The Urgency of Returning to Allāh

The urgency of returning to Allāh is shown greatly in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2750. It was narrated by Ḥanzalah al-Usayyidī رضي الله عنه that he said:

I met Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنه and he said to me: “How are you, O Ḥanzalah?”

Ḥanzalah رضي الله عنه said:

“Ḥanzalah has become a hypocrite.”

Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه said:

“Subḥānallāh! What are you saying?”

Ḥanzalah رضي الله عنه said:

“When we are with Rasūlullāh ﷺ, he reminds us of Paradise and Hellfire until it is as if we see them with our own eyes. But when we leave him, we busy ourselves with our wives, our children, and our businesses, and we forget much.”

Subḥānallāh, look at the concern the companions رضي الله عنهم used to have. Now look at Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq’s response.

Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه said:

“By Allāh, I feel the same thing.”

Then Ḥanzalah رضي الله عنه said:

“Come, let us go to Rasūlullāh ﷺ.”

So they left immediately.

Subḥānallāh, look at the urgency of returning to Allāh that the companions had. The moment they felt a drop in their īmān, they did not postpone. They did not make excuses. They went straight to Rasūlullāh ﷺ to fix it.

And look at us today. We feel the distance. We feel the hardness. We feel the forgetfulness. And we say: “I’ll fix it later. After this project. After this exam. After this season.” And later never comes.

So, they entered upon Rasūlullāh ﷺ and said:

“Ḥanzalah has become a hypocrite, O Rasūlullāh.”

Rasūlullāh ﷺ asked:

“Why is that?”

Then they (Ḥanzalah and Abū Bakr aṣ-Ṣiddīq رضي الله عنهما) explained the reason.

And Rasūlullāh ﷺ responded:

“By Him in Whose hand is my soul, if you remained in the state you are in when you are with me and always engaged in remembrance, the angels would shake hands with you in your beds and on your paths. However, O Ḥanzalah, there is a time for this and a time for that.” He said this three times.

This hadith is a mercy for every believer who has ever felt their īmān rise and fall. But it is also a rebuke to every believer who delays returning to Allāh.

Rasūlullāh ﷺ did not say the fluctuation is a sin. He normalized it. But he also taught us what to do about it.

The heart was created to turn. In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2655, it was narrated by ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ رضي الله عنهما that Rasūlullāh ﷺ used to say:

“O Turner of hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion.”

If the heart of Rasūlullāh ﷺ needed to be turned and stabilized by Allāh, what about ours?

So do not despair when your īmān feels low. But do not delay either.

May Allāh azza wa jall resurrect us with Rasūlullāh ﷺ and the companions. And may we get to be their companions in Jannah. Āmīn yā Rabb al-‘Ālamīn, bi rahmatika yā Arḥam ar-Rāḥimīn.