(This is k.Ibrahim) Bismillah Ir-Rahman, Ir-Raheem. I begin with ALLAH's auspiciousness,whose Name is the Best among all the names. All Revences, All Sanctities and All Worships are due to ALLAH alone. Ashahadu An Laa illaaha illal llahuWa Ash Hadu Anna Muhammadan Abdu Hu Wa Rasooluhu ''I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah who is without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) is the Rasool.'' "O Allah, Shower Your Peace come upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have brought peace to Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, Shower your blessing upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have blessed Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious". Iam Satisfied with Allâh as My Rabb and Cherisher,Iam Satisfied With Islam as My Din(religion) and I am satisfied with Muhammad as a Rasulallah (Messenger)sallallahu alaihi was salam) I seek Protection with ALLAH! With the Glorious and Noble Face of ALLAH! With the Complete and Perfect words of ALLAH! With the Exalted Attributes of ALLAH! From the Punishment of Hell; From chastisement in the Grave; From the Trial of Life and Death; From the Mischief of the dajjal. There is no power nor strength with (anyone) save Allah. ALLAH is Good and Only accept that which is Good. ALLAH is the Truth and only accept that which True. ALLAH is Pure and only accept that which is Pure. Ya ALLAH! ALL the praises are for You,You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are are the Substaner of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for you;You have the Possession of the Heavens and the Earth and whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for You; You are Light(Nur) of the Heavens and Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the Truth, And Your word is the Truth and the Meeting with You is true, And Paradise is True And Hell is true and All the Prophets(peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) is true,And the Day of Resurrection is True. Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your promise is the truth,Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your words is the truth, Ya ALLAH! You have promise and You are the Truth!. Ya ALLAH! You have created Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) to be the most truthful of men and what He(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) has said is the absolute truth! Ya ALLAH! You have promise that You would send one who would revive, restore, rejuvenate Your Din(religion).Ya ALLAH it is getting late and time is not with us, Ya ALLAH You have Promise! Ya ALLAH You have Promise! and Your Promise is the Truth!........On the authority of Abu ‘Amr, though others call him Abu ‘Amrah Sufyan bin ‘Abdullah, radiyallahu anhu, who said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam which I could not ask anyone about save you.” He answered: “Say: ‘I believe in Allah’, and then stand firm and steadfast.” [Muslim]
Background The literal meaning of “Istiqamah”: to go straight into the right direction, acting rightly, allowing no deviation. It is derived from the stem “Qiyyam”, which implies the continuity of doing something, following up with it and making sure that it is done in the right way and there is neither deviation nor swerving.The term has been used by the Qur’an in many verses. Allah the Almighty says:“Therefore, stand firm (on the straight path) as you are commanded and those who turn in repentance with you. And do not transgress, for He (Allah) sees well all that you do.”[Surah Hud (11): ayat 112]Ibnu Abbas said that this verse was the hardest and most difficult verse of the Qur’an on the Prophet, (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam). Indeed it is a difficult task to achieve Istiqamah, hence, the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said; “Be straight on the path or be close to it.”In another verse, Allah the Almighty says:“So unto this (religion) invite (the people). Stand steadfast as you are commanded and do not follow their desires…..”[Surah al-Shura’ (42): ayat 15] Based on these two verses, it can be inferred that Istiqamah is to stand firm and steadfast to what we have been commanded by Allah, i.e. to fulfill obligations and to avoid prohibitions. Also, we should not allow ourselves to follow or be mislead by desires (whether it is our desires or the desires of others) as it will cause deviation and lead us astray.
Lessons According to Ibn al-Qayyim, there are five conditions to achieve Istiqamah in performing required deeds:
The act should be done for the sake of Allah alone (ikhlas).
It should be done on the basis of knowledge (‘ilm).
Performing ibadah should be in the same manner that they have been commanded.
To do it in the best way possible.
Restricting oneself to what is lawful while performing those deeds.
According to other scholars of suluk, i.e. behavior, there are certain steps to be followed in order to achieve Istiqamah :
Always being aware of the final destination, i.e. the Day of Judgment (Akhirah). And to use this awareness in a positive way as a motive to do good deeds. One way to do it is through remembering that a person’s journey towards Akhirah starts the minute he / she passes away and leaves this world. One of the Salafs said: “If you live until the morning do not wait for the evening and if you live until the evening do not wait for the morning.”
Commitment (Musharatah). One has to make a commitment that he/she will be steadfast and will do things in the right way and in the best way possible, and to adhere to conjunctions of Islam. Unfortunately many Muslims are being lenient in making such a commitment.
To make continuous efforts (Mujahadah) to bring that commitment to reality. Some Muslims dare to make the commitment, but dare not to make the effort to make the commitment a reality.
Continuous checking and reviewing of one’s deeds (Muraqabah). Being honest with oneself so as not to give false excuses for failing to fulfill a commitment.
Self accountability (Muhasabah). This should be done twice: Firstly, before we start doing something, ensuring that it pleases Allah, that we do it for His sake only, realizing the right way it should be done. Secondly, after the action has been done, to check whether we have achieved what we aimed for, and to check for defects and shortcomings, and that we still could have done it better by not being satisfied with our action.
Blaming oneself for not doing it perfectly after it has been done. Self blaming here is a positive one by using it as a motive, and by aiming for improvement and having the intention of doing things better next time. This leads to making another commitment and continual commitments to improve our performance.
Striving for improvement (Tahsin). We have to make improvements in all that we do (daily activities, work, actions, good deeds, ibadah, etc.) as one of our objectives.
To be humble towards Allah, realizing that no one is perfect except Him, seeking His forgiveness, guidance and support.
It should be emphasized that these steps/conditions apply to worldly matters as well as ibadah and good religious deeds.Factors that lead to the weakening of Istiqamah include:
Committing sins(ma’siah), insisting on repeating them again and again, without istighfar (seeking Allah’s forgiveness) and without practicing repentance.
Shirk (associating anything with Allah) whether in intentions, by showing off our good deeds to others, seeking others’ appraisal, avoiding being blamed by others, being afraid of someone, or to seek rewards from others than Allah. This part of shirk is also called riyya’ or showing off. All these lead to deviation in Istiqamah, and when these stimuli are not there, the person’s work is not perfect any more and it is not done in the best way possible.
Nifaq (hypocrisy). There are two forms of nifaq: in belief and in action. The Muslim who surrenders totally to the will of Allah and accept Islam based on his/her choice is free from the first form of hypocrisy. However any Muslim is subject to and should avoid the second form of nifaq which the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, warned us about: Not keeping promises and breaking them continuously without good reasons or excuses, not fulfilling commitments we make with others, being aggressive and unjust to others in quarrels, and disputes, failing to shoulder responsibilities/burdens we are entrusted with, etc. All these bad qualities should be avoided since they lead to the weakening of our Istiqamah.
Bida’ah (innovations in ibadah), whether genuine bida’ah (performing ibadah which has not been ascribed by Shariah, i.e. revelation), or relative bida’ah (failing to observe the requirements of doing ibadah – the five criteria discussed in Hadith 5), will lead to decreasing the quality of good action or ibadah.
There are other factors that also contribute to the weakening of Istiqamah, such as: recklessness, reluctance, heedlessness, being overwhelmed by a deceiving enjoyment, and being mislead by self interests and desires.Applying the above mentioned steps and requirements pinpointed by scholars will help in overcoming all these obstacles and barriers.
Conclusion Istiqamah is an important Islamic concept. Its significance can be seen where every Muslim is required to recite Surah al-Fatihah at least seventeen times each day seeking continual guidance to the straight path from Allah.
(This is k.Ibrahim) Bismillah Ir-Rahman, Ir-Raheem. I begin with ALLAH's auspiciousness,whose Name is the Best among all the names. All Revences, All Sanctities and All Worships are due to ALLAH alone. Ashahadu An Laa illaaha illal llahuWa Ash Hadu Anna Muhammadan Abdu Hu Wa Rasooluhu ''I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah who is without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) is the Rasool.'' "O Allah, Shower Your Peace come upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have brought peace to Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, Shower your blessing upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have blessed Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious". Iam Satisfied with Allâh as My Rabb and Cherisher,Iam Satisfied With Islam as My Din(religion) and I am satisfied with Muhammad as a Rasulallah (Messenger)sallallahu alaihi was salam) I seek Protection with ALLAH! With the Glorious and Noble Face of ALLAH! With the Complete and Perfect words of ALLAH! With the Exalted Attributes of ALLAH! From the Punishment of Hell; From chastisement in the Grave; From the Trial of Life and Death; From the Mischief of the dajjal. There is no power nor strength with (anyone) save Allah. ALLAH is Good and Only accept that which is Good. ALLAH is the Truth and only accept that which True. ALLAH is Pure and only accept that which is Pure. Ya ALLAH! ALL the praises are for You,You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are are the Substaner of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for you;You have the Possession of the Heavens and the Earth and whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for You; You are Light(Nur) of the Heavens and Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the Truth, And Your word is the Truth and the Meeting with You is true, And Paradise is True And Hell is true and All the Prophets(peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) is true,And the Day of Resurrection is True. Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your promise is the truth,Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your words is the truth, Ya ALLAH! You have promise and You are the Truth!. Ya ALLAH! You have created Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) to be the most truthful of men and what He(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) has said is the absolute truth! Ya ALLAH! You have promise that You would send one who would revive, restore, rejuvenate Your Din(religion).Ya ALLAH it is getting late and time is not with us, Ya ALLAH You have Promise! Ya ALLAH You have Promise! and Your Promise is the Truth!..... An act that is most beloved to Allah SWT, we ask Him for it at least 17 times per day in our prayers, one who has it will find peace and calamity in anything that he does, it is none other than the concept of Istiqamah.What is istiqamah?
Istiqamah (استقامة) is an arabic word which is derived from the verb “Istaqaama” (إِسْتَقَامَ) meaning: to be straight, to be consistent. One who is consistent or upon consistency is called al mustaqim (المُسْتَقِيمَ). Such is mentioned in Surah Al Fatiha:
إِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ المُسْتَقِيمَ (6) صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغْضُوبِ عَلَيهِم وَلاَ الضّالِّينَ (7)“Guide us to the straight path1 (6) The path of those whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (i.e. those whose intentions are perverted: they know the truth, yet do not follow it), nor of those who went astray (i.e. those who have lost the (true) knowledge, so they wander in error, and are not guided to the truth.(7)”
Surah Al-Fatihah itself is a supplication. Each verse that we read will be answered by Allah. Thus, if we read it in our prayer while pondering its meanings, with the hope that Allah will answer our du’a, it’ll certainly be answered with His will. As Allah said in a hadith qudsi2 regarding Al-Fatihah (verses 6 & 7) : “Then, when he (the worshipper) says: Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou hast been Gracious not of those who have incurred Thy displeasure, nor of those who have gone astray, He (Allah) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for”3. When one is walking upon a straight path, it shows that one is not turning right neither left, but rather being steadfast upon the path one is walking in, a path with no distractions, that is having Istiqamah. The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w highlighted the concept of istiqamah in a Hadith: “Tell me something about Islam, which I can ask of no one but you.” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Say I believe in Allah and then be steadfast.”4. To believe and then to be steadfast upon it. Seems simple when we read it, but in reality, eventually there will be obstacles and distractions that will slowly divert us from our journey to be steadfast in practising our faith, hence, how do we attain Istiqamah in our lives as a muslim? Tips to attain Istiqamah
Make Allah your first priority
It is in human nature to want to feel appreciated by others, and that is normal, sometimes we find ourselves doing something to gain recognition, to However, we have to remember that the more we expect from others, the more disappointed and hurt we will be. When we make Allah our first priority, there is constant motivation, as Allah is our creator who sees our every action, and not a single movement leaves his sight. The belief in so provides us hope that every effort we put in , will not go to waste. Istiqamah requires constant motivation as it is like a journey, along the way, we may fall and feel that it is difficult to get back up, in such situations, remembering Allah and reminding ourselves that this is to attain his pleasure will drive us to stand and continue to be firm upon this journey of ours.
Regular Supplications Supplications is the act of asking from Allah swt, there are many supplications that the prophet ﷺ taught us, amongst which that is continuously read by the prophet ﷺ to ask Allah grant steadfast in Islam is:يَا مُقَلِّبَ القُلُوبِ، ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ
“O Controller of hearts, make my heart steadfast in Your religion5Reciting supplications is a humble act, it shows that no matter how righteous or knowledgeable a person is, he needs Allah to guide him in every aspect of his life. Human nature is that we tend to depend on ourselves a lot, thinking that we can do things on our own, forgetting that we are nothing without Allah’s guidance.
Make Small but Consistent Steps
Having goals gives us a clear idea of what our next movements are. Yes, eventually we want to acheive istiqamah in our belief, but having goals here mean, what are some small steps that you want to take, so that you eventually reach istiqamah? You can start by practising yourself to do small acts consistently, such as reciting one verse from the Quran everyday, stick to the idea and be consistent with it everyday. Such act is encouraged by the prophet ﷺ and it is also a deed most beloved to Allah as mentioned in a hadith:
“The acts most pleasing to Allah are those which are done continuously, even if they are small.”6.
Put Your Trust in Allah Know that Allah will always be there for you and nothing can happen without his will. Allah helps those who helps Him and promises a huge reward for those who believe in Him. Whenever you face any obstacles or treated differently by others because of your faith, no that they cannot benefit you nor harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you, as mentioned in a hadith:
And know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you.7.
The prophet ﷺ was tasked with a responsibility to deliver the message of Islam to people, it was not easy as he was threatened, rejected, and despised by many, but Allah comforted him with a single verse that is: فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ۖ وَهُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِBut if they turn away, then say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. In Him I put my trust. And He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.”8.“Allah is sufficient for me” , to know that Our Creator, The One who is in charge of everything, is by our side, surely that is enough of an affirmation for us to continue upon the straight path, Islam. May Allah grant us guidance, patience and perseverance in performing good deeds and May Allah keep us firm upon His religion, amin. Footnotes and References:
(1) (V. 1:6) Guidance is of two kinds: (a) Guidance of Taufiq (Hidayah Taufiq) which is totally from Allah, i.e. Allah opens one’s heart to receive the truth (from disbelief to belief in Islamic Monotheism). (b) Guidance of Irsyad (Hidayah Irsyad) i.e. through preaching by Allah’s Messengers and the pious preachers who preach the truth i.e. Islamic Monotheism.
(2) Hadits Qudsi: What is quoted to us from the Prophet ﷺ with his chain of transmission on the authority of his Lord, The Mighty & The Supreme.
