Jamel Ben Ameur

08/21/2026

Preserving the Covenant, Safeguarding the Blessing

It is in the nature of the human being to be forgetful and ungrateful, particularly in the absence of guidance. Such a nature is described in the following Ayah: “When one is touched with hardship, they cry out to their Lord, turning to Him ˹alone˺. But as soon as He showers them with blessings from Him, they ˹totally˺ forget the One they had cried to earlier, and set up equals to Allah to mislead ˹others˺ from His Way. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ ‘Enjoy your disbelief for a little while! You will certainly be one of the inmates of the Fire.’” (39:8)

Forgetfulness and disobedience are both deeply rooted in human nature. Allah has granted them everything they have asked of Him, yet they respond to His giving with injustice and ingratitude. Allah, the Exalted, says: “And He has granted you all that you asked Him for. If you tried to count Allah’s blessings, you would never be able to number them. Indeed humankind is truly unfair, ˹totally˺ ungrateful.” (14:34)

They are profoundly unjust because they forget Allah’s favors and use His gifts in ways that do not please Him. Thus, they derive from the blessing nothing but the loss of its blessing and the wronging of their own souls. And they are deeply ungrateful because they do not remember the favors; and when they do not remember them, they do not fulfill their due. The due of every blessing is gratitude to Allah, the Exalted. Thus, they are unjust and ungrateful.

This condition encompasses both the believer and the non-believer, although they differ in their degrees of injustice and ingratitude. Regardless of one’s affiliation, however, being granted Allah’s favor and then forgetting it is itself a trial, as Allah, the Exalted, says: “Then when We shower Our blessings upon them, they say, ‘I have been granted all this only because of ˹my˺ knowledge.’ Not at all! It is ˹no more than˺ a test. But most of them do not know.” (39:49)

This trial can be understood as follows: when a person is afflicted by harm, distress, or anxiety, they hasten to supplicate Allah. But when the blessing is granted and the hardship is removed, doubt begins to enter their mind: Was what happened truly from Allah, or was it merely the result of ordinary causes and circumstances?

The overwhelming prominence of material causes in a person’s perception can lead them to overlook Allah’s intervention in removing harm, distress, or anxiety—particularly when they live in a materialistic environment. Thus, when a sick person is healed, Satan confuses the matter for them: Was the healing the result of the medicine, or was it the result of their supplication? They forget that the medicine itself is merely a means through which Allah has placed the capacity to remove harm.

This, then, is a trial—a trial connected to one’s covenant with Allah, the Exalted. Allah says concerning Adam: “And We had already taken a promise from Adam before, but he forgot; and We found not in him determination.” (20:115)

To be heedless of the Bestower who granted the blessing of removing harm, distress, and anxiety is to be heedless of fulfilling the right of that blessing. It is also to be heedless of directing that blessing toward what honors and ennobles the soul. Such heedlessness undermines one’s resolve, for forgetting the blessing and the One who bestowed it undermines the very foundation upon which resolve is built. When one becomes heedless of a blessing, the blessing is, in the first place, no longer present in their remembrance. Consequently, they have no intention of fulfilling its due. And when that intention is absent, true resolve to fulfill that obligation can never be formed. Thus, the undoing of resolve—or, rather, its absence—and reliance upon oneself after self-admiration, as Allah, the Exalted, says in the aforementioned verse: “He said, ‘I was only given it because of knowledge I possess’” (39:49), gradually result in the bond of the covenant and obedience being loosened.

For the servant to remedy this state and not persist in injustice and ingratitude, they must understand the covenant by understanding the matters that help them remember Allah’s favor, fulfill its due right, and prevent the soul from falling into injustice and ingratitude.

First: Awareness of Divine Decree
This awareness requires an understanding of the Divine Will and of the test of free choice—a test in which those who failed to grasp their role in fulfilling the trust have fallen short. As Allah, Most High, says: “Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and feared it; yet man undertook it. Indeed, he has been ever unjust and ignorant.” (33:72)

Everything that befalls the servant is first known to Allah and has been written from pre-eternity. Yet the servant’s choices, made within the framework of the Divine Will, are the means through which Allah’s decree unfolds. When that decree comes to pass, its creation belongs to Allah alone. Awareness of this process keeps the servant from overlooking Allah’s bounty when it comes or failing to recognize His blessing when it is bestowed. It enables the servant to perceive Allah’s hand in all that occurs and in every experience he encounters. This is the meaning of “There is no power and no strength except through Allah.”

Such awareness keeps the servant close to Allah. Whenever one strays from the path, they hasten to return to Him in repentance. In this way, the servant comes to know their Lord through the traces of His favor, mercy, gentleness, and all His other blessings.

Second: The Intrinsic Guiding Principle in Human Life within the Framework of the Divine Will
The guiding principle inherent in human life—and that which gives meaning to its changing circumstances—is the process of testing and refinement. This divinely ordained process unfolds according to the way Allah, Exalted is He, has established: His will to guide. Allah, Exalted is He, says: “And so that through this, Allah tests what is within you and purifies what is in your hearts. And Allah knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart.” (3:154). The servant thus learns to understand life’s events through the lens of this divinely ordained process of testing, purification, and refinement. It gives meaning to the journey of life, for life is fundamentally a trial. As Allah, Exalted is He, says: “He is the One Who created death and life in order to test which of you is best in deeds. And He is the Almighty, the Most Forgiving.” (67:2). Whoever becomes heedless of this process of purification also becomes heedless of the covenant and of Allah’s blessings. Such a person becomes captive to the deeply rooted human tendencies toward wrongdoing, ingratitude, and ignorance.

To preserve the covenant, safeguard the blessing of Allah’s favor, and avoid being deprived of His gifts, guidance, mercy, and gentleness, the servant must not forget the Bestower—Allah—when they are granted a blessing.

First, the servant must understand what takes place within the Divine Decree. They must recognize that their choices are the means through which events come to be, while creation itself occurs at the moment of the act or event. When the servant understands this, they recognize that whatever befalls them unfolds within the sphere of their choices and in accordance with the divine laws and patterns encompassed by the Divine Will. They then become attentive to the good that reaches them and understand how the evil that befalls them comes about. As Allah says: “Whatever good befalls you is from Allah, and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself.” (4:79)

Second: Connecting Reliance upon Allah with Gratitude
Allah, the Exalted, says: “Take none other than Me as your Wakil (Protector, Lord, or Disposer of your affairs). O descendants of those We carried with Noah. Indeed, he was a grateful servant.” (17:2–3). From this verse, one can discern the close connection between reliance upon Allah and gratitude. Allah says, “Take none other than Me as your Wakil,” signifying reliance upon Him, and then describes Noah, peace be upon him, as “a grateful servant.” This highlights the intrinsic connection between Tawakkul and gratitude in the servant’s actions. The servant should therefore make Tawakkul—reliance upon Allah—a comprehensive foundation accompanying all their actions. Once they have resolved upon a course of action, they place their reliance upon Allah, as Allah says: “Once you have made a decision, then put your trust in Allah. Surely Allah loves those who trust in Him.” (3:159)

Then, when they witness the fruits of their efforts, they follow them with gratitude, leaving no room for Satan to mislead them or cause them to overlook the good that Allah has granted them—whether healing, wealth, mercy, or any other blessing. Nor do they regard the arrival of the blessing as merely a matter of habit or something to be taken for granted. Rather, they recognize that it comes from Allah. They therefore express their gratitude as an act of worship, seeking through it to preserve the blessing and increase it, as Allah says: “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you.” (14:7)

Thus, they become reliant upon Allah and grateful to Him, preserving the covenant and protecting themselves from falling into injustice and ingratitude.

08/21/2026

Facing the Human Nature of Forgetfulness and Ingratitude

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08/14/2026

They Will Say, “Had We But Listened or Reasoned”

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08/07/2026

No Crossing: “You Have Your Way, and I Have My Way”

07/31/2026

The Reasons for Fearing People More Than Allah

07/24/2026

The Affliction of Self-Justification in Religious Understanding

Allah, the Exalted, says: “They disputed with falsehood in order to invalidate the truth. So I seized them — then how terrible was My punishment!” (40:5).

The phenomenon of disputing the truth with falsehood — whether in the past or the present — is fundamentally rooted in the desire to justify actions driven by personal whims and to preserve a way of life shaped by a form of knowledge that serves worldly interests. Allah, the Exalted, says: “Then, when their messengers came to them with clear proofs, they rejoiced in the knowledge they possessed” (40:83). The underlying reason for such justification is their satisfaction with, and attachment to, the condition in which they live. Allah says: “Indeed, those who do not expect to meet Us, being pleased and content with this worldly life, and who are heedless of Our signs, they will have the Fire as a home because of what they have committed” (10:7-8).

Among the most prominent methods they employ to dispute the truth and justify their positions — thereby preserving their way of life and convincing themselves that they are right — is their appeal to the Divine Will and Predestination. Allah says in the Quran: “The polytheists said, 'Had Allah willed, neither we nor our forefathers would have worshipped anything besides Him'” (16:35). And He also says: “Or [lest] you say, 'It was only that our fathers associated [others in worship] with Allah before, and we were but descendants after them. Then would You destroy us for what the falsifiers have done?'” (7:173). The primary objective behind such appeals is to reinforce their attachment to the worldly life while constructing what they imagine to be evidence that they are merely victims of Divine Will. In this way, they persuade themselves that no blame rests upon them and that their actions are justified. Such people fabricate for themselves a conception of Allah that differs from what He has revealed and presume to speak on His behalf without knowledge. Allah says: “And if We let them taste a mercy from Us after being touched with adversity, they will certainly say, 'This is what I deserve. I do not think the Hour will ˹ever˺ come. And if in fact I am returned to my Lord, the finest reward with Him will definitely be mine.' But We will surely inform the disbelievers of what they used to do. And We will certainly make them taste a harsh torment” (41:50).

Appealing to predestination as a justification is fundamentally false, for every human being experiences the reality of free choice in what they decide to do and what they refrain from doing. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, does not compel anyone to act; rather, every person will meet the consequences of the choices they freely make. Allah says: “As for Thamûd, We showed them guidance, but they preferred blindness over guidance. So the blast of a disgracing punishment overtook them for what they used to commit” (41:17).

This is the very methodology of those who have chosen the materialistic, consumerist way of life. They seek to justify their actions and strive to fashion an understanding of Islam that conforms to their desires. Among the most prevalent forms of disputation in our time is the appeal to the majority. They ask, “Is it conceivable that everyone could be wrong?” They regard the widespread acceptance of a practice and the large number of those who engage in it as evidence of its correctness, even though Allah, the Exalted, says: “If you were to obey most of those on earth, they would lead you away from Allah’s Way. They follow nothing but assumptions and do nothing but lie” (6:116).

The real danger is that those who justify their actions through such arguments eventually transform disputation itself into a creed. They imagine it to be a proof that they will present before Allah. In this way, disputation becomes a means of obscuring spiritual insight and ultimately causing the death of the heart.

To confront this affliction, we must first examine the causes that lead to such misguidance. Among the most significant are the following:

First: The Nature of Belonging

The human need to belong arises from one’s social nature. It protects a person from isolation and provides a sense of identity, acceptance, and integration within a community. For this reason, the nature of one’s affiliation — and the role models associated with it — plays a decisive role in shaping character, directing behavior, and establishing the values and standards a person ultimately adopts. If a person’s primary concern in belonging is to gain the approval of those with whom they identify and to be accepted as one of them in order to satisfy their desires, then, in reality, they have made themselves servants of that group’s way of life. They inevitably conform to whatever pleases them and adopt the principles by which they live.

The transition from firm affiliations rooted in faith and enduring values to fluid identities fashioned by the marketplace, the media, and consumer culture inevitably leads to the erosion of character, the fragmentation of identity, and a profound sense of alienation. The result is a form of materialistic religiosity: outwardly adorned with Islamic culture and religious observances, yet inwardly governed by a materialistic worldview. Its foundation is contentment with the worldly life, which becomes the object of one’s desires and the arena of one’s competition and ambition. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, warned against this path when he said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”

Second: Falling into the Trap of Passionate Attachment

This occurs when a person’s heart becomes so captivated by something they love and approve of that it blinds them and diverts them from the straight path. A person may become so deeply attached to another individual that the object of that attachment effectively becomes their Qiblah — the focal point of their life. To preserve that attachment, they may reject the teachings of the religion altogether, or selectively reinterpret them, remaining steadfast only in serving what has captivated their heart, while justifying their actions through every conceivable argument and illusion.

What, Then, Is the Way Out?

First: One must beware of falling into the various forms of self-justification that gradually remove the reverence of Allah from the heart. When this reverence departs, the servant is deprived of the blessing of fearing Allah. Thereafter, guidance is withheld until a person reaches the point where they wish they could pray when they see others praying, yet find themselves unable to do so. Their heart has become hardened, its life extinguished, and it has sunk into the darkness of whims. Allah, the Exalted, says: “In fact, the wrongdoers merely follow their desires with no knowledge. Who then can guide those Allah has left to stray? They will have no helpers” (30:29).

Second: Correcting one’s course begins with correcting one’s sense of belonging, and this cannot be achieved without first understanding the true nature of belonging. The clearest indicator of a person’s true affiliation is how they spend their time. Time is the mirror of the heart, and whatever a person consistently chooses to devote their life to reveals the reality of their allegiance. Whoever spends most of their time in amusement, entertainment, and idle pursuits demonstrates an attachment dominated by the worldly life, characterized by lethargy, weakness of resolve, and laziness. Allah, the Exalted, says: “Those who took their religion as distraction and amusement and whom the worldly life deluded. So today We will forget them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day of theirs and for having rejected Our verses” (7:51).

Others define themselves through affiliation with groups, movements, or ideologies from which they seek honor, acceptance, or a sense of identity and belonging. Their identity is shaped by these affiliations, and their conduct is directed accordingly — whether those movements are rooted in materialism, feminism, homosexuality, deviant religious beliefs, or any other false ideology.

Reflecting upon what occupies one’s time reveals the true priorities and attachments of the heart. It is this sense of belonging that directs a person’s spiritual insight toward the one whom they revere, follow, and take as a role model. A role model is never a random choice; rather, it is the natural fruit of one’s affiliation. When one’s affiliation is sound, one’s role model will likewise be sound. But when one’s affiliation is corrupt, one’s role model will also be corrupt, and this becomes a cause of deviation from the straight path. A role model is what shapes a person’s character and forms the contours of their identity. The greatest of all role models is the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Yet, taking him as one’s role model is not something that occurs automatically. No servant, however sincere in their desire, can truly follow him as an example until they first correct their sense of belonging.

This correction begins by reviving faith (Aqeedah) within the soul — that is, by restoring the spiritual dimension that gives a person their true identity, enables them to understand the purpose of their existence, and renews their confidence and inner certainty. The Quranic methodology of reform, and of taking the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, as one’s role model, begins with awakening from heedlessness. It requires placing one’s hope in Allah, the Exalted, rather than in the worldly life, directing one’s aspirations toward the Hereafter, and remaining constant in the remembrance of Allah. These are the essential prerequisites for attaining the finest role model: the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Allah, the Exalted, has made this clear in His saying: “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often” (33:21).

The first step, then, is for every servant to ask themselves: Where do I stand in following the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him? Where do I stand in seeking Allah’s love? Is not Allah’s love for His servant conditional upon following His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him? As Allah, the Exalted, says: “Say, ‘If you truly love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful’” (3:31).

07/24/2026

The Phenomenon of Falsehood Challenging the Truth

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07/17/2026

Discovering the True Spirit of Life

When the following verse was revealed – “Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should humble themselves to the remembrance of Allah and to what has been revealed of the truth?” (57:16) – Abdullah ibn Masʿud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “There were only four years between our embracing Islam and our being admonished by this verse.” Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) remarked: “Allah found the hearts of the believers slow to respond, so He admonished them.”

This address is directed to every believer. It is the gentle reproach of the Most Merciful, calling His servants to hasten toward humility and responsiveness in the face of the clear truth and the divine revelation that plainly sets forth the path of guidance and success.

The verse reminds believers not to become heedless of Allah’s immense favor in granting them His Book — a revelation containing His very words, by which He guides them and clarifies the path to His pleasure. Such heedlessness appears when one no longer hastens to the remembrance of Allah, or responds readily to the truth. Left unchecked, this neglect gradually hardens the heart. For this reason, Allah warns the believers not to follow the example of the People of the Book, whose hearts became hardened after a long period without renewed remembrance and sincere responsiveness to revelation. As a result, many of them fell into open disobedience. Allah, the Exalted, says: “And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them, so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly disobedient” (57:16).

Hardness of the heart is not merely a spiritual condition; it is the beginning of estrangement from Allah, and its natural consequence is disobedience and turning away from His guidance.

The illumination of the heart can only be attained through the remembrance of Allah and humble submission before Him. Without them, its light is extinguished, darkness overtakes it, and it gradually becomes dull and hardened. Allah, the Exalted, says: “Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. Those are in manifest error” (39:22).

We have already explained that the foundation upon which the divine light descends into the heart — and from which the believers’ light will shine on the Day of Resurrection — is Hamd (praise of Allah) and supplication, both of which are rooted in remembrance (Dhikr).

But what is the true meaning of this remembrance?
It is the living relationship between the servants and their Lord throughout the journey of this worldly life. When this relationship is understood correctly and lived sincerely, it gives rise to hearts filled with humility. The mark of such hearts is that they tremble with reverence whenever Allah is remembered.

The noblest and most intimate moments in this relationship are those in which the servants stand before their Lord in complete submission, humbly imploring Him and presenting their needs. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said “The closest a servant comes to his Lord is while he is in prostration.”

For this reason, Allah made prostration the means of drawing near to Him, saying to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): “ ˹continue to˺ prostrate and draw near ˹to Allah˺” (96:19).

One of the greatest manifestations of Allah’s mercy is that He multiplies these opportunities throughout the believers’ lives, repeatedly inviting them to stand before their Lord in humility, devotion, and complete dependence. From this perspective, the wisdom behind trials and tribulations becomes clearer. They are often the means by which Allah brings His servants back to those moments of complete surrender, gently guiding them to the station where the reality of servitude is most fully realized.

Indeed, the true spirit of life is found in these moments of humble supplication and sincere prayer. They are the moments that give blessing to one’s lifetime, purify the soul, elevate the servants, and draw them ever nearer to Allah until they become among those brought close to Him (Al-Muqarrabeen).

Reflect upon the story of Prophet Ayyub, peace be upon him. The Quran portrays the pinnacle of true servitude to Allah through a single moment in his life. The severe trials that Ayyub endured were, in reality, preparing him for that very moment in which the perfection of servitude, the abundance of divine generosity, and the greatness of Allah’s favor would all become manifest. Allah, the Exalted, says: “And remember Our servant Ayyub, when he called to his Lord, ‘Indeed, Satan has touched me with hardship and suffering.’ [Allah said], ‘Strike [the ground] with your foot; here is a cool spring for washing and drinking’” (38:41–42). The greatness of Allah’s favor was not confined to healing Ayyub, restoring his family, granting him their like once more, and enriching him. Rather, it culminated in something far greater: the beautiful praise bestowed upon him by his Most Merciful Lord.

This is one of the profound secrets behind the blessed lives of the Prophets, peace be upon them all: trials that lead to moments of humble supplication and sincere turning to Allah, followed by the outpouring of His infinite generosity.

The story of Prophet Sulayman, peace be upon him, illustrates the same reality. His trial concerned wealth, worldly possessions — particularly his horses — and his kingdom. Allah, Glorified and Exalted, says: “And We certainly tested Solomon and placed upon his throne a body; then he turned back [to Allah]. He said, ‘My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Ever-Bestowing’” (38:34–35). After Sulayman turned to Allah in repentance and sought His forgiveness, Allah answered him with an extraordinary bestowal, granting him a kingdom unlike any other. Likewise, consider Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him. After leaving his wife and infant son in a barren valley in complete obedience to Allah, he turned to his Lord in humble supplication, saying: “Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful” (14:37). His sacrifice and sincere supplication marked the beginning of blessings whose effects continue until the end of time.

Whoever learns to view life’s trials through this lens will discover that they are not merely hardships to be endured, but divine opportunities to attain a higher station of servitude. According to one’s rank with Allah, every trial that is met with patience, sincere supplication, and complete reliance upon Him becomes a means of receiving a share of His generosity — similar in nature, though never equal in degree, to the gifts He bestowed upon His Prophets, peace be upon them all.

Opposite these moments of divine honor are the lowest moments in a servant’s life: moments of heedlessness and arrogance. If such moments persist until they consume a person’s entire life, they become even more astray than cattle — distant from Allah, oblivious to their own reality, and ungrateful for their Lord’s countless blessings. Rather than becoming a source of goodness, they become a source of harm, spreading corruption and contributing to evil wherever they go. Such a person enters among those concerning whom Allah says: “… and upon many the punishment has become deserved. And whoever Allah humiliates, none can honor them” (22:18). As a consequence of turning away from Allah, they deserve to be abandoned to the devils, as Allah says: “Have you not seen that We have sent the devils against the disbelievers, driving them relentlessly [toward sin]?” (19:83).

How then, can servants transform their perspective on life so that their relationship with Allah becomes the very essence and soul of life? How can they make that relationship the means of multiplying those blessed moments of humble supplication and sincere devotion that fill their lives with divine generosity, steadfastness, and guidance from the Most Generous, the Ever-Bestowing?

The answer begins with two fundamental principles.

First: Servants must make turning to Allah and fleeing to Him the only path to every good they seek. They should regard returning to Allah as the sole means of overcoming every obstacle, receiving divine support, remaining steadfast, and achieving success in this world and the Hereafter.

Second: Servants must recognize Allah’s power, wisdom, and decree in every step of their journey. This is the practical realization of the statement, “There is no power and no might, except through Allah.” When this awareness settles in the heart, they perceive Allah’s care and guidance in every circumstance. Their heart is filled with humility, they willingly submit to their Lord, and they constantly seek His help, guidance, and support.

Among the most profound descriptions that Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) gave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) were those intimate moments when he stood before his Lord in prayer, weeping until his beard was soaked with tears and even the ground beneath him became wet. Among the supplications he would make during those moments was: “O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your wrath, in Your pardon from Your punishment, and I seek refuge in You from You. I cannot adequately praise You; You are as You have praised Yourself.”

How then, does a servant attain honor and worth in the sight of Allah?

The answer lies in the state of the heart. Reflect upon the words of Allah, the Exalted: “Say, ‘My Lord would not care for you were it not for your supplication’” (25:77). The servant should also realize that they may become one of the party of Shaytan — not necessarily by consciously choosing to follow him, but simply by neglecting the remembrance of Allah. Allah says: “Shaytan has overcome them and caused them to forget the remembrance of Allah. Those are the party of Shaytan. Surely, it is the party of Shaytan who are the losers” (58:19).

Whoever fails to acquire worth in the sight of Allah has no end but to become fuel for the Hellfire — may Allah protect us from such a fate.