Chapter: On Steadfastness
فی الاستقامۃ — استقامت کے بارے میں
فِي الْاِسْتِقَامَةِ — On steadfastness (istiqāma)
قَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى: فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ.
(Hūd 11:112)
Translation: Allah Most High says: Remain firmly established upon that which you have been commanded.
Friends! Istiqāma (steadfastness, remaining upright on the straight course) is a very difficult thing. To remain on the balanced middle course (iʿtidāl) and to avoid excess is no easy task.
قَالَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى: إِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ قَالُوْا رَبُّنَا اللّٰهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوْا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلٰٓئِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوْا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوْا وَأَبْشِرُوْا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِيْ كُنْتُمْ تُوْعَدُوْنَ نَحْنُ أَوْلِيٰٓؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْاٰخِرَةِ وَلَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيْٓ أَنْفُسُكُمْ وَلَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَدَّعُوْنَ نُزُلًا مِّنْ غَفُوْرٍ رَّحِيْمٍ.
(Ḥā Mīm al-Sajda [Fuṣṣilat] 41:30–32)
Vocabulary: inna alladhīna qālū — indeed, those people who said; rabbunā Allāh — our Lord is Allah; thumma staqāmū — and then remained firm upon it, adopted steadfastness; tatanazzalu ʿalayhimu al-malāʾikatu — angels descend upon them; allā takhāfū — that you should neither fear nor grieve; wa-abshirū bi-l-janna — and be glad with Paradise, there are glad tidings of Paradise for you; allatī kuntum tūʿadūn — which you were being promised; naḥnu awliyāʾukum — we are your friends; fī al-ḥayāti al-dunyā wa-l-ākhira — in the life of the world and in the Hereafter too; wa-lakum fīhā mā tashtahī anfusukum — in it you
will receive those things you desire, you will receive what your heart wishes; wa-lakum fīhā mā taddaʿūna — and all those things you ask for will be present before you; nuzulan — this is hospitality; min ghafūrin raḥīm — from the God of forgiveness and mercy.
Translation: Allah Most High says: Indeed, those people who said that Allah is our Lord and then remained firm upon it — angels descend upon them [saying] that you should neither fear nor feel grief and sorrow; and to you is given the glad tidings of Paradise, which you were promised. We are your friends in the life of the world and in the Hereafter. In it you will receive everything you desire, and all those things you ask for will be present before you. This is hospitality from the Forgiving, the Merciful.
عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللّٰهِ الثَّقَفِيِّ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ! قُلْ لِيْ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ قَوْلًا لَا أَسْأَلُ عَنْهُ أَحَدًا بَعْدَكَ وَفِيْ رِوَايَةٍ غَيْرَكَ قَالَ "آمَنْتُ بِاللّٰهِ ثُمَّ اسْتَقِمْ".
(Reported by Muslim.)
Translation: It is narrated from Ḥaḍrat Sufyān ibn ʿAbdullāh al-Thaqafī: I submitted to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Tell me such a thing concerning Allah [reading uncertain] that after you I would not ask anyone else about it — and in one narration, "[anyone] other than you". He said: Say, "I have believed in Allah," and remain firm upon it.