Rights of Allah & His Creation (II)
Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal relates: “I was riding behind the Holy Prophet (sa) and there was nothing between him and me but the rear part of the saddle, when he said, ‘O Mu‘az bin Jabal!’ to which I replied, ‘I am present O Messenger of Allah and at your service!’ The Holy Prophet (sa) travelled for a short while, when again, he said, ‘O Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal!’ to which I replied, ‘I am present, O Messenger (sa) of Allah and I am at your service.’ He then again travelled for a short while and said, ‘O Mu‘az bin Jabal!’ to which I replied, ‘I am present, O Messenger (sa) of Allah, and I am at your service!’ The Holy Prophet (sa) then said, ‘Do you know what right Allah has upon His servants?’ I submitted, ‘Allah and His Messenger (sa) know best.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘Verily the right of Allah over His servants is that they should worship Him and not associate anything with Him.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) then rode a short distance and then said, ‘O Mu‘az bin Jabal!’ to which I replied, ‘I am present O Messenger of Allah and I am at your service!’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘Do you know what rights the servants have upon Allah?’ I replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger (sa) know best.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘It is that Allah will not punish them.’” That is, people must firstly fulfil the rights they owe to Allah the Almighty. When they fulfil these rights and act accordingly, then they have rights over God Almighty.
When people obey Allah the Almighty’s commandments, then they are granted the right that Allah will not punish them. This is a narration of Sahih Muslim.
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Iman, Bab al-Dalil ala man mata ala al-Tauhid, Hadith 30)
Hazrat Mu‘az (ra) bin Jabal narrates: “I was once travelling in the company of the Holy Prophet (sa). Whilst we were on the journey, I moved closer and enquired, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah, tell me of a deed that will take me to Paradise and will keep me away from the Hellfire.’ The Holy Prophet (sa) said, ‘You have asked me about a great matter indeed! Yet it is attainable for whom Allah makes it easy for.’ He further said, ‘Worship Allah and do not associate any partners with Him; observe prayer; pay the Zakat; fast in the month of Ramadan and perform the pilgrimage to the House of Allah.’