Servanthood & Caliphate

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on the 20^th October 2010. 

Shaykh Nazhim (q.s.) said a servant has nothing to offer his Lord, for Allah (s.w.t.) Owns all Dominions of Honour, but Allah (s.w.t.) is Pleased when a servant is grateful to Him.  Allah (s.w.t.) is Pleased when His servant realises it is He Who has Granted him life and its Blessings.  Allah (s.w.t.) is Pleased when a servant acknowledges this with adulation and respect for Him.  Allah (s.w.t.) is Pleased when a servant is humble enough to bow and submit to Him.  Though such glorification, submission and realisation brings no benefit to Allah (s.w.t.) whatsoever, Allah (s.w.t.) is Pleased with one who exhibits such trait: humility and servanthood.  These are the attributes of His Beloved, Muhammad (s.a.w.).  Even if an ant were to say, “Subhanallah,” it Pleases Him.  We must all know that every good word, every good action, every good effort – no matter how small – is Pleasing to Allah (s.w.t.). 

سُوۡرَةُ بنیٓ اسرآئیل / الإسرَاء

تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتُ ٱلسَّبۡعُ وَٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَمَن فِيہِنَّ‌ۚ وَإِن مِّن شَىۡءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِهِۦ وَلَـٰكِن لَّا تَفۡقَهُونَ تَسۡبِيحَهُمۡ‌ۗ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورً۬ا (٤٤) 

The Seven Heavens and the Earth, and all beings therein, declare His Glory: there is not a thing but celebrates His Praise; and yet you understand not how they declare His Glory!  Verily He is Oft-Forbearing, Most Forgiving! (Surah al-Isra’:44) 

All Creation calls upon Allah (s.w.t.).  Allah (s.w.t.) Likes His Creation to call upon Him and to Glorify Him.  Allah (s.w.t.) does not ask for anything else from His Creation.  He Created everything to glorify Him, tasbihahum.  From the beginning, our grandfather, the first messenger, Adam (a.s.) was always crying and pleading to Allah (s.w.t.), beseeching, “Ya Rabbana, Ya Rabbana.”  Such an act Pleased Allah (s.w.t.) very much.  He would begin ud’iyyah with that Name.  And he taught his children to do so.  Those were the first words that Adam (a.s.) recited on earth; his first words were a cry out to his Lord.  After him, Seth (a.s.) recited those sacred words, then Enoch (a.s.), then down the line of the prophets to Noah (a.s.), then Heber (a.s.), Lot (a.s.), Jonah (a.s.), Ishmael (a.s.) and Isaac (a.s.) – all of them calling out, “Ya Rabbana.”  Then Moses (a.s.) recited those words, followed by Jesus (a.s.) and finally, Muhammad (s.a.w.) saying, “Ya Rabbana, Ya Rabbi, Ya Allah.”  Allah (s.w.t.) is ar-Rabb, Rabb al-‘Izza. 

The prophets never called out to people as servants.  Allah (s.w.t.) and the prophets never referred to humans as servants.  Servanthood is perhaps the lowest level of obedience.  There are on even higher levels of servitude and submission.  Allah (s.w.t.) Invites the Children of Adam to a higher level of servanthood while we are in this world to be in His Divine Presence for an eternity.  Allah (s.w.t.) Says He will Create Deputies, not servants. 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةً۬‌ۖ قَالُوٓاْ أَتَجۡعَلُ فِيہَا مَن يُفۡسِدُ فِيہَا وَيَسۡفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحۡنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمۡدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ‌ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (٣٠) 

Behold your Lord Said to the angels, “I will Create a vicegerent on earth.”  They said, “Will You Place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?  Whilst we do celebrate Thy Praises and glorify Your Holy (Name)?”  He Said, “I Know what you know not.” (Surah al-Baqarah:30) 

Allah (s.w.t.) Honoured Mankind.  Allah (s.w.t.) Called us His khalifah, not His servants. 

سُوۡرَةُ بنیٓ اسرآئیل / الإسرَاء

۞ وَلَقَدۡ كَرَّمۡنَا بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ ... (٧٠) 

We have Honoured the sons of Adam ... (Surah al-Isra’:70) 

There are oceans of Divine Knowledge explaining levels within servanthood that are so subtle, we would never have noticed, if a master had not pointed them out.  How often have we read and heard these verses, and yet never looked at them in this light?