Remembering Allah When Others Forget | Hidden Treasures Episode 10 | Shaykh Suleiman Hani

Remembering Allah When Others Forget — Hidden Treasures Episode 10

Our hidden treasure today is a specific moment in the life of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم where Usama bin Zayd رضي الله عنه asked the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام: "Why do I see you fasting this month of Sha'ban — the one that comes before Ramadan — why do I see you fasting this month to the degree that you are fasting?" meaning this much. And this is an interesting hadith, because there is a principle — even though it sounds like this is only about Sha'ban — there is a lesson you can take for the entire year and your entire life. And this is where the hidden treasure is.

The Hadith: A Month People Are Heedless Of

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم responded:

(Sunan al-Nasa'i, Book 22, Hadith 148 — also reported in Musnad Ahmad)

"This is a month in which many people are heedless — they don't pay attention to it." Why? Because Sha'ban comes between what? Between Rajab and Ramadan. Rajab is a sacred month, so people would do more. Ramadan, obviously, people excel in their acts of worship, and a lot of Muslims do pay attention to Ramadan — the entire Ummah notices Ramadan. You can't avoid it, with how much work, and congregations, and Qiyam, and Taraweeh, and lectures and programs — so everyone notices the month of Ramadan. But in between, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is saying, there is a month in which many people are heedless.

The Hidden Treasure: Worship When Others Forget

Our hidden treasure here is to worship Allah when other people forget — to remember Allah when other people are distracted — to worship in a place in which many people are entertained with الدُّنيا — that you focus on Allah — that you focus on the afterlife. You go to school, you go to — some people go to malls or a supermarket, and usually there is buying and selling. School — there is socializing, education. Even a family gathering, where people are just having fun — حَلَال مُبَاح, entertainment and socializing as a family — remember Allah, make du'a, connect to the Quran, be among those who remember Allah when others are neglectful.

And this is one of the greatest hidden treasures that the scholars say is amplified — magnified in reward. And so when your deeds are lifted and presented to Allah and other people are heedless — it shows from morning to night, and then night to morning — the deeds are presented to Allah. Your deeds will be presented to Allah in a way that is beautiful: Ya Allah, I worshipped when others neglected.

The Example of the Early Muslims

Some of the early Muslims, between Maghrib and Isha, would increase their nawafil — voluntary prayers. Is that wajib? Is that like something you have to do? Is that something the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم commanded? No. But they noticed many people were neglectful, many people were distracted, many people were tired — so between Maghrib and Isha they decided to pray more voluntary prayers. These are just examples, but find in your daily life this emphasis, this reminder, that there is a hidden treasure in every moment — and especially the moments in which others are neglecting.

Helping Those Who Are Marginalized and Ignored

Here is another way to think about it. Sometimes there are charity causes that are also ignored. There are gaps in the community. There are groups of people who are not helped enough by the larger society. When you pay attention to the one who is marginalized and oppressed — while others are neglecting them, they are heedless, as the hadith mentions, so people are not paying attention to them — and you decide to help, you make du'a, you relieve the hardship of someone, or you gave a charity — this is one of the greatest acts of worship, because others are not doing it, because others are neglecting it.

Deeds Being Presented to Allah

Some of the scholars also emphasize in this hadith that not only are the deeds presented to Allah, but you think about the different ways they are presented. So on Mondays and Thursdays, the a'mal — the good deeds and all the deeds — they are lifted up in some form, behind the scenes, and presented to Allah. And Mondays and Thursdays are just one example. You also have the deeds of the day — they are all gathered right before evening, your deeds are lifted up, presented to Allah. Everything you do at night — gathered, accumulated, presented to Allah in some form.

And so what did you do from the time of Maghrib until Fajr? That includes your sleep, your socializing — for those who have social media or technology or devices — what did you see online? What did you listen to? What did you spend time on? All of that is presented to Allah.

Why Are Deeds Presented If Allah Already Knows?

So someone might ask: why is this even necessary? The deeds being presented in Ramadan, in Sha'ban, on Mondays and Thursdays, in the mornings and evenings — Allah already is Al-'Aleem — He knows all things. And that is true. It is not for Allah's benefit — it is for us. It is for you to know: my deeds are about to be presented to my Creator, so let me make sure the last 12 hours of the day, or these 12 hours of the night, they are filled with the most beautiful deeds to present.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to Usama رضي الله عنه: "I would like to be in a state of fasting when my deeds are presented to Allah." So the deeds are lifted in Sha'ban, and I like for myself to be in a state of fasting when my deeds are presented to Allah.

A Reminder to Hold Yourself Accountable

Think of your morning and evening, and make sure you are focused on what? The presentation. These are milestones — a way to track yourself, a way to hold yourself accountable — that: O Allah, as my deeds are presented to You for the last 12 hours, I want them to be beautiful. O Allah, accept. And therefore, if you have sins, repent immediately and do not delay — and prevent yourself as well from falling into the same sins again. And ask Allah for forgiveness and guidance, and also the wisdom and the intellect and the strength of Iman to pay attention to what is happening.

When others neglect and forget Allah — you remember, and you remind them as well.

May Allah guide us and guide others through us, and allow us to take advantage of this beautiful hidden treasure from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

Wa assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.