The Day of Judgment Reality

The example I have given you - the story that I told you about myself - is exactly a typical scenario of what you're going to see on Judgment Day. We are all going to be traveling.

Look at my situation: I thought I was smart. Alhamdulillah, I was so intelligent that I had a perfect plan. I planned for everything. I said, "No mistake should be in that if I follow that schedule." I thought I was going to be smart enough to do my own plan, but Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala had His own plans.

When I was going to the airport, the brother misled me and said, "Let me take you on a shortcut." How many shortcuts have we taken in our life? How many people have misguided you by saying, "You know, this is easier. Don't take this opinion - this is more strict. Take this one. Don't do this, do that."

Taking shortcuts in our life, trying to arrive at the airport faster and with less burden and responsibilities. How many of those people came to you, and you thought that they were guiding you to the right way, but they were taking you somewhere else?

The Day of Judgment Reality

You would be worried because you don't know exactly what you're going to face there at the airport. When you go to Judgment Day, you will see the reality of the final day. That's when you're going to see lines - people standing there waiting for Judgment Day to start.

Then I had to stand there. Why? Because I had luggage with me. If I just came there with the most valuable thing - when you travel, where do you put the most valuable things? Do you put them in the bag, or do you put them in your pocket? Usually they carry them in their hands or pockets.

Anything that is not valuable, they put in the bag. Even less valuable things, they put in boxes. They put boxes with their address and names on them, sometimes tied up. Why? Because it's not so valuable, yet it keeps them there longer to check in those luggage and bags.

The Burden of Worldly Attachments

Imagine on the Day of Judgment you're coming, meeting Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala with ten bags and a hundred boxes. Why? Because you were so busy in this dunya packing for the Day of Judgment - the wrong things.

But the valuable thing that you were supposed to have in your pocket or in your hand - nothing compared to that. You know that on the Day of Judgment, there will be something like personal check-in, meaning no luggage.

The 70,000 people that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam promised that they will enter al-jannah without any reckoning, without any account - are you going to be one of them? Are you going to have luggage with you, waiting in line to see how much this is going to weigh in the meezan with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala?

The Stations of the Afterlife

Even when you travel, you will see that on the Day of Judgment it looks the same - station after station, mashahid yawm al-qiyamah. You finish one thing and think that you're done, then you go, "Allahu akbar," another test, and another test, and another test.

The first test before the shafa'ah, the intercession of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Then after the shafa'ah, you have your account, then you don't know exactly where you're going to grab the book of deeds. After you grab it in the right hand, where are you going to go?

Then you go to Hawd an-Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Some people are going to be deterred and deprived from drinking from the hand of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, taken away. Then you move towards somewhere else - another station, and another station until you arrive at the sirat.

The Danger of Deception

The munafiqeen are going to easily be deceived the way I was deceived easily. That lady behind the desk said, "Just right there," and I trusted her. I went immediately, maybe to the wrong airport, maybe the wrong flight. She didn't even ask, "Where are you going?"

Sometimes it happens in the last moment of your life. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned in Hadith as-Sadiq al-Masduq, from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radiyallahu ta'ala anhu, that the person would dedicate his life for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala until just before his death:

(Bukhari 4949)

Al-Qadar would approach him, and he would just have a major change in his intention and in his good deeds, and he'd end up in hellfire.

The same thing - people were leading a sinful life, and just before their death, the Qadar would approach them, would catch them. Then they would have a switch in their intentions, and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala would accept their repentance and would be led to the right airport, the right flight.

A Warning for the Present

It might happen with you even in this dunya. You will be doing, mashallah, perfect, and you assume that you are doing well. But be careful - you might be misled easily by so many people in this life.

This is the example. You are a traveler, whether you like it or not. You have been traveling maybe for 20 years, 15 years, 35 years, 60 years, 50 years. How old are you? You have been traveling all that time. Where? To the Hereafter. Ila Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Soon you're going to be arriving at that airport and landing at one of those two airports. Make sure that you take the right flight before you die. Make sure that when you land on Judgment Day, you will land at the right airport.

The Call to Paradise

So come along to the Garden of Eden, to Jannat Adnan al-Firdaws. For indeed, there are the real homes, and the sweet domicile is therein.

You ask yourself a question: Is there anybody out there, even listening to us inshallah on the internet, who is ready for Al-Jannah and is rolling up his or her sleeves to start walking properly, serving Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, in order to assure themselves that they arrive at the right airport?

This dunya is one path - a path to two different destinations: Al-Jannah or An-Nar. What is the market of this life? It's your days and nights. That's where you trade with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. You're trading with your good deeds, trading with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to assure for yourself a safe landing on Judgment Day.

It doesn't really matter how perfect the landing was unless it would be at the right runway or airport.

The Essential Question: What Is Your Provision?

If you know and you have that concern that you really need to review your schedule and see if you're doing well or not, and if you would like to see if you're really carrying with you the right provision or not - what is the provision that you carry with you on Judgment Day?

Is it your estate? Your house? Your cars? Your certificate of education? Your money? What is the provision that you carry with you on Judgment Day?

Your deeds. This is the provision that you carry with you - your deeds.

When you say your deeds, what does it mean? Have you ever thought of this? What does it mean to say your deeds? It means your worship, your ibadah. Because everything you do in this life, you're going to be held accountable for it, whether good or bad. That's ibadah, because you need to know if you're going to do it, then you have to make sure that you're doing the right thing and you're doing it right.

The Importance of Quality in Worship

Since we have that limited time in our life - you might live only for 50 years, 60, more or less (Allah knows when our time is going to come) - if you know that you have that limited time, then it becomes very essential for every individual to ensure the quality of his ibadah.

I'm sure that some people have been striving, mashallah, for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for years and years, but the quality of their ibadah is not that much. So how much is this going to weigh on the Day of Judgment in the scale? It is very important to know that your provision is the right provision that you carry with you.

Why Surah Al-Fatiha 17 Times Daily?

If you ask yourself a question: Why did Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala command us to recite Surah Al- Fatiha at least 17 times a day? If you maintain five times a day prayers, then you're going to be reciting Surah Al-Fatiha at least 17 times.

Why do we recite Surah Al-Fatiha 17 times a day? What is the point? What is so special about Surah Al-Fatiha? Why don't we recite:

(Quran 112:1)

Why not:

(Quran 108:1)

Why not:

(Quran 103:1)

Why Surah Al-Fatiha?

People like me or like you might say, "Well, maybe it's because it's so important, so Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala chose it for that reason." People like Imam Al-Qayyim rahimahu Allah ta'ala wrote a book on the reason why we recite Surah Al-Fatiha 17 times a day. That book came out in three volumes - that's the book of Madarij as-Salikin:

"The steps of the travelers between the stations of ' (إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ - Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in)' (You we worship and You we ask for help)."

The Core of Worship: Iyyaka Na'budu wa lyyaka Nasta'een

(Quran 1:5)

I'm sure that these are familiar words to you. These are the verses that you recite every day in your salah. Every day you do that. What does it mean? This is your provision.

If you do not care about this provision, you might arrive at the wrong airport on the Day of Judgment because this is your ibadah. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

"It is You we worship and You, O Allah, we ask for help, for assistance."

Arriving at the right airport on the Day of Judgment entails the proper implementation of (إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ - Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in) which is your provision and your ibadah.

Quality Over Quantity

It's not how much hard work you put in your good deeds - it's the quality of that good deed. Is it going to be accepted by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? Have you done that the proper way? Are you doing it sincerely to Allah azza wa jal?

What are the conditions and provisions that ensure that your ibadah would be on the right track? It's not just doing the right thing or doing things right - it's doing the right thing in the first place. Are you doing the right thing? Then when you do it, are you going to do it right? This is the quality of your ibadah.

The Two Halves of Perfect Worship

Imam Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah, in that book, made a comment. He said that those two words are divided between the Lord and His servant equally:

(إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ - Iyyaka na'budu) - "It is You we worship"

(إِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ - Iyyaka nasta'in) - "And it's You we ask for help"

Divided equally between Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and His servant.

One half is for the Lord Almighty, which is (إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ - Iyyaka na'budu) - "It's You we worship."

One half is for His servant : (إِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ - Iyyaka nasta'in) - "And it's You we ask for help."

If we are really looking to perfect our ibadah, then we need to perfect the concept of (إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ - Iyyaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in). Any act of worship has to fulfill those two prerequisites: that you worship Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and you seek help from Him and His assistance, which is at-tawakkul.

The First Pillar: Iyyaka Na'budu (You We Worship)

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ - "It is You, O Allah, we worship."

Any act of worship - salah, siyam, zakah, smiling in the face of your brother or sister, when you say a beautiful word, when you abstain from something haram - these are all ibadah, acts of worship. They stand on two pillars, very important pillars for those ibadah to be accepted.

When you make any act of worship, you have to make sure that they're going to stand on those two pillars:

1. Extreme Love for Allah

Why do you pray? Is it because it's an obligation that you have to do? When you pray, when you come to the masjid, is it because you just want to come with the congregation? When you come to the masjid, are you doing it because Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala says so, and you love to please Allahazza wa jal by fulfilling the obligation Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala made upon you?

Why do you do the acts of worship? I'm sure there are some times and moments when we start to question even our salah. You say, "Well, why is this happening to me? Alhamdulillah, I maintain five times a day. I'm not like this guy or these people or those non-Muslims." This means that the love of Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala did not penetrate your heart - it's something superficial.

2. Extreme Submission to Allah

The second pillar for any act of worship is the extreme submission to Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala. After all, Islam was called Islam because of the submission to Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala.

When you worship Allahazza wa jal, do you really do it because you submit to the command of Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala? You're submitting to the will of Allahazza wa jal? Or are you just doing it because you enjoy doing it, saying "I don't care about Jannah or Jahannam. I just want to do it because I like to do these things"?

The Test of True Love

Allahazza wa jal summarized this in one ayah:

"Say: If you love Allah, then follow me. Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."

He didn't say, "love My Prophet." He said, "Follow me." Follow the example of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

So many people can claim to love Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala more than anybody else, but Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala doesn't care about your claim. He wants the proof. Show it to Me. If you really love Allahazza wa jal, then show it to Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala.

How do you show it? Not just by saying it. You say it first, then prove it by good deeds and submission to Allahazza wa jal.

Love Without Submission vs. Submission Without Love

Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah, in explaining this, said that sometimes you love someone but you don't submit to their will. You really love someone, but you don't submit to their will. Can we consider this a matter of worship? Not necessarily.

For example, you might love your spouse, your child, your teacher, someone else, but if they ask you to do something that you don't like, what do you say? "Find someone else."

That sometimes happens in family life and the relationship between husband and wife. The wife gets upset with her husband, then the guy goes and starts proving that he loves her: "By Allah, I swear by Allah, I love you."

She said, "You're lying." Why? He might be sincere about it - sincere about his love. But she says, "I don't believe you, you're lying." Why? Because your actions have a louder voice that contradicts your words. I can hear your voice, but there is a louder voice - that's your actions.

The same thing with Allah. You might claim, "I love Allah," but look at your actions. Allah says riba is haram - we have our money with interest. Allah says drinking is haram - we go and sell it. Allah says this and that, and we go and contradict our actions with our statements.

Allah didn't say, "If you love Me, love My Prophet." He said, "Follow his example perfectly." If you implement that example of the life of the Prophet, then you're coming closer to the methodology of the Prophet Muhammad, which means perfection, and of course, ensure yourself that you're going to be landing at the right airport.

Sometimes you might submit to someone, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you love this person. For example, you're driving on one of those highways, followed by a policeman. They stop you and give you a ticket. Why did you stop in the first place? Is it because you love him? You didn't stop to shake hands with him and say, "Oh, jazakallahu khairan, may Allah reward you for it. I really appreciate that. I was waiting for this for a long time." You never say that, but you submit to their will. Why? Because you have to do it or you're going to get a ticket.

If you follow the orders without love, this is not worship. So many people follow the orders of Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala without having that sincere love to Allahazza wa jal over everything. So they miss the concept of worshipping Allahazza wa jal.

Some people have that love for Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala, but it turns to be just mystical love. They love Him and declare that to everyone. You might have met some of those people when you discuss with them issues of iman and salah. "Okay, why don't you go and pray with us then?" He said, "Listen, my iman is in my heart. You don't know exactly what is there in my heart. I have the love of Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala filling my heart." "Okay, show it to me in action." So it's the same thing - you cannot do that.

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ - that's what it entails: the extreme love for Allahazza wa jal, and of course, extreme submission to His will subhanahu wa ta'ala.

What We Learn About True Worship

What do we learn from this?

1. When you worship Allahazza wa jal, have the love of Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala present in your heart.
2. Love is not just sentiments that you express by lip service. You feel it - you just feel that you love Allah. It's not a matter of feeling that you love Allahazza wa jal. It's that you're doing it. You're practicing it. People think that the word "love" is only a noun. It's actually a verb. If you really want to love Allahazza wa jal, then love Him.

You might say, "What are you talking about? It's not even English. If you love Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala, then love Him." What does it mean? If you love your wife, prove it to her. Buy flowers, buy gifts, use beautiful words. Vacation, something like that. You have to prove it. Now if you love Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala, then love Him. Prove it to Him.

3. It is not enough to claim that we love Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala. We need to prove it, and that's by doing it the proper way. Allah does not need our own proof. He needs us to follow His commands as proof.

Don't come on the Day of Judgment carrying your own luggage, and if Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala asks you about your ibadah, you will say, "O Allah, I brought all of this with me." If it wasn't what Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala was asking from you, He would tell you, "Keep it there. I don't need it. I need this. Did you get the five daily prayers? Did you get Siyam Ramadan? Did you get this or that?" That's what Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala will be asking you about.

4. Submission and showing submission to His will is by following those commandments. Because Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala in the hadith qudsi would love that His servant draw himself nearer to Him through what? Through what He made obligation upon him:

(Bukhari 6502)

"Nothing better of ibadah, acts of worship, makes you closer to Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala more than that which Allahazza wa jal made upon you."

Don't create your own acts of worship and say, "Alhamdulillah, at least I'm doing this." Some people, jazakumullahu khairan, are so generous in charity - so generous, they pay hundreds of thousands, not even millions. When you ask them to come to pray, they will say, "I'm doing my part, alhamdulillah." Jazakumullahu khairan, but this is not the part Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala was asking you for. You have to make sure that when you submit, you submit to the real will of Allahazza wa jal.

The Second Pillar: Iyyaka Nasta'een (You We Ask for Help)

The second part of this ayah: (وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ) - and that belongs to at-tawakkul. We seek help from you, O Allah.

If you look at the translation for the word tawakkul, you'll find it's going to create confusion for you. So I'd rather use the word tawakkul in the Arabic language, which is close to reliance on Allahazza wa jal and dependence on Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala. It's difficult sometimes to translate the word tawakkul by itself, but understand the concept.

This also stands on two pillars:

First Pillar of Tawakkul: Full Trust in Allah

If you claim that you are mutawakkil, a person who has that tawakkul reliance on Allahazza wa jal, you have to have full trust in Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala. Do you trust Allah in all your affairs?

When it comes to the akhirah, we have full trust because you don't own it anyway - it's in the hand of Allahazza wa jal. So you put your trust in Allah: "Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala will forgive me and Allah will admit me to Al-Jannah." Having that hope.

But when it comes to dunya, something related to provision and our life, "No, you have to do your part. You have to do your part. Otherwise Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala will not help you." The same thing for the akhirah - you have to have trust in Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala, but work for it at the same time. In order to get the help from Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala, the help of guidance.

Second Pillar of Tawakkul: Full Dependence and Reliance

The second pillar is to have full dependence, which is reliance. You have that full dependence on Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala in everything - in the affairs of the akhirah and the affairs of this dunya. Even your provision - put it in the hand of Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala, but yet, take the means and work for it.

The same thing: as we said in إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ it goes also to إِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

Trust vs. Reliance: Understanding the Difference

Some people might trust someone, but they don't rely on them. How many people do you trust, but you cannot rely on them in your life? A lot. You might trust all those people around you in this masjid, but if you ask someone to go and fix your car, are you going to give it to anyone? You have to give it to someone that you trust.

If you write a check, are you going to give it to anyone? You might trust them that they're not going to cash it to their account, but you know that this person is careless, so you don't rely on them.

Some people deal with Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala in the same manner. They trust Allahazza wa jal, but they don't rely on Him. When it comes to the issues of al-akhirah, "Alhamdulillah, everything is in the hand of Allahazza wa jal." But when it comes to this dunya, "I have to work 16 hours a day in order to sustain my family."

Yakhi, this is suicide. This is spiritual suicide. You're killing yourself and your family. Sixteen hours - what is left? You go back home exhausted. When kids talk to you, when they try talking to you or just approach you, you'll be completely exhausted and waiting for them to go to bed.

So you have that trust in Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala, but you don't rely on Allahazza wa jal that He will sustain you and take care of you better than yourself.

Another scenario: You find some people who rely on others but don't trust them. Why? Because there is no one else. You have a plumbing problem at home, and you call a plumber. When he comes in, you say, "This is going to fix my kitchen," because there is no time and there is no other person maybe cheaper than this guy, so that's it, let him do it. You don't trust them, but there is no one but him to do it for you, so you have to rely on him.

Some people deal with Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala in the same manner. They do not trust Allahazza wa jal, but they rely on Him for their own shahawat and desires. They only ask Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala for help to fulfill their own desires, even if Allahazza wa jal made it haram for them. So it's not a matter of trust, but they are relying on Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala for this thing.

The Complete Worshipper

You cannot be a true worshipper of Allahazza wa jal until you bring both categories: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ and إِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

When you say إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ then you have to have that extreme and full love, absolute love for Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala, and absolute submission to His will.

When it comes to (إِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ - iyyaaka nasta'een) it's the same thing. You have to bring the two pillars with it: that full and absolute trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and then the absolute reliance on Him and dependence on Him subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Self-Examination Before Worship

If you want to do that, before you start any act of worship, you have to question yourself: Why are you doing this? What for?

Usually because it becomes a habit for us, this question goes to the back of our mind, and slowly it just jumps off your mind. When someone comes and asks you this question, let's say a non-Muslim comes and asks you, "Why do you pray?" you find yourself saying, "Well, because it's good. Because you feel relaxed. You feel this, you feel that." You forget that the first answer should be: "Because Allah said so. Because this is the command of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and I have to submit to Him."

People outside do not submit to the will of Allah azza wa jal, and you should feel proud that you submit to the will of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

The Two Conditions for Accepted Worship

If you would like to do any act of worship, you have to make sure that this ibadah, this act of worship, should fulfill two conditions:

1. Ikhlas (Sincerity)

Doing it for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala sincerely, which we call ikhlas. If you want to pray, then you pray only for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

2. Al-Mutaba'ah (Following the Prophet's Example)

You have to follow the example of the Prophet, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

I usually go and speak in different communities, and also in El Paso. I go to community colleges, to universities, giving lectures about Islam. I have been confronted with some students and questions like, "Well, I do believe in God, but I worship Him the way I think it suits Him or suits me." So each one of them is trying to form his own worship based on his own belief in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

I keep telling them, "That doesn't work with Allah azza wa jal. Allah won't accept that." Because if Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is going to leave this for us, then in this masjid, how many different ways of worship are we going to have? As many people as we have in this hall, in this masjid, because each one of us is different. You're going to think in a different way.

Yes, two or three people might have the same way of thinking, but not perfectly. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala did not leave this for us. He said, "If you love Me, then follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)."

So you have those two conditions that you need to fulfill: worshipping with ikhlas (sincerity) - that is doing the right thing. Then al-mutaba'ah, following the example of the Prophet, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) - that is doing the right thing right. You're doing it the right way.

The Standard of Excellence in Deeds

Imam al-Fudayl ibn lyad (رَحِمَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى - rahimahu Allah ta'ala) was once asked about the ayah where Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

"He who created life and death to test us - who is going to be the best in their work and good deeds?"

The best in their good deeds - which is the best provision that you can carry with you, the most valuable provision that you will carry with you on Judgment Day? That would be in your hand or in your pocket, not in your luggage.

He was asked that question: What does it mean to say (أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا - ahsan 'amalaan) (the best work and the best good deed)?

He said: (أَخْلَصْهُ وَأَصْوَبُهُ - akhlasahu wa aswabuhu) - "The most sincere work and the correct." When you say correct, not according to your standard, but the standard that the Prophet, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), said to us before his death in his lifetime.

A Story of Misguided Devotion

I remember when we used to be at Al-Jami'ah University - Sheikh Muhammad knows Sheikh Yahya Al- Yahya. Sheikh Yahya Al-Yahya used to travel, especially after the collapse of communism, to those new Muslim nations coming out from the USSR.

He said that one time, he went to one of the cities of those Muslim countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan. They attended some kind of Islamic event that they had, and some people were worshipping through dancing. They have their own customs and traditions.

After they were done, one man came he was about 60 years old, maybe even older, maybe 70 something. He came to the sheikh and was so proud of himself with all that sweat on his body. "Sheikh, what do you think?"

The sheikh didn't know what to tell him but tried to tell him the truth in a very nice way. He asked him, "Did the Prophet, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), practice that?" He himself didn't know.

When it was explained to him that the Prophet, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), did not worship Allah in that manner and way, the man got very disappointed. He said, "Subhanallah. I have been doing this for 60 years. Sixty years." They lived in communism; they didn't have any access to the authentic way of worship except for some people that they had in their areas.

He said, "For 60 years, are you telling me that all of this has gone in vain?" The sheikh said to him, "Well, I don't say that. May Allah accept from you. But what I'm telling you is that this was wrong."

The Question of Good Intention

This brings the question: What about good intention? "Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala judges us with our intentions. Is that right? It doesn't matter if you're doing the right thing or not. If you had good intention, Allah will accept from you." That's what usually people say.

"So if I really was so sincere, and I was doing all this type of work, but then it appeared to be not according to the sunnah of the Prophet, can we say that it's going to just go in vain?"

The answer to this:

1. Good intention does not justify errors. It doesn't justify the error or the mistake. Having good intention doesn't mean that what you're doing is right.

2. Good intention does not convert falsehood into truth. If you said something and you thought that you were saying the truth out of good intention, but it was wrong, it doesn't mean that what you said was right. It doesn't make it right or truth.

But when it comes to the reward, it's in the hand of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to reject that or to accept that. What we know is that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala won't accept except what He made mandatory upon us and what the Prophet, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), said for us as an example.

The Importance of Learning

Therefore, anything that you learned in your lifetime, even if it was in early life - because I know some people don't feel comfortable opening a book of fiqh nowadays to read about how to make wudu, or even how to use the toilet. They say, "Oh subhanallah, I know how to do that." Or even how to pray, which is very important. Or even how to speak to people, how to smile in their face, and why are you doing that. How to deal, how to treat your wife, your children, your colleagues.

We don't do that. Why? "Because we do that by nature, we can do it." But you have to make sure that if you want this deed to be accepted, you have to make sure that it is done sincerely to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and then it's done the right and proper way.

Enjoying the Sweetness of Worship

Arriving at the right airport entails that you enjoy your ibadah. Enjoying your ibadah, feeling the sweetness of your worship, is very difficult unless you really realize the meaning of:

The love for Allah, the submission to His will subhanahu wa ta'ala, the trust in Him, and the full dependence and reliance on Allah azza wa jal.

The Messenger of Allah, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), as you know, when he used to call for the iqamah, what did he used to say to Bilal?

(يَا بِلَالٌ أَرِحْنَا بِهَا - ya bilal arigna biha) (Ahmad 23140)

"O Bilal, comfort us with the salah. Bring us comfort by calling for the iqamah."

Nowadays people say "(يَا بِلَالٌ أَرِحْنَا مِنْهَا - ya bilal arigna minha) - O Bilal, just let's do it and finish it" for the salah. The Prophet, (صلى الله عليه وسلم - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), used to enjoy his salah, when people right now feel it as a burden, an obligation more than enjoying their salah.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala commanded us at the end of Surah Al-Imran:

"O you who believe, have patience, maintain that patience and perseverance, and fear Allah azza wa jal so that you might be successful on the Day of Judgment."

The Journey from Struggle to Joy

Some other scholars - Fudala ibn Ubaid (رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ - radiyallahu ta'ala 'anhu) - used to say, "I used to drive my soul to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala while it was crying." He used to force himself for the ibadah. He said, "Until I arrived at the moment or the limit where I started driving my soul to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, while my soul would be smiling or laughing."

How can you maintain or get this sweetness of ibadah?

Four Steps to Spiritual Excellence

As advice for myself and for all of us here:

1. Jihad an-Nafs (Struggle Against Your Own Desires)

(جِهَادُ النَّفْسِ - jihad an-nafs) - You have to struggle against your own desires. This is a jihad that you need to make against your own desires. We are human beings. I'm sure that right now, you feel your iman is getting high and high, and you think yourself in the ranks of Abu Bakr as-Siddiq and Umar ibn al-Khattab, or maybe a little bit like Jibril (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ - alayhi as-salam).

But the minute you cross out of this door, you feel your heart changes. You say, "Subhanallah, you see, I told you, I'm munafiq."

You have to have that sincerity and that jihad for your nafs until you die. If you're looking for the pleasure of this life in iman without a struggle or jihad, then you're dreaming. This is not here - that's another life.

2. Abandon the Sinful Life

Abandon the sinful life, the major and the minor. Don't sit in front of the TV and whenever some kind of bad image comes in, you say, "Astaghfirullah," turn your face away and so on. Don't throw yourself in the water and then start saying, "Don't get wet." Be careful. So abandon the sinful life, the major and the minor.

3. Seek Halal Provision

Seeking halal provision. Allah won't accept anything except that good thing that you bring with you.

4. Recognize That Pleasure Is in Ibadah

Recognizing that the pleasure is in ibadah. Anything else in this life is ephemeral and will soon vanish by death.

Final Reminder

Remember, you are a traveler, and someday you're going to arrive at your final destination. Your final destination is not in the grave - it's there on Judgment Day.

So make sure that you take the right flight in this life. Take the right way, the right track to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, so as to ensure that when you land and when you arrive on the Day of Judgment, you will arrive at the right airport.

I wish you all a safe trip in this life and the life to come.

(صلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم - salla Allahu 'ala nabiyyina Muhammad wa 'ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam)

May Allah's peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.