Prove your Faith
By/ Sheikh Hany Helmy
25/12/2008
How to expiate sins?
As I said before, you want Allah to forgive and wipe away your sins to live with a peace of mind.
Then you need to listen with your heart and not ears when Allah Almighty says:
{But those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and believe in that which is sent down to Muhammad for it is the truth from their Lord, He will expiate from them their sins, and will make good their state} Muhammad: 2
{That is because Allah is the Maula (Lord, Master, Helper, Protector, etc) of those who believe, and the disbelievers have no Maula (Lord, Master, Helper, Protector, etc.)} Muhammad:11.
Yes my Lord, You are my Walei, Helper, Master, Protector.
This is where the tranquility comes from: the purification of the heart.
When you feel that Allah is your Helper and is in charge of you no matter how people bad treat you, when you feel that He will protect you anywhere, you will feel comfortable and peaceful.
Allah is the Maula of the believers. It is very difficult to be your own helper (and the disbelievers have no Maula).
This is what we are trying to learn from this lesson when Allah expiates your sins and thus we can achieve change after the day of ‘Ashura.
Two of the main tools to expiate sins is that we need to prove the faith and the good deeds.
Allah Almighty said in Surat At-Taghabun, 9: {(And remember the Day when He will gather you (all) on the Day of Gathering, - that will be the Day of mutual loss and gain (i.e. loss for the disbelievers as they will enter the Hellfire and gain for the believers as they will enter Paradise). And whosoever believes in Allah and performs righteous good deeds, He will remit from him his sins, and will admit him to Gardens under which rivers flow (paradise) to dwell therein forever, that will be the great success.}
I will mention the good deeds mentioned here but I want to stress that the first meaning here is achieving faith. I want you to prove your faith. What are the things you can do and say?
There is much evidence for faith; one of them is charity. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The charity is a proof".
The proof could be in one prostration in the middle of the night because you strongly believe that He {and none can forgive sins but Allah}
There is no one who will help or support you other than Him.
You need to believe in that "If you ask, ask Allah and if you seek help, seek Allah" Sahih Al Jame'e.
Prove that there is no God but Him and that your love is purely for Him. Prove that in the day of ‘Ashura, He is the only One in your heart. Get rid of any old memories that is manipulating your heart. If you can't do that, then supplicate to Him and beg Him to make His love in your heart the only love and ask Him that your heart is hung with Him and not with anybody else, not a wife, a son, a friend, etc.
Once your heart is attached with Allah, Allah will rid you from all troubles "and If I loved him, I would be His hearing that He hears with and His sight that He sees by." Sahih Al Jame'e.
This is the first meaning. We need the proof for our faith.
The second meaning is that we prove our faith through good deeds. We need to support our fasting with good intentions such as:
1- fast, there is nothing like it (anticipate that it is an exceptional worship to please Allah)
2- Protection from any desires(shahawat)
3- Protection from any doubt or suspicion(shubuhat)
4- Protection from turmoil
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The man's sedation with himself is money, and his neighbor will be expiated by fasting, charity, prayer, ordering good and preventing bad".
These sedations are your sedation with your family. Troubles in your home; whoever have troubles with his wife, kids, father, mother etc. These troubles cause bitterness and make your mind occupied. So, how can you get rid of them? They make obstacles between your Lord and yourself.
One of the good ways to get rid of them is the correct fasting. Let us make the intention that fasting this year will be a cause to protect you against the sedations.
So, fast with multiple intentions...
To be continued ... "The Muslim is Special"
Source: The Day of Ashoura: A Second Chance? .. written by Sheikh Hany Helmy.