Focus on the Fundamentals – Part 4

My brothers and sisters, the default setting for the Muslim is that he/she is a Wali of Allahﷻ. This is not my imagination but Allahﷻ stated that clearly in His Book and said:

أَلَآ إِنَّ أَوْلِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَكَانُوا۟ يَتَّقُونَ

لَهُمُ ٱلْبُشْرَىٰ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ

Yunus 10: 62-64    There will certainly be no fear for the Awlia (slaves who Allahﷻ loves) of Allah, nor will they grieve. ˹They are˺ those who are faithful and are mindful ˹of Him˺ For them is good news in this worldly life and the Hereafter. There is no change in the promise of Allah. That is ˹truly˺ the ultimate triumph

Allahﷻ, in His Infinite Mercy didn’t specify the level of Iman or Taqwa. Allahﷻ went even further and mentioned His special favor on us:

ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ

Baqara 2: 257   Allah is the Guardian of the Believers—He brings them out of darkness and into light.

About our last moments which we must always think about, Allahﷻ described a situation that I ask Allahﷻ for all of us, where we will be given the good news of Jannah before we leave this life. He said:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَقَـٰمُوا۟ تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا۟ وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَبْشِرُوا۟ بِٱلْجَنَّةِ ٱلَّتِى كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَآؤُكُمْ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِىٓ أَنفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ

نُزُلًا مِّنْ غَفُورٍ رَّحِيمٍ

Fussilat 41:30-32   Surely those who say, “Our Rabb is Allah,” and then remain steadfast, the angels descend upon them, ˹saying,˺ “Do not fear, nor grieve. Rather, rejoice in the good news of Jannah, which you have been promised. We are your supporters in this worldly life and in the Hereafter. There you will have whatever your souls desire, and there you will have whatever you ask for: a welcome from the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful ˹Rabb˺.”

As I have said many times before, there are only two things that are critical needs for the human being – Dharooriyaat. Hidaya (guidance) in life and Maghfirah (Allahﷻ’s forgiveness) after death. Nothing else is Dharoori – critical. I remember and remind you that these last moments on earth are the time when everyone is afraid. Without exception everyone is fearful about a world we have not seen and in which we will not have any power to change our situation. At that time, Allahﷻ will send His Angels to comfort us and to promise to be with us in the journey and convey to us, Allahﷻ’s promise of forgiveness. Nuzul is a welcome gesture (like a drink of cold water or juice) for a thirsty traveler which is a precursor and promise of what is to follow. In this case it is the announcement of Jannah for the Wali of Allahﷻ, even before his soul leaves his body.

So, In-sha-Allahﷻ all Muslims are the Awlia of Allahﷻ. As long as we don’t commit Shirk or Kufr and we try our best to fulfill our duties, we can hope for Allahﷻ’s Forgiveness. What sense does it make to ruin this by taking interest-based loans and thereby removing ourselves from the list of Awlia of Allahﷻ and entering our names in the list of enemies of Allahﷻ? Especially because whatever we take the loan for, will remain here when we die while our action of challenging Allahﷻ and accepting the declaration of war from Him, will go with us into the Aakhira. That is how evil interest is.

Allahﷻ mentioned our Rizq in very clear terms:

اللَّهُ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

Ankabut 29: 62.   Allah enlarges the provision for whom He wills of His slaves and restricts it for whom (He wills). Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything.

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيَقْدِرُ إ...