Renew Your Faith

Sheikh Sâlih al-Mughâmisî, professor at the Islamic University in Madinah

Thu, 11/27/2008

Faith is the most precious of possessions. It is the greatest gift. Allah has made it the distinction of those who are destined for Paradise.

Allah says: “Are those who believe like those who are iniquitous? They are not the same.” [Sûrah al-Sajdah: 18]

We must value the gift of faith. Allah withheld the gift of faith from some of the closest relatives of His Messengers, like Abraham’s father and one of Noah’s sons. They were so close to those noble Prophets, but they were not blessed to have faith. Be thankful that Allah has bestowed this blessing on you. We must praise Him for giving us this gift. We would not have been guided had it not been for Allah guiding us.

We should take care of this most valuable gift. We must safeguard it. We must not let it deteriorate or fall into peril. How do we do this?
It is well-known that faith increases and decreases. Faith increases most effectively through the performance of good deeds.
Abû Hurayrah relates the following:
Once when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sitting with his Companions, he asked: “Who among you started his day fasting?”
Abû Bakr said: “I am fasting.”
Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: “Who among you has visited the sick?”
Abû Bakr said: “I have.”
Then the Prophet asked: “Who among you gave food to the poor?”
Abû Bakr who answered: “I have.”
The Prophet then asked: “Who attended a funeral procession today?”
Abû Bakr again replied in the affirmative.
At this point, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “These deeds do not come together in a single person except that the person is admitted into Paradise.” [Sahîh Muslim]

Consider how Abû Bakr engaged in all of these good deeds in a single day. We should not be surprised to know that, on another occasion, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said about Abû Bakr: “Abû Bakr’s faith weighs as much as the faith of the rest of my followers put together.”

In order to renew your faith and increase it, read the Qur’ân. Put your mind into it, and think carefully about what you are reading. There is no better way to remember Allah or beseech His favor than by using His own words.

Also, read the stories of the Prophets to learn about the exemplary lives of those who possessed the greatest faith of all. We can see how Abraham (peace be upon him) was willing to sacrifice his own son for the love of Allah, how he was willing to let Nimrod cast him into a bonfire, and how he gave hospitality to his guests, His heart was sincere in everything that he did and he always turned penitently to his Lord. Because of this, he earned the epithet “Friend of Allah.”

“And Allah took Abraham as a friend.” [Sûrah al-Nisâ': 125]
When we read about the lives of the Prophets and contemplate on the lessons that their lives teach us, it increases our faith and bolsters our conviction. Consider when Allah says: “They are the ones whom Allah guided, so follow their guidance.” [Sûrah al-An`âm: 90]
To further increase your faith, visit the graveyard. See how everyone’ s state in the physical world is made equal by death. Then consider how the status of their souls differs. How many believing souls are saying in expectation: “My Lord! Bring on the Day of Resurrection!” How many other souls are pleading in fear and dread: “My Lord! Do not bring on the Day of Judgment.”
May Allah increase us in faith and make us all God-fearing._FINDING THE BLESS AND MERCIFUL OF ALLAH_

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The Noblest Supplication for Asking Forgiveness

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught his Companions the best supplication for beseeching Allah’s forgiveness. He taught them to say the following prayer every morning and evening:
“O Allah! You are my Lord. There is no God besides You. You created me, and I am your servant, and I honor Your covenant and Your promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from the evil that I do. I come to You by Your grace, and I come to You with my sins. So forgive me, for no one forgives sins but You.” [Sahīh al-Bukhārī (6307)]
This is most certainly the supplication of a believer, but of a believer who admits to stumbling into error; who says: “I honor Your covenant and Your promise as much as I can” and who appeals to the Lord with the words: “I seek refuge with You from the evil that I do. I come to You by Your grace, and I come to You with my sins.”
When we offer this supplication, we profess that our sins are all the more wrong in light of Allah’s blessings and grace that He showers upon us, but alas we have sinned and appeal to Allah in His infinite grace to forgive us.
This supplication is rich in meaning. There are so many ways in which it remedies the ills of the hearts of those who utter it.
Consider the words: “You created me, and I am your servant, and I honor Your covenant and Your promise as much as I can.” How honestly can we say these words? Even more, by uttering these worlds, we are reaffirming that our commitment to fulfill our covenant with our Lord to the best of our abilities. It is also a reminder to us of the covenant that we have with our Creator, which is mention in the following verse of the Qur’an:
“And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their backs, their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: ‘Yes! we bear witness.’ Lest you should say on the day of resurrection: ‘Surely we were heedless of this.’” [Sūrah al-A`rāf: 172]
We should appeal to Allah with this supplication for forgiveness whenever we commit a sin. We should also offer it every morning and evening, for if we do so, it will bring us a greater assurance that Allah in His grace will forgive us our mistakes and transgressions. It will also ensure that we cultivate our hearts to be penitent and humble...._FINDING THE BLESS OF ALLAH S.W.T_