Safeguard Allah and He will Safeguard You (1)
"Season changed, time passed by and the time disc continued to rotate. Nobody could stop it, or reverse it. Nobody knows when would be the disc of time, stopped. Even the intelligent creatures like humans, wouldn't had known how long it would be, even though, they lived their lives in it; they eat, slept and worked in it, and they also felt the changes accompanied the time. Yes, of course, with the time, there would be changes. Changes would displace those who didn't appreciate it, especially the ignorance and negligence. Without discriminations, changes would shift those who were incompetent and those who didn't want to see the changes." said the Swan to the birds. She continued, "So as the young wayfarer, he kept walking, went through the distance, walked up between the space and time, until he met with a statesman, who was sitting on the bridge of a dock, at the edge of a beautiful beach, on the ocean of time. The nobleman said, "O young man, the founders of this country, had safeguarded Allah, so Allah safeguarded them and their next generation. Now, it is your turn to safeguard Allah, may Allah safeguards you and your next generation."
The young wayfarer said, "O nobleman, tell me, how to do it?" The statesman silence, then said, "All praise is for Allah. We praise Him, seek His aid and ask for His forgiveness. We seek Allah's refuge from the evils of ourselves and from our evil actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, then none can misguide him, and whomsoever Allah misguides then none can guide him. I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, having no partners, and I testify that our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) is His slave and messenger.
On the authority of ibn 'Abbas, radhiyallahu 'anhu, who said, 'I was sitting behind the Prophet (ﷺ) when he said, ''Young lad, shoud I not teach you some words trough which Allah will occasion benefit fr you?" I said, "Of course!" He said, "Safeguard Allah and He will safeguard you. Safeguard Allah and you will find Him in front of you. Know Allah in times of ease and He will kow you in times of hardship. When you ask, ask Allah. When you seek aid, turn to Allah. The Pen has dried (after having written) all that will occur. If the whole of creaton, in its entirety, was to try and effectuate some benefit for you through something that Allah has not ordained, they would not be able to do so; and if they wished to harm you through something that Allah has not decreed, they would not be able to do so. Know that great good lies in bearing with patience, what you dislike, that victory comes with patience, that relief comes with distress, and that with hardship comes ease."' - [Imam Ahmad; Sahih]
The young wayfarer asked, "What is the meaning of 'Safeguard Allah'?" The statesman said, "It means to safeguard the limits of Allah, His rights, His commands ad His prohibitions. These are preserved by meeting His commands with compliance, His prohibitons with avoidance, ad His limits by not overstepping or transgessing them such that one leaves what has been prescribed and encroaches on the proscribed. Hence, this sentence covers the performance of all obligatons and the abandonment of al prohibitons just as is mentoned in the hadith of Abi Ta'labah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
"Allah has obligated various duties, so do not be lax in them, He has prohibited various things, so do not encroach on them, and He has set limits so do not transgess them." - [Imam Daruqutni; Hasan by Shaikh Al-Albani]
One of the greatest of matters that require safeguard is the five daily prayers. Allah says,
"And those who [carefully] maintain their prayer." - [QS.70:34]
The Prophet (ﷺ) said,
'Whoever safeguards them, they will be a light, a proof and a deliverance for him on the Day of Rising." - [Imam Ahmad and at-Tabarani; Sahih by ibn Hibban]
The same applies to purification for it is the key to prayer. 'Ali, radhiyallahu 'anhu, narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
"The key to Salat is the purification, its Tahrim is the Takbir, and its Tahlil is the Taslim." - [Jami' at-Tirmidhi; Hasan]
This is because a servant could well invalidate his state of purification without even being aware of it, therefore safeguarding the state of ablution for prayer is a proof that faith has settled firmly in the heart.
Amongst the things that Allah has commanded to safeguard is oaths. When He mentioned the expiation of breaking oaths, Allah said,
"Allah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. But whoever cannot find [or afford it] - then a fast of three days [is required]. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn. But guard your oaths. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be grateful." - [QS.5:89]
People frequently make oaths and the consequences of breaching them vary: sometimes it will be the expiation for breaking oaths, other times a severe expiation is required ( kaffarah mughallaza), and at other times it requires divorce or the likes to take effect. Faith has entered the heart of a person who takes care of his oaths.
The Salaf would carefully safeguard their oaths. Some of them would never take an oath by Allah, others would be so guarded that they would give expiation for oaths they thought they may have broken.
A severe threat has been recorded concerning taking false oaths. Frequent oaths in the name of Allah, or false oaths in His name, arise from ignorance of Allah and lack of reverence in the heart.
Some of the things that the believer must safeguard are his head and stomach. Ibn Mas'ood, radhiyallahu 'anhu, reports that the the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
“Being shy before Allah as is truly deserving is to safeguard the head and what it retains and the stomach and what it contains.” - [Ahmad and Tirmidhi; Hasan li ghayrihi by Shaikh al-Albani]
Safeguarding the head and what it retains includes safeguarding the hearing, seeing and tongue from falling into the prohibited. Safeguarding the stomach and what it contains includes safeguarding the heart from persisting in the proscribed. Allah said,
"And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned." - [QS.17:36]
Safeguarding the stomach and what it contains includes safeguarding it from consuming unlawful food and drink.
It is also obligatory to safeguard the tongue and private parts from infringing on the proscribed. Abu Hurayrah, radhiyallahu 'anhu, reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever safeguards what is between his jaws and what is between his legs, will enter Paradise.”- [al-Hakim; Sahih]
Allah has specifically ordered the safeguarding of the privates and has praised those who do so,
"Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do." - [QS.24:30]
Abu Idris al-Khawlani said,
‘When Adam descended to earth, the first thing that Allah enjoined upon him was the safeguarding of the privates and that he should only ever put them in that which was lawful.’
The young wayfarer asked, "And what is the meaning of 'He will safeguard you'?" The statesman said, "It means that whoever safeguards the limits of Allah and tends to the rights due Him, Allah will safeguard him. This is because the recompense is of the same type as the deed. Allah says,
"...and fulfill My covenant [upon you] that I will fulfill your covenant [from Me], and be afraid of [only] Me." - [QS.2:40]
Allah’s safeguarding His servant is of two types. First, His safeguarding him in that which would benefit him in his worldly life such as His protecting his body, children, family and wealth. Ibn ‘Umar, radhiyallahu 'anhu, reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) never left saying the following supplication when he awoke and when he went to sleep,
“O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and in the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly life, my family and my wealth. O Allah, cover my faults and dispel my fears, safeguard me against what is before me and behind me, what is to my right and to my left, and what is above me. I take refuge with Your grandeur lest be seized from beneath me.” - [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i and ibn Majah; Sahih by ibn Hibban and Shaikh al-Albani]
Another example of Allah’s safeguarding His servant is His preserving his health, strength, intellect and wealth. One of the Salaf said, “The scholar does not become senile.’ Another said, “Whoever memorises the Qur’an will find his intellect blessed.’ Allah says,
"Then We return him to the lowest of the low, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds, for they will have a reward uninterrupted." - [QS.95:5-6]
The lowest of the low referred to the decrepitude of old age. Abu’l-Tayyib al-Tabari exceeded the age of one hundred yet his intellect remained very much intact as did his strength. One day he leapt off a large ship he was on onto the ground. When reprimanded for this he said, "We safeguarded these limbs from sins in our youth, so Allah has safeguarded them for us in our old age."
Allah will also safeguard a person, by virtue of his righteousness, through his children and grandchildren. Allah mentioned the story of Prophet Musa, alayhissalam and al-Khidr. When they arrived at a village, nobody showed then hospitality, but al-Khidr repaired a crumbling wall and fortified it by setting it upright again. Allah revealed,
"And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Rabb intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Rabb. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience." - [QS.18:82]
So, the orphans were safeguarded by virtue of the righteousness of their father.
Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir said,
"Allah will safeguard the children and grandchildren of a person by virtue of his righteousness, He will safeguard the city he is in, and the settlements surrounding it. They will always be in the protection of Allah and His cover."
Ibn al-Musayyab said to his son,
‘Son of mine, I increase my prayers because of you in the hope that I will be safeguarded through you..."
Another example of Allah’s safeguarding His servant is His preserving him in his worldly life from every Jinn and man who may wish to harm him. Allah says,
"...And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out." - [QS.65:2]
Ummul Mumineen, Aisha, radhiyallahu 'anha, wrote to Mu‘awiyah,
"If you have taqwa of Allah, He will suffice you in place of people, and if you fear people, they will not be able to avail you in anything against Allah.’
One of the Salaf wrote to his brother saying,
‘...to proceed, whoever has taqwa of Allah, has safeguarded himself, and whoever neglects the taqwa of Allah, has neglected himself and Allah has absolutely no need of him.’
One of the amazing ways that Allah safeguards those who safeguard Him, is that He makes animals that are normally dangerous guard a person against harm and help him. This is what happened with Safinah, the freed-slave of the Prophet (ﷺ), when his boat sank and he drifted to an island. There, he saw a lion and said, ‘O Abu’l-Harith, I am Safinah, the freed-slave of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), so the lion walked with him and guided him along the way. Then it purred as if bidding farewell and left.’
So whoever safeguards Allah, Allah will safeguard him from predatory animals and, moreover, have those animals protect him. Whoever neglects Allah, Allah will neglect him to such an extent that he will be harmed by things which he expected benefit from. He may even find the closest members of his family and the most beloved harming him! All good is to be found in obeying Allah and turning towards Him. All evil is to be found in disobeying Him and turning away from Him.
The second type of Allah’s safeguarding His servant is Allah’s safeguarding His servant in his religion. This is the best and most noble form of preservation.
During his lifetime, Allah preserves the servant’s religion and faith by safeguarding him against all vile doubts, misguiding innovations and unlawful desires. Allah also preserves his religion at the point of his death such that he dies on the religion of Islam.
On the authority of ibn Mas'ood, radhiyallahu 'anhu, the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
“O Allah, safeguard me with Islam when standing, safeguard me with Islam when sitting, safeguard me with Islam when lying down. Do not cause an enemy or envier to rejoice (at a misfortune that befalls me). O Allah, I ask You for every good, the treasure of which is in Your hand, and I take refuge with You from every evil, the treasure of which is in Your hand.” - [Al-Hakim; Sahih by as-Suyuti]
Allah intervenes between a person and his heart. Allah says,
"O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that to Him you will be gathered." - [QS.8:24]
Whoever is sincere to Allah, Allah will safeguard him against evil and indecency, He will guard him against them via means that he is not even aware of, and He will come between him and the routes leading to destructive sin. Ma'ruf al-Karkhi once saw some youths preparing themselves to go for forth for battle at a time of fitna and said, ‘O Allah, preserve them!’ It was asked of him, ‘Why are you supplicating for them?’ He replied, ‘If He were to preserve them, they would not leave to carry out what they intend.’
Some people were safeguarded through an exhortation given by someone they wanted to be an accomplice in sin. An example of this lies with one of the three who entered the cave that was subsequently blocked by a boulder. (The hadlth) mentions that one of them, when he lay with the woman ready to perform intercourse she said, ‘Fear Allah and do not break the seal except by due right,’ so he left her.
Another example of Allah’s preserving the religion of His servant is that a servant could pursue a worldly office such as leadership or undertake a worldly enterprise such as trade and Allah, knowing what is good for him, intervenes between him and his goal. The servant, heedless of what has taken place, hates what has happened.
Ibn Mas'ood said, ‘A servant intends to undertake a trading venture or aims for leadership hoping that it will be facilitated for him. Allah will look at him and say to the Angels, “Avert him from it for if I was to make this matter easy for him, I would cause him to enter the Fire!” So Allah would avert him from it and he, in a state of agitation, will complain, “So-and-so beat me! So-and-so outsmarted me!” Yet all it is, is Allah’s good-grace, Mighty and Magnificent is He!’
Yet more astonishing is that a servant could strive to do an action of obedience, however this particular action would not be the best course for him, and there was another way to do it, so Allah will intervene between him and it, in order to preserve him, and he, all the while, remains heedless.
[Part 2]
