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Just God, Art of Dua, Escaping Punishment

Issue 352 » November 11, 2005 - Shawwal 8, 1426

General

Living the Quran

Hud (Hud)
Chapter 11: Verse 117

Allah's Justice
"And your Lord is not such as to destroy the towns unjustly, while its inhabitants are righteous."

The verse implies that Allah does not destroy a people even if they commit association in His divinity so long as their dealings between themselves are carried out in justice. It is only when they begin to wrong each other on a large scale that they meet with their destruction. Hence it is said that a dominion lasts despite disbelief but not despite justice. [Zamakhshari, Shawkani]

God's chastisement does not afflict any people merely on account of their holding beliefs amounting to shirk or kufr, but afflicts them only if they persistently commit evil in their mutual dealings, and deliberately hurt other human beings and act tyrannically.

Hence those who are learned in Islamic Law hold that men's obligations towards God rest on the principle of [His] forgiveness and liberality, whereas the rights of man are of a stringent nature and must always be strictly observed - the obvious reason being, that God is almighty and needs no defender, whereas man is weak and needs protection. [Razi, Asad]

Source:
"Ishraq Al-Maani " - Syed Iqbal Zaheer, Vol. 5, pp. 294-295
Understanding the Prophet's Life

The Art of Dhikr and Dua

The heart of Muhammad, upon him be peace, was constantly occupied with his Lord, immersed in the sense of His Majesty. Indeed, this profound awareness was the basis for his relationship with both God and people. Follow closely his thoughts in this dua:

Our Lord, by Your knowledge of the Unseen, and by Your power over Your creation, grant me life so long as You know life to hold good for me, and grant me death when You know death to hold good for me!

Our Lord, I ask You for the fear of You in public and in private, and I ask You for [the ability to speak] the word of truth in tranquility and in anger, and I ask You for caution in wealth and in poverty, and I ask You for happiness which is never exhausted, and I ask You for pleasure which is never ending, and I ask You for contentment with Your decisions, and I ask You for the finer life after death, and I ask You for the pleasure of looking upon Your Face, and meeting You without ever having undergone great suffering, and without ever having been subjected to misleading temptation.

Our Lord, adorn us with the adornment of faith, and make of us guides who are rightly guided.

Source:
"Knowing Allah Through Muhammad" - Muhammad al-Ghazali
Blindspot!

Ten Ways to Escape Punishment

The punishment for a sin committed by a believer is removed in ten ways:

  1. He repents to Allah (taubah), so Allah accepts his repentance, for the one who repents from sin is like the one who has no sin.
  2. He seeks forgiveness from Allah (istighfar), so Allah forgives him.
  3. He does good deeds that erase his sin for good deeds erase bad ones.
  4. His believing brethren pray for him or seek forgiveness for his sins during his life or death.
  5. Or they [ask Allah] to bestow on him as gift from the reward for their deeds, with which Allah benefits him.
  6. His Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, intercedes for him.
  7. Allah tests him with trials in this world which expiate his sin.
  8. Allah tests him in al-Barzakh (the intermediate life in the grave, between the death and the Day of Judgment) which expiates his sin.
  9. Allah tests him in the various stages of the Day of Judgment which expiates his sins.
  10. Or the Most Merciful of those who have mercy has mercy on him.
Whoever, then, is missed by these ten cannot blame anyone but himself.

Source:
“Majmoo` al-Fatawa” – Ibn Taymiyyah