So just who are these believers who have sold themselves to Allah?
التَّائِبُونَ الْعَابِدُونَ الْحَامِدُونَ السَّائِحُونَ الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
[Such believers are] the repentant, the worshippers, the praisers [of Allah ], the travelers [for His cause], those who bow and prostrate [in prayer], those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who observe the limits [set by] Allah . And give good tidings to the believers. (Surah At-Tawbah: 112)
First and foremost, they are التَّائِبُونَ At-Ta’iboon. The Repentant. They turn back to Allah, seeking His Forgiveness all the time.
So ask yourself:
- Am I of the Taa’iboon?
- Do I acknowledge my mistakes?
- Do I leave my sins?
- Do I regret doing them?
- Do I feel remorseful?
- Do I make a firm resolve never to go back?
- Do I hasten to do good deeds?
They are also الْعَابِدُونَ Al-‘Aabidoon. The Worshipers. They continuously show their obedience to Allah by offering not just the mandatory acts of worship, but also the voluntary ones. So ask yourself:
- Am I of the ‘Aabidoon?
- Am I sincere in my Ibadah (Worship)?
- Am I doing all those deeds that Allah approves of – such as Salah, Zakaat, Sadaqah, Dhikr, Recitation of Qur’an…?
- Am staying away from all those things that Allah dislikes?
They are also الْحَامِدُونَ Al Hamidoon. The Praisers of Allah. They consistently praise Him. In all situations, whether they receive a blessing or not, in times of difficulty or ease, whether rich or poor. They praise Allah in all situations, and that is because they know that every single action of Allah is based on His Absolute Wisdom. So they acknowledge the apparent blessings of Allah and the hidden. And even in times of difficulty, they seek out the blessing of Allah and they Praise Him for it. So ask yourself:
- Am I of the Hamidoon? Do I praise Allah constantly?
- Do I praise Him in times of goodness and ease?
- Do I praise Him in times of hardship and difficulty?
- Do I acknowledge all the blessings He has bestowed on me, both the hidden as well as the apparent?
They are السَّائِحُونَ As-Saa-i-hoon. The travelers. They travel with the intention of drawing closer to Allah, striving in his Way. They travel to attain knowledge, they travel for the purpose of Da’wah, they travel to observe the creation of Allah so that they can increase in their Iman, they travel to maintain ties with their family, they travel to earn a halal income, they travel to meet someone only for the sake of Allah.
These believers are not lazy people. They have sold themselves to Allah, so they have to come out of their comfort zone. They are always on the move and so they travel back and forth to achieve their goals and objectives which will bring them closer to Allah. So ask yourself:
- Am I of the Saa-i-hoon? Do I travel to draw closer to Allah?
They are الرَّاكِعُونَ السَّاجِدُونَ Ar-Raki’oona As-Sajidoon. Those who bow and prostrate. They offer their Salah abundantly. So ask yourself:
- Do I fulfill all the pre-requisites, pillars and conditions of Salah.
- Do I offer not just the obligatory Salah, but also the voluntary ones.
- Do I have Khushu’ in my Salah?
They are الْآمِرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ Those who enjoin what is right. So ask yourself:
- Am I a well-wisher to other believers?
- Do I feel sad when I see people wasting time and pursuing useless things?
- Do I encourage my family also to engage in righteous deeds?
- Do I teach and impart the knowledge of the Deen to others?
They are وَالنَّاهُونَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ Those who who forbid what is wrong. So ask yourself:
- Do I feel sadness when I see others committing a sin?
- Do I try to stop others from doing wrong?
They are وَالْحَافِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ اللَّهِ Those who observe the limits set by Allah. They respect those limits, they follow them and obey them in word and meaning. So ask yourself:
- Do I abide by Allah’s commands?
- Do I stay away from His Prohibitions?
At the end of this Ayah, Allah says: وَبَشِّرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ – Give Glad Tidings to the Believers
Glad tidings of reward in the Dunya, in the Akhirah and above all the glad tidings of Jannah and the Pleasure of Allah. This good news is for all those believers who have all the qualities mentioned here. Who fulfill all the terms and conditions of the greatest business deal Allah has set for them!
