Contemplation and consideration: qualities of the virtuous

Deliberation most certainly leads to knowledge, which, in turn, results in action. Hence, if people ponder the magnificence of Allah The Almighty, they will surely refrain from His disobedience. Moreover, contemplation is a mirror that reflects one’s good and evil deeds. It is one of the best acts of worship, for not only does it bring about wisdom, it endows the heart with life and instills the fear of Allah The Almighty in it. That is why Abu Sulaymaan Ad-Daaraani, may Allah have mercy upon him, would say, “When I go out and see anything, I notice the blessing of Allah in it and take a lesson from it.” Similarly, when the wife of Abu Ad-Dardaa’, may Allah be pleased with them, was asked about her husband’s best act of worship, she replied, “Contemplation and consideration.”It was also reported that Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qarathi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “I would rather read [only] the chapters Az-Zalzalah (The Earthquake) and Al-Qaari’ah (The Sudden Calamity) all night long and ponder on their meaning, than recite the Qur’an quickly without reflection.” Taawoos, may Allah have mercy upon him, narrates, “The disciples said to ‘Eesa (Jesus), may Allah exalt his mention, ‘O soul of Allah! Is there anyone on earth like you today?’ He replied, ‘Yes; he whose utterances comprise the remembrance of Allah, silence is meditation and gazes are introspective, is like me.” Therefore, one should contemplate the blessings of Allah The Almighty and all things, and must only avoid questioning His entity, for, as He Says (what means): {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Qur’an 42:11]There are many verses that refer to deliberation, reflection, meditation and consideration in the Noble Qur’an; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought.} [Qur’an 2:219] {“Say, ‘Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?’”} [Qur’an 6:50] {Do they not contemplate within themselves? Allah has not created the heavens and the earth and what is between them except in truth and for a specified term. And indeed, many of the people, in [the matter of] the meeting with their Lord, are disbelievers.} [Qur’an 30:8] It is related that ‘Ataa’, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Once, I went with ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr to ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with them, who said to him: ‘It is about time you visited us.’ He, may Allah be pleased with him, replied, ‘I repeat the wise saying that goes – visit people once in a while, so that they would love you more.’ She said, ‘Let go of this nonsense.’ Ibn ‘Umayr, may Allah be pleased with him, then asked, ‘Please tell us about the most remarkable thing that you saw the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, do.’ She paused for a moment, then responded, ‘One night, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said to me, ‘O ‘Aa’ishah! Let me worship my Lord tonight.’ I told him, “By Allah, I love being close to you and I love what pleases you.” He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, then performed ablution and started praying. He started weeping until his lap was soaked. Then, he started weeping until his beard became wet; and [he continued so] until the ground became damp. Bilaal, may Allah be pleased with him, then came to perform the Athaan (call to prayer) and found the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, weeping, so he asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, why are you in tears when Allah has forgiven what has preceded of your sins and what will follow?’ He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, answered,‘Should I not be a grateful slave? Indeed, a verse was revealed to me tonight; woe to the one who recites it and does not ponder its meaning. [The verse is:]{Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.} [Qur’an 3:190].’”On another occasion, Huthayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates: “Once, I prayed with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam; he started reciting the chapter of Al-Baqarah (The Cow). I thought that he would bow after one hundred verses, but he went on. Then, I assumed he would recite the whole chapter in one standing, but he then read the chapter An-Nisaa’ (The Women), finished it and continued reciting the chapter Aal-‘Imraan (The Family of ‘Imraan). Whenever he would come across a verse of Allah’s praise, he used to glorify Him; and if he would happen upon a verse mentioning good things, he would pray to Allah for them. Also, if he would read a verse that mentions bad things [like Hell], he would seek refuge from them in Him. When he finally bowed and uttered, ‘Subhaana Rabbi Al-‘Atheem (Glory be to my Lord, The Great)’ and his bowing was almost equivalent in length to his standing. After that, he said, ‘Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him)’. Then, he stood for a lengthy period and prostrated for a similar amount of time, saying: ‘Subhaana Rabbi Al-A‘la (Glory be to my Lord, The Most High).’” [Muslim]Likewise, ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, relates: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said to me, ‘Recite the Qur’an for me.’ I replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, how could I read it to you when it was revealed to you?’ He said, ‘I like to listen to it being recited by others.’ I read out the chapter An-Nisaa’; when I reached the verse (which means): {So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and we bring you, [O Muhammad] against these [people] as a witness?} [Qur’an 4:41], I lifted my head, or a man beside me nudged me so I looked up, and saw the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, in tears.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Many other reports from the Sunnah confirm this quality and all of them prove the Prophet’s, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, constant contemplation and consideration. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, would also remind us that a person who reflects and “remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes flood with tears” is among the seven types of people, whom Allah The Almighty will shelter in His shade on the Day of Judgment, when there will be no other shade. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]Others from our righteous predecessors would similarly advise us; Al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “Deliberation for one hour is better than praying all night long.” It is also told that the wise man Luqmaan, may Allah have mercy upon him, would habitually sit in solitude; his slave would ask him about that, telling him that it would be better for him to remain in the company of people. But he, may Allah have mercy upon him, used to tell him that staying alone for long periods of time is better for contemplation and that deep reflection leads to Paradise. It was also narrated that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz, may Allah have mercy upon him, once wept when he was among his friends; when questioned about his behaviour, he replied, “I thought of life and its pleasures and desires; I learnt from it that all its desires are eventually followed by what is bitter. Verily, these realities should be warnings for those who are heedful.”  Moreover, the most beneficial thoughts are those that pertain to the Hereafter and the favors of Allah The Almighty, His blessings, ordinances, prohibitions and means of true knowledge of Him, His names and attributes. Indeed, such thoughts instill in an individual love of Allah The Almighty and knowledge of Him and His religion. That is because when one ponders the next life, its honor and perpetuity, and this life and its meanness and transience, he or she would aspire to the Hereafter and forsake this world. Moreover, when one contemplates this ephemeral existence and the impossibility of a longer lifespan, he or she would become more serious and endeavor to make the optimum use of his or her time. On the other hand, thinking of only this world and other nonsense is the door to all kinds of evil. That would include concerning oneself with notions about what we have not been ordered to ruminate over, such as the essence of Allah The Almighty and matters that surpass human intellect. As for one who is mean in his or her thoughts, he or she will display the same narrow-mindedness in all affairs. Therefore, Mugheeth Al-Aswad, may Allah have mercy upon him, would instruct: “Visit the graves every day so they would remind you [of death]. Imagine the situation with your hearts [and minds], looking at both groups when they are led either to Paradise or Hell. Let your souls and bodies not forget [the latter] and its maces of iron.” Another factor that stimulates contemplation is fasting, which is why it was said: “When the stomach is full, thinking becomes dormant, wisdom shuts down and the organs stop performing acts of worship.” A person should think of his first priority and primary motive of a deed; if it is for Allah The Almighty, he or she should proceed, but if it is for someone or something else, he or she should stop. Indeed, deliberation is good in all matters, except what affects one’s Hereafter. Ash-Shaafi‘i, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “Think before you decide and contemplate before you take a step forward.” Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, would also advise his friends: “In your time, the best among you is the one who hastens toward good deeds; however, there will be a time when the best among people will be those who reflect on and verify everything, because of the rampant false talk.”After knowing the value of contemplation and the verses, many Hadith and sayings regarding it, it is worthy of us to pause and ponder our identity, creation and destiny; and, whether we are to live forever or die, and if we are to pass away, then where would we go: Hell or Paradise? Verily, life without Allah The Almighty is like a mirage that appears as water to a thirsty person, who comes to it only to find it to be nothing; but then, he finds Allah The Almighty before Him, Who will pay him his due, in full, for indeed, He is swift in account. Hence, think of death, graves and the Hereafter; and, as Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy upon him, used to say, if one is not deterred by that, “he or she will not be dissuaded if even two mountains smash into one another right in front of him or her.”Contemplate, for life is short and your breaths are numbered; your shrouds are being made and your burial place is waiting for you. Those who are alive will follow those who preceded them in death, for that is the end of all; indeed, there is nothing other than that, but false hope, for one’s demise has already been destined. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion} [Qur’an 3:185]Once, ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz, may Allah have mercy upon him, sat pondering and said: “The graves have penetrated the burial cloths, ravaged the bodies, sucked the blood and devoured the flesh. I wonder what the worms have done with the corpses; they probably defaced them, broke the bones, bared the fragmented limbs and tore the organs. I wonder if [the dead] feel any difference between the day and night, for are they not in pitch-black darkness? How many of them whose faces were soft have rotten and their necks severed from their bodies? Their pupils dissolved and turned into pus that ran on their faces. Then shortly, their bones became disintegrated.” Then, he said, “I wish I knew how I would bear the harshness of the earth and which one of my cheeks would decompose first.” Let us also reflect on the conditions of Muslims, for one who does not do so, is not one of them; and our only worry must be our Hereafter. It is really odd to find people preoccupied with football, cinema, Arabic or foreign songs, or fashion, at a time when Muslims are being subjected to massacres and annihilation everywhere. Moreover, many among us do not even have a safe sidewalk to call their home; so, contemplate this, for you may find this to enable you to praise Allah The Almighty for the blessings that you have and to cease being ungrateful. You may feel ashamed when you consider your own negligence, for modesty and faith are linked; a lack in one denotes a failing in the other as well. You may then save yourself before it is too late, because the enemies of the past are no different from those of today and they do not differentiate between one Muslim and the other, and, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is greater.} [Qur’an 3:118] We have become an easy prey for the wicked, because of our love for life and our hatred of death. That is because one who makes life his major concern, Allah The Almighty will deprive him or her and he or she will have no share in life, except what is predestined. On the other hand, he who prioritises the Hereafter, Allah The Almighty will enrich him in his heart and the world will be at his service. We must also think about how we can achieve Islamic unity and brotherhood in faith. This is our task, for we are all sentries at the fortified borders of Islam and we must be careful that we are not the weakest links. We should supplicate to Allah The Almighty at night to bring the hearts of Muslims together, unite their word and grant them victory over their enemy. We cannot renounce our responsibility, for we will indeed be held accountable, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Then We will surely question those to whom [a message] was sent, and We will surely question the messengers.} [Qur’an 7:6] {That He may question the truthful about their truth.} [Qur’an 33:8] Furthermore, we should reflect on our own selves and the blessings bestowed on us by Allah The Almighty, Who Says (what means): {And in yourselves. Then will you not see?} [Qur’an 51:21] We must also know that Islam is the greatest favour of all, so have we expressed our gratitude towards Him for it? Contemplating the realm of the heavens and the earth also guides those who feel at a loss, because everything is a sign that indicates the oneness of Allah The Almighty. Let us ponder how He has raised the heavens and proportioned it, gave the night its darkness and removed its brightness; then, He spread out the earth, extracted water from it and made pastures. Let us think of the omnipotence of Allah The Almighty in His creation and the accurate system of the universe that is in motion, as He Says (what means): {It is not allowable for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming.} [Qur’an 36:40] Let us also consider the numerous miracles of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, related to astrology, medicine, wisdom and eloquence and, of course, the greatest miracle of all is the Noble Qur’an. There is much that proves the prophethood of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, in his morals, knowledge of the matters of the unseen, acceptance of his supplications and the fact that he was mentioned in the scriptures of the People of the Book. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Then do they not give thought? There is in their companion [Muhammad] no madness. He is not but a clear warner.} [Qur’an 7:184] If we contemplate all this, our faith and conviction in our religion will certainly increase, and we will find ourselves supplicating to Allah The Almighty, saying, “O Lord, make me die a Muslim and join me with the righteous.” O Allah, let our silence be contemplation, our speech Your remembrance and our gaze a means of learning lessons. We should also equip ourselves with beneficial knowledge and act on it, alongside performing righteous deeds. Let us be keen on strengthening the principles of creed inside ourselves, because our war with the enemies of Islam is ideological. Additionally, we must be aware that the only path toward the company of the victorious and the saved, is to adhere to the course of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. So, let us ask ourselves if we have truly adopted this methodology in our knowledge, acts and beliefs.Also, if we consider the state of our righteous predecessors, all of us will, undoubtedly, find ourselves negligent. However, this should not discourage us from striving against our vain desires, for Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.} [Qur’an 29:69] It is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Our Lord reproaches us for being weak, so it is His help we must seek in abandoning vices, which must be done before looking to acquire virtues. We must beware of committing sins as that would be equivalent to one who makes a hole in a ship, making it sink. Further, as it is said, the disobedience of an army is more dangerous to itself than the swords of its enemy.Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/The one who commands good and forbids evilThere are some important qualities that must be satisfied in the person who commands good and forbids evil. Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said: “An intention associated with a deed is praiseworthy, acceptable to Allah and rewardable by Him, if that deed is done for Allah. And a deed is praiseworthy and righteous if it is commanded to do by Allah. Since this is the definition of every righteous deed, then the one commanding good and forbidding evil must satisfy it in himself. Furthermore, his deed of commanding good and forbidding evil will not be righteous unless he bases it on knowledge and understanding... For, it is necessary to know the situation of the person being commanded and forbidden. Knowledge This knowledge is defined by Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) as follows: “Knowledge is that with which Allah sent His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and it is the authority that Allah mentioned: Indeed those who dispute about Allah’s ayaat without any authority given to them, there is nothing in their chests except pride. [Ghaafir 40:56] So if anyone speaks in matters of religion with other than what Allah sent His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), he would be speaking without knowledge. Indeed, he whom the Shaytaan leads, he will misguide him from the truth and will guide him instead to a severe chastisement. But as for him who submits to Allah’s Religion, he will be serving Allah with certainty.” Gentleness Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said: “One of the righteous qualities in commanding good and forbidding evil is for it to be done according to as-siraatul-mustaqeem (the Straight Path). This is the best way to reach the goal. Accordingly, gentleness is essential, as the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Gentleness does not exist in anything but it is beautified by it; and harshness does not exist in anything but it is marred by it.” [Muslim] And he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Indeed Allah is Gentle, He loves gentleness in all matters. He gives, through gentleness, what he will not give through harshness.” [Muslim] Patience Ibn Taymiyyah then said: “It is also necessary for the one commanding good and forbidding evil to be tolerant, and to be patient with offences. For he will surely suffer offences; so if he does not tolerate and forebear, he would do more harm than good, as Luqmaan said to is son: And command good and forbid evil, and be patient with whatever afflicts you; indeed this is the firmness required for matters. [Luqman 31:17] For this reason Allah commanded His messengers (who were the leaders in commanding good and forbidding evil) with patience. He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “O you who are wrapped up (Muhammad)! Arise and warn (people). Magnify you Lord, purify your clothes, shun atrocities, do not seek increase for yourself, and have patience for your Lord.” [al-Muddath-thir 74: 1-7] So He opened these ayaat announcing the Message of Muhammad to the creation with a command to warn them, and ended them by commanding patience. Since warning is in itself commanding good and forbidding evil, it is deduced that it must be followed with patience. And He said: And have patience with what they say; and leave them with noble dignity. [Al-Muzzammil 73:10] And: Therefore patiently persevere, as did (all) messengers of firm resolution. [Al-Ahqaaf 46:35] And be patient, and your patience is not but from Allah. [An-Nahl 16:127] And: And be patient, for indeed Allah will not waste the reward of the muhsinoon (those who do their deeds in the best way). [Hud 11:115] Conclusion And Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said:  “Thus there are three essential qualities that must be present in the person who commands good and forbids evil: Knowledge, Gentleness, Patience “Knowledge must precede the command or prohibition; gentleness must consort it, and patience must follow it. Surely each of these three would normally be present in a person in all such situations, as is reported from some of the salaf:  “‘None is to command good and forbid evil unless he understands what he is commanding and forbidding, and is patient in his commanding and forbidding.’” Elaboration on the principle of knowledge and its significance for commanding good and forbidding evil, Ibn Taymiyyah said: “Allah ordered us to command good and forbid evil. But commanding something must be preceded by knowing it; one who does not know the good will be unable to command it. And prohibiting evil must be preceded by knowing it; one who does not know it will not be able to prohibit it. “Also, Allah obliged us to do good and avoid evil. Surely loving a good thing and doing it, and hating a wicked thing and avoiding it cannot occur except after knowing these things. This knowledge is needed in order for the intent of doing good and forbidding evil to be correct, because the intention must be proceeded by knowledge. One cannot expect a person who does not know a particular thing to develop love or hatred for it, nor an intention to do or avoid it. “Indeed, doing something and commanding it implies a detailed knowledge about it, enabling one to do it, and to command it, if needed, in a clear manner.” *Excerpted from the book The Fundamentals of Commanding Good and Forbidding Evil according to Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah