بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Believers are Indeed Successful
By Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa'dee (d.1376H)
Transcribed by Aboo Uthmaan [1]
Allaah, the Exalted says:
"Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their Salaat (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness. And those who turn away from Al-Laghw (dirty, false, evil vain talk, falsehood, and all that Allaah has forbidden). And those who pay the Zakaat. And those who guard their chastity (i.e. private parts, from illegal sexual acts) except from their wives or (the captives and slaves) that their right hands possess, for then, they are free from blame; But whoever seeks beyond that, then those are the transgressors; Those who are faithfully true to their Amanaat (all the duties which Allaah has ordained, honesty, moral responsibility and trusts etc.) and to their covenants; And those who strictly guard their (five compulsory congregational) Salawaat (prayers) (at their fixed stated hours). These are indeed the inheritors. Who shall inherit the Firdaus (Paradise). They shall dwell therein forever." (Al-Mu'minun 23:1-11)
Eight characteristics are mentioned herein and all of them inculcate faith and strengthen it just as they are also part and parcel of faith, the explanation of this has preceded.
The presence of heart in the prayer, the one praying striving to the utmost to have presence of mind with regards to what he says and does of recitation, remembrance, supplication, standing sitting, bowing and prostrating, all of these are from the causes that lead to the increase of faith and its strengthening. We have previously mentioned that Allaah, the Exalted has called the prayer faith with His words:
"And Allaah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem)." (Al-Baqarah 2:143)
Allaah, Exalted is He says:
"Perform As-Salaat (Iqamaat¬ as-¬Salaat). Verily, As-Salaat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahshaa' (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.) and the remembering (praising, etc.) of (you by) Allaah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed [than your remembering (praising, etc.)." (Al-'Ankabut 29:45)
Therefore prayer is the greatest barrier preventing all indecent and evil actions which in turn negate faith. Prayer also includes that dhikr of Allaah which in turn nourishes and strengthens faith:
"…and the remembering (praising, etc.) of (you by) Allaah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed [than your remembering (praising, etc.)." (Al-'Ankabut 29:45)
Giving in Zakaat also strengthens and increases faith, the obligatory and optional. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Giving in sadaqah is a proof." [2]
Meaning a proof of the faith of the one who gives it.
Turning away from worthless talk, meaning any speech containing no benefit and indeed any actions containing no benefit, leaving all evil in speech and action, without doubt is from those matters that are part of faith and serve to strengthen it. This is why the Companions, when they senses negligence in themselves, or they senses a disarray in their faith, they would say: "Sit with us and let us devote ourselves to faith for an hour" and they would sit, performing the dhikr of Allaah and making mention of His worldly and religious favours, thereby renewing their faith.
Abstaining from indecent actions, especially fornication is from amongst the greatest matters that strengthen and increase faith. This is because the true believer, because of his fear arising from the station he is to take before his Lord, prevents the soul from submitting to its base desires.
Honouring trusts and contracts and sticking fast to them is from the signs of faith. In the hadeeth there occurs:
"There is no faith for the one who possesses no honesty and trustworthiness." [3]
Hence, if you wish to know the faith of a person and his religiousity, look to his condition, does he tend and look to his trusts and contracts - those related to property, words and the rights of others and his Lord. If you find him fulfilling these then he is a person of faith and religion. If not, his faith is defective in proportion to his negligence of the above matters.
The verses conclude by mentioning preserving the prayers, i.e. with respect to their regulations, their rights, and their times. This is because preserving these is like preserving the water that nourishes a resplendent garden, that garden being the garden of faith. The tree of faith is in need of being constantly tended to and nourished with water. This water is preserving the actions of obedience and worship that a servant does through the day, removing all that would inhibit and harm this of the weeds that grow around the tree - the weeds of sins in speech and action. When this happens the tree sprouts its diverse fruits.
Footnotes:
[1] I (Aboo Uthmaan) transcribed this text from a book entitled "The Tree of Faith", Pgs. 57-59, translated by Abu Rumaysah and published by "Al-Hidaayah Publishing & Distribution"
[2] A portion of a hadeeth reported by Muslim (#223)
[3] Reported by Ahmad (3/135, 154, 210, 251), Ibn Hibbaan (#47) and Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Imaam (#7) and it is saheeh.
