Lessons from Ramadan: 4-Seeking Nearness to Allah
The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Whosoever reaches the month of Ramadaaan and does not have his sins forgiven, and so enters the Fire, then may Allaah distance him.”
So drawing closer to Allaah – the Most Perfect – in this blessed month, can be achieved by fulfilling one’s obligatory duties; and also reciting the Qur’aan and reflecting upon its meanings, increasing in kindness and in giving charity, in making du‘aa (supplication) to Allaah, attending the Taraaweeh Prayer, seeking out Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Power and Pre-Decree), a night which is better than a thousand months, attending gatherings of knowledge, and striving in those actions that will cause the heart to draw closer to its Lord and to gain His forgiveness. Our level of striving in this blessed month should be greater than our striving to worship Allaah in any other month, due to the excellence and rewards that Allaah has placed in it. Likewise from the great means of seeking nearness to Allaah in this month is making I‘tikaaf (seclusion in the mosque in order to worship Allaah) – for whoever is able.
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H) – rahimahullaah – said: “Allaah also prescribed i’tikaaf for them, the objective being that the heart becomes fully preoccupied with Allaah – the Most High – concentrated upon Him alone, and cut-off from being preoccupied with the creation. Rather, the heart is only engrossed with Allaah – the Most Perfect – such that loving Him, remembering Him, and turning to Him takes the place of all the heart’s anxieties and worries, so that he is able to overcome them. Thus all his concerns are for Allaah, and his thoughts are all directed towards remembering Him and thinking of how to attain His Pleasure and what will cause nearness to Him which leads him to feel content with Allaah instead of people. This, in turn prepares him for being at peace with Allaah alone, on the day of loneliness in the grave, when there will be no one else to give comfort, nor anyone to grant solace, except Him. So this is the greater goal of I‘tikaaf.”
LOVE FOR ALLAAH:
Allaah – the Most High said, “Say: If you truly love Allaah, then follow me, and Allaah will love you.” [Soorah Aali-’Imraan 3:31]
This aayah is also known as aayatul-muhabbah (the aayah about love). Some of the Salaf have said, “The people claimed that they loved Allaah, so Allaah the Most High revealed the aayah about muhabbah (love), “Say: If you truly love Allaah, then follow me, and Allaah will love you.” So this aayah indicates the proofs and evidences for muhabbah and its fruits and benefits. So from the proofs of muhabbah and its clear signs is: to follow the Messenger (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam); and from its fruits and its benefits is: that Allaah will love you. So whosoever does not seek to follow the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam), then such a person will not attain the love of Allaah.
CHARACTERISITICS OF TRUE LOVE:
Allaah – the Most High – also says: “O you who believe! If any of you turns back from his religion (then wait) Allaah will create a people who will love Him and He will love them, who will be soft and gentle with the Believers and harsh with the disbelievers, who will fight in the path of Allaah, and will not be afraid of the blame from the blamers.” [Sooratul-Maa‘idah 5:54]
Here, Allaah has mentioned four characteristics of those who love Him:
Firstly and secondly, they are gentle and soft towards the Believers. It is said that this means: to be merciful, compassionate and kind. ’Ataa‘ (d.114H) – rahimahullaah – said, “A Believer’s gentleness for another Believer is like that of a child towards his father, or a slave towards his beloved master; and against the disbeliever, it is like that of a lion towards its prey: “Strong against the disbelievers, and merciful towards each other.”
Thirdly, Jihaad in the Path of Allaah with the soul, the hand, the tongue, and with wealth and property. This is the characteristic by which the true muhabbah is ascertained.
Fourthly, they are not afraid of the blame and reproach of the blamers. This being the truest characteristic of muhabbah.
If the one claiming muhabbah, whilst loving his beloved, fears the blames and reproaches or others, then this is in reality, not considered to be true muhabbah. Allaah the Most High says: “Those whom they call upon, themselves desire the waseelah (means of approach) to their Lord to which of them should be nearest. They hope for His mercy and fear His punishment.” [Sooratul-Maa‘idah 5:54]
Here, three levels which are linked to muhabbah have been mentioned, [i] Love, which is desiring to seek nearness to Him; [ii] at-Tawassul (seeking the means of approach) to Him, through righteous and correct actions; [iii] Hope and fear, a proof of desiring the means of approach to Him through righteous and correct actions is that such actions are done hoping in His mercy and also fearing His punishment.
And it is known with necessity that seeking nearness (to Allaah) can only be achieved when there is a desire and love for this, and the desire and love for seeking nearness (to Him) stems from love of Him. Indeed, true love for Him necessitates desiring to draw near to Him. However, the Jahmiyyah and the Mu’attilah, none of this has any value. Since, in their (false) view, Allaah does not draw near to anyone, nor does anyone draw near to Him, nor does He love anyone. So they deny life for the hearts, bliss for the souls, coolness for the eyes and highlights the delights of this world and the Hereafter. And due to this denial, their hearts became hardened, and between them and Allaah there came barriers and obstacles from knowing Him and loving Him. They do not know Him, nor do they seek to love Him, nor do they mention Him, except by negating and denying His Names and Attributes. They criticize and condemn those who make mention of the perfect and majestic Names and the Attributes of Allaah, accusing them of that which is more befitting to be attributed to themselves! And sufficient is it for one possessing knowledge and possessing a heart with life, that they view the sayings of such people with harshness, contempt and hatred; knowing that such people have disassociated themselves from the love of Allaah the Most High and from knowing and understanding His Uniqueness and Oneness (with respect to His Names, Attributes and Actions).
Aboo Hurayrah (radiyallaahu ’anhu) relates that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, ‘Allaah – the Most High – has said, ‘Whosoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I shall be at war with him. My servant does not draw nearer to Me by anything more beloved to Me than the obligatory duties. And My servant continues to draw near to Me with the optional actions, so that I shall love him. So when I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask something of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to ask me for shelter, I would surely grant it to him.”
Related Reading:
The Superiority of the Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alayhi wa sallam)
