Many many thanks to the answers to my various questions which I have understood very very clearly, but judging from the answers given by you or for that matter as portrayed by Allah and the Prophet (saws) as you say,then it would become difficult for an individual to live alone, separate from the family and specially the community as a whole, to ensure he/she follows exactly what you explain. Thus, the person will be completely isolated from the rest and everyone, so how would he/she live alone in this world? because everybody have their own community and religion to follow, including the Muslims, and one or a few individuals have no place in this world. Can you pls explain how could one isolate himself and stay alone and follow exactly Allah`s guidance and to keep on the Siraat-ul-Mustaqeem (the Straight- Path of Islam) and in the event of one`s marriage and burial who on this earth will assist or help? because the person won`t be recognised of any community or will be having any friends for that matter. This is serious and I want an authentic answer to my above question.

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol,  no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and We  bear witness that Muhammad is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your motto in life of do unto others what you would have others do unto you,  is very similar to what the Messenger of Allah (saws) commanded the believers to do.   He (saws) said: “He is not a believer,  unless he wills for his (muslim) brother,  what he wills for himself.”    And this is definitely a good quality of a muslim.

The other qualities that you describe are indeed worthy of a true muslim,  like not hurting someone or his feelings,  believing that everything that happens is the Divine Will or ‘Qadr’ of Allah,  begging Allah Alone for all your needs,   and calling on whatever you need from Allah Alone in the language that you speak,  as indeed Allah Alone can understand and answer  all our prayers.   All these qualities are characteristics of a good true believer indeed,  and May Allah guide us all to develop these qualities of a good muslim in ourselves.

But brother,  I just want to point out one thing.   Your ‘imaan’ and ‘aqeedah’ is perfectly in line, and you realize that everything you have and everything that exists is created by none other than Allah Alone,  and everything in the Universe happens with His Command and He has absolute control over everything.   He created the heavens and the earth,  and everything in between,  Alone!   He created you,  Alone!  He gave you a loving family and home.   He provided everything you ever needed.  He is your Sustainer,  your Cherisher, your Provider,  your Protector, your Helper, your Lord and your Master.   All Praise is thus due to Allah Alone.

So what have you (or I or anybody) done for Him?    What does He want us to do in return for all His uncountable favours?    Who is He pleased with,  and who deserves His Anger and Wrath?

The first thing that we should have in our hearts is gratitude or ‘shukr’ to our Lord and Master for creating us,  loving us,  and providing for us.   That is absolutely the first criteria and this should be absolutely natural.   This is the Being Who is so kind to us,  Who loves us,  Who created us,  Who gave us everything that we ever needed,  Who provides for us,  Who gave us life,   Who will give us death,  and Who will raise up us again on the Day of Judgment.  Thus this Being deserves our absolute gratitude,  thanks and ‘shukr’.  And the Messenger of Allah (saws) said,  that ‘shukr’ is the actual basis of worship.   One is so awed, and his heart is so full of the favors done on him by Allah The Almighty,   that he bows down his head in prostration to Him!  

I would like to relate the story of our father and one of the Mightiest Messengers of Allah,  Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) as related by Allah in the Holy Quran Chapter 26,  Surah Ash-Shuaara verses 69-82:

And tell them the story of Abraham when he asked his father (Azar) and his people: “What are these things that you worship?”.  They answered, “These are idols which we worship and we serve them devotedly.”   Abraham asked, “Do they hear you when you call on them?  Or do they bring any good or harm to you?”   They replied, “No,  but we have found our elders doing the same.”   At this,  Abraham said,  “Have you ever seen with open eyes the things which you and your elders have been worshipping?   They are all enemies to me,  except the One Lord of the Worlds,  Who created me,  then He it is Who guides me,  Who gives me food and drink,  and Who gives me health when I am ill,  Who will cause me to die and then will give me life again,  and of Whom I expect that He will forgive me my errors on the Day of Judgment.”

The biggest ‘haqq’ or right of Allah on His slaves is that we have ‘shukr’ for all his favours upon us,  and this ‘shukr’ itself leads us to his ‘ibaadah’ or worship.   Ibaadah is that whenever Our Lord and Master orders us to do something,  we willingly obey.   Whatever He commands us,  we are willingly ready to oblige.   Whatever He says is haraam,  we treat it as haraam.   Whatever He says is halaal,  we treat it as halaal.   Whatever our Lord and Master Wills,   we willingly and with pleasure rush to obey His Will and Command.   Ibaadah is submitting our will to the Will of our Lord and Master,  with humility and submission.

The rituals of salaah,  fasting,  hajj,  Umrah, etc. are nothing,  but a course designed by Allah for his believing slaves for His remembrance and Ibaadah or worship.    If we are indeed grateful and ‘shaakir’ for all His favors,  then we have to move beyond the lip-service that we give,  and rush to fulfill each and every one of His Orders and Commandments!   That would indeed be a grateful servant and slave of Allah.

We cannot formulate our own ways for His worship,  like saying I appreciate his favors,  and thank Him in my own way,  in my heart!   The rites and rituals of ‘ibaadah’ or worship are not something we can learn by our own experiences, and trial and error.   Allah,  in His Mercy and Wisdom, sent us Messengers to guide us to His worship.   Allah,  in His Mercy and Wisdom,  sent us the Glorious Quran for our guidance.   If indeed we believe that He is our Creator,  Lord and Master,  then we have to follow His Commandments and Orders as laid out by Allah in the manual of guidance to mankind;  the Al Quran,  and follow our guide and leader the Messenger of Allah,  Mohamed ibn Abdulla (saws).   That is the true and Straight Path of Islam.

Allow me to relate a worldly example to you.   A soldier’s duty is to fight the enemies of the state.   To best enable him to do this,  the army designs a course,  whereby the soldier has to do a course to allow him to join the fight.  He has to follow the discipline of the army,  he has to get up at 05:00am everyday for training,  he has to train with the group and learn the art of war, etc.   To be an efficient soldier,  he has to absolutely follow the discipline and training courses laid out by the army.  Only then will he pass the course and be enlisted in the army.

A soldier cannot tell the army that he loves his country and will devise his own training course,  and turn up for the wars!  

As a muslim,  our daily lives are constantly at war with the temptations and incitements of our accursed and confirmed enemy,  the Shaitaan!   We cannot see him,  but he attacks us from places where we cannot even imagine!    To combat this and all the other enemies of Allah,  we need  a thorough training,  and this training and discipline for the muslims is designed by none other than Allah,  The All Wise, The All Knowing.   We cannot leave this training and be efficient muslims.   We cannot formulate our own course and discipline.   We need guidance from Allah and His Messenger (saws) to become the true slaves and soldiers of Allah.  

Thus the outwardly acts of worship and ‘ibaadah’ are nothing but a course for the muslims,  designed by the All Wise All Knowing Allah to keep us on the Siraat al Mustaqeem (Straight Path of Islam).  These acts of worship remind us constantly that we are all created by Allah, and what are our responsibilities as the slaves of Allah,   and to Allah we all have to return one day for accounting. 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 29 Surah Ankabut verse 45 regarding some of the wisdom behind the act of salaah: O Prophet,  recite this Book (Al Quran) which has been revealed to you,  and establish the Salaat.   Surely the salaat restrains from indecent and evil acts,  and the remembrance of Allah is indeed the greatest.   And Allah knows whatever you do.

Thus my brother,  in conclusion,  you are not wrong in your ‘iman’ and ‘aqeedah’,  and neither are you right in not obeying the disciplines of Islam as commanded by Allah and His Messenger (saws).    We need to turn back to the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws) in everything that we do,  if we are to achieve success in this world and the hereafter.   And the best way to formulate this deen of Islam, is to turn to the manual of guidance that has been sent to us as a Mercy from the All Merciful;  The Al Quran.   The Glorious Quran is nothing but a guidance and a mercy from Allah Subhanah to all mankind.  The Glorious Quran are the very words of our Lord and Creator,  sent for our guidance and our salvation.    If we want to follow the deen of Islam,  we must understand this manual sent by our Creator.   If we haven’t read this manual with understanding,  we must immediately make intention to try and read it with understanding.    If we have read it once with understanding,  read it again and again and again.   Allah himself calls the Al Quran a ‘dhikr’ or remembrance, and commands us to read it,  understand it, follow it and derive guidance from it again and again and again.   

Only if we obey Allah and His Messenger (saws),  we will be guided aright.   Only one path leads to the eternal Gardens of Bliss,  and that is the Siraat al Mustaqeem,  as laid out clearly in the Glorious Quran by none other than the All Knowing, All Wise, Allah.   All the other paths are created by man himself and are nothing but deviations from the Straight Path.

O Allah,  guide us to the Siraat al Mustaqeem (the Straight Path of Islam).   O Allah,  have mercy upon us, help us, guide us,  and forgive us our sins.   O Allah,  guide us to read and understand Your words and Your message and Your commandments,  in the Holy Quran.   O Allah,  we beg you not to disgrace us  on the Day,  when nothing but Your Mercy will be between our going to the eternal Gardens of Bliss,  or the everlasting torture of the fire of Hell.   O Allah,  have mercy upon us,  our families,  our brothers and sisters in Islam,  and all of mankind.   O Allah,  guide us to Islam.  Ameen.

May Allah guide you and us all to the Siraat al-Mustaqeem.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

Burhan

 
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