Creating the World

(Ambiyaa [‘alaihimus salaam] Series – Nabi Aadam [‘alaihis salaam] #01)

Allah Ta‘ala is the Creator of everything. He created the entire world in just six days. Allah Ta‘ala is so powerful, that He never ever feels tired. Even when He created the whole world, He did not feel exhausted or tired.

Allah Ta‘ala created the earth and made all the different types and colours of soil. Allah Ta‘ala made some soil fine and dry, like the sand in the desert, and some soil wet and sticky, like clay. He made some soil brown, some soil red and some soil black. In some places, Allah Ta‘ala placed huge, heavy mountains on the earth, and in other places, He created valleys and open plains.

Allah Ta‘ala created all the different plants and trees. The tall towering trees, the short, thorny bushes, the attractive flowers with their beautiful colours and patterns, and all the different vegetables with their different tastes – all these are the creation of Allah Ta‘ala. Allah Ta‘ala created the beautiful red roses, the crunchy apples, the sweet strawberries, and many other wonderful things.

Allah Ta‘ala created all the oceans and all the rivers on the earth. He made the different oceans and rivers different colours, and made the water of some salty, while others have sweet water. Some He made with high waves and strong tides, while He made others with calm and peaceful water.

Allah Ta‘ala created the sky, high above the earth. In the sky, Allah Ta‘ala placed the sun, to give light and warmth during the day, and the moon and stars, to give light and guidance at night. Allah Ta‘ala also placed clouds in the sky, to rain water onto the plants and to fill the rivers and lakes.

Allah Ta‘ala created all the animals in the ocean. From the eight-legged octopus and the dangerous shark to the delightful dolphin and the gigantic whale – all were created by Allah Ta‘ala. Similarly, Allah Ta‘ala created all the animals on land, like the poisonous snake, the roaring lion, the playful monkey and the tall giraffe. Likewise, Allah Ta‘ala created the birds in the sky, such as the graceful eagles, the pigeons and all the other birds. Allah Ta‘ala even created all the insects, from the buzzing bee and the busy ant to the slow snail and the green grasshopper. Allah Ta‘ala made all these creatures in different colours, shapes and sizes, and made all of them beautiful to look at.

Everything that we see and know was created by Allah Ta‘ala. He created the water we drink, the air we breathe, the sounds that we hear and every other thing in the world.

Why did Allah Ta‘ala create everything? Allah Ta‘ala created this entire world and everything in it for us – the children of Nabi Aadam (‘alaihis salaam). Allah Ta‘ala created everything so that we can use all these things to live in the world while we worship Him and recognize that He is our creator.

That is why we always read the du‘aa when we eat, and thank Allah Ta‘ala for the food He gave us, and we read the du‘aa when we drink, and thank Allah Ta‘ala for what He gave us to drink. When it rains and the plants grow, we remember that the rain is from Allah Ta‘ala and thank Him. Wherever we are in the world, and whatever we look at, it reminds us and makes us think of Allah Ta‘ala, as He is the One who created it so perfectly. We thank Him for everything and worship Him because He is our Creator.

The Cycle of Life

Once, some people came to Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and said, “O Ameerul Mu-mineen! We have an Imaam who is a youngster and leads us in the ‘Asr Salaah. After he completes leading the salaah, he recites some couplets of poetry.” Hearing this, Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said, “Take me to him.”

They thus proceeded with Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) to meet the youngster. When they arrived at his home and knocked on the door, he emerged and asked, “O Ameerul Mu-mineen! What has brought you here?” Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “I have received a bad report regarding you – you are reciting couplets after the salaah!” The youngster responded, “The couplets are words of advice which I recite as a reminder to myself.”

When Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) heard this, he requested the youngster to recite the couplets for him, but the youngster expressed reluctance and said, “I am afraid to recite these couplets before you.” Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) replied, “Go ahead. If the words have an excellent meaning, I will recite them with you, and if they have a bad meaning, I will prohibit you from reciting them.”

The youngster lowered his head for a few moments, and then recited the following couplets:

My heart is such that whenever I caution it (to refrain from evil), it returns to sinful pleasures, trying to exhaust me (by rebelling against my effort to reform my ways).

It seems that it will continue to chase after amusements and pleasures for its entire life span. It has tormented me with its persistence and obstinance.

O evil companion! How long will this childish behaviour continue? Your entire life will pass like this, in amusement and play.

My youth is leaving me and departing, before I am able to use it to achieve my aspirations.

After my youth departs, I anticipate nothing but leaving this world, white hair (old age) will hamper my striving to fulfil my ambitions.

O my carnal self! How I wish that you never existed, and how I wish that I never had evil desires! Adopt taqwa before your Master (Allah Ta‘ala), fear Him and remain afraid of Him!

When Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) heard this, he repeated the last couplet while crying and said to those present, “If any one of you wishes to recite couplets of poetry, then it is couplets such as these that he should recite.”

(Taareekh Ibni ‘Asaakir vol. 44, pg. 312 and ‘Uyoonul Hikaayaat pg. 75)

Lessons:

1. When a complaint would be brought to Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), he would not immediately arrive at a conclusion. Rather, he would ensure that he first investigated it and allowed the accused person to respond and voice his side of the story.

2. These couplets describe the cycle of life. Many people continue chasing after amusement and pleasures, never outgrowing their obsession with entertainment. Hence, despite being grown adults, and even having children or grandchildren, they continue ‘playing’ – it is just that the ‘toys’ change (e.g. from a toy car to a sport’s car). Thus, we need to do as this youngster had done – we need to continuously remind ourselves and others of the Hereafter and our objective on earth. In this way, we will remain focused on the task at hand – remaining obedient to Allah Ta‘ala.

3. The energy, passion, strength, enthusiasm, vigour and motivation that a person enjoys in his youth is not enjoyed afterwards, when he advances in age. For example, it is far easier for a youngster to memorize the Quraan Majeed and become a Haafiz than it is for an older person. Hence, the youth should value their youth, and parents should guide them appropriately, to utilize this period to progress in Deen and gain the nearness of Allah Ta‘ala. Sadly, we tend to do the opposite. We neglect our salaah when we are young, and then struggle to perform many years’ of qadhaa later on, when we are weak, old and sickly.

4. Evil desires and temptations are part of our human nature and cannot be eliminated. However, we can exercise control over these temptations and desires by restraining ourselves from falling into sin. The most effective way of achieving this is to inculcate the awareness, consciousness and fear of Allah Ta‘ala. 

Shut the Door!

It is almost every person’s nightmare to wake up, in the middle of the night, and see a complete stranger standing at the foot of the bed, gun in hand. In fact, this fear of an intrusion is so firmly entrenched in the minds of people, that before retiring to bed they ensure that they lock all doors, close all windows, switch on the floodlights and activate the alarm.

But what many people forget is the intruder you DON’T see at the foot of your bed (or anywhere else at all for that matter) - the shayaateen and evil jinn. They enter the home with mischievous motives, surreptitiously sowing the seeds of discord and disharmony, whispering evil insinuations into the hearts and doing their best to spread grief, heartache, unhappiness and sorrow among the household.

Furthermore, there is no fence, whether electrified or with barbed wire, and there is no door, gate, burglar bar or alarm that can prevent their entry. Rather, they enter when they wish, from where they wish, and stay as long as they wish, causing more and more damage, day by day.

Fortunately, our beloved Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) taught us an easy yet effective method to bar these threats from our homes. In one hadeeth, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Lock the doors and take the name of Allah Ta‘ala when doing so, for shaitaan cannot open a door which was locked (with the name of Allah Ta‘ala).” (Saheeh Bukhaari #3304)

In this hadeeth, although the word ‘door’ has been specifically mentioned, it is not restricted to doors. Rather, through reciting ‘bismillah’ at the time of closing the doors, one will prevent shaitaan from entering the home through all avenues (through the walls, roof, floors, etc.). Hence, the reason for mentioning doors specifically is that doors provide the easiest entry into the home. Thus, when the shayaateen cannot enter via the doors, it will be even more difficult for them to enter via any other avenue. (Mirqaat vol. 8, pg. 115)

In essence, together with reciting the du‘aas of protection, we should practice on this sunnah as well, as it will safeguard our homes and transform them into sanctuaries of peace and happiness.

May Allah (swt) always safeguard from the seen and unseen enemies Aameen!

Cautious in Consumption

Abul Hasan Makki (rahimahullah) had a daughter, living in Makkah Mukarramah, who was even more pious than he was. Such was her simplicity and austerity that she would live on a mere thirty dirhams (silver coins) for the year. Her father would send her this money from the profit he made by selling mats which he would weave from palm leaves.

The neighbour of Abul Hasan Makki (rahimahullah), Ibnur Rawwaas, relates the following:

I intended leaving for hajj, and so I came to Abul Hasan (rahimahullah) to bid him farewell, ask him if he needed anything, and to request his du‘aa. He thus handed me a paper bag and said, “Ask the people of Makkah Mukarramah to direct you to so-and-so woman in such-and-such location and hand this to her.” I understood that the parcel was for his daughter.

I accepted the paper bag and on arriving in Makkah Mukarramah, I made enquiries regarding the woman, and discovered that her ‘ibaadah and disinterest in the world had become so famous among the people that she was known by one and all. I thus decided to add some of my own money to the money that her father had sent so that I would also have a share in the reward. However, since I anticipated that she would not accept money from me, I opened the paper bag and secretly increased the amount from thirty coins to fifty, thereafter resealing the bag.

When I handed her the bag, she asked me, “How is my father?” I replied, “He is well.” She thereafter remarked, “It seems as though he has begun to spend time in the company of the people of the world, and he has abandoned dedicating himself to Allah Ta‘ala.” She then said to me, “I wish to ask you something, so I beseech you, in the name of Allah Ta‘ala, that Being for whom you are performing hajj, to answer me truthfully.” I responded, “Certainly!”

She asked, “Did you mix some of your own wealth into this money?” I answered, “Yes, but how did you know?” She said, “My father would not give me more than thirty dirhams, as he cannot afford to give me more than that. The only way that he could have given me more would have been if he had given up his dedication to ‘ibaadah (and spent more time in earning wealth). If you had informed me that this was indeed the case with my father then I would not have taken anything from his wealth either.”

Having said this, she addressed me saying, “Take the entire amount of money away, for you have not fulfilled your duty towards me (of discharging the trust of the money to me), despite being able to do so.” In response, I asked her, “How is this?” She answered, “I will not consume any wealth unless it was earned by myself or by my father. Likewise, I will not accept any wealth unless I am able to verify its condition (i.e. whether it was earned through halaal sources or otherwise).”

I responded saying, “In that case, take the thirty dirhams which your father sent for you and return the rest.” She retorted, “If I was able to identify those exact coins, from all the other coins, then I would certainly do so. However, my father’s coins have now been mixed with the other coins (and I cannot separate them). Hence, I will not accept any of the coins. Now, I will have to live off the dumps in order to survive until the next hajj season (when my father will send money again), as this money was my allowance for the entire year. You have put me into hunger (and difficulty). Had your intention not been to assist me, I would have cursed you.”

After completing my hajj, I returned to Basrah, grieved and remorseful over what had transpired. I went to Abul Hasan (rahimahullah), informed him of what had happened and apologized to him. (After hearing me out,) he said, “I will not take this money from you, as it has now mixed with the other money (and cannot be separated). You have been undutiful to me and to her.” (Completely at a loss,) I asked him, “What should I do with the coins?” He replied, “I don’t know.”

I persevered for some time, continuously apologizing to him and asking him what I should do with the money, until he eventually said, “Give it in sadaqah.” I thus gave it in charity.

(Sifatus Safwah vol. 1, pg. 448)

Lessons:

1. What a person consumes has a direct impact and effect on his actions, the condition of his heart and his motivation towards righteousness. Furthermore, ‘what we consume’ is not restricted to the food we eat, but includes the wealth that we earn, etc. It is for this reason that the pious people of the past would exercise such caution regarding their wealth.

2. The pious do not only abstain from that which is clearly impermissible, but also refrain from that which is doubtful. Likewise, if they are unable to verify that something is completely halaal (e.g. due to lack of information, the inability to inquire, etc.) then they exercise caution and refrain.

3. The purpose of doing a person a favour is to bring comfort to the person. Hence, before doing the favour, we must ensure that the person will be comfortable with what we are doing. Otherwise, we may think that we are doing him a favour, whereas we are actually doing him a disservice and causing him inconvenience. If we know a person very well, then we will be acquainted with their temperament and will be able to bring them comfort. If we are not well acquainted with their temperament then we should rather enquire before doing anything, as although we may mean well, we may unintentionally put the person through difficulty.