How does the Muslim know that his deeds have been accepted?
Question:
"May Allah be good to you. The noble questioner says: "How does the Muslim know that his deeds have been accepted?""
Answer:
"When he fears that they have not been accepted. And that (is proven) by the text of Allah's Book, the Mighty and Majestic:
{Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; and those who believe in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord, and those who join not anyone (in worship) as partners with their Lord; and those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning). It is these who race for the good deeds, and they are foremost in them [e.g. offering the compulsory Salat (prayers) in their (early) stated, fixed times and so on].} [Surah Al-Mu'minoon 23:57-61]
The Mother of the believers 'Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
"Oh Messenger of Allah {and those who give that which they give with their hearts full of fear...} is this the one who commits Zina, steals and drinks alcohol and fears that his goods deeds won't be accepted from him?"
He (the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"No, oh daughter of As-Siddeeq (Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with both), it is the one who prays, gives charity and fasts and fears that it won't be accepted from him."[1]
Hence him having fear (that his deeds won't be accepted) is a good sign in itself, if Allah wills. However, that fear should not reach the level of thinking evil thoughts about Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Rather it is a must that we have good thoughts about Allah. We have to have goods thoughts about Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. But we also fear at the same time; we fear from showing off, being undutiful towards Allah, and that our sins outweigh our good deeds. The believer has to fear all of this, but he has to have at the same time good thoughts about Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Yes."
Footnotes:
[1] reported by At-Tirmidhi 3175, Ibn Majah 4198, Ahmad 6/205 and Haakim 2/427, and declared Sahih by Shaykh Al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan-it-Tirmidhi 2537.
Shaykh Saalih bin Sa'd as-Suhaymee, may Allah preserve him
Translated by 'Abdurrahīm Ibn Muhammad Al-Hadhramī.
Published on Salafi-Dawah.com.
Use the player below or download the MP3 here.
"May Allah be good to you. The noble questioner says: "How does the Muslim know that his deeds have been accepted?""
Answer:
"When he fears that they have not been accepted. And that (is proven) by the text of Allah's Book, the Mighty and Majestic:
{Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord; and those who believe in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of their Lord, and those who join not anyone (in worship) as partners with their Lord; and those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charities, etc., have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning). It is these who race for the good deeds, and they are foremost in them [e.g. offering the compulsory Salat (prayers) in their (early) stated, fixed times and so on].} [Surah Al-Mu'minoon 23:57-61]
The Mother of the believers 'Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said:
"Oh Messenger of Allah {and those who give that which they give with their hearts full of fear...} is this the one who commits Zina, steals and drinks alcohol and fears that his goods deeds won't be accepted from him?"
He (the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"No, oh daughter of As-Siddeeq (Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with both), it is the one who prays, gives charity and fasts and fears that it won't be accepted from him."[1]
Hence him having fear (that his deeds won't be accepted) is a good sign in itself, if Allah wills. However, that fear should not reach the level of thinking evil thoughts about Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Rather it is a must that we have good thoughts about Allah. We have to have goods thoughts about Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. But we also fear at the same time; we fear from showing off, being undutiful towards Allah, and that our sins outweigh our good deeds. The believer has to fear all of this, but he has to have at the same time good thoughts about Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Yes."
Footnotes:
[1] reported by At-Tirmidhi 3175, Ibn Majah 4198, Ahmad 6/205 and Haakim 2/427, and declared Sahih by Shaykh Al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan-it-Tirmidhi 2537.
Shaykh Saalih bin Sa'd as-Suhaymee, may Allah preserve him
Translated by 'Abdurrahīm Ibn Muhammad Al-Hadhramī.
Published on Salafi-Dawah.com.
Use the player below or download the MP3 here.
السؤال : أحسن الله إليكم يقول السائل الكريم :كيف يعرف المسلم أن عمله مقبول؟
الشيخ صالح السحيمي : إذا خاف من عدم القبول بنص كتاب الله عز وجل {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ رَبِّهِمْ مُشْفِقُونَ (57) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ (58) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِرَبِّهِمْ لَا يُشْرِكُونَ (59) وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوْا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ (60) أُولَئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ (61)} [المؤمنون]، قالت أم المؤمنين عائشة رضى الله عنها : يا رسول الله هو المرء يزنى ويسرق ويشرب الخمر ويخشى أن لايقبل منه. قال : لا يا ابنة الصديق، هو المرء يصلى ويزكى ويصوم ويخشى أن لا يتقبل منه. فكونه يخشى فهذا فى حد ذاته من علامات الخير، لكن تبلغ الخشية حد أيش؟ سوء الظن بالله عز وجل، بل يجب أن نكون حسن الظن بالله، لابد أن نحسن الظن بالله سبحانه وتعالى، وفى الوقت نفسه نخشى من الرياء، نخشى من تقصيرنا فى جنب الله، نخشى من أن تغلب سيئاتنا حسناتنا، كله يجب أن يخشاه المؤمن لكن فى الوقت نفسه يجب أن يكون حسن الظن بالله سبحانه وتعالى، نعم
الشيخ صالح السحيمي : إذا خاف من عدم القبول بنص كتاب الله عز وجل {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ هُمْ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ رَبِّهِمْ مُشْفِقُونَ (57) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ يُؤْمِنُونَ (58) وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ بِرَبِّهِمْ لَا يُشْرِكُونَ (59) وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوْا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ (60) أُولَئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ (61)} [المؤمنون]، قالت أم المؤمنين عائشة رضى الله عنها : يا رسول الله هو المرء يزنى ويسرق ويشرب الخمر ويخشى أن لايقبل منه. قال : لا يا ابنة الصديق، هو المرء يصلى ويزكى ويصوم ويخشى أن لا يتقبل منه. فكونه يخشى فهذا فى حد ذاته من علامات الخير، لكن تبلغ الخشية حد أيش؟ سوء الظن بالله عز وجل، بل يجب أن نكون حسن الظن بالله، لابد أن نحسن الظن بالله سبحانه وتعالى، وفى الوقت نفسه نخشى من الرياء، نخشى من تقصيرنا فى جنب الله، نخشى من أن تغلب سيئاتنا حسناتنا، كله يجب أن يخشاه المؤمن لكن فى الوقت نفسه يجب أن يكون حسن الظن بالله سبحانه وتعالى، نعم