Steadfastness

عَنْ سُفْيان بنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ الثَّقَفِيّ رضي الله عنه قال: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، قُلْ لِي فِي الْإِسْلَامِ قَوْلًا لَا أَسْأَلُ عَنْهُ أَحَدًا غَيْرَكَ، قَالَ: «قُلْ: آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ، ثُمَّ اسْتَقِمْ».

Sufyān ibn ‘Abdullah, the Prophet's Companion, (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to teach him a comprehensive statement that comprises all the meanings of Islam so as to adhere to it and ask no one else about it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Say: I believe in Allah as the only deity, and I believe that He is my Lord, my God, my Creator, and the only God Who is truly worthy of my worship, with no partner. Then, submit to Allah and obey Him by performing what He has enjoined, avoiding what He has forbidden, and remaining steadfast on that.

• The essence of the religion is to believe in Allah, His Lordship, His Worship, and His Names and Attributes.
• The importance of being upright after Imān (faith), persistence in worship, and steadfastness.
• Imān is a condition for the acceptance of deeds.
• Belief in Allah includes the beliefs and basic principles of Imān that must be adopted and the subsequent acts of the heart along with compliance and submission to Allah inwardly and outwardly.
• Uprightness is adherence to the straight path by carrying out the duties and avoiding the prohibitions.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 65) (38)، مسند أحمد (24/ 141) (15416)، المفهم (1/137)، جامع العلوم والحكم (1/507)، فتح القوي المتين للعباد (ص 76)، شرح الأربعين النووية لعبد الكريم الخضير (ص 285)، شرح الأربعين لصالح آل الشيخ (ص 305).

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُكْثِرُ أَنْ يَقُولَ: «يَا مُقَلِّبَ القُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ»، فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، آمَنَّا بِكَ وَبِمَا جِئْتَ بِهِ فَهَلْ تَخَافُ عَلَيْنَا؟ قَالَ: «نَعَمْ، إِنَّ القُلُوبَ بَيْنَ أُصْبُعَيْنِ مِنْ أَصَابِعِ اللهِ يُقَلِّبُهَا كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ».

The supplication the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say most frequently is to ask Allah for steadfastness to the religion and obedience to Him and keeping away from deviation and misguidance. Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) wondered at the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) making this supplication frequently. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him that the hearts lie between two of the Fingers of Allah and He turns them as He wishes. The heart is the place where Imān or Kufr lies. It is called Qalb (in Arabic) due to its frequent Taqallub (fluctuation). It fluctuates more intensely than a boiling jar. So, Allah makes the heart of whom He wills steadfast to guidance and firm upon the religion, and He diverts the heart of whom He wills from guidance to deviation and misguidance.

• The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was submissive and humble to his Lord and used to implore Him. The Ummah is also exhorted to make the same supplication.
• The Hadīth highlights the significance of uprightness and steadfastness to the religion, and that the important thing is the end.
• A person is always in need of Allah to make him steadfast to Islam.
• We are urged to supplicate Allah a lot, in adherence to the Prophet's example.
• Steadfastness to Islam is the greatest blessing a person should seek to obtain and for which he should be grateful to his Lord.

سنن الترمذي (4/ 19) (2140). مسند أحمد (19/ 160) (12107). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (17/ 476). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 567). نزهة المتقين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 1014). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص808). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (6/ 41).

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْمُؤْمِنُ الْقَوِيُّ، خَيْرٌ وَأَحَبُّ إِلَى اللهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ الضَّعِيفِ، وَفِي كُلٍّ خَيْرٌ، احْرِصْ عَلَى مَا يَنْفَعُكَ، وَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللهِ وَلَا تَعْجَزْ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَكَ شَيْءٌ، فَلَا تَقُلْ لَوْ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ كَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا، وَلَكِنْ قُلْ قَدَرُ اللهِ وَمَا شَاءَ فَعَلَ، فَإِنَّ (لَوْ) تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّيْطَانِ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that the believer is good from all aspects; however, the believer who is strong in his faith, resolve, property, and other aspects of strength is better and dearer to Allah Almighty than the weak believer. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised the believer to utilize the available means in what brings him benefit in his worldly affairs and the affairs of the Hereafter, along with depending upon Allah Almighty, seeking His help, and relying upon Him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then, forbids inability, indolence, and slackness in doing what brings benefit in both abodes. If the believer works hard and utilizes the available means while seeking Allah's help and asking Him for goodness, then he should do nothing but entrust all of his affairs to Allah while knowing that Allah's choice is the best. If some calamity befalls him after that, he should not say: "Had I done such-and-such, it would have been such-and-such." "Indeed, 'if' opens the way before the devil to act" in objecting to the divine decree and lamenting what has been missed. Instead, one should submissively and contentedly say: "Allah has decreed, and whatever He wills, He does." Everything happens in compliance with Allah's will, as He does what He wants and nothing can repel His predestination or reverse His decree.

• People vary in faith.
• Strength in deeds is recommended because it results in benefits that cannot be attained through weakness.
• Man must adhere to what brings him benefit and avoid what brings him no benefit.
• The believer must seek help from Allah in all his affairs and not depend on himself.
• Establishing the divine decree and predestination and the fact that it does not contradict the pursuit of means and the endeavor to achieve good things.
• It is prohibited to say "if" during calamities by way of indignation or objection to Allah's decree and predestination.

صحيح مسلم (4/ 2052) (2664). توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله البسام (7/ 492). منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، لعبد الله الفوزان (10/ 338). فتح ذي الجلال والإكرام، لابن عثيمين (6/ 430).

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ بُسْرٍ رضي الله عنه أَنَّ رَجُلاً قَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ شَرَائِعَ الإِسْلاَمِ قَدْ كَثُرَتْ عَلَيَّ، فَأَخْبِرْنِي بِشَيْءٍ أَتَشَبَّثُ بِهِ، قَالَ: «لاَ يَزَالُ لِسَانُكَ رَطْبًا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ».

A man complained to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that the supererogatory acts of worship had become too much for him and that he could not perform them given his weakness. He, then, asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to guide him to an easy deed that would bring abundant rewards so he could adhere and hold on to it. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised him to keep his tongue moist and moving by remembering Allah Almighty recurrently at all times and in all states by glorifying and praising Him, seeking forgiveness from Him, supplicating Him, etc.

• The merit of remembering Allah Almighty constantly.
• Facilitating the means of attaining reward is part of Allah's great favor.
• People vary in terms of their share of righteousness and goodness.
• Remembering Allah frequently by the tongue, through Tasbīh (glorification of Allah), Tahmīd (praising Allah), Tahlīl (declaring the oneness of Allah), and Takbīr (proclaiming the greatness of Allah), besides other forms of Dhikr, along with the agreement of the heart, can replace many of the supererogatory acts of worship.
• The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was so considerate in dealing with the questioners, as he would answer each in the way that was suitable for him.

سنن الترمذي (5/ 388) (3375). سنن ابن ماجه (4/ 707) (3793). مسند أحمد (29/ 226) (17680). جامع العلوم والحكم في شرح خمسين حديثا من جوامع الكلم، لابن رجب الحنبلي (2/ 510). التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثًا النووية، لإسماعيل الأنصاري (ص104). فتح القوي المتين في شرح الأربعين وتتمة الخمسين، للنووي وابن رجب (ص154). الأحاديث الأربعون النووية وعليها الشرح الموجز المفيد، لعبد الله بن صالح المحسن (ص93).