Chapter 7: Firm Belief and Perfect Reliance on Allah

allah, the exalted, says:

"and when the believers saw al-ahzab (the confederates), they said: 'this is what allah and his messenger (muhammad (pbuh)) had promised us, and allah and his messenger   (muhammad (pbuh)) had spoken the truth, and it only added to their faith and to their submissiveness (to allah)". (33:22)

"those (i.e., believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, `verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them.' but it (only) increased them in faith, and they said: `allah (alone) is sufficient for us, and he is the best disposer of affairs (for us)'. so they returned with grace and bounty from allah. no harm touched them; and they followed the good pleasure of allah. and allah is the owner of great bounty". (3:173,174)

"and put your trust (o muhammad (pbuh)) in the ever living one who dies not.'' (25:58)

"and in allah (alone) let the believers, put their trust.'' (14:11)

"... then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in allah...'' (3:159)

"and whosoever puts his trust in allah, then he will suffice him". (65:3)

"the believers are only those who, when allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts; and when his verses (this qur'an) are recited unto them, they (i.e., the verses) increase their faith; and they put their trust in their rubb (alone).'' (8:2)

74. ibn `abbas (may allah be pleased with them) reported: messenger of allah (pbuh) said, "i was shown the past nations. i saw a prophet who had a very small group (less than ten in total) with him, another prophet who was accompanied by only one or two men and some did not have even one. suddenly i was shown a huge crowd and i thought that they were my ummah, but i was told: 'this is musa (moses) and his people, but look towards the other side.' i looked and beheld a great assemblage. i was told: 'these are your people and amongst them there are seventy thousand who shall enter jannah without being taken to account or torment". then the prophet (pbuh) stood up and went into his apartment, and the companions began to guess who may be those people who would enter jannah without any accounting or torment. some said: "probably, they are the ones who kept company with messenger of allah (pbuh)". others said: "probably, they are the ones who have been born as muslims and have never associated anyone with allah in worship". then messenger of allah (pbuh) came out and asked, "what are you discussing?'' so they told him. he then said, "they are those who do not make ruqyah (blowing over themselves after reciting the qur'an or some prayers and supplications the prophet (pbuh) used to say) nor seek it, nor perceive omens (i.e., they are not pessimistic) but keep trust in their rubb (allah).'' on this 'ukashah bin mihsan stood up and asked: "pray to allah to make me one of them.'' the prophet (pbuh) said, "you are one of them.'' then another man stood up and asked the same thing. the prophet (pbuh) answered, "'ukashah has surpassed you".
[al-bukhari and mulsim].

commentary:
1. this hadith mentions the importance of faith in allah, inducement for having trust in him and the distinction of people who have these qualities.

2. although the practice of blowing over someone after reciting the qur'an or supplications of the prophet (pbuh) and medical treatment are permissible but they who avoid them because of their extreme trust in allah and save themselves from bad omen, enjoy a distinguished position.

3. these conditions of various communities were shown to the prophet (pbuh) in dreams for the dreams of the prophets reflect the truth, or by means of revelation, or he had witnessed them in the event of isra (the night journey) of the prophet (pbuh).

4. the followers of the prophet (pbuh) exceed the followers of other prophets in number.

75. ibn `abbas (may allah be pleased with them) reported that the messenger of allah (pbuh) used to supplicate: "o allah! to you i have submitted, and in you do i believe, and in you i put my trust, to you do i turn, and for you i argued. o allah, i seek refuge with you through your power; there is none worthy of worship except you alone; that you safeguard me against going astray. you are the ever living, the one who sustains and protects all that exists; the one who never dies, whereas human beings and jinn will all die".
[al-bukhari and muslim].

76. ibn `abbas (may allah be pleased with them) said: when (prophet) ibrahim (abraham) was thrown into the fire, he said: "allah (alone) is sufficient for us, and, he is the best disposer of affairs.'' so did messenger of allah muhammad (pbuh) when he was told: "a great army of the pagans had gathered against him, so fear them". but this (warning) only increased him and the muslims in faith and they said: "allah (alone) is sufficient for us, and he is the best disposer of affairs (for us)".
[al-bukhari].

commentary:  even in the worst circumstances one should always have faith and trust in allah.

77. abu hurairah (may allah be pleased with him) reported: the prophet (pbuh) said, "a group of people (both men and women) whose hearts will be like the hearts of birds, will enter jannah".
[muslim].

  it has been interpreted that such people are those who put their trust in allah; another interpretation is that these people are tender-hearted.

commentary:
1. excellence of trust in allah and kindness of heart are most valuable qualities because both of them are means to enter jannah.

2. one should not worry much about one's food and means of subsistence. in fact, people should have the heart like birds who do not collect to keep in reserve anything and go out every morning in search of food and return to their nests fully satiated. this advice is repeated in another hadith to the effect that when birds leave their nests in the morning they are hungry but when they come back, their stomachs are full and they do not need any more food.

78. jabir (may allah be pleased with him) reported: i went in an expedition along with the prophet (pbuh) in the direction of  najd. when messenger of allah (pbuh) returned, i also returned with him. then the mid-day sleep overtook us in a valley full of prickly shrubs. messenger of allah (pbuh) got down and the people scattered around seeking shade under the trees. messenger of allah (pbuh) hang up his sword on the branch of a tree. we were enjoying a sleep when messenger of allah (pbuh) called us, and lo! there was a desert arab bedouin near him. he (pbuh) said, "this man brandished my sword over me while i was asleep. i woke up and saw it in his hand unsheathed. he asked: `who will protect you from me?' i replied: 'allah' - thrice". he did not punish him and sat down.
[al-bukhari and muslim].

  in another narration, jabir (may allah be pleased with him) said: we accompanied messenger of allah (pbuh) in the campaign of dhat-ur-riqa`. we left messenger of allah (pbuh) to take rest under a shady tree. one of the polytheists came to him. the sword of messenger of allah (pbuh) was hanging on a tree. he drew it and said: "are you afraid of me?'' messenger of allah (pbuh) said, "no". then he said: "who will then protect you from me?'' messenger of allah (pbuh) replied, "allah".

 and in a narration of abu bakr al-isma`ili, the polytheist asked: "who will protect you from me?'' messenger of allah (pbuh) replied, "allah.'' as soon as he said this, the sword fell down from his hand and messenger of allah (pbuh) catching the sword, asked him, "who will protect you from me.'' he said, "please forgive me.'' messenger of allah (pbuh) said, "on condition you testify that there is none worthy of worship but allah and that i am his messenger.'' he said, "no, but i promise you that i shall not fight against you, nor shall i be with those who fight with you". the prophet (pbuh) let him go. he then went back to his companions and said: "i have come to you from one of the best of mankind".

commentary:  besides the prophet's habit of pardoning, and gracious attitude, this hadith mentions his utmost trust in allah. it tells that one who has trust in allah is helped by him. later on, the bedouin mentioned in the hadith embraced islam. in the battle of dhat-ur-riqa` which took place in the sixth year of the hijra, due to intense heat and lack of footwear, the companions of the prophet (pbuh) wrapped their feet with pieces of cloth and for this reason it was called "war of patches of cloth (dhat-ur-riqa`)''. some scholars have also given a different reason for this name.

79. `umar (may allah be pleased with him) said: i heard messenger of allah (pbuh) saying: "if you all depend on allah with due reliance, he would certainly give you provision as he gives it to birds who go forth hungry in the morning and return with full belly at dusk".
[at-tirmidhi].

commentary:  trust in allah does not mean that one should not give any importance to material resources. what it really means is that along with their due importance, one should have full trust in allah. without his will, material resources are of no avail. but nevertheless it is necessary to have material resources because their procurement is also ordained by him. birds do not keep sitting in their nests for food but fly out in search of it.

80. al-bara' bin `azib (may allah be pleased with them) said: messenger of allah (pbuh) asked me to recite whenever i go to bed: "allahumma aslamtu nafsi ilaika, wa wajjahtu wajhi ilaika, wa fawwadtu amri ilaika, wal-ja'tu zahri ilaika, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaika, la malja wa la manja minka illa ilaika. amantu bikitabikal-ladhi anzalta, wa nabiyyikal-ladhi arsalta (o allah! i have submitted myself to you, i have turned my face to you, entrusted my affairs to you; and committed my back to you out of desire for you and fear of you; expecting your reward and fearing your punishment). there is no refuge and no place of safety from you but with you. i believe in the book you have revealed and in the prophet you have sent.'' messenger of allah (pbuh) said that if anyone recited these words and died that night, he would die in the true religion. in case he remains alive till morning, he will obtain good.
[al-bukhari and muslim].

  in another narration: he reported messenger of allah (pbuh) as saying: "if you go to bed, perform the salat wudu', lie down on your right side and say [the above du`a (supplication)] and let these words be your last".

commentary:  it is better to make wudu' before going to sleep. similarly, it is also meritorious to recite the invocation mentioned in the hadith before one goes to bed, because it is a prayer for the renewal of islam and faith and request for grant of peace and security.

81. abu bakr as-siddiq (may allah bepleased with him) said: when messenger of allah (pbuh) and i were in the cave of thaur and i saw the feet of the polytheists who were above us at the mouth of the cave (on the eve of the emigration), i submitted: "o messenger of allah! if one of them were to look down below his feet, he would see us". he (pbuh) said, "o abu bakr! what do you think of two whose third is allah".
[al-bukhari and muslim].

commentary: this incident occurred when the prophet (pbuh) was emigrating from makkah to al-madinah with abu bakr as-siddiq (may allah be pleased with him) the disbelievers had announced a huge reward for their arrest for which people were searching them wildly. in the course of their search, some of them reached the mouth of the cave of thaur where the prophet (pbuh) and abu bakr (may allah be pleased with him) were staying for refuge and rest. this hadith describes the valour, fearlessness and unlimited confidence and trust of the prophet (pbuh) in allah; it also indicates how allah helps his favourites. see verse (40:51) of the qur'an in this regard.

82. umm salamah (may allah be pleased with her) reported: whenever the prophet (pbuh)  stepped out of his house, he would say, "bismillah, tawakkaltu `alallah. allahumma inni a`udhu bika an adilla aw udalla, aw azilla aw uzalla, aw azlima aw uzlama, aw ajhala aw yujhala `alayya". "[i go forth. (i begin with the name of allah, i trust in allah; o allah! i seek refuge in you from leaving or being led astray, or against slipping or being caused to slip; or doing injustice or being done injustice; or doing wrong or having wrong done to me)]".
[abu dawud and at-tirmidhi reported it. according to at-tirmidhi, this hadith is classified as hasan sahih. its wording is from abu dawud].

83. anas (may allah be pleased with him) reported: messenger of allah (pbuh) said, "whoever says (upon leaving his house): `bismillah, tawakkaltu `alallah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah [i begin with the name of allah; i trust in allah; there is no altering of conditions but by the power of allah],' it will be said to him: 'you are guided, defended and protected.' the devil will go far away from him".
[abu dawud, at-tirmidhi and an-nasa'i].

  abu dawud reported it with this addition: "one devil will say to another: 'how can you deal with a man who has been guided, defended and protected?".

commentary:  the prayer quoted in this hadith shows the importance of confidence and trust in allah and request for security against the mischief of satan.

84. anas (may allah be pleased with him) reported: there were two brothers in the days of the prophet (pbuh). one of them used to attend the prophet's circle (to acquire knowledge) and the other used to earn their living). once the latter complained to the prophet (pbuh) against the former (for not earning his living). he (pbuh) replied, "perhaps you are being provided because of him".
[at-tirmidhi].

commentary: this hadith evidently shows that it is permissible and desirable to devote oneself or make someone else to devote himself for religious knowledge. such students of religious knowledge should not be considered a burden. similarly, one should also not ignore those students and scholars who are devoted to such knowledge because allah makes their help a means of increasing the donor's sources of subsistence.