Aqeeda

Now that you know what barakah is, you might ask, how can one increase the barakah in his or her life? Aside from visiting the places with barakah, and making use of times with barakah, what else can you do? The answer is very simple. If you want Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) to bless you, then do anything for the sake of Allah, upon the sunnah (methodology) of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم).

Most of the ayat in the Qur’an that are directed to non-Muslims, are directed to mushrikeen–those who commit shirk. In fact, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) spells out, in painful detail, just how dangerous shirk is. Read and remember. The Unforgivable Sin Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says, in Surah Nisaa: إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاء وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا Translation: Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.

In Surah Ibrahim, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) gives us the metaphor of the kalimah (la ilaha ilallah) as a beautiful tree. The verse is: أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّهُ مَثَلاً كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً كَشَجَرةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاء Translation: Have you not seen how Allah has given the parable of a beautiful kalimah, like a beautiful tree, whose roots are firmly established, and whose branches tower in the sky? (Surah Ibrahim, verse 24)1

Belief in Allah Check this out. The mushrikeen, now and in the time of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), believed in Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). Remember, these are the people who rejected Islam, and who are among the worst of people. In Surah Ankabut, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says: وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ […] وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّن نَّزَّلَ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ مِن بَعْدِ مَوْتِهَا لَيَقُولُنَّ اللَّهُ Translation: If indeed thou ask them who has created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon (to his Law), they will certainly reply, “Allah”.

Answerer: Shaykh Yasir Qadhi Q: Allah grants knowledge to those He loves. What do you do to be among these people? A: Strive. Show interest in the deen. Come closer to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), and He will come closer to you. There is a hadith on how to gain knowledge: ‘ilm is only gained by studying. It’s not gained by hiding in a cave and worshipping Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). Studious study is the only way to gain knowledge.

Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah can be roughly translated as “Unity/Oneness of Lordship”. It pertains to Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), and His lordship. Definition Rububiyyah is from rabb (ربّ), which has three linguistic meanings: Owner: The rabb is the true and complete owner. In one hadith, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: “if you find a camel in the desert, leave it till it meets its rabb (owner)”. Obediance: The rabb is the one who is to be obeyed.

The Qur’an and sunnah both praise knowledge. There are many blessings of knowledge–but first, we must define, “what IS knowledge?” The Prophet said, in one hadith: “If Allah wants to do a favor to somebody, He bestows on him, the gift of understanding the deen.” [Bukhari 9/92/415]1 From this hadith, we know that knowledge, as defined in the Qur’an and Sunnah, refers to knowledge of Islam, and not secular knowledge (such as Chemistry or Meteorology.

Continuing our discussion of barakah, you might ask “what times has Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) blessed with barakah?” There are six blessed times: Ramadan: The month of Ramadan, in general, is blessed. Also, the night of Laylatul-Qadr is specifically also very blessed. These are ideal times to worship Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), because the reward is greater. The last ten nights of Ramadan are the most blessed nights of the year–more then the days of Dhul Hijjah.

Continuing our discussion of barakah, you might ask “what places has Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) blessed with barakah?” To start, the three blessed massajid: The Ka’bah: it is the most blessed place on the Earth, more-so then the surrounding holy sites. Medina: The city is blessed with barakah, and also, masjid an-nabawi has been blessed with barakah. Masjid al-Aqsa: the masjid, located in Jerusalem, in blessed, as well as the surrounding area of Sham in general.

Continuing our discussion of barakah, you might ask “so what has barakah in it?” The Qur’an: In many verses, the Qur’an itself is called “mubarak”. There is nothing but good in it–every letter, every verse, every surah, every prohibition, every command. The revelation, the recitation, the understanding, and the memorization, as well, are blessed–because they are the speech of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). The Prophets: All prophets have barakah, especially the last, Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وسلم).