The Spiritual Logic of Surrender

Quran
  • 2:158
  • 2:196-200
  • 22:36
  • 48:27
Ahadith
  • The ten best days of the world (dunya) are the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah.
  • When you are in these ten days, say in abundance “Allahu Akbar”, “Alhamdulillah”, La Ilaha Illallah.”
  • There are no days in which good and righteous deeds are better than in these ten days.
  • When you fast on the Day of Arafat you will find your sins of the previous and coming year have been forgiven.
The Beauty of the First Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah
  • The opportunity for the believer who chooses to surrender to Allah to perform all five acts of worship described in the the first dimension (islam) of the Hadith of Jibreel (Shahada, Salat, Saum, Zakat, Hajj).
  • The opportunity to completely surrender to the Will of Allah in Hajj.
  • These are the days of remembrance (dhikr), so that your tongue penetrates your soul and your heart.
  • These are the days of Qiyam: spend the night in prayer, in utter surrender to the Will of Allah.
  • These are the days in which to give charity and seek forgiveness for all your sins and shortcomings.
  • These are the days in which to fast: Every time you fast for the sake of Allah, Allah places a distance of 70 years between you and Hellfire.
Allah is the Lord of the Seen and the Unseen
  • In the observable dimension, acts of worship (ibadah) can appear illogical and counter intuitive.
  • In the dimension of the Unseen, the logic of surrender to the Will of Allah inspires the believer to perform an act solely because Allah commanded him/her to do it.
The Surrender of All of the Prophets (AS)
  • Surrender gave them clarity, meaning and understanding.
  • O Allah! We hear and we obey.
  • We surrender to You, the Lord of the worlds.
  • Our Lord! Forgive us for we know not and to You shall we return.
The Surrender of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
  • When Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was at a loss, Allah said: We found you, O Muhammad seeking.
  • The only time he (SAW) was found was when Allah said: Surrender yourself to Me.
  • Bow down in these very distinct forms: Pray five times a day and engage in these distinct motions of meticulous surrender.
The Surrender of Prophet Ibrahim (AS):
  • Every juncture of Ibrahim’s (AS) life was a juncture of surrender.
  • The essential quality of Ibrahim (AS) is that on his own volition, with his own logic, rationale and intelligence, when his Lord told him to surrender, listen, obey, he (AS) said, “I surrender to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
  • When he (AS) was old, Allah had blessed him with a child and told him to take his young family to the middle of a barren desert.
  • Ibrahim (AS) said he will take them to a valley where there is nothing except “Your sacred House.”
  • Ibrahim (AS) is the only Prophet asked to sacrifice his child.
The Surrender of Prophet Isma'il (AS)
  • Ibrahim (AS) tells him he has seen in a vision that he must slaughter him.
  • Isma’il (AS) said, “Do what you are commanded to do. You will find me by the permission of Allah amongst the patient.”
  • When Isma’il (AS) laid his neck down for the slaughter and the knife was raised, Allah substituted a slaughter in the form of a sheep.
The Surrender of Sayda Hajar (RA)
  • Sayda Hajar (RA) went to the barren desert with her husband and son
  • When Ibrahim(AS) told her he had to leave them there, she repeatedly asked him why, but he didn’t respond.
  • Then she asked, “Is it Allah who has commanded you to do this?” and when he nodded she said,” Go. Allah will not leave us in a state of loss”.
The Surrender of Performing Hajj
  • Spending your money to obey Allah’s command to perform a sacred ritual
  • Leaving everything behind: family, friends, job, school
  • Leaving your stylish clothing behind and wearing two pieces of cloth
  • Meticulously observing the point of ihram
  • Circling around the Kaaba precisely 7 times
  • Running between Safa and Marwa 7 times
  • Going to Mina to rest
  • Going to Muzdalifah to gather 21+21+21+7 small stones
  • Going to Mt. Arafat
  • Going to Mina and throwing the stones at the pillars
  • Slaughtering a sheep
Developing our Spiritual Muscle of Surrender
  • There is a spiritual muscle of surrender within us that we must develop.
  • Through meticulous acts of worship, Allah is conditioning this muscle so that we realize our essential purpose, which is “I surrender my entire being to Allah”
  • When Allah tells us to surrender to His ritual acts, He is telling us to hold on to the most profound handhold (aaurwati alwuthqa).
  • At the essence of what it means to be a Muslim is the idea of surrender.
  • We must approach worship with the spirit of surrender: ‘Ya Allah! I am consciously surrendering to You, I direct my entire being to You and I surrender myself to You, and there is no safety, security or recourse except with You.”
Du’a
  • May Allah make us a people who find the profound wisdom and spiritual logic of surrender, who live every single day in a meticulous state of surrender. May Allah make us among those who surrender to Allah, who live to surrender to Allah and who thoughtfully and consciously surrender to Allah.
Questions
  • How can I cultivate the spiritual muscle of surrender in my life during each of the first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah?
  • When the world (dunya) tells me my acts of worship (ibadah) are illogical, how do I access the spiritual logic of surrender?
  • Have I given the command of Allah to perform the sacred rite of Hajj the priority in my life that it requires?