What are the factors that help in preserving the religion?
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The questioner : What are the factors that help in preserving the religion? We ask for your guidance on this.
The Shaykh : Among the factors that help strengthen faith is the abundance of acts of obedience.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The most important of these are the obligatory acts, followed by the voluntary ones, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted in the Qudsi Hadith: And the more a person increases in obedience to Allah, the more their faith and mindfulness of Allah increase. Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said: [Maryam 19:76] And He the Exalted said: [Muhammad 47:17].
So, striving to increase in the recitation of the Qur'an, dhikr, prayer, charity, and other acts of drawing near to Allah, all of this increases a person's faith, strength, and love for good.
The questioner : Praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : And sins are the causes of evil and corruption, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:56] The scholars said: Do not corrupt it with sins. And whenever a person commits a sin, their faith decreases and they become distant from their Lord, Mighty and Majestic. Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said: [Al-Ma'idah 5:13].
And among the factors that increase faith is for a person to study the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his noble Companions. For in it is the upbringing of the heart, mind, and thought, and in it is an increase in faith and love for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions. It trains a person completely in the manner of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. The listener Fatima from Sudan says.
The Shaykh : Among the factors that help strengthen faith is the abundance of acts of obedience.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : The most important of these are the obligatory acts, followed by the voluntary ones, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted in the Qudsi Hadith:
My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory for him, and my servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary acts until I love him.
ما تقرّب إلي عبدي بشيء أحب إلي مما افترضت عليه ولا يزال عبدي يتقرب إلي بالنوافل حتى أحبهAnd Allah increases those who were guided, in guidance,
وَيَزِيدُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا هُدًىAnd those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and gives them their righteousness.
وَالَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زَادَهُمْ هُدًى وَءاتَاهُمْ تَقْواهُمْSo, striving to increase in the recitation of the Qur'an, dhikr, prayer, charity, and other acts of drawing near to Allah, all of this increases a person's faith, strength, and love for good.
The questioner : Praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : And sins are the causes of evil and corruption, as Allah the Exalted said:
And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation
وَلا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلاحِهَاSo for their breaking of the covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard. They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded
فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِمْ مِيثَاقَهُمْ لَعَنَّاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةً يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِAnd among the factors that increase faith is for a person to study the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his noble Companions. For in it is the upbringing of the heart, mind, and thought, and in it is an increase in faith and love for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions. It trains a person completely in the manner of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. The listener Fatima from Sudan says.