Ten Virtues of a Mumin – (4) Desire to Worship

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

'And I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they may worship Me.'

(Surat al-zariyaat: 56)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

مَنْ رَزَقَهُ اللهُ وَلايَةَ عَلِيّ ابنِ ابيطالب صع فَقَدْ أَصَابَ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا والآخِرةِ، ولا أشُكُّ لهُ بِالجَنةِ، وإنَّ في حُبِّ عَليٍّ وَوَلايَتِهِ عِشْرِينَ خَصْلَة، عَشَرةً مِنها في الدُّنيا وعَشَرةً في الآخرة* (1) الزهد (2) الحرص على العلم (3) الورع في الدين (4) الرغبة في العبادة

'He who is given the sustenance/bounty (rizq - rozi) of the valaayat of Ali has' attained the goodness of this world and the Hereafter, and I do not doubt that he will enter jannat. In Ali’s love and valaayat are twenty virtues: 10 in this world (dunya) and 10 in the Hereafter (aakherat) 1) renouncing materialism, 2) desire to seek knowledge, 3) piety and scrupulosity, 4) eagerness/desire for worship.'

(Rasulullah SAW)

This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2015.

Having been blessed with the greatest virtue, the valaayat of Amirul Mumineen SA, it is incumbent on us to be worthy of such a great blessing that ensures our salvation. Rasulullah SA has said that “he who is given the gift (rizq, rozi) of the valaayat of Ali has attained the goodness of this world and the Hereafter, and I do not doubt that he will enter jannat. In Ali’s love and valaayat are twenty virtues: 10 in this world (dunya) and 10 in the Hereafter (aakherat).” The ten in this world are: 1) renouncing materialism; 2) desire to seek knowledge; 3) piety and scrupulosity; 4) eagerness and desire for worship; 5) sincere repentance; 6) waking up in the night for tahajjud prayers; 7) to put trust in God and not people; 8) memorizing the Quran Majeed; 9) aversion to this world; and 10) generosity.

During Ashara this year, Syedna TUS narrated this Hadith and explained the many facets of this Hadith and the individual virtues. Syedna introduced the Hadith saying that this is a bishaarat for the Shi’a of Amirul Mumineen SA. He added that in one sense, those with true valaayat would necessarily have these virtues. If for some reason one with valaayat does not possess these virtues, then upon hearing this bayaan he/she should make a firm commitment to acquire them. The fourth virtue is the eagerness and desire for worship (al-raghbatu fil-‘ibaadah).

The desire for worship (‘ibaadat – bandagi) is closely associated with piety. The ayat quoted above underscores the importance of ‘ibaadat: And I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they may worship Me (Surat al-Zariyaat: 56). ‘Ibaadat is the purpose of creation. To achieve Allah’s grace ‘ibaadat is a must. To achieve salvation ‘ibaadat is a must.

Syedna stated in his bayaan that one should not think of ‘ibaadat as a huge burden – one should not think, “how will I pray namaaz, how will I do roza” (namaaz kem parhaase – roza kem thaase!). Rasulullah’s Hadith encourages an eagernessfor ‘ibaadat (not compulsion or burden for ‘ibaadat). Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA explained the varying attitudes – including the attitude towards ‘ibaadat - very clearly. He said that there are those who feel that they have to do something (karwu parhe che) and so they constantly feel that it is a burden. On the other hand, there are those who feel that they want to do and should do something (ghanu karwu joye) and so they constantly strive to do more. That latter is the true spirit of ‘ibaadat.

It is also important to understand that individuals have varying capacities and eagerness for ‘ibaadat. Therefore, Allah Ta’ala has made the distinction between ‘ibaadat that is obligatory (farizat – such as the five farizat namaaz, roza in Ramadaan, zakaat etc.) and voluntary (tatawwu’ – such as sunnat/naafilat before and after farizat namaaz, roza in Rajab, etc). Eagerness for tatawwu’ is indeed a good thing, but farizat is an obligation that each of us undertakes in our misaaq.

To emphasize the importance of the farizat of namaaz in the stipulated time, our hudaat kiraam, said that one must pray by gesture even if drowning. The Qur’an Majeed strongly asserts that namaaz is a time-bound obligation (Surat al-Nisaa’: 103). Namaaz is the face of religion. One’s piety and worship is recognized first and foremost by his regularity in namaaz. That is the first aspect of one’s worship that Allah Ta’ala looks into.

Since the reward is not immediate, it is difficult to measure or directly perceive the divine grace that is accumulated by Allah Ta’ala’s worship. The worship we perform with our bodies has a dramatic impact on our soul, here and in especially in the hereafter. Each namaaz, each roza, each doa, each good deed is accounted for. As the Qur’an states: “whoever does an atom’s weight of good shall see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil shall see it”(Surat al-Zalzala: 7-8).

It is important to plan for ‘ibaadat, especially farizat, just as we plan for our other needs such as meals, sleep, health etc. Once we feel that we want to and should do ‘ibaadat, it will become increasingly easy for us to plan for and perform ‘ibaadat, whether at home, at school or at work.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us the tawfeeq and strength to worship Him. “You [alone] we worship, and You [alone] we ask for help” (Surat al-Hamd: 5 – iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nasta’een). We offer thanks to Allah Ta’ala for the guidance of his awliya’ kiraam and Daiz Zaman and the example they set in the worship of Allah Ta’ala. May Allah Ta’ala grant us the strength to remain firm in the valaayat of Syedna Qutbuddin TUS, for it is by his valaayat our worship is accepted by Allah Ta’ala. May Allah Ta’ala give Syedna a long life till qiyamat in Sehhat and Aafiyat.