03/04/2026
IF YOU ASK, THEN ASK ALLAH:
All praise belongs to Allah, the All-Powerful, the All-Encompassing, the One who gives and withholds. By His grace, those who hope attach themselves to Him, and upon Him those who trust place their reliance. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, without partner, and we bear witness that our master and Prophet Muḥammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger. O Allah, send Your prayers, peace, and blessings upon him, upon his family, his companions, and all those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
To continue: I enjoin you, O servants of Allah—and myself—to have taqwā of Allah. The Exalted says: إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ مُحْسِنُونَ
“Indeed, Allah is with those who have taqwā of Him and those who excel in goodness” (Qurʾān 16:128).
O believers: On one occasion, ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) was riding behind the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet turned to him with the gaze of a compassionate nurturer and a wise teacher, then addressed his heart with words that made the young boy feel his worth and his place in the care of the Messenger ﷺ. He said: يَا غُلَامُ
“O young boy…” Then he drew his attention further by saying: إِنِّي أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ
“I am going to teach you some words”
So that his mind would be prepared and he would realize that what was coming was precious and deserving of attention. Then he conveyed knowledge in brief expressions containing vast meanings—words that establish certainty in the hearts, connect souls to the Lord of the worlds, and teach the human being sincerity in turning to his Lord and complete trust in the management of his Creator. He ﷺ said:
احْفَظِ اللَّهَ يَحْفَظْكَ، احْفَظِ اللَّهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَكَ
“Be mindful of Allah, and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him before you” (al-Tirmidhī).
Reflect, O servants of Allah, on the words of the Prophet ﷺ: “Be mindful of Allah, and He will protect you”—that is, act upon what Allah has commanded you, and guard your limbs from what He has forbidden. Allah says: إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا
“Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart—each of these will be questioned” (Qurʾān 17:36).
Whoever restrains these from the unlawful and protects them from wrongdoing, Allah will forgive his slips. So be mindful of Allah in your private and public states, in all your times and conditions—He will preserve you in yourself, your family, and your wealth. For He is: خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
“The best of protectors, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy” (Qurʾān 12:64).
Likewise: “Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him before you”—entails He will support you with His guidance, encompass you with His gentleness, and aid you with His divine enabling. For He says: وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“And indeed, Allah is with the believers” (Qurʾān 8:19).
Servants of Allah: In a profound prophetic directive, in words that are comprehensive, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ
“If you ask, then ask Allah” (al-Tirmidhī).
That is, direct your asking to Him alone, and do not call upon other than Him. For supplication is worship, and Allah has commanded that none be worshipped but Him. He says:
أَمَرَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ
“For your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him” (Qurʾān 17:23).
So set your face toward the religion, upright for your Lord, sincere in supplication and hope in your Creator, as He says:
وَأَنْ أَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًا وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ * وَلَا تَدْعُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنْفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ فَإِنْ فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“Set your face toward the religion, upright, and do not be among the polytheists. And do not call upon besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor harms you—if you do so, then you would indeed be among the wrongdoers” (Qurʾān 10:105–106).
Yes—he has wronged himself who places worship in other than its rightful place. How can one seek other than Allah? How can one ask from other than Him, while His treasures are full and His generosity cannot be exhausted? One of the righteous said: “O my Lord, I am amazed at one who knows You—how can he hope in other than You? And I am amazed at one who knows You—how can he seek help from other than You?”
So, turn, O servant of Allah, to Him. Humble yourself before Him. Do not hasten the fruits of your supplication, for there is wisdom in delay. The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ يَنْصُبُ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ يَسْأَلُهُ مَسْأَلَةً؛ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهَا، إِمَّا عَجَّلَهَا لَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَإِمَّا ذَخَرَهَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مَا لَمْ يَعْجَلْ
“There is no believer who turns his face to Allah asking Him for something except that He gives it to him—either granting it to him in this world or storing it for him in the Hereafter—so long as he does not become impatient” saying: دَعَوْتُ وَدَعَوْتُ وَلَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لِي
“I supplicated and supplicated, but I do not see a response” (Adab al-Mufrad).
Do not stand at the door of your Lord like one testing and experimenting, but like one certain and filled with great hope. Seek nearness to Him through what He has legislated and call upon Him through His most beautiful Names. Allah says: وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا وَذَرُوا الَّذِينَ يُلْحِدُونَ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ
“To Allah belong the most beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them” (Qurʾān 7:180).
And seek help from Him alone, without partner. Have you not heard the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ
“And if you seek help, then seek help from Allah” (al-Tirmidhī)?
How could it be otherwise, when in every rakʿah of our prayer we say: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
“You alone we worship, and You alone we seek help from” (Qurʾān 1:5).
O Lord, You are Allah—my sufficiency and my provision; upon You I rely, humbly and in trust. “O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you” (Qurʾān 4:59). I say these words of mine, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and for you—so seek His forgiveness.
