IN PURSUIT OF THE PLEASURE OF

ALLAH

God has promised the believers, both men and women, Gardens through which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide eternally, and beautiful dwelling in the Gardens of Paradise.The blessed acceptance of Allah is even greater (wa ridwanum minAllahi akbar). That is the success supreme! 9: 71-72

Taubah, 9:111• Surely Allah has bought from the believers their

selves and their properties, for this that theirs be the Garden;

• they fight in Allah's way, so they slay and are slain; (this is)

• a promise which is binding on Him in the Torah and the Injil and the Qur’an;

• and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah?

• Therefore, rejoice in the trade that you have transacted; and that is the great achievement (9:111).

204-207

Baqarah 2:204-207• "And among men there is one whose words, in this

life, attract you; he even makes Allah his witness on what is there in his heart, while he is so stiff-necked when quarreling.

• And once he turns back, he runs about in the earth trying to spread disorder therein, and to destroy the tillage and the stock; and Allah does not like disorder.

• When it is said to him, "Fear Allah", he is over come by the arrogance (he has) for sin. The hell is then enough for him, and it is, indeed an evil bed to rest.

• And among men there is one who sells his very self to seek the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is compassionate to His servants." (2:204-207) 

Two kinds of people- Hypocrite and Sincere

1-HYPOCRITES They wish to have

everything right here in this world,

2-SINCERE

BELIEVERS

They pray for the good of both

worlds, the mortal and the eternal.

Hypocrite- Akhnas Ibn Shurayq• Verses 204-206 refer to a hypocrite, Akhnas ibn

Shurayq known for his eloquence. • He would come to the Holy Prophet(SAW) and try

to impress him with his sworn allegiance to Islam, • No sooner did he walk out of his company than he

would get busy with his anti-Muslim mischief-making.

• Any effort to make such a person fear Allah takes him to the other extreme when he pleases his pride through sin.

• So, 'the Hell is enough for him.' 

Sincere Believer-Suhayb Al Rumi• Hakim, Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Hatim reported with sound authorities, that this

verse was revealed in connection with an event related to the blessed

Companion Suhayb al-Rumi (RA)

• When he Makkah to Madinah, he was accosted on his way by a group of

disbelievers of the Quraysh.

• Seeing this, Companion Suhayb dismounted, took position, pulled out all the

arrows from his quiver and said to the group: ’I will fight with you but if you

want to make a deal, I can tell you where my money is in Makkah. You go and

take that and let me go my way.' 

The confronting group of Quraysh agreed to do so.

• When Companion Suhayb reached Madinah, he went to the Holy Prophet (SAW)

and told him everything about the incident.

• Upon this, he said twice: "Profitable was your deal Abu Yahya, profitable was

your deal Abu Yahya!” 

Our Ultimate Goal

• "But the greatest bliss is the good Pleasure of Allah: that is the supreme success.” [Surah At-Taubah (9), Ayah 72.]

• "As for those who strive hard in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our Paths (Allah's religion).”

[Surah Al-‘Ankabut (29), Ayah 69.]

2 WAYS TO ATTAIN PLEASURE OF ALLAH

1. Sincerity• Directing our

sincere devotion to Allah alone.

2. Obedience

True following of His messenger,

Muhammad

(SAW)

Allah’s Pleasure IN JANNAH

Early Muslims objective was only seeking the Pleasure of Allah

• Their only concern in this life was to achieve His pleasure.

• Therefore they overcame any hindrance or obstacle on the road leading to this exalted aim

• They dispensed with all their desires and worldly aspirations.

• Thus they became the most pious, most knowledgeable and most just of all people.

• Their Lord, consequently, granted them guidance and support and made them the mightiest of all people.

Majority of present-day Muslims,

• Put the Pleasure of Allah behind them and set off in pursuit of their own worldly desires

• • Other objectives alongside seeking the pleasure of Allah

(SWT)

• "A man belonging to many partners disputing with one another.” [Zumar ,39:29.]

• An action for someone else's sake as well as Allah's

(SWT) will be renounced by Allah (SWT) •

Result of this attitude• Today's Muslims, despite their large numbers,

have become like the foam of a torrential stream.

• They have fallen into myriad vices.

• They are divided by whims and heresies.

• The Muslim Ummah has become, as the Prophet said, a large bowl to which all the nations of the world call upon one another (to eat from).

Abandoning this goal leads to wrath of Allah

• Abandoning the Pleasure of Allah (SWT) means nothing other than choosing Allah's (SWT) wrath

• "So after the Truth, what else can there be except error?” [Yunus (10: 32.]

•

• "Those are they who have purchased error at the price of Guidance, and torment at the price of Forgiveness. So how bold they are [for evil deeds which will push them] to the Fire!” Baqarah (2:175.

l. Sincerity

• "Say [O Muhammad ( pbuh)]: ‘ Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. He has no partner.’ Anaam,6,162-163

• "Say: [O Muhammad ( pbuh)]: ‘Verily I am commanded to worship Allah (alone) by obeying Him and doing deeds sincerely for Allah's sake only and not to show off, and not to set up rivals with Him in worship;’” [Surah Az- Zumar ,39:11.]

•

Hadith Qudsi

Hadith

• On the authority of Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra), the Prophet said: “Actions are but by intention and every man shall have but that which he intended. Thus he whose migration was for Allah and His Messenger, his migration was for Allah and His Messenger; and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his migration was for that which he migrated

ar-Riyaa (Show Off)

• Performing any of the various forms of worship through words or actions in order to be seen and praised by people.

• • "And when they stand up to pray, they stand

with laziness and to be seen of men.” [Surah An-Nisa (4:142.]

• “So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work, and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.” [Surah Al- Kahf.18:110.]

Imam Ibn Qayyam about sincere people

• "They are the true people of the saying: ‘You [Alone] we worship’

• All their works, words, giving, withholding, loving, hating and apparent and hidden interactions are devoted to Allah alone.

• They do not seek the reward or thanks of the people, nor do they seek the high status in society

• They neither seek to be commended, nor avoid being defamed

• They consider people as the buried dead who can neither benefit nor harm, nor do they have power over life or death, or the raising of the dead."

2. True following of the Prophet

• "Say [O Muhammad to Mankind]: `If you [really] love Allah, then follow me. Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.” [Ale-Imran,3: 31.]

• "Indeed in the Messenger of Allah [Muhammad ] you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in [the Meeting with] Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much.”

[Al-Ahzaab ,33:21.]

Following the Prophet

• "And whatsoever the Messenger [Muhammad ] gives you, take it. And whatsoever he forbids, abstain [from it]. [Surah Al-Hashr (59: 7.]

• "O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away ,from him while You are hearing.” [Surah Al-Anfal (8: 20.]

Deed not following Sunnah is rejected

Steps necessary for following the Sunnah

A. Must reject innovations and customary practices which people have introduced into religion.

B. Adhere to the teachings of the Prophet in his: • creed and practices, • piety and conduct, • his judgment and adjudications, • his daily life and striving, • his speech and silence, • his remembrance and thoughts and • his sleep and waking.

Instances of contradicting the true following of the Prophet

• l. Adopting doctrines and theories trying to reshape Islam to suit themselves.

• 2. Considering men to be a criterion by which to judge the Shari'ah and a measure of truth; and referring to them instead of referring to Shari'ah.

• 3. Putting words and actions before the Qur'an and the Sunnah.

"O you who believe! Be not forward in the presence of

Allah and His Messenger. Hujuraat (49:1]

Contradicting Sunnah• 4. Following the example of the Prophet only in certain

aspects of Shariah and neglecting others. • An instance of this is to follow the Prophet's example in ways

of praying and fasting, for example, and not in ways of governance

• "Do you believe you in part of the scripture and disbelieve in part thereof?” (2:85.]

• "And this is My Straight Path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, lest you be parted from His Way.” (6:153.]

People of dunya and people of Akhirah

• People of dunya

• Compete for money and influence, fame and power

• Consider this world their only abode and the end of their journey

• It is their sole objective which they strive hard to attain

• People of Akhirah

• They are strangers in this life.

• "Be in the world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.”

• Heart of a stranger or wayfarer can hardly pay attention to anything other than his home and final destination

Our Provisions

Piety and knowledge.

• Certainty and total

reliance on Allah.

• Gratefulness

[to Allah] and

patience.

• Doing without the life of this world in

preference to the

Hereafter.

12 3

4

Taqwah and Ilm

• "And take a provision (with you) for the journey; but the best provision is Taqwa (piety, righteousness, etc.)" (Baqarah,2:197)

• “It is only those have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah.”

[Faatir,35:28.]

Allah grants Furqan to Muttaqoon

• "O you who believe! If you obey Allah and fear Him, He will grant you a Furqan (criterion to judge between right and wrong])." [Anfal (8:29.]

Muhammad bin Ishaq said, "Furqan is distinction between the truth and falsehood,o which helps recognize truth from falsehood,o with which we act with the truth and avoid

falsehoodo with which we support the truth and overcome

falsehood.”

Every innovation is misguidance

Khutbah of the Prophet (SAW)

ILM or Knowledge

• "Say: ‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’" [Zumar ,39: 9.]

•

• "Indeed, Allah conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His verses and purifying them, instructing them the Book and al-Hikmah (Wisdom and the Sunnah), while, before that, they had been in manifest error.” [ 3:164.]

Knowledge is the Prophet’s inheritance

• The Prophet said: “The learned are the heirs of the prophets.The Prophets transfer neither dinar nor dirham by inheritance. They only transfer knowledge by inheritance. Therefore, he who acquires this [knowledge], receives an ample share.” Abu Dawud

• Mu'adh bin Jabal put it so eloquently when he said, "Through it (knowledge), blood ties are preserved and through it Halal is distinguished from Haram. It is a leader and conduct is its follower. It is given to the fortunate and withheld from the unfortunate."

Certitude and Trust in Allah

• "And we made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our command, when they persevered with patience and used to believe with certainty in Our Signs." [Surah As-Sajdah (32: 24.]

•

• "And whoever puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is Allah for him." [Surah At-Talaq (\65: 2.]

Gratefulness to Allah and Patience

• "Why should Allah punish you if you are grateful [to Him] and you believe (in Him)?" [Surah An-Nisa 4: 147.]

• "Allah is with those who patiently persevere." [Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 153.]

Zuhd and preference of Akhirah

• "And whoso desires the Hereafter and strives for it as it should be striven for, and he is a believer - these are the ones whose striving shall find favour [with Allah]." ( Al-`Israa,19.)

Zuhud