How to preserve the favors of allah
O slave of Allah know that the One Who bestowed these favors upon you can indeed take them away from you! You are not the most pious or the best of the creation of Allah except if you fear Him and do righteous deeds. Allah says: (O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you. Indeed, Allah is all-Knowing and all-Aware.)
(49:13)
Allah has shown the correct method to safeguard the favors and preserve them. Allah says: (And [remember] when your Rubb proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely give you more; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.)
(14:7)
The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “Allah does not bestow a grace upon a slave and he says: ‘Alhamdulilah’ (i.e. all praise is due to Allah) except the praise he gave is better than what he took (i.e. the grace which Allah bestowed upon him).”
(Ibn Majah)
One can show gratitude and praise Allah in matters pertaining to money by giving out its compulsory and praiseworthy rights to the poor and needy. Allah says: (And those within whose wealth is a known right. For the petitioner and the deprived.)
(70:24-25)
He should also know that there are other rights in one’s wealth besides the Zakah (poor-due). So he should feed the poor and hungry, clothe him who has no clothing, and treat the ill, help others, and pay off debts. The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to others. The most beloved deed to Allah is to make a Muslim happy, or to remove one of his troubles, or to forgive his debt, or to feed his hunger. That I walk with a brother regarding one of his needs is more beloved to me than secluding myself for worship in my mosque (in Medina) for a month. Whoever contains his anger, then Allah will conceal his faults. Whoever suppresses his rage, even though he could act upon his anger if he wished, then Allah will secure his heart on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever walks with his brother regarding a need until he suffices it for him, then Allah the Exalted will make his footing firm across the bridge on the day when people will slip. (i.e. the Day of Resurrection on the Siraat [bridge]).”
(Al-Mu’jam al-Awsat)
Allah, the Exalted, has clarified the great reward for him who does these things purely for His sake. Allah says: (And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [saying] “We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude. Indeed, We fear from our Rubb a Day austere and distressful. So Allah will protect them from the evil of that Day and give them radiance and happiness. And will reward them for what they patiently endured with a garden and silken garments.)
(76:9-12)
Obedience is one way in which we can show gratitude to Allah for the perfect shape in which He has created us and the health that He has bestowed upon. Therefore, a person should safeguard his sight from looking at anything unlawful; and safeguard his hearing from listening to anything unlawful, and safeguard his tongue from backbiting, spreading rumors, lying, and other evil talk. He should not use his feet to walk to an unlawful thing; he should not use his hands to do unlawful things, nor should he fall short in doing good works with them. Allah says: (Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart—of each of these, one will be questioned.)
(17:36)
He should not help an oppressor in his oppression, or a sinner in doing his sins. A person should be as the Messenger of Allah (s) said: “Support your brother whether he is oppressing or oppressed.” A man said: ‘O Messenger of Allah: ‘I would support him if he is oppressed, but how do I support him if he is oppressing?’ He said: ‘By preventing him from oppressing others. This is how you support him.’”
(Bukhari)
A person should not use the natural faculties that Allah has bestowed upon him, from wisdom and intelligence, to support evil or fight the truth. He should use these natural faculties in things which would benefit him in this life and in the Hereafter. The Prophet (s) said: “A person would not move his feet on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked about his life and how he spent it, and about his knowledge and how he used it, and about his money – where he earned it from and how he spent it, and his body and how he used it.”
(Tirmidhi)
A person should safeguard his private parts, from doing anything unlawful. He should not relieve his sexual anxiety except with his wife. Allah says: (And they who guard their private parts, except from their wives or those that their right hands possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed. But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors.)
(23:5-7)
A believer should praise Allah I for what he has bestowed upon him of graces and should be grateful to Him. He should not praise other than Allah for these bounties and graces. Praising other than Allah for these things would indeed incur a severe punishment. Allah says: (And present to them an example of two men: We granted to one of them two gardens of grapevines, and We bordered them with palm trees and placed between them fields of crops. Each of the two gardens produced its fruit and did not fall short thereof in anything. And We caused to gush forth amidst them a river.
And he had such fruit, so he said to his companion while he was conversing with him, ‘I am greater than you in wealth and mightier in numbers of men.” And he entered his garden while he was unjust to himself. He said, “I do not think that this will perish – ever. And I do not think the Hour will come to pass. And even if I should be brought back to my Rubb, I will surely find better than this as a return.
His companion said to him while he was conversing with him, ‘Have you disbelieved in He who created you from dust and then from a sperm-drop and then proportioned you as a man?
But as for me, He is Allah, my Rubb and I do not associate with my Rubb anyone. And why did you, when you entered your garden, not say, ‘What Allah willed has occurred; there is no power except in Allah?
Although you see me less than you in wealth and children. It may be that my Rubb will give me better than your garden and will send upon it a calamity from the sky and it will become a smooth, dusty ground. Or its water will become sunken [into the earth], so you would never be able to seek it.
And his fruits were encompassed [by ruin], so he began to turn his hands about [in dismay] over what he had spent on it, while it had collapsed upon its trellises, and said, “Oh, I wish I had not associated with my Rubb anyone.)
(18:31-42)
Therefore the slave would entirely benefit from the remembrance of Allah. Allah says: (And whoever is grateful – his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever is ungrateful – then indeed, my Rubb is free of need and generous.)
(27:40)
Believer should show his gratitude to Allah for the Ni’mah (bounty and grace) of Islam which Allah has bestowed upon him, by fulfilling the following:
Being mindful and observant of Allah I at all times
This is the level of Ihsaan on which the Messenger of Allah (s) said: “Ihsaan is to worship Allah as if you can see Him; but although you cannot see Him, He sees you.”
(Bukhari)
Ibn Ab’bas said: ‘One day I was riding behind the Prophet (s) and he said to me, “O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]. Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah. If you seek help, seek help from Allah. Know that if the people were to gather to benefit you with something, they would not be able to benefit you except with what Allah has already decreed for you. And that if they were to gather to harm you with something, they would not be able to harm you except with what Allah has already decreed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.
(Tirmithi)
Abandoning the unlawful and prohibited things, and observing the compulsory duties
especially congregational prayer in the Masjid, except if a person has a valid excuse for not doing so. This indeed is the first thing which man would be questioned about on the Day of Resurrection. If it is accepted all his deeds would be accepted. The Messenger of Allah (s) said:“Indeed the first thing a slave of Allah would be questioned about on the Day of Resurrection is his prayer. If it is accepted, then he would have succeeded and triumphed. But, if it is not accepted, he would be in sure loss.”
(Nasa’ee)
A person should be mindful of the Dhikr (remembrance) which is said after the prayers and between them. Upon completing his prayer he should say:
Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah
Meaning: I seek the forgiveness of Allah, I seek the forgiveness of Allah, I seek the forgiveness of Allah.
Al'laahum'ma antas salaam wa minkas-salaam tabaarakta yaa dhal-jalaalee wal-Ikraam. Laa ilaha il'la Allah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa who'wa ala kul'lee shai'in qadeer. Laa hawla wa laa quwata il'laa bil'laah, laa ilaahah Il'laa Allah wa laa na'bo-du il'laa e'yaah lahun'ni'matu wa'lahul fadhl, wa lahuth-thanaa ol-hasan. Laa ilaahah il'lalaah Mukhliseen lahoddeen wa low karee'hal kaa'firoon. Allahum'ma laa maa'ni'a le'maa a'tait wa laa mu'tiya le ma ma'nat' wa laa yan'faoo dhal-jadd min'kal jadd. Allahum'ma a'in'ni ala dhikre-ka wa shukre'ka wa husni e'baadatik.
Meaning: O Allah! You are the Salaam (source of all peace), from You comes the Salaam (peace) and blessed You be. All Honor and Dignity is Yours. There is no god but You. You have no partner. There is neither might nor power except with You. There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and we worship no one else but Him. To Allah belongs all Grace, Favor and beautiful Praise. There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah. We sincerely worship Him, even if the disbelievers detest it. O Allah! No one can withhold what You give. O Allah! No one can give what You withhold. O Allah!
Aide me in order to remember You, appreciate Your Grace and worship in the best manner.
He should then say: ‘Subhanallah’, ‘Alhamdulilah’, and ‘Allahu Akbar’ thirty three times each, and say:
'La ilaaha il'lalaah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa who-wa ala kul'lee shai'in qadeer.'
Meaning: There is nothing worthy of being worshipped except Allah alone, who has no partners. To Him belongs the dominion and all praises and he is capable of all things.
'Allaahu laa ilaaha il'laa who'wal hai'yol-qayoom laa ta'kho'dho'who se'na'to wa la nawm. La who maa fis'samawaati wa maa fil'ardh. Man dthal ladthee yash'fa'oo in'da-who il'laa be'idh-nih ya'lamo ma baina ay'deehim wa maa khalfahum wa laa you-heetoona be shai'in min il’mihi il'laa be'maa'shaa wa'se'a'qor-see'you'ho'samaawatee wal-ardh wa laa ya'oodoho hif’dtho-who-maa wa who'wa al-a'lee-yul adtheem.
Meaning: Allah – there is nothing worthy of worship except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His footstool extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.’
He should then recite Surah al-Ikhlaas (112:1-4):
Qul Huwa al-laa' who Ahad, Allahus Samad lam yalid wa lam you'lad wa lam ya kul'lawho ku'foo'one Ahad .
Meaning: Say, ‘He is Allah, who is One. Allah – the SelfSufficient. He neither begets, nor is He born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.
He should then recite Surah al-Falaq (113:1-5) and Surah anNaas (114:1-6).
Surah al-Falaq:
Qul A'oodthu be-rab'bil Falaq, min shar'ree ma khalaq, wa min shar'ree ghaasiqin Idhaa waqab, wa min shar'rin naf'faathaatee fil o'qad, wa min shar'ree haasidin idthaa hasad.'
Meaning: Say, “I seek refuge in the Rubb of daybreak. From the evil of that which He created, And from the evil of darkness when it settles, and from the evil of the blowers in knots, and from the evil of an envier when he envies.”
Surah an-Naas:
Qul A'oodthu bi'rab'bin naas, ma'likin naas, e'laahin naas, min shar'ril wass'waasil khan'naas al'ladthee you'was'we'soo fee soo'doorin naas, min'nal'jin'natee wan'naas.
Meaning: Say, “I seek refuge in the Rubb of mankind. The Sovereign of mankind, the God of mankind. From the evil of the retreating whisperer, who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind, and from among the jinn and mankind.
It is praiseworthy to recite Surah al-Ikhlaas, Falaq and Naas three times after Fajr and Isha prayer, for this has been authentically reported. Thobaan said that the Prophet (s) would seek forgiveness thrice upon completing the prayer, and then say:
Al'laahum'ma antas salaam wa minkas-salaam tabaarakta yaa dhul-jalaalee wal-Ikraam.
(Nasaa’ee)
It was said to Imam al-O’zaee, who was one of the narrators of this Hadeeth: ‘How did the Prophet (s) seek forgiveness?’ He said: ‘By saying ‘Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah’.
Abdullah. az-Zubair said that the Messenger of Allah (s) upon completing his prayer would say, 'La ilaaha il’laa Allah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ala kul’lee shai’in qadeer. Laa hawla wa laa quwata il’laa bil’laah, laa ilaahah Il’laa Allah wa laa na’budu il’laa e’yaah lahun’ni’matu wa’lahul fadhl, wa lahuth-thanaa ulhasan. Laa ilaahah il’laa Allah Mukhliseen lahud-deen wa lo karee’hal kaa’firoon.’
[There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah; Alone. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him is due all praise, and He is Powerful over all things. There is no power and might except with the help of Allah. There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and we worship none except Him, to Him belongs the bounty and to Him belongs the grace, and to Him belongs all excellent praise; there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah. We reserve our devotion exclusively for Him though the disbelievers may detest it]
(Abu Dawud)
Al-Mughira. Shu’bah said that the Messenger of Allah (s) upon completing his prayers would say: 'Laa ilaha il’la Allah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ala kul’lee shai’in qadeer. Allahum’ma laa maa’ni’a le’maa a’tait wa laa mu’tiya le ma ma’nat’ wa laa yan’faoo dhal-jadd min’kal jadd.’
[There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, alone without partner. To Him belongs the sovereignty, to Him praise is due, and He is capable over everything. O Allah! No one can withhold what You give, or give what You withhold, and the riches or majesty do not avail anyone with You, for from You is all wealth and majesty]
(Bukhari and Muslim)
times after Fajr and Isha prayer, for this has been authentically reported. Thobaan said that the Prophet (s) would seek forgiveness thrice upon completing the prayer, and then say:
Al'laahum'ma antas salaam wa minkas-salaam tabaarakta yaa dhul-jalaalee wal-Ikraam.
(Nasaa’ee)
It was said to Imam al-O’zaee, who was one of the narrators of this Hadeeth: ‘How did the Prophet (s) seek forgiveness?’ He said: ‘By saying ‘Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah’.
Abdullah. az-Zubair said that the Messenger of Allah (s) upon completing his prayer would say,
'La ilaaha il’laa Allah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ala kul’lee shai’in qadeer. Laa hawla wa laa quwata il’laa bil’laah, laa ilaahah Il’laa Allah wa laa na’budu il’laa e’yaah lahun’ni’matu wa’lahul fadhl, wa lahuth-thanaa ulhasan. Laa ilaahah il’laa Allah Mukhliseen lahud-deen wa lo karee’hal kaa’firoon.’
[There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah; Alone. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him is due all praise, and He is Powerful over all things. There is no power and might except with the help of Allah. There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and we worship none except Him, to Him belongs the bounty and to Him belongs the grace, and to Him belongs all excellent praise; there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah. We reserve our devotion exclusively for Him though the disbelievers may detest it]
(Abu Dawud)
Al-Mughira. Shu’bah said that the Messenger of Allah (s) upon completing his prayers would say:Laa ilaha il’la Allah wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa ala kul’lee shai’in qadeer. Allahum’ma laa maa’ni’a le’maa a’tait wa laa mu’tiya le ma ma’nat’ wa laa yan’faoo dhal-jadd min’kal jadd.’
[There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, alone without partner. To Him belongs the sovereignty, to Him praise is due, and He is capable over everything. O Allah! No one can withhold what You give, or give what You withhold, and the riches or majesty do not avail anyone with You, for from You is all wealth and majesty]
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Abu Hurairah said that the Prophet (s) said:
‘Whoever says, upon completing prayers, Subhanallah [how perfect is Allah above all that they associate with Him] thirty three times, Alhamdulilah [All Praise belongs to Allah] thirty three times, and Allah Akbar [Allah is the Greatest] thirty three times –and this is ninety nine- and then completes the hundred by saying:
made at the end of the night (generally before sleeping). The Prophet (s) would keenly observe the Witr prayer, and would even observe it while he was traveling, even though one would face numerous hardships while traveling. The least it can be performed is one rak’ah (unit).
The Prophet (s) said: “Witr is a right one should observe, so whoever wishes can perform witr as five units. Whoever wishes can observe it as three units, and whoever wishes can perform one rakah (unit).”
(Ibn Hib’ban)
One should observe fasting supererogatory fasts; like fasting Mondays and Thursdays, and the white days of every month which are the thirteenth till the fifteenth. One should also observe fast on the day of Arafah, and the day of Aashoora with a day before or after it.
The Prophet (s) said: “No slave fasts a day for the sake of Allah, but Allah would distance him from the Fire on account of that day (which he fasted) a distance of seventy years.”
(Muslim)
The best type of fasting is the fasting of Dawood u. Abdullah.
Amr said that the Prophet (s) was informed that I said: ‘By Allah, I will fast throughout the days, and perform prayer throughout the nights as long as I live.’ I said to him: ‘I ransom you with my father and mother, I have pledged to do it!’ He (s) said:
‘You will not be able to fulfill that, so fast (some days) and do not fast others, perform prayers and go to sleep, and fast three days from every month; for indeed the good deed is multiplied by ten fold…and (if you fast three days every month) this would be similar to fasting a whole year.’
I said: ‘I can withstand more than that!’ He said: ‘(then) fast a day and miss the next; this is the fast of Dawood u, and it is the best type of fasting.’
I said: ‘I can withstand more than that.’ He (s) said: ‘There is nothing better than that.’
(Bukhari)
(Bukhari)