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Class #2: The Best People in the Sight of Allah Sister Eman al Obaid Wednesday 15th August

Lesson 1 Review The Best People 2:195 And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]. And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.

Do Excellence with patience without going beyond the boundaries.

16:128 Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.

Have Patience & Taqwa

29:69 And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.

Strive – during the fitna

77:44 Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Receive the Immediate reward

51:18 And in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness, 51:19 And from their properties was [given] the right of the [needy] petitioner and the deprived.

Their Provision guaranteed

13:11 Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.

1st 10 Days Dhul Hijjah The DEEDS are most Beloved to Allah swt. If we don’t remember the virtues of these days we will not be GRATEFUL.

Al Mu’hsineen The BEST People are those with IHSAN. Everyday is a new dawn going towards Allah swt.

IHSAN The Prophet (ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص) said, "Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not achieve this state of devotion, then (take it for granted that) Allah sees you."

Allah swt is worthy of your IHSAN M’A ALLAH. You do the best with Allah swt even though Allah swt is so Great – The Greatest of the Greatest.

An exemplary example from the Qur’an is a prophet who suffered so much hardship with IHSAN.

Chapter (12) sūrat yūsuf (Joseph) 12:99 And when they entered upon Joseph, he took his parents to himself and said, "Enter Egypt, Allah willing, safe [and secure]."

12:100 And he raised his parents upon the throne, and they bowed to him in prostration. And he said, "O my father, this is the explanation of my vision of before.

Yusuf AS dream was fulfilled. Yusuf AS is thinking good and positively about Allah swt.

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My Lord has made it reality. And He was certainly good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you [here] from bedouin life after Satan had induced [estrangement] between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is Subtle in what He wills. Indeed, it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise.

Yusuf AS didn’t mention the bad things that had happened to him – thrown into the well, accusations of the women. Yusuf AS accused shaitan of separating him from his brothers. Yusuf AS recognised that Allah swt was nurturing him so gently and so kindly:

No complaining

No impatience

No mention of the difficult decree. 12:101 My Lord, You have given me [something] of sovereignty and taught me of the interpretation of dreams. Creator of the heavens and earth, You are my protector in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die a Muslim and join me with the righteous."

Al Mu’hsineen does everything with IHSAN – thinking good about Allah swt and making du’a to Allah swt.

How do you do Ihsan M’a Allah? Allah swt created you to worship Him alone. Allah swt is most worthy of your IHSAN. Your job in life is to worship Allah swt. Don’t just be ihsan in your daily life i.e. at work, with people.

1. Worship Allah swt with no partners. I cannot return any of the favours Allah swt has bestowed upon me so don’t associate partners with Allah swt.

Chapter (2) sūrat l-baqarah (The Cow) 2:83 And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], "Do not worship except Allah ; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakah."

Allah swt took a covenant and a contract with the Children of Israel. Not all the covenants with the Children of Israel are valid for us but this one is valid for us. If I commit shirk, this is doing evil with Allah swt. I am not fulfilling my rights with Allah swt. IHSAN is mentioned twice:

Good with the parents

Speaking to people

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Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing.

Don’t commit shirk with Allah swt Oneness, with Allah Names & Attributes. Do everything for the Sake of Allah swt.

2. Ihsan M’a Allah By Your Submission Some people believe and accept but they don’t SUBMIT & SURRENDER to Allah swt. If you do IHSAN with Allah swt it will come back to you, it will benefit you, it will not benefit Allah swt. Allah As Samad – the Self Sufficient Master. IHSAN is adding value to yourself and showing appreciation to Allah swt.

For example a child is rude to their parents but is always polite to their friends. There is no value being only good to your friends. Show IHSAN to the ones most closest to you and having a favour upon them.

Chapter (2) sūrat l-baqarah (The Cow) 2:112 Yes [on the contrary], whoever submits his face in Islam to Allah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve. 2:67 And [recall] when Moses said to his people, "Indeed, Allah commands you to slaughter a cow." They said, "Do you take us in ridicule?" He said, "I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant." Chapter (37) sūrat l-ṣāfāt (Those Ranges in Ranks) 37:102 And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, "O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think." He said, "O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast." 2:34 And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.

This ayat comes after Allah swt mentions the salat and zakat.

But they are not submitting believing that non Jews will not go to Paradise.

The reward:

No fear

No grief Don’t follow your wishes or dreams. They didn’t submit. What prevented them from submitting? Their akhlaq. Submit to the commands of Allah swt, don’t use your own judgement regarding the commands of Allah swt. Ibrahim AS & Ismail AS both submitted. Ibrahim AS had a child late in life and yet Allah swt commanded him to slaughter his son. Iblis refused to prostrate to Adam AS. He was cast out because he didn’t submit to Allah swt. The angels surrendered and submitted to Allah swt. If you believe in Allah swt and believe Allah swt is so Perfect:

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You will submit to Allah swt decree

You will submit to Allah legislation You will have no fear and no grief but shaitan deceives us that ‘this’ will happen or ‘that’ will happen.

Chapter (4) sūrat l-nisāa (The Women) 4:125 And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to Allah while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth? And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend.

Who is IHSAN? The one who is best with their religion:

No opposition or rejection

Follows the way of Ibrahim AS

Chapter (31) sūrat luq'mān 31:22 And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good - then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allah will be the outcome of [all] matters.

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Someone who submitted They surrendered to Allah swt without thinking. Allah swt promise is like you are holding a strong candle, you are firm and stable in life; you have no fear and if grief falls upon you, you will not fall as you are supported. Allah swt will support you if you make a change. Sometimes something happens in your life which you don’t like, and you think ‘Why?’. Just SUBMIT. Allah swt will change the situation – you are in a strong situation.

Someone who didn’t submit They disbelieve, they deny but don’t grieve, they will return to Allah swt. Impact on us Return to Allah swt, don’t commit shirk. I need to submit to Allah swt in all matters.

3. Al Ittiba’b al Husna Al-ansar and Al-Muhajirun are the followers of Muhammad saws: - Following the commands of Allah swt - Respecting the Messenger saws - Believing what the Messengers say - Following the example of the Messenger saws

Not taking the hadith’s is not doing IHSAN. Believing in all the Pillars of Islam is doing IHSAN.

Chapter (9) sūrat l-tawbah (The Repentance) 9:100 And the first forerunners [in the faith] among the Muhajireen and the An§ar and those who followed them with good conduct - Allah is pleased with them and

Al Sabiqoon follow the ambiya and the sahabah by their belief & actions. You follow the sahabah because they followed Muhammad saws. REWARD

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they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great attainment.

4. AL TAQWA AL SABR Take the Qur’an as your source and you will have billions of topics. Be cautious and be patient with your cautiousness: - Be cautious - Make a decision - Be patient

Chapter (12) sūrat yūsuf (Joseph) 12:90 They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has certainly favoured us. Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good."

Yusuf AS did not accuse his brothers of throwing him into the well. They came to Yusuf AS humiliated, in need of money. Yusuf AS wanted to reveal who he was with IHSAN so he didn’t mention their sins or bad thoughts. We do bad things to people because of our jealousy – but this is from Allah swt favours. Yusuf AS is correcting them gently. It is not about Yusuf AS being his father favourite son but it is about Allah swt. Yusuf AS didn’t praise himself about what he has achieved, but he told his brothers of the ‘cream’ of his experience – what he had learned in a form of an equation. Yusuf AS is doing IHSAN by showing his brothers a lesson:

- Don’t follow your desires - If you are patient & acquire taqwa Allah

swt will increase for you. Taqwa & Patience – Allah swt will not loose the reward of those who do good.

Ihsan in a particular Ibadhah – Sacrificing

Chapter (22) sūrat l-ḥaj (The Pilgrimage) 22:37 Their meat will not reach Allah , nor will their blood, but what reaches Him is piety from you. Thus have We subjected

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them to you that you may glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and give good tidings to the doers of good. Motive

- Should be ikhlas and taqwa - Your niyat is for the Sake of Allah swt - You are guarding yourself from doing

the ibadah from you desires. Allah swt guided you to do the ibadah. Al Mu’hsineen, their ibadah and sacrifice is with TAQWA – for the Sake of Allah swt

Allah swt is submitting this animal to you enabling you to slaughter it. What reaches Allah swt: TAQWA – Ihsan is taqwa. Don’t be impressed by the amount and quantity you sacrificed. Your taqwa is the state of your HEART. 5:27 And recite to them the story of Adam's two sons, in truth, when they both offered a sacrifice [to Allah], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. Said [the latter], "I will surely kill you." Said [the former], "Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him]. Both sacrificed:

- One cattle - One plants

You do the sacrifice then Allah swt will accept it. when doing the ibadah Don’t follow your desires, it is not about the quantity – give for the Sake of Allah swt – this is TAQWA.

- If you do a lot of ibadah to feel good this is not taqwa

- If abstain from the sins because it is good for your health this is not taqwa.

- Going to a study circle because you like it is not taqwa

Summary of Ihsan m’a Allah

1. Ihsan with Tawheed 2. Ihsan with your submission 3. Ihsan by following the Messengers & Prophets 4. Ihsan with Taqwa

Always thinking good about Allah swt Ihsan is not thinking negatively – why did Allah swt put me in this situation. If you think good:

- You will worship Allah swt alone - You will submit to Allah swt

I am as My Servant Thinks (expects) I am

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Allah the Most High said, ‘I am as My servant thinks

(expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me. If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to

Myself; and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it. If he

draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length. And if he comes to Me walking,

I go to him at speed.’”