We Hear and We Obey

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَ‌انَكَ رَ‌بَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ‌ ﴿٢٨٥ ...

... And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." (285)

[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:285]

Remember Hajar (Allah be pleased with her), the wife of Prophet Ibrahim alayhissalaam, being left alone with her infant son, Ismael alayhissalaam, in an uncultivated valley of the desert in the Arabian Peninsula having no fruit, no trees, no food, no water. The valley had no sign of life.

She asked her husband, “To whom are you leaving us?” And in certain al-Bukhari narrations, she repeated this question or plea over and over again, yet throughout, he did not turn around to answer her; finally, she said, “Did Allah order you to do this?” Ibrahim alayhissalaam said, “Yes.” She said, “Then He will not allow us to waste away (or perish).” In another narration, she said, “I am pleased with Allah (i.e., with His decree and with being placed in His care).” She did not, however, say, “There are priorities. Instead of leaving us in this barren desert, you should take us with you, for we can then help you in calling others to the way of Allah.” She did not know what Allah had hidden for her but she obeyed and remain patient.

If we know that a command is from Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, we must only do as the mother of Ismael did: answer and obey. Being pleased with Allāh’s decree, she began to move briskly from al-Safa to al-Marwa, now hoping to find water, and now fearing for her son who was on the verge of dying.

Some who have weak faith might say, “This was the calamity of near death for the child. What did this experience benefit him, his father, or his mother.” Such people do not appreciate the struggle and patience and sacrifices of Ibrahim alayhissalaam and his family; instead, such people uphold a purely worldly view – the very view that has effectively struck down our ummah.

From a realistic and sensible point of view, let us ask, what were the fruits of Ibrahim’s and his wife’s obedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala? They are fruits that were reaped not just by Ibrahim alayhissalaam, his wife, and his child; rather they are fruits that every Islamic Monotheist on the face of the earth has reaped and will continue to reap until the coming of the Hour.

Muslims come to Makkah in throngs from both the east and the west. They are happy and contented because they are making circuits between al-Safa and al-Marwa, in the same place that the mother of Ismael performed the same circuits. They come from far-off lands in order to train themselves to obey Allah’s commandments. As they move briskly between the two said mountains, they reflect on how the mother of Ismael raced back and forth in a state of pain and sadness, placing obedience to her Lord before all else.

Then, by the permission of Allah, the water of Zamzam gushed forth, water that contains a cure to diseases and sickness and that is blessed and excellent. To this very day, Muslims are eager to drink as much as they can from that very same water and to transport it to their homelands, no matter the distance and the hardships involved.

And Ibrahim alayhi salam built the Inviolable House. The rewards of praying there are many times greater than the rewards of praying elsewhere. People also achieve the rewards of performing tawaf around the Ka’bah, and their supplications are answered. These are the benefits that extend beyond those who obeyed to those that came after them.

These are but only a few things that were hidden from Hajar that we know now. We cannot imagine the reward she is getting in Paradise for her obedience and patience.

Then let us too be obedient to our Lord, even if doing so apparently involves some fatigue, hardship, losing popularity, friends, spouse and so on. Let us forbid ourselves from disobedience and transgression.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱصْبِرُوا۟ وَصَابِرُوا۟ وَرَابِطُوا۟ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٢٠٠

O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful. (200)

[Qur'an, AleImran 3:200]

وَٱصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ﴿١١٥

And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good. (115)

[Qur'an, Hud 11:115]

May Allah make us His obedient servants and make us among the patient ones. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.

Wassalaam