LOVE ALLAH’S CREATIONS

This Hadith has been narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah RAA, and in it he has narrated ا number of sayings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.

THAWAB (ETERNAL REWARD) FOR RELIEVING SOMEONE’S DISTRESS
The very first sentence in this Hadith is that the person who relieves the distress of one of the hardships being faced by a Muslim in this world, either through his actions, or through getting him help from someone else, this act will earn so much eternal reward for him that in return Allah Ta’ala will remove one of the distresses of the Day of Judgment from him.

THE MERITS OF GIVING RELIEF TO A POOR PERSON
In the second sentence the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that if a person provides relief to a poor person, then Allah Ta’ala will provide relief for him both in this world and the Hereafter. For example, a person borrowed some money because he needed it, and promised to return it by a certain time. If at that time, he is unable to repay the loan because of his financial circumstances, then even though the lender has the right to demand his money back, but if seeing the financial situation of the borrower he gives him an extension, or says that just return the loan to me when you are able to, then Allah Ta’ala will provide reprieve to this person both in this world and the Hereafter.

In Quran Karim Allah Ta’ala has said,

“If there is one in misery, then (the creditor should allow) deferment till (his) ease, and that you forgo it as alms is much better for you, if you really know.” (2: 280)

It means if a borrower is unable to repay the loan on time then the lender should give him extension till his circumstances change and he can easily repay the loan. And if the lender foregoes his loan due to a poor borrower completely, then Allah Ta’ala will count it as charity.

ALLAH TA’ALA LIKES PEOPLE WHO ARE MILD MANNERED
It pleases Allah Ta’ala greatly if people are kind and gentle with his creations. If a person has lent someone money legally he has every right to demand his money back, to the extent that he can get the defaulter arrested. But Allah Ta’ala is teaching him not to focus solely on how much money is still owed, and how much has been returned. But also keep in mind how much Allah Ta’ala loves the person who is kind to Allah’s creations. This act is so dear to Allah Ta’ala that there is no limit to the reward one gets for being kind to other people. And in return for this kindness Allah Ta’ala will be kind to him on the day when he will need it most, that is, the Day of Judgment.

THE REWARD OF FULFILLING ANOTHER PERSON’S NEEDS
In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that for as long as a person remains busy fulfilling his brother’s needs, Allah Ta’ala will keep fulfilling his needs. (Abu Daud, Kitab al-Adab)

In another Hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that on the day of Qiyamah (Day of Doom) Allah Ta’ala will relive misery and suffering of whoever has removed the suffering of another Muslim in this world.

BE KIND TO ALLAH’S CREATIONS
In reality a person can do both of these things, that is fulfilling other people’s needs, and relieving their distress, only when they have compassion and love for Allah’s creations in his heart. If a person does these acts just to impress other people, then he will not get any Thawab (eternal reward). However, if he does these acts with the intention that these people are Allah’s creations, if I do any good to them then Allah Ta’ala will be pleased with me, then the same acts will become very valuable. If someone claims to love Allah Ta’ala then it is imperative that he must love His creations as well. If someone doesn’t love Allah’s creations then it means that he doesn’t truly love Allah Ta’ala.

In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Rahman (one of Allah’s names) is kind to those who are kind to other human beings. If you are kind to those who live on this earth, the One who owns the skies (meaning Allah Ta’ala) will be kind to you.

If a person doesn’t have kindness and mercy in his heart towards Allah’s creations then he doesn’t deserve to be called a Muslim. How can one expect to be deserving of Allah Ta’ala’s blessings when he himself doesn’t show any mercy to His creations! It is a prerequisite of Iman (faith) that one should love all the people and other beings created by Allah Ta’ala.

LOVING ALL OF ALLAH’S CREATIONS
It is a natural consequence of having true love for Allah Ta’ala that we love all of His creations, including animals, solely because they are also Allah’s creations. That is why Shariah has set clear rules that we should be kind to animals and should not be cruel to them. In Sahih of Bukhari it is narrated that there was a prostitute who once saw a dog licking soil because of excessive thirst. There was a well nearby. She took off her leather sock, filled it with water from the well, and let the dog drink it. Allah Ta’ala liked this act so much that He forgave all her sins because she had shown kindness to the dog and Allah Ta’ala is more deserving of showing kindness to all His creations. Therefore, one should love all of Allah’s creations including animals.

REWARD OF BEING KIND TO ANIMALS
I heard this narrative many times from my Sheikh Hazrat Dr Abdul Hai RE that there was a Sufi saint who was a great scholar of Shariah, Hadith and Tafsir. He spent his entire life disseminating religious knowledge. When he passed away, one of his disciples saw him in his dream. He asked, “Hazrat! How were you dealt with?” The saint said, “It was Allah Ta’ala’s kindness that He showed mercy towards me. However, what happened to me was very strange. I had spent all my life imparting religious education. I had written a lot of books, given a lot of sermons, written a lot of Fatwas, did a lot of preaching. I was thinking that when my fate is being decided these will all be mentioned, and Allah Ta’ala will forgive me as a result of all these services to Deen (religion). But when I was presented before Allah Ta’ala, Allah Ta’ala said, ‘I am forgiving you but do you know why I am forgiving you?’ I thought it must be because of all the efforts I had made to serve Allah’s Deen. But Allah
Ta’ala said, ‘No! There is another reason why I have forgiven you. One day you were writing something. (in those days, pens made of wood were used for writing which were dipped in ink to write) You dipped your pen in ink to write. A fly sat on that pen and started sucking ink. You waited for a while and thought that this fly looks thirsty. I will let her suck the ink and then write later. Because at that time you had stopped from writing purely because of your love for Me and My creation, and not for any other benefit, therefore, because of that act I forgive you today.”

TRUE TASAWUF IS SERVING ALLAH’S CREATIONS
A person cannot claim to love Allah Ta’ala, and not love His creations. That is the meaning of this verse about Tasawuf;

ز تسبیح و سجاده و دلق نیست
طریقت بجز خدمتِ خلق نیست

meaning that people believe that Tasawuf means always carrying a tasbeeh in one’s hand, always sitting on a prayer mat, wearing a certain kind of dress, but that is not true Tasawuf or Tareeqat. Tasawuf and Tareeqat is nothing but serving and helping Allah’s creations. Allah Ta’ala says that if you claim to love Me, then love My creations and serve them.

THE STORY OF HAZRAT NUH (NOAH) (peace be upon him)
After Hazrat Nuh AS’s people (Noah) had faced the storm and almost all of them had been killed in that storm, Allah Ta’ala ordered Hazrat Nuh AS to start creating pots from clay. Hazrat Nuh AS started making those pots and after some days he had created a lot of them. Then Allah Ta’ala ordered him to break them one by one. Hazrat Nuh AS begged, “Allah Ta’ala! I made these pots on your command, and now you are ordering me to break them.” Allah Ta’ala ordered that My command now is that you break them. So Hazrat Nuh AS broke them, but he felt sad that he had spent so much effort of creating those pots, and then he had to break them. Allah Ta’ala said, “O’ Nuh! You created these pots with your hands on My command. You fell in so much love with them that when I ordered you to destroy them you did not feel like doing it. In your heart, you were hoping that somehow these could be saved as you had fallen in love with them. Did you not see that even though I created all those living beings in your nation, and yet when you said once,

“… My Lord, do not leave on earth even a single inhabitant (surviving) out of the disbelievers.” (71:26),

I killed them all.
The point was that Hazrat Nuh AS had not created the clay with which he was making those pots, and he wasn’t making those pots out of his own choice, but rather because of Allah Ta’ala’s orders. But he had still got attached to them. Then how much Allah Ta’ala, who has created all the living beings, must love them.

DR ABDUL HAI’S (may Allah Ta’ala bless him) PRAYER
Hazrat Dr Abdul RE used to say that whenever I worship Allah Ta’ala, and pray to Him to grant us His love, I feel like Allah Ta’ala is saying that do you want to love me? You have never seen Me to enable you to love Me directly, and develop such a relationship as you do with people and things you can see. But if you want to develop such a relationship with me, then I have created human beings as a manifestation of My love in this world. So, you should love them, be kind to them, and show mercy towards them. That way you will develop true love for Me, and this is the right way of loving Me.

If a person thinks that because he loves Allah Ta’ala he does not need to love human beings as they are small and worthless, and as a result he looks down upon them and considers them inferior or sinful, it means that his love for Allah Ta’ala is false, as it is not possible to love the Creator and not love His creations. If he truly loved Allah Ta’ala he would also have loved His creations. That is why the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has said that if a person remains occupied with helping his brother and fulfilling his needs, Allah Ta’ala remains occupied with fulfilling his needs. And the person who relieves distress of his Muslim brother, Allah Ta’ala will relieve his distress on the Day of Judgment.

A STORY OF HAZRAT JUNAID BAGHDADI may Allah bless him)
It has been the practice of all the saints that if they saw that a person was engaged in sins, while they hated their sins as hating sins is necessary (Wajib), but they never hated or looked down upon that person.

Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi RE was once walking on the bank of Euphrates river with a few of his disciples. A boat passed close to them in the river. A few carefree young people were sitting in that boat and they were singing and playing instruments. When they saw Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi RE on the riverbank, they made fun of him and passed some derogatory comments. One of Hazrat Junaid’s RE companions said, “Hazrat! Please make a curse for them. Not only are they themselves involved in major sins, they are also making fun of religious people.” Hazrat Junaid RE raised his hands and prayed, “O Allah Ta’ala! Just like you have blessed these young people with happiness in this world, please help them change their ways so they are also blessed with happiness in the Hereafter.” So, even then Hazrat Junaid RE did not hate their actions and did not say a bad word for them, he prayed for them because he viewed them as Creations of Allah Ta’ala and wished them the best.

THE KINDNESS OF THE HOLY PROPHET صلى الله عليه وسلم TOWARDS HIS UMMAH (PEOPLE)
The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was sent as a blessing for the whole world. There was a time when the non-Muslims were throwing stones at him and his feet were bleeding. Even then he kept reciting,

“O’ Allah! Please give guidance to my people. They are not aware. They do not know me. They are ignorant and they are doing this in ignorance. O’ Allah! Please provide them with guidance.”

He was reciting these words because while he disagreed with their actions, he did not hate the people themselves. As people, he regarded them as creations of Allah Ta’ala and he loved them in their capacity as Allah’s creations.

NEVER HATE THE SINNER
One must remember that not hating sins and not considering them wrong is also a sin in itself. We must hate sins and believe them to be wrong, but we must never hate or look down upon the sinner. In fact, we should have pity for that person. If a person gets sick and goes to a doctor for treatment, the doctor never gets angry with him about why he got sick. The
doctor rather shows sympathy towards him and treats that person, and prays to Allah Ta’ala to restore his health. Similarly, we should hate the sinful acts but should never hate the sinner. Rather, we should love them in their capacity as one of Allah’s creations, and should pray for them that may Allah Ta’ala grant them Hidayah (the right path).

THE REWARD OF BEING KIND TO OTHER PEOPLE
In a Hadith, the Hole Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that once a person was presented in Allah Ta’ala’s Court. (Eventually all people will be presented in Allah Ta’ala’s Court on the Day of Judgment but may be some people are shown some small sample of that sooner.) Anyways, when he was presented before Allah Ta’ala, Allah Ta’ala told the angels to check what good deeds he had performed. When the angels checked his balance sheet of good and bad acts it was found that his balance sheet was almost completely empty of good deeds. He did not perform any Salah, he did not fast, he just spent all his time in conducting his business. However, the angels further said that there was one good deed in his balance sheet, which was that he had advised his employees that if you ever sell something to a person who is poor, then deal with him with compassionately. If you have given him a loan then don’t be too harsh in demanding that loan back, and when it is appropriate just forgo that loan. So, his entire life his practice in business was to give extension to the poor in returning loans, or if appropriate, to forgive that loan completely. Allah Ta’ala will then say that if he dealt with kindness and forgiveness with My people, then I am more deserving of being forgiving to him. Allah Ta’ala will then order angels to send him to Jannah (paradise). The moral of the story is that dealing with kindness and forgiveness with other human beings pleases Allah Ta’ala greatly.

AN EXCEPTION, NOT A RULE
One must remember that the story that has been narrated above is an exception, not a rule. It doesn’t mean that from now on all of us stop praying Salah, stop fasting, stop paying Zakah, stop abstaining from sins, and start believing that I will start giving relaxation to other people like the person in the story above, and I will be forgiven on the Day of Judgment. This is not correct. What happened in the above incident was a manifestation of Allah’s kindness, and Allah’s kindness is not bound by rules and regulations. He can forgive whomever He likes. But the general law for all of us is that we have to perform the Fard (compulsory acts of worship), we have to abstain from sins, and then we will have better chances of being forgiven. If a person doesn’t carry out the compulsory acts of worship, doesn’t abstain from sins, and just assumes that he will be forgiven by giving relaxation to other people, he is taking a big risk. Who knows with what sincerity the other person had forgiven other people, and that earned him great kindness from Allah Ta’ala, and he was forgiven by Allah Ta’ala. But we can’t assume the same will happen to all of us, otherwise there would have been no need to declare all these acts of worship compulsory, or to declare all the sins Hara’am (unlawful).

DO NOT COSIDER ANY GOOD DEED TRIVIAL
From the story above this conclusion can be drawn correctly that no good deed should be considered trivial or useless, no matter how small it appears. Who knows which good deed may be liked by Allah Ta’ala and may lead to that person being granted Maghfirah (deliverance). However, if after reading such a story, one starts thinking that because the person in the story was forgiven because of a particular act, therefore, we do not need to pray
Salah, or perform other mandatory prayers, and just keep doing that act and we will be forgiven too, then that is not a correct conclusion to draw. In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet said that Aajiz (عاجز) is the person who just follows his desires, who keeps acting on whatever desire comes into his mind without thinking whether it is Halal (permissible) or Hara’am (unlawful), and then keeps hoping that Allah Ta’ala will forgive him.

REWARDS FOR BEING KIND TO OTHER HUMAN BEINGS – ANOTHER HADITH

In another Hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that among the people who have passed before you there was a person who, when selling something, would deal kindly with people. He would tell a price to a prospective buyer. If the buyer then asked him to reduce the price somewhat then he would agree to sell that item on that reduced price, even if that meant a lower profit for him. Similarly, when he bought something he dealt softly with the seller. When the shopkeeper told him a price he would gently ask the shopkeeper once to reduce the price. He didn’t enter into arguments or wouldn’t fight with the shopkeeper over it, and didn’t force him to reduce the price. After asking gently once he would then buy the item without any further argument. Similarly, when he had to collect money from someone, for example, taking loaned money back, or recovering the price of a sold item, he would deal softly and would tell the borrower to pay back the loan later if he didn’t have the money right then, and would give them an extension. When he died, and was presented before Allah Ta’ala, Allah Ta’ala said that because he dealt kindly with my created beings in the world, therefore, I will deal kindly with him now and I forgive him. When dealing with other people it is important to remember that dealing kindly with other human beings, and especially with those who are poor, pleases Allah Ta’ala greatly.

THE SUNNAH (PRACTICE) OF THE HOLY PROPHET صلى الله عليه وسلم WHEN BUYING AND SELLING
It was the practice of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم throughout his life that whenever he bought or sold something, he always gave more than what was due towards him. In those days, the currency comprised of coins of gold and silver. These coins used to be of different denominations and the practice was to weigh these coins, rather than count them, when buying or selling something. In a narration, it has been said that once the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم bought something in the Bazar. When paying the price in Dirhams he said to the person weighing the Dirhams, “Weigh liberally”, meaning that give more Dirhams to the seller than are due towards me.

In another narration, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

“The best among you are those who discharge other people’s rights due towards them with excellence,”

meaning they give more than is due towards them. For example, a person owed 100 rupees but when he returned the loan he gave back one hundred and ten rupees. (However, it is not permissible to make it a pre-condition before giving a loan as then it would become interest). Similarly, when one has to pay someone they should do so promptly and should not bother them unduly asking them to come again and again, or using delaying tactics. All this is included in discharging other people’s rights well and treating other people well.

THE WILL OF HAZRAT IMAM ABU HANIFAH (May Allah bless him)

Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifah RE wrote a will for his pupils. In that will he wrote that “if you have to buy and sell something then give the other person more than his due. Do not give them less than what is due to them.” This is a Sunnah (practice) of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.

These days we have memorized some Sunnah of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and by following those we start believing that we are his true followers, even though all the practices that have been mentioned above are part of his Sunnah. We must follow these Sunnah too. May Allah Ta’ala help us follow all of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. (Ameen)

Referring to this particular Sunnah, in the following Hadith the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that;

“whoever gives relaxation to a poor person in this world, Allah Ta’ala will grant him relaxation both in this world and the Hereafter”.

True comfort is the comfort of the next world. Also, experience tells us that a person who gives relaxation to other people remains safe from many hardships in this world as well.

A CURSE FOR MISERS
It is narrated in a Hadith that;

“an angel prays to Allah Ta’ala every day, O’ Allah! Destroy the property of the person who pinches money, who keeps counting his money all the time, and who gets distressed if he has to spend it.”

As a result of this curse, sometimes their money gets stolen, and sometimes they lose their wealth in another way. Even if they don’t encounter such losses, at least they lose the blessing (برکت) from their wealth, meaning that even if their wealth increases in numbers, it does not bring them the same benefit and happiness it would have otherwise. For example, their wealth increased but someone from their family became unwell and now that income is being wasted on doctors and medicines, rather than being spent on brining comfort to them. Or the relationships between family members deteriorated and it took away all the pleasure from life.

PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO SPEND THEIR WEALTH ON OTHERS
For those who spend on others from what Allah Ta’ala has given them, the angel prays, “O’ Allah! Please give the person who spends his wealth on others, who does Sadaqah (non- obligatory charity) and Khairat, and who treats people well, the reward for what he spends on others, in this world.”

Superficially it looks like that the person who spends his wealth on others, is losing money, because he is either giving his wealth to others, or is foregoing what others are due to return to him. However, in reality the money that is going is not being lost, it brings Barakah (blessing) from Allah Ta’ala, and Allah Ta’ala often rewards such a person in this world. No one has ever become poor because they did too much Sadaqah and Khairat, or they gave relaxation to others in their financial transactions. That is why it is said in the Hadith that Allah Ta’ala rewards such a person both in this world and the Hereafter.

NOT DISCLOSING OTHER PEOPLE’S MISTAKES
In the third sentence, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said,

“On the Day of Qiyamah (Doomsday) Allah Ta’ala will hide the mistakes of the Muslim, who hid the mistakes of other people.”

We often indulge in this practice that if we come to know that a person has committed some mistake or a wrong, we start publicising it to the whole world. Rather, we should cover other people’s mistakes and should not tell other people about them. This should be done when no one else is going to be harmed by his actions. However, when someone’s actions are likely to
harm someone else, for example a person is planning to kill someone or steal their property, in those situations we have an obligation to inform the intended victim. At that time, it is not permissible to cover up that planning. However, if his actions are not likely to harm someone else, then we are under an obligation not to tell others about people’s mistakes, and to pray for him that, “O’ Allah! My brother has become involved in this sin. Please be merciful to him and help him abstain from that sin.”

We should neither look for other people’s sins and mistakes, nor broadcast them to the whole world if we come to know about them. This is a major menace in our societies these days. If a person comes to know about a mistake or a sin committed by another person, then they cannot rest till they have shared it with other people. We do not realize that publicizing other people’s mistakes and sins without just cause (when there is a risk of harm to someone else is a major sin.

SHAMING OTHERS FOR THEIR SINS
In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said;

“if a person shames his brother for a sin he had repented from, he will not die till he commits that sin himself.”

Allah Ta’ala does not like if a person keeps embarrassing another person for a sin he has done Taubah (repentance) from, and keeps reminding him that you are the person who committed such and such sin. Allah Ta’ala says that when I have forgiven his sin, when I have hidden it from other people, when I have erased it from his balance sheet, then who are you to keep embarrassing him over it? If you keep humiliating him then I will get you involved in that sin. It is a great sin to keep actively looking for faults of other people, and to publicize them when one does find them. Allah Ta’ala has sent us as His humble servants in this world, not as in charge of other people so that we keep humiliating and embarrassing them.

WE SHOULD WORRY ABOUT OURSELVES FIRST
What we really should be doing is worrying about our own character. How many sins are we engaged in, rather than how many sins is someone else engaged in? When Allah Ta’ala grants someone insight about their own faults, then they become oblivious to the faults of others. It is only those people who are ignorant about their own weaknesses, who keep pursuing the weaknesses of others. That is why becoming preoccupied with the sins of others is a great sin, as the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has described in this Hadith. It does not suit a Muslim to spend time with such activities. Unless a Muslim refrain from all these activities he or she cannot become a Muslim in the true sense of the word.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEKING RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE
In the fourth sentence, the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said;

“if a person travels or covers some distance with the purpose of learning about Deen (religion), then Allah Ta’ala will make the pathway to Jannah (Paradise) easy for him because of that travel.”

For example, if we didn’t know something about Deen and needed to learn it, then whatever efforts we make towards achieving that goal will hopefully make the pathway to Jannah easy for us.

THE STORY OF HAZRAT JABIR (may Allah be pleased with him)
It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari that there was a Holy Companion (Sahabi) Hazrat Jabir Razi Allah Anhu who was very close to the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. After the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had passed away, one day Hazrat Jabir RAA heard that there is a Hadith about the merits of Tahajjud (late night) prayer that he had not heard directly from the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم but that there was another Sahabi who had, and who then lived in Damascus. He thought that he should hear that Hadith directly form the Sahabi who had heard it directly from the Holy Prophet ﷺ. Damascus is almost 1500 hundred kilometres away from Medinah Munawwarah, and it is all through desert. But he mounted a camel and reached that Sahabi’s home.

When he knocked at the door the Sahabi opened the door and inquired about the purpose of his visit. Hazrat Jabir RAA asked, “Is it correct that there is a Hadith about the merits of Tahajjud prayer that you have heard directly from the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم? I have come to hear that Hadith from you.” The Sahabi asked, “Is that the only reason you have come here?” When Hazrat Jabir RAA replied in affirmative the Sahabi said, “I will tell you that Hadith but before that I will recite another Hadith.” He then recited the Hadith above that whoever travels to learn Allah’s Deen (religion), Allah Ta’ala makes the way to Jannah easy for him, and then told him the Hadith about the merit of Tahajjud.

After reciting the Hadith, the Sahabi asked Hazrat Jabir RAA to have a meal with him but Hazrat Jabir RAA said, “No. I don’t want to eat with you because I want this entire journey to be purely with the intention of listening to the Holy Prophet’s Hadith. I do not want to mix any other purpose with it.” And then he returned straight to Medinah Munawwarah.

GREAT REWARD FOR PEOPLE WHO GATHER IN ALLAH’S HOME
In the next sentence of the Hadith a great reward has been promised. It has been said that if a group gathers in one of Allah’s homes (meaning mosque) to recite Allah’s book, to teach and learn Allah’s Book, or to learn about Allah’s Deen (religion), then Allah Ta’ala showers peace and tranquillity upon them, Allah Ta’ala’s blessing covers them, and angels encircle that gathering all round. Being encircled by angels means that Allah Ta’ala’s blessing is directed towards them, and these angels are angels of blessing and mercy. They pray for these people that, “Allah Ta’ala! These people have gathered here for your Deen, please forgive them, shower Your blessings on them, grant them deliverance, and guide them towards Your Deen”.

“IF YOU REMEMBER ME, I WILL REMEMBER YOU”
In the next sentence the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said;

“Allah Ta’ala mentions these people who have gathered for his Zikr (remembrance), in His own gathering that these people have gathered solely for the purpose of remembering Me, talking about Me, and to listen about My Deen, and mentions that gathering in front of the angels around Him.”

This is a great reward as it is not a small matter that Allah Ta’ala does Zikr of worthless human beings. It was our duty to remember Allah Ta’ala. Instead, Allah Ta’ala first ordered us فاذکرونی “Remember Me”, and then immediately promised its reward اذکرکم “I will remember you”. If you do My Zikr, I will do your Zikr. Our Zikr has no value for Allah Ta’ala. If we do His Zikr, it does not add anything to Allah’s Greatness. If the entire world stops doing His Zikr, it will not take away anything from or diminish even by a miniscule amount Allah’s Greatness. But it is not a small matter if Allah Ta’ala does a human being’s Zikr.

THE GREAT REWARD PRMOISED FOR DOING ALLAH’S ZIKR (REMEMBRANCE)
It is a reward and blessing greater than any other in the entire world if Allah Ta’ala remembers one of His subjects. That is what the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mentioned in the Hadith above that when people gather to learn Allah’s Deen (religion) and to do Allah’s Zikr, Allah Ta’ala does Zikr of that gathering in the gathering of His angels.

A Hadith-e-Qudsi حدیثِ قدسی is a Hadith in which the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم quotes something said to him by Allah Ta’ala. In a Hadith-e-Qudsi the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Allah Ta’ala says, “The person who does My Zikr (Remembrance) in isolation, I do his Zikr in isolation, the person who does My Zikr in a gathering I do his Zikr in a better gathering (meaning if he does My Zikr in front of a group of human beings I do his Zikr in front of a group of angels).” Such is the virtue of doing Allah Ta’ala’s Zikr.

Allah Ta’ala’s Zikr is not restricted to reciting Allah’s name only. It is inclusive of all those people who make efforts to teach or learn Allah’s Deen (religion), or who gather at a place to enhance their understanding of Allah’s Deen. May we also be included in the meaning of this Hadith by the grace and mercy of Allah Ta’ala. May Allah Ta’ala grant us love of His Deen, and grant us Ikhlas (purity, sincerity) in our Ibadah (acts of worship). Ameen.

HAVING NOBLE PARENTAGE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR MAGHFIRAH (DELIVERANCE)
In the last sentence of this Hadith the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said;

“pedigree alone cannot take a person forward who has been left behind because of his actions.”

It means that if a person was involved in impermissible acts, and he could not enter into Jannah (Paradise) because of his actions, while other people engaged in desirable behaviour and reached Jannah, then his belonging to some exalted family, or being the son of a great saint or a great scholar, would not be sufficient to take him to Jannah. If pedigree alone was sufficient then Hazrat Nuh’s (Noah) (peace be upon him) would not have been condemned to Jahannam (Hell). Hazrat Nuh AS was an exalted Prophet of Allah Ta’ala. He also prayed for his son’s deliverance. But Allah Ta’ala said, that because the acts he had committed were not permissible, therefore, your prayer on his behalf will not be accepted.

What truly matters in Allah Ta’ala’s court is one’s actions. If a person seeks the company (Suhbat, صحبت) of saints then Allah Ta’ala makes performing good deeds easier for him. However, it is absolutely essential that a person makes his own efforts in Allah’s way. If he remains neglectful then and keeps ignoring Allah Ta’ala’s commands, he will not make any progress in Deen regardless of which family belongs to. May Allah Ta’ala grant us the motivation to correct our own actions. Ameen.

SUMMARY
The summary of the talk is that it is both a consequence, as well as a pre-condition, that if someone claims to love Allah Ta’ala then they must love His created beings as well, and must show kindness and mercy towards Allah’s creations. Unless they achieve this their claim of love for Allah Ta’ala would be a lie. May Allah Ta’ala create His love, and love for His creations, in our hearts. Ameen.

وآخر دعوا ان الحمد ﷲ رب العالمين