With the chaos and busyness of everyday life, it’s important for us to remain firm in our faith, to stand strong and upright without wavering in our beliefs. We also must share our Islamic knowledge with others, and regularly engage in conversations about our deen. Doing so strengthens us in our religion, particularly as we remind and support one another in our faith journey.
Every week we have a chance to listen to a khutbah or to attend a lecture at the masjid or even online, offering us a wonderful opportunity to take those lessons learned and to discuss them with our family and friends. But there are even more rewards to be reaped! We can draw admonitions and learn lessons about what behaviors to avoid and what behaviors to emulate as spelled out in Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) hadith delivered during his last sermon: “All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listened to me directly. Be my witness, O Allah, that I have conveyed your message to your people.”
When we consider our actions and how we spend our days, we must make sure our time is being well spent. Remember, whatever is done each day is recorded in our life’s record, and we will be accountable for those actions on the Day of Resurrection. Allah SWT says, “The earth will shine with the Light of its Lord, and the Book [of deeds] will be set [in place]. Then, the Prophets and witnesses will be summoned, and matters will be decided between them with justice and they will not be wronged. Each person will be paid in full for their deeds. He [Allah] is fully Aware of what they have done [in this world] (Qur’an 39:69-70).
Steadfastness
As we focus on spending our time wisely, performing good deeds and acts of worship, it’s important to remember that we must stay the course of goodness, to remain persistent in these blessed acts done only for the glory of Allah SWT, because doing what is righteous is our greatest honor. Whoever stays firm on performing good deeds, Allah SWT will protect him from destructive sins, and he will be among the first to enter Paradise. Allah SWT says: “Verily, those who say: ‘Our Lord is [only] Allah,’ and thereafter stand firm, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. Such shall be the dwellers of Paradise, abiding therein forever – a reward for what they used to do” (Qur’an 46:13-14).
Remember that istiqaamah, which translates to uprightness, correctness, integrity, and soundness, has many virtues in this dunya as well as at death and in the Hereafter.
Allah SWT says, “Indeed, those who declare, ‘Our Lord is Allah [alone],” and then stand firm (to their belief), the angels descend upon them [saying]: “Do not fear and do not stress, instead welcome the good news of the Paradise that you were promised. We are your (protecting) friends in this worldly life and the Hereafter. There you will have whatever your souls desire and whatever you ask for [without any restrictions] as a welcoming gift from the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful” (Qur’an 41:30-32).
Steadfastness includes all aspects of Islam
Staying the course of righteousness is a command from Allah SWT to both the believers and to Rasoolullah (pbuh). Allah SWT says, “So be firm as you are commanded and those who turn in repentance [unto Allah] with you and transgress not [Allah’s legal limits]. Verily, He is All-Seer of what you do” (Qur’an 11:112).
But this command encompasses not just what we should do but also what we shouldn’t, and we must strive to remain steady to observe and abide by all of Allah’s SWT commands and prohibitions. We must do our best to consider the totality of our faith and remember there is blessing in remaining steadfast in faith and in everyday actions. Remember Rasoolullah’s (phuh) answer when Sufyan ibn Abdullah Ath-Thaqafi (RA) asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Tell me something concerning Islam about which I will never ask anyone else.” He said, “Say, ‘I have believed in Allah,’ and then be steadfast” (Muslim).
When reflecting on this hadith of the Prophet (pbuh), who among the entire Ummah doesn’t say “I believe in God”? But we must ask ourselves, do our actions reflect that belief? Think of some of the customs associated with significant days in our lives like weddings, birthdays, aqeeqahs, and deaths of loved ones. In these moments, are we mixing the haram with the halal, confusing haq (truth) with batil (falsehoods)? Do we indeed have one foot firmly in Islam and the other in Jahiliyah (ignorance)? And when we act in this way, so many of us make excuses upon excuses!
But Umar (RA) warned of this wayward behavior. He said, “Steadfastness: To remain upright and adhere to commands and prohibitions without evading them like foxes.”
In fact, Allah SWT himself warned against making excuses when deviating from the straight path, from the Shari’ah, and instead choosing a different path.
Allah SWT says to Prophet Muhammad, and by extension, to all of us, “We have put you on a clear way of [Our] commandment. So, follow it, and do not follow the desires of those who do not know. They cannot help you against Allah in any way. Indeed, the wrongdoers are helpers of one another, but Allah is the helper of the God-fearing” (Qur’an 45:18-19).
Here Allah SWT is not only leading believers to the straight path, He also is urging them to be steadfast and to continue on the road of righteousness and encouraging them with the promise of His help.
After giving His commands and prohibitions, Allah SWT says, “These [commandments] are My Path, the straight way. So, follow it and do not follow other ways, as they will cause you to deviate from His Way. This is what He commands you, so perhaps you may become God-fearing” (Qur’an 6:153)
Steadfastness is linked to the heart and leads to controlling the tongue
When we think about remaining firm in our faith, we must look to the heart. Consider what Rasoolullah (pbuh), his companions, and leading scholars said about the heart and how its spiritually enduring health and resoluteness is linked to the spiritual health of the rest of the body and the critical role it plays in helping us to remain steadfast. Rasoolullah (pbuh) said: “Verily, in the body is a piece of flesh which, if sound, the entire body is sound, and if corrupt, the entire body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart” (Muslim).
Imam ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, a jurist, historian, and leading figure during the 14th century, linked one’s heart and its unwavering focus on monotheism to spiritual success. He said, “The foundation of steadfastness is the steadfastness of the heart upon monotheism.”
For Abu Bakr (RA), the first caliph after the death of our beloved Prophet (pbuh), istiqaamah meant when the believers did not turn to anyone other than Allah for help. He said steadfastness in the heart is manifest in knowing Allah, fearing Him, respecting Him, revering Him, loving Him, desiring Him, hoping in Him, supplicating to Him, relying on Him in all things, and, finally, turning away from anything other than Allah.
Imagine the heart is the body’s king and the limbs are its soldiers. If the heart is steadfast in obeying Allah in all things, so too will be the limbs. And if the heart is the body’s king and the limbs are its soldiers, what then is the most important limb of all? The answer is the tongue, because it is the interpreter of the heart, and it expresses what is inside. So, guard your tongue and set your heart on steadfastness to Allah, to obeying all His commands and adhering to all His prohibitions.
