. J "" (cont.)

This level comes when the person tastes the sweetness of faith, when he comes to realize and experience the real meaning of "There is no one worthy of worship except Allah." This sweetness of faith is a type of paradise in this world, as ibn Taimiya once said, "There is a paradise in this world and the one who does not enter it will not enter the paradise in the next world." This paradise is that which is achieved by performing the obligatory deeds followed by the voluntary deeds, all done for the sake of Allah and according to the revelation from Allah. Allah's Mercy as Exhibited in the Voluntary Deeds Allah, the Creator and Fashioner of humans, has obligated certain deeds. Th'ose are deeds that are needed by all humans for the purification of their souls. Beyond those deeds, though, Allah has left the door wide open for individuals to concentrate on those deeds that they are most inclined to. For example, some people are dedicated to the voluntary prayers. They receive great increases in their faith and benefit from them. They feel sorrow whenever they miss those prayers. Hence, they tend to them to the best of their ability. Those voluntary prayersin addition to the general obligatory deedsmay 1 Of course, given that it is such an important need for the one who wants to strive and work for the sake of Allah, it becomes obligatory upon that believer to preserve his health as this will help him become a stronger worker for the sake of Allah. 2 The essence of this point is demonstrated in the Prophet's supplication to Allah, "O Allah, give us certainty [in faith] such that it would make the hardships of this world easy upon us ... And do not make our trials related to our religion ... " [Recorded by al-Tirmidhi. According to al-Albaani, it is hasan. See al-Albaani, Sahih Sunan al-Tirmidhi, vol. 3, p. 1 68.] The greatest harm that could come to any Muslim is the type of trial that could affect his relationship with Allah and because of his own shortcomings make him a weaker Muslim. The Prophet has instructed, by example, that the Muslim should ask Allah to keep him safe from such a trial. And the first part of the supplication demonstrates that the person with a firm faith will be able to face any trial related to this world. 1 153 Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi be the way that they get closer to Allah. It may be the key to them entering Paradise. Others may be attracted to fasting, charity or the pilgrimage. There are others who are more inclined to doing good toward others. They perform the obligatory deeds and then beyond that they spend their time tending to others' needs. Those good voluntary deeds bring them closer to Allah and more beloved to Him. Yet others are attracted to voluntary jihad, teaching the religion, calling non-Muslims to Islam and so forth. When these people tend to those matters, they become the key by which they come closer to Allah and enter Paradise. Someone else might do a little of all of the different types of voluntary deeds and that is what makes him beloved to Allah.1 This reality is all by the mercy of Allah. Beyond the obligatory deeds, people are free to pursue those good voluntary deeds that they are most attracted to. There are so many areas of voluntary deeds that it seems inconceivable that a person could not find some voluntary deed or deeds that he would like to perform in order to get closer to Allah. Allah's path to paradise is wide enough to accommodate all of those different leanings. However, this is all dependent on the individual first fulfilling, in general, the obligatory deeds. If the person does not do that, then he may not be on the straight path at all. A Possible Source of Confusion It seems that this hadith is saying that the most beloved deeds to Allah are the obligatory deeds but a person does not become beloved to Allah until he performs the voluntary deeds. It seems that a person should become beloved to Allah simply by the performance of the obligatory deeds without any need to also perform voluntary deeds. This point has been clarified by a number of commentators. Ibn Hajr, for example, responds by saying that what is meant by the voluntary deeds here are those deeds that complement and complete the obligatory deeds.2 In other words, as was noted earlier, it is by the voluntary deeds that one truly completes and fulfills the shortcomings in the obligatory deeds. Hence, the obligatory deeds are never really completed without the voluntary deeds. Therefore, it is through the two of them that one becomes beloved to Allah. That response, though, does not seem satisfactory. Indeed, al­ Shaukaani has gone to great lengths to show that it is not the correct explanation.