رَبّ ابْنِ لِى عِندَكَ بَيْتاً فِى الْجَنَّةِ
"My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Jannah"
(Surah at-Tahreem 66:11)
Allah سبحانه وتعالى alone can incite within the soul the desire for Jannah, propelling His servant to cast his gaze beyond the fleeting pleasures of this life, to the life with no end,in pleasure with no end. Allah سبحانه وتعالى strikes an example that compels any mind to think and the heart to fill with yearning, and eyes to fill with tears, when He says,
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً لّلَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ امْرَأَةَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبّ ابْنِ لِى عِندَكَ بَيْتاً فِى الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجّنِى مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجّنِى مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ
"And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Fir'awn, when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'awn and his work, and save me from the people who are wrongdoers."
(Surah at-Tahreem 66:11)
O how powerful is the example of the wife of Fir'awn, Aasiyah bint Muzahim! She was married into a household of abundant wealth and immense power that few could attain, even if they sought and strove for it their entire life. She was a mother, tender and caring, bound strongly to the ones she raised, pained by separation from them. Yet for the sake of Iman, she turned her gaze to that which was deserving of it most, the Jannah of Allah سبحانه وتعالى.
Qatadah said, "Fir'awn was the most tyrannical among the people of the earth and the most disbelieving. By Allah! His wife was not affected by her husband's disbelief, because she obeyed her Lord.'' It was this gaze towards the Jannah promised by Allah سبحانه وتعالى which allowed a woman of frail body to maintain a steely will. A will so strong that the severest of tyrants in human history could not break it!
Ibn Jarir recorded that Sulayman said, "The wife of Fir'awn was tortured under the sun and when Fir'awn would finish the torture session, the angels would shade her with their wings. She was shown her house in Paradise.'' Ibn Jarir said that Al-Qasim bin Abi Bazzah said, "Fir'awn's wife used to ask, 'Who prevailed' When she was told, 'Musa and Harun prevailed', she said, 'I believe in the Lord of Musa and Harun.'
And it was this longing gaze that raised her high above the tyrant and his tyranny, pleasing Allah سبحانه وتعالى such that He saved her from the death that the tyrant wished for her, by returning her pure soul to Him before the tyrant could strike. Fir'awn sent his aides to her and said to them, 'Find the biggest stone. If she insists on keeping her faith, throw the stone on her, otherwise she is my wife. When they came to her, she looked up to the sky and was able to see her house in Paradise. She persisted on faith and her soul was then captured. The stone was thrown on her lifeless body.'' This is an example for any man or woman that stands on Truth before the tyrant, forsaking the Dunya for the sake of Our Lord! RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم said of this blessed soul,
أَفْضَلُ نِسَاءِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ: خَدِيجَةُ بِنْتُ خُوَيْلِدٍ، وَفَاطِمَةُ بِنْتُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَمَرْيَمُ ابْنَةُ عِمْرَانَ، وَآسِيَةُ بِنْتُ مُزَاحِمٍ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْن
"The best among the women of Paradise are Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad, Maryam bint 'Imran and Asiyah bint Muzahim, wife of Fir'awn."
Thus, a powerful example exists for the Muslims today to inspire them to stand before the tyrants of today, the Bashaars, the Karimovs and their peers in implementing Kufr upon the Muslims. Let us not waver, even before the threat to our lives or even attempts upon our lives. For what is this life, with its many afflictions, compared to the eternal bliss of a life in Jannah?
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَاتِ وَأَخْبَتُواْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ أُوْلَـئِكَ أَصْحَـبُ الجَنَّةِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ
"Whereas those who believe and do good deeds and humble themselves before their Lord, they are the companions of Paradise, and there they shall live forever."
(Surah Hud: 23)
Let us not waver in this march to end tyranny, even if we are separated from those whom we love, through imprisonment by the tyrants or by the chasing of their thugs. Yes the heart becomes heavy, or limbs weary, when separated from our children of tender age or our elderly parents in frailty. But, any such separation is but for a moment, when considering the ever lasting life of Jannah, where we will be reunited with those whom we love in the best of all manners. Allah سبحانه وتعالى said,
جَنَّـتُ عَدْنٍ يَدْخُلُونَهَا وَمَنْ صَلَحَ مِنْ ءَابَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ وَالمَلَـئِكَةُ يَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّن كُلِّ بَابٍ
"Gardens of perpetual bliss: they shall enter there, as well as the righteous among their fathers, their spouses, and their offspring."
(Surah ar-Ra'd: 23)
Thus, Allah سبحانه وتعالى will gather them with their loved ones, from among their fathers, family members and offspring, those who are righteous and deserve to enter Paradise, so that their eyes are comforted by seeing them. What a joyous reunion after separation!
ادْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ أَنتُمْ وَأَزْوَجُكُمْ تُحْبَرُونَ - يُطَافُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِصِحَـفٍ مِّن ذَهَبٍ وَأَكْوَبٍ وَفِيهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيهِ الاٌّنْفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ الاٌّعْيُنُ وَأَنتُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ - وَتِلْكَ الْجَنَّةُ الَّتِى أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ - لَكُمْ فِيهَا فَـكِهَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ مِّنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ
"Enter the Garden, you and your wives, you will be made glad. There will be brought round for them trays of gold and goblets, and therein is all that the souls desire and eyes find sweet and you will stay there forever. This is the garden, which you are made to inherit because of what you used to do. Therein for you is fruit in plenty whence to eat."
(Az-Zukhruf 43:70-73)
Let the ones who are separated from their loved ones be patient, let them neither grieve nor regret. For Allah سبحانه وتعالى will also elevate the grade of those who are lower, to the grades of those who are higher, a favor from Him out of His kindness, without decreasing the grade of those who are higher up (in Jannah). A Hadith of 'Abd Allah b. Mas'ud states:
جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ تَقُولُ فِي رَجُلٍ أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا وَلَمْ يَلْحَقْ بِهِمْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَرْءُ مَعَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ
"A man came to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم and said: O Messenger of Allah! What do you say about a man who loves a people but cannot reach their level? Allah's Messenger replied: "A man will be with the one he loves." (Bukhari 5703).
Al-Bazaar narrated also with hasan isnad from Abdullah b. Amr, he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
مَنْ أَحَبَّ رَجُلا لِلَّهِ، فَقَالَ إِنِّي أُحِبُّكَ لِلَّهِ، فَدَخَلا الْجَنَّةَ، فَكَانَ الَّذِي أَحَبَّ أَرْفَعُ مَنْزِلَةً مِنَ الآخَرِ، الْحَقُّ بِالَّذِي أَحَبَّ لِلَّهِ
"Whoever loved a man for the sake of Allah and said: I love you for the sake of Allah, and then they were admitted to the jannah, and the one loved was of higher rank from the other, he would be joined with the one who loved". (Al-Bazaar 2439)
So let us be firm before the tyrants and secure the outposts, warding the Muslims from the afflictions. For this is the path to Jannah. RasulAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم said,
هَلْ تَدْرُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللهِ؟
"Do you know who among Allah's creation will enter Paradise first." He said,
أوَّلُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللهِ الْفُقَرَاءُ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ الَّذِينَ تُسَدُّ بِهِمُ الثُّغُورُ، وَتُتَّقَى بِهِمُ الْمَكَارِهُ، وَيَمُوتُ أَحَدُهُمْ وَحَاجَتُهُ فِي صَدْرِهِ، لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ لَهَا قَضَاءً، فَيَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالَى لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ مَلَائِكَتِهِ: ائْتُوهُمْ فَحَيُّوهُمْ، فَتَقُولُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ: نَحْنُ سُكَّانُ سَمَائِكَ، وَخِيرَتُكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، أَفَتَأْمُرُنَا أَنْ نَأْتِي هؤُلَاءِ وَنُسَلِّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ؟ فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عِبَادًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا، وَتُسَدُّ بِهِمُ الثُّغُورُ، وَتُتَّقَى بِهِمُ الْمَكَارِهُ، وَيَمُوتُ أَحَدُهُمْ وَحَاجَتُهُ فِي صَدْرِهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ لَهَا قَضَاءً قَالَ : فَتَأْتِيهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فَيَدْخُلُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ بَاب
"The first among Allah's creation to enter Paradise are the poor emigrants (in Allah's cause) with whom the outposts (of the land) are secured and the various afflictions are warded off. One of them would die while his need is still in his chest, because he was unable to satisfy it himself. Allah will say to whom He will among His angels, "Go to them and welcome them with the Salam.'' The angels will say, "We are the residence of Your heaven and the best of Your creation, do You command us to go to them and welcome them with the Salam'' Allah will say, "They are My servants who worshipped Me and did not associate anyone or anything with Me in worship. With them, the outposts were secured and the afflictions were warded off. One of them would die while his need is in his chest, unable to satisfy it."
Let us not waver, hesitate or regret, despite any hardships we face in the path of removing the tyrants, for the path of testing is the path to the greatest prize, the Jannah.
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَآءُ وَالضَّرَّآءُ وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ َالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلاَ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ
"Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the help of Allah'' Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near!"
(Surah Al Baqarah 2:214)
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَـهَدُواْ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ الصَّـبِرِينَ
"Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allah knows (tests) those of you who performed Jihad and knows (tests) those who are patient."
(Surah Aali Imran 3:142)
Let us march forwards to return the Deen on this Earth as a Khilafah, as the tyrants waver, stumble and fall, and let their tyranny be smashed on the boulders of our Iman!
Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Musab Ibn Umair - Pakistan
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