Our Provisions
Every traveler needs some provisions for his journey. The longer the way, the more arduous and greater the sacrifices required to complete it and the more provisions he requires.
What then of someone traveling towards Allah and the Hereafter? Someone who will end his journey either in Paradise or the Hell-Fire? What could we say of a traveller who starts his journey with trials and tribulations in this world, spending the remainder of his journey in a state of dust in his grave, only to end up between the Hands of his Lord? What provisions does such a person need to take with him? What kind of provisions will benefit and help him on his journey? And what provisions will take him to a place of safety and save him from what he fears and strives hard to avoid? Does he need wealth and children or prestige and power? By Allah, he needs none of these as provisions on the way towards Allah and the Hereafter. Indeed, such worldly means will be of no avail to him on the Day of Judgement, as Allah ﷺ says (which means) ,
| “But as for him who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, ‘O, would that I had not been given my record! Nor known what my reckoning was! O, would that [death] had made an end [of me]! My wealth has been of no avail to me. My power has perished from me. “[1] |
| “O Mankind! Keep your duty to your Lord and fear a Day when the parent will not be of any avail to the child, nor will the child at all be of any avail to the parent. “[2] |
| “But when there comes as-Saakh-khah (the Day of Resurrection’s second blowing of the Trumpet), on that day a man will flee from his brother, and [from] mother and his father, and [from] his wife and his children. Every man among them that day will have concern enough to make him indifferent [to others]. “[3] |
None of these provisions will avail us except that of Taqwa (fear of Allah),
| “And take a provision [with you] for the journey; but the best provision is Taqwa (piety, righteousness, etc.) [4] |
Knowledge is also our provision,
| “It is only those have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah. “[5] |
Certainty is also our provision,
| “And we made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our command, when they persevered with patience and used to believe with certainty in Our Signs.”[6] |
Putting trust in Allah is also our provision,
| “And whoever puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is Allah for him.”[7] |
Gratitude is also our provision,
| “Why should Allah punish you if you are grateful [to Him] and you believe [in Him]?”[8] |
| “Allah is with those who patiently persevere. “[9] |
Zuhd is also our provision,
| Eschew the world and Allah will love you, and eschew what people possess and the people will love you. “[10]] |
Preferring the Hereafter is also one of our provisions,
| “And whoso desires the Hereafter and strives for it as it should be striven for, and he is a believer – these are the ones whose striving shall find favour [with Allah].[11] |
Such are the provisions which are useful and suitable for our journey to Allah and the Hereafter. They are the right provisions which assist us to carry out the legal obligations that Allah has commanded us to fulfil in this life, avoid the prohibited and patiently endure hardships and afflictions. They are the right provisions that help defeat our enemies, achieve the means of material strength and help in inviting assistance from Allah. They are also the right provisions which assist in forming the distinctive Muslim personality; indeed, they are the proof of the correct formation of such a personality.
Today we face all the forces of kufr and inequity while we are in possession of so little in terms of number and means. Our enemies have at their disposal virtually all the means of material might. Also, while we barely find a safe place in which to take refuge, our enemies dominate the world and stand united against Islam,
| “Verily, adh-Dhalimoon (the polytheists, wrongdoers, etc.) are awliyyaa’ (protectors, helpers, etc.) to one another. “[12] |
So what is left for us?
| But Allah is the Wali (Helper, Protector, etc.) of the is righteous” [13] |
Indeed, He is the best protector and helper .
| “For Allah is Best and the Most Abiding. “[14] |
We have been commanded to make ready against our enemies all we can of power. But whatever preparations we make will, for the most part, be insignificant compared to those of our enemies. So how can we prevail?
In fact, we can prevail because they do not possess the same provisions as we have. Our provisions will be the instrument that bridges the wide gulf in capability between us and them, and provide us with ultimate victory.
We stand, despite our meager capabilities and our small number, armed with piety that will safeguard us against minor sins, let alone major ones, and will encourage us to perform voluntary acts of worship after the performance of the obligatory ones. The Prophet ﷺ
says,
| “Allah the Almighty has said, ‘Whoever shows enmity to a walil (friend) of Mine, I shall be at war with Him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have imposed upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary acts of worship so that I love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hands with which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him; and were he to ask Me of refuge, I would surely grant him it.’ “[15] |
We also stand in the face of our enemies, armed with knowledge which will prevent us from going astray and enable us to worship our Lord in the manner most pleasing to Him. We stand assured of Allah’s assistance and support for this religion. Certainty prompts us to put our trust in Allah, so that if we are afflicted by a calamity along the way, we endure it with a patience fair to see, and if good befalls us, we express our gratitude to Allah in a way suited to Him, the Giver and Bestower, Exalted is He. We sell our lives in exchange for the Hereafter, loving death as our enemies love life. How could we possibly be defeated after all this?.
1 Surah Al-Haaqqah (69), Ayat 25-28.
2 Surah Luqman (31), Ayah 33.
3 Surah ‘Abasa (80), Ayat 33-37.
4 Surah Al-Baqarah (2), Ayah 197.
5 Surah Faatir (35), Ayah 28.
6 Surah As-Sajdah (32), Ayah 24.
7 Surah At-Talaq (65), Ayah 2.
8 Surah An-Nisa (4), Ayah 147.
9 Surah Al-Baqarah (2), Ayah 153
10 Ibn Maajah.
11 Surah Al-‘Israa, Ayah 19.
12 Surah Al-Jaathiya (45), Ayah 19.
13 Ibid.
14 Surah Ta-Ha (20), Ayah 73.
15 Bukhari, on the authority of Abu Hurairah.
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