Part One


Praise be to Allah. Praise be to Allah, Who has favoured His servants with


bountiful favours. I praise Him, exalted be He, and thank Him, for He has proclaimed


that He will give more to those who give thanks to Him. I bear witness that there is no


god but Allah alone, Who has no partners; He governs the universe and the whole


creation through an orderly system and established laws. I bear witness that our master


and our prophet, Muhammad, is His servant and messenger, who called to the path of


truth and filled in all gaps in faith. I ask Allah to bestow His peace and blessings upon


him, his family, and his Companions perpetually and bountifully.


O Muslims!


I advise you and advise myself to fear Allah. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


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O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and


speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good


deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah


and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), he has indeed


achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire


and will be admitted to Paradise). (Al-Ahzab: 70-71)


Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, has ways which apply to everything in


existence. Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, has created the universe in truth


according to a perfect design, and has subjected it to perfect laws, such that it is free from


any flaws or defects. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine


Preordainments of all things before their creation as written in the


Book of Decrees – Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz). (Al-Qamar: 49)


It is necessary to know the ways of Allah, which are worthy of studying and


understanding. Knowledge of these ways is part of the knowledge of religion. Allah,


Exalted be He, says:


... And We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an


exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for


those who have submitted themselves (to Allah as Muslims). (An-


Nahl: 89)


This world is based on a number of laws; those who get to know these laws can predict


the results if their causes are available.


One of the most important and useful branches of knowledge is the knowledge of


the ways of Allah, which adds to man’s understanding and ability to make use of all the


resources that are subjected to him. This will enable man to maintain and develop the


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earth in accordance with Allah’s laws and will broaden his perception. Learning the ways


of Allah reveals the wisdom behind events. It is a religious requirement that is meant to


enable the Muslim community to gain power in all walks of life and safeguard their


religion and their homelands. Conversely, overlooking the ways of Allah is one of the


causes of backwardness which have caused Muslims to lag behind other nations. The


people of understanding are indeed to be blamed if they underestimate the importance of


these ways and fail to draw the lessons and morals included in them.


Allah says to those who disbelieve in our prophet, Muhammad, peace and


blessings be upon him:


Has not the news reached you of those who disbelieved aforetime?


And so they tasted the evil result of their disbelief, and theirs will


be a painful torment. That was because there came to them their


Messengers with clear proofs (signs), but they said: “Shall mere men


guide us?” So they disbelieved and turned away (from the truth),


and Allah was not in need (of them). And Allah is Rich (Free of all


needs), Worthy of all praise. (At-Taghabun: 5-6)


Studying the ways of Allah provides us with many lessons and morals, as we


observe how such ways take effect in the life of nations, peoples, and states. Allah,


Exalted be He, says:


And indeed, We destroyed generations before you when they did


wrong, while their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, but


they were not such as to believe! Thus do We requite the people


who are Mujrimun (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals).


Then We made you successors after them, generations after


generations in the land, that We might see how you would work.


(Yunus: 13-14)


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The Qur’an refers people to the ways of Allah, which constitute the immutable


and general rule that governs the process of life by virtue of Allah’s command. This rule


never fails to apply at any one moment and leaves no room for things to happen


haphazardly. The future is governed by the same rules that applied to the past, and the


events of the past have a bearing on what will happen in the future. The Noble Qur’an


narrates the stories of previous nations and the afflictions that befell them on account of


their evil deeds so that we may draw lessons and avoid their actions and thus be saved


from the same evil consequences that they suffered.


... Then take admonition, O you with eyes (to see). (Al-Hashr: 2)


Allah has devoted one third of the Qur’an to the narration of stories so that Muslims may


infer the ways of Allah, Might and Majesty be to Him, from them. Allah, Exalted be He,


says:


... So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect. (Al-A‘raf: 176)


Constant contemplation on the Qur’an provides us with insights into the ways of


Allah in the universe, in the human self, and in dealing with the disobedient slaves and


the disbelievers. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


... I will show you My Ayat (torments, proofs, evidences, verses,


lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). So ask Me not to hasten (them).


(Al-Anbiya’: 37)


History is the clearest arena in which the ways of Allah, Blessed and Exalted be


He, are most manifest and concrete. The Noble Qur’an stresses the importance of


benefiting from the events of history. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


Many similar ways (and mishaps of life) were faced by nations


(believers and disbelievers) that have passed away before you (as


you have faced in the battle of Uhud), so travel through the earth,


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and see what was the end of those who disbelieved (in the Oneness


of Allah, and disobeyed Him and His Messengers). (Al ‘Imran: 137)


Those who are familiar with history and with Allah’s ways in determining its


events and have heart to understand or give ear while they are heedful will learn from the


mistakes of former generations and draw lessons from them. The happy ones are those


who learn from others. The past will continue to repeat itself in the present in one way or


another; similarly, the present will re-enact itself in the future in one way or another.


There are certain ways and practices which lead to the truth and to the straight


path. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


Allah wishes to make clear (what is lawful and what is unlawful) to


you, and to show you the ways of those before you, and accept your


repentance, and Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise. (An-Nisa’: 26)


There are also wrong ways and practices which lead to falsehood and to the path of


destruction. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


Have you not seen those who have changed the Blessings of Allah


into disbelief (by denying Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings


be upon him, and his Message of Islam), and caused their people to


dwell in the house of destruction? (Ibrahim: 28)


The Noble Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “…Whoever


introduces an evil practice in Islam will shoulder its sin and the sins of all those who


will follow it, without having their burden diminished in the least” (Reported by


Muslim).


Allah’s ways are characterised by immutability. They neither change nor alter.


Allah, Exalted be He, says:


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… So no change will you find in Allah’s Sunnah (way of dealing),


and no turning off will you find in Allah’s Sunnah (way of dealing).


(Fatir: 43)


The ways of Allah do not allow an idle or negligent person to get what he wants


without exerting an effort or performing some action. The ways of Allah in this world do


not distinguish between believers and non-believers in terms of reward for actions; those


who work will be rewarded for what they do, and those who stay idle will receive no


reward. This prompts the believer to actively engage in work in order to stay in harmony


with Allah’s ways in this life and thus achieve success.


Allah’s ways apply to all people without exception. They tell us, for example, that


man’s change of state to the better or to the worse comes only as a result of the effort he


makes and his conduct. Allah’s ways bear fruit for whoever acts upon them, fulfils their


requirements, and observes them, even though he may not be a believer. For a nonbeliever,


however, they are confined to this present life only. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter, to them We


shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will


have no diminution therein. They are those for whom there is


nothing in the Hereafter but Fire, and vain are the deeds they did


therein. And of no effect is that which they used to do. (Hud: 15-16)


Those who oppose Allah’s ways and lead a life based on whims and desires must


know that Allah’s ways do not favour anyone. The fact that we are Muslims is no


guarantee that we will be exempted from punishment for what we do. Allah, Exalted be


He, says:


It will not be in accordance with your desires (Muslims), nor those


of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), whosoever


works evil, will have the recompense thereof … (An-Nisa’: 123)


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Allah, Exalted be He, also says:


And indeed, We have destroyed your likes, then is there any that


will remember (or receive admonition)? (Al-Qamar: 51)


The best of people after the prophets are the Companions of the Messenger of


Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Despite this, they underwent severe misfortunes


during the battle of Uhud for the mistakes they committed. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your


hands have earned. And He pardons much. (Ash-Shura : 30)


This clearly shows that there is no affinity whatsoever between Allah and any of His


creation. The only criterion in this respect is obedience to Allah and fear of Him.


One of Allah’s ways is that deviation from the straight path set by Allah causes


scarcity of resources and leads to Allah’s punishment. Those who toil and exert effort


will have the earth’s treasures made available to them, while those who idle around and


wait for results without doing anything will be afflicted by drought and will suffer aridity


and deprivation.


Allah’s ways also include gradual progress in deeds and in changing oneself and


one’s way of life. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said:


The first thing that was revealed [of the Qur’an] was a surah from Al-


Mufassal (i.e. any surah beginning from Surat Qaf to the end of the


Qur’an), in which there was mention of Paradise and Hellfire. When


the people embraced Islam, the verses regarding what is lawful and


unlawful were revealed. If the first thing to be revealed had been, ‘Do


not drink alcohol’, people would have said, “We will never leave


alcoholic drinks,” and if it had been, “Do not commit zina (illegal


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sexual intercourse)”, they would have said, “We will never give up


zina.”


Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz had a son called Abdul-Malik, who once reproached his


father for not hastening to remove all the corruption and grievances that could still be


found in society. He said to him, “O father! Why don’t you implement the rulings


immediately? By Allah, I would not care if you and I were boiled to death so long as we


seek to establish the truth.” The wise father said to him, “Do not deal with matters


hastily, my son! For Allah Himself disparaged alcohol twice in the Qur’an and declared it


forbidden only in the third time. I fear that if I forced people to follow the truth in its


entirety, they would give it up in its entirety, which would only cause trials and


tribulations.”


Among the ways of Allah is that there will always be a party of the believers that


will continue to hold fast to Allah’s religion until the Day of Judgement and will not


commit any violations in religion; even if they may be regarded as worthless in people’s


sight, they will be weighty in their balance in the hereafter.


Testing the believers is also among the ways of Allah. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We


believe,” and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who


were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the


truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the


falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that


before putting them to test). (Al-‘Ankabut: 2-3)


The believers will not be granted power and authority in the land unless they are


tested by Allah. Testing serves as a means of examination, refinement, purification, and


advancement. People are not generally given power and authority in the land merely


because they are the descendants of a believing people; rather, they are given this


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privilege because they are true believers themselves. Allah, Exalted be He, said to


Ibrahim (Prophet Abraham), peace be upon him:


… “Verily, I am going to make you an Imam (a leader) for mankind


(to follow you)”… (Al-Baqarah: 124)


Ibrahim, peace be upon him, wished that this covenant (of Allah) would cover his


offspring as well, so he said:


… “And of my offspring (to make leaders).”… (Al-Baqarah: 124)


Allah, Glorified be He, then said to Ibrahim:


... “My Covenant (Prophethood) includes not Zalimun (polytheists


and wrong-doers)”. (Al-Baqarah: 124)


This tells us that Muslims cannot be granted power and authority in the land unless they


are steadfast in following Allah’s straight path.


One of the ways of Allah is the mutual repelling between truth and falsehood.


Allah, Exalted be He, says:


... And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of another,


the earth would indeed be full of mischief... (Al-Baqarah: 251)


Allah repels the followers of falsehood through the followers of truth. Among the


ways of Allah is the law that if falsehood wins a round, truth will win many rounds, and


that Allah does not set His enemies on His obedient followers.


... And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (to triumph)


over the believers. (An-Nisa’: 141)


Truth will ultimately prevail, no matter how long this may take. Allah, Exalted be


He, says:


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... thus does Allah (by parables) show forth truth and falsehood.


Then, as for the foam it passes away as scum upon the banks, while


that which is for the good of mankind remains in the earth. Thus


Allah sets forth parables (for the truth and falsehood, i.e. belief and


disbelief). (Ar-Ra‘d: 17)


Among the ways of Allah is that, the more the disbelievers transgress in their


disbelief, the more Allah opens for them the gates of everything so that they may


gradually increase in sinfulness and shoulder their whole share of sins on the Day of


Resurrection:


And let not the disbelievers think that Our postponing of their


punishment is good for them. We postpone the punishment only so


that they may increase in sinfulness. And for them is a disgracing


torment. (Al ‘Imran: 178)


May Allah bless you and me with the Great Qur’an and make us benefit from its


verses and wise words. I have said what you have heard and I ask forgiveness of Allah


for myself, for you, and for all Muslims for every sin we have committed. Ask Allah for


forgiveness. He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.


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Part Two


Praise be to Allah, Who has perfected everything He has created and then guided


it aright. I praise Him, Glorified be He, and thank Him for the blessing of guidance and


piety. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, Who has no partners, and Who says:


And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in


My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does


righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them (till


his death). (Ta Ha: 82)


I also bear witness that our master and prophet Muhammad is His servant and His


messenger, who made clear all signs that lead to the path of guidance. May Allah bestow


His peace and blessings upon him and upon his family, his Companions, all those who


have been rightly guided.


O Muslims!


I advise you and advise myself to fear Allah. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


O you who believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered


and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be


feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him


always], and die not except in a state of Islam [as Muslims (with


complete submission to Allah)]. (Al ‘Imran: 102)


Among Allah’s ways is that fear of Allah is the means to attain supremacy and


glory, while disobedience to Allah and innovations in religion lead to humiliation; that


the unity of the Muslim ummah leads to victory, while dissension leads to defeat and evil


consequences; and that seeking knowledge is the way to success and prosperity. A nation


that seeks knowledge and has wealth, industry, and awareness will be strong, advanced,


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and prosperous, while a nation which lives in ignorance, superstition, and total


dependence on others will suffer backwardness, humiliation, and destruction.


By reflecting on the ways of Allah, we realize that the Muslim ummah is required


to raise a generation of Muslims who are characterized by strong faith and firm belief,


who think wisely and act courageously, who arm themselves with science and


knowledge, who reject division and deviation, and who help one another in piety,


righteousness, and establishing Allah’s religion.


Among the ways of Allah is that great objectives cannot be realized by mere


hopes but by acting according to Allah’s universal and religious laws. Allah, Exalted be


He, says:


Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as


long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by


committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah)


... (Ar-Ra‘d: 11)


O Servants of Allah!


Ask Allah to bestow His blessing on the Messenger of Guidance as Allah has


ordered you to do so in His Book. Allah, Exalted be He, says:


Allah sends His Salat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy) on the


Prophet (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) and also


His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who


believe! Send your Salat on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad,


peace and blessings be upon him), and (you should) greet (salute)


him with the Islamic way of greeting (salutation, i.e. As-Salamu


‘Alaikum). (Al-Ahzab: 56)


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O Allah! Send your prayers on Muhammad, his wives, and his offspring as you


have sent them on the family of Ibrahim, and send your blessings on Muhammad, his


wives, and his offspring, as you have sent them on the family of Ibrahim. O Allah! Be


pleased with the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali, along


with their honourable families and the Prophet’s Companions, and also be pleased with


us together with them, by Your forgiveness and generosity, O Most Generous of all the


generous!


O Allah! Grant power and glory to Islam and Muslims. O Allah! Grant power and


glory to Islam and Muslims. O Allah! Grant power and glory to Islam and Muslims,


subdue disbelief and disbelievers, and destroy Your enemies, the enemies of Your


religion. O Allah! Make this country of ours and all other Muslim countries safe and


secure.


O Allah! Grant victory to Your religion, Your Book, the Sunnah of Your Prophet,


and Your believing servants. O Allah! Grant victory to those who support Your religion


and forsake those who have forsaken Islam and Muslims.


O Allah! Grant victory to those who strive in Your cause to make Your word


reign supreme everywhere. O Allah! Guide their shots, gather them around a single word,


unite their rows, and give them strength, O Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Make their


hearts firm and strong, O All-Strong! O All- Mighty! O Most Strong!


O Allah! Make whoever harbours evil intentions towards us and towards Islam


and Muslims preoccupied with his own problems and make his plotting the cause of his


own destruction, O All-Hearer of Supplication! O Allah! Make whoever harbours evil


intentions towards us and towards Islam and Muslims preoccupied with his own


problems and make his plotting the cause of his own destruction, O All-Hearer of


Supplication!


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O Allah! Spare Muslims’ blood, and preserve Muslims everywhere, O Lord of the


Worlds!


O Allah! We ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and freedom from want. O


Allah! We ask You for Paradise and for every word or deed that brings us closer to it, and


seek refuge in You from Hellfire and from every word or deed that brings us closer to it.


O Allah! Make good for us our religion, which safeguards our affairs; make good


for us this world in which we live; and make good for us the Hereafter which will be our


eternal abode. O Allah! Make our life an increase for us in all goodness and our death a


respite for us from all evil, O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! We ask you for Your pleasure and for Paradise, and we seek refuge in


You from Your wrath and from Hellfire.


O Allah! Forgive the sins of all dead Muslims who testified to Your Oneness and


to the message of Your Prophet, O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! Have mercy on our dead and forgive their sins, O Lord of the Worlds! O


Allah! Cure the sick among us, relieve our distress and the distress of all Muslims, and


release our prisoners, O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! We beseech You, O Allah! You are the Rich and the One Free from all


needs, and we are the poor who are in need of Your favours. O Allah! Send down rain


upon us and do not make us among the despairing. O Allah! Send down rain upon us and


do not make us among the despairing. O Allah! Send down rain upon us. O Allah! Send


down rain upon us. O Allah! Let the rain bring forth mercy with it and let it not cause


torment, affliction, destruction, or flooding. O Allah! Let the rain bring forth mercy with


it and let it not cause torment, affliction, destruction, or flooding. O Allah! Let the rain


bring forth mercy with it and let it not cause torment, affliction, destruction, or flooding.


O Allah! Guide us to all that is good, O Lord of the Worlds!


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… Our Lord! Give us that which is good in this world and that


which is good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of


Hellfire! (Al-Baqarah: 201)


O Allah! Guide our ruler to what You love and accept, and lead him to the way of


goodness and piety. O Allah! Guide all Muslim rulers to act according to Your Book and


rule according to Your Shari’a, O You Lord of the Worlds!


… Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not,


and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the


losers. (Al-A‘raf: 23)


… Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in


Faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have


believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.


(Al-Hashr: 10)


Verily, Allah enjoins Al-Adl (i.e. justice and worshipping none but


Allah Alone – Islamic Monotheism) and Al-Ihsan [i.e. to be patient


in performing your duties to Allah, totally for Allah’s sake and in


accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the Prophet (peace and


blessings be upon him) in a perfect manner], and giving (help) to


kith and kin (i.e. all that Allah has ordered you to give them, e.g.,


wealth, visiting, looking after them, or any other kind of help, etc.);


and forbids Al-Fahsha’ (i.e. all evil deeds, e.g. illegal sexual acts,


disobedience of parents, polytheism, to tell lies, to give false


witness, to kill a life without right, etc.), and Al-Munkar (i.e. all that


is prohibited by Islamic law: polytheism of every kind, disbelief and


every kind of evil deeds, etc.), and Al-Baghy (i.e. all kinds of


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oppression), He admonishes you, that you may take heed. (An-Nahl:


90)


Remember Allah and He will remember you. Thank Him for His favours and He


will give you more. Verily, remembrance of Allah is greater than all, and Allah knows


what you do.