Effects of Tawheed on Muslim Life

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Effects of Tawheed on Muslim Life
NizarAlsaid
08/23/00 at 14:01:32
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

As'Salaam Alaikum Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

The heart is our most precious treasure because it is based on purity that will benefit us in the Hereafter as Allah (swt) The Almighty said: "...On that day no wealth or children would be of any benefit, except the one who comes with a pure heart." [Al-Qur'aan 26:88-89].

Whoever neglects [remembering Allah (swt)] most of the time, then his heart will become rusty in accordance with how neglectful the person is. And when this [filthy] rust accumulates on the heart, then it no longer recognizes things as they really are. Thus, it views falsehood as if it is the truth, and truth as if it is falsehood. This is because this rust darkens and confuses the heart's perception, and so it is unable to truly recognize things for what they really are. So as the rust accumulates, the heart gets blackened, and as this happens the heart becomes stained with this filthy rust, and when this occurs it corrupts the heart's perception and recognition
of things. The heart [then] does not accept the truth nor does it reject falsehood, and this is the greatest calamity that can strike the heart. Being neglectful [of dhikr] and following of whims and desires is a direct consequence of such a heart, which [further] extinguish the heart's light and blinds its vision. Allah (swt) - the Most High - said: "And do not obey him whose heart We have made to be neglectful of Our remembrance, one who follows his own whims and desires and whose affairs are furat [have gone beyond bounds and whose deeds have been lost]." [Soorah al-Kahf 18:28].

Let us study the effects which the belief in La ilaha illallah has on the life of a man and see why he should always make a success of life and why one who denies it becomes a failure in life, both here and in the hereafter.

A believer in this Kalimah can never be narrow in outlook. He believes in a God, Who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Master of the East and the West and Sustainer of the entire universe. After this belief he does not regard anything in the world as a stranger to himself. He looks on everything in the universe as belonging to the same Lord he himself belongs
to. His sympathy, love and service are not confined to any particular sphere or group. His vision is enlarged, his intellectual horizon widens, and his outlook becomes as liberal and as boundless as is the Kingdom of God. How can
this width of vision and breadth of mind be achieved by an atheist, a polytheist or one who believes in a deity supposed to possess limited and defective powers like a man?

One of the most important effects of La ilaha illallah is that it makes man obey and observe God's Law. One who has belief in it is sure that God knows everything hidden or open and is nearer to him than his own jugular vein. If he commits a sin in a secluded corner and in the darkness of night, He knows it; He even knows our thoughts and intentions, bad or good. We can hide from
everyone, but we cannot hide anything from God; we can evade everyone, but it is impossible to evade God's grip. The firmer a man's belief in this respect, the more observant will he be of God's commands; he will shun what God has
forbidden and he will carry out His behest's even in solitude and in darkness, because he knows that God's 'police' never leaves him alone, and he dreads the Court whose warrant he can never avoid. It is for this reason that the first and the most important conditions for being a Muslim is to have faith in La ilaha illallah. 'Muslim', as you have already been told, means one 'obedient to God' and obedience to God is impossible unless one firmly believes in La ilaha illallah.

This belief produces in man the highest degree of self-respect and self esteem. This conviction makes him indifferent to, and independent and
fearless of, all powers other than those of God. He never bows his head in homage to any of God's creatures, nor does he stretch out his hand before anyone else. Along with self-respect, this belief also generates in man a sense of modesty and humbleness. It makes him unostentatious and
unpretending. A believer never becomes proud, haughty or arrogant. The boisterous pride of power, wealth and worth can have no room in his heart, because he knows that whatever he possesses has been given to him by God, and
that God can take away just as He can give. In the same way pride and self-conceit are a necessary outcome and concomitant of shirk (association of others with God in His divinity), because a mushrik believes that he has a
particular relation with the deities which does not exist between them and other people.

This belief makes man virtuous and upright. He has the conviction that there is no other means of success and salvation for him except purity of soul and righteousness of behavior. He has perfect faith in God Who is above all need,
is related to none and is absolutely just. This belief creates in him the consciousness that, unless he lives rightly and acts justly, he cannot succeed. As against this, the kafirs and the mushriks always live on false hopes. Some of them believe that God's son has atoned for their sins; some think that they are God's favorites, and will not be punished; others believe that their saints will intercede with God on their behalf. As to atheists, they do not believe that there is any Being having power over them, to Whom they should be responsible for their good or bad actions; therefore they consider themselves independent to act in whatever way they like. Their own fancies become their gods and they live like slaves of their wishes and desires.

The belief in La ilaha illallah creates an attitude of peace and contentment, purges the mind of jealousy, envy and greed and keeps away the temptations of resorting to base and unfair means for achieving success. He knows that
success and failure depend on God's grace; if He wills to give, no power in the world can prevent Him from so doing; and if He does not will it, no power can force Him to. On the other hand, the mushriks, the kafirs and the atheists consider success and failure as dependent on their own efforts and the help or opposition of earthly powers. Therefore, they always remain slaves to cupidity and envy. They never hesitate to turn to bribery, flattery, conspiracy and other kinds of base and unfair means to achieve their ends.

The Messenger of Allah (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) taught us that faith in One God is the most important and fundamental principle. It is the bedrock of Islam and the mainspring of its power. All other beliefs,
commands and laws of Islam stand firm on this foundation. All of them receive strength from this source. Take it away, and there is nothing left of Islam.

Al-Bayhaqee relates from 'Aa'ishah radiallaahu 'anhaa that the Prophet
sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "There is no time in which the son of Adam does not remember Allah (swt) in it, except that it will be a source of regret for him on the Day of Judgement."

Mu'aadh ibn jabal radiallaahu 'anhu relates that the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "The people of Paradise will not have any regrets except for those moments in which they were not engaged in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah (swt)."

Mu'aadh ibn Jabal also relates that Allah's Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam was asked: What action is the most beloved to Allah (swt)? So he replied: "That you continue to keep your tongue moist with the dhikr of Allah, until you die."


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