Remaining Steadfast, The Fruits of Jannah

Remaining Steadfast: The Fruits of Jannah

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Master of the Messengers and the Seal of the Prophets, and upon his pious and pure family, and upon those who follow them with goodness and call to their call until the Day of Judgment.

Allah, the Exalted, said in the final revelation — after I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytan, in the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful:

Indeed, those who say, "Our Lord is Allah," and then stand firm — the angels descend upon them, saying, "Do not fear, nor grieve, but rejoice in Paradise, which you were promised. We are your protectors in this world and in the Hereafter. And in it you will have what your souls desire, and in it you will have what you call for. A revelation from the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful."

And who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah and does good and says, "I am of the Muslims."

My dear respected brothers and sisters, respected elders and young students. Indeed in this life that we are all passing through as a trial and test from Allah, the biggest test for us is: how do we remain steadfast? Istiqāmah.

We have many challenges we have to face in the environment we are living in. Many tests for the youth are different; for adults are different. But the common denominator is that we are all going through different challenges. In order to please Allah and to ensure we obey Allah, follow through the sunnah of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and hold fast onto our deen, there are many obstacles we have to overcome. And to be able to do so, and to remain steadfast no matter what, this is known as istiqāmah fī al-dīn. And this is the greatest accomplishment a person could ever achieve.

Al-Istiqāmah Fawqa Alfa Karāmah

It is said: al-istiqāmah fawqa alfa karāmah — having steadfastness and istiqāmah is a greater achievement than having one thousand supernatural feats of karāmāt. One istiqāmah is greater than a thousand karāmāt.

In this beautiful passage from Sūrah Ḥā Mīm al-Sajdah (Sūrah Fuṣṣilat), Allah first gives us the reward — the great reward that He promises those who have istiqāmah. And then, when we are encouraged and excited about the reward of istiqāmah, and we are wondering how we can achieve it — what is the method whereby we can secure istiqāmah for ourselves — then Allah tells us the methodology as well.

Rabbunā Allāh — The Greatest Declaration

Allah says: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا — Verily, those people who make this statement, this proclamation and declaration, that "Our Rabb is Allah," and then they remain steadfast. SubḥānAllāh.

The biggest thing is that they recognize who their Rabb is — who their nurturer and provider is. And this is the biggest test. Of all the names of Allah, all the beautiful attributes of Allah, we see here that they say رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ — "Our Rabb is Allah." They are not saying "Our Khāliq is Allah," "Our Mālik is Allah," "Our Rāziq is Allah," or any of the other attributes of Allah. But rather they are singling out the attribute of Rabbiyyah — that He is a nurturer and He is a provider.

Because from all the other attributes of Allah, this is the hardest one for a person to develop yaqīn and conviction on. Logically, it becomes easy for a person to conclude that this creation required a creator — to come to the realization that there was a creator, there was a Khāliq. He created from a state of non-existence and brought everything into existence. And since He created everything, He is the owner, He is the possessor, He is the Mālik. And He has the sole authority to judge between His creation.

All of these attributes: He is perfect in His sight — He is Al-Baṣīr. He is perfect in His hearing — He is Al-Samīʿ. He is perfect in His knowledge — He is Al-Khabīr. He is the first without a beginning — He is Al-Awwal. He is the last without an end — He is Al-Ākhir. Through His signs He is the most apparent — He is Al-Ẓāhir. But He has kept Himself hidden from us — He is Al-Bāṭin. These attributes are relatively easier to believe in, compared to the Rabbiyyah of Allah.

Because this is Allah's test for us. He has created the love of the material world in our hearts, and we are so attached to this material world. We have been hardwired to love this dunyā. We feel that our needs are being fulfilled through the material dunyā, rather than realizing that behind these material means is the power of Allah. And if He is fulfilling our needs through the material dunyā, He is not dependent on that. He can fulfill our needs without the dunyā as well, and with the dunyā as well — with the asbāb, and without the asbāb, and against the asbāb. In every condition, Allah is the provider. He is our Rabb, and He is the Rabb of the ʿālamīn, the Rabb of the worlds.

That is why when Allah introduces the Quran — both from the perspective of how it is organized (tartīb jamʿī) and how it was revealed (tartīb nuzūlī) — it starts with الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ. The first attribute of Allah: all praise be to Allah, who is the Rabb — the provider, the nurturer of the worlds. And if you want to see how it was revealed, again it begins with اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ — "Recite, O Muḥammad, in the name of your Rabb."

And before we came into this world, when Allah gathered all the souls together in the ʿālam al-arwāḥ, in the realm of the souls, Allah took an oath from us — it is called the ʿahd al-alast — in which Allah took a vow and a pledge from us, and He asked all the souls gathered together:

"Am I not your Rabb?" Again He asked us about Rabbiyyah. He did not ask, "Am I not your Khāliq?" or "Am I not your Mālik?" or "Am I not your Ilāh — the object of your worship?" But rather He said, أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ, and we all responded in one voice: "Yes." Then Allah said that when you go into the world, you will be faced with such conditions that you will forget who your Rabb is. I will send My prophets to remind you, and if you heed the reminder you will be successful, and if you deny them, then you will be unsuccessful.

This is the test of our worldly existence. That is why when you go in the grave, the first question is not مَنْ إِلَهُكَ — "Who is your ilāh?" It is not "Who is your Mālik?" or "Who is your Rāziq?" — but rather it is مَنْ رَبُّكَ. Again: "Who is your Rabb?" This is the test. The tawḥīd of Rabbiyyah is the test from every aspect and every angle.

In this āyah as well, those who say "Our Rabb is Allah" — they made this proclamation with the tongue, but it was not mere lip service. Then they proved it through their actions. They remained steadfast. They had istiqāmah. They overcame all the challenges that came their way.

The Rewards of Istiqāmah

So what is the great reward? This is the tartīb of Allah — first He gives us the beautiful rewards that encourage us, and then He tells us how to acquire the attribute.

The rewards are: تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ — the angels will descend upon them. And this is near the ending, the time of death. The angels will say: أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا — "Do not have any fear." This is regarding the future stages. Khawf is عَلَى مَا سَيَكُونُ — fear is regarding the future. Do not have apprehension about what is to come. وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا — and do not have any grief عَلَى مَا فَاتَ — on the past, on what you are leaving behind, on whom you are leaving behind. You will be reunited with them shortly in Jannah.

وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ — "And take the glad tidings of Jannah." The same Jannah that you have been promised — now is the time for you to enter it. Your entire life you were working so hard, striving so hard. Now, alḥamdulillāh, you can rest for an eternal rest and enjoy eternally. The examination is over. Now is the time to enjoy the fruits of your efforts.

Then they tell the people who are dying — when the ghayb becomes mushāhadah, when the unseen world becomes seen, and they begin to see the angels, and they begin to see the reality of the existence that was up till now hidden from them — the angels say: نَحْنُ أَوْلِيَاؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ — "We are your friends, your supporters, we have been guarding you and we were with you in your worldly life — but you could not see us. Now we have made ourselves visible to you. And we will continue to be on your side in the Hereafter. We are your old companions — not new ones you need to be afraid of. Be calm, feel safe, feel relaxed."

The Description of Jannah

What is the quality of Jannah? What is the description of Jannah? SubḥānAllāh. Recently something I read comes to mind. Someone came to a walī of Allah — a scholarly person who had the love of Allah and the love of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam — and asked him:

"Can you please describe Jannah to us, so that we can increase our desire to enter it?"

So he said: "What more can I tell you, than that in Jannah there will be Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." They were expecting a description of the ḥūr and quṣūr — the palaces, the rivers, the physical pleasures. He said: "What more can there be to increase your desire for Jannah, than the fact that in Jannah is Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam?"

Such a beautiful statement. And there is so much we can derive from these words. To reiterate in Urdu:

Ek buzurg se pūchā gayā jannath ke mutaalliq hamein kuch aisā batlāiye jise sun kar hamare shawq mein izāfa ho. Farmāyā ki us mein Rasūlullāh ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam honge.

A walī of Allah was asked: "Describe to us something about Jannah that, when we hear it, will increase our desire to enter it." He said: "What else can I tell you, besides the fact that in Jannah there will be Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam." This is how much love we are supposed to have for Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam — that the greatest desire would be to be in his company.

The best of companions in Jannah — you will be, inshāAllāh, in the companionship of the Nabiyyīn, the Anbiyā, the Ṣiddīqīn. These are the best companions you could ever have. ذَٰلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ اللَّهِ — this is the grace and bounty of Allah, not that you earned it or deserved it, but Allah is granting you from His Faḍl. وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ عَلِيمًا — Allah is sufficient. He knows whether you deserve it or not, what your actions are.

Allāhu Akbar. Over here, Allah, knowing that we have the best desires, does not just say, "Oh yes, you will get to meet Rasulullah" and leave it at that. Rather Allah says:

"Therein, in Jannah, you will have whatever your heart may ever desire." The word مَا here is ʿāmm — it is general. It means anything and everything. Anything and everything that you may ever desire, you will be granted in Jannah. وَلَكُمْ فِيهَا مَا تَدَّعُونَ — whatever you call out for, whatever you ask for, whatever you request — your wish will be granted. This is very brief, to the point, and all-inclusive.

So this is a very comprehensive description of Jannah. What else is left? Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentions in a Ḥadīth Qudsī that Allah says:

"I have prepared for My righteous servants such blessings that no eye has ever seen, nor any ear has ever heard the true genuine description, and the reality of that has not even crossed the heart of any human being. No human being has even imagined or fantasized about such blessings which I have already prepared for My righteous servants."

Who Enters Jannah — The Ranks

There are those who will enter Jannah in the first rank without reckoning — with the Anbiyā and the Ṣiddīqīn and the Sābiqīn al-Awwalīn. Then there will be those who will enter Jannah after crossing through the Ṣirāṭ with difficulty. Then there will be those who will enter Jannah because their good deeds narrowly outweigh their bad deeds. Then there will be those whom Allah will forgive their sins and grant Jannah. Then there will be those who will enter Jannah after going through the fire of Jahannam — after burning for a while, Allah will make that a kaffārah, a forgiveness of their sins, and they will enter Jannah. Then there will be those who will enter Jannah through the shafāʿah, the intercession of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Then Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam will ask permission from Allah to go into the fire of Jahannam and take out the believers. He will take out one whole group. Then he will ask Allah to find more believers and he will take out another group. Then he will ask Allah to take out another group who have less īmān, less aʿmāl. More and more people will come out from Jahannam and enter Jannah — lesser and lesser ranks.

And finally it will come to the point of the ultimate last individual. The last individual who will enter Jannah from Jahannam. He has been burning in Jahannam for — Allah alone knows how many years. Finally he will come out. He will take a bath in the spring of Kawthar. He will become fresh. He will be given a new body. And then he will be granted his Jannah.

This is the last person. After this person, there is no entrance into Jannah for anyone else. And by default, since he is the last person to enter Jannah, that means he has the smallest Jannah — the least beautiful Jannah.

And if on the other end of the line, the front of the line — the first individual — we know who he is as well. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:

"Verily Jannah is ḥarām upon any prophet to enter until I enter it. And it is ḥarām for any ummah to enter until my ummah enters it. The key to Jannah will be in my hand on the Day of Judgment."

So if he is at the front of the line — the first person to enter Jannah — Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdillāh, Sayyid al-awwalīn wa al-ākhirīn, afḍal al-khalqi ajmaʿīn — then the last one in line is this man we spoke of, the very last person to enter Jannah.

There is no one behind him. When he enters Jannah — as mentioned in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim — he will go and he will be so overcome and so awestruck by his Jannah that he will be standing there, just taking in the sight, digesting the view. Hours will go by, days will go by, weeks, months, years. The ḥadīth mentions that for forty years he will just be soaking it in. "Is this really my Jannah? This is the least level?"

Then after forty years, one of the angels will come to him and say, "What are you doing?" He will say: "I am still enjoying the sight of Jannah. I cannot believe this entire, huge, vast Jannah — it all belongs to me, such an unworthy person." So the angel will tell him: "You are standing looking at the outside of the door of your Jannah — and you have not even entered yet." SubḥānAllāh.

This is the Jannah that Allah has promised His righteous slaves. Allah says: نُزُلًا مِّنْ غَفُورٍ رَّحِيمٍ — "This is prepared for you as a means of welcoming you, from the Forgiving, the Merciful."

The Path to Istiqāmah — Daʿwah

Enough encouragement has been given to remain steadfast. Now the question is: how do we actually gain this istiqāmah? This wealth of istiqāmah — steadfastness — how are we going to acquire it? That recipe, that solution, that prescription is given next. Allah says:

If you want istiqāmah, then the way to istiqāmah is daʿwah. Allah says: whose words can be better than the one who invites towards Allah? There are no better words, and there are no words that are more effective in developing istiqāmah and steadfastness than giving daʿwah — than being an inviter towards Allah. مِمَّن دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ — the one who invites towards Allah, who speaks about Allah, who speaks about the dhāt of Allah, the being of Allah, the ṣifāt of Allah, the attributes of Allah, who introduces Allah to the creation, who introduces the Khāliq to the makhluq. These are the most beautiful words.

This is a question that is asked in the rhetorical style — a style of speaking to send a point across. There are no words which are more effective in developing istiqāmah, more beautiful, and more beloved to Allah, than the words of invitation to Allah. So if we are facing challenges in our deen and finding it difficult to practice, then the best defense is offense. Instead of getting affected by the environment, we have to become effectors of our environment. Instead of becoming madʿū — invited — by the culture we are living in, or the environment we are living in, we have to become active inviters. Don't be an invitee — become an inviter. Be among those who are inviting towards Allah.

Speak about Allah. Speak about the deen of Islam. Speak about the beauty of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the tenets of our faith. Learn and then teach. Learn the deen ourselves, and then invite towards it. The more we speak about Allah, the more we speak about Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam — whether it is to our colleagues, our classmates, our neighbors, people we interact with, our fellow Muslims, our own children — the more we will develop istiqāmah.

If we are timid, shy, and — quote-unquote — "too humble" to go and talk to other people, then we can start with our own family.

This is the beginning level of the daʿwah of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. "O Muḥammad, warn your near and dear family members." So he invited all his family — the Banū Hāshim — and then he invited them towards Allah. He put forth his proposal. They all kept their heads down. Abū Lahab and others began cursing him. A little young boy — nine or eleven years old — stood up and said: "My legs are very skinny and I am weak, but I will support you and I will be with you." And this was of course ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu — the fourth Khalīfah of Islam, the son-in-law of Rasulullah, his cousin, the husband of Fāṭimah bint Muḥammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. He stood up, and he was the result of that meeting. This is the first invitation.

So we can start — give daʿwah to our family. Then Allah expanded the circle and said:

"Invite the people of Makkah." So Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam went on the mountain — in the famous incident from the Sīrah — and he said:

The people rushed, and he asked them: "Do you see what is behind the mountain?" They said they could not see. He said: "If I say that there is an army approaching you, would you believe me?" They said: يَا صَادِقُ الْأَمِينُ — "You are the truthful, the trustworthy. We would believe you. You have never lied in your life." Then he said: "Likewise, I am in a position where I know a dreadful torment is coming. If you continue your shirk — believe in one Allah." قُولُوا لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ. And they rejected him.

Abū Lahab said: تَبًّا لَكَ، أَلِهَذَا جَمَعْتَنَا — "Cursed be you! Did you gather us for this vain talk?" Allah revealed the āyah in response, on behalf of His Rasūl:

"May Abū Lahab perish — and perish he will" — for eternity. And then Allah finally said:

"Say: O mankind, I am the Messenger of Allah, sent for all of your guidance." Universal prophethood was granted to Rasulullah — including all places and all times, till the Day of Judgment.

Daʿwah of Islam and Daʿwah of Īmān

So we can start with our family. We can start with our kids. We can start with those within our area of influence. People are afraid — afraid of Islamophobia, afraid of the new administration, wondering what is happening and how we are going to practice our deen. So we have to start this conversation. If it is not with colleagues, if it is not with co-workers, if it is not outside with neighbors — then why not within our own families, among our own friends?

Someone might say: "Aren't we already Muslims? How do you invite a Muslim towards Islam?" You do not invite a Muslim to Islam — that is very wrong. There is daʿwah of Islam to non-Muslims. And there is daʿwah of Īmān to Muslims. This is for believers who already recited the Kalimah. Then there is daʿwah of Īmān.

"Remind, for reminding is beneficial for the believers." Those who recite the Kalimah are the muʾminūn — and reminding will be beneficial for them. So our family, our friends — they also need a reminder. It is not only for non-Muslims. Sometimes when you remind a Muslim, they say: "Go preach to a non-Muslim — you already know everything." But Allah says that reminder is beneficial for a believer. Is Allah wrong or are you wrong, brother? My dear friend — you are wrong. I am wrong. But Allah cannot be wrong.

Likewise, Allah says:

"O those who believe — then revive your Īmān." This was the practice of the Ṣaḥābah raḍiyallāhu ʿanhum. As ʿAbdullāh ibn Rawāḥah raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu mentions, he used to call a companion, grab his hand, and say:

"Come, let us sit down and revive our faith for some time." So talking about Īmān — daʿwah of Īmān — is for the believers. And daʿwah of Islam is for the non-believers. Those who are non-Muslims, you invite them to accept Islam. Those who already accept Islam, you speak about umūr al-ghayb — you speak about Allah and His Rasūl, about the angels, the Day of Judgment, the ʿadhāb of the grave, the description of Jannah and Jahannam.

"Remind them about the days of Allah" — the past days mentioned in the Quran, the stories of the Anbiyā and their nations. All of this is to revive their faith. And revive your own faith. The one who is speaking is the primary beneficiary — he will benefit the most. His Īmān will become complete, he will have istiqāmah, he will have steadfastness. Then he will be deserving of all the rewards mentioned above.

Responding to Opposition with Good Character

Then Allah says: when you start giving daʿwah of Īmān to Muslims and daʿwah of Islam to non-Muslims, you will face opposition. People will not be happy because you are asking them to change their ways. They will oppose you. And when they oppose you, you have to remain patient and display good character. You cannot fall in your character to their level.

Good deeds and bad deeds are never equal in the eyes of Allah. If they are behaving with you in a bad manner, and you are behaving in a good manner, it is not equal — the one behaving in a good manner will be beloved to Allah. ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ — repel their misbehavior with kindness. Repel their rejection with kindness and forgiveness. What will happen? The one who is Islamophobic and hates you — who has عَدَاوَةٌ — who hates you with a passion, hates what you stand for, what you look like, what you believe in, your culture — this hater, lo and behold: كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ — he will become your bosom friend. He will become your best friend and love you. How will this happen? If you give daʿwah with istiqāmah, steadfastness, and good character.

However, it is not easy, because Allah says:

Only those who are truly patient will be able to acquire this lofty status. And only those who have a great share — a big share of goodness, those for whom Allah has decreed khair — will be able to acquire this lofty status.

And we have one mortal enemy who will try to prevent us:

If you are attacked by the whisperings of Shayṭān — urging you to retaliate and misbehave with these people — then the only protection is to seek refuge with Allah. فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ — seek protection in Allah. إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ — He is the one who is all-hearing, all-knowing. He is Samīʿ — He hears what you are saying and what they are saying. He is ʿAlīm — He knows what you are doing and what they are doing. He sees the conversation and He is with you at all times. He will reward you for your patience and steadfastness, and He will punish those who behaved unjustly — if He chooses not to forgive them. He may forgive them or punish them, but that is up to Him to decree. And He is the all-wise, all-knowing.

Closing Supplication

May Allah in these trying times give us istiqāmah, and allow us to stand up and become duʿāt — inviters towards Allah — forces of good, those who enact good themselves and affect the environment around them. And by giving daʿwah, inshāAllāh, securing istiqāmah for ourselves, and thereby gaining the pleasure of Allah and the Jannah promised by Allah in these āyāt.

Wa ākhiru daʿwānā anil ḥamdulillāhi Rabbil ʿālamīn.