#Side_Benefits@madrasatunaa

Beware of Making Long-term Decisions at the Peak of Īmān Īmān increases and decreases. It increases through good, righteous deeds and decreases through disobedience. This is one of the fundamental creeds of Ahlus-Sunnah. Allāh ﷻ said: ﴿وَإِذَا مَاۤ أُنزِلَتۡ سُورَةࣱ فَمِنۡهُم مَّن یَقُولُ أَیُّكُمۡ زَادَتۡهُ هَـٰذِهِۦۤ إِیمَـٰنࣰاۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَزَادَتۡهُمۡ إِیمَـٰنࣰا وَهُمۡ یَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ﴾ “Whenever a Sūrah is revealed, some of them ask (mockingly), ‘Which of you has this increased in Īmān?’ As for the believers, it has increased them in Īmān, and they rejoice.” [Sūrah At-Tawbah 124] This fluctuation in Īmān has a direct effect on a person’s inner and outer actions, and even their decision-making. Sheikh Jum’ān mentioned in one of his classes that when Īmān increases, a person’s level of tawakkul also increases. (end quote) Hence, you find a person with high Īmān ready to forsake his livelihood in pursuit of the Ākhirah. This is generally a good thing; however, if this decision-making process is not carefully considered, it may end in deep regret. Reflect on the following ḥadīth: ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā reported: My father got me married to a woman from a noble family, and he often used to ask my wife about me. She would reply, “What a wonderful man he is! He never comes to my bed, nor has he approached me since he married me.” When this continued for a long period, my father told the story to the Prophet (ﷺ), who said to him, “Let me meet him.” So I met him, and he asked me, “How do you fast?” I replied, “I fast every day.” He asked, “How long does it take you to finish reciting the entire Qur’an?” I replied, “I finish it every night.” He said, “Fast three days every month and recite the Qur’an (completing it) in one month.” I said, “But I have the ability to do more than that.” He said, “Then fast three days per week.” I said, “I have the ability to do more than that.” He said, “Then fast the most superior type of fasting—the fasting of Dāwūd, who used to fast every other day; and complete the Qur’an in seven days.” ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr said: “I wish I had accepted the concession of Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ), as I have become a weak old man…” for he disliked to abandon what he used to do during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ). [Bukhārī 5052] Ask yourself this: if ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr raḍiyallāhu ʿanhumā regretted this decision—despite it involving no sin and despite him having a valid concession—then what about a person who makes a long-term, irreversible decision concerning something that involves sin and does not follow through? Surely they ought to feel greater regret, don’t you think? Now reflect on this ḥadīth: Narrated Zayd ibn Aslam: I heard ʿUmar ibn Al-Khaṭṭāb saying: The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ ordered us to give charity, and that coincided with a time when I had some wealth. So I said, “Today I will surpass Abū Bakr, if I ever can surpass him.” So I came with half of my wealth, and the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said, “What did you leave for your family?” I said, “The same amount.” Then Abū Bakr came with all of his wealth. The Prophet ﷺ said, “O Abū Bakr! What did you leave for your family?” He said, “I left Allāh and His Messenger for them.” I said, “By Allāh, I will never be able to surpass him in anything.” [Abū Dāwūd 1678, At-Tirmidhī 3675 – graded ḥasan by Al-Albānī] Notice how the Prophet ﷺ asked them what they had left behind for their families, as though ensuring they were fully aware of their decision. Remember, this is Abū Bakr and ʿUmar we are talking about. No one’s Īmān from this Ummah (aside from the Prophet ﷺ) will ever reach their level. Al-Baghawī rahimahullah explained the above ḥadīth in Sharḥ As-Sunnah (6/181), saying: “The preferred approach is for a person to spend in charity from the surplus of his wealth and to retain for himself what will suffice him, out of fear of being tested by poverty. He may later be afflicted with regret over what he has done, thereby losing his reward and becoming a burden upon the people.