Remembrance Of Allah At All Times
Sayyiduna Ibn ‘Abbaas رضي الله عنهما narrated that he was once riding behind the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on a mount when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to him:
“O youth! Do you not wish that I should teach you some advice that Allaah سبحانه و تعالى will benefit you with?”
I responded, “Yes!” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then said:
“Protect (the commandments) of Allaah, and Allaah will protect you, protect (the commandments) of Allaah, and you will find Him ever in front of you. Know Him when you are in a state of contentment, and He will know you when you are in a state of need.”
[Ahmad, 1/307; at-Tirmidhi, 2516; and others]
If a person worships Allaah سبحانه و تعالى and remembers Him at times of ease, then Allaah سبحانه و تعالى will remember and help and him at times of hardship.
Constant remembrance of Allaah سبحانه و تعالى is a sign that a person loves Allaah. Imagine a son who only comes to his parents when he needs their help, and does not remember them when he is not in need of them. Is it not more likely that they will help him if he continually remembers them, and shows his care towards them?
This is why one of the signs of a disbeliever is that he only remembers Allaah when he is in a state of need.
There is a beautiful narration from one of the scholars of the past in which he illustrated this point. Ad-Dahak Ibn Qays رحمه الله said,
“Remember Allaah سبحانه و تعالى at times of ease, and He will remember you at times of hardship. For indeed, the Prophet Yunus (Jonah) عليه السلام would remember Allaah constantly, and so when he was swallowed by the whale (he was rescued).
And this is what Allaah سبحانه و تعالى says: “And were it not for the the fact that he was amongst those who glorified Allaah (constantly), he would have remained in its stomach until the Day of Resurrection.” (Surah as-Saffat; 143-144)
And the Fir’awn (Pharoah) was a tyrant who never remembered Allaah. So when he was about to drown, and he proclaimed his belief, Allaah سبحانه و تعالى said,
“Now?! And you were disobedient before, and were amongst the transgressors?” (Surah Yunus; 91)
[Reported by Ibn Rajab رحمه الله in his Nur al-Iqtibas, p 43; Du’a: The Weapon of the Believer, pp 153-154]
