On Ridhaa (Submission & Pleasure with Fate)

[ummtaalib]

RIDHÃ---PLEASURE

 

Allah Ta’ãla says:

“Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.”

 

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) said: “Of the good fortune of man is his pleasure with that which Allah has ordained for him.”

 

THE NATURE OF RIDHÃ

This consists of total submission and pleasure with qadhã (fate). One should neither by word or deed object against fate.

 

Ridhã develops to such a lofty degree that its domination permeates one’s being. In this high state of Ridhã hardship recedes and is not considered as such. The state of ridhã in which even pain is not felt is called ridhã-tab’i (natural ridhã). The stare in which ridhã prevails along with the sensation of pain is called ridhã-aqli (intellectual ridhã).

 

The first state (ridhã-rab’i) is a physical condition, the acquisition of which is not incumbent. The second stare (ridhã-aqli) is an intellectual condition, the acquisition of which is incumbent.

 

Ridhã with fate is commanded and exhorted so as to inculcate in one the qualities of perseverance and contentment when afflicted by adversity and hardship. When ridhã has been inculcated adversity will be taken in its stride with Contentment and without feeling any undue hardship. This is so because the intelligence alerts one to the superior results of such ridhã in the face of adversity. The result of such ridhã is future thawãb (reward). This will be better understood by means of an illustration.

 

A physician prescribes a bitter remedy to a patient or may even insist on an operation. The patient bears in mind his future recovery and health, and willingly submits to the treatment. He is not only pleased with the physician bur feels indebted to him.

 

Similarly he who firmly believes that Allah Ta’ãla will grant thawãb for every difficulty and sorrow experienced here, will most certainly be imbued with pleasure and happiness. The thawãb for such ridhã is of such a nature that all difficulty wanes into nothingness. It is improper to desire anything contrary to that which Allah Ta’ãla has willed and ordained for the servant. When Allah Ta’ãla considers adversity and difficulty appropriate and advantageous for us, then we as His servants have no valid reason for dissatisfaction and sorrow.

 

Whatever state Allah Ta’ãla chooses for a servant, that is best for him. Man seeing another in a more prosperous condition than himself yearns for such prosperity and is not contented with his own lot. But, reflection will convince one that the condition chosen for one by Allah Ta’ãla is best.

 

It should be observed that making duã is not contrary to ridhã. Ahlullaah (Saints of Allah) resort to duã merely because of the Divine Command. In this way they profess their abdiyat (state of total submission and slavery to Allah). They therefore do no insist on the attainment of what is being supplicated for. In all states and circumstances they are fully pleased with the Choice of Allah Ta’ãla whether their duã is accepted or not. Non-acceptance never induces in them dissatisfaction. This then is the sign of Ridhã.

 

ACQUISITION OF RIDHÃ

Ridhã is the effect of muhabbat (Love for Allah). There is therefore no separate means of acquiring this quality. Ridhã is a necessary corollary of muhabbat.

TarbiyatusSãlikeen

Editor: Shaykh Mufti Zubair Dudha

Published By: Islãmic Tarbiyah Academy

[Bint e Aisha]

Correspondence of  Hazrat Moulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Saheb (rahimahullah)

 

Condition:

Please explain the meaning of “radhaa bil qadhaa” to me.

 

Answer:

To abstain from objecting or complaining - either with the tongue or the heart - about the conditions that are sent by Allah Ta‘ala which are against one’s likes. Instead, one should accept that Allah Ta‘ala is both the Absolute Ruler and Absolutely Wise as well. Hence, one must consider His decree to be beneficial and one must remain pleased with it. This is the meaning of “radhaa bil qadhaa”. Nevertheless, to experience natural sorrow over a calamity and to make du‘aa for it to be alleviated does not contradict or negate “radhaa bil qadhaa”.

 

(Solutions to Spiritual Maladies for the Lovers of Allah Ta‘ala, pg. 244)

 

http://uswatulmuslimah.co.za/womens-issues/spiritual-maladies.html