Episode 14 - The Mujahid Sheikh

Renewing the Heart with the Quran

Renew your heart with the Quran so that the soul may find tranquility in faith. Recite it at all times and seek its rain of blessings and clouds of forgiveness. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.

Worship and Absolute Obedience

Dear brothers, worship is absolute obedience and complete submission, not selective obedience. Sometimes you ask a young man, "Do you pray?" and he says, "Sometimes," meaning he obeys Allah according to his mood. This mood-based obedience is not called worship.

When the Prophet, peace be upon him, pledged allegiance to the Ansar, he said to them, "Pledge allegiance to me for hearing and obeying in activity and laziness." Therefore, in a state of activity, you excel in voluntary and recommended acts, but in laziness, you must at least perform the minimum. Laziness is not an excuse to escape the obedience of Allah, the Almighty.

The Story of Abu Talhah Al-Ansari

Abu Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him, understood this when he read Surah At-Tawbah, and it weighed heavily on him as if he were old. He said, "Prepare me for battle, my children." His sons said, "We have fought with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, until he passed away, and we fought with Abu Bakr until he died, and we fought with Umar. We will fight on your behalf."

This discussion took place during the reign of Uthman, and Abu Talhah was over seventy years old. His children saw that their father deserved rest after these great sacrifices during the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and two of the rightly guided caliphs. But their father insisted and said, "Prepare me." So they prepared him, and it was a naval battle, and he embarked on the sea.

The Honor of Abu Talhah After His Death

However, he died, may Allah be pleased with him, and they did not find an island to bury him in for seven days. Allah, the Almighty, wanted to honor this companion, so He preserved his body for this week, and his body did not change, even though the deceased begins to change from the first day in the hot climate. The narration was reported by Ibn Hibban and authenticated by Sheikh Shuaib Al-Arna'ut.

We can only hope that Allah, the Most High, as He preserved the body of Abu Talhah in this world, will preserve him from the torment on the Day of Judgment, may Allah be pleased with him. We ask Allah to let us live happily and take us as martyrs. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.