قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ

(Qur’ān 10:58). ‘Qul bifaḍli Llahi wa biraḥmatihi fabidhālika falyafraḥū huwa khayrun mimmā yajma‘ūn’, ‘Say, “In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy - in that let them rejoice”; that is better than what they accumulate.’ The worship we perform - people who are in worship should see it as a great favor and rejoice. It is a great bounty and kindness from Allah ﷻ. We are lucky servants, Shukr/Thanks be to Allah ﷻ. With Shukr, favors increase.

He ﷻ put us on this way. Because the ego doesn’t want this to anyone. The ego always distracts [people] from this way. People who perform worship, people of Tariqah and anyone in general should rejoice for it, says Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla. It is by the kind virtue of Allah ﷻ. May Allah ﷻ protect us; if He ﷻ wants, you can be in a different position. You can be in a bad place, in places of disobedience. One can do all kinds of bad things, if Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla wants it.

Therefore, who are on this way and in worship should rejoice and make Shukr to Allah ﷻ. They shouldn’t credit themselves for fasting and for praying. Some people find it difficult to do these things. The ego and shaytan want to prevent them. We perform these things thanks to Allah’s ﷻ bounty and help, and with the will of Allah ﷻ.

While performing them, do it happily, for it is a great favor and a great honor. It is a great benefit. It is better than the goods of this world – ‘هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ’, ‘Huwa khayrun mimmā yajma‘ūn, ‘That is better than what they accumulate.’ (Qur’ān 10:58). Certainly, people may accumulate wealth as they live in this world. But that is even better, says Allah ‘Azza wa-Jalla. That greatest favor is greater than eating and drinking, greater than everything. It is a great favor to worship Allah ﷻ and to be in servanthood to Allah ﷻ. It is the best thing.While doing it, do it happily and say, “Shukr to Allah ﷻ, You are letting us, Your weak servants do these beautiful things.”The best thing to do is to be in servanthood to Allah ﷻ, to carry out Allah’s ﷻ orders. Everything from prayer, Zakah, Hajj, Umrah, Fasting; all of them are things ordered and loved by Allah ﷻ. May He ﷻ make us love them too while performing them.

Some people say that they cannot pray. You have to pray. It is a very beautiful thing that Allah ﷻ gave you. And while praying, rejoice and be grateful. When you finish your prayer, make Shukr to Allah ﷻ for being able to complete it. Don’t be caught by the Waswasa of shaytan. Don’t say, “I cannot make ablution. I cannot do this or that”. Make ablution and pray. Allah ﷻ will be pleased with you. A servant who pleases Allah ﷻ will benefit from it too.

Shukr to Allah ﷻ for showing us this way. May Allah ﷻ make us steadfast. May Allah ﷻ protect us and may He not remove us from this way. We make Shukr, and insha’Allah with Shukr these favors will increase. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq. Al-Fatiha.

Mawlana Shaykh Muhammad Adil ق