Part one


Praise be to Allah! We praise Him, seek His assistance, and repent to Him. We seek refuge


in Allah from our wrong doings and our sins. He whom Allah guides may never go astray and


he who is deprived of Allah’s guidance may never be guided. I bear witness that there is no


deity worth worshipping except Allah alone with no associate, and I bear witness that


Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May Allah send his Salat (Graces, Honours, Mercy),


Peace and Blessing upon him, his family and all his Companions.


Now then,


I urge you and myself to observe taqwa (fear) of Allah in private and in public. It is the


provision of the journey, the essence of virtues, the birthplace of traits, the source of power, the


ascendance of sublimity, and the composure of the heart in times of trials. And be afraid of


the Day when you shall be brought back to Allâh. Then every person shall


be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly. [Al-


Baqarah: 281]


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O Muslims!


Coming forth to Allah and feeling the happiness of obeying Him, accustoming oneself to


worshipping and resenting sinful acts indeed constitute a treasure at hand. It is a triumph both


present and future, a gain and success for mankind. Though the Muslim seeks pleasing the All


Merciful, he must realize that his faith-laden heart is a targeted bastion, and that his senses,


humbled by and for obedience, are misfortune prone. Therefore, they deserve to be protected,


and revered.


Man’s march towards his Lord is full of trials and plights. There are slippery and highly


dangerous roads. This is Allah’s decree Who has created death and life, that He


may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-


Forgiving; [Al-Mulk: 2], … and We shall make a trial of you with evil and


with good. [Al-Anbiyā’: 35]


As long as the believer’s body and soul are not severed by death, he is in a continual jihad


(strife against evil.


It is said that when Imam Ahmad –may Allah have mercy on him– was in his deathbed, an


apparition of Satan biting his fingers came to him and said: “You escaped me, Ahmad! You


escaped me, Ahmad!” “Not yet, not yet,” Ahmad answered, remembering the Prophet’s hadith,


“Man spends a long time doing the work of the people of paradise, then he ends doing the


work of the people of hell-fire.” [Narrated by Muslim]


Anas Ibn Mālik [May Allah be pleased with him] narrated that the Prophet [May Allah’s


Salat and Peace be upon him] very often said, ‘“O Over-turner of the hearts, make my heart


firm upon Your Religion.” “O, Messenger of Allah!” a man said, “How come that you are


afraid for us and we have believed in you and in what you have brought?” “Hearts are between


two fingers of Arrahman’s (Allah, the Compassionate),” the Prophet answered, “He turns


them the way He wishes.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmad, Al-Termidhi, and Ibn Mājah]


In Al-Termidhi’s version, the prophet often said, “You Who make the hearts firm, make my


heart firm upon Your religion!”


O servants of Allah!


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These and similar hadiths warn against the danger of relapse that keeps threatening man. It is a


potential flaw to which all mankind, except the infallible prophets, are susceptible. It is a


situation feared by the pious and the righteous, and avoided by the truthful purists.


Many a righteous has gone astray; many a failure has been defeated, and many a regressing


individual has fallen by the wayside. None but the feeble will fall. In times of trials, relapses


abound. We seek refuge in Allah against scarcity after profusion.


A believer’s supplication is mentioned in the Qur’ān, (They say): "Our Lord! Let


not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant


us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower." [Āl-Imrān: 8]


O servants of Allah!


A careful observant of the present situation of the Muslim society will not fail to see signs of


debility on some of its members in a reality made so trivial by the media that it started to


distract people away from Allah and deepen non-observance. These signs are manifested in


shallowness of devoutness, negligence of religious duties, permissiveness and in condoning


(sometimes accepting) imperfections.


These faults may be perpetrated by someone who has spent the better part of his life in


righteousness and piety, but might double back and fall by the wayside. Despite the fact that this


may often happen in times of long-persistent evil, it is not a valid excuse for man to neglect his


duties towards his Lord. Each human being will individually be held to account. And


everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection


(without any helper, or protector or defender). [Maryam: 95]


Certainly, every worker is entitled to a break, and every walker may stumble. However, this


downside should not tempt the servant of Allah to neglect his duties or indulge in forbidden


acts. It is only a condition that may affect the servant of Allah on his way towards Allah; a


weakness dictated by the human disposition that may be overcome by remembering the


hereafter. The servant of Allah may then rush to safety.


Putting one’s hope in Satan and promising oneself firmness in Allah’s religion are signs of


vanity and pride. Firmness in Allah’s religion is a gift that is only bequeathed by Allah on


whomever He wishes. Allah says, Allâh will keep firm those who believe, with the


word that stands firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allâh


Alone and none else), and in the Hereafter. And Allâh will cause to go


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astray those who are Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.), and Allâh


does what He wills. [Ibrahim: 27]


Al-Nawās Ibn Sam’ān [May Allah be pleased with him] quoted the Prophet [May Allah’s


Salat and Peace be upon him] as saying, “Every heart is between two fingers of Arrahman’s; if


he wishes He may guide it to righteousness, or to misguidance.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmad


and Ibn Mājah] Addressing His Prophet, Almighty Allah says, And had We not made


you stand firm, you would nearly have inclined to them a little. [Al-Isrā’: 74],


Prophet Ibrahim [Peace be upon him] said these prayers: ... and keep me and my sons


away from worshipping idols. [Ibrahim: 35] Also, prophet Yūsef supplicated Allah to


save him from women’s cunning.


O servants of Allah!


In our Lord’s Book, the symptoms and the remedy are defined. There is also a description of


the weak losers. These have only themselves to blame. Almighty Allah says, (What is the


matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote


(your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this


come to us?" Say (to them), "It is from yourselves (because of your evil


deeds)." And Allâh has power over all things. [Āl Imrān: 165]


When man turns away from Allah, Allah will cause his heart to turn away: So when


they turned away (from the Path of Allâh), Allâh turned their hearts away


(from the Right Path). [Al Saff: 5] Turning away from good deeds causes the heart to


turn away as well: Then they turn away. Allâh has turned their hearts (from


the light) because they are a people that understand not. [Al-Tawbah: 127]


Pride and rejection entail that I shall turn away from My Ayât (verses of the


Qur'ân) those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right, and


(even) if they see all the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,


revelations, etc.), they will not believe in them. And if they see the way of


righteousness (monotheism, piety, and good deeds), they will not adopt it


as the Way, but if they see the way of error (polytheism, crimes and evil


deeds), they will adopt that way. [Al-A’rāf: 146]


He whose heart grows callous is only because of his sinful deeds: Nay! But on their


hearts is the Rân (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to


earn. [Al-Muṭaffifeen: 14] Following one’s whims and clinging to the herein (al-dunya) are


conducive to misguidance and deprivation of the bliss of knowledge: And recite (O


5


Muhammad SAW) to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Ayât


(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), but he threw


them away, so Shaitân (Satan) followed him up, and he became of those


who went astray. And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him


therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. So his


description is the description of a dog: if you drive him away, he lolls his


tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out. Such is


the description of the people who reject Our Ayât (proofs, evidences,


verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). So relate the stories, perhaps they


may reflect. Evil is the likeness of the people who reject Our Ayât (proofs,


evidences, verses and signs, etc.), and used to wrong their own selves.


Whomsoever Allâh guides, he is the guided one, and whomsoever He sends


astray, those! They are the losers. [Al-A’rāf: 175-178]


Here is a man upon whom Allah has bestowed His signs, whom He granted from His


favours, clad with His knowledge, allowed full opportunity for guidance and sublimation, yet he


rejects all these favours. He dissociates himself from Allah’s signs, discards the protective


shield, and deviates from guidance to follow his whims and descends from the shining horizon


to wallow in the murky mud.


With this he becomes an easy target for Satan, vulnerable and unprotected. He follows and


accompanies him and becomes totally enslaved by him. In this he is just like a dog; it pants if it


is chased and if it is left alone, it still keeps panting.


O servants of Allah!


The pious and the upright were very keen on inspecting and mending their hearts.


Righteousness, taqwa, tranquility and pleasure in invocating Allah Almighty, belief and


certainty and all types of good may not exist but in pure and consecrated hearts. They may not


dwell in hearts polluted by darkness and sin. Hence, the supplication of Ibrahim Al-Khaleel


(Allah’s intimate friend), peace be upon him: And disgrace me not on the Day when


(all the creatures) will be resurrected; The Day whereon neither wealth nor


sons will avail, Except him who brings to Allâh a clean heart [clean from


Shirk (polytheism) and Nifâq (hypocrisy)]. [Al-Shu’arā’: 87-89]


The fact that Allah does not misguide the one who comes to Him and follows His guidance


is a feature of His absolute justice. If the servant of Allah relapses, it is only because of him and


his negligence. And Allâh will never lead a people astray after He has guided


them until He makes clear to them as to what they should avoid. Verily,


Allâh is the All-Knower of everything. [Al-Tawbah: 115]


Taking sins and disobedience lightly is one of the main reasons for relapsing and damnation:


When you were propagating it with your tongues, and uttering with


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your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, you counted it a little


thing, while with Allâh it was very great. [Al-Noor: 15]


It is narrated in the hadith, “Beware of underestimated sins; they accumulate in the record of


the individual until they destroy him.” [Narrated by Imam Ahmad and Al-Tabarāni]


Of the most dangerous perils conducive to delinquency and relapse are the sins of having a


solitary meeting with the opposite sex, which may facilitate committing forbidden acts. At


present the ways and means are readily available to the public, and nothing can preclude their


temptation except taqwa and fear of Allah.


Opportunities for solitary meetings may be facilitated by way of testing one’s faith: O you


who believe! Allâh will certainly make a trial of you with something in (the


matter of) the game that is well within reach of your hands and your lances,


that Allâh may test who fears Him unseen. [Al-Māidah: 94]


Kindled by a treacherous look or a delinquent thought, proscriptive desires may take roots in


the heart, weakening the faith, tearing down the edifice of knowledge, sweeping away piety,


precluding the mention of and the love of Allah and the solace one finds in Him, and generating


dislike of the righteous and renunciation of worship.


How bitter a relapse is! (The hypocrites) will call the believers: "Were we not


with you?" The believers will reply: "Yes! But you led yourselves into


temptations, you looked forward for our destruction; you doubted (in


Faith); and you were deceived by false desires, till the Command of Allâh


came to pass. And the chief deceiver (Satan) deceived you in respect of


Allâh." [Al-Hadeed: 14]


What could be most sorrowful and affliction laden for the servant of Allah is when he sees


the path of salvation laid open for him and thinks that he is saved and starts to experience the


situation of the joyous; then, all of a sudden, he gets separated from them and cast into


damnation.


It is incumbent upon the Muslim to try to mend fences with himself, look after his heart and


beware of the Satan-induced steps. Allah is watching and observing, and He will hold him to


account and reward or punish him accordingly. Man has to watch his thoughts as corruption


germinates in the thought. The thought holds the seeds of Satan in the heart and he takes care of


his seeds by watering them time after time until they mutate into fruit of actions.


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Undoubtedly, repelling thoughts is easier than repelling willed decisions. The servant of Allah


will be unable to fend off these thoughts once they have developed into willed decisions. He has


only himself to blame if he fails to nib them in the bud. He is then compared to someone who


refused initially to put off the spark that fell on a heap of wood, and was therefore unable to


extinguish the ensuing blaze afterwards.


O Muslims!


It is also advisable to avoid suspicious and ill-reputed places, to keep away from bad


company and to realize that illnesses of the heart are more contagious than those of the body.


And when you (Muhammad SAW) see those who engage in a false


conversation about Our Verses (of the Qur'ân) by mocking at them, stay


away from them till they turn to another topic. And if Shaitân (Satan)


causes you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not you in the


company of those people who are the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrongdoers,


etc.). [Al-An’ām]


He who candidly seeks the purity of his heart will follow the right path; he will sterilize his


heart with the right decontaminants and save it from all depressants. The best remedy of all is


for one to heed the commandments of Allah [May He be extolled], observe taqwa, and fill one’s


heart with the love of Allah.


Quoting Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al-’Ās [May Allah be pleased with both him and his father],


Al-Tabarāni and Al-Hākim, in his Al-Mustadrak, narrated that the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat


and Peace be upon him] said, “Faith deteriorates in your hearts in the same way your garment


wears out. Ask Allah to revive faith in your hearts.”


In his Sahih, Muslim narrates that the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him]


used to say (the following prayers): “O Allah! Bestow on my soul piety and purify it as You are


the Best to do so. You are its Guardian and its Protector.”


May Allah bless you and me by the Qur’ān and Sunnah and benefit us with the wisdom and


verses therein! I say this and seek Almighty Allah’s forgiveness for me and for you.


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Part Two


Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and King of Judgement Day! I bear witness that there


is no deity worth worshipping except Allah alone with no associate, The King, the Supreme and


Ultimate Truth. I also bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, the honest


and the truthful. May Allah send His Salat (Graces, Honours, Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon


him, his family and all of his Companions.


O Muslims!


Our society, thanks be to Allah, enjoys abundant wealth, and it is our duty to take care of,


develop and protect such wealth against misfortunes. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to teach


ourselves and our children to fear Allah and observe taqwa, and to know about Him, His


hudood1and shari’a. It is the kind of knowledge that induces action and intelligence and


remains as sustenance and a protecting cover through thick and thin. He who possesses


provisions in terms of taqwa and good deeds deserves salvation. It is Almighty Allah’s decree


never to disappoint any servant of His who comes forth to Him.


Avoiding pitfalls is effected by seeking refuge in the Almighty Allah [May He be extolled]


Who says, So flee to Allâh (from His Torment to His Mercy Islâmic


Monotheism) ... [Al-Thāriyāt: 50] He [May he be extolled] also says, Is not Allâh


Sufficient for His slave? [Al-Zumar: 36]


Ibn Al-Qayyim –may Allah have mercy on him– said, “Sufficiency is proportionate to


obedience. The more obedient you are to Almighty Allah, the more sufficiency you will receive


from Him.”


That is why the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] directed Muslims


towards worship in times of trials. He said, “Worship in times of trouble is like emigrating to


me.” [Narrated by Muslim]


Blessed is the believer who resorts to prayers and worship when others are busy with trifling.


Blessed is he who finds solace in Allah when other souls are worried and hearts are disturbed.


We must bring up our own selves and children to observe perseverance and determination


and to avoid laziness, lethargy and whimsical desires. Honour is not obtained through vanity.


1 Hudood in Arabic ( حدود ) are the bounds or restrictions that Allah has placed on man’s freedom of action.


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The Qur’ān says, (It was said to his son): "O Yahya (John)! Hold fast to the


Scripture [the Taurât (Torah)]." [Maryam: 12]


About Mūsā (Moses) [Peace be upon him], the Qur’ān says, And We wrote for him


on the Tablets the lesson to be drawn from all things and the


explanation of all things (and said): Hold unto these with firmness. [Al-


A’rāf: 145]


It is through perseverance and hard work that the Prophet’s Companions [May Allah be


pleased with them] obtained the best of the herein and the hereafter. They joined knowledge and


worship, as well as calling to Islam and making jihad. They did not succumb to rest and


comfort. The Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] said that paradise is


surrounded by discomforts, which means that no one can reach paradise unless he surmounts


these discomforts and overcomes these difficulties with reliance on Almighty Allah.


Protecting the self includes avoiding suppressants and bad company. O you who


believe! Take care of your own selves, [do righteous deeds, fear Allâh much


(abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and


love Allâh much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has


ordained)]. If you follow the right guidance and enjoin what is right (Islâmic


Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong


(polytheism, disbelief and all that Islâm has forbidden) no hurt can come to


you from those who are in error. [Al-Mā’idah: 105]


Those who observe prayers most are the ablest to control their desires. Desires take over


when prayers are neglected. But there came after them successors [i.e. later


generations] who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going


to meet evil." [Maryam: 59]


Almighty Allah grants wisdom and firmness to whomever is wont to perform well with


respect to worshiping Him, whomever is able to control himself and his behaviour, whomever is


willing to watch his steps and follow the straight path, not defeated by evil whispers or


undeterred by Satan’s beckoning. He who observes worship in solitude will be helped by the


Almighty to stand firm in times of trials and misfortunes.


Our Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] says, “He who is scared will


embark on his journey at nightfall so that he may reach home quickly. Allah’s reward is costly;


Allah’s reward is paradise.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhy with an authentic chain of narrators]


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In times of fluctuations and relapses, it is necessary that we resort to Almighty Allah in


supplication to invoke His Mercy: ... and know that Allâh comes in between a


person and his heart (i.e. He prevents an evil person to decide


anything) ... [Al-Anfāl: 24] So pray Almighty Allah to help you stand firm.


During the time of the apostates, Caliph Abu Bakr [May Allah be pleased with him] used to


show humbleness in his prayers and read, (They say): "Our Lord! Let not our hearts


deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from


You. Truly, You are the Bestower." [Āl Imrān: 8]


O Over-Turner of the hearts, make my heart take root in Your Religion! O Over-Turner of


the hearts, make my heart take root in Your Religion!


Then send your salat and peace upon the best of mankind and the most honoured of


humanity, Muhammad Ibn Abdillah, the Hashimite, the Qurashi.


O Allah, send Your Salat (Graces, Honours, Mercy), Peace and Blessing upon Your Servant


and Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his virtuous and pure family, his righteous and brave


Companions and upon those who follow in righteousness till the Day of Judgement!


O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims, and fail the tyrants, the atheists, and the


corruptors!


O Allah! Foreordain for this Ummah (the nation of Islam) a matter (an affair) of rationality


(guidance) where the people of piety are honored and those of sins are guided, and where alma’roof


(promotion of good deeds) is promoted and al-munkar (promulgation of evil deeds) is


prevented! O Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! Make preoccupied with their own evil those who wish to harm Islam and Muslims!


O Allah! Turn their plotting and their cunning against them and make them the cause of their


own destruction! O Lord of the worlds!


O Allah! Grant victory to those who fight in Your cause in Palestine and everywhere, O Lord


of the Worlds. O Allah! Lift the siege around them! Set right their conditions, and defeat their


enemies!


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O Allah! Free Al-Aqsa Mosque from the oppression of the oppressors and the aggression of the


aggressors!


O Allah! Ease the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Syria, Burma, and Central Africa.


O Allah! End their plight, and hasten the end of their suffering. O Allah! Have mercy on their


weakness, help them overcome their helplessness, mend their breakage and take charge of their


affairs, O You are the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate! O Allah! Spare their lives,


attenuate their fear, protect their honour, provide for them, grant them courage, help them stand


firm and make them prevail on their aggressor! O Allah! Set right their conditions, let them


unite on guidance, save them from the evil among them and defeat their enemy!


O Allah! We implore you to rid us of the oppressive tyrants and their collaborators!


O Allah! Set right the conditions of our brothers and sisters in Egypt and everywhere! O


Allah! Let them unite on righteousness and guidance! Grant leadership to the best amongst


them, and save them from the evil people amongst them!


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


Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] and to Your faithful servants!


O Allah! Support our leader the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and guide him to do


what pleases you, and to observe righteousness and taqwa! O Allah! Grant success to his Crown


Prince and his Deputy Crown Prince, O Lord of the Worlds! O Allah! Bless their reign and


make it good augur for Islam and Muslims! O Allah! Set right every Muslim ruler, and fill his


heart with fear and heed of You in private and in public!


O Allah! Grant Muslim rulers success to implement Your Shar’ (Islamic law), and to follow


the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] and make


them mercy-like for Your faithful servants!


O Allah! Make widespread security and prosperity throughout our country and all Muslim


countries, and save us from the evils of the malicious and the machinations of the wicked. ...


"Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that


which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!" [Al-Baqarah: 201]


And they said nothing but: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our


transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and


give us victory over the disbelieving folk." [Āl Imrān: 147]


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O Allah! Forgive us our sins, conceal our blemishes, facilitate our affairs, and help us fulfil


our hopes in accordance with what pleases You! O Allah! Forgive our sins and those of our


parents, their parents, our spouses and offspring; You are the All-Hearing!


O Lord! Accept our supplication; You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! Grant us


forgiveness; You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, and forgive us our sins; You are the All


Forgiving, the Most Merciful!


Glorified be our Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from all that is wrongly attributed


to You! And may peace be upon the Messengers, and praise be to Allah, the Lord of the


Worlds!