Islam
Friday Sermon: Concept of Giving and Receiving
Giving and receiving are two aspects of the same flow of energy in the universe. It’s important to be both a good giver and a good receiver. Giving can inspire positive change and healing in a world so needing it. The attitudinal healing definition of giving and receiving comes from an egoless place.
The principles of giving are regular giving, participatory giving, intentional giving, proportional giving, anticipatory giving, effective giving, and accountable giving.
In the Christian faith, the forms of giving are; Tithe, Offertory, Pledges and Thanksgiving which we must give according to proportion and purpose, out of love, generosity, conviction and willingness, because God loves a cheerful giver.
It is written in 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 about the ‘The Cheerful Giver’: The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency[b] in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
In Islam, giving and receiving are both encouraged, and are considered to have many benefits:
The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) taught that giving charity, or sadaqah, brings blessings, or barakah, into one’s life. Those who give generously may be rewarded with gains, success, and a sense of prosperity.
The Quran says, “Whatever good you send forth for your souls before you, you shall find it with Allah” (Quran 2:110).
Among the benefits of giving to charity are: It makes you feel good; Giving to charity strengthens personal values, It’s more impactful than ever. Giving can reintroduce friends and family to the importance of generosity.
The spiritual definition of giving is that it reflects God’s character as a generous provider, emphasizing selflessness, generosity, and the desire to bless and assist needy people. Men are expected to model the behavior by giving according to the good books, which means giving freely, joyfully, and without anticipating anything in return.
The golden rule of giving is: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
The basic idea behind the Law of Giving and Receiving is to consciously participate in the dynamic flow of abundance that is the nature of life itself.
Generosity and acts of giving have been linked to improved mental health. Engaging in selfless actions can reduce stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation, leading to greater overall well-being and happiness. Giving can strengthen interpersonal bonds.
What is the concept of giving? One is able to give to others without the assurance that he/she will receive something in return. Giving is only giving if it is done unconditionally. For a person to behave generously, the inner equivalent of gratitude has to be present. No person can act with generosity if there is not gratitude in his/her heart. He cannot give what he does not have.
For a Muslim, giving and receiving gifts is a righteous deed that can be a way to express love and respect, seek Allah’s blessings, and strengthen bonds between people:
• Gifts should be given with a pure intention, and not as a bribe or charity. The Prophet Muhammad(SAW) said, “Actions are only judged according to the intentions behind them”.
• It’s considered impolite to refuse a gift, and it can hurt the other person. If you can’t reciprocate with a gift, you should at least respond with thanks.
• Gifts should be given in line with your financial means, and should be suitable to the other person’s needs and wishes.
• Avoid ostentation when giving gifts.
• Gifts promote harmony and love between Muslims.
• Giving to others can help you develop compassion and empathy for others.
• Giving to others is a reminder that nothing we own in this world belongs to us, and that it can be taken away just as easily as it was given.
When giving and receiving gifts it should be given with a sincere intention and be a means of expressing love and respect. Sadaqah literally means “righteousness” and refers to the voluntary giving of alms or charity. In Islamic terminology, sadaqah has been defined as an act of “giving”.
Gift-giving in Islam should always begin and be based on pure and sincere intention. Giving gifts is one of the good manners that maintains and strengthens relations between the giver and the recipient. It is a Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and he recommended Muslims also do this. Aisha (ra) said: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to accept gifts and reward people for giving them.”
Was Sick But You Did Not Visit Me (Hadith Qudsi). Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: Allah will say on the Day of Judgment, ‘Son of Adam, I was sick but you did not visit Me. ‘My Lord, How could I visit You when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’ ‘Did you not know that one of My servants was sick and you didn’t visit him? If you had visited him you would have found Me there. ’Then Allah will say, ‘Son of Adam, I needed food but you did not feed Me’. ‘My Lord, How could I feed You when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’ ‘Did you not know that one of My servants was hungry but you did not feed him? If you had fed him you would have found its reward with Me.’ ‘Son of Adam, I was thirsty, but you did not give Me something to drink.’ ‘My Lord, How could I give a drink when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’ ‘Did you not know that one of My servants was thirsty but you did not give him a drink? If you had given him a drink, you would have found its reward with Me.‘ (Al-Bukhari)
Just as the Prophet (SAW) was sent as a mercy to mankind, so should we be a mercy to everyone whose lives we touch. In serving others and giving to others, we find our Lord. In His mercy, the path to Him is one of peace and improving the world around us. Only by helping others can we help ourselves. We cannot live a life of consumption and selfishness and expect to win the pleasure of Allah along the way.
It is out of the mercy and wisdom of Allah that He made serving others and creating a peaceful, compassionate earth one of the landmarks in the journey to Him. We cannot afford to ignore the suffering around us, because in those pleas for help is a call to getting closer to our Creator. In this hadith, the Prophet (SAW) tells us that if you ever hoped for a direct route to the pleasure of Allah, here it is.
Therefore, we have to revive our sensitivity to the simple acts of service we can do everyday. When we hear of someone who is sick or in need, the impulse that we feel to help should be so strong that it is impossible to ignore. Instead, many of us have desensitized ourselves to suffering because it is out of sync with the lifestyles we choose. At most, we may be persuaded to donate, but usually not more.
Yet, in the feeding of the poor, relieving the thirst and suffering, and comforting the sick lies an incredible closeness to Almighty Allah, so much that He says that He is there Himself, Glory to Him.
May Allah be pleased with us and grant us Jannatul Firdous here and in the Hereafter. Ameen
Barka Juma’at and Happy weekend
Islam
Friday Sermon: Just Six Feet!
Radix malorum est cupiditas: “greed is the root of evil”.
“Beware of greed, for it was only greed that destroyed those before you. It commanded them to be miserly and they did so. It commanded them to sever their family ties and they did so. It commanded them to behave wickedly and they did so.” Source: Sunan Abu Dāwūd 1698
“Thou wilt indeed find them, of all people, most greedy of life, even more than the idolaters: Each one of them wishes he could be given a life of a thousand years: But the grant of such life will not save him from (due) punishment. For Allah sees well all that they do.” (Quran 2: 96)
Greed is an extreme or excessive desire for resources, especially for property such as money, real estate, or other symbols of wealth. A greedy person is covetous, acquisitive, grasping, avaricious and mean; having or showing a strong desire for, especially material possessions. Covetousness will simply imply an inordinate desire often for another’s possessions. Greed (Latin: avaritia), also known as avarice, cupidity, is like lust and gluttony, a sin of desire.
However, greed (as seen in religious terms) is applied to an artificial, rapacious desire and pursuit of material possessions. Their inability to empathize, their lack of genuine interest in the ideas and feelings of others, and their unwillingness to take personal responsibility for their behavior and actions makes them very difficult people to be with. They are never satisfied. Greedy people look at the world as a zero-sum game.
Fear, insecurity, anxiety, tendency to betray or harm others and arrogance are the results of greed. Greed is rightly called a deadly sin because it kills the possibility of a proper human relation to the Creator.
In Luke 12:15 we read; “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
According to the Bible, the seven deadly sins are pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth, which are also contrary to the seven heavenly virtues. These sins are often thought to be abuses or excessive versions of one’s natural faculties or passions (for example, gluttony abuses one’s desire to eat, to consume).
Plutomania: is defined medically as excessive or abnormal desire for wealth. The root cause of greed is thinking of ourselves in isolation from others or as members of elite peer groups that define what we should want. We are members of larger communities with many kinds of people, on whom we depend and who depend on us.
This is where the attitudinal disposition of our leaders comes in. They are a race of men from another planet. They are an embodiment of the seven deadly sins and make no regrets about it. They are gluttonous, rapacious and will stop at nothing to convert the commonwealth to their personal property.
What is enough for one to lead a happy life? This question can be answered in many different ways. In fact, the variety in answers is something that can be appreciated. Nonetheless, Islam has made it very simple by emphasizing the connection between one’s wishes and desires and serving Allah.
Allah has given human beings the full right to strive and achieve what they can from what He has allowed, and in our history we have examples of people who had tremendous amounts of wealth and enjoyed its benefits. But when the time came, they did not hesitate for even a moment to sacrifice it all in the way of Allah. Such an act of devotion though is only possible when a Muslim understands that real happiness is in pleasing Allah and the only thing worth being greedy over is success in the Hereafter.
Hence Allah says in Sura Al-Layl: But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, And gives the lie to the Best, We will indeed make smooth for him the Path to Misery; Nor will his wealth profit him when he falls headlong (into the Pit). Verily We take upon Ourselves to guide, And verily unto Us (belong) the End and the Beginning. (Quran 92:8-13)
It is not just the greed of wealth and power that has resulted in the oppression of our Ummah; it is also the greed for life. This greed spread in the name of individualism and presents us with a choice where the value of our own selves is sized up against the value of others. So if one can save or benefit themselves, even if that comes at the expense of their brothers and sisters, then that is a fair choice to make.
Rasulallah (SAW) said: “…and Allah will take the fear of you from the breasts (hearts) of your enemy and cast al-wahn into your hearts.” Someone asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is al-wahn?” He replied, “Love of the world and dislike of death.”
This need for the material over the divine has taken over most all societies. We are primarily a brand and class-conscious people. The greed that leads to needing to achieve a certain material standard unfortunately even pushes some Muslims to the Haram.
Some Muslims adopt cultural practices that involve extremely extravagant wedding celebrations where there is pride in spending the most money and outdoing others in their wedding spending. There is a greed in attaining possessions but then another type of greed that seeks status, attention and the outdoing of others even if that is through sometimes unconscionable means.
We must remember that it is also greed that brought certain peoples to disobey Allah. Greed is selfish excessive or uncontrolled desire for possession, especially when this denies the same goods to others.
Imam Hassan Mujtaba said: “The annihilation of people lies in three things: Arrogance, Greed and Envy. Arrogance causes destruction of the religion and because of it Shaitan (Satan) was cursed, and Greed is the enemy of one’s soul, and because of it Adam was expelled from Paradise, and Envy is the guide to wickedness, and because of it Qabil (Cain) killed Habil (Abel) – the two sons of Prophet Adam.”
Imam Muhammad al-Baqir said: “In his love for the world, the greedy is like the silkworm: the more it wraps in its cocoon, the less it has of escaping from it, until it dies of grief.”
Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) said: “If son of Adam were to possess two valleys of gold and silver, he would long for a third. Son of Adam, your stomach is but an ocean or a valley that cannot be filled in with anything except dust.”
Greed enslaves man and causes him grief. The greedy cares only for collecting fortunes without stopping at any limit. Whenever he achieves a goal, he works for achieving another and, so, he becomes the slave of avidity until death strikes him.
In school we studied a novel on defeating greed by Tolstoy called “How Much Land does a Man Need?” According to the peasant Pahom “Our only trouble is that we haven’t land enough. If I had plenty of land, I shouldn’t fear the Devil himself”. In a continuous mission to find the ‘more’ that would be land enough, Pahom dies. His servant picked up the spade, dug a grave long enough for Pahom to lie in and buried him in it. Six feet from his head to his toes was all he needed. A GREAT LESSON TO ALL: The Bible said: “. . . nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:10
The Army Chief who embezzles the vote meant to procure arms and ammunition for the defenders of our territory will in the end get only six feet of land. The same goes for the Air and Naval Chiefs who are led by greed to criminal atavism. What then can one say of the Oil minister who stole so much money that could fund a luxury space travel to Venus with a stopover at the International Space Station but will eventually return and end up in her own portion of ‘standard’ 6 feet? That, my brothers and sisters, is the end of greed. It answers the question: How much land does a man need?
Good men too will not get a bigger portion of land. Six feet is all they will get; except that they will inherit the kingdom. 2:156 of the Quran; Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un, a phrase meaning “Verily we belong to God, and verily to Him do we return.”
Last Wednesday, 29th January, our friend and brother Babatunde Adewale Okegbenro aka Lakabo received his own 6 Feet. He was not buried with his tennis racket or balls. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.
Barka Juma’at and Happy Weekend
Islam
Friday Sermon: The Concept of Faith in Islam 2
There are six Articles of Faith in Islam. These basic beliefs shape the Islamic way of life. They form the basis of his belief system, values and idiosyncrasies that uphold his values as a Muslim.
The foundation and basis of faith is faith in God Almighty, which is innate to man’s primordial nature. As God Almighty says: When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam – from their loins – their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): “Am I not your Lord (Who cherishes and sustains you)?” – They said: “Yea! We do testify!” (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgement: “Of this we were never mindful”. (Quran 7:172).
The Muslim believes, and is certain, and testifies, that; there is no god but God, alone with no partner: a Mighty God, a Glorious king, besides whom there is no other Lord, nor any other object of worship. He is eternal, without beginning or end; there is no beginning to his First‐ness, nor any end to his Last‐ness. He is One, the self‐sufficient Besought of all, who neither begat nor was begotten, and none is like him. He has no likeness or counterpart; there is nothing like unto him, and he is the All‐hearing, All‐seeing.
In his holiness he is beyond time and space, and the re-semblance of any created thing. Direction does not encompass him, nor do temporal events befall him. He is settled upon his Throne in the way that he said it, according to the meaning he intended, with a settling that befits the might of his Majesty and the height of his Glory and his Grandeur. He is near to all things, and nearer to man than his jugular vein. He watches over all things, and observes them. He is Living and All‐sustaining. Neither slumber nor sleep overcome him. He made the heavens and the earth; and when he decrees a thing, he but says to it ‘Be!’, and it is. God is the Creator of all things, and the Patron of all things.
Another article of faith is faith in the angels (peace be upon them), who are creatures of light: O ye who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive fro Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded. (Quran 66:6).
Quranic verses and noble Hadiths speak of them with praise and honour, and indeed with love. The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them (by His Glory): And the angels celebrate the Praises of their Lord, and pray for forgiveness for (all) beings on earth: Behold! Verily Allah is He, the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Quran 42:5).
There are also angels who come in turns to mankind by night and by day, and the recording scribes who abide with every person at all times. There are also angels charged with certain tasks pertaining to mankind, including:
1. Revelation: Gabriel
2. Provision: Michael
3. Blowing the trumpet [of the resurrection]: Raphael (Israfil)
4. Taking spirits: the Angel of Death Azrail
5. Counting good and bad deeds: the Diligent Observer
6. The questioners of the grave: Munkar and Nakir
7. The guardian of Paradise: Ridwan
8. The guardian of hell: Malik. Peace be upon them all.
Faith in the messengers and prophets (peace be upon them all), and in the revealed scriptures is another article of faith, without which the Muslim’s faith is invalid; these include the scriptures of Abraham, Moses, the Psalms, the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur’an. Islam is the religion which includes all the prophets and envoys in faith, belief, allegiance and love; and God Almighty has made our worship contingent on faith in all the messengers and prophets.
In Islam, there are 25 prophets named in the Quran, but Muslims believe there were many more. There is a Hadith that says that the Prophet (SAW) mentions 124,000 (or its roundabouts) prophets before him. There is also a Hadith by Musnad Ahmad that says there are 124,000 prophets, 315 of which were messengers.
The principal and general basis, for our relations with all of our blessed prophets is the connection of faith, and allegiance to their guidance: for God Almighty says: The Apostle believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His apostles. “We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His apostles.” And they say “We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys.” (Quran 2:285).
Yet it is valid to believe that some of them are preferred over others, for God has said: Those apostles we endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them Allah spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honour); to Jesus the son of Mary we gave Clear (Signs), and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. If Allah had so willed, succeeding generations would not have fought among each other, after Clear (Signs) had come to them, but they (chose) to wrangle, some believing and others rejecting. If Allah had so willed, they would not have fought each other; but Allah fulfilleth His plan. (Quran 2:253).
The Father of the Prophets, Abraham (peace be upon him) was blessed with a special position, which gives him a certain eminence in our connection to him, in several ways. These include the ascription of the primordial faith (al-hanifiyya) to him. He is the father of the Abrahamic religions.
Moses (peace be upon him) also has a special eminence in his connection to us. It was his intervention in advising Prophet Mohammad to seek reduction in the number of prayers from 50 to the present 5 daily prayers.
As for Jesus (peace be upon him), he has a special place with regards to his connection to the Islamic community in that God Almighty made him one of the most distinctive major portents of the hour, and one of the keys of deliverance for this community in the end times, when Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend.
Another article of faith is faith in the resurrection, the Last Day, the reckoning and the requital according to divine mercy and justice, as God says: Unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, (Quran 25:70).
This is his way of stirring the believer’s aspiration and strengthening his resolve to take hold of himself and buckle down to acts of obedience and good deeds, and to forswear indulging caprices and delusions of happiness based on passions and fleeting pleasures. It also shows the believer how to take the long view of his future, which will stretch out without limit, far beyond the time he spends in this world.
The last of these articles is faith in Providence, both the good and the bad, the sweet and the bitter; and faith that the universe is never outside the control of the Lord’s mercy, justice and wisdom. This is what causes the believer to live a life which is refined by contentment, tranquillity, security and patience.
There is however the issue of test of faith: A test of faith is a trial that Allah gives to humans to test their patience and faith. Allah tests people in many ways, including through fear, hunger, loss, and calamity. The purpose of these tests is to distinguish believers from non-believers.
Recently, we have seen people whose faith have been subjected to severe tests. We can only pray to Allah to be lenient with them. May all they have worked for in life not go to nought in the evening of their life.
Among other things God has promised to test us with are our:
• Wealth and children to see if they will be grateful or distracted by them.
• Jihad: Allah tests people through jihad, or fighting in His cause.
• Calamity, to see if they will accept it with patience.
• Sacrifice: Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, as a test of faith.
Rewards for passing tests:
• Allah rewards those who are patient with blessings, mercy, and forgiveness.
• Allah records those who are patient as victorious and gives them a place in Paradise.
Our brother Ahmad Olayinka Jose has had his faith tested with his health which Allah subjected to supreme test short of death. Ahmad was able to pass this test with glory to Allah. Not only did he have his heart replaced, but much more. But, Allah has been most merciful. Today, Yinka marks his 63rd birthday. He is an example per excellence of a man with faith. Throughout his trials he never wavered nor sought an alternative to the powers of the Living God. May Allah bless his new age and may his days be long. God bless his children and children’s children. And may he continue to dwell in the house of the Lord. Mr Yinky, happy birthday.
The Building of the Faithful Soul is the Beginning of the Building of Faith‐based Society. May Allah guide us in faith.
Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend
Islam
Friday Sermon: The Concept of Faith in Islam 1
Faith is considered a belief and trust in God based on good evidence but without total proof. To have faith, we must trust that God is there and working on our behalf, even though we can’t see him with our eyes.
Faith is the belief in something or someone, even when there is no absolute proof. It can also refer to trust in a person, thing, or concept.
Faith is a key component of religious belief systems. Faith is often considered to be a combination of loyalty, commitment, and trust.
In general Faith can also refer to loyalty to a person or duty. It can also refer to the quality of keeping promises. Faith can also be considered a firm belief in something, even when there is no proof.
Etymology: The word “faith” comes from the Latin word fidere, which means “to trust”.
Faith is often considered to be complementary to hope. Faith is also considered to be more than just intellectual agreement.
In Islam, Faith (Iman) means to believe; to have faith in something means to believe in it. It also means to show acquiescence and acceptance to the sacred Law, and to all that the Prophet (SAW) brought, and to accept and believe. The one who does all this is a believer (Mu’min).
Al‐Azhari said: ‘The basis of iman is to enter into a state of belief in the trust (Amana) that God Almighty has given one.’
The technical meaning of faith is firm belief in something real, based on evidence. Experts in this subject have defined faith as being ‘to believe with the heart and proclaim with the tongue’; some have added ‘to act with the body.’ Or, in the words of Abu `Ubayd al-Qasim ibn Salam: ‘Faith is to have sincere devotion to God with the heart, to testify this with the tongue, and to act on it with the body.’
Umar ibn al-khattab said: We were with the Messenger of God (SAW) one day, when there came to us a man wearing dazzling white clothes, with jet black hair; there were no marks of travel on him, and yet not one of us knew him. He sat by the Prophet (SAW), knee to knee, placed his hands on his thighs, and said: “O Muhammad (SAW)… “Tell me about faith (iman).” He said: “To believe in God and His angels and His books and His messengers and the Last Day, and to believe in Providence, the good of it and the evil of it.” “You have spoken truly,” he said, and then: “Tell me about excellence (ihsan).” He said: “To worship God as if you saw Him; for if you see Him not, He assuredly sees you.” He said: “Tell me about the Hour.” He said: “The one questioned knows no more about it than the questioner.”. . . ” Then the stranger went away, and I tarried a while. He then said to me: “O `Umar, do you know who the questioner was?” I said: “God and His Messenger know best.” He said: “It was Gabriel. He came unto you to teach you your religion.”
Al‐Zuhri said: ‘surrender is the word, and faith is the deed.’ he cites as evidence for this the Almighty’s words: The desert Arabs say, “We believe.” Say, “Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, `We have submitted our wills to Allah,’ for not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Apostle, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 49:14).
Others say that surrender and faith are the same thing, citing as evidence for this God’s words: Then We evacuated those of the Believers who were there, But We found not there any just (Muslim) persons except in one house: (Quran 51:35–36). The only just or righteous persons found in Sodom and Gomorrah were in the house of Lut. He and his believing family and adherents were told to leave in due time, and the wicked were destroyed in a shower of brimstone. But We found not there any just (Muslim) persons except in one house: That was the house of Lut; and even there, his wife had no faith: she disobeyed the Command and perished.
Al‐khattabi said: “The correct way to approach this is to speak in specific and not general terms; for one who surrenders (Muslim) might be faithful in some circumstances but not in others, whilst one who is faithful (Mu’min) is in a state of surrender in all circumstances. Every Mu’min is a Muslim, but not every Muslim is a Mu’min.
The basis of faith is belief, and the basis of surrender is submission and acquiescence; a man might surrender on the outside whilst not acquiescing on the inside; and he might believe on the inside whilst not acquiescing on the outside.”
There is a hierarchy in faith, and the faithful are distinguished from one another by its degrees.
Imam Abu Muhammad al-Husain ibn Mas`ud al- Baghawi says: The Prophet (SAW) made ‘surrender’ a name for outward actions, and ‘faith’ a name for inward beliefs. This is not because actions are not part of faith, or that belief of the heart is not part of surrender; rather, it is a detailed explanation of a totality which is in fact one single thing, the sum of which is called ‘religion. Belief and action are both included in the names of faith and surrender together.
The Almighty says that the religion which he has gladly chosen, and which he accepts from his servants, is surrender; and religion could not be acceptable or pleasing unless it included belief alongside action.
Some see that if surrender and faith are mentioned together, they take on different meanings, whilst if they are mentioned separately, they mean the same thing: if they are mentioned in the same place, surrender comes to mean outward action, and faith comes to mean inward action; and if either one of them is mentioned on its own, it is taken to mean both, in which case there is no difference between them.
The Prophet (SAW) explained iman as being the faith and submission of the heart, meaning faith in God, his angels, his books, his messengers, and so on; and he explained Islam as being a particular surrender, namely that of the Five Pillars.
The Prophet (SAW) said: ‘Surrender is public, and faith is in the heart.’ Outward actions can be seen by others, whilst the belief, knowledge, love, fear and hope of the heart are hidden, although they do have effects which might indicate them – although effects do not indicate anything unless their cause is certain.
From this, we can see how the heart is the locus for belief and faith, and the thing that the Almighty is interested in. The Messenger of God (SAW) said: Indeed, in the body there is a morsel which, if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is spoiled, the whole body is spoiled. Indeed, it is the heart.
So faith is more specific than surrender, and excellence is more specific, and a higher level, than faith. The be‐all and end‐all of spiritual excellence is for the servant to ascend the levels of awareness of God Almighty and to witness him in all one’s actions and one’s conduct. This is the third degree, after surrender and faith, and is higher than them both; and it is built upon them, and not extraneous to them. There can be no faith without surrender, and no Excellence without faith. It is an excellence which the believer observes in all situations, and in worship in its most comprehensive meaning, which means more than just rites and supererogatory acts of devotion.
There is no iota of doubt that most of our afflictions are tests of faith. God tests us in many ways. He tests us with our wealth and possessions, our wives, our children and our health. Only the munin among us scale through.
In the Quran, Allah says, “We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops” in Surah Al-Baqarah, (Quran 2:155).
Allah is saying that he will test people with fear, hunger, loss of wealth, and loss of life. Allah tests people to distinguish between believers and non-believers. Allah promises to give good news to those who are patient.
There is no doubt Allah has been testing us with the death of loved ones. Last Wednesday, January 15, our friend Oriyomi Onanuga passed away after she had been tested with illness. A two term Federal legislator, Oriyomi represented Ikenne/Sagamu/Remo North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. She left behind her children and her aged mother (Iya Yomi) who has now lost her only child, which she had in London 59 years ago. May Allah give her and the children succour. A vivacious and lively lady, NNS Oriyomi will sing no more. May Allah give her husband, Alhaji Onanuga, a fello member of Anwar-ul-Islam National Executive Council, the fortitude to bear the loss. May Allah obliterate her shortcomings and grant her Jannatul Firdous. Inna lillah wa ina ilehi rajiun.
Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend
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