بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Imâm Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alî al-Barbahârî (d.329 AH) said:
الحمد لله الذي هدانا للإسلام، ومنّ علينا به، وأخرجنا في خير أمّة، فنسأله التوفيق لما يحبّ ويرضى، والحفظ ممّا يكره ويسخط
“All praise is due to Allâh who has guided us to Islâm, bestowed favour upon us with it and raised us in the best nation. We ask Allâh to make us live in consonance with what He loves and is pleased with, and we seek protection in Him from what He dislikes and is displeased with. ” (Sharh As-Sunnah)
Shaykh Sâlih Al-Fawzân said in explanation:
“Islâm is the greatest blessing. Allâh says:
ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَكۡمَلۡتُ لَكُمۡ دِينَكُمۡ وَأَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ نِعۡمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡإِسۡلَٰمَ دِينٗاۚ… ٣
This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion. ( Sûrah al-Mâ’idah 5:3)
قُلۡ بِفَضۡلِ ٱللَّهِ وَبِرَحۡمَتِهِۦ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلۡيَفۡرَحُواْ هُوَ خَيۡرٞ مِّمَّا يَجۡمَعُونَ ٨٥
Say: “In the Bounty of Allâh, and in His Mercy (i.e. Islâm and the Qurân); -therein let them rejoice.” That is better than what (the wealth) they amass. (Sûrah Yûnus 10:58)
So they should rejoice over Islâm and the Qurân. This contains acknowledgement from you that your being guided to Islâm is a favour from Allâh, for guiding you to it and making you steadfast upon it. This is a bounty from Allâh. It is neither by your might nor power – rather it is success granted to you by Allâh.
The people of Paradise will say:
وَنَزَعۡنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِم مِّنۡ غِلّٖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهِمُ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُۖ وَقَالُواْ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي هَدَىٰنَا لِهَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهۡتَدِيَ لَوۡلَآ أَنۡ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُۖ لَقَدۡ جَآءَتۡ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّۖ وَنُودُوٓاْ أَن تِلۡكُمُ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ أُورِثۡتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ ٣٤
And We shall remove from their breasts any (mutual) hatred or sense of injury (which they had, if at all, in the life of this world); rivers flowing under them, and they will say: “All the praises and thanks be to Allâh, Who has guided us to this, never could we have found guidance, were it not that Allâh had guided us! Indeed, the Messengers of our Lord did come with the truth.” And it will be cried out to them: “This is the Paradise which you have inherited for what you used to do. (Sûrah al-A’râf 7:43)
A person should ask Allâh for steadfastness, even if he knows the truth, acts according to it and believes in it. He should not feel secure from deviation and temptation, as trials can afflict him and as a result, he may stray from the path of Allâh. Consequently the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would supplicate to Allâh saying:
يا مُقَلِّبَ القلوبِ ثَبِّتْ قلبي على دينِكَ
Yâ muqallibal-Qulûb thabbit qalbî ‘alâ dînik [Oh Turner of the hearts, make my heart firm upon your religion] (Sahîh al-Jâmi’ 7987)
Prophet Ibrâhîm, Allâhs khalîl (close friend) said in his supplication:
وَإِذۡ قَالَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمُ رَبِّ ٱجۡعَلۡ هَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدَ ءَامِنٗا وَٱجۡنُبۡنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعۡبُدَ ٱلۡأَصۡنَامَ ٥٣
And (remember) when Ibrâhîm (Abraham) said: “O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security, and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. (Sûrah Ibrâhîm 14:35)
He feared for himself. Similarly, whenever the Îmân (faith) of a person becomes strong, he fears for himself and does not feel safe from trial or consider himself to be pure. Rather, he asks Allâh for steadfastness and a good end, always and forever fearing an evil end, temptation, deviation, misguidance and callers to evil.”
(Paraphrased and abridged. Explanation of Sharh As-Sunnah p. 31-33)
(Note – A similar & beautiful supplication can be found in Sûrah Al Imrân 3:8 –
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغۡ قُلُوبَنَا بَعۡدَ إِذۡ هَدَيۡتَنَا وَهَبۡ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡوَهَّابُ ٨
“Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are Al-Wahhâb [The Bestower].”
Transliteration: Rabbanâ lâ tuzigh qulûbanâ ba’da idh hadaytanâ wa-hab lanâ mil-ladunka rahmatan innaka anta-l-Wahhâb
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