An Open Invitation from Allah - Shaykh Zakaullah Saleem

An Open Invitation from Allah

Indeed, all praise is due to Allah. We praise Him and ask His help and ask His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Allah from the evils of our souls and from the evils of our deeds.

Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide him. And whosoever He leads astray, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, alone, no partner for Him. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared. And do not die except as Muslims.

O you people, fear your Lord, Who created you from one soul, and created from it its wife. And He spread among them many men and women. And fear Allah in Whom you ask for help and mercy. Indeed, Allah is ever watching over you.

O you who have believed, fear Allah and say the right words. He will amend your deeds for you and forgive your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has won a great triumph.

As for what follows, the best hadith is the Book of Allah. And the best guide is the guide of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. And the worst of things are its innovations. And every innovation is a creation. And every creation is a misguidance. And every misguidance is in the Fire.

Ramadan: An Open Invitation to Jannah

As for what follows, alhamdulillah, by the grace of Allah, we are enjoying the blessed month of Ramadan. The month of the mercy and the forgiveness of Allah. The month in which Allah opens all the gates of Jannah. It is an open invitation from our Lord, our Creator — Allah is inviting us all to attain His Jannah.

Allah says in the Quran:

Whoever is saved from the Fire of Hell and he is granted entry into Jannah, indeed he is successful. In many ayat, Allah in the Quran, after making the mention of Jannah, says it is a great success. So the great success of the month of Ramadan is also to attain the Jannah. Therefore the believers in this blessed month of Ramadan try their best to perform as many righteous deeds as possible, in order to attain the Jannah and the mercy of Allah.

The Levels of Jannah

My respected brothers and sisters in Islam, no doubt attaining Jannah is a great success. But within Jannah there are levels. Within Jannah there are levels and the believers are expected to aim for the highest levels.

Our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, has encouraged us. He said: whenever you ask Allah for Jannah, ask for Firdaus within Jannah. Because Firdaus is the highest place or highest rank within Jannah.

Within Jannah the believers, the people of Jannah, will be divided into various ranks. There will be people who will be given or granted by Allah some additional blessings. One of them is seeing Allah Himself.

Allah has confirmed in the ayat of the Quran:

Those who have excelled in performing righteous deeds, they will be granted Jannah — not only Jannah, but something in addition to Jannah. And that something in addition to Jannah is seeing Allah.

In other ayat, Allah says: entering into Jannah is a great success, no doubt. But when you are in Jannah and you hear that Allah says to you that He is pleased with you — that is Ridwan, the pleasure of Allah. It is even better and greater.

Being in the Company of the Prophet in Jannah

And amongst those ranks within Jannah is the rank of people who will be with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him — those who will be in the company of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, were certain people who were his companions in this world. But the vast majority of Muslims do not have that privilege.

But Allah out of His mercy has given us that privilege — that if we try to attain it by focusing on certain good deeds, we can be the companion of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in Jannah. And the number of good deeds that our Nabi, peace and blessings be upon him, has guided us to — and Allah has also encouraged us to focus on those righteous deeds in order to be in Jannah with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

1. Obedience to Allah and His Messenger

The most important one is the obedience to Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. As Allah has said in Surah An-Nisa:

Whoever truly obeys Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, he will be with the Prophets in Jannah, with the most truthful — the Siddiqeen — with the martyrs and with the righteous people.

The ulama of tafsir have mentioned that this ayah was revealed when a companion of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, named Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Abdirabbih — the one who saw the Adhan initially when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had a discussion with the companions on how to call people to Salah. Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Abdirabbih, may Allah be pleased with him, was the companion who saw in a dream that someone is calling the Adhan, announcing the words الله أكبر، الله أكبر. He came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and relayed his dream, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, confirmed that this is the way to call people to Salah.

So Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn Abdirabbih one day came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and expressed his concern. He said: O Messenger of Allah, I have this worry and concern — that in this world, whenever we feel loneliness or depression or any kind of anxiety, we come to you, we see you, and we find comfort. We love to be in your company, and while we are in your company, our Iman is higher. But my concern is that if Allah allows me to enter Jannah, you as Messenger of Allah will be in the higher rank in Jannah, and myself and people like me — the other believers — we will be in the lower rank. We may not be able to see you in Jannah.

SubhanAllah, this was his worry, this was his concern. And a similar narration is mentioned about Sayyiduna Thawban, may Allah be pleased with him, another companion who came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, noticed the colour of his face had changed. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: What's wrong with you, Thawban, what happened? He said: O Messenger of Allah, I have no pain in the body, no physical illness — apart from one concern, one worry. He said: What is that concern, what is that worry? He said the same thing: O Messenger of Allah, I think all the time that when we go into Jannah, you will be in the higher rank and we will be in the lower rank, and we may not be able to see you in Jannah.

And Allah revealed this ayah in Surah An-Nisa: whoever truly obeys Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, he will be with the Prophets in Jannah. So this is one of the best ways of attaining the companionship of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in Jannah.

Therefore, while we are struggling and making our efforts within the month of Ramadan to attain the mercy and the forgiveness of Allah and to attain the Jannah, we should try our best to be obedient to Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, in every single matter of our life. Not only when we come to the Masjid, rather day and night, morning and evening, every single day, in every single matter.

When you offer the Salah, you do it according to the teachings of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to demonstrate your unconditional obedience to him. While fasting, you follow his way. While reciting the Quran, you follow his way. It also shows and proves your strong and deep love for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, which is a sign of your Iman. And this is also another way of being with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in Jannah.

In fact, obedience and love for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, are linked together. You cannot detach them. You cannot say that I obey Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, but I don't really love him. Or you cannot say that I love him more than I love anyone else, but when it comes to obedience and following the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, you find it difficult to accept it.

Sayyiduna Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that a man came to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: When is the Last Hour? When is the Qiyamah? The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, asked him: What have you prepared for the Qiyamah? Have you made any preparation? He replied: I have not prepared anything apart from one thing — I can declare and confirm that I love Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him. And obviously by saying this, he meant that he obeys Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.

Then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: If you declare that you love Allah and His Messenger, then remember this principle:

The person is with the one whom he loves the most.

Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, says: When we heard this from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he was so excited. Anas says: From the day we entered into the religion of Islam and accepted it as our religion, there was no day in which we were more happy than this very day — the day in which we heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: The person will be with the one who he loves the most.

Then Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, expresses his feeling and says: By Allah, I, Anas, declare that I love Allah and I love the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. I love Abu Bakr and I love Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both.

So the love for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the obedience to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him — this is the core and the foundation. This is the most important matter of the religion of Allah. And this is one of the greatest things that you can do in order to be with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in Jannah.

May Allah give us tawfiq to remain obedient to Allah and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Further Deeds to Attain the Companionship of the Prophet in Jannah

Respected brothers and sisters in Islam, there are other righteous deeds that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, has encouraged us to focus on in order to attain the company or the companionship of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

2. Abundant Nawafil (Voluntary Prayers)

One of them is what is mentioned in the hadith of Rabi'ah ibn Ka'b al-Aslami, may Allah be pleased with him, a companion of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who used to serve the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, particularly at night. He would bring the water for the wudu of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he would get up for the night prayer.

When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, saw his deep attachment and deep love for him, he said: Rabi'ah, ask me whatever you want. He said: O Messenger of Allah, I don't need anything. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, repeated: Ask, ask whatever you want. He said: O Messenger of Allah, I don't need. When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said it a third time, he said: O Messenger of Allah, I have one single request — that you keep me with you in Jannah. I want your companionship in Jannah.

Then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: If this is the case, then help me in achieving this by increasing your Nawafil. Offer as many Nawafil as you can.

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith 489)

Within the month of Ramadan, this is one of the best deeds we can do. Whenever we get free time, we should try our best to offer as many Nawafil as we can — obviously by offering the night prayer, and even during the day when we come into the Masjid. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to offer so many Nawafil every single day and night. So this is one of the ways of obtaining the companionship of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in Jannah.

3. Looking After an Orphan

Another one is looking after an orphan. A very well-known hadith that all of us know — that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5304)

I am the one who looks after an orphan — and he indicated with his two fingers. Looking after an orphan means that you physically look after one. And it also includes, if you are unable to look after an orphan physically, that you at least support someone who is looking after an orphan by sponsoring or financially supporting them. So if you do that, you will be with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

4. Demonstrating Good Character (Akhlaq)

Another good deed is to demonstrate good and best akhlaq at all times. As the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

(Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2018)

The most beloved to me amongst you, and those who will be closest to me in terms of their sitting on the Day of Judgment, will be the people who have the best akhlaq. You show your kindness and gentleness and you demonstrate the best akhlaq at all times.

5. Giving Tarbiyah to Your Daughters

One of the best righteous deeds on which you can focus in order to be with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is to give the tarbiyah to your daughters — particularly daughters. Obviously every parent is required to bring up their children according to the teachings of Islam. But particularly the daughters — the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, has given the glad tidings to those who are blessed by Allah with daughters. He, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1418; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2629)

Whoever looks after two of his daughters — one hadith says two sisters or two daughters — and he brings them up according to the teachings of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, such a person and I will be in Jannah like these two fingers.

May Allah give us tawfiq to focus on these righteous deeds in order to achieve the companionship of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, in Jannah. May Allah forgive our mistakes and our sins, and may Allah shower His mercy upon us all.