Whoever leads to good is like the one who does it:
Dear noble brothers, the following Ayah is number 91 of Surat At-Taubah:
﴾ There is no blame on those who are weak or ill or who find no resources to spend [in holy fighting (Jihad)], if they are sincere and true (in duty) to Allah and His Messenger. No ground (of complaint) can there be against the Muhsinun (good-doers – see the footnote of V.9:120). And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. ﴿
The "weak" includes children, elders, and women. The "ill" includes those who were recently afflicted with an illness. Those who find no resources to spend are those who cannot find an animal to ride or money to spend in striving in the Cause of Allah.
This part of the Ayah "There is no blame on those who are weak or ill or who find no resources to spend [in holy fighting (Jihad)], if they are sincere and true (in duty) to Allah and His Messenger", refers to those, who do not have money, who call people to Allah and who speak out and talk people into offering a good deed.
Regarding "No ground (of complaint) can there be against the Muhsinun (good-doers)", the prophet PBUH said:
((Anas bin Malik narrated: "A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) to get a mount, but he (PBUH) did not have anything to mount him on with him. So he was lead to another person to give him a mount. He came to the Prophet (PBUH) to inform him about that and he said: 'Whoever leads to good, he is like the one who does it.'" ))
[ Muslim, by the authority of Anas ]
Man might encourage others to spend in the Cause of Allah although he is poor; however, if they are encouraged, thanks to him, and they spend their money in the Cause of Allah, they will share with him the reward they will get, because he guides them to goodness and helps them doing it.
﴾ Nor (is there blame) on those who came to you to be provided with mounts, and when you said: "I can find no mounts for you,” they turned back, while their eyes overflowing with tears of grief that they could not find anything to spend (for Jihad). The ground (of complaint) is only against those who are rich, and yet ask exemption . They are content to be with (the women) who sit behind (at home) and Allah has sealed up their hearts (from all kinds of goodness and right guidance) so that they know not (what they are losing). ﴿
This means, if there is no ground against those (i.e. the weak and the ill), then it is all the more cause that there is a ground against the rich and the powerful if they refrain from either striving or spending money in the Cause of Allah.
Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Nay! Man will be a witness against himself [as his body parts (skin, hands, legs, etc.) will speak about his deeds]* Though he may put forth his excuses (to cover his evil deeds). ﴿
[ Al-Qiyamah, 14-15
]
Each one of us knows for sure if he has the ability to spend or not and to donate or not, as this is a secret between him and Allah. Verify, Allah knows all about you, so do not make yourself degraded in His Sight, because "Allah does not look at your figures, nor at your attire, but He looks at your hearts and accomplishments." Concerning this point, it is reported in Qudsi Hadith:
(( O My servant, you have beautified your look in front of people for years, will you beautify your soul in front of Me for one hour ))
[ Mentioned in tradition ]
Man's principles in life should accord with religion and its rulings:
Dear brothers, man usually has basics: His house is a basic, his wife is a basic, his job is a basic, his knowledge of Allah is a basic, his steadfastness is a basic and bringing up his children is a basic. These are the basics in life. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Is it then he, who laid the foundation of his building on piety to Allah and His Good Pleasure, better, or he who laid the foundation of his building on an undetermined brink of a precipice ready to crumble down, so that it crumbled to pieces with him into the Fire of Hell. And Allah guides not the people who are the Zalimun (cruel, violent, proud, polytheist and wrong-doer). ﴿
[ At-Taubah, 109
]
Man will at one point establish a business or a trade, so let his job be beneficial to people and never be built on hurting and dreading people, or on despoiling their money. Do not be in an unlawful career and do not sell illegitimate or unlawful substances, lest you live in an ongoing fear and restlessness. Let your job be on sound grounds that comply with the Shari'ah rulings, the tradition, the law and the fearing of Allah.
Common people say, "Fearing Allah makes one stronger." Be aware that little income from a lawful job accompanied with peaceful life is better than an affluent income from an unlawful job accompanied with ongoing restlessness and fear. It is said, "Managing little income is better than being in commerce business." So, do not gamble or take chances if they do not please Allah, because you are created in this worldly life for a substantial mission.
﴾ Is it then he, who laid the foundation of his building on piety to Allah ﴿
This person laid foundations for his creed, faith, values and principles that accord with Islamic principles. His choice of his wife and job are based on Islam, so is the way he raises his children. Such a person laid the foundation of his building on piety to Allah. Unlike him, someone does what is mentioned in the following part of the Ayah:
﴾ Is it then he, who laid the foundation of his building on piety to Allahbetter, or he who laid the foundation of his building on an undetermined brink of a precipice ready to crumble down, so that it crumbled to pieces with him into the Fire of Hell. ﴿
This person has chosen a job that does not please Allah, because it is illegal. Although it is a profitable job, it hurts people and it necessitates hypocrisy, lying and swindling.
Beware of laying your foundation on religious violation and doing harm to people. You might be afflicted with a retarded son, then a second retarded son, then a third, so pay heed and stop hurting people and despoiling their money, lest you have a fourth retarded son.
﴾ And Allah guides not the people who are the Zalimun (cruel, violent, proud, polytheist and wrong-doer). ﴿
When man seeks Halal (whatever is lawful) in whatever he does, he seeks comfort to his soulm, and he seeks pleasing Allah. So, let him establish his life according to Allah's Way and lay foundations that grant him peaceful and stable life without any bad surprises that lead to destruction.
He who sold himself to Allah had already paid the price for paradise:
In fact, you have a capital in this life and you have the choice to sell it to Allah, so that you might gain that which no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no human heart has ever perceived. The capital you own is your life, your leisure, your security, your sustenance and your health. If you put all that at the disposal of obeying Allah and serving His creations, it is as if you sold your own self to Allah.
﴾ Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise. They fight in Allah's Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded. That is the supreme success. ﴿
Paradise is the gain. Thus, the bestowal (i.e. Paradise) is very substantial comparing to the price.
﴾ They fight in Allah’s Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in truth which is binding on Him in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded
﴿
The Prophet PBUH said:
(( I have never called anyone to Islam but he had a setback save my brother Abu Bakr ))
[ Mukhtasr Ibn Katheer
]
Rejoice glad tidings if you take the side of Allah and you obey Him. Concerning this point, I once gave this example: If two students share the same bench in the classroom, and after growing up, one of them ends as a clerk with little income that suffices him for only few days in the month, whereas the other ends up as a very rich man. Yet, the first man obeys Allah, while the second does not, the first will be ignorant about religion if he says, "I wish I have what my friend has." Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise) ﴿
Unless you feel that you are the most honored person in the Sight of Allah, unless your faith makes you happy that due to it you say, "I am the happiest person on earth, and there is no one happier than me except for the one who is more pious than me" and unless you feel that you are privileged, you have never treasured what you have (faith and religious knowledge). Regarding this point, the Prophet PBUH said:
(( Whoever is honored by reciting and understanding the Quran, but he sees that someone has been given something better than what he has been given, then he has magnified what Allah has belittled and has belittle what Allah has made great. ))
﴾ Verily, Allah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties; for the price that theirs shall be the Paradise.
﴿
The bestowal is paradise.
Man is afflicted according to the level of his commitment to religion:
Allah the Almighty says in the end of the Ayah:
﴾ And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? ﴿
The three men, whom the Prophet PBUH left (i.e. he did not give his judgment in their case, and their case was suspended for Allah's Decision) till for them the earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their own selves were straitened to them, and they perceived that there is no fleeing from Allah, and no refuge but with Him, refused to take part in Jihad without any excuse, given it was reported:
(( Jihad is the peak of Islam.
))
They were disciplined by Allah the Almighty big time, and He has made their story a moral lesson for us to learn from.
Actually, when we refrain from doing a religious obligation, there should be reckoning. However, man is reckoned according to the religious knowledge he has. In other words, if his religious knowledge is limited, Allah goes soft on him, but if he understands the religion very well, he will be reckoned accordingly.
Allah the Almighty forgave those three companions, but what catches the attention is that Allah forgave the Prophet PBUH, so what does this mean?
﴾ Allah has forgiven the Prophet the Muhajirun (Muslim emigrants who left their homes and came to Al-Madinah) and the Ansar (Muslims of Al-Madinah) who followed him (Muhammad) in the time of distress (Tabuk expedition, etc.), after the hearts of a party of them had nearly deviated (from the Right Path), but He accepted their repentance. Certainly, He is unto them full of Kindness, Most Merciful. ﴿
Some scholars said, "Allah forgave the Prophet to mend the hearts of those three companions. Although the Prophet PBUH did nothing that entailed forgiveness, Allah the Almighty included everyone in His Forgiveness to lessen the tremendous pressure they were under due to their sin."
The Prophet is a follower to the Revelation not an innovator:
Dear brothers, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And when Our Clear Verses are recited unto them, those who hope not for their meeting with Us, say: Bring us a Qur’an other than this, or change it." Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "It is not for me to change it on my own accord; I only follow that which is revealed unto me. Verily, I fear if I were to disobey my Lord, the torment of the Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)." ﴿
This is the reality of the Prophet PBUH. His obedience to Allah is unparalleled; he never changed, added or omitted any of Allah's Message.
﴾ I only follow that which is revealed unto me ﴿
This is the way I am too, as I am just a follower (to the Prophet PBUH) and not an innovator, given the innovator swears by Allah's Name (to prove his innovation). The Prophet PBUH is not an innovator, but rather he is a follower to the Divine Revelation.
Religion is about commitment and treatment:
Dear noble brothers, Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Verily the likeness of (this) worldly life is as the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, so by it arises the intermingled produce of the earth of which men and cattle eat until when the earth is clad with its adornments and is beautified, and its people think that they have all the powers of disposal over it, Our Command reaches it by night or by day and We make it like a clean-mown harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday! Thus do We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, laws, etc.) in detail for the people who reflect. ﴿
The earth now is adorned and beautified, and its people think that they have all the powers of disposal over it to such an extent that one of them dared to say, "My country owns nuclear weapons that is enough to destroy the earth five times". When this person went under the knife for a heart surgery, he passed the key of the nuclear weapons to his assistant.
﴾ And its people think that they have all the powers of disposal over it, Our Command reaches it by night or by day and We make it like a clean-mown harvest, as if it had not flourished yesterday! ﴿
(( The Hour will not begin until my brother Iesa bin Maryam comes down in order to spread justice after oppression has taken over. ))
This means that those who obey Allah at the end of days shall be greatly rewarded as we have been told by the Prophet PBUH.
(( Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah PBUH, said, "I wish I could meet my brothers." The companions of the Prophet said, "Are we not your brothers?" The Prophet said, "You are my companions, but my brothers are those who have faith in me yet they never saw me. There shall come upon the people a time in which the one who is patient upon his religion will be like the one holding onto a burning ember, his reward equals the reward of 70 believers". They said: "Seventy of us or of them?" He said: "Seventy of you because you find the help to offer good deeds but they do not" ))
If a member of a Muslim family nowadays followed the Right Path of Islam, his family members will raise hell against him. They want paths other than the path of Islam. They want a religion that is free of all commitments and that is full of mottos. They want the religion as folklore only. Pay attention to the following Ayah, please:
﴾ Say: "I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the torment of a Mighty Day." ﴿
Here is another one:
﴾ Say (O Muhammad PBUH): "I have no power over any harm or profit to myself except what Allah may will. For every Ummah (a community or a nation), there is a term appointed; when their term is reached, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment)." (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi). ﴿
This is the reality of the Prophet PBUH. Although he is the closest among mankind to Allah, he has no power over any harm or profit. The Prophet PBUH feared that if he had disobeyed Allah, he would have been in the torment of a great Day. The Prophet PBUH does not know the unseen, so how would anyone claim the otherwise?
The utmost bestowal given to the Auliya' of Allah:
Dear honorable brothers, Allah the Almighty sent the Prophet PBUH as a mercy for the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). There is a nice interpretation of the following Ayah:
﴾ Say: "In the Bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islam and the Qur’an); -therein let them rejoice." That is better than what (the wealth) they amass. ﴿
We should rejoice the Noble Quran and rejoice having this great Prophet PBUH whom has been chosen as a Messenger for this Ummah.
﴾ Say: "In the Bounty of Allah, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islam and the Qur’an); -therein let them rejoice." That is better than what (the wealth) they amass. ﴿
Tell me what brings you joy and I will tell what you are made of. Hence, if the worldly life brings you joy, then you are one of its people, but if pleasing Allah brings you joy then you are one of the Hereafter's people.
﴾ No doubt! Verily, the Auliya' of Allah [i.e. those who believe in the Oneness of Allah and fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which he has forbidden), and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve ﴿
By Allah there is no greater bestowal than this. The worldly life has a facade that covers its past, present and future, but the believer shall never grieve for the past nor shall he fear the future:
﴾ No doubt! Verily, the Auliya' of Allah [i.e. those who believe in the Oneness of Allah and fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which he has forbidden), and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve* Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism), and used to fear Allah much (by abstaining from evil deeds and sins and by doing righteous deeds). ﴿
He believes in Allah the Almighty and fears Him, and thus he shall never grieve for the past nor shall he fear the future.
