The Ultimate Reward of Faith | Mufti Abdul Rahman Waheed | Pearls of Faith Conference 2023

The Ultimate Reward of Faith

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم نحمده ونصلي على رسوله الكريم أما بعد

Allah says in His noble Book:

The Du'a of Asiyah

Brothers and sisters, as Asiyah عليها الصلاة والسلام was being dragged out of the palace that she was living in so peacefully for many years — the troops were dragging her out not because of a crime she committed, but just because she declared that Allah is her Lord and that Fir'aun, her husband, is just but a creation of God.

She reaches the top of the mountain, and Fir'aun — وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ — Allah says in Surah Al-Fajr he is the one who possesses the pegs. Because the first thing he started doing to punish her, to teach everyone a lesson — don't you dare make that declaration on my watch — was he pegged her arms and her feet to the ground, to a plank of wood. The first one to use pegging to punish somebody was Fir'aun. So he pegs her hands and her feet while she was alive to this plank of wood.

At this moment, in this pain, she makes a du'a:

O Allah, I ask of You to build me a house near You in Jannah.

And the du'a is so profound. Because she could have just said: O Allah, I ask of You for Jannah. She could have just said: O Allah, I ask for a house in Jannah. Why did she have to include near You?

If we have ever gone to Makkah Mukarramah and you're standing in the lobby — there's a hundred people there and they pass out all these hotel cards — and you're waiting anxiously to get into your hotel room. Everyone's in the same hotel. You get to your hotel room after a long drive, the first thing you go to is the window, to move the curtain, to see: what view did I get? Some of us get the view of the city — alright, the Prophet loved the mountains as well. Some of us get a partial haram view. Some of us get the full haram view. And a few lucky ones among us get the full Ka'bah view. And once we see that view, we are usually speechless. And the person behind is just seeing our smile. What a beautiful view.

This is exactly what Asiyah عليها السلام was asking for. She didn't want the city view. She didn't want the haram view. She wanted the view — O Allah, I'm asking You: when this curtain of dunya is drawn for me and I see Jannah, I want that view outside my window where I can see You and be near You.

And SubhanAllah, just like how we smile when we see the Ka'bah view — at that very moment Allah answered her prayer and showed her the view that she was going to have in Jannah, and she started smiling, just like we smile when we see the view. It was not because she saw Jannah. It was not because she saw the house — she knew she was getting that house. It was because she saw where that house was. Where that house was.

That's what the Arabs say: first choose the neighborhood before the house. Choose the companion before the travel.

The Companion Matters Most

Someone calls you and says, "Abdulrahman, wanna go to Maldives?" How does the conversation go? "Wanna go to Maldives?" Beautiful location — perfect, let's go. Second question: "When are we going?" "We're going August 25th." "I'm not going." Just asking — "August 25th?" Perfect, that falls right in the right dates. I'm off those days. Calendar is good. Third question: "How much does it cost?" "Don't worry, we have a group deal" — or "we have miles." The cost is good. The next question you ask: "Who's going? Who's on this trip?" And they name six or seven people — yeah, awesome, awesome — then they name one person that just scammed you in a Ponzi scheme and took ten thousand dollars from you. And you're like, "Hmm... let me do istikhara."

Let me tell you something — if a desi family in marital talks uses the word istikhara, that's a polite way of saying look for someone else. I'm telling you that for sure. So I said, "Let me do istikhara." Now you're thinking — because the location was perfect, the cost was perfect, the time was perfect — but the person you're going with was not perfect.

That's why, brothers and sisters who are sitting here today — all the different pearls of faith that we have heard today, that we will continue to hear for the rest of our lives — if we ever need motivation: why should I do this? Why should I do sajdah in front of Allah? Why should I lower my gaze? Why should I stop doing haram? Why should I suffer this pain I'm suffering in this world?

Remind yourself: Allah through His divine wisdom did not allow us to be born fourteen hundred years ago and see the Prophet ﷺ. We weren't lucky enough to be there with him. We weren't lucky enough to serve him. And if we ever want a chance to see him and be with him, then remind yourself — keep moving on. Because that's the ultimate prize for the pearls of faith that we try to act upon: to finally see the Prophet ﷺ.

Three Words That Motivate for Jannah

He was a tabi'i, walking with his friend. And he said to him:

"Tell me something that will motivate me for Jannah." He said three words — no long conferences, no long talks. He said:

"In Jannah, you will see the Prophet of Allah ﷺ." You weren't able to see him in this world — you will see him in Jannah.

What happens to us when we see the green dome — and this isn't even the Prophet ﷺ himself? This is true for everyone: the moment you see the green dome, your entire personality, your feelings change. Yes, it is worthy of that green dome sight that you should fall in sajdah and shukr. But rather than your head falling in sajdah, every single tear is falling in sajdah in front of the Prophet's grave and in front of Allah.

The Poem of Envy — Sheikh Hamza Yusuf

As I was sitting here today and listening to the different lectures, I said I have to share this. I never share English poems, but I have to share this poem with all of you. Sheikh Hamza Yusuf wrote this beautiful poem. Listen to this:

I envy the sand that met his feet,

I envy that honey he tasted sweet,

Of birds that hovered over his head,

Of spiders who spun their sacred web,

I envy clouds formed from the seas,

That gave him cover from the heat,

I envy sightless trees that gazed upon his form completely dazed,

I envy all there at his side,

Who watched the turning of the tide,

As truth prevailed and falsehood fled, and hope restored life to the dead.

He continues in a different poem, talking about the buzzer-beater moment. Everyone has that quiet moment — five bounces made him a hall of famer, made him part of the GOAT argument. Everyone talks about their buzzer-beater moment. He speaks about the buzzer-beater moment for lifeless objects: what was the greatest honor for lifeless objects at the time of the Prophet ﷺ?

The dog barked: he mentioned me.

The cat meowed: he patted me.

The donkey brayed: he rode on me.

The horse neighed: he called me an ocean.

The frog croaked: I was his favourite.

The spider stood tall on eight legs and stately stated: I protected him once.

The cloud boasted: I shaded him.

The tree declared: he called me and I bowed to him.

The palm trunk said: well, he hugged me.

The date gloated: I was sweet for him.

Milk exalted: I nourished him.

Water crowed: I quenched his thirst.

The Ka'bah shouted: he circled me.

The Yemeni corner replied: he touched me.

The Black Stone laughed — the Black Stone laughed — and said: he kissed me.

The pebbles yelled: we praised God in his palm.

The mountains of Mecca called out: he loved us.

Madinah merely whispered: he chose me. He chose me.

The Sahabi's Grief and the Divine Answer

This was the motivation in every Sahabi's life. Every single one of them was thinking: I have to be with him in Jannah.

The Prophet ﷺ saw someone sitting down and said:

"Why are you so stressed out? Everything okay? Are you alright?" And he said:

"O Prophet of Allah, something that I am constantly thinking about." He said, "What is the thing that you're thinking about?" He said:

"We come in the morning, we come in the evening, we get to see your beautiful face, we get to sit with you — and tomorrow you will be raised with all the Prophets and we will not be with you." That's what is making me sad and making me think. The Prophet ﷺ stayed quiet, and then Jibreel came down and revealed the verses:

Tell him not to worry too much — he will be with you in Jannah.

You Will Be with Those You Love

Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه says: one time I was sitting down and a person came and asked the Prophet ﷺ — this hadith is in Bukhari — he asked:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 3688)

"When is the Day of Judgment?" The Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Why are you asking this question — like, what have you prepared for this day? What did you do for it?" He said:

"Nothing — except for the fact that I love Allah and His Prophet." The Prophet ﷺ said:

"You will be with the ones you love."

Anas ibn Malik says:

"Nothing brought more joy to our hearts than the moment the Prophet told this man: in Jannah, you will be in the neighborhood of those who you love — so you can continue seeing them."

He says, "Now bear witness":

"Bear witness — I love the Prophet of Allah and I love Abu Bakr and I love Umar رضي الله عنهما, and I am hopeful that because of my love for them, Allah will put me in their neighborhood in Jannah — even though I may fall short in actions."

Every Sahabi at the time of the Prophet ﷺ — that's all they were thinking: how am I going to be with him? That's the ultimate prize of all the pearls of faith that we are listening about today.

Earning the Du'a — The Story of Rabi'ah ibn Ka'b

One Sahabi used to do so much khidmah for the Prophet ﷺ — serve him all the time. He was from the Ashab as-Suffah. Rabi'ah ibn Ka'b al-Aslami رضي الله عنه — he used to serve him all the time.

I want to digress for a second. The Sahaba — they never asked the Prophet ﷺ for du'as. They earned his du'as. One is to ask someone for a du'a; one is to earn it.

Abdullah ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه — he was seven years old. He witnesses and observes. He observes the sunnah and the habits of the Prophet ﷺ during the nights. He wanted to spend the night at his house. The Prophet ﷺ was very meticulous on the way he placed things and used things — أَقْوَابٌ مَوْضُوعَةٌ — in Jannah, utensils will be meticulously placed. Women sitting here — you know when the wrong cup is in the wrong place, the spoon is in the wrong place — that's not going to happen in Jannah. Allah says they will be in the right place.

So the Prophet ﷺ used to use different bowls for different things — follow along with me for what I'm about to say. He used to use a bowl to drink water, exclusively for that. He used to use a bowl for istinja. He used to use a bowl for wudu. All different bowls, almost looking the same, but each bowl was used for a distinct thing.

Abdullah ibn Abbas, being a seven year old, observes all of this. Someone asked him: how did you get so much knowledge? He said because of two things:

"A tongue that always asks the right questions, and an observing heart." Observation teaches a lot.

So he observes the Prophet's behavior — which bowl he uses, what time he does wudu. And then he decides based on his observation: this is the bowl the Prophet does wudu with. Not only that — the Prophet ﷺ would do wudu with a quantity of water that was fixed for the most part. He observed the quantity of the water for the Prophet's wudu. So he observed: the bowl, the quantity of water, and the time. The Prophet comes out, and as soon as he comes out he sees Abdullah ibn Abbas — a seven year old — standing there with the right bowl, at the right time, with the right amount of water. The moment he saw him like this, he made du'a for him:

"O Allah, make him knowledgeable in his deen and teach him the tafsir of the Quran." He earned this du'a through his actions.

Many of us are sitting here today — I remember I was 20 years old, I made chai for my mom. I went to my mom after making chai for her and I asked, "Ammi, how much sugar do you take in your tea?" And my mother said to me: "I don't take any sugar." I told my teacher this story afterwards. He said, "You should have slapped yourself. You've seen your mother making tea all her life. You didn't observe that she doesn't take any sugar." How many of us can safely say: I know exactly how much sugar, what kind of tea bag, how much milk my mother uses in her tea? It's through observation.

Just like that, Rabi'ah ibn Ka'b was sitting in front of the Prophet's door at night, waiting for him to come out. The Prophet comes out — he earns his du'a. The Prophet asks him, "O Rabi'ah, ask me." And at this very moment — as our talk is coming to its conclusion — what was on his mind? He wants to be with the Prophet. So he says:

"O Prophet of Allah, I only ask to be with you in Jannah."

Ibn al-Qayyim says: look at this person's concern. Even though he was from the Ashab as-Suffah — while every single other person was asking for food and clothes — on his mind was only: I want to be with the Prophet in Jannah. And from this he concludes: whatever is pressing on your mind — if we were to see the Prophet, that is what you would ask for.

What Is On Your Mind?

One time the Prophet said: whoever goes through this valley right here in Hudaybiyah — whoever crosses this valley will be forgiven. The next morning the Prophet said: everyone who crossed the valley is forgiven except for the man with the red camel. All the Sahaba went to that person and said to him: "The Prophet said everyone is forgiven except for you — so go ask him for forgiveness."

At this point — put yourself in his shoes. When you lose your keys or your phone, you're not thinking about anything else. What do you want at that point? You want your lost item. You're going crazy. At this point, he had lost his camel. He said to the people who came to tell him to go ask the Prophet for forgiveness: "Finding my camel is more beloved to me than the Prophet asking Allah for my forgiveness." Wallahi — he said this. It's in a hadith.

Ibn al-Qayyim says: that was on his mind. Another person comes — the Prophet sat with him and, having nothing in his house to give, said to him: "Ask me for what you need." So this person says: "I'm asking for a donkey that I can ride." He was asking the Prophet in his own house. The Prophet gives him the donkey because that was on his mind.

If exams are on your mind all the time — when you see the Prophet: "O Prophet of Allah, make du'a for my MCAT." That was on your mind. Of course that should be on your mind. But for the Sahaba, dunya was nothing. All that was on their mind was that.

So he gave him the donkey. Then gave him another choice, another opportunity: "Ask me again." And he says: "I ask you to give me a dog that can guard my animals." The Prophet gives him. Another opportunity: "Ask me again." And then he asks: "I ask you to give me a servant that can serve me."

The Prophet's Sunnah: To Out-Gift Everyone

The Prophet's sunnah was that nobody could out-gift him. He would always give more gifts than the other person. That's what the Prophet said toward the end of his life: every single person who has done me a favor, given me a gift — I have given them back. It was a sunnah to out-gift people. Except for Abu Bakr — Allah will repay him. Allah will repay him on the Day of Judgment.

Hazrat Shaykh al-Hadith رحمه الله — as I conclude today — he says under this sunnah of his: the Prophet's sunnah was to out-gift everybody. Now put yourself in the shoes of his ummah.

Every time the adhan goes, every time you hear the adhan, you make du'a for the Prophet — you're giving him a gift. Every time you hear Rasulullah, we say صلى الله عليه وسلم — you're giving him a gift. Millions of gifts you have given him throughout your life. And it was the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ to out-gift people.

Hazrat Shaykh says: all these gifts you're giving to the Prophet throughout your life — and then all of a sudden, on the Day of Judgment, because it was a sunnah to out-gift people, he is going to be waiting for you, and he is going to out-gift you in a way that you cannot imagine. It's unimaginable.

Conclusion — When It Is All Worth It

That's why I conclude by saying: when this is all over — the pain of today, the joy of today — I have a classmate who is here. I'm going to make him stand up. Shaykh Ahmad — please stand up. This man here — I take him as an example. I'm going to tell you, Shaykh Ahmad

Shaykh Ahmad — let's all give him a round of applause. Standing up, standing up! That's not enough — give him a round of applause. He deserves that.