Our level of certainty in Islam
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
The topic of tonight’s reflection is: “Our level of certainty in Islam.” With the blessed month of Ramadan almost at its end, let us take a moment to assess our level of certainty (yaqeen) in Islam. Are our hearts full of love for Allah (SWT) and the Prophet Muhammad (SWT)? Do we experience Allah in our daily life, influencing everything around us? Do we worship Allah as though we see Him, and if not, as if He sees us?
When we hold His book in our hands, do we think of it as the speech of the One Whose Mercy is beyond our comprehension; the One who created us and therefore knows us better than we know our own selves? When looking at our surroundings, from the trees to the air to the rivers, to the mountains, and to our own bodies, do our hearts testify to His existence?
In this age of doubt, when atheism and agnosticism have become commonplace and when media outlets have become saturated with attacks on Islam and Muslims, many of us can find it hard to achieve the highest levels of certainty. Unshakable yaqeen in Allah, His Messenger, the Qur’an, and the Hereafter must be the basis of our Islam. If we have it, we will always want to act in a manner pleasing to Allah. What exactly then is yaqeen, its nature, its benefits, and its methods of cultivation?
In our short time allotted on earth, we must strive to become conscious of Allah, even though He remains unseen. If we do not do this, we will be shocked in the Hereafter.
What is ourcertainty in Allah (SWT)? In Surat Ibrahim, Allah provides a beautiful debate between the prophets and the unbelievers. The prophets ask the disbelievers,
أَفِي اللَّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
“Is there a doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and earth?” (Ibrahim, 14:10).
This verse urges us to examine creation itself and to regard it as proof of Allah’s existence. By contemplating creation, we can get to know Him and increase our certainty in Him. We can see the human body’s remarkable design, from its DNA to its veins. The DNA contains the biological instructions that make each species unique. Eventually, we come to the conclusion that nothing in the universe moves without His knowledge, and that He is the Ultimate Controller and Knower of all things.
What is ourcertainty in Allah’s Book – the Qur’an? Allah tells us:
ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لا رَيْبَ فِيهِ
“This is the Book in which there is no doubt” (al-Baqarah, 2:2).
Only Allah can claim to have been the author of such a Book, for He challenged the entire humanity to produce a Book like this when the disbelievers said that Muhammad (SAW) had forged the message and presented it as Allah’s words.
فَلْيَأْتُوا بِحَدِيثٍ مِّثْلِهِ إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ
“Let them produce a discourse like it if they are telling the truth” (at-Tur, 52:34).
We must strive to expand this certainty to its utmost reaches; the knowledge and conviction that every word in His Book was deliberately chosen by Him, and is positioned in the best of all possible ways, and carries wisdom. When we do so, our lives are transformed. We know that everything we read in it is true. Our reading will be filled with sweetness, softness, and enthusiasm. We begin to benefit directly from His message, knowing that it was sent so that
لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى
“He may forgive your sins and give you respite for a specified time” (Ibrahim, 14:10).
What is our level of yaqeen or certainty in theHereafter? This is an essential theme of the Qur’an. When we realize that the Day of Judgment is near, we restore a missing dimension to our lives, one that makes us want to obey. Consider the example of a speeding motorist: Many people speed while driving because they doubt that the police will catch them. If they knew that the police would catch them, they would obey the speed limit. But Allah is not so limited; He is al-‘Aleem, the All Knowing.
مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ
“Not a single word is uttered by one but there is a watcher near him, ready (to record)” (Qaf, 50:18).
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) taught us to say “la ilaha illa Allah” and to live by it. A quick survey of the hadith literature reveals that the Prophet’s prayers were filled with dhikr and du’a. We must strive to incorporate these into our lives. When we do so, we will initiate a chain reaction: achieving discipline over our tongues so that it will utter only praises of Allah. Our devotion to Allah will increase.
The Prophet (SAW) also surrounded himself with people who had strong faith in Allah and who recalled His name often. There is a deep wisdom in this, for we all are social beings who are unconsciously influenced by those around us. Consider the people around us. Do they remember Allah often? Do they have a wholesome effect on our ‘ibadah?
In these difficult times, when so much doubt prevails and when people actively misrepresent Islam, we must strive to achieve the highest levels of yaqeen, for we carry the honorable and noble message sent by Allah for humanity—a message of peace and tolerance that contains the seeds for a just society, one in which all live in respect for one another.
May Allah guide us and help us increase our level of yaqeen.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
وصل الله عَلَى خيرِ خَلقه مُحمَّدٍ وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين- بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا أرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِين
