Nothing Goes in Vain

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

Everything has an equivalent in return. There’s nothing in dunyā that goes uncompensated. The deeds done are either good or bad. If we do nothing, it is also according to the condition of the person. A person cannot do badness 24 hours a day. But he can do goodness 24 hours a day by the will of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla.

After performing the worship, if we intend to seek the pleasure of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla and to exalt His ﷻ mercy and His ﷻ glory in every breath we take, we attain rewards and blessings 24 hours a day. But if he says when he wakes up in the morning, “What will we do today? Where should I go? What does my ego want? What should I do to satisfy myself and my ego?” then, nothing happens unless he does it. So he doesn’t earn any reward, and he doesn’t commit a sin. If he does it then he will have committed a sin. He will suffer the punishment if he does not repent. That is the mercy of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. If you say you’ll do goodness but didn’t do it, if you have the intention – again, according to your intention, Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla will be beneficent to you and write you the thawāb for it and grant you the reward. If you do it, you will get more reward.

Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla shows His ﷻ mercy, but human beings do not know its value. They think, “Let me enjoy myself. There’s no need for anything else.” Whereas, if you do not do evil, even if your intention is to do evil, then nothing happens for that evil intention. There is no punishment. And if you say you want to do goodness and don’t do it, Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla writes thawāb for you then.

So this is Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla’s greatness and mercy. Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla has endless mercy. Even if you do evil, if you beg Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla, ask forgiveness and repent, He ﷻ will return your evil as good, as a reward. People don’t understand this. That’s why, most of them are rebelling against Allāh ﷻ. They are in rebellion. They are doing evil. Therefore, those who know His ﷻ great grace are fortunate. Those who are granted this are great people.

Some philosophize, “Allāh ﷻ did this and that.” Ḥāshā (far from it). Are you going to interfere in Allāh’s ﷻ business? What is your knowledge? Who are you? Even dunyā is not a speck of dust in the universe. Yet you get up and defy Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla. “No, I’m in high school. No, I’m in college. No, I’m a professor. No, I am this, I am that.” Did you go against Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla? Then, you have no value. As we said, even dunyā has no value. The whole dunyā is not even as much as dust. Those knowledgeable ones know this matter well.

Therefore, we must repent and benefit from the favors and beneficence given by Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla in those beautiful days. May Allāh ﷻ guide us. May Allāh ﷻ make those who are on this way steadfast. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

• Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbani 

5 March 2025/ 5 Ramadhan 1446

Fajr Prayer – Akbaba Dergah, Istanbul