Do not nullify your good actions!

The more I see and experience, from the actions people, the same thing is reaffirmed. The same conclusion is reached, repeatedly. The same pattern is repeated with people after people. What is it? What are you complaining about now? I am talking about people nullifying all their good actions or most of their good actions.

The first part of the action is the intention and that is not just invalid but blameworthy, at times. Please click here for previous discussion about intention. People do things in desire for reward, which is fine to begin with, but later someone should be totally disconnected from their good actions.

Main reasons for nullification of one's works

1. Charity followed by harm

2. Work done for other than Allah or to show off

3. Lack of knowledge

4. Lack of faith

5. Satan lost an eternity of works by refusing to prostrate to Adam (upon him peace).

Charity followed by harm

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُبْطِلُوا صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالْأَذَىٰ

Quran: Baqarah 2:264.

"Dear believers, do not nullify ones charity by reminding (people of your favour) and harm."

Ones charity can be nullified by two main things mentioned here. One: By reminding the other of the favour, you did to them. This is a sign that the action was not accepted. You have the reward as long as you do not mention what you did for someone. Two: hurt that is followed on from the reminder. Alternatively, simply harming the other person by something you did to them. Many people have spent money and will never get any reward afterward, because of the harm that followed.

Notice the word batala in the Arabic that means nullified or void. In the fiqh of trade, you have two types of invalid sale: baya batil and baya fasid. The difference being that baya fasid had some part of the trade was valid but afterward the trade was nullified. Like the agreement to sell fruit whose amount was unknown. The offer and acceptance was valid but the amount of stock was unknown, therefore invalid. In a baya batil the trade was not valid in the first place. Like the trade of pork or alcohol in Muslim country. Trade of this type was invalid in the first place. Therefore, the action here was invalidated and it could be argued that it was invalid in the first place because of the state of heart. This was yet to manifest.

Work done for other than Allah or to show off

عَنْ مَحْمُودِ بْنِ لَبِيدٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: "إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ مَا أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ الشِّرْكُ الْأَصْغَرُ" قَالُوا: وَمَا الشِّرْكُ الْأَصْغَرُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ: "الرِّيَاءُ، أخرجه أحمد

Mahmud ibn Labid reports that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, "I do not fear anything upon you like minor polytheism." They asked, "What is minor polytheism? O Messenger of Allah!" He replied, "Ostentation." (Ahmed)

Ostentation is when one shows off ones action. Making everyone think you are more brilliant than you are. However, this nullifies ones action, so beware of it!

Sidi Wali Raslan Al-Dimishqi said in Risala Al-Tawhid, "As for the common folk, their works are suspect, and as for the elite, their works are good deeds, and as for the elite of the elite, their works are degrees of spiritual progress." (Trans Muhtar Holland).  His whole Risala is about nullifying the self until it obeys Allah purely. In addition, until one does this have they truly reached obedience in their actions. This is minor polytheism because they have something other than Allah in their works. Important note, minor polytheism does not cause disbelief. Only actual polytheism causes disbelief, which associating other partners with Allah. 

Lack of knowledge

﴿ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَصَدُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَشَاقُّوا الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الْهُدَى لَنْ يَضُرُّوا اللَّهَ شَيْئًا وَسَيُحْبِطُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ ﴾

(سورة محمد

"Those who disbelieve, block the path of Allah and renounce the Messenger, after guidance has been made clear to them, will not harm Allah the slightest and their actions will be invalidated."

The lack of knowledge of one's action can mean that no reward is attained from it. If someone does not know how to make wudu, ghusul, all the parts of the prayer then they risk its invalidity.

My favourite target, the masjid committees, almost certainly have no good actions. Why, because they block the path of Allah (the Exalted) by being inactive. They are inactive and block knowledge being taught in their masjids or what I call them old boys club. They are masjids only in name and old boys clubs who even stop women from entering them! 

It is incumbent for every Muslim to know the basics of their religion. Which is my favourite gripe but I wonder how many have you learnt this? 

Imam Abu Hassan Al-Shadhali (may Allah show him mercy) said, "He who dies without studying this knowledge deeply, dies persisting on major sins." 

How many people are persistent on major sins without realising it. One must know their beliefs correctly. This is very important because people have misunderstandings about Allah and His Messenger (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him). Learn ones theological beliefs until there are no doubts. At least go to a scholar of theology (of Islam) and ask questions. 
 
As well as studying matters of the heart which have little importance attached to them.

In the Taj Al-Aroos/The Crown of the bride by Ibn Ata'llah As-Sakandari (may Allah show him mercy) he states about the presence of heart in the prayer; "The likeness of one who prays, without presence of heart, is like someone sending a King, a gift of one hundred empty boxes; thus deserving his punishment. Whoever prays with presence of heart is like someone giving the king a precious sapphire; worth a thousand gold coins. The king will always remember him because of it."

Learning about the presence of heart in the prayer is lost in this time because it was the first pillar to be lost and the last pillar is the prayer itself. The pillars of Islam were destroyed one by one until nothing is left. It started internally and then returned nullifying the outward.

Please click here for importance of knowledge post.

Lack of faith

﴿ وَمَنْ يَرْتَدِدْ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ دِينِهِ فَيَمُتْ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأُولَئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآَخِرَةِ ﴾

(سورة البقرة)

"Whoever of you leaves his religion and dies a disbeliever, is from those who have nullified all their works in the world and afterlife." (Baqarah 2:217)

The cause of receiving reward in the afterlife is faith. If there is no faith, there is no reward.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَلَا تُبْطِلُوا أَعْمَالَكُمْ

’Muhammad 47:33

"O believers, obey Allah, obey the Messenger and do not nullify your works."

Again, here nullification of one's action comes when one does not obey Allah and His Messenger (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him). Because he chooses another path and not the path that was shown to him.

﴿ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ﴾

(سورة محمد

"This is because they followed what Allah detested and dislikes, therefore nullifying their works."

Choosing another method other than what was shown to them.This could also be true to those sects who have mislead people into obeying their group ethos and ignore religious matters! This is more common than you think and it effects most groups.

Satan

It was said that he prostrated on every piece of the earth and attained a high rank that he spoke to angels. Yet, this was all for naught when he refused to obey Allah (the Exalted). Allah commanded satan to prostrate to Adam (upon him peace) but satan refused. Claiming to be better and thus he was cast out of heaven. For this act of disobedience was all of satans works nullified. 

The exceptions

وروي البيهقي عن عبد الرحمن بن خباب رضي الله تعالي عنه قال : خطب رسول الله صلي الله عليه وآله وسلم  فحث الناس علي جيش العسرة فقال عثمان على مائة بعير بأحلاسها وأقتابها ، ثم نزل مرقاة أخري من المنبر , فحث الناس فقال عثمان على مائة بعير أخري  بأحلاسها وأقتابها ، ثم نزل مرقاة أخري , فحث الناس فقال عثمان على مائة بعير أخري  بأحلاسها وأقتابها ، قال فرأيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول بيده هكذا , يحركها كالمتعجب وقال :

ما على عثمان ما عمل بعد هذا اليوم

Al-Bayhaqi narrates that Abdurrahman Ibn Khubab (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) delivered a sermon exhorting people to prepare the army of Al-Usarah. Uthman said, ‘I shall give one hundred mules with their saddles and stirrups.’ Then he came down from the pulpit a step and exhorted the people and Uthman said, ‘I shall give one hundred other mules with their saddles and stirrups.’ The he came down the pulpit a step and exhorted the people and Uthman said, ‘I shall give one hundred other mules with their saddles and stirrups.’ The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) indicated astonishment with his hand and said, ‘There is no action (that will harm) Uthman after today.’” (At-Tirmidhi 5/625. There is another hadith which uses the word Daar which means harm, so the hadith means no harm shall come to Uthman after today.)

Of course, there are other companions who were seen in paradise, as well as the ten promised paradise. Yet, this promise did not make them stop their good actions, they continued until they passed. So how should we be without such promise? We should try harder and strive to do as much good actions as possible.

They do not belong to you

Our actions are created by Allah (the Exalted) when we determine to do them but the responsibility is ours, based on our choices. Ponder the Quran passage, "Allah created you and what you do." (37:96) So the connection to your good work is your intention. When you intend in a determined fashion and go ahead, does Allah create the action. So why are your proud about good works that do not belong to you? All you did is decide, Allah created them! So why are you proud of actions that you did not create? Nor can you attribute them to yourself! Yet, Allah gives us recompense for actions that we did not create. The best things for anyone to do are maintain and build good actions to weight down the scales in his favour, on the day of judgement.

Know, that the only thing that remains with you in the grave is your good actions. After your family have buried you and they have all gone. Only your good actions remain with you to face the two angels of the grave.

  
Denying divine Decree

Sheikh Abu Hassan Al-Shadhali (may his secret be sanctified) said, “One attribute nullifies actions and most of the people are unaware of it: the anger of the servant about the decree of Allah (the Exalted). The Exalted has said, ‘That is because they disliked what Allah descended so their actions were nullified.’” (Quran: Muhammad 9 and Hikam Al-Shadhali 58).

Decree is part of belief and its important to give Allah (the Exalted) the benefit of the doubt. We should know that things always work out for the best. We should not allow ourselves to get to caught up in the moments of emotion, even though its very easy. 

Please see previous post on divine decree click here.

 

Conclusion

Give charity and do as many good works as possible then forget about them. Have the intention that it is just for Allah (the Exalted). 

Do not harm people or remind them of your favour. One Wali gave some money to another Wali and said this is not from but from Allah. The recipient said this belongs to Allah not you.

Most of all do not be attached to ones actions. 

Protection from polytheism is by saying the following the supplication, especially if one thinks that they are brilliant!

اللهم إنا نعوذ بك من أن نشرك شيئاً نعلمه، ونستغفرك لما لا نعلمه

أخرجه الطبراني والإمام أحمد عن أبي علي رجل من بني كاهل

"O Allah, I seek refuge with you, from associating anything to you and I know. I seek Your forgiveness in what I do not know."

Ponder this, a true seeker does not look for reward in action, he seeks Allah (the Exalted). Make a good intention and set off on your good action but then forget about it once its done. Do not remind anyone or harm them afterwards. 

Please see previous post of importance of action click here

Dr Umar Farooq Abdullah

Ustadh Yahya Rhodus

Standing

Imam Zaid Shakir

Sheikh Gibril Haddad

On Jesus (upon him peace)

Ustadh Yahya Rhodus

Sheikh Ibrahim Osi Efa

Sport of Kings

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

Sheikh Naeem Abdulwali

Forty hadith on Tribulation commentary

Please click here for original text

Sheikh Ibrahim Osi Efa

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

Sheikh Yayha Rhodus

The vanities of the time

As I child I found the religious practice of those present in my region bemusing and confusing. This continued until I met those who were enlightened with knowledge. This made me pursue knowledge for over twelve years (and counting). Sadly, I was never inspired by anyone from the indo pak region. Instead, I found most of the people and the speakers empty of the reality of what they were claiming to possess.


Smacking children and giving more than a clip around the ear was how most people grew up. After the children had grown up they looked at their past differently. It cast an unfortunate light upon it because the scars remained. They began to learn that Islam was not about a bearded elder smacking you. Nor was Islam wasting lifetime attacking groups for wrong beliefs yet not learning one's own belief!


There is a crisis in many masjids where people are atheists in our communities and no one even cares. Yet, they will continue to attack others but not learn themselves.


I looked at groups who argued with each with bitter eyes of contempt. I decided that groups who spent their time arguing were a waste of time. It was as if their religion was argumentation. I wanted to learn texts and learn what I was supposed to know. So I studied and kept studying until I became one of the people sought for knowledge. Had I remained on the path of others, I would be learning methods of argument not knowledge.


I look back at that time and realise that most people have wasted their entire lives by hating other groups. Their white hair does not mean they have learnt anything. It often means that they have learnt nothing. 

Maybe, its just me and I should stop comlaining because at least we have something. That is true but if we do not do anything now there will be little left for our children.


The masjids are a big waste of time. The elderly struggled to found masjids but as far as they are concerned, it is their property!? Then I ask is not a masjid for Allah? For this reason, I do not think there is a single masjid in the UK. They missed the point and it is just an old boys club. Many empty buildings have masjid in their name but are far removed from what a masjid should be. When will they ever learn? They will not ever learn and I have accepted that as fact.

The 'speakers' of the indo paks have wasted their lives and have made others waste theirs too. When someone comes to ask a question, it is as if they are mortally wounded and have their very existence questioned. Arrogance and ignorance are the order of the day. As they feast their greedy-guts on anything, they can find. Stealing people's money is what they do best. They are astray and lead others astray. Swearing, cursing, and then making others swear is seen as religiously permissible! How can this be! They are misguided and are misguiding you. A speaker should inspire you to goodness, not the opposite.


I thank Allah with my entire being that I was shown the path. Yet, there are many so far astray that they cannot be saved with speech. They have to make the choice. I cannot do it for you, as much as I want to.


Learn your religion. Work and use your time well by learning rather than fighting on Facebook. Argumentation is not a religion and neither is fighting trying to convince me on a matter. Once you learn your religion, you will see how many people are astray. You might not be able to save others but you can help yourself. Find an enlightened teacher. Not one who spends hours insulting other groups instead of teaching what he should. Do not allow yourself to be indoctrinated. There is a difference between indoctrination and knowledge.


Knowledge has a foundation and indoctrination is mere opinion. He might not be famous at all and that is actually better for you. Learn your religion. Learn everything that you should have learned as a child.


Know that harshness is a sign of misguidance. If you are learning with someone or meet a religious person and all he has is harshness. Then know it is a sign of misguidance. It might be just him or it might be his group.


Am I attacking one group? No, I am attacking whomever this applies to. Learn your religion and correct all your mistakes and live a good life in peace. Leave the silly people who slander and attack each other to their own devices. They are on the way out. Their audiences are dwindling as we speak. People are tired of their pettiness and want something real. Do not waste your life listening to those who have wasted their lives by cheating and now want you to waste yours. Learn your religion until you have no questions left to ask...

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz

Sheikh Ibrahim Osi Efa

Advice for lovers

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz

Barakah Book

 

 As-Salam Alikum all

This is our latest book about the concept of Barakah.

Please scroll for sample pages and see these links to purchase the text

Link One 

Link Two

Link Three

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You can order from me directly by clicking here on Sheikhy Notes academy website. sheikhynotescharity@gmail.com

 Please expect 3 -5 days for delivery

Yes, Sheikhy Notes is publishing books, in sha Allah

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz

Sheikh Atabek Shukurov

Don't be a menace to society on eid by driving a fast car in built up areas where kids play

As some of you may have gathered the title of this post is a play on the following film title. Don't be a menace to society whilst drinking juice in the hood. It was spoof comedy about films which made important social commentary on the situation in America, at the time. The spoof comedy had important messages in it but conveyed them in a humorous manner. Though the rest of the film is daft but it was very funny. The more important films in this genre were boyz in the hood, menace ii society and so forth. Boyz especially looked at the problems of drugs and it's effects on the youth. 

Fast forward to today and we find some themes are present in the UK. Where drug dealing and taking is a serious problem. We don't speak or hear about them but we brush it under the carpet like everything else. Religiously, it is unlawful/ haram to sell drugs (except by doctors prescription) of any kind and type. Also, the taking of any drug is unlawful. The manic boy racer is just a symptom of this way. Not only do they get a sin for every person they disturb, they endanger their lives and the lives of anyone present. This alone should be sufficient for anyone to sell their sports car for a one litre! Everyone curses them as they pass by!

We need to teach our children that drug dealing and taking have dangers that can end in death. The money earned from such death dealing is unlawful in itself, unlawful for them to earn and spend. It's a sin upon sin, upon sin, upon sin. 

People need to seek help and by using local agencies. They need to get out of this death trade and seek lawful means of employment. There is hope for you whichever situation you are in. Seek aid and change your lives, you can do it and you must learn to live a better life.

Please do not drive at high speeds in built up areas. You are endangering your life and all those you come into contact with. Not to mention the excessive pollution and the damage to the roads. If you want to drive at high speeds then be a race driver. That way you can get paid too. 

Forty Hadith About Unlawfulness of Consumption of Intoxicants by Arfan Shah on Scribd

Click here for forty hadith on intoxicants

Habib Umar ibn Hafiz

Sheikh Atabek Shukurov

Imam Zaid Shakir

What is fard /farz?

This is another commonly misunderstood principle by most people. Some may grasp part of it but neglect it as a whole. This is an addition to what was previously explained about the Sunnah. The root of the main actions of Islam the fard. Primarily, I want to explain this so that others can understand how fard affects their lives.

Fard or farz

Seen, as many cannot escape their background, you will spell the word as fard or farz. However, it does not matter it is the same. It can be translated as obligatory or mandatory. Linguistically it means assign or estimation (hans wehr). Fard is the Arabic pronunciation and farz is the Urdu pronunciation.

Types of obligation

Abu Laith Al-Samarqandi (may Allah show him mercy) wrote in his Initiation/Muqadimah about the two different types of obligation:

"The individual obligation is that which, if some perform it, it does not fall from the remainder, like fasting, prayer, alms, Hajj, ablution for prayer, washing from major impurity, periods, postpartum bleeding..."

"Collective obligation, if performed by some, falls from the remainder. For example, returning a greeting, replying to a sneeze, visiting the sick, attending funeral prayer and prayer on the Prophet (may Allah bestow upon him peace and blessings), commanding good and prohibiting evil...."

P.35 and 37

Here, the Imam explains that there is responsibility for the individual that can only be done by them alone. 

In addition, there are obligations that are to be done by the community and not others. 

These are all the main obligations that you need to concern yourself. The fard of your prayer cannot be done by anyone else other than you. There are situations in which the fard of prayer drops from you. Alternatively, if you are so ill that you cannot make ablution or are unconscious for longer than a day.

The Hanafi's and Shafis disagree about the Hajj, is it fard straight away or cannot it be delayed. The Hanafi's allow people to make the Hajj later even if they have the means to go now. The Shafis say that he must go now. 

There is fard amali and fard itqadi. Fard that one has to perform and fard one has to believe in. Disbelief only occurs when someone denies that the fard applies to him and he believes that. If he denies the fard action out of laziness then it does not mean disbelief. Be careful about this!

Proofs?

"Fard is two types: 1. Fard that which is a decisive (Qati) proof that it is necessary to follow and denial of it is disbelief. The conjectural (dhani) which whose proof is decisive but there is a little doubt in it." Hashiyyah Al-Tahtahwi on Nur Al -Idhah P57.

The fard is based on decisive proofs that are beyond denial. Actually denying things like the prayer is an individual obligation can cause disbelief. This is a serious matter because many Muslims who do not pray try to justify their lack of performance. Just be honest and say you are too lazy to pray. I have more respect for those who are honest rather than he who tries to justify their sins. Each day that someone does not pray is a day of increased sin. Please see missing obligations post for more details, click here.

Ibn Abideen in his Hashiya (1/70) said, "The sacred laws are four: fard, wajib, Sunnah and nafl."

How does it affect me?

Fard is an action that causes a person to be sinful, if he does not perform it. Therefore, a person must understand that he cannot willfully neglect the five prayers. The individual is going to be asked about them on the Day of Judgment.

The fard actions become obligatory when the child reaches maturity. This is between 12-15 for a male or from 9-15 for a female. When signs are maturity of an adult are seen. On the other hand, to put it crudely they have the ability to reproduce.

The parents have a responsibility to teach their children their obligations. This is discharges their responsibility to the children but then, when the children are mature, become responsible. Parents often want their children to be religious. Here is one foolproof way, if you are religious and your children will follow your footsteps, if you teach them with kindness. It is as simple as that. If you teach your child with harshness then do not expect them to be religious!

Once the child reaches maturity then they themselves are reasonable and cannot lay the blame on others except in one instance. If they did not know what was an obligation. There are children who grow up who are not taught and do not know what their obligations are. They have an excuse until they find out and then they are responsible. This applies more to those areas which knowledge of religious is low, like in the west. However, this does not apply in Muslim countries because there are plenty of people to ask about ones obligations.

Exceptions?


This is when the performance of a obligatory action causes a danger to ones health or caused extreme hardship. Go through the conditions of performance of the action.

This is a problem which many people ignore. A person who has diabetes or an illness that makes fasting harmful has an an excuse not to fast. Because there is an actual harm to someones health. Maintaining your health is very important. So a person should not fast when there is a danger to ones health and if he fasts he can be sinful for fasting. When the fast is no longer an obligation so a person feeds sixty poor people one meal a day for sixty days. This suffices for his fast and a person should not think he is sinful because he is not.

Like Hajj, if someone is old and in a wheel chair or has a physical disability that does not permit them to go to Hajj without assistance. Then the obligation falls from the person and it is not an obligation anymore. Non performance of the hajj is not sinful in this situation. A lot of parents want to complete Hajj when they are elderly and this can be very difficult. Though it is no longer fard because it is only fard when they have the ability to do without the assistance of another person, the way is safe, they have funds for the trip etc. If people have children and there is no one to look after them, then the parents should not go to hajj. Taking children with one on hajj is a major burden.

If a person does not have the value of wealth to pay zakah, then he does not pay it because it is not an obligation for him. 

If a person cannot pray standing up then they pray sitting down. If their illness increases standing then standing would be a sin. So they should sit down. There is no sin in any of these situations. So do not be the super 'rambo' Muslim who makes his illness worse and endangers his life and he is sinful because he did not take the ease. The ease that was given to him by the founders of the four schools.

If one does not know the rulings of a particular matter then they have dispensation until they find out, in a non-Muslim country. But a person who was born in a Muslim country does not have this excuse. The difference being the access to knowledge is not the same. In any case the excuse is invalid once they are informed. 

Final points

Fard is a not a simple matter rather it's the basis of all your actions. Then the wajib actions and then the Sunnah action are the cream on the cake. Muslims who do not perform their actions must realise that they obligations. However, they are still Muslims even though they do not perform any fard actions.

Aquida Tahawiyyah point 75:

"We do not declare anyone among the people of the qibla a disbeliever for any sin, as long as they do not deem it lawful."

Deeming the unlawful lawful is a major sin and will cause disbelief once they know the seriousness of the matter. Unfortunately, most Muslims are oblivious to possible sins with this. Even accepting opinions of disbelievers can also be sinful when they are sacrilegious.

Point 86

"People of enormities (major sins) among the community of Muhammad (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) will not remain in hell forever, as long as they died monotheists."

So anyone calling someone a disbeliever for missing a prayer, are mistaken, as long as they do not deny it. Only that causes disbelief. Please click here for calling another Muslim a disbeliever. 

As for hadith about the difference between faith and Islam is leaving the prayer then this is ingratitude not disbelief. As the word, kufr means disbelief and ingratitude.

This was written to inform you and not to make you despondent or upset. This was meant to inform you and this is the most important matter. Please find a teacher and study your basics and remove your doubts.

What is Sunnah click here

Responsibility of a normal Muslim click here

Let scholars correct scholars click here