In
the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful
A true believer is supposed to remain
knowledgeable of several things, all the time. One term used by Allah for
staying alert of His blessings on us is called fikr (pondering and
reflecting). Allah says:
Then they ponder and reflect. (24:46)
Pondering and reflecting can be in
many areas of life including the positive and negative aspects of our thoughts,
words and deeds.
As far as the consciousness of the
positive benefits from the Lord upon us is concerned, one must keep in mind the
following:
1. Appreciation of the blessings of Allah on us. He says:
1. Appreciation of the blessings of Allah on us. He says:
If you were to count the
blessings of Allah (He is giving to you), you will never be able to number
them. (14:34)
On one hand we should be
thankful for life and the working of our physical existence, as, in this
condition, we can glorify our Lord, recite His Holy Words and represent Him
here on earth.
2. Be grateful of the fact that we have the capability and capacity to be God conscious all the time; and we can glorify and praise Him in many ways and at any time. We should be grateful that, unlike other creatures, we can allow our hearts to engage in zikr, even though we may be busy in material matters. Allah says:
Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides; and contemplate (on the wonders and perfection) of creation of the skies and the earth. (3:191)
A believer must always be aware and conscious of his limitations as a creature of the All-Powerful and All-Mighty Creator of the skies and the earth. Sometimes, some people may want to believe that they are very pious and will definitely go to Paradise.
In the time of the Prophet (pboh, it happened that some of the companions thought that they were as pious as or even more devoted than the Messenger himself. Allah then made it known that the Prophet (pboh) was special and was the model for mankind. In this connections Allah says:
And your personality is of a tremendous nature. (68:4)
Every believer must always be conscious of the fact that he/she has short comings and limitations. One must not forget what Allah says to us in the following verse.
If Allah were to take mankind to task for all the wrong they do; He would not leave on the earth a single living creature. (16:61)
On way of knowing our limitations and short comings is to compare our lives with that of the Prophet (pboh). On one hand Allah says about him that he is the universal model for mankind. This is recorded in the Qur’an in the following verse:
And We have not sent you O Muhammad, except as a perfect model for the whole of mankind. (34:28)
Another very important point that we must never forget is the fact that Allah says about him the following:
Your Companion (i.e. the Prophet pboh) is neither astray nor being misled; nor does he say anything of his own desire. (53:2-3)
We must always be conscious of the fact that we represent Allah here on earth, and true representation means that we should try to perfect our lives and morals. We should try to make as much as zikr as we can because that is the only way for us to constantly remember that we are in the presence of the divine all the time. Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said:
All obligations imposed by Allah are clearly marked, and none are exempted from them in the presence of a genuine cause. The only exemption is zikr. Allah has set no specific limit for it; and under no circumstance is one allowed to be negligent of it.
