Lesson 6 – Expecting the rewards of deeds (ihtisab)

The Quran and Hadith are filled with warnings against sins and the virtues of good deeds.
A believer ought to have yaqin (conviction) on the incentives mentioned by Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu ’alayhi wasallam).
This is the most effective way of being inspired to obedience.
One who has the rewards of deeds in mind, will not shy away from those deeds.
One quality of our Beloved Nabiy (sallallahu ’alayhi wasallam) with which he has been repeatedly described in the Quran is: Al-Mubash-shir (The conveyor of glad tidings).
Our Nabiy (sallallahu ’alayhi wasallam) has mentioned innumerable glad tidings for various deeds of obedience.
Every branch of Islam has a virtue attached to it.

My Beloved Father; Hazrat Moulana Haroon Abasoomar saheb (rahimahullah) would always remind himself and his associates of the rewards of acts of virtue when the opportunity for those deeds arose.

• When passing by a shopping area, no matter how small an area it may be, he would recite the du’a for the market place. He would always encourage his companions to do the same and remind them of the “million rewards” that are achieved through its recital, in addition to “the million sins forgiven and a house in Jannah.”
• When visiting the sick, he would quote the Hadiths that promise huge rewards for this noble deed.
• When in the Haramayn he would love to give charity to attain the multiplied rewards of virtuous deeds in the blessed lands. In fact, he would send sadaqah with others, to be given to the beggars of the Holy lands with the expectation of those rewards.
• When discharging zakat or even voluntary charity (sadaqah) he would look for the most worthy and rewarding causes. He would even discuss this with his associates to decide which was the most rewarding avenue.
• Even when engaging in mundane deeds like greeting an elderly Muslim, or putting a smile on the face of a Muslim etc. he would be fully cognisant of the merits of those deeds.
• When at the ocean, he would remind those he was with to recite Allahu Akbar forty times with the crashing of each wave as this is a means of forgiveness of sins.
• When encouraging the recital of Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah and Allahu Akbar, he would mention the incentive of each sentence yielding a tree in Jannah.

This noble habit of Moulana (rahimahullah) has had a profound effect on all, young and old.
Several people recall these reminders of Hazrat (rahimahullah) and attribute their steadfastness on a particular practice to this.

May Allah Ta’ala grant us all this unique quality of ihtisab (expectation of reward).
May Allah grant Hazrat the highest of stages in Jannah. Amin.

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