accepted by Allah. He has an appointed angel at his head and every time he supplicates good for his brother, the angel would say: “Aameen and for you the same.” [Muslim]

• Invoking Allah The Almighty for whoever does you a favor. The Prophet  said, “If a favor is performed for someone and he says to the one who performed it, ‘May Allah Reward you.’ He would be rewarding him perfectly.” [At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa’i] The Prophet  also said, “Whoever does you a favor, reward him for it. And if you cannot find the means of doing so, then keep supplicating for him until you think that you have rewarded him adequately.” [Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa’i]

• Asking righteous people for supplications. A Muslim should ask his fellow brothers to supplicate Allah The Almighty for him especially the righteous people. It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I asked the Prophet  for permission to perform ‘Umrah and he granted it to me and said, ‘O brother, remember us in your supplication and do not forget us.’ The words he said pleased me more than could all that is in the life of this world.” [At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]

• Avoiding supplicating Allah The Almighty for a sin or the severance of kinship. The Prophet  said: “A servant shall continue to have his supplications answered so long as he does not supplicate for sins or the severance of kinship.” [Muslim]

• Remembering Allah The Exalted, obeying Him and performing good deeds. Being conscious of Allah The Exalted, diligent on performing acts of worship, abandoning sins and evils and hastening to repentance makes supplication more likely to be answered. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {"Indeed, Allah only Accepts from the righteous [who fear Him].} [Quran 5:27] It was narrated that Allah The Almighty said in the Qudsi Hadeeth, “Whoever keeps himself busy with the Quran and remembering Me, I Will Give him the best of all those who ask of Me.” [At-Tirmithi]

• Being keen on having lawful sustenance. The Prophet  said, “O people, Allah Is Good and He Accepts only that which is good. And Allah Commanded the believers as He Commanded the Messengers by saying (what means): {"O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed, I, of what you do, Am Knowing.}” [Quran 23:51] And He Says (what means): {O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.} [Quran 2:172] He then mentioned (the case of) a man who has travelled a long distance – unkempt and dusty – and raises his hands towards the heavens and says: 'O Lord, O Lord, while his food, drink, clothing are from unlawful means and he is fed with unlawful food. Then how could his supplication be answered?” [Muslim]

Ibraaheem ibn Adham  was once asked, “Why are our supplications to Allah The Exalted not answered?” He answered, “Because your hearts have died due to ten things.”

“1- You know Allah The Almighty but do not obey Him.


2- You know the Prophet  but do not follow his Sunnah (tradition).


3- You recite the Quran but do not act upon it.


4- You enjoy the Blessings of Allah The Exalted without giving thanks.


5- You know of Paradise but do not exert any effort to enter it.


6- You know of Hell but you do not exert any effort to escape it.


7- You know of Satan but do not oppose him.


8- You know of death but do not prepare for it.


9- You bury your dead but do not learn from their example.


10- And in your state of slumber, you focus your attention on the shortcomings of others while neglecting your own.”