Best way to choose new Emir of Zazzau

 

Kaduna based Islamic scholar Dr Ahmad Gumi has disclosed what he refers to as the best practical way to choose out of contending candidates.

Gumi spoke via a post in response to comments by Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai on how he will decide on who succeeds Alhaji Shehu Idris as new Emir of Zazzau.

Dr Gumi said: “Get the contesting candidates together. Each should secretly name the person among them he would like to win if by chance he does not get it. The person with the highest votes even by one is the natural leader. And he’s most likely to get their full cooperation.

“This was the same way Othman bin ‘Affan -radiyallahu ‘anhu- emerged the preferred candidate for leadership among the others.

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Working For Allah

“Working for Allah is what you do for living – meaning, that is what you do as the overriding purpose and preoccupation of your life.

All else – your job, career, education, family, friends, everything – is part of the support network you need to be able to do Allah’s work.

What is Allah’s work? Let me try and explain, even though it is by no means an easy undertaking.

Loving Allah: The Reciprocal Love

What do people love?
It is probably impossible to find a human being who does not love. Most people love their families, spouses and friends. Others love status and money. You can tell a person’s love for something or someone by what they do and how they act.

And we love all of these things despite their temporary nature, despite the fact that they disappoint us sometimes. It is almost an intrinsic part of a human being. And we all love for similar reasons—we love people for the perceived good qualities that we see in a person or the way they treat us. We love things because of the way those things make us feel.

10 Ways of Developing Love for Allah

Adapted from Shaykh Ibn Qayyim's (Rahimahul lah) Madarij-us-Saalikeen

Shaykh Ibn al-Qayyim (rah) says: The reason which cause mahabbah (love) of Allah to develop, are ten:

First: Reciting the Qur'an, reflecting and understanding its meaning and its intent.

Second: Drawing closer to Allah 'the Most High' through optional deeds (Nafilah prayers, fasting etc), after fulfilling the obligatory duties.

Gratitude in the Qur'an

  From a Book by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

Allâh tells us:

“Then remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject Me” (al-Baqarah 2:152).

And He has told us that only those who are grateful to Him truly worship Him:

“... and be grateful to Allâh, if it is Him you worship” (al-Baqarah 2:172)

Prohibition of Haram Earnings (Sustenance) in Islam

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, The Merciful

Allah does not accept the prayer of He who eats Haram

When you pray to Allah, ask Him to grant you patience to work for Halal earnings and make you contented with it no matter how little.

Eating from Halal is the number one basis for our prayers to be accepted. Allah will not accept the prayers of a soul nourished from Haram. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) told us, "Allah is Pure, and accepts only the pure." [Muslim and Tirmidhi

So acceptance of our du'a (and our deeds generally) can be determined by our Halal or Haram consumption. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said to the Companion Sa’d:

"O Sa’d! Purify your food, your supplication will be accepted. By the one in whose hand lays the life of Muhammad, verily a servant places a morsel of Haram in his stomach (and as a result) forty days of worship will not be accepted from him.” [Tabrani]

The Power of Sujood (Prostration)

Ibn Al-Qayyim described the sujood as the secret of prayer, the greatest pillar, and the seal of the rukoo’. He said all the other actions we did before it were just preludes.

True Happiness
Where do we find happiness? Not material happiness, but true internal happiness. As Muslims, we may respond that true happiness in this world comes from being closer to God. The closer you are to Allah, the more your heart is at rest. This is why the Prophet (pbuh)  chose to be with Allah, saying “God has given a slave the choice between immortality in this world for as long as God wills, or meeting his Lord, and he has chosen to meet his Lord.” When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this he wept, because he knew that the Prophet (pbuh) had chosen being with Allah over this life.

To be close to Allah, you have to go into sujood. The Prophet (pbuh) said:

أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ
“The closest that a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration.” (Muslim)