الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على عبد الله ورسوله وخليله نبينا محمد وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين. أما بعد:
Indeed, a fortunate person strives for self-improvement, purification, and salvation from evils and deadly matters in this world and the Hereafter. This is a great goal and a lofty ultimate aim towards which the people of faith have focused their attention. They have been engaged in contemplation and reflection on the means of salvation and the matters that lead to their success and safety, to the extent that this concern reached the best of the Ummah, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and after him, the three rightly guided Caliphs, may Allah be pleased with them.
Hazrat Uthman ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates:
بينا أنا جالس فى ظل أطم من الآطام مر على عمر رضي الله عنه، فسلم علي، فلم أشعر أنه مر ولا سلم، فانطلق عمر حتى دخل على أبى بكر رضي الله عنه، فقال له: ما يعجبك أني مررت على عثمان فسلمت عليه، فلم يرد على السلام؟ وأقبل هو وأبو بكر فى ولاية أبى بكر رضي الله عنه، حتى سلما على جميعا، ثم قال أبو بكر: جاءني أخوك عمر، فذكر أنه مر عليك، فسلم فلم ترد عليه السلام، فما الذى حملك على ذلك؟ قال: قلت: ما فعلت، فقال عمر: بلى والله لقد فعلت، ولكنها عبيتكم يا بني أمية، قال: قلت: والله ما شعرت أنك مررت بي، ولا سلمت، قال أبو بكر: صدق عثمان، وقد شغلك عن ذلك أمر؟ فقلت: أجل، قال: ما هو؟ فقال الله عنه: توفى الله عز وجل نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم قبل أن نسأله عن نجاة هذا الأمر، قال أبو بكر: قد سألته عن ذلك، قال: فقمت إليه فقلت له: بأبي أنت وأمي، أنت أحق بما، قال أبو بكر: قلت: يا رسول الله ما نجاة هذا الأمر؟ فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من قبل مني الكلمة التى عرضت على عمي، فردها علي، فهي له نجاة
I was sitting in the shade of a fortress when suddenly Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by me and greeted me, but I was neither aware of his passing nor of his greeting. Then Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, went straight to Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, and said: Does it not seem strange to you that I passed by Uthman, greeted him, but he did not respond?
Then Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, took Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, with him and came to me, and both greeted me. After that, Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said to me: Your brother Umar came to me and mentioned that he passed by you, greeted you, but you did not respond. What was the reason for this? Hazrat Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: I did nothing of the sort. Then Hazrat Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, said: No, by Allah! You did do so, but this is the habit of your tribe, O Banu Umayyah! Hazrat Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I swear by Allah that I was not aware that you had passed by me or greeted me. Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Uthman is telling the truth, but were you preoccupied with something else? Hazrat Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, explained: Yes, I was preoccupied with this thought. Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, asked: What was it? Hazrat Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I was concerned that Allah Almighty had called His Prophet to Himself, and we did not ask Him how to attain success in this matter (salvation). Hazrat Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about this, so I went to him and said: May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, you have more right to this. Then Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I said: O Messenger of Allah! What is salvation in this matter? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever accepts the word that I presented to my uncle, but he rejected it, that is the means of salvation for him.
Whoever reflects on this great event will realize that the matter of salvation is extremely important and serious, to the extent that it occupies and worries the hearts of true believers. See how much the issue of salvation preoccupied Hazrat Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, even though the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said about him: Uthman is in Paradise.
And he also said about him: After today, whatever Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, does will not harm him.
It is narrated about Hazrat Abdullah ibn Rawahah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he was at home with his wife present when suddenly he began to weep. His wife asked: What made you cry? He replied: I remembered the command of Allah Almighty:
﴿وَإِن مِّنكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا ۚ كَانَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ حَتْمًا مَّقْضِيًّا ۔ ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا وَّنَذَرُ الظَّالِمِينَ فِيهَا جِثِيًّا۔﴾
“And every one of you will surely come to it. This is, upon your Lord, a decree which is final. Then We save those who feared Allah and leave the wrongdoers within it, on their knees.”
And I do not know whether I will be among those who are saved or not.
When the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, who were among the foremost and were given glad tidings of Paradise, were so concerned in seeking the means of salvation, what will be the condition of those who come after them?
This is a brief message in which I have pointed out ten important matters that are extremely effective for a servant’s salvation. It is necessary for every Muslim to learn these matters, act upon them, and teach them to their family and friends so that they may attain salvation in this world and on the Day of Resurrection and be blessed with eternal blessings in Paradise with happiness and success.
Indeed, inviting people to salvation, paving its way, and reminding of its causes is a continuous method and Sunnah, as stated in the Holy Quran:
﴿وَيَا قَوْمِ مَا لِي أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى النَّجَاةِ وَتَدْعُونَنِي إِلَى النَّارِ﴾
“And O my people! What is [wrong] with me that I call you to salvation while you call me to the Fire?”
And it has been said:
ما بال دينك ترضى أن تدنسه وثوبك الدهر مغسول من الدنس ، ترجو النجاة ولم تسلك مسالكها إن السفينة لا تجري على اليبس
What is the matter that you are content with tarnishing your religion, while your garment is always washed clean of filth? You hope for salvation but do not walk on its path. Surely, a ship can never walk on land.
Indeed, Allah has made the path of salvation clear for the servant, opened its doors for him, taught him the ways to attain happiness, granted him its causes, warned him of the consequences of disobedience, and also showed him the effects of sins and their outcomes in his own and others’ lives.
And someone has beautifully said:
واحسرتاه تقضى العمر وانصرمت ساعاته بين ذل العجز والكسل ،والقوم قد أخذوا درب النجاة وقد ساروا إلى المطلب الأعلى على مهل
Alas! Life has passed and its moments have ended, spent in the humiliation of humility and laziness.
And people set out on the path of salvation and gradually moved towards their highest goals.
وصلى الله وسلم وبارك وأنعم على عبده ورسوله نبينا محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وآله وصحبه أجمعين
First Reason: The Oneness of Allah and Purifying the Religion Solely for Him
One of the greatest causes of salvation on the Day of Judgment, indeed salvation itself depends solely on this, is the pure monotheism of Allah and dedicating the religion exclusively to Him. In the great hadith mentioned earlier, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: من قبل مني الكلمة التى عرضت على عمي، فردها علي، فهي له نجاة
Whoever accepts from me the declaration of faith that I presented to my uncle but he rejected it, then that declaration will be a cause of salvation for him.
Here, the word “declaration” refers to the declaration of monotheism “لا إله إلا الله”.
It does not mean that a person merely pronounces this declaration with his tongue, but the intention is to act upon its meaning by dedicating the religion purely for Allah and worshiping Him alone.
Monotheism is the great purpose for which Allah created the creation and gave them existence, as Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ﴾
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
He also said: ﴿وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ﴾
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him.”
And He said: ﴿وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ﴾
“And they were commanded only that they should worship Allah, being sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth.”
The foundation of salvation and success on the Day of Judgment is the monotheism of Allah. The salvation attained through monotheism consists of two types:
The first type: complete salvation from entering Hellfire. If a person fulfills monotheism completely and acts upon it in its perfect state, he will never enter Hellfire but will enter Paradise directly without reckoning or punishment.
The second type: salvation from eternal dwelling in Hellfire.
This is for those who did not fulfill monotheism completely and had some deficiency in it, rather they fell into some sins and major sins that weakened their faith and monotheism. Due to these sins, they become deserving of entering Hellfire, but their faith in monotheism will save them from eternal dwelling in Hellfire, and ultimately their end will be entry into Paradise.
And whoever comes on the Day of Judgment without monotheism, there will never be any hope of salvation for him, nor any way to attain mercy and forgiveness.
Allah Almighty said through His Messenger Jesus (peace be upon him): ﴿وَقَالَ الْمَسِيحُ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ النَّارُ ۖ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ﴾
“And indeed, the Messiah, son of Mary, said, ‘O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Indeed, whoever associates others with Allah – Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.”
And Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَهُمْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يُقْضَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ فَيَمُوتُوا وَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُم مِّنْ عَذَابِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي كُلَّ كَفُورٍ . وَهُمْ يَصْطَرِخُونَ فِيهَا رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا نَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا غَيْرَ الَّذِي كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ ۚ أَوَلَمْ نُعَمِّرْكُم مَّا يَتَذَكَّرُ فِيهِ مَن تَذَكَّرَ وَجَاءَكُمُ النَّذِيرُ ۖ فَذُوقُوا فَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِن نَّصِيرٍ .﴾
“And those who disbelieved – for them is the fire of Hell. Death will not be decreed for them so they may die, nor will its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We recompense every ungrateful one. And they will cry out therein, ‘Our Lord, remove us; we will do righteousness – other than what we were doing!’ But did We not grant you life enough for whoever would remember therein to remember, and the warner had come to you? So taste [the punishment], for there is not for the wrongdoers any helper.”
Allah Almighty mentioned these three categories: those who will be saved from entering Hellfire, those who will be saved from eternal dwelling in Hellfire, and those who will not be saved at all. Allah mentioned all these consecutively in this verse: ﴿ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ﴾
“Then We made the inheritors of the Book those We chose from among Our servants. And among them is he who wrongs himself, and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allah. That is the great bounty.”
And then He said: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَهُمْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يُقْضَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ فَيَمُوتُوا وَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُم مِّنْ عَذَابِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي كُلَّ كَفُورٍ﴾
“And those who disbelieved – for them is the fire of Hell. Death will not be decreed for them so they may die, nor will its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We recompense every ungrateful one.”
The first type is described in this verse: ﴿وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ﴾
“And among them are the moderate, and among them are those who are foremost in good deeds.”
These are the people who will be saved from entering Hellfire and will enter Paradise directly without reckoning or punishment.
The difference between the moderate and the foremost in good deeds is that the moderate person fulfills the obligatory duties and avoids the forbidden, while the foremost in good deeds is the one who, along with the obligatory duties, also performs the recommended acts.
The second type is described in this verse: ﴿فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ﴾
“And among them is he who wrongs himself.”
These are the people who may enter Hellfire due to sins, but they will not remain there forever.
The wrongdoer to himself is the person who has wronged his soul with sins and transgressions less than disbelief. Such people may be subjected to punishment and enter Hellfire, but since their faith and monotheism are complete, they will not remain in Hellfire forever and will eventually enter Paradise by Allah’s mercy.
The third type is described in this verse: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَهُمْ نَارُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يُقْضَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ فَيَمُوتُوا وَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُم مِّنْ عَذَابِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجْزِي كُلَّ كَفُورٍ﴾
“And those who disbelieved – for them is the fire of Hell. Death will not be decreed for them so they may die, nor will its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We recompense every ungrateful one.”
These are the people for whom there will be no hope of salvation on the Day of Judgment because they did not accept the monotheism of Allah but went towards polytheism and disbelief.
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him): لما نزلت: ﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ﴾ It was difficult for the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and they said: Who among us does not wrong himself? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: It is not as you think; rather, it is as Luqman said to his son: ﴿يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾
When this verse was revealed: ﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ﴾, it was hard for the noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and they said: Who among us does not wrong himself? So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: This is not the kind of wrong you think of, but it is like what Luqman advised his son: ﴿يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ﴾
So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) interpreted it as shirk, meaning that whoever avoids shirk will be saved from eternal punishment.
And it is narrated from Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he interpreted this verse as referring to sin, meaning that the person will be saved from all kinds of punishment.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Those who were troubled by the meaning of this verse thought that the wrong was only the wrong done to one’s own self, and that only the person who does not wrong himself will attain peace and guidance. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed them that shirk is the wrong in Allah’s Book, and in that case, peace and guidance will only be granted to the person who does not contaminate his faith with this wrong. Whoever does not contaminate his faith with the wrong of shirk deserves peace and guidance, as Allah Almighty said: ﴿ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتَابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ ظَالِمٌ لِّنَفْسِهِ وَمِنْهُم مُّقْتَصِدٌ وَمِنْهُمْ سَابِقٌ بِالْخَيْرَاتِ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَضْلُ الْكَبِيرُ ﴾
“Then We made the inheritors of the Book those We chose from among Our servants. And among them is he who wrongs himself, and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allah. That is the great bounty.”
This does not mean that if a person wrongs himself and does not repent, he will not be punished, as Allah Almighty said: ﴿فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ . وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ.﴾
“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.”
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about this: O Messenger of Allah, who among us does not do evil deeds? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: يا أبا بكر ، ألست تنصب ؟ ألست تحزن ؟ ألست تصيبك اللأواء ؟ فهذا ما تجزون به
O Abu Bakr, do you not feel sorrow? Do you not feel pain? Do you not face any calamity? That is the recompense given in this world.
From this, it becomes clear that if a believer repents, he will enter Paradise, and he may receive the recompense for sins in the form of hardships in this world. Therefore, whoever is saved from all three types of wrong will attain complete peace and guidance, and whoever does not protect himself from wrong will not attain complete peace and guidance, but still, he must enter Paradise as promised in the other verse, and he will reach Paradise by following the straight path. His guidance and peace will be diminished according to the deficiency in his faith caused by the wrong he did to himself.
Second Reason: Following the Sunnah
Making an effort to learn and act upon the Sunnah of the Noble Prophet ﷺ and his blessed ways is among the great means of salvation on the Day of Judgment. That is why Imam Malik ibn Anas, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “من أراد النجاة فعليه بكتاب الله وسنة نبيه”
“Whoever desires salvation must adhere firmly to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet.”
Similarly, Malik ibn Anas, may Allah have mercy on him, said: السنة سفينة نوح؛ من ركبها نجا، ومن تخلف عنها غرق
The Sunnah is like the Ark of Noah; whoever boards it is saved, and whoever stays behind is drowned.
The world is like an ocean that all creatures must cross to reach the shore where their true home, homeland, and abode lie. But crossing this ocean is not possible except by boarding the Ark of salvation. Allah Almighty sent His Messenger to teach the nations how to build the Ark of salvation and how to board it. This Ark is obedience to Allah, following His Messengers, worshiping Him alone, performing deeds purely for His sake, being vigilant about the Hereafter, seeking it, and striving for it.
Thus, the successful ones arose, built the Ark, and boarded it. They abandoned the wish to cross the ocean by mere walking because they knew it could not be crossed by walking or swimming.
But the ignorant considered building the Ark, preparing its equipment, and boarding it difficult and said: We will enter the ocean, and if we cannot walk, we will swim. These are the majority in the world; they jumped into the ocean, but when they failed to walk, they began to swim until they drowned, while those on the Ark were saved just as the people with Noah, peace be upon him, were saved and the rest of the earth’s people drowned. Reflecting on this example and the condition of the people of the world, you will find this truth exactly as it is.
Among the causes of salvation is giving great importance to the Sunnah of the Noble Prophet ﷺ and adopting his correct method. Allah Almighty said: ﴿لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا﴾
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often.”
Allah Almighty also said: ﴿فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴾
“Those who oppose His command should fear that a trial may strike them or a painful punishment.”
And many verses exist on this subject.
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “والمقصود: أن بحسب متابعة الرسول الله تكون العزة والكفاية والنصرة، كما أن بحسب متابعته تكون الهداية والفلاح والنجاة، فالله جعل سعادة الدارين بمتابعته وجعل شقاوة الدارين فى مخالفته، فلأتباعه الهدى والأمن والفلاح والعزة، والكفاية والنصرة والولاية والتأييد، وطيب العيش فى الدنيا والآخرة، ولمخالفيه الذلة والصغار، والخوف والضلال، والخذلان والشقاء فى الدنيا والآخرة”
The purpose is that following the Messenger of Allah ﷺ brings honor, sufficiency, and support, just as it brings guidance, success, and salvation. Allah has placed the success of this world and the Hereafter in following him, and failure in this world and the Hereafter in opposing him. Therefore, his followers receive guidance, peace, success, honor, sufficiency, support, guardianship, and a prosperous life in this world and the Hereafter, while his opponents receive humiliation, fear, misguidance, despair, and misery in this world and the Hereafter.
Whoever deviates from the guidance of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in his worship and deeds will be far from salvation, and his deeds will be rejected. The deeds acceptable for salvation are those that conform to the guidance of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as he ﷺ said: “من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد
“Whoever does an action that is not according to our command, it is rejected.”
Whoever seeks salvation must necessarily follow the footsteps of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, firmly hold onto his way, and avoid innovating in religion or altering the Sunnah of the Seal of the Prophets ﷺ. This is why the Noble Prophet ﷺ, whenever he addressed his Ummah in sermons, warned against innovations and urged adherence to his Sunnah, saying: “فإن خير الحديث كتاب الله. وخير الهدى هدى محمد. وشر الأمور محدثاتها. وكل بدعة ضلالة
“So indeed, the best speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad ﷺ, and the worst matters are those newly invented, and every innovation is misguidance.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that whoever adopts my Sunnah will come to my Pond of Kawthar on the Day of Resurrection and drink from it, and whoever changes my Sunnah and adopts innovations will be kept away from my Pond, and the Noble Prophet ﷺ will be told: إنك لا تدري ما أحدثوا بعدك، فأقول: سحقا سحقا لمن غير بعدي
“You do not know what innovations people introduced after you; so I will say: Distance, distance from such people who changed the religion after me.”
Therefore, it is obligatory upon every person who desires his own good and seeks salvation to avoid desires and innovations and to adopt the Sunnah in every matter, as the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, understood it. It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: إن بني إسرائيل تفرقت على ثنتين وسبعين ملة وتفترق أمتي على ثلاث وسبعين ملة، كلهم فى النار إلا ملة واحدة. قالوا: ومن هي يا رسول الله؟ قال: ما أنا عليه وأصحابي
“Indeed, the Children of Israel were divided into seventy-one sects, and my Ummah will be divided into seventy-three sects, all of which will be in Hellfire except one.” The Companions asked: “O Messenger of Allah! Which group will that be?” He said: “It is the group that follows me and my Companions.”
The way to achieve this adherence is that a Muslim makes every effort to acquire Sharia knowledge based on the Book and Sunnah so that he can worship his Lord with insight and according to the guidance of our Noble Prophet ﷺ.
Through knowledge, a person is saved from disgrace, while ignorance causes humiliation and destruction. Knowledge is the guide that elevates to high ranks and shows the way, and it is the lamp that illuminates darkness. This knowledge also came through the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, upon whom be blessings and peace from Allah.
Third Reason: Fear of Allah and His Piety
Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَخْشَ اللَّهَ وَيَتَّقْهِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ﴾
“And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger and fears Allah and is conscious of Him – it is those who are the successful.”
In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned matters without which success, salvation, and prosperity cannot be attained, and these are: obedience to Allah, and obedience to His Messenger ﷺ through following the Sunnah; these two matters have already been mentioned.
Now the remaining two matters are: fear of Allah (God-consciousness), and piety (taqwa).
Fear of Allah is a very important foundation for salvation on the Day of Judgment. Allah Almighty has described the characteristic of those who attain salvation and are believers: ﴿مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ﴾
“They are those who fear their Lord unseen.”
And He described their characteristic with His statement: ﴿إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ﴾
“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful.”
Fear of Allah prevents a person from doing evil deeds, encourages performing good deeds, and inclines one towards worship. That is why Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: المؤمن جمع إحسانا وشفقة، والمنافق جمع إساءة وأمنا ، ثم تلا الحسن: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ هُم مِّنْ خَشْيَةِ رَبِّهِم مُّشْفِقُونَ﴾
The believer combines goodness and fear, while the hypocrite combines evil and fearlessness. Then Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) recited this verse: “Indeed, those who fear their Lord unseen.”
Fear of Allah arises only when a servant recognizes Allah’s beautiful names and exalted attributes, and reflects upon Allah’s cosmic and legal signs. The more a servant attains knowledge of Allah, the more he fears Allah, as Allah Almighty said: ﴿إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ﴾
“Only those fear Allah, from among His servants, who have knowledge.”
As for piety (taqwa), it is the root of every goodness for the servant and a major cause of salvation on the Day of Judgment, as Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَيُنَجِّي اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا بِمَفَازَتِهِمْ لَا يَمَسُّهُمُ السُّوءُ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾
“And Allah will deliver those who feared Him to their place of salvation, and leave the wrongdoers within it, unable to find a way.”
And Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَنَجَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ﴾
“And We delivered those who believed and used to fear Allah.”
And Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَأَنجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ﴾
“And We delivered those who believed and feared Allah.”
Taqwa is essentially derived from the word “waqaya” (to protect), and its best definition is found in the statement of Talq ibn Habib (may Allah have mercy on him), when he was asked to explain taqwa, he said: “التقوى: عمل بطاعة الله؛ رجاء رحمة الله على نور من الله، والتقوى: ترك معصية الله؛ مخافة عقاب الله على نور من الله”
Taqwa is that a person obeys Allah, hoping for His mercy, guided by the light of Allah, and taqwa is that a person abandons disobedience to Allah, fearing His punishment, in the light of Allah’s illumination.
There is no doubt that the one who performs the obligations of Islam, fulfills the duties of the religion, and avoids sins and forbidden matters, will be the one who attains success and salvation in this world and the Hereafter.
It is authentically narrated from Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Hazrat Nu’man bin Qoqal (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and asked: يا رسول الله! أرأيت إذا صليت المكتوبة وحرمت الحرام وأحللت الحلال؛ أأدخل الجنة؟ قال له: نعم
“O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! If I perform the obligatory prayers, consider the forbidden as forbidden and the lawful as lawful, will I enter Paradise?” He ﷺ replied: Yes.
Whoever struggles against his own self and makes it accustomed to fulfilling obligations and abstaining from prohibitions patiently, Allah Almighty will grant him salvation and guide him to the straight path, as Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ﴾
“And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.”
This action, which is based on fulfilling commands and avoiding prohibitions, must necessarily be based on knowledge and insight, so that the servant knows what to avoid. Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ رُوحًا مِّنْ أَمْرِنَا ۚ مَا كُنتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتَابُ وَلَا الْإِيمَانُ وَلَٰكِن جَعَلْنَاهُ نُورًا نَّهْدِي بِهِ مَن نَّشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا﴾
“And thus We have sent to you an inspiration of Our command. You did not know what is the Book or faith, but We have made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants.”
Bakr bin Khunais (may Allah have mercy on him) said: كيف يكون متقيا من لا يدري ما يتقي!
Whoever does not know what to avoid, how can he be pious?
Fourth Reason: Protection of the Tongue
One of the means of salvation and safety is that a person protects his tongue and saves it from every inappropriate matter. It is narrated from Uqbah bin Amir رضي الله عنه that he said: I asked, O Messenger of Allah! In what is salvation? So the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
املك عليك لسانك، وليسعك بيتك، وابك على خطيئتك
Control your tongue, hold fast to your home, and weep over your sins.
The Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم command “Control your tongue” points to the importance of protecting the tongue. It means that a person should consider his words; if the speech is good, then say it, and if otherwise, remain silent, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرا أو ليصمت
Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.
The danger of the tongue is very great, and its sin greatly affects a person, his religion, and his society. Therefore, there is a severe warning about it, as the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
إن العبد ليتكلم بالكلمة ما يتبين فيها يزل بها فى النار أبعد مما بين المشرق والمغرب
Indeed, a servant utters a word without thinking, and because of that, he falls into the fire a distance greater than that between the east and the west.
Since salvation is deeply connected with the tongue, all the limbs of the body are linked to the tongue in their outcome, as the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
إذا أصبح ابن آدم فإن الأعضاء كلها تكفر اللسان؛ فتقول: اتق الله فينا، فإنما نحن بك؛ فإن استقمت استقمنا، وإن اعوججت اعوججنا
When the son of Adam wakes up in the morning, all his limbs humble themselves before the tongue and say: Fear Allah in our matter, for we are with you. If you are straight, we will be straight, and if you are crooked, we will be crooked.
Therefore, protecting the tongue and keeping it under control is the root of all goodness in this world and the Hereafter, and leaving it uncontrolled and not protecting it is the cause of destruction and loss. That is why when the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained to Hazrat Muadh bin Jabal رضي الله عنه in detail about the principles of religion and the chapters of goodness, he concluded by saying:
ألا أخبرك بملاك ذلك كله؟ قلت: بلى يا نبي الله، فأخذ بلسانه، قال: كف عليك هذا ، فقلت: يا نبي الله، وإنا لمؤاخذون بما نتكلم به؟ فقال له: ثكلتك أمك يا معاذ، وهل يكب الناس فى النار على وجوههم – أو على مناخرهم إلا حصائد ألسنتهم
Shall I not tell you what all these matters depend upon? I said: Yes, O Prophet of Allah! Then he held his tongue and said: Control it. I said: O Prophet of Allah! Will we be held accountable for what we say? He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Your mother would weep over you, Muadh! People will be thrown into Hell on their faces or noses because of the stammering of their tongues.
Therefore, it is obligatory upon the believer to protect his tongue from useless talk, because in such a state silence is safety and salvation, as authentically narrated from the Noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, who said:
من صمت نجا
Whoever remains silent has attained salvation.
Fifth Reason: Avoiding Tribulations
Indeed, avoiding trials, staying away from them, and closing their doors is a means of salvation for a servant in this world and the Hereafter, and it is the cause of safety in his religion and worldly life. Numerous texts indicate this, one of which is the hadith narrated by Uqbah bin Amir رضي الله عنه when he said:
يا رسول الله! ما النجاة؟ قال: املك عليك لسانك، وليسعك بيتك وابك على خطيئتك
O Messenger of Allah! In what is salvation? He ﷺ said: Control your tongue, stay in your home, and weep over your sins.
The Prophet’s ﷺ statement وليسعك بيتك and “stay in your home” means that a person should try to remain in his home, especially during times of trials, so that he may be protected from these trials. In homes, a person finds protection and safety from trials, and if he leaves the home to face trials, he invites his own destruction. Therefore, it has been prescribed for Muslims to frequently seek refuge in Allah from trials, as the Noble Prophet ﷺ said to his companions رضي الله عنهم:
تعوذوا بالله من الفتن، ما ظهر منها وما بطن
Seek Allah’s protection from apparent and hidden trials.
In this era, some modern devices and means have entered homes, which can cause a person to fall into various kinds of trials and evils, whether in the form of desires or doubts and suspicions. The careless use of these means and access to corrupt websites and programs has caused great harm to many people. Therefore, the salvation mentioned in the hadith about staying in homes is conditional upon not using these modern devices in a way that opens the doors of trials for a person, destroys his morals, worldly life, and Hereafter. In such a case, the harm will be great.
So, good fortune and salvation lie in avoiding trials and being protected from their evil, as the Noble Prophet ﷺ said:
إن السعيد لمن جنب الفتن
Indeed, fortunate is the one who is saved from trials.
Sixth Reason: Abundance of Prayers and Turning to Allah
Supplication is the key to all goodness in this world and the Hereafter. When a person realizes that salvation in this world and the Hereafter will only be granted to the one whom Allah saves, it becomes obligatory upon him to seek salvation from Allah. Salvation is solely in Allah’s control, so ask Allah for your salvation. Allah Almighty has said:
﴿وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ﴾
“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be guided.”
And Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾
“And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.'”
Therefore, whoever desires his salvation should supplicate to Allah abundantly, for every kind of goodness. He should ask Allah for steadfastness, pray to be saved from misguidance, and supplicate for reform and goodness, whether in this world or the Hereafter.
The greatest supplication of all time is the one present in Surah Al-Fatiha: ﴿اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ﴾
“Guide us to the straight path.”
Until the end of this Surah, because when Allah guides His servant to His straight path, he is assuredly saved in this world and the Hereafter.
Considering the importance and immense need of this supplication for the servant, Allah has made it obligatory to recite it seventeen times during the day and night, which equals the number of units of the obligatory prayers. Therefore, it is incumbent upon a Muslim that when he recites Surah Al-Fatiha, he should feel the importance of this great supplication and its continuous necessity, because only through guidance does a person attain goodness, salvation, and great success in both worlds.
Thus, supplication and turning to Allah, and asking Him humbly, are among the most important means of salvation in this world and the Hereafter. This is why the Prophets used to supplicate to Allah for salvation, and Allah accepted their prayers and saved them from the calamities they faced. For example:
The supplication of Allah’s Prophet Nuh (Noah), peace be upon him: ﴿قَالَ رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي كَذَّبُونِ . فَافْتَحْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَهُمْ فَتْحًا وَنَجِّنِي وَمَن مَّعِيَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.﴾
“O my Lord! Indeed, my people have denied me, so judge between me and them and save me and those who believe with me.”
So Allah Almighty said: ﴿فَأَنجَيْنَاهُ وَمَن مَّعَهُ فِي الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ﴾
“So We saved him and those with him in the laden ship.”
The supplication of Allah’s Prophet Lut (Lot), peace be upon him: ﴿رَبِّ نَجِّنِي وَأَهْلِي مِمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ﴾
“O my Lord! Save me and my family from [the consequence of] what they do.”
So Allah Almighty said: ﴿فَنَجَّيْنَاهُ وَأَهْلَهُ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾
“So We saved him and his family, all.”
The supplication of Allah’s Prophet Yunus (Jonah), peace be upon him: ﴿فَنَادَىٰ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ﴾
“And he called out within the darknesses, ‘There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.'”
So Allah said: ﴿فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُنجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾
“And We responded to him and saved him from the distress. And thus do We save the believers.”
Allah Almighty said about the condition of Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron), peace be upon them: ﴿وَلَقَدْ مَنَنَّا عَلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ وَهَارُونَ . وَنَجَّيْنَاهُمَا وَقَوْمَهُمَا مِنَ الْكَرْبِ الْعَظِيمِ۔﴾
“And We bestowed upon Moses and Aaron favor and saved them and their people from the great torment.”
Similarly, whoever reflects upon the Holy Quran will repeatedly find the supplications of the Prophets and their questions to their Lord. They always humbly bowed before Allah and supplicated, so Allah accepted their prayers and fulfilled their wishes. Whoever turns to the Lord of the worlds and calls upon Him, Allah never disappoints him nor returns any supplicant empty-handed. Therefore, whoever desires salvation in this world and the Hereafter should engage in supplication.
And it is obligatory upon the servant to remember every night that his salvation is in the hands of Allah, and salvation is only for the one whom Allah saves. So he should turn to his Lord with hope, humbly, and with the expectation that Allah will include him among the saved and make him successful.
It is narrated from Hazrat Bara’ bin Azib, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: إذا أتيت مضجعك فتوضأ وضوءك للصلاة، ثم اضطجع علىٰ شقك الأيمن، ثم قل: اللهم أسلمت وجهي إليك، وفوضت أمري إليك، وألجأت ظهري إليك، رغبة ورهبة إليك، لا ملجأ، ولا منجىٰ منك إلا إليك، اللهم آمنت بكتابك الذى أنزلت وبنبيك الذى أرسلت، فإن مت من ليلتك فأنت علىٰ الفطرة، واجعلهن آخر ما تتكلم به
“When you go to your bed, perform ablution as you do for prayer, then lie down on your right side, then say: O Allah! I have turned my face to You, hopeful and fearful, and I entrust all my affairs to You. I have taken refuge in You and I believe that there is no refuge from Your punishment except with You. O Allah! I believe in the Book You have revealed and in the Prophet You have sent. So if You take my soul this night, then let me die upon faith and make this supplication my last word.”
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: فهو الذى ينجي من نفسه بنفسه، ويعيذ من نفسه بنفسه، وكذلك الفرار؛ يفر عبده منه إليه، وهذا كله تحقيق للتوحيد والقدر، وأنه لا رب غيره، ولا خالق سواه، ولا يملك المخلوق لنفسه ولا لغيره ضرا ولا نفعا، ولا موتا ولا حياة ولا نشورا، بل الأمر كله لله، ليس لأحد سواه منه شيء
He is the one who protects himself from himself and takes refuge from himself, and likewise, fleeing is to come running to Him. This all proves the reality of Tawhid (Oneness of Allah) and Qadr (Divine Decree), and that there is no Lord except Him, no Creator except Him, and the creation neither has control over benefit or harm, life or death, nor resurrection after the Hereafter. Rather, everything is in Allah’s hands, and no one else can do anything about it.
Seventh Reason: Considering Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness as Necessary
The texts of the Book and Sunnah clearly indicate that repentance and seeking forgiveness have great virtues, and both are a great means of salvation on the Day of Judgment. On this, the noble Companion Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: عجبت لمن يهلك والنجاة معه! قيل: وما هي؟ فقال: الاستغفار
I wonder at the person who perishes while salvation is with him! It was asked: What is it? He said: Seeking forgiveness.
When Hazrat Uqbah ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about salvation, he (peace be upon him) said:
املك عليك لسانك، وليسعك بيتك، وابك علىٰ خطيئتك
Control your tongue, stay in your house, and weep over your faults.
The Prophetic command: “and weep over your faults” points to the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness. Here, sins refer to all the sins and slips of a person, because when a singular word comes with an addition, it includes generality. This clarifies that a servant should be fully aware of the multitude of his sins at the time of seeking forgiveness and repentance, whether hidden or apparent, old or new. The servant should ask Allah for forgiveness for all these sins and sincerely repent, so that he may attain salvation and great success.
And for this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to supplicate in prostration:
اللهم اغفر لي ذنبي كله: دقه وجله، وأوله وآخره، وعلانيته وسره
“O Allah! Forgive me all my sins, small and great, first and last, apparent and hidden.”
So when a servant sincerely repents before his Lord, abandons all sins, expresses remorse over them, firmly resolves not to return to them, and frequently seeks forgiveness from Allah, then Allah grants him salvation in this world and the Hereafter. As Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ﴾
“Allah will not punish them while you are among them, and Allah will not punish them while they seek forgiveness.”
Thus, their repentance and seeking forgiveness become the cause of their salvation and the removal of punishment.
And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: طوبىٰ لمن وجد فى صحيفته استغفارا كثيرا
Glad tidings to the one who finds much seeking of forgiveness recorded in his book of deeds.
For this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to frequently repent and seek forgiveness day and night, as narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
والله إني لأستغفر الله وأتوب إليه فى اليوم أكثر من سبعين مرة
By Allah! I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him more than seventy times a day.
Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) said: إن كنا لنعد لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فى المجلس الواحد مائة مرة: رب اغفر لي وتب على إنك أنت التواب الرحيم
We used to count the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying this one hundred times in one sitting: رب اغفر لي وتب على إنك أنت التواب الرحيم
Eighth Reason: Avoidance of Arrogance and Self-Deception
One of the causes of salvation is that a person should not be proud of his good deeds, nor be deceived by his acts of worship, but rather make every effort to avoid this, because avoiding it is a cause of salvation. And whoever neglects this aspect and becomes involved in self-admiration and arrogance will certainly be doomed. As Sheikh Hafiz Hakami, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Avoid self-admiration, because pride carries away a person’s deeds like a flood.
Some people have many good deeds and perform numerous acts of worship, but arrogance or self-admiration enters their hearts, and they begin to rely on their deeds. This attitude causes their destruction and wastes all their deeds.
It is obligatory upon a person to know that he is always deficient, and no matter how much he progresses in his deeds, he can never be truly grateful for Allah’s blessings, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
لن يدخل أحدا عمله الجنة، قالوا: ولا أنت يا رسول الله؟ قال: لا، ولا أنا إلا أن يتغمدني الله بفضل ورحمة
That no one will enter Paradise by his deeds. People asked, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Not even me, unless Allah envelops me in His grace and mercy.”
And this was the state of the best people of this Ummah, namely the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and the Followers after them. Explaining this, the scholar of the Followers, Abdullah ibn Abi Mulaika, said: أدركت ثلاثين من أصحاب النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كلهم يخاف النفاق علىٰ نفسه
I saw thirty Companions, each of whom feared hypocrisy in himself.
When Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, who was the best person of this Ummah and the most excellent after the Prophets, requested the Prophet, peace be upon him, to teach him a supplication to say in his prayer, the Prophet taught him to say:
اللهم إني ظلمت نفسي ظلما كثيرا، ولا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت فاغفر لي مغفرة من عندك، وارحمني إنك أنت الغفور الرحيم
O Allah! I have greatly wronged myself, and none forgives sins except You, so forgive me with Your special grace and have mercy on me; You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.
So what will be the condition of those lesser than him?
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: فليس لأحد أن يظن استغناءه عن التوبة إلىٰ الله والاستغفار من الذنوب؛ بل كل أحد محتاج إلىٰ ذٰلك دائما
No one should think that he is free from the need for repentance to Allah and seeking forgiveness for sins; rather, everyone always needs it.
Therefore, the conclusion is that when a servant is granted the ability to perform good deeds, he should not be content with his deeds, nor be proud or arrogant about them, but rather fear that his deeds may not be accepted, as Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوا وَّقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ﴾
And those who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord.
When the Mother of the Believers, Hazrat Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, about the meaning of this verse and said: أهم الذين يشربون الخمر ويسرقون؟ قال: لا يا بنت الصديق، ولكنهم الذين يصومون ويصلون ويتصدقون وهم يخافون أن لا تقبل منهم، ﴿أُولَٰئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ﴾
Are these the people who drink alcohol and steal? He said: No, O daughter of the truthful one! Rather, these are the people who fast, pray, give charity, yet remain fearful that their good deeds may not be accepted. These are the people who strive to outdo one another in charity, and these are the ones who excel in doing good.
New Reason: Reminder of Accountability and Standing Before Allah
One of the causes of salvation is that a person remembers that great day when all creatures will stand before Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, for accounting and reward and punishment. On that day, no one will have the authority to save, benefit, or harm anyone else, as Allah Almighty says: ﴿وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ . ثُمَّ مَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا يَوْمُ الدِّينِ . يَوْمَ لَا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِّنَفْسٍ شَيْئًا ۖ وَالْأَمْرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِّلَّهِ .﴾
“And what will make you know what the Day of Recompense is? Then, what will make you know what the Day of Judgment is? It is the Day when no soul will have power for another soul at all, and the command that Day will be with Allah.”
When a believer remembers the terrors and hardships of that day, fear arises in his heart, and he begins to prepare for the Hereafter. He adopts those means which will be the cause of his salvation and success.
That is why Allah Almighty has made it clear that those who will be successful in the Hereafter will admit that remembering their accounting and the Day of Recompense in this world was the cause of their salvation and success. Allah Almighty says: ﴿فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِيَ كِتَابَهُ بِيَمِينِهِ فَيَقُولُ هَاؤُمُ اقْرَءُوا كِتَابِيَهْ. إِنِّي ظَنَنتُ أَنِّي مُلَاقٍ حِسَابِيَهْ .﴾
“So whoever is given his record in his right hand, he will say, ‘Here, read my record! Indeed, I was certain that I would be meeting my account.'”
And Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ . قَالُوا إِنَّا كُنَّا قَبْلُ فِي أَهْلِنَا مُشْفِقِينَ . فَمَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْنَا وَوَقَانَا عَذَابَ السَّمُومِ. إِنَّا كُنَّا مِن قَبْلُ نَدْعُوهُ ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْبَرُّ الرَّحِيمُ .﴾
And they will turn to one another, questioning each other. They will say, “Indeed, we were previously among our people fearful [of displeasing Allah]. So Allah conferred favor upon us and protected us from the punishment of the scorching fire. Indeed, we used to supplicate Him before. Indeed, it is He who is the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.”
Whoever knows that he must stand before Allah one day and that Allah will question him about his deeds, should prepare for that day, be ready to answer the questions, and strive to ensure that his answers are correct.
Ibrahim bin Bashar, may Allah have mercy on him, narrates that he heard Ibrahim bin Adham, may Allah have mercy on him, say: : اذكر ما أنت صائر إليه حق ذكره، وتفكر فيما مضىٰ من عمرك؛ هل تثق به وترجو النجاة من عذاب ربك؟! فإنك إذا كنت كذٰلك شغلت قلبك بالاهتمام بطريق النجاة عن طريق اللاهين الآمنين المطمئنين؛ الذين أتبعوا أنفسهم هواها، فأوقعتهم علىٰ طريق هلكاتهم، لا جرم سوف يعلمون، وسوف يتأسفون، وسيعلم الذين ظلموا أى منقلب ينقلبون
Whatever you know about the coming day, remember it thoroughly, and reflect on the part of your life that has passed; do you trust it and hope for salvation from the punishment of your Lord? If you do so, your heart will be concerned with the path of salvation, not like those heedless, complacent people who follow their desires and put themselves on the path of destruction. Surely, those people will soon realize their mistakes, regret, and repent, and they will know what the end of the wrongdoers will be.
Mu’alla bin Ziyad, may Allah have mercy on him, relates that Mughira bin Mukhadash asked Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him: O Abu Sa’id! How should we treat those people who come here and tell us such things that almost make our hearts fly away?
Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: لأن تصحب أقواما يخوفونك حتىٰ تدرك أمنا، خير لك من أن تصحب أقواما يؤمنونك حتىٰ تلحقك المخاوف
It is better for you to sit with those people who frighten you until you find peace, rather than sit with those who give you peace until fear comes upon you.
Tenth Reason: Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
This is one of the great symbols and important acts of worship in Islam, and a significant means of salvation for the Ummah, indeed one of the greatest causes of protection from destruction.
Through it, evils are eliminated, goodness increases, blessings become widespread, and mercy descends. Its effects on the reform of individuals and societies are immense, known only to the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Numerous texts in the Quran and Sunnah clarify the encouragement and importance of this great act.
Allah Almighty said: ﴿كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ﴾
“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.”
And Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ﴾
“There should be among you a group who call to goodness, enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong. Those are the successful.”
And Allah Almighty said: ﴿وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ﴾
“And the believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.”
And Allah Almighty said: ﴿الَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَمَرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَاقِبَةُ الْأُمُورِ﴾
“Those are the ones whom if We give authority in the land, they establish prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters.”
That enjoining good and forbidding evil are among the causes of salvation and safety is indicated by Allah’s statement: ﴿فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ أَنجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ السُّوءِ وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا بِعَذَابٍ بَئِيسٍ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ﴾
“But when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We saved those who forbade evil and seized the wrongdoers with a severe punishment for what they used to do.”
And the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “مثل القائم على حدود الله والواقع فيها، كمثل قوم استهموا على سفينة، فأصاب بعضهم أعلاها وبعضهم أسفلها، فكان الذين فى أسفلها إذا استقوا من الماء مروا على من فوقهم، فقالوا: لو أنا خرقنا فى نصيبنا خرقا، ولم نؤذ من فوقنا، فإن يتركوهم وما أرادوا هلكوا جميعا، وإن أخذوا على أيديهم نجوا ونجوا جميعا
The example of those who uphold Allah’s limits and those who violate them is like a people who drew lots for places in a ship; some got the upper part and some the lower part. Those in the lower part had to pass by those above to get water. So they thought, why not make a hole in their own part so as not to trouble those above? Now, if those above let those below do as they please, all would perish; but if those above hold the hands of those below (and prevent them), then both will be saved along with the rest.
People will remain in goodness as long as someone cares for this symbol, but when people deviate from it, the danger greatly increases and the punishment becomes severe.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “إن الناس إذا رأوا المنكر فلم يغيروه أوشك أن يعمهم الله بعقابِهِ
Indeed, when people see a sinful act and do not try to change it, soon Allah’s punishment will encompass them all.
Therefore, a Muslim should adhere to this great symbol sincerely for Allah, and follow the path of the people of truth and guidance.
Hence, when the noble companion Jundub ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) heard some scholars of Basra discussing enjoining good and forbidding evil, he said: لم أر كاليوم قط قوما أحق بالنجاة إن كانوا صادقين
I have never seen a people more deserving of salvation if they are sincere than these.
A Muslim should avoid the paths of the people of misguidance and falsehood in this matter, and it is necessary to observe the correct rules, blessed etiquettes, and firm principles of this symbol derived from Allah’s Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet; because when this symbol is established according to these rules and principles, it will bring reform, goodness, and success.
If this symbol is adopted contrary to the rules and principles of Shariah, it can cause harm to Muslim societies. Peace will be disturbed, chaos will spread, wealth will be plundered, blood will be shed, sanctities will be violated, and many other types of corruption and harms will arise due to a person who lacks proper knowledge of Shariah’s rules and principles and harms himself and his Ummah.
When a people asked Hazrat Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him): Should we not enjoin good and forbid evil? He replied: “إنه لحسن، ولكن ليس من السنة أن ترفع السيف على إمامك
That is good, but it is not Sunnah to draw the sword against your Imam.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah narrated from Imam Abu Hanifah that a person asked him: If someone enjoins good and forbids evil and some people join him and separate from the congregation, is his action correct? Imam Abu Hanifah replied: No. Then he was asked: Did not Allah and His Messenger command enjoining good and forbidding evil and is it not a compulsory act? Imam Abu Hanifah said: Yes, but those who do this spread more corruption than reform; they shed blood and consider the forbidden lawful.
Conclusion
One of Sufyan al-Thawri’s brothers wrote to him asking for a brief advice, so Sufyan al-Thawri wrote this advice to him:
“عافانا الله وإياك من السوء كله يا أخي، إن الدنيا غمها لا يفنى، وفرحها لا يدوم، وفكرها لا ينقضي؛ فاعمل لنفسك حتى تنجو، ولا تتوان فتعطب، والسلام
May Allah protect us and you from every evil, O my brother. Indeed, the grief of this world never ends, and its happiness is temporary, its worry never ceases. So act for your Hereafter so that you may succeed, and do not be lazy so that you do not perish. Peace.
Muhammad ibn Samak said: “همة العاقل فى النجاة والهرب وهمة الأحمق فى اللهو والطرب
The zeal of the wise is in salvation and fleeing, while the zeal of the ignorant is in amusement and pleasure.
ونسأل الله تمام نعمته بالفوز بالجنة والنجاة من النار، وأن يثبت قلوبنا على دينه، إنه قريب مجيب، وصلى الله وسلم على عبده ورسوله نبينا محمد وآله وصحبه أجمعين.
Advice
O you who were not satisfied with sins in the month of Rajab, to the extent that you disobeyed your Lord in Sha’ban as well, remember that after Rajab and Sha’ban, the month of Ramadan has now cast its shadow upon you, so do not make it a month of disobedience as well.
In this month, strive hard in reciting the Quran and glorifying Allah because it is the month of glorification and the Quran. So work hard on this body for which you hope for salvation, for it will be burned in the flames of Hellfire.
Many people from among family, neighbors, and brothers whom you knew used to fast before, death ended them, and it allowed you to live after them. So see how short the distance is between near and far.
