The Muslim’s Duties and Progression

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

(Qur’ān 02:82)

“Wa-alladhīna āmanū wa ʿamilu ṣ-ṣāliḥāti ulāika aṣḥābu l-jannati hum fīhā khālidūna”

“And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they will dwell therein forever.” Ṣadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla says, “Those who believe and do good will remain in Paradise forever.” This promise is true. Therefore, they ask, “What should we do now? Have we progressed or not?” That’s not your duty. Your duty is to believe and fulfill your duties.

What are the duties of a Muslim? To pray, to fast, to give zakāt, to get along well with people, and to be a good servant of Allāh ﷻ. That is the duty. So, you don’t need to ask, “How much have I progressed, how much have I regressed?” If you are doing those, you are fine; there’s no need to ask.

If you stop doing these things, then you have regressed. But if you are doing them, shukr to Allāh ﷻ, you are on the right way, you are steadfast. You continue on this way without getting tired or weary.

Mawlānā Shaykh Nāẓim used to say, “Those who get tired or weary are not from us.” Many people ask, “When will praying end?” Prayer, ibādah is until our last breath; may Allāh ﷻ make it perpetual upon us.

Sometimes people approach it with enthusiasm, saying, “I’ll do this, I’ll do that.” Do as much as you can. You have to be steadfast upon it. Like eating and drinking, these acts of worship are normal.

People don’t often ask themselves, “What did I eat, what did I drink?” Worship is the same. You shouldn’t worry about it at all. People are lazy, sometimes they neglect it. Then, they regress.

But those who continue steadfast at the same level without diminishing it will win. They will have earned Paradise. In shā’a Llāh, everyone will deserve it, but those who want more must be steadfast; that’s what’s important. If you are steadfast, your rank will rise; shukr to Allāh ﷻ. Don’t ask, “Did my rank rise or not?” You yourself know.

May Allāh ﷻ grant us all steadfastness. May Allāh ﷻ protect us from laziness. Laziness is the disease of people today. It is the disease of the people of this time. They want to get everything without doing anything. They want to earn without working. Laziness and boredom are bad habits of this time.

Boredom means thinking, “What shall I do? What can I do to entertain my ego, to keep myself from getting bored?” This is a disease. May Allāh ﷻ protect us from them. Let us be grateful for our current state. May it be perpetual upon us, in shā’a Llāh.

May we always remain steadfast on the way of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla and the way of our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam, in shā’a Llāh. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

•⁠ ⁠Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

11 April 2026/ 23 Shawwal 1447

Fajr Prayer – Akbaba Dergah, Istanbul

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