Be Steadfast, the Greatest Quality of a Muslim

Bismillaahir Rah’maanir Rah’eem. All praise to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved unlettered Prophet, his family, and his noble companions. I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan, and I begin in the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Verily, those who say: “Our Lord is Allah (Alone),” and then they stand firm, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): “Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised! (Al Quran: Chapter 41, Verse 30)

Many people experience khawf (fear) and huzn (distress). Khawf refers to the fear of the future, pondering about what will happen, while huzn entails dwelling on the past and contemplating what could have been if things had been different. However, these are not qualities befitting a believer. A believer is called upon to have complete faith in Allah ﷻ and to remain steadfast in all their endeavors. By firmly believing in Allah ﷻ and maintaining steadfastness, we can be safeguarded from these two qualities. Allah ﷻ assures us of this in a verse revealed to our wise Prophet ﷺ. Unfortunately, many of us fail to rid ourselves of khawf and huzn because we are akin to individuals who consume healthy food but simultaneously ingest poison in small doses. We cannot expect to be healthy if we continue this pattern, just as eating untimely food will not benefit us.

Once, there was a renowned scholar named Hazrat Sirri who was resting under a tree. Suddenly, he heard a voice coming from the tree. The tree addressed him, saying, “O Sirri, become like us. People throw stones at us, yet we continue to provide them with fruits. Embody this noble character.” Upon hearing this, Hazrat Sirri replied, “O tree, you speak with the wisdom of a venerable person. But why do people make you into fuel for fire?” The tree responded, “We possess one flaw that nullifies all our goodness. Whenever the wind blows, we sway in its direction and fail to remain steadfast. This weakness erodes our positive qualities.” In today’s world, Muslims also lack steadfastness. They lack isteqamat and behave as part-time Muslims. Inside the mosque, they display one set of characteristics, while outside, they adopt a different persona. They change their behavior according to the situation, whether it be moments of joy or sorrow, and they lack steadfastness in their adherence to the deen of Allah ﷻ.

Once, a companion named Sufyan ibn ‘Abdullah al-Thaqafi asked our beloved Prophet ﷺ, “O Messenger of Allah, tell me an action that I can hold onto with all my heart and soul.” In another narration, he asked, “O Messenger of Allah, give me a saying in Islam that I won’t need to ask anyone else after you.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “Say, ‘I have believed in Allah,’ and then be steadfast.” He further advised, “Say, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ and hold onto this firmly in every action, making it apparent that you are a believer in Allah ﷻ.” When we possess this quality of firm belief in Allah ﷻ and remain steadfast in His deen, we will not be consumed by fear of the future or regret for the past. A believer should be determined to trust in Allah ﷻ, regardless of what may come, and demonstrate this steadfastness through their actions. May Allah ﷻ grant us all isteqamat. Ameen, ameen, thumma ameen.

-Sheikh Maulana Abdus Sattar (DB)