Al-Khoshou’ ( Submission and humility to A=
llah )
BS Foad,M.D. 2008
Definition
Khoshou̵=
7;s
implies the following meanings:
How the Qur’an describes Khoshou’ ?
1- Submission to Allah
2- The limbs are motionless
3- Being fearful of Allah or understanding our accountability to Him
4- Humility to Allah
5- The earth is barren
Submission to=
Allah
This submission will be obvious on the Day of Judgment, because everyone will then realize that Allah is in control, and that each person must account for he has done in life. This anticipation of judgment = and the prospect of punishment and the hope for being saved and the hope of God’s mercy dominate the hearts on that day.
On that Day will they follow the Ca=
ller
(straight): no crookedness (can they show) him: all sounds shall humble
themselves in the Presence of (Allah) Most Gracious: nothing shall thou hear
but the tramp of their feet (as they march).
=
; Ta
Ha 20 : 108
This scene is from the Day of Judgment, when vo=
ices
are quiet, everyone is waiting and hoping for Allah’s mercy:
And:
Some faces, that Day, will be humil=
iated,
=
; Al-Ghasheya 88 : 2
Laboring (hard), weary,
=
; Al-Ghasheya
88 : 3
The while they enter the Blazing Fi=
re,
=
; Al-Ghasheya
88 : 4
When we come out of our graves and are gathered=
to
the place when everyone is awaiting Allah’s judgment, you can see thi=
s submission
to Allah:
The Day whereon th=
ey
will issue from their sepulchers in sudden haste as if they were rushing to=
a
goal-post (fixed for them),
&n=
bsp; Al-Ma’rej 70 : 43 Their eyes lowered=
in
dejection, ignominy covering them (all over)! Such is the Day the which they
are promised!
&n=
bsp; Al-Ma’rej
70 : 44
Everything submits to Allah, even the mountains=
:
Had We
sent down this Qur-an on a mountain, verily, thou wouldst have seen it humb=
le
itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah. Such are the similitude’s
which We propound to men, that they may reflect.
&n=
bsp; Al-Hashr
59 : 21
Submission of our bodies and faculties
This feeling of Submission and humility to Allah
should occupy our hearts in this life. We owe everything to Allah and we ca=
nnot
exist without His grace. We cannot enumerate His blessings. Therefore we sh=
ould
turn to Him, grateful for His bounty and express this gratitude by submitti=
ng
to His will and by being humble. When our hearts are filled with this
Khoshou’ then this feeling is reflected in our limbs and faculties
This submission is seen in the way that we pray=
: We
are motionless and quiet. We concentrate and we offer our prayers in devoti=
on
to Allah. The Qur’an describes the believers when they pray:
The Believers must
(eventually) win through,
&n=
bsp; Al-Mumenoun 23 : 1 Those who humble
themselves in their prayers;
&n=
bsp; Al-Mumenoun
23 : 2
Ibn Omar said: When the believers come to praye=
r,
they approach it with humility and submission, as they lower their gaze to
where they will prostrate, and they understand that during their prayers Al=
lah
is looking at them, so are motionless, not turning right or left ( Soyouti =
).
Khoshou’ must s=
tart in
our hearts as the Qur’an describes:
Has not the time arrived for the
Believers that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembranc=
e of
Allah and of the Truth which has been revealed (to them), and that they sho=
uld
not become like those to whom was given Revelation aforetime, but long ages
passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are rebell=
ious
transgressors.
=
; Al-Hadeed
57 : 16
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) told us that Allah lo=
oks
at our hearts and our deeds: Our hearts indicate our faith and sincerity and
devotion. Our deeds reflect whether this faith is translated into action. In
other words are we committed or not :
( Allah=
does not look at your faces or your money, but He looks at your hea=
rts
and deeds )
Muslim
When we have faith, we realize and accept the t=
ruth
and submit to it. This truth is evident in the Qur’an and in the Sunn=
ah (
tradition ) of Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ).
We also submit to Allah and our hearts are fill=
ed
with love and gratitude to Him for His blessings. At the same time, we fear=
our
accountability and realize our responsibility. Therefore we take things
seriously and we watch our behavior and not do wrong. Rather we hasten in a=
ll
good deeds:
For, Believers are those who, when Al=
lah
is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His Signs
rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust in their
Lord;
=
; Al-Anfal
8 : 2
Remembering Allah makes us things clearly and
reminds us of our duties in serving Him. The closest we are to Allah is whe=
n we
prostrate during prayer. Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) said :
<=
span
class=3DGramE>( The closest to Allah a servant can get is during his
prostration, therefore increase your Du’a at that time )
Abou Dawood
Also we are close to Allah in the last third of=
the
night, when Allah listens to our prayers and answers our Du’a and for=
give
our sins:
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) said:
( The
Termedhi
When we remember Alla=
h and
glorify His praises, Allah will remember us :
Then do ye remember Me;
I will remember you. Be grateful to Me and reject not Faith.
=
; Al-Baqara
2 : 152
Being fearful of our
accountability
Khoshou’s
also implies that we understand and realize our accountability to Allah, and
that we are afraid of Allah’s displeasure and His wrath. We have
God’s prophets as our example in being fearful of Allah and appreciat=
ing
their accountability:
So We li=
stened
to him: and We granted him Yahya: We cured his wife's (barrenness) for him.
These (three) were ever quick in emulation in good works; they used to call=
on
Us with love and reverence, and humble themselves before Us.
=
; Al-Anbia’a
21 : 90
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) was most fearful of A=
llah
and understood his responsibility, therefore he was most God-conscious :
<=
span
class=3DGramE>( By Allah, among you I am most fearful of Allah, and =
I am
the most God-conscious )
Muslim
In another narration:
<=
span
class=3DGramE>( By Allah, among you, I most fearful of Allah and I a=
m the
most God-conscious, but I fast and I break my fast; I pray at night, but sl=
eep
part of the night; and I marry. Therefore, those who do not wish to follow =
my
tradition do not belong to us )
Bokhari
Humility to Allah
When
we submit to Allah and humble ourselves to Him, we increase our faith and a=
re
able to carry on our obligations towards Him. The Qur’an describes
Khoshou’ in this context :
Nay, seek (Allah's) help with patient
perseverance and prayer: it is indeed hard, except to those who bring a low=
ly
spirit,
=
; Al-Baqara
2 : 45
And :
And there are,
certainly, among the People of the Book, those who believe in Allah, in the
revelation to you, and in the revelation to them, bowing in humility to All=
ah:
they will not sell the Signs of Allah for a miserable gain! for them is a
reward with their Lord, and Allah is swift in account.
&n=
bsp; Al-Imran
3 : 199
And :
Say: "Whether ye believe in it or
not, it is true that those who were given knowledge beforehand, when it is
recited to them fall down on their faces in humble prostration,
=
; Al-Isra’a
17 : 107
And they say: "Glory to our Lo=
rd!
Truly has the promise of our Lord been fulfilled!"
=
; Al-Isra’a
17 : 108
They fall down on their faces in te=
ars,
and it increases their (earnest) humility.
=
; Al-Isra’a
17 : 109
To submit to Allah and to show humility is a
characteristic of the believers :
For Muslim men and
women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men =
and
women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who
humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women=
who
fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and=
for
men and women who engage much in Allah's praise, for them has Allah prepared
forgiveness and great reward.
&n=
bsp; Al-Ahzab
33 : 35
The reward=
and
benefits of Khoshou’
1-&n=
bsp;
We are adm=
itted
to God’s paradise
Is
paradise, because if we truly submit to Allah and understand our accountabi=
lity
to Him, then we will watch our behavior and do good
2-
Our prayers are accep=
ted
and atones for our sins
Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) said:
( Every=
Muslim who prepares
himself for an obligatory prayer and does his ablution well, and prays prop=
erly
with humility and devotion and submission, then his prayer will atone for h=
is
sins as long as he avoids the major sins )
Muslim
3-
Our Du’a to Allah is accepted when we subm=
it and
are humble
Prayer and Du’a=
in the
last third of the night when others are asleep, is likely to be accepted and
rewarded. We are not showing off, rather we are sincere and humble as we su=
bmit
To Allah , seeking His pleasure and fearful of our accountability to Him
Ikhbat ( Submission<=
/span>,
humility and being content ) implies:
·
Submission =
to
Allah
·
Humility
·
And being c=
ontent
in submitting to Allah
·
Loving Alla=
h and
glorifying Him
To submit to Allah an=
d be
content and accept His will and decree indicates faith in Allah:
And that those on =
whom
knowledge has been bestowed may learn that the (Qur-an) is the Truth from t=
hy
Lord, and that they may believe therein, and their hearts may be made humbly
(open) to it: for verily Allah is the Guide of those who believe, to the
Straight Way.
&n=
bsp; Al-Hajj
22 : 54
The Qur’an prai=
ses this
quality and characteristic, and promises those faithful servants of Allah
paradise:
But those who beli=
eve
and work righteousness, and humble themselves before their Lord, they will =
be
Companions of the Garden, to dwell therein for aye!
&n=
bsp; Hud
11 : 23
The
Qur’an describes those who submit to Allah and feel happy and content=
as
having the following qualities:
1-&n=
bsp;
Their hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned
2-&n=
bsp;
They patiently persevere despite adversity, without complaining
3-&n=
bsp;
They establish regular prayers
4-&n=
bsp;
They give in charity
To every people di=
d We appoint rites (of sacrifice), that they might celeb=
rate
the name of Allah over the sustenance He gave them from animals (fit for fo=
od),
but your God is One God: submit then your wills to Him (in Islam): and give
thou the good news to those who humble themselves,
&n=
bsp; Al-Hajj
22 : 34
To those whose hea=
rts,
when Allah is mentioned, are filled with fear, who show patient perseverance
over their afflictions, keep up regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out =
of
what We have bestowed upon them.
&n=
bsp; Al-Hajj
22 : 35