Allah says: “and I did not create the jinns and humans except to worship Me (alone).”(51:56)
Majority of the pre-Islamic Arabs were upon this, they used to worship Allah, but they would also…”
It is narrated that Mu’adh bin Jabal (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I was riding behind the Prophet ﷺ on a donkey and he said to me “O Mu’adh, do you know what is the right of Allah on his slaves and what is the right of the slaves upon Allah?”
I responded: “Allah and His Messenger know best.” He continued, “The Right of Allah upon His slaves is to… ”
“The station of patience is tremendous and because of this it has been mentioned in the Quran in more than 70 places.”
REF 1: The Ma’iyyah of Allah explained: http://www.salafitalk.net/st/printthread.cfm?Forum=8&Topic=3712
Make the most of your time and take part in free and paid classes, including classes for your children:
Shaykh Ṣālih al-Fawzān (ḥafiẓahullāh) in explain of the following āyah said,
To any of you that chooses to go forward (by working righteous deeds), or to remain behind (by committing sins), (Al-Muddathir: 37)
This is an evidence that the servant possesses free will and choice; this is a refutation upon the Jabbāriyah, those who say that the servant has no free will or choice rather he is compelled in relation to his actions. They oppose the Mutazilah (1) (Qadariyyah – terms have become synonymous), for the Mutazilah go to extremes in affirming the will of mankind and negating the will of Allāh in contrast to the Jabbāriyah who go to extremes in affirming the will of Allāh and negating free will from mankind; therefore they are in opposite corners.
Meaning, put forth righteous action or remain behind with disbelief and disobedience. (2) Because righteous actions lead to Paradise and to Allāh, as for actions of disbelief and disobedience then verily they distance a person from Paradise and from Allāh. This is a clear proof that mankind possesses free will and they put forth (righteous actions) and remain behind (in disbelief and sin) as they will. They perform righteous actions as they will and commit sins as they will without being compelled, as the Jabbāriyah claim.
However, when Allāh knows that his servant comes forth towards good, He gives him success. And when Allāh knows his servant turns away from good, he forsakes him, leaves him to himself and to his punishment.
The He (subhānahu wa ta’āla) said,
Every person is a pledge for what he has earned, (38)
Whoever puts forth (good) or remains (in disbelief and sin), all of them will have their deeds presented to them on Yawm al-Qiyāmah.
(1) http://www.aqidah.com/creed/articles/opvus-ibn-battah-al-ukbaree-d-387h-on-what-is-obligatory-to-believe-in-regarding-al-qadaa-wal-qadar.cfm
(2) As is recorded from Ibn ʿAbbās and Qatādah as reported in Tafsīr at-Tabari
Having knowledge of the nullifiers of worship is from the greatest means of safety from falling into those actions which diminish (an act of worship’s reward), or nullify it entirely. For example, knowledge of the nullifiers of wudoo, no Muslim has any doubts about it’s importance, because whoever does not know the nullifiers of wudoo, it is possibly he could nullify it and then prays (without it), and his prayer would be invalid due to the hadeeth,
There is no prayer for the one who has no wudoo.” (1)
(In conclusion) knowledge of the nullifiers of Islam are greater and more important than knowledge of the nullifiers of wudoo, because whoever nullifies his Islam, then no action is excepted from him, even if his action benefits the people. Therefore knowledge of the nullifiers of Islam is a must, as is studying these nullifiers and reviewing them in light of the Quran and the Sunnah, and understanding them and then seeking Allah’s Aid in not falling into them.
Shaykh Muhammad Amaan Al-Jaami’s (rahimahullah) Explanation of The Nullifiers of Islam by Shaykul Islam Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhaab (rahimahullah)
(1) Sunan Abu Dawood 101, Authenticated by Shaykh Al-Albaani
Shaykh ‘Alee Naasir al-Faqihee (hafidahullah) said,
“These [are] Four Rules(1),that the Muslim benefits from throughout his life. And they address affairs of creed, and it is known that if the creed is correct and sound, everything else [will also be] correct.
Because the Messenger of Allah informed us that,
“ There is a morsel of flesh in the body, if it is sound, the whole body is sound. And if it is corrupt the whole body is corrupted, and it is the heart.”(2)
Therefore, if the heart is sound, then all of the limbs are in obedience; meaning the heart is (like a) king and the limbs are (like) soldiers. When the heart is righteous it does not reach out except to good, and it does not perform except [that which is] good.”
The first lesson of the Shaykh’s explanation of Al-Qawā’id Al-‘Arba’a,
(1) Al-Qawā’id Al-‘Arba’a authored by Shaykh Al-Islām Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Al-Wahhāb (rahimahullāh)
(2) Bukhāri & Muslim
Regarding seeking forgiveness, Shaykh Fawzan in explanation of the final verse of soorah an-Nasr said,
“It is better to complete ones lifespan with seeking and supplicating for forgiveness, because people, whether they are upon righteousness, uprightness and performance of righteous actions; then indeed they still have shortcomings regarding the right of Allah, so they should seek forgiveness. Subsequently it takes precedence and is obligatory for the sinful servant to seek and supplicate for forgiveness from Allah.
There is great virtue in seeking forgiveness and seeking of forgiveness is legislated to be done when completing righteous actions; when your life is approaching its end; when getting up from a gathering (1) and when completing the prayer.
On the authority of Thawbaan (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: When he had finished his prayer, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to ask for forgiveness three times and say: “Allaahumma anta al-salaam wa minka al-salaam, tabaarakta yaa dhaa’l-jalaali wa’l-ikraam (O Allaah, You are al-Salaam (the One Who is free from all defects and deficiencies) and from You is all peace, blessed are You, Possessor of Majesty and Honour).” (2)
Likewise he completes his life with asking for forgiveness, just (as he does at the end of each obligatory prayer) because seeking of forgiveness is sought after (at then end of an action, or one’s life).
Maa Tayyasara wa Tahassala min Duroos al-Quraan fee Hizb al-Mufassal pg. 527 with additional benefits from the recorded lesson.
(1)Sunan at-Tirmidhi 3433, Authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaani
(2) Muslim 135
Al-Allaamah al-Faqeeh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) in explanation of aayatul imtihaan:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Say (O Muhammad) if you (truly) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Aali Imraan: 31)
This verse is named the aayatul mihna, meaning the verse of examination, because a people claimed that they loved Allah, so Allah said to the Messenger,
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ
Say (O Muhammad) if you (truly) love Allah
This is the sign of a persons love for his Lord, that they follow the Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) and everyone who is more ardent in following the Messenger then he is more beloved to Allah, however lets ponder and look at the result of loving Allah; Allah did not command the Messenger to say “If you love Allah, follow me and be truthful in that” rather He said
يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ
Allah will love you
and this is the tremendous fruit and result which every person seeks. Hence the reality is that you loving Allah is not the same as you being loved by Allah. Due to this He said,
فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ
then follow me, Allah will love you
Therefore if you were to seek after the Love of Allah and you love Him, then it is upon you to follow the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah upon him).
Is it possible to understand from this verse that the actions of the people of innovation belies their claim of loving the messenger (peace and blessings upon him)?
The answer to this, is yes, because we say, if you truly loved the messenger, you would indeed follow him, and if you truly loved Allah, you would definitely follow the Messenger, and if you truly took him (peace and blessings of Allah upon him) as a leader you would not precede him (i.e. utter statements or perform actions which he did not legislate), and how can he be your leader in reality whilst you oppose him, so where is the following of this leadership?
And due to this blatant opposition, how easy it is to destroy their claims; those who say, you don’t celebrate the birthday of the Prophet, and you don’t perform long extended poetic salaat and salaam and praise upon him, therefore you don’t love him. So we say in reply to them, Glory be to Allah! Which of us has more right to loving the Messenger?! Those who follow his Sunnah and do not leave it, or those who perform that which he (peace and blessings of Allah upon him) warned against of innovations?! There is no doubt that those who truly love Allah is the first type, and destroying their claims does not require a strong axe, rather it is very easy to destroy.
Paraphrased from Sharh Iqtida as-Siratul Mustaqeem pg 723-724
Ponder! Why were you created? Ponder! To where are you travelling?
The one with intellect contemplates regarding his (current state), he contemplates regarding that which is approaching him, therefore he prepares for that which is in front of him.
The worldly life is a passing life and the Hereafter is an everlasting abode. The worldly life is the abode of action and the Hereafter is the abode of recompense.
Know your own reality! May Allah have mercy upon you.
Everyone must ponder regarding himself, what has he prepared for the meeting with Allah, The Glorified, The Most High.
{So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.} Al-Kahf:110
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Shaykh Uthaymeen said:
Verily, we all know that the intent of knowledge is action. Because knowledge is a means and action is the fruits. And if a person does not benefit with his knowledge, then an ignoramus is better than him. And many knowledge based issues are understood by most students, however they do not carry them out, whether it was in (issues of) worship, or dealings with the creation. And this there is no doubt is a deficiency; a deficiency, and a reason for deficiency, meaning deficiency in knowledge. For if a person was to act by his knowledge he benefits and his knowledge increases. So, whoever acts by that which he has learnt, then Allāh will forgive him for that which he did not know.