وَلاَ تَزَوَّدْتُّ قَبْلَ الْمَوْتِ نَافِلَــةً       وَلَمْ أُصَلِّ سِوٰى فَرَضٍ وَّلَمْ أَصُمِ

28/16. And I did not offer voluntary worship before death; and I did not offer prayer nor did I fast except what was obligatory.

The poet Rahimahullaah here too expresses his shortcomings with regards to performing nafl salaah and fasting.

When a person realizes the countless favours of Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo pouring upon him every second, it is automatic that he will strive to attain a relationship with Him. Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo has prescribed certain acts for His servants, which are compulsory for them to perform. These are the faraaidh. However for those who want to establish a closer link to Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo, Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo has kept the door of nawaafil (optional) open. If a husband fulfils all his wife’s rights exactly as it ought to be, without doing any extra, then the marriage will run smoothly. However, if some extra gifts, etc. are given, then love will develop. The marriage in which there is love is far superior to that marriage in which rights are fulfilled, but there is no love.

Abu Hurayrah RadhiyAllaahu Anhu states that Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
‘Verily Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo states, “Whoever shows enmity to any friend of Mine, I declare war on him. My servant does not gain proximity to Me with anything more beloved to Me than that which I have made compulsory on him.
My servant (who has attained closeness due to fulfilling the compulsory duties) continues gaining proximity to Me by nawaafil (those actions and acts of worship which are not fardh) until I love him.”
(Bukhaari no. 6502)

This hadith has limited the manner of attaining divine love into two:

1) Fulfilment of obligatory duties

2) Gaining proximity by nawaafil.

A lover continues increasing in nawaafil until he becomes the beloved of Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo. When he becomes Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo’s beloved, this creates another love in the servant greater than the first love the servant possessed for Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo. This second love which has been gifted pre-occupies the heart of this person in such a way that he becomes oblivious of all other thoughts and worries besides his beloved. His ruh (soul) overpowers him. No importance is attached to other matters except mention of the beloved, love of the beloved, and other matters related to the beloved. The heart is perpetually engaged in the dhikr of Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo and divine love. The soul overpowers the bodily desires, and dhikr overpowers the soul i.e. dhikr and actions of worship becomes the voice and nourishment of the soul and heart. His actions and dhikr accompany him constantly just like the angels. When this happens, the person becomes beloved even in the sight of the creation.

Abu Hurayrah RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
“When Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo loves a person, He calls out to Jibreel (saying), ‘Allaah loves such and such person. So you should also love him.’
And so, Jibreel Alayhis Salaam also loves him. He then announces to the inhabitants of the heavens (saying), ‘Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo loves such and such person. You all should also love him.’
The inhabitants of the heavens therefore love that person. He thus becomes an object of acceptance on earth.”
(Bukhaari no. 3209)

Another narration states: Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
“When Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo loves a person, He calls Jibreel Alayhis Salaam and says to him, ‘I love such and such person. You should also love him.’
So Jibreel Alayhis Salaam also loves him. He then announces in the heavens, saying, ‘Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo loves such and such person. You all should also love him.’
The inhabitants of the heavens love him. He thus becomes an object of acceptance on earth. And when Allaah RadhiyAllaahu Anhu detests a person, He calls Jibreel and says to him, ‘I detest such and such person. You should also detest him.’
So Jibreel Alayhis Salaam also detests him. He then announces to the inhabitants of the heavens (saying), ‘Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo detests such and such person. You all should also detest him.’
The inhabitants of the heavens detest him. He thus becomes an object of detestation on earth.”
(Muslim no. 2637)

To be Continued In Sha Allaah

مَوْلَاىَ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَداً  عَلىٰ حَبِيْبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ