The Companions Ask, and the Prophet ﷺ Answers

 

The Companions Ask, and the Prophet ﷺ Answers

Question #1

عن سفيان بن عبد الله الثقفي قلت يا رسول الله قل لي في الإسلام قولاً لا أسأل أحدًا بعدك؟ قال: «قُلْ: آمَنْتُ بِالله، ثُمَّ اسْتَقِمْ.»

Sufyan ibn Abdullah ath-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

I said, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam after which I will not need to ask anyone else.”

He ﷺ replied:

“Say: I believe in Allah, and then remain steadfast.”

(Reported by Muslim and Ibn Hibban; authenticated by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami‘.)

I Believe in Allah, the Almighty

This means acknowledging and affirming that Allah, the Exalted, is One and Unique in creation خلق, provision رزق , and governance والتدبير،; in giving life والإحياء  and causing death والإماتة،; in bringing benefit and inflicting harm والنفع والضر; in absolute ownership ، والملك التام ; in issuing commands and prohibitions والأمر والنهي ; and in sovereignty and supreme authority.

This is because they are all created beings, dependent upon and in need of Allah, s,w,t. They possess no power to bring harm or benefit to themselves, nor do they possess the power over death, life, or resurrection.

No one shares with Him or participates in these acts—not an Malak/angel, or Prophet sent, nor any of Allah’s awliya’. All of them are created beings, dependent upon Allah, the Exalted, and in need of Him. They cannot bring harm or benefit to themselves, nor can they give themselves death, life, or resurrection.

لا يملكون لأنفسهم ضرًا ،ولا نفعًا، ولا موت ولا حياة ولا نُشُورًا.

Allah, the Exalted, says: “If Allah touches you with adversity, none can remove it except Him; and if He touches you with good, then He is over all things competent.” (Al-An‘am, 6:17.)

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ.

Allah, the Exalted, also says:

“All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (Al-Fatihah, 1:2.)

This means that He is the Lord of all worlds, both the upper and lower worlds, with all their visible and invisible blessings.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Allah decides, and those whom they invoke besides Him cannot decide anything.” (Ar-Rum, 30:4.)

للهِ الْأَمْرُ مِن قَبْلُ وَمِن بَعْدُ ۚ

Allah, the Exalted, also says:

“This is the creation of Allah! So show Me what those besides Him have created!” (Luqman, 31:11.)

هَٰذَا خَلْقُ اللَّهِ فَأَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقَ الَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِ ۚ بَلِ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ.

Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah (Oneness of Allah in Worship)

Tawhid al-Uluhiyyah means singling out Allah, the Exalted, in every type of worship, both outward and inward, through words and actions, and denying worship to everything besides Allah, whoever or whatever it may be.

As Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. (Ta-Ha, 20:14.)

إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِي

Allah, the Exalted, also says: “And We sent before you only men to whom We revealed. So, ask the people of the Scripture if you do not know.” (An-Nisa, 4:36.)

وَٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـٔٗاۖ

Tawhid of Allah’s Names and Attributes

Tawhid of Allah in His Names and Attributes means believing in everything with which Allah has described Himself and with which His Messenger ﷺ has described Him, without distorting their meanings (tahrif), without denying them (ta‘til), without likening them to the attributes of creation (tamthil), and without specifying their modality or how they are (takyif).

This is in accordance with the words of Allah, the Exalted:

“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” (Ash-Shura, 42:11.)

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

Thus, you affirm for Him what He, the Almighty, has affirmed for Himself and what His Messenger ﷺ has affirmed for Him, and you deny of Him what Allah, the Exalted, has denied of Himself and what His Messenger ﷺ has denied of Him.

This is affirmation without likening Him to creation, and declaring Allah, the Almighty, free from imperfections without denying His attributes.

All of Allah’s names are beautiful, and all His attributes are exalted.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.” (Al-A‘raf, 7:180.)

وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا.

Allah, the Exalted, also says:

“Say, ‘Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever you call—to Him belong the best names.’” (Al-Isra, 17:110.)

قُلِ ادْعُوا اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَٰنَ ۖ أَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred minus one. Whoever enumerates them, learns them, preserves them, and acts upon them, will enter Paradise.” (Al-Bukhari.)

This also necessarily includes belief in the Malaikah-angels, the Books, the Messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree (qadar)—that everything that occurs and takes place is by Allah’s will and decree.

 

The Definition of Steadfastness (Istiqamah)

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), the most truthful among the members of this Ummah and one of its most steadfast individuals, was asked about the meaning of istiqamah (steadfastness upon the Straight Path). He replied:

“It is that you do not associate anything with Allah.”

Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“Istiqamah means remaining steadfast in carrying out the commands and avoiding the prohibitions, without deviating or slipping away like a fox.”

Uthman ibn Affan and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said:

“They remained steadfast in Allah’s command, acting in obedience to Him and avoiding disobedience to Him.”

Mujahid said:

“They remained steadfast in bearing witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah until they met Allah.”

 

The Virtues and Merits of Steadfastness – Istiqamah

1. Allah’s Love

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Allah, the Exalted, said: ‘Whoever shows enmity toward a friend of Mine, I have declared war against him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him. My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts of worship until I love him.’” (Reported by al-Bukhari.)

This hadith indicates that Allah will love His servant when the servant strives to perform voluntary acts of worship after fulfilling the obligatory acts of worship.

2. Allah’s Help and Guidance

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ narrated that Allah, the Exalted, said:

“My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts of worship until I love him. And when I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give him, and if he seeks My protection, I will surely protect him.” (Reported by al-Bukhari.)

The meaning of this hadith is that this servant has become guided, supported, and directed by Allah, the Almighty. He sees only what Allah loves, hears only what Allah loves and is pleased with, uses his hand only for what Allah loves, and walks only in obedience to Allah.

3. The Answering of Your Supplication

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “If he asks Me, I will surely give him, and if he seeks My protection, I will surely protect him.”

(Reported by al-Bukhari.)

4. The Love of the Angels and Believers for You

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“When Allah loves a servant, He calls Jibril and says: ‘I love so-and-so, so love him.’ Jibril loves him, then he calls out to the inhabitants of the heavens and says: ‘Allah loves so-and-so, so love him.’ The inhabitants of the heavens then love him, and thereafter acceptance for him is placed on Earth.” (Reported by Muslim.)

5. Not Entering the Fire

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And there is none of you except that he will come to it. This is, upon your Lord, an inevitability decreed. Then We will save those who feared Allah and leave the wrongdoers within it, on their knees.” (Maryam, 19:71–72.)

وَإِن مِّنكُمْ إِلَّا وَارِدُهَا ۚ كَانَ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ حَتْمًا مَّقْضِيًّا ‎﴿٧١﴾‏ ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا وَّنَذَرُ الظَّالِمِينَ فِيهَا جِثِيًّا

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“The Fire will not consume the one whom Allah loves.” (Reported by Ahmad with an authentic chain of narrators.)

6. Allah’s Nearness to You

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ, narrating from his Lord, said:

“When My servant draws near to Me by a handspan, I draw near to him by an arm’s length. When he draws near to Me by an arm’s length, I draw near to him by the length of an outstretched arm. And when he comes to Me walking, I come to him swiftly.” (Reported by al-Bukhari.)

 

7. A Good Life in This World

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while being a believer—We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward according to the best of what they used to do.” (An-Nahl, 16:97.)

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ.

8. The Sweetness of Faith

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“He has tasted the sweetness of faith who is pleased with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, and Muhammad as his Messenger.”

(Reported by Muslim.)

He ﷺ also said:

“There are three qualities which, if a person possesses them, he will taste the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else; that he loves a person only for the sake of Allah; and that he hates returning to disbelief after Allah has saved him from it, just as he hates being thrown into the Fire.”

(Reported by al-Bukhari.)

9. A Good End to Life – Husn al-Khatimah

Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

“The Generous Allah, out of His generosity, has established the principle that whoever lives upon something will die upon it.”

 

The Importance of Steadfastness – Istiqamah

One of the great aspects of the importance of istiqamah (steadfastness upon the Straight Path) is that Allah, the Exalted, commanded the Prophet ﷺ to remain steadfast:

“So, remain on a right course as you have been commanded, and those who have turned back with you as well, and do not transgress. Indeed, He is Seeing of what you do.” (Hud, 11:112.)

فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا ۚ إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“Say, ‘I am only a man like you, to whom it has been revealed that your God is one God. So, take a straight course toward Him and seek His forgiveness.’” (Fussilat, 41:6.)

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَاسْتَقِيمُوا إِلَيْهِ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ۗ وَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُشْرِكِينَ

 

The Importance of Steadfastness

Another aspect of the importance of istiqamah (steadfastness) is that a servant of his Lord, the Exalted, asks Him for steadfastness in every rak‘ah of prayer when he says:

“Guide us to the Straight Path.” (Al-Fatihah, 1:6.)

Guidance to the Straight Path is of two types:

• Guidance to the Straight Path – which is Islam.
• Guidance upon the Straight Path – meaning that Allah guides you to the path upon which the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were, and that Allah makes you firm upon it until you meet Allah, the Exalted.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger—those will be with the ones upon whom Allah has bestowed favor, of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent are those as companions.”

(An-Nisa, 4:69.)

وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ ۚ وَحَسُنَ أُولَٰئِكَ رَفِيقًا.

Imamsedin

From the book The Companions Ask, and the Prophet ﷺ Answers.