Surrendering Ourselves to Allah

"But if they dispute with you, say: I have submitted myself entirely to Allah and (so has) everyone who follows me; and say to those who have been given the Book and (to) the unlearned people: Do you submit yourselves?" (3:20)

The word "slave" has very negative connotations in the West. But aspiring to be the most obedient slaves of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala (SWT), is the only way to be free in this world and in the next.

When I was trying to pick a name for my son, I considered the two names, Abdullah and Abdur Rahman, that are most recommended by Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam (saw). Both names capture the essence of what eacch of us should strive for: to be obedient slaves of Allah.

I chose AbdurRahman, and even though most people have a hard time pronouncing it, they tend to have a harder time in dealing with its meaning. When I explain that it means "Slave of the Most Merciful." all they hear is the word "slave."

I have to admit that when I first accepted Islam, and someone told me that I was now a slave of Allah, it did make the hair on the back of my neck stand on ends. Slavery in the West carries very bad connotations. The very word stirs up deep and volatile emoptions. The regime of slavery was one of injustice and barbarism, so most people's reaction is, "Slave? I am nobody's slave. I'm a free man/woman, with a will of my own."

What most of them don't realize is, contrary to their belief, they are slaves to one thing or another: drugs, alcohol, sex, work, false desires, or wealth. This kind of slavery is one of injustice to the soul, and it reaps no benefit for the individual in this life or in the hereafter. Allah says, "The Messiah does by no means disdain that he should be a servant of Allah, nor do the angels who are near to Him, and whoever disdains His service and is proud, He will gather them all together to Himself." (4:172)

Your children say that they want to be doctors, lawyers, or engineers when they grow up, but to grow to be good slaves of Allah is the highest and noblest position all of us can aspire for. Allah says about those who surrender themselves to Him in servitude, "And the servants of the Beneficent God are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace." (25:63)

Among those who counted themselves among the servants of Allah are all the prophets and messengers, the foremost being our Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam. Allah addresses these words to him, “But if they dispute with you, say: I have submitted myself entirely to Allah and (so has everyone who follows me; and say to those who have been given the Book and (to) the unlearned people: Do you submit yourselves? So if they submit then indeed they follow the right way; and if they turn back, then upon you is (the responsibility of) only the delivery of the message and Allah sees the servants.” (3:20)

Just because these men were prophets and messengers of Allah, it doesn’t mean that their total submission was a forgone conclusion. They were human beings just like us, and they would often ask Allah to make them His good slaves. The Prophet Sulaiman, alayhe salam, was not only a mighty prophet, but also the greatest king the world has ever known. Yet Allah says about him, “So he smiled, wondering at her word, and said: My Lord, grant me that I should be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as You are pleased with, and make me enter, by Your mercy, among your righteous slaves.” (27:19)

By giving ourselves to Allah’s servitude, we are granted forgiveness for our sins: “Say, O my servants who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (39:53)

When we remove the shackles of our desires and become true servants of Allah, we acquire His protection from evil and indecency, as He protected His slave and Prophet Yusuf alayhe salam: “And certainly she made for him, and he would have made for her, were it not that he had seen the manifest evidence of his Lord; thus (it was) that We might turn away from his evil and indecency, surely he was one of Our sincere servants.” (12:24)

We should also remember that by toiling sincerely in this endeavor, we will, by Allah’s leave, gain entry into Paradise and protection from Hell fire. The glorious Qur’an says, “This is the garden which We cause those of Our servants to inherit who guard (against evil).” (19:63)

The most important characteristic of a devoted slave is obedience. When his Master commands him, he obeys. If he says, come, he comes. If he says go, he goes. His aim is to do only that which will please His Lord. By striving to attain this lofty station, we secure for ourselves ease on a most grievous day. Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, promises, “O My servants, there is no fear for you this day, nor shall you grieve.” (43:68) Insha Allah, this is what we will gain by totally surrendering our souls and ourselves to Allah’s servitude.