Buffer Zones

[Acacia]

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

 

GOAL: to set up buffer zones that keep us well away from those clear borders and boundaries that Allah Ta'aala has set for us.

 

 “…tilka hudoodu Allahi fala taqrabooha…” [2:187]

These are the borders of Allah Ta’aala, so don’t approach them.

 

Allah Ta’aala has made very clear what is halal and what is haram – there is a very clear, distinct border between them; and, He tells us not to approach these borders.

 

To avoid the possibility of crossing the border, we put up rings of defence or buffer zones around ourselves to safeguard us from the possibility. 

1. One way we do this is by avoiding places and things that bring us close to the border. 
2. Another way we do this is by increasing the amount of good deeds and ibaadah we do.

 

Practical example for 1: If we avoid the places and things that bring us close to the border, we avoid the possibility of crossing the line. For example, we know that we need to lower our gaze and we can either choose to avoid going to the mall at 3:00 p.m. on a hot summer day when we know people will not be appropriately dressed, or we can go and face the very real possibility that we will fail to keep our gaze lowered.

 

Practical example for 2: If we increase our ibaadah and good deeds, we will have a buffer to keep us within the limits. For example, if we normally pray sunnah and nafl prayers, then those days when we are short of time or in some other difficult situation, we can forgo the nafl and then sunnah but our fardh would remain intact, protected. If we don't have the habit of praying sunnah and nafl prayers, then when we are in such a situation, we might end up forgoing our fardh prayers.

 

These barriers of defences not only help safeguard us but they also make it possible for us to progress and get closer to Allah Ta'aala.

 

(Summary of Shaykh Husain Abdul Sattar's talk on The Borders of Allah)

[ummtaalib]

A very important reminder sis Acacia..jazaakillah

 

A related article, I think itsbeen posted elsewhere on the forum so I wont post the article:

 

Abstain from the Pasture of Allah