Are There Deeds I Can Practice Daily so I Can Be Blessed With Speed of Light at the Bridge?
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question
Sheikh, I feel so motivated to revive and implement the Tradition of Prophet Muhammad(peace and blessings of God be upon him). What motivated me was his saying, “whoever obeys me will enter Paradise.” I really wish to cross the Straight Path bridge with the speed of light so I won’t have to suffer at the Straight Path bridge.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate
Walaikum Assalam,
I hope you’re doing well, insha’Allah. May Allah bless this motivation and intention. Cultivate, nurture, and grow this.
Imam Ghazali summarized how to cross the Bridge (Sirat) over Hell successfully by saying that those who tread the Straight Path (al-sirat al-mustaqim) with most uprightness in this life will cross the Bridge with greatest speed, and least struggle.
Four Keys to Uprightness with Excellence
There are four keys to this:
One. Seek Beneficial Knowledge (al-ilm al-nafi`)
Commit to studying beneficial knowledge with consistency. The Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him & his folk) said, “Whomever Allah wishes good for, He grants understanding of religion.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
SeekersGuidance offers a clear path of reliable Islamic learning through our Islamic Studies Program, taught by qualified scholars, completely free. Link
Learn to seek the Pleasure of Allah, to make your devotion and practice sound and sincere—and strive to bring excellence (excellent) into your devotion and practice. Knowledge is blessed when acted upon, with sincerity and striving, with consistency.
Two. Remember Allah Most High
Strive to follow the Prophetic sunna to “Keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah.” [Tirmidhi] In your walking, work, and rest. Engage your tongue, heart, and mind with the remembrance of Allah.
One way is to repeat the “lasting good deeds” the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) recommended: Subhana’l Llah; Alhamdu li’l Llah; la ilaha illa’l Llah; and Allahu Akbar. These can be recited in order or individually. Stay constant on them, and you’ll find peace of heart and increasing presence with Allah.
Adopt the Prophetic sunnas of remembrance (dhikr) at the beginning and end of the day, after prayer, before sleep, and strive to act upon the Prophetic counsel above to keep consistent on remembrance.
Three. Keep Good Company
Make your close circle of friends people of religious concern (deen), good character, and mindfulness (taqwa) of Allah. Spend time with them, visit them, and invite them to your house.
The Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him) said, “A person is on the religious ways of their close friends—so let each of you look carefully as to whom you take as a close friend.” [Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud]
Strive to keep the company of scholars through attending their classes and circles, visiting them for questions and counsel; and by consulting them in your significant religious and life decisions.
Four. Leave Sins, and Renew Your Repentance If You Err
Leaving sin is of the greatest ways to realize one’s slavehood, become firm-footed on the Straight Path, and to leave waywardness in life.
Allah Most High commands us, “Turn to Allah in repentance, O believers—all of you—, so that you may be successful.” [Quran, 24.31]
Sincere repentance is to leave sin with remorse and resolve never to return to it. [Nawawi, al-Adhkar]
Abu Hazim (Allah have mercy upon him) said, “If the servant of Allah commits to leaving sin, Divine openings come to them.” [Abu Nu`aym, Hilyat al-Awliya’]
May Allah grant you success and facilitation. May Allah facilitate all ways of good for you and bless you in this beautiful commitment you are making.
Wassalam,
[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani spent ten years studying with some of the leading scholars of recent times, first in Damascus and Amman, Jordan. His teachers include the foremost theologian of recent times in Damascus, the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas (may Allah have mercy on him), and his student Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi, one of the leading Hanafi fuqaha of the present age. He returned to Canada in 2007, where he founded SeekersGuidance to meet the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge–both online and on the ground–in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner. He is the author of Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School (White Thread Press, 2004.) Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center.
