The qualities of those who love their Lord

Loving our Lord is mandatory upon each of His slaves since the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) informed us that it is a characteristic of belief and a sign of enjoying the sweetness of faith. Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: “One who attains the following three things will taste the sweetness of faith: To make Allah and His Messenger more beloved to himself than anything else; to love a person for no other reason except for the sake of Allah; and to hate to return to disbelief just as much as he would hate to be thrown into fire.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The question arises: If the love of Allah The Almighty is obligatory and if it is one of the qualities of belief, where do we stand with respect to this love? Are we amongst those who truly love Allah The Almighty? Are we amongst those whom Allah The Almighty loves?

Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {"O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his religion (Islam), Allah will bring a people whom He will love and they will love Him; humble towards the believers, stern towards the disbelievers, fighting in the way of Allah, and never fearing the blame of the blamers. That is the Grace of Allah which He bestows on whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower."} [Quran 3: 54].

This verse mentions four of their qualities:

First: Humble towards the believers; merciful and compassionate with them, just as the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was in his leniency, mercy and compassion with the believers.

 Second: Stern towards the disbelievers.

Third: Fighting in the way of Allah The Almighty with their souls, tongues and wealth, and therefore fulfilling this claim of love.

Fourth: Not fearing blame for the sake of Allah The Almighty, which is an indication of their sincere love.

Generally speaking, one can gain the love of Allah The Almighty through following His commands and refraining from disobeying Him, as well as favouring obedience to Him over anything else and seeking His pleasure.

If you wish to be amongst those whom Allah loves, you must have their qualities which are mentioned in the Qur'aan:

To do good: {"And do good. Truly, Allah loves the good-doers."} [Quran, 2: 195]

To repent and purify themselves: {"Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves"} [Quran, 2: 222].

To be are pious: {"Yes, whoever fulfils his pledge and fears Allah much; verily, then Allah loves those who are the pious"} [Quran, 3: 76].

To be patient: {"But they never lost heart for that which did befall them in Allah's way, nor did they weaken nor degrade themselves. And Allah loves the patient"} [Quran, 3: 146]

To rely on Allah: {"Then when you have taken a decision, rely on Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who rely on Him."} [Quran 3: 159]

To be just: {"And if you judge, judge with justice between them. Verily, Allah loves those who act justly."} [Quran, 3: 42].

To be sincere in Jihaad: {"Verily Allah loves those who fight in His Cause in rows (ranks) as if they were a solid structure."} [Quran, 61: 4].

Ibn Al-Qayyim  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him mentioned some actions that inspire the love of Allah The Almighty:

Reciting the Quran with attentiveness and pondering over its meanings.

Performing optional acts of worship after fulfilling the obligatory ones.

Always remembering Allah The Almighty in the heart, by the tongue and deeds, because one will benefit proportional to the amount that he remembers Allah.

Favoring His love over any other love, particularly when your desires become strong. 

Striving hard to reach that which He loves.

Learning and pondering over His qualities and attributes, because the one who learns and ponders over the qualities and attributes of Allah will certainly love Him due to this.

Thinking about His apparent and concealed favors and kindness.

Supplicating and appealing to Him during the last third of every night, reciting His Book, standing with full servitude before Him and begging for His forgiveness.

Being around righteous people who sincerely love Allah and learning the best of what they say.

Hope – the Most Sublime Rank for the Followers

In this article, we will talk about hoping for Allah's mercy. The believers’ relationship with their Lord is characterized both by fear and hope, such that the former deters them from sins and disobedience, whereas the latter drives them towards good deeds.

Ibn Al-Qayyim  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him said:

“Hoping for the reward of Allah is one of the most supreme and honorable ranks of one who pursues the right path. Allah The Almighty praises those [who do that], when He Says (what means): {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.} [Quran 33:21] It was also narrated in a Hadeeth Qudsi, that Allah The Almighty Says: ‘O son of Adam, If you supplicate to Me, expecting My forgiveness, I will forgive you however great or many your sins may be.’ When a person has hope, it means that he or she is bound and attached to these names of his or her Lord: “The Benevolent, The Beneficent”. The more one knows Allah The Almighty, His names, attributes and the dominance of His mercy over His wrath, the more his or her hope increases [in Him]. Had it not been for hope, the servitude of the heart and organs [to Allah] would have ceased, and monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where the name of Allah is frequently mentioned, would have been demolished. If not for the spirit of hope, [our] limbs would not have performed acts of obedience, and neither would the ships of good deeds have sailed in the seas of will without its pleasant breeze.”

Similarly, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: “If a believer [truly] knew of the punishment of Allah, no one would expect His Paradise. Equally, were a disbeliever to know of the [actual] mercy of Allah, none would despair of His Paradise.” ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, remarked, “The most encouraging verse in the Quran is in the Chapter Az-Zumar (The Groups); Allah The Almighty Says (what means), {Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."} [Quran 39:53]”

One of those who visited Maalik ibn Anas  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him during the night in which he died, asked him, “O Abu ‘Abdullah, how do you find yourself?” He  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him answered, “I do not know what to say to you except that you will soon see [aspects] of the clemency of Allah that you have never expected.”

Glory be to Allah The Almighty! If those who turn away from Him only know how He waits for their return and how Merciful He is to them, they will long for Him enormously. Indeed, if this is His will towards such people, how will He be to those who draw near to Him? ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Mubaarak approached Sufyaan Ath-Thawri  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  them both, on the night of [standing in] ‘Arafah, and found him kneeling [in prayer], as his eyes overflowed with tears; he asked, “Who is the worst person in this gathering [in the plains of ‘Arafah]?’ Sufyaan Ath-Thawri  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him replied: “Whoever thinks that Allah will not forgive their sins [i.e., of the people who are present].’”

On a similar night, Al-Fudhayl ibn ‘Iyaadh  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him observed people’s glorification [of Allah The Almighty] and their crying, so he asked those around him: “If those people went to a man and requested one-sixth of a dirham from him, would he let them return empty-handed?” When they replied in the negative, he commented: “By Allah, pardoning is easier for Allah than [that].” Therefore, I implore Allah The Almighty, seeking His forgiveness, knowing fully that He absolves and forgives; even if people’s sins are great, they are minor in comparison to His mercy.

Hence, a slave should have much hope in Him, especially when he or she is on the verge of death. Allah The Almighty Says, as narrated in a Hadeeth: “I am [to him or her] as My slave thinks of Me.” That is why, perhaps, when Waathilah ibn Al-Asqa’, may Allah be pleased with him, went to see Yazeed ibn Al-Aswad  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him as he lay dying, he asked him, “What is your expectation about Allah?” The latter replied: “My sins have brought me to the brink of ruin, but I hope for the mercy of Allah.” So, Waathilah, may Allah be pleased with him, [happily] exclaimed “Allah is The Greatest”, and then said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) say: ‘Allah The Almighty Says: ‘I am as My slave thinks of Me, so let him think of Me what he wants’.’” For the same reason, when Sulaymaan At-Taymi  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him was dying, he instructed his son: “O Mu‘tamir, talk to me about exemptions [in Islam], so that I may meet Allah while having good expectations of Him.”

Hope prompts one to do good deeds

It is witnessed as a reality in life that many neglect good deeds and dare to commit evil and sins, claiming that they trust in the mercy and forgiveness of Allah The Almighty. Undoubtedly, this is a misunderstanding of the true meaning of hope. The words of Al-Hasan Al-Basri  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him are applicable to such people mentioned above; he says: “There are people whose confidence in forgiveness diverts them from doing what is moral, so much so that they die with no virtues. They proclaim: ‘we have good expectation of Allah’. Surely, they are liars, for if they had hope [in Him], they would have done good [to support their claim].”

Allah The Almighty is indeed the most Forgiving, Ever Merciful; however, I would like to draw your attention, dear reader, to the subtle meaning embedded in the verse (which means): {Indeed, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah - those expect the mercy of Allah. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 2:218]. Contemplate how this verse alludes to these people hoping for the mercy of Allah The Almighty alongside doing those great noble deeds.

Dear Muslim, let us, then, do good and repent from our sins and evil which we have committed. Let us repeat the words of Mahmood Al-Warraaq  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him: “O Allah, I have much hope in Your forgiveness and You [alone] manage my affairs. I have concealed my secrets from my relatives and others; You are the only One to Whom I disclose them as I am confident that You will veil them. O Allah! Do not fail me on the Day of Resurrection when all hidden matters will be exposed. O Allah, do not reveal my secrets before people; Your protection will provide me with an argument [for my forgiveness], even though I have no basis for contention or a real excuse.”

Etiquette towards The Messenger of Allah

One of the joys that Allah grants His servant is to love His beloved Noble Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) (may Allah exalt his mention), and how can it be otherwise, when to love the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) is one of the conditions of faith?

Imaam Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon hin, related from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: "I swear by Him in Whose Hands my soul lies, none of you will truly believe until I am more beloved to him than his father and son."

Imaam Muslim  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him related from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: "None of you will truly believe until I am more beloved to him than his family, wealth and all the people."

In the same way that love of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) is a reason for attaining the good of this world and the Hereafter, then loving him is also a reason for achieving the sweetness of Eemaan (faith).

Al-Bukhari and Muslim both related from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: "Whoever possesses the following three qualities will taste the sweetness (delight) of Eemaan: One to whom Allah and His Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) are dearer than anything else; whoever loves his brother solely for Allah's sake; and whoever hates to convert to disbelief just as he hates to be thrown into the Fire."

The meaning of "sweetness of Eemaan", as the scholars have stated is: "Deriving pleasure from obedience and enduring hardship in religion and preferring this over worldly things." (Sharh An-Nawawee and Fat- Hul-Baaree)

Loving the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) will also be a means of taking one to the place of felicity.

It has been related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim from 'Abdullaah Ibn Mas'ood, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: [A man came to the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! What do you say of a man who loves a people and never joins them?' The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: The person will be with those whom he loves (i.e. in the Hereafter)."]  (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

We all claim that we love the Noble Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and that he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) is more beloved to us than our fathers, sons and all the people. However, are we really truthful in this claim? Does our claim have any value in the Sight of Allah?

The scholars have mentioned signs and criterion by which the love of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) can be judged i.e. whether it is in a person's heart or not. Some of the most apparent signs are the following:

1) being eager to see and keep company with him  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). Thus, the loss of these two wishes would be worse than the loss of anything in the world.

2) Having total willingness to sacrifice oneself and one's wealth for him.

3) Following his orders and refraining from what he prohibited.

4) Making his Sunnah (Prophetic traditions) victorious and protecting the Sharee`ah (Islamic law).

If one finds these signs in himself, then he should praise Allah, The Most Mighty and The Most Majestic, that he possesses in his heart the true love for the beloved, the Noble [Prophet]  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). He should ask Allah for steadfastness upon this.

Whoever lacks some or all of these signs, should hold himself to account before he is held to account, on a Day which will turn the hair of children gray (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). Nothing will be hidden from Allah and he (the slave) will not consider or attempt to deceive Allah and the believers; because one who attempts to deceive Allah will only deceive himself as Allah says:

"They (think to) deceive Allah and those who believe, while they deceive not except themselves, and perceive (it) not." [Quran, 2: 9]

'Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said to Allah's Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) "O Messenger of Allah, you are more beloved to me than anything except my own self." Allah's Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) then told him, "No, by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, not until I am more beloved to you than your own soul." 'Umar then told him, "By Allah, now you are more beloved to me than my own soul (i.e. you will not truly believe)." Allah's Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) then told him that now he had true and correct faith." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Ibn Rajab  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him says about love of the Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ):

Love for the Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) is at two levels.

The first level is obligatory. This is the love that requires one to accept whatever the Messenger  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) brought from Allah and to receive it with love, pleasure, esteem and submission, without seeking guidance from any other source whatsoever. This is then followed by excellent following of him in whatever he conveyed from his Lord and to affirm whatever he has reported of obligations, to remain away from anything he has prohibited of forbidden acts, to give support for his religion and to strive against those who oppose him according to one's ability. All of these are necessary components that one must possess and a person's Faith is not complete without them.

The second level is superior [and not an absolutely necessary component of Faith]. This type of love requires following his example in an excellent way and fulfilling the following of his Sunnah (tradition) with respect to his behavior, manners, voluntary deeds, supererogatory actions, eating, drinking, dressing, excellent behavior with his wives and other aspects of his perfect manners and pure behavior. It also includes learning about the details of his life and practices. It also includes the heart trembling when mentioning him, exalting his mention often, out of what resides in the heart of love for him, esteem for him and respect for him. It also includes loving to listen to his words and preferring them over the words of others of the creation. And one of the greatest aspects of this love is to follow him in his abstinence of this world, his being sufficed with little of this world and his turning to and desiring of the everlasting Hereafter.

Etiquettes of Supplicating - II

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) used to invoke Allah The Exalted saying: “Allahumma anta rabbi la ilaaha illa ant, khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduk, wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa‘dika mastata‘t, a‘oothu bika min sharri maa sana‘t, aboo’u laka bini‘matika, wa aboo’u laka bithanbi faghfir lee fa innahoo la yaghfiru ath-thunooba illa ant (O Allah, You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship except You. You Created me and I am Your slave; and I abide by Your Covenant and Promise as best I can. I take refuge in You from the evil that I committed and I am grateful to You for the blessing that You Conferred on me. I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sins except You).” [Al-Bukhari] The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) also said, “Allahumma inni a‘oothu bika min ash shiqaaqi wan nifaaqi wa soo’u al akhlaaq (O Allah, I seek refuge with you from dissension, hypocrisy and bad morals.” [An-Nasaa’i]

• Avoiding exaggeration in making an invocation rhyme: A Muslim should not exaggerate in making a supplication rhyme because this is a state of humility and submissiveness. Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Avoid rhymes in supplication for the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, used to avoid it.” [Al-Bukhari]

Some of the righteous people said, “Invoke Allah The Exalted with a humble and mild tongue, not one that is eloquent and quick.”

• Invoking Allah The Almighty for one’s self and then for others. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {"Our Lord, Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and Put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful."} [Quran 59:10] The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) used to invoke Allah The Almighty for himself first before invoking Him for any other person. [At-Tirmithi]

• Avoiding supplicating Allah The Almighty against one’s self, family, wealth or children. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “Do not supplicate Allah against yourselves, your children or your wealth.” [Muslim]

• Supplicating Allah The Exalted for fellow brothers in their absence. The Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “The supplication of a Muslim for another Muslim in his absence is accepted by Allah. He has an appointed angel at his head and every time he supplicates good for his brother, the angel would say: “Aameen and for you the same.” [Muslim]

• Invoking Allah The Almighty for whoever does you a favor. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “If a favor is performed for someone and he says to the one who performed it, ‘May Allah Reward you.’ He would be rewarding him perfectly.” [At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa’i] The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) also said, “Whoever does you a favor, reward him for it. And if you cannot find the means of doing so, then keep supplicating for him until you think that you have rewarded him adequately.” [Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa’i]

• Asking righteous people for supplications. A Muslim should ask his fellow brothers to supplicate Allah The Almighty for him especially the righteous people. It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I asked the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) for permission to perform ‘Umrah and he granted it to me and said, ‘O brother, remember us in your supplication and do not forget us.’ The words he said pleased me more than could all that is in the life of this world.” [At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]

• Avoiding supplicating Allah The Almighty for a sin or the severance of kinship. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: “A servant shall continue to have his supplications answered so long as he does not supplicate for sins or the severance of kinship.” [Muslim]

• Remembering Allah The Exalted, obeying Him and performing good deeds. Being conscious of Allah The Exalted, diligent on performing acts of worship, abandoning sins and evils and hastening to repentance makes supplication more likely to be answered. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {"Indeed, Allah only Accepts from the righteous [who fear Him].} [Quran 5:27] It was narrated that Allah The Almighty said in the Qudsi Hadeeth, “Whoever keeps himself busy with the Quran and remembering Me, I Will Give him the best of all those who ask of Me.” [At-Tirmithi]

• Being keen on having lawful sustenance. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “O people, Allah Is Good and He Accepts only that which is good. And Allah Commanded the believers as He Commanded the Messengers by saying (what means): {"O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed, I, of what you do, Am Knowing.}” [Quran 23:51] And He Says (what means): {O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.} [Quran 2:172] He then mentioned (the case of) a man who has travelled a long distance – unkempt and dusty – and raises his hands towards the heavens and says: 'O Lord, O Lord, while his food, drink, clothing are from unlawful means and he is fed with unlawful food. Then how could his supplication be answered?” [Muslim]

Ibraaheem ibn Adham  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him was once asked, “Why are our supplications to Allah The Exalted not answered?” He answered, “Because your hearts have died due to ten things.”

“1- You know Allah The Almighty but do not obey Him. 

2- You know the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) but do not follow his Sunnah (tradition).

3- You recite the Quran but do not act upon it. 

4- You enjoy the Blessings of Allah The Exalted without giving thanks. 

5- You know of Paradise but do not exert any effort to enter it. 

6- You know of Hell but you do not exert any effort to escape it.

7- You know of Satan but do not oppose him.

8- You know of death but do not prepare for it. 

9- You bury your dead but do not learn from their example.

10- And in your state of slumber, you focus your attention on the shortcomings of others while neglecting your own.”

Etiquettes of Supplicating - I

During the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, there was no rain for an entire year and the people were about to perish. So ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, gathered the people and they went out to the desert. He then asked Al-‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, the paternal uncle of the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) to invoke Allah The Exalted for the Muslims. Al-‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, raised his hands towards the sky and said, “O Allah, we stretch our hands to You admitting our sins and our forelocks to You declaring our repentance, so Grant us rain.” Thus, Allah The Almighty Sent down the rain.

The mother of Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with them, went to the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) while holding the hand of her son Anas to serve the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) and asked him to supplicate Allah The Exalted for him. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) invoked Allah The Almighty Saying, “O Allah, Bless his wealth and offspring.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, lived until his wealth and offspring increased in abundance and he saw one hundred of his children and grandchildren.

Supplication (Du‘aa’) means to ask for pardon, mercy, forgiveness and to ask Allah The Almighty for what one wants to achieve. It is one of the acts of worship that earns the Satisfaction of Allah The Almighty. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “Supplication is worship.” [At-Tirmithi] Then the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) recited the verse in which Allah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {And your Lord Says, "Call upon Me; I Will Respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.} [Quran 40:60]

• {Is He [not best] Who Responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and Removes evil} [Quran 27:62]

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “Nothing is more honorable in the Sight of Allah than supplicating (to Him).” [At-Tirmithi and Ahmad]

There are etiquettes for supplicating that every Muslim should abide by. Some of these etiquettes are:

• Choosing the time for supplication: There are some times when supplication is likely to be answered such as in the month of Ramadhaan, the Day of ‘Arafah, Fridays, the time of Sahar (last third of the night) and the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah. The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: “No good deeds done on any other day are superior to those done on these days (first ten days of Thul-Hijjah).” Some of his Companions asked, “Not even Jihaad in the Path of Allah?” He replied: “Not even Jihaad in the Path of Allah except that of a man who leaves (for it) with his life and wealth and does not return with either (i.e. he is martyred).” [Al-Bukhari]

It was narrated that upon entering the month of Ramadhaan, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) would say, “This month that has come has in it a night which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of it has been deprived of all of its goodness and none is deprived of its goodness except the truly deprived.” [Ibn Maajah] As for Friday, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “There is an hour on Friday in which a Muslim does not ask Allah for anything except that Allah Will definitely Grant it to him.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “Allah Descends [in a way that befits His Majesty] in the last third of every night and Says: ‘I am the King… I am the King… Is there anyone invoking Me that I May Respond to his invocation? Is there anyone asking of Me so that I May Grant him his request? Is there anyone asking My Forgiveness, so that I May Forgive him?’ And this continues until the break of dawn.” [Muslim]

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) also said: “The supplication made in between the (two) calls for prayer (i.e. Athaan and Iqaamah) will never be rejected.” [Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa’i and Ahmad] The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “The supplication made in between the (two) calls for prayer (i.e. Athaan and Iqaamah) is answered, so supplicate.” [Ibn ‘Adiyy]

The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “The slave is closest to his Lord when he is in prostration; so supplicate Allah much (in prostration).” [Muslim] Also among the times when supplications are answered is when facing the enemy, when it is raining, when roosters are crowing, after obligatory prayers and during prostration.

• Facing the Qiblah. Once, the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) went out to lead the people in the prayer of Istisqaa’ (prayer for seeking rain). He faced the Qiblah and kept invoking Allah. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

• Raising the hands. It was narrated on the authority of ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) used to raise his hands when supplicating Allah The Almighty. [Al-Haakim] The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) also said: “Allah Is Considerate and Generous; He Does not Turn away empty the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him.” [Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]

• Praising Allah The Almighty and asking Him to Confer His Salutations on the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ): Salamah ibn Al-Akwa', may Allah be pleased with him, said, “I never heard the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) begin a supplication other than by saying, ‘Glory be to my Lord The Exalted, The Bestower.’” [Ahmad]

One day, the Messenger of Allah  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) heard a man saying, “O Allah, I ask You as I testify that none is worthy to be worshipped except You, The One, The Absolute Who neither Begets nor Is Begotten, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.” The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said, “Indeed, you have asked Allah with His Greatest Name upon which He Gives when He is Asked with it and Answers when He is invoked by it.” [Abu Daawood]

Fadhaalah ibn ‘Ubayd, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “Once, while we were sitting with the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) a man entered the mosque and prayed and then said, ‘Allahumma’ghfir li warhamni [O Allah, Forgive me for my sins and Bestow Your Mercy upon me].’ The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) told him: ‘You have been hasty in your Du‘aa’ O you who are praying. When you finish your prayer and are seated, you should first praise Allah The Exalted as He Deserves, then ask Him to Confer His blessings and peace upon me , then Supplicate to Him.’” After this, another man entered and prayed. Then he praised Allah and asked Him to Confer His Peace upon the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). Thus, the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) told him, “O you who are praying, invoke Allah and He Will Answer your invocation.” [Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa’i]

• Being persistent in supplication and repeating it thrice. ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “If the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) invoked Allah, he would do so thrice. And if he would ask Allah, he would do so thrice. And the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said: “The supplication of every one of you will be granted as long as he is not impatient and say, ‘I have supplicated my Lord but He has not answered it.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) also said: “None of you should say, ‘O Allah, Forgive me if You Will, Have mercy upon me if You Will. Rather, be determined in asking for Allah Does whatever He Wills and no one forces Him. (i.e. one should invoke Allah The Almighty with certainty that his supplications would be answered as Allah Has Power over all things.)” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him said, “None of you should abstain from invoking Allah because of what is apparent from his sins as Allah The Almighty answered the invocation of the worst of creation, Iblees, may Allah Curse him. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected." [Allah] Said, "So indeed, you are of those reprieved. Until the Day of the time well-known."} [Quran15: 36,37,38]

• Lowering the voice when supplicating. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Call upon your Lord in humility and privately;} [Quran 7:55] The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) said to the Companions, may Allah be pleased with him, when they raised their voices in supplication, “You are not calling upon someone deaf or absent. You are calling upon One who is All-Seeing and All-Hearing. He is with you all the time.” [Muslim]

• Supplicating Allah The Almighty with what was mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah. It is better for the Muslim to supplicate Allah The Almighty with what was mentioned in the Noble Quran of many invocations such as:

Allah The Almighty Says (what means): 

• {"Our Lord, Forgive us our sins and the excess [committed] in our affairs and Plant firmly our feet and Give us victory over the disbelieving people."} [Quran 3:147] 

• {"Our Lord, Give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and Protect us from the punishment of the Fire."} [Quran 2:201] 

Etiquette and behavior towards Allah

A Muslim thinks about the countless blessings that Allah has bestowed upon him. He considers the numerous bounties that Allah has given him -- from the time when he was a “drop of fluid” in his mother’s womb. These bounties continue until he meets His Lord. Therefore, a Muslim must thank Allah for these countless bounties with his tongue, by praising Him in a proper manner. He must also thank Him with his limbs by using them in obedience to Him. This is how he should behave towards Allah. Obviously, it is never considered proper etiquette to be ungrateful for the bounties one has received, or to reject the bounties of the One Who gives them. One also should never deny the goodness and bounties he has received. Allah Says in the Quran (what means):

• {And whatever of blessings or good things you have, it is from Allah.} [Quran 16:53]

• {And He gave you of all that you asked for, and if you count the Blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them.} [Quran 14:34] 

• {Therefore remember Me (by praying and glorifying), I will remember you. Be grateful to Me and never be ungrateful to Me} [Quran 2: 152]

A Muslim thinks about Allah’s Knowledge and the fact that He is watching everything, under every circumstance. The Muslim’s heart, then becomes filled with awe, respect and love for Allah. He becomes shy and embarrassed to disobey Him. This is how he should behave towards Allah. Obviously, it is not proper for a slave to go against his master by disobeying him or by treating him with disrespect, while his master is witnessing and watching him.

A Muslim also ponders over Allah’s Power and Control over him, and submits to this control. He knows that there is no escape or fleeing from Him. Allah is the only source of refuge and shelter. Therefore, the Muslim flees to Allah and throws himself before Him. He leaves his affairs with Allah and puts his trust in Him. This is how he should behave with respect to his Lord and Creator.

Allah Says (what means): {There is not a moving (living) creature but He has grasp of its forelock.} [Quran 11:56]

Allah also Says (what means): {So flee to Allah. (from His Torment to His Mercy – Islamic Monotheism). Verily, I (Muhammad) am a plain warner to you from Him.} [Quran 51:50]

Allah Says (what means): {Put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed.} [Quran 5:23]

A Muslim also considers how Generous and Compassionate Allah has been to him in all of his affairs. He considers Allah’s Mercy upon him and upon all of His creation. He desires to have more of that mercy. He then humbles himself to Allah with sincere humility and supplications. He seeks a means of approach to Allah with the best of speech and good deeds. This is how he should behave towards his Lord, Allah. It is not proper to lose hope of receiving more of His Mercy, which encompasses everything, nor should one be pessimistic about receiving more of Allah’s Generosity.

Allah Says (what means): {My Mercy embraces all things.} [Quran 7:156]

Allah also Says (what means): {Allah is very Gracious and Kind to His slaves.} [Quran 42:19]

Allah Says again (what means): {Certainly, no one despairs of Allah’s Mercy, except the people who disbelieve.} [Quran 12:87]

In another verse Allah Says (what means): {Despair not of the mercy of Allah.} [Quran 39:53]

A Muslim always considers Allah’s power to punish severely and His swift reckoning. He does his best to obey Allah and tries to live without disobeying Him. This is all part of proper behavior towards Allah. People of intelligence know that it is not proper for a weak and incapable slave to commit acts of disobedience towards the Lord Who is the Powerful, the All-Capable, the Strong, the Dominant. Allah Says (what means):

• {But when Allah wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning back of it; and they will find besides Him no protector.} [Quran 13:11]

• {Verily, (O Muhammad) the seizure (punishment) of your Lord is severe and painful.} [Quran 85:12]

• {Allah is All-Mighty, All-Able of Retribution.} [Quran 3:4]

A Muslim should also think about Allah while he is disobeying Him, as if Allah’s threat is already being applied to him, that His punishment has come upon him due to his action. He should also think about Allah while obeying Him and following His Laws, as if His Promise has already come true for him, that Allah’s Pleasure is being bestowed upon him. Having good expectations or thoughts about Allah is part of the etiquette due to Allah. It is not correct for a person to have bad thoughts about Allah and disobey Him, and think that Allah is not watching what he is doing or will not call him to account. Allah Says (what means):

• {But you thought that Allah knew not much of what you were doing. And that thought of yours which you thought about your Lord, has brought you to destruction; and you have become (this Day) of those utterly lost!…}[Quran 41: 22-23]

• {And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, fears Allah, and keeps his duty (to Him), such are the successful.} [Quran 24: 52]

In conclusion, a Muslim must be thankful to his Lord for the bounties He has given him; he must be shy towards his Lord whenever he is inclined towards committing a sin; he must sincerely turn to his Lord, put his trust in Him, hope for His Mercy and fear His punishment. He must have good expectations concerning Allah fulfilling His Promises and carrying out His threat to any of His slaves if He wills. This is how he should behave toward Allah. The more that he sticks to these matters and guards them, the greater his position will be and the higher his rank will be with his Lord. He shall be greatly blessed by Allah; he shall become one of the devoted slaves of Allah, and of those people whom Allah protects. He shall be enveloped by Allah’s Mercy and shall have Allah’s Blessings bestowed upon him.

This is the utmost that any Muslim could hope to achieve and what he should strive for throughout his life.

O Allah, make us Your devoted slaves. O Allah, make us among those whom You protect. O Allah, make us among those who are close to You, O Allah, Lord of the worlds.

Congratulations O Close Friend of Allah!

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: “Allah The Exalted Says, 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to an ally of Mine. The dearest thing to Me with which My slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing voluntary acts of worship until I love him. If I love him I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks (something) of Me, I shall give him, and if he asks for My protection, I shall protect him.’” [Al-Bukhari] 

Dear brothers and sisters, it is common knowledge that whoever wants to win the admiration of his teacher should do his homework and study hard.

However, this student will never be like the one who prepares and studies what the teacher will explain in advance and makes related research and reads additional material to widen his horizons. There is no doubt that such a person will be closer to his teacher and favored by him.

This stands true even for the relationship between Allah The Almighty and His slaves, and for Allah is the highest attribute.

You will not obtain the satisfaction of Allah The Almighty unless you perform your duties first, but if you want to ascend the stairs of servitude to Allah The Almighty and move from being a slave who loves his Lord to a slave who is loved by his Lord and who is considered His ally, then you must perform voluntary acts of worship as much as you can.

Dear brother, can you imagine your condition if you become an ally of Allah The Almighty?

What will be your condition if Allah The Almighty pledges to fight your enemies?

What will be your condition when all your limbs become obedient to Allah The Almighty?

What will be your condition when you hear nothing but what pleases Allah The Almighty, see nothing but what pleases Allah The Almighty, and walk to no place but a place that is loved by Allah The Almighty?

This is the true companionship of Allah The Exalted that is granted to His close friends in this world and the Hereafter.

That is why Allah The Almighty Says: {…and if he asks (something) of Me, I shall give him, and if he asks ‎for My protection (refuge), I shall protect him…}

This strong relationship between you and your Lord makes your supplication eligible to be answered immediately, just as was the case with the righteous predecessors including Sa‘eed ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him. Once a woman falsely accused him of seizing a piece of land belonging to her. At this, he raised his hands and supplicated Allah The Almighty saying, “O Allah, if she is lying, then blind her and kill her in her land.” Indeed, the woman became blind, and she fell into a well while she was walking one day in her land and died.

Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas, may Allah be pleased with him, was one of the righteous people whose supplication was immediately answered. Once, he heard a man defaming ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, so he supplicated against him. Soon, a furious camel came and kept kicking that man until he died even before he had left his place.

A man from the Khawaarij used to come to the gatherings of Al-Hasan Al-Basri  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him to hurt the attendees with his words. When he went beyond the limit of extreme behavior, Al-Hasan  may  Allah  have  mercy  upon  him supplicated against him saying, “O Allah! You know how this man harms us, so protect us from his harm in any way You choose.” On saying so, the man immediately fell dead.

The examples are numerous and we cannot mention all of them here, but the point is that Allah The Almighty loved those men, as they were His allies (this is our opinion about them but Allah The Almighty alone knows the truth, and we do not confirm anybody's good conduct before Allah The Almighty).

Before ending this article, let me remind you of the voluntary prayers that the Muslim is recommended to perform every day and night to be included in the aforementioned Hadeeth (narration):

1-   Performing twelve Rak’ahs (units of prayer): Scholars call these Rak’ahs as the stressed Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) prayers. They are distributed as follows:

-      Four Rak’ahs before the Thuhr (afternoon) Prayer and two after it

-      Two Rak’ahs after the Maghrib (sunset) Prayer

-      Two Rak’ahs after ‘Ishaa (night) Prayer

-      Two Rak’ahs before the Fajr (morning) Prayer.

If you observe these twelve Rak’ahs, you will have a house in Paradise by the permission of Allah The Almighty. The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: “Whoever performs twelve Rak‘ahs every day will have a house built for him in Paradise.”

2-   Adh-Dhuha (mid-morning) Prayer: The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: “When you get up in the morning, charity is due on every one of your joints. There is charity in every ascription of glory to Allah; there is charity in every declaration of His Greatness; there is charity in every utterance of praise of Him; there is charity in every declaration that He is The only true God (worthy of worship); there is charity in enjoining good; and there is charity in forbidding evil. Offering two Rak`ahs of Dhuha (Forenoon prayer) is equal to all this (in reward).”

3-   Witr Prayer: The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), said: “Allah is Witr (single, one) and loves what is Witr.”

He also said: “Make Witr prayer the last of your prayer at night.”

These are some voluntary prayers that can make you a close friend of Allah The Almighty if you observe them. So, be keen on doing your best to observe them as much as you can, because their reward is great and the best outcome is for the righteous.