Achieving Real Faith

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from the teachings of Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.). 

In reciting Surah al-Fatihah, we say: 

سُوۡرَةُ الفَاتِحَة

ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِينَ (٢) 

Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds (Surah al-Fatihah:2) 

Everything in Creation praises Allah (s.w.t.), and in everything around us, there are signs of His Greatness which brings praise to Allah (s.w.t.) on our tongues.  And all praise is due only to Him.  Allah (s.w.t.) Said in the Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان

... رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقۡتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلاً۬ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ (١٩١) 

… Our Lord!  Not for naught have You Created (all) this!  Glory to You!  Give us Salvation from the penalty of the Fire. (Surah Ali ‘Imran:191) 

Nothing was Created without a purpose.  It is important to draw lessons from every incident, and from every creation.  Shaykh Nazhim (q,s,) said that there is imitated faith and real faith.  All of us only have imitation faith because the signs of real faith are three: Able to hear the praising, tasbih, of all creatures and objects, able to draw wisdom from every incident and every creature seen and able to communicate with the barzakh without a hijab.  Perhaps there is none in our majlis today who can claim to have real faith.  Real faith has real taste, like real fruits and real flowers.  Plastic fruits and artificial flowers have no taste and no smell.  One cannot taste the sweetness of faith if it is imitation faith.  To read something, or to know something, is not faith.  Faith means to have belief, yaqin, certitude in what we know.  Allah (s.w.t.) Tells us: 

سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة

قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ ٱللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَآ أَنزِلۡ عَلَيۡنَا مَآٮِٕدَةً۬ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدً۬ا لِّأَوَّلِنَا وَءَاخِرِنَا وَءَايَةً۬ مِّنكَ‌ۖ وَٱرۡزُقۡنَا وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلرَّٲزِقِينَ (١١٤) 

Said Jesus, the son of Mary, “O Allah, our Lord!  Send us from heaven a table set (with viands), that there may be for us ― for the first and the last of us a solemn festival and a Sign from You; and Provide for our sustenance, for You are the Best Sustainer (of our needs).” (Surah al-Ma’idah:114) 

Do we really believe He is The Best of Sustainers?  Or are we still wrought with fears that we will not have enough for our worldly needs?  How many people spend their entire lives doubting Allah (s.w.t.) is truly their source of sustenance and that He truly suffices for them? 

سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان

ٱلَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ قَدۡ جَمَعُواْ لَكُمۡ فَٱخۡشَوۡهُمۡ فَزَادَهُمۡ إِيمَـٰنً۬ا وَقَالُواْ حَسۡبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡوَڪِيلُ (١٧٣) 

Men said to them, “A great army is gathering against you, so fear them”: but it (only) increased their faith.  They said, “For us Allah Suffices, and He is the Best Disposer of Affairs.” (Surah Ali ‘Imran:173) 

True faith means having certainty in every ayat that we read from the Holy Book, and in every hadits that we hear from Rasulullah (s.a.w.) without a shadow of a doubt.  We must strive towards that goal, as Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ الحِجر

وَٱعۡبُدۡ رَبَّكَ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡتِيَكَ ٱلۡيَقِينُ (٩٩) 

And serve your Lord until there come unto you the Hour that is certain. (Surah al-Hijr:99) 

Prophets and saints strove to reach that real taste of iman and opened doors for their followers to taste of the same.  It is meaningless to reach iman after death, as mentioned in the following ayat: 

سُوۡرَةُ السَّجدَة

وَلَوۡ تَرَىٰٓ إِذِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ نَاكِسُواْ رُءُوسِہِمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ رَبَّنَآ أَبۡصَرۡنَا وَسَمِعۡنَا فَٱرۡجِعۡنَا نَعۡمَلۡ صَـٰلِحًا إِنَّا مُوقِنُونَ (١٢) 

If only you could see when the guilty ones will bend low their heads before their Lord, (saying:), “Our Lord!  We have seen, and we have heard: now, then send us back (to the world): we will work righteousness: for we do indeed (now) believe.” (Surah as-Sajdah:12) 

An example of the faith of the companions is found in ‘Ali (k.w.).  An enemy warrior, who was fighting Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib (k.w.), lost his sword in combat.  Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) raised his sword to strike him but stopped when he saw that he had lost his sword.  The warrior said, “If what I hear about your generosity is true, let me see if you would give me your sword.”  Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) immediately gave the enemy his sword.  The enemy warrior now said, “Who will defend you now against my attack?” 

Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.) calmly replied, “O ignorant man!  If He so Wills, He Will Defend me.  Neither you nor anyone else can cause even the slightest harm to me.  If death, which is sure to come, is destined for me now, by Allah, none can save me.”  This reply impressed the infidel so much that he threw down the sword, glorified Allah (s.w.t.) and accepted Islam at the hands of Sayyidina ‘Ali (k.w.).  Would any of us have given the enemy our weapon?  Not likely, and yet we have all read this ayat: 

سُوۡرَةُ النّجْم

وَأَنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحۡيَا (٤٤) 

That it is He Who Grants death and life; (Surah an-Najm:44) 

سُوۡرَةُ یُونس

قُل لَّآ أَمۡلِكُ لِنَفۡسِى ضَرًّ۬ا وَلَا نَفۡعًا إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ‌ۗ لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ‌ۚ إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ فَلَا يَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُونَ سَاعَةً۬‌ۖ وَلَا يَسۡتَقۡدِمُونَ (٤٩) 

Say: “I have no power over any harm or profit to myself except as Allah Willeth.  To every people is a term Appointed: when their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, nor (an hour) can they advance (it in anticipation).” (Surah Yunus:49) 

And despite reading the Qur’an regularly, and understanding its meanings, we do not really believe yet in the Revelations of the Almighty.  That is why, the final surah in the entire Qur’an Speaks of doubt: 

سُوۡرَةُ النَّاس

مِن شَرِّ ٱلۡوَسۡوَاسِ ٱلۡخَنَّاسِ (٤) ٱلَّذِى يُوَسۡوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ (٥) مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ (٦) 

From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper) ― (The same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind ― Among jinn and among men. (Surah an-Naas:4-6) 

May Allah (s.w.t.) Open the Way for us to acquire true faith, and may Allah (s.w.t.) Replace our doubts with yaqin.