Commentary on the Last Chapter in the Book Al-Murshidu Al-Mu’īn 02

Assalāmu Alaykum Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على المبعوث رحمة للعالمين وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين ومن تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين وبعد

Honored Brothers and Sisters on the Platform
You are all welcome to this morning’s session of the Halqah.

Where we shall continue our Commentary on the Last Chapter of the book _Al-Murshid Al-Mu’īn_
Written by the Polymath Imām Abū Muhammad Abdulwāhid bn ‘Āshir Al-Mālikī rahimahullāh
We stopped at his explanation of what Tawbah entails where he said:

وَتَوْبَةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ يُجْتَرَمْ                تَجِبُ فَوْرًا مُطْلَقًَا وَهْيَ النَّدَمْ

بِشَرْطِ الاِقْلاَعِ وَنَفْيِ الإِصْرَارْ             وَلْيَتَلاَفَ مُمْكِنًَا ذَا اسْتِغْفَارْ

And we explained it’s meanings
Then the Imām said, rahimahullāh

وَحَاصِلُ التَّقْوَى اجْتِنَابٌ وَامْتِثَالْ     فِي ظَاهِرٍ وَبَاطِنٍ بِذَا تُنَالْ
فَجَاءَتِ الأَقْسَامُ حَقًّا أَرْبَعَةْ             وَهِيَ لِلسَّالِكِ سُبْلَ الْمَنْفَعَةْ

_”The Definition of Taqwah is to refrain and to implement;_
_Outwardly and Inwardly and by so is it attained_

_Thus it’s rightful types are really four;_
_And they are the Paths of Rectitude for the treader of the Path_”

The Imām went further to mention the next most important thing for the one who seeks the Path of Allāh and who intends to earn the Pleasure of Allāh
*It is Taqwah*
Attaining Taqwah is the Path to Rectitude. He defined Taqwah as refraining from the No-Go Areas that Allāh has defined. And the implementation or complying with the Must-Go Areas that Allāh has defined. It is to act in accordance with what Allāh asks to be acted upon. And to Not-Act in accordance with what Allāh asks us not to act in accordance

These are done whether in private or in public and this is why there are four categories of Taqwah

الإجتناب في الظاهر

1. To avoid the Do-Nots in apparent and in public

الإجتناب في الباطن

2. To avoid the Do-Nots Inwardly and where you are alone

الإمتثال في الظاهر

3. To act in accordance with the Commands and Recommendations (Dos) apparently and in public

الإمتثال في الباطن

4. To act in accordance with the Commands and Recommendations (Dos) Inwardly and where you are alone

Whenever a person is oblivious of any of these 4 categories then he has no Taqwah of Allāh. You must carry out the Commands of Allāh and avoid His forbiddance both in private and in public. Likewise, you must avoid transgressing the limits set by Him both in private and in public. This means that a _Muttaqī_ (One who has Taqwah) is the one who is conscious of Allāh and the Injunctions set by Him everytime and everywhere

Whosever seeks to attain the Pleasure of Allāh, he must attain Taqwah
In the Qur’an, Allāh said

وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّكُمْ مُلَاقُوهُ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

_”And have Taqwah of Allāh and know that you surely will meet soon with Him. So give glad tidings to the Believers”_

Recalling that we will meet Allāh soon, we must attain have Taqwah that we may meet Him while He is pleased with us. And in Sūratu An-Nisā, He said, Tabaraka Wa Ta’ālā

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَقَدْ وَصَّيْنَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنِ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَإِنْ تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَنِيًّا حَمِيدًا

_”And to Allâh belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you, and to you ( O Muslims ) that you ( all ) fear Allâh, and keep your duty to Him. But if you disbelieve, then unto Allâh belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and Allâh is Ever Rich ( Free of all wants ) , Worthy of all praise.”_

In this Verse, Allāh was emphatic that the _Wasiyyah_ (Advice and Lasting Legacy) that He gave the People who were given the Book on the Past and to us, Muslims, is to Fear Allāh (to have Taqwah).

And in the Hadīth, the Rasūl salallāhu alayhi wasallam said

«اتَّقِ الله حيثما كنت»

_”Have Taqwah of Allāh wherever you may be_”
This Hadīth is recorded by Imām Abū Īsā At-Tirmidhī from Abū Dharr. And the Hadith is sound.

In commenting about this, Shaykhu Al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah said:
_”And Taqwah is Obligatory upon the generality of the Creation for Allāh had in some places (in the Qur’an) obligated it and advised that it be held unto, and had apportioned blame upon the one who has no fear of Allāh and promised punishment for the one who feels he has no need of his Taqwah”_

May Allāh count us among the People of His Taqwah

We shall pause here for today and continue next week inshā Allāh where we shall continue with the Imām’s further explanation of the manifestations of Taqwah that the one on the Path of Allāh must live by

Bārakallāhu Fīkum

May Allāh grant success and help to our brothers and sisters in Palestine and bring victory upon them soon. Āmīn

Jazakumullāhu Khayran

سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت أستغفرك وأتوب إليك