The Hope on This Day (Arafah)

It is wise not to rely on a single approach to bring ourselves and others closer to Allah the Almighty. It is true that our sins and transgressions are the cause of our painful situation, and if we do not repent, we are threatened with punishment in the Hereafter... However – as a matter of balance – we must remember the greatness and dignity that we... are Muslims. Here – as a weak nation – we are upon the people, then we returned and thought that we are upon Allah as well, for this weakens our resolve and hope in Allah's response to our supplications and throws us into despair and frustration. You must hold yourself accountable and purify yourself, not whip yourself and belittle yourself. You have a great advantage no matter how much you err and sin: you are a Muslim who affirms Allah's Oneness, honors His law, and does not accept any substitute for it. This is a great cause of dignity and closeness to Allah. So build upon the good within you to compensate for the deficiency, and do not look at yourself with contempt. Brother, do you know what it means that you are (a Muslim)? Sister, do you know what it means that you are (a Muslimah)? That you affirm the great truth for which Allah created the heavens and the earth, sent the messengers, revealed the books, and created Paradise and Hell. Therefore, our Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us that one of the greatest means of supplication to Allah is to supplicate with your Oneness, saying: (O Allah, I ask You by my testimony that You are Allah, there is no god but You, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, who has not begotten and was not begotten, and there is none comparable to Him). And in the authentic hadith, the servant is brought on the Day of Judgment, and his records of evil deeds are spread out, each one as long as the eye can see, then a card is placed upon which (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger), the servant says: (O Lord, what is this card with these records?!), He says: (You are not wronged), the records are placed in one scale and the card in the other, and the card outweighs and the records are blown away. The three who were sealed in the cave called upon Allah each with his best deed... they do not thank Allah for these deeds but as if they are supplicating to Allah and seeking His mercy that He has guided them to these righteous deeds, so He makes them feel that they are among His honored ones and gives them hope in His mercy and companionship. It is not a condition that they were righteous in all their lives, for example, look at the second one who almost exploited his cousin's need to tempt her, had it not been for the fear of Allah in the last moment, and this is not the state of an ascetic worshipper, yet Allah responded to him and relieved him. Do we lack righteous deeds to supplicate with to Allah the Almighty? Repeat to yourself: (I love Allah, I exalt Allah, I am jealous for Allah's sanctities, I am not as bad as the devil makes me believe to distance me from Allah, but I love Allah and hope that He loves me). With great care not to fall into what touches your greatest essence (your Oneness) that has spread in this time, such as belittling His law or prioritizing human laws over it and making absolute obedience to other than Him. When you read His saying (Verily, the mercy of Allah is near to the good-doers), do not say: And where am I from the good-doers and in such and such sins?! But say: (My Oneness to Allah and my exaltation of His religion is goodness, so I am not entirely excluded from this verse. But I must rid myself of my sins so that Allah's mercy is closer and closer to me). This is what your heart should be filled with in the seasons of blessings and mercy such as the Day of Arafah, to supplicate to Allah with hope and certainty. Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said: I came to Sufyan al-Thawri on the eve of Arafah and he was kneeling with tears in his eyes, so he turned to me and I said to him: Who is the worst of this gathering in condition? He said: The one who thinks that Allah will not forgive him. And Allah the Almighty knows best.