We are often neglectful in offering mustahab amaal. Our behavior towards mustahib amaal is mostly too much negligent. And most of us do not perform such amaals on the reason being mustahib, not faard. We think , as they are recommended ones, so we are free to perform them.If we do perform, we get ajar, and if we do not, their is no sin.
A point to notice over here is , if they were that much UNNECESSARY , why would ALLAH subhana hu wa tla appreciated performing them ? why is so much reward in return of performing them ? In reality , mustahabats serve as a shield from shaitaan.
A very good example would be to consider islam as a castle of five pillars and five protective boundaries.
Five Pillars of Islam:
Let the five pillars of islam be
- Shahada [testimony that there is no god except Allah (God) the one and only one God and Muhammad is His messenger],
- Salah (praying),
- Zakah (specific compulsory charity),
- Saum (fasting during Ramadan) and
- Hajj (pilgrimage) for those who can afford it.
Now coming towards the five boundaries of this precious castle Islam. Outer most defensive boundary happens to be of MUSTAHAB amaal. the very next barriers happens to be of SUNNAH. Moving more inwards , let us come across boundary wall of FARD. Then comes the blockade of IKHLAAS or FIDELTIY. And then comes the inner most wall of EMAAN.
Or in simple words we can say moving inwards out, first wall is of Eman, then IKHLAAS , then FARD ,then SUNNAH and then the last and outer most wall of MUSTAHAB amaal.
When we neglect mustahab or Mubaah amaal , it makes the outer most protective boundary weak, which invites shaitaan to attack on the very first boundary of castle of one’s faith. This hinders in one’s sunnahs also. This is how one gets negligent in performing sunnah and gradually he stops performing sunnah, or he shows same negligent behavior in performing sunnah , which he was showing for mubaah or mustahhib amaal. that is the point when shaitaan gets successful in breaking into the inner boundary of frad. And as a result , one starts skipping his obligatory (fard) amaal too. When shaitaan gets successful in conquering the barbican of fard amaal , he is in a position to conquer out castle of faith. This is how a muslim looses his battle with shaitaan by weakening its outer most alluvium by not giving importance to mustahab amaal.
if we want our fort of faith in ALLAH to be strong and unconquered. Our emaan, ikhlaas ,fard and sunnah be protected , then we must give mustahab acts the same importance we give to sunnah or fard. And make these acts a part of our life as they provide the very first defense against attack of shaitaan.
May ALLAH subaha hu wa tala bless us with hidayaah, and grant us steadfastness on fard , sunnah and mustahab amaal. Ameen !
