ISTIQOMAH WORSHIPS IN THE AGE OF SLANDER

A Muslim is required to always fill his life with worship to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.Human nature is to have a dependence on begging for something.As when we ask for help to people. We also need to ask God for help.As Allah said in Sura Al- Fatihah verse 5 which reads

إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ ٥

" only to Thee we obey and submit, and only   to Thee do we ask forhelpto  obey Thee"  

Every day at least seventeen times a day we ask God to always guide us to keep us from all the mudharatan and get good.Begging for help is part of worship.In short, worship means what is loved and loved by Allah in the form of deeds and words, birth and mind.For example, we carry out prayer orders, zakat, dhikr, etc.All of these things we must intend to seek God alone.

Satan never likes that a servant of God does good, so he always tempts people to be lazy in worshipping God.The various ways they do so that people are complacent from worshiping God.As Allah says in Sura Al- A'rafayat 17 which reads

ثُمَّ لَأٓتِيَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَيۡنِ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِمۡ وَعَنۡ أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمۡۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ شَٰكِرِينَ ١٧

"I will definitely tease humans from their front, back, KAnan, and left .  So thatyou will see most  of the peopledisobedient  to You. “

An example of Satan's temptation is when people are complacent in worship.They are more concerned with not missing out on soap operas that are preferred than prayers on time, love work more and forget about friday prayers that are held once a week, prefer to spend their money for personal gain rather than berinfaq in the way of Allah, and many others.Which in essence, keeping people away from Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala.

We are currently living in an age full of challenges and disturbances to the authenticity, worship, morals, and mu'amalah of Islam.Various forms of syubhat and shahwat come one after another, chastening, and trying to weaken our commitment to the religion of God. especially the commitment in fulfilling our obligations as a believer.

The increasingly sophisticated technology actually makes humans feel to linger in front of smartphone screens for a moment to chat on social media. This is of course very time-consuming. The time that should have been spent on worship was precisely in vain.

All of these challenges must be answered with a strong commitment and determination to continue to worship God. One of the keys to staying true to all these circumstances is istiqomah in all the things of worship that we have performed.That is commitment in carrying out the commandments and staying away from the prohibitions of God and being sincere in living them. As God says in Hud verse112 which reads

فَلَعَلَّكَ تَارِكُۢ بَعۡضَ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيۡكَ وَضَآئِقُۢ بِهِۦ صَدۡرُكَ أَن يَقُولُواْ لَوۡلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيۡهِ كَنزٌ أَوۡ جَآءَ مَعَهُۥ مَلَكٌۚ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ نَذِيرٞۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَكِيلٌ ١٢

" O Muhammad, be firminyour heart and the heart of one who repents  with youaccording to Allah's  command to you . And you shall not violate  Hisshari'a. Truly  Your  God know very well what  you have done in the world. ” 

There is no eternal determination but that determination is made to God.When we are determined for the world, then once we can the one we want we will return to lethargy.But when our commitment is to Allah, we want to go to heaven, then that commitment will remain eternal until our goal is achieved, In syaa Allah

In beristiqomah we must know that it is a gift from God.So it is appropriate that in our desire to have faith we also ask God to continue to be given ease in carrying it out. Because God is in control of ourselves and our hearts.

So in this slanderous age for us to be able to be istiqomah in worship is to understand our purpose and purpose in worship. Our worship is only to seek God's blessings, not human praise.Then, the feeling of always being watched over by God is a powerful way of living in this age of slander or the end times.Wallahu a'lam bisshowab

Amjad Haidar