(65) To worship in secret

(65) To worship in secret
On a cold winter’s night about ten years ago, I was out in the desert with friends. One of our cars had broken down, so we had no choice but to stay out in the cold. I recall that we lit a fire and sat around it together. How pleasant are winter discussions when sitting around a campfire!
As our discussions protracted, I noticed that one of the brothers gently slipped out of our circle. He was a very pious man who used to perform acts of worship in secret. I would notice that he would go to the Jumu’ah prayers very early, sometimes so early that even the doors of the mosque would not have yet been opened!
He got up and took a pot full of water. I thought that perhaps he had gone to relieve himself. When he delayed his return for longer than usual, I got up to see where he was, only to find him far away from us. He had wrapped himself up with a cloak due to the extreme cold and was in the state of prostration on the sand, in the dark of the night, all on his own.
It was as if he was begging for Allah’s mercy and love. It was obvious that he loved Allah, and I think Allah loved him, too. I realised that to worship in secret honours a person in this world before being honoured in the Hereafter.
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Years have passed since then, and I still know him. Allah has made him much appreciated amongst the people. He participates fully in da’wah projects and guiding the people. When he walks about in a marketplace, I see the younger generation race to him to shake his hand, out of love and respect, before the older generation do!
How many businessmen, princes and famous people wish that the people would love them as they love this person, but how far from the mark they are!
You refuse to spend the night with a candle lit and sleep instead
And then you still expect to meet Me (Allah)?
Yes! As Allah says “Lo! Those who believe and do good works, the Beneficent will appoint for them love.” Meaning, Allah will cause the people to love them, for when Allah loves you, He makes you appreciated on the earth.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “When Allah loves a person, he calls out to Jibreel and says, ‘I love this person, so love him.’ Thus, Jibreel begins to love him. Then Jibreel calls out to the inhabitants of the heavens and says, ‘Allah loves this person, so love him.’ Thus, the inhabitants of the heavens love him. Then this love descends into the hearts of people. This is what Allah means when He says, “Indeed, those who believe and do good works, the Beneficent will appoint for them love.”
When Allah hates a person, He calls out to Jibreel saying, ‘I hate this person, so hate him.’ Thus Jibreel hates him.
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He then calls out to the inhabitants of the heavens and says, ‘Allah hates this person, so hate him.’ Thus, the people of the heavens hate him. Then this hatred descends into the hearts of people.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim)
How beautiful it is that you live, eat and drink in this world and at the same time Allah calls out your name in the heavens saying, “I love him, so love him!”
Az-Zubayr bin al-‘Awwam – may Allah be pleased with him –said, “Whoever of you is able to keep his righteous deeds a secret, then let him do so.”
Secret worship can be done in various ways. You can perform it by regularly praying the night prayers, even if it be one unit of prayer every night, which you pray immediately after ‘Isha, or before you go to bed, or before Fajr, just so that you are known by Allah to be from those who pray the night prayer.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “Allah is odd and He likes that which is odd. So pray the odd prayers (at night), O people of the Qur’an!”
From the secret acts of worship you can perform is to make peace between people, such as your quarrelling colleagues, neighbours, or a husband and wife.
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “Shall I not inform you of a station better than praying, fasting and giving in charity?”
People said, “Please, do.”
He replied, “To make peace between people, and to cause enmity between people is what erodes things.”
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Also from the secret acts of worship you can perform is to remember Allah much, for whoever loves something always remembers it. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said in a hadeeth, “Shall I tell you about the best of deeds, the most pure in the sight of your Lord, and the one that is of the highest order and far better for you than spending gold and silver (in charity)? It is even better for you than meeting your enemies on the battlefield where you strike at their necks and they at yours?”
The Companions replied, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah! What is it?”
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “Remembrance of Allah.”
Also from the secret acts of worship you can perform is to give charity in secret, for to give charity in secret extinguishes Allah’s anger.
Whenever Abu Bakr –may Allah be pleased with him –prayed Fajr, he would then go out into the desert to collect something before returning to Madinah. ‘Umar –may Allah be pleased with him– would be surprised as to why he would leave, so he decided one day to follow him secretly. After Fajr that day, he saw Abu Bakr leaving Madinah and arriving at an old tent in the desert. ‘Umar hid behind a huge rock to see what was about to happen.
Abu Bakr spent very little time in the tent and then left.
‘Umar then emerged from behind the rock and entered the tent to find a weak and blind woman with small children.
‘Umar asked her, “Who is this person who comes to you?”
She said, “I don’t know him. He is just an ordinary Muslim man. He has been coming to us every morning since such-and-such a time.”
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 ‘Umar said, “So what does he do for you?”
She replied, “He cleans the house, prepares the dough, milks our animals, and then leaves.”
‘Umar –may Allah be pleased with him– then left, saying to himself, “You have left the Caliphs who will succeed you exhausted, O Abu Bakr! You have left the Caliphs who will succeed you exhausted!”
‘Umar –may Allah be pleased with him– himself was not that far below Abu Bakr’s level of worship and devotion. Once Talhah bin ‘Ubaydullah saw ‘Umar leaving his house in the darkest hour of the night and then enter several houses, one after the other. Talhah became surprised and thought what ‘Umar could be doing in these houses. When Talhah woke up the next morning, he went to the first house to find an old, blind and disabled woman. He said to her, “Why does this man come to you?”
She replied, “He has promised to come to me since suchand-such a day. He comes to me to fulfil my needs and alleviate my suffering.”
Talhah then left and said to himself, “May your mother lose you, O Talhah! Are you checking up on someone like ‘Umar?”
One day, ‘Umar –may Allah be pleased with him– was heading for the outskirts of Madinah when he came across an old wayfarer resting in the middle of a path. He had erected his old tent and was sitting next to its entrance in a state of confusion.
‘Umar asked him, “Who are you?”
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He replied, “I am a Bedouin. I have come to Amir al-Mu’minin to be a recipient of his favours.” Meanwhile, ‘Umar heard a woman groan from inside the tent and asked the man about her.
He said, “Don’t worry. Just go and fulfil your need.”
‘Umar replied, “This is, in fact, my need.”
The man said, “My wife is about to give birth and I do not have any wealth or food. Nor do I have anyone to help me.”
‘Umar quickly returned to his home and said to his wife, Umm Kulthum, the daughter of ‘Ali bin Abi Talib – may Allah be pleased with them all, “Do you have anything at home that Allah has blessed you with?”
She enquired, “Why do you ask?”
He told her about the man. ‘Umar’s wife then carried with her some things, while ‘Umar carried a sack of food, a plate and firewood, and went to the man. ‘Umar’s wife then visited the man’s wife, while ‘Umar sat with the man. ‘Umar prepared the fire and blew on the flames while he was cooking the food; the smoke covered his beard while the man sat and watched.
Meanwhile, ‘Umar’s wife called out from inside the tent and said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin! Glad tidings of a baby boy!”
When the man heard the words, “Amir al-Mu’minin” he became shocked and said, “Are you the Caliph, ‘Umar bin al-Khattab?”
“Yes, I am”, replied ‘Umar.
The man was bemused and began to distance himself from ‘Umar.
‘Umar said, “Stay in your place.”
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He then got hold of the plate, placed it next to the tent and called out to his wife, Umm Kulthum saying, “Take some food for her.” The woman then ate some food and left the rest outside the tent. ‘Umar then took the plate and placed it in front of the man and said, “Have something to eat, for you haven’t slept since last night.”
‘Umar then called his wife out of the tent and said to the man, “Do come to us tomorrow and we will give you whatever you wish.”
May Allah have mercy on ‘Umar for his humbleness and secret acts of worship which he did for the sole objective of earning Allah’s love.
‘Ali bin al-Husayn – may Allah have mercy upon him and his father – would carry a sack of bread on his back at night and give it in charity. He would say, “Giving charity in secret extinguishes Allah’s wrath.” When he died, black marks were found on his back, and it was said, “This is the back of a person who carries loads, but as far as we are aware, he never worked as someone who did that.”
When the food supply stopped reaching a hundred homes in Madinah - and these were the homes of widows and orphans who would receive their food supply at night while not knowing who delivered it to them – people realised that it was ‘Ali bin al-Husayn who would bring these food supplies and spend on these people.
One of the Salaf fasted for twenty years, fasting a day and not fasting the next, whilst his family had absolutely no knowledge of it. He would have a shop that he would go to at sunrise taking with him his breakfast and lunch.
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If it was the day he was fasting, he would give his food in charity. If it was the day he was not fasting, he would eat the food. After sunset, he would return to his family and have dinner with them.
Yes! They would endeavour to make their acts of worship solely for Allah. They are the ones who are truly pious and about whom Allah says, “Indeed! For the duteous is achievement – Gardens enclosed and vineyards, and full-breasted maidens of companions; And a full cup. There hear they never vain discourse, nor lying − Requital from thy Lord − a gift in payment.”
Seek the love of the Creator, and He will place in the hearts of the creation the love for you.

Enlightenment…
The objective is not to make people love you superficially, but they should really love you in their hearts.
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