2ND STEP The Evaluation of Events

In a hadith narrated from Anas ibn Malik (PBUH), our Prophet Muhammad said:

For man, there is no time to lose. Death is beside each of us at every moment. If we do not want to be in eternal loss in both this world and the Hereafter, we must save ourselves from hidden shirk (blasphemy) without delay.

“The world is heading swiftly towards its end, while the Hereafter is rushing towards us. Among people, there are those who desire the world and those who desire the Hereafter. You should desire the Hereafter. Do not waste your days. Today is not the Day of Reckoning, but the day of action. Yet tomorrow there will be no action, only reckoning.” (S: Bukhari, Riqaq, 5.)

Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) states that:

Unfortunately, today many people believe they will attain salvation by merely practicing the five pillars of Islam. However, those who do not correctly evaluate events and fail to wish to reach Allah are, as stated in the hadith, in a state of hidden shirk—blasphemy. They are those who remain stuck in the first two steps of Islam.. Unless they wish to reach Allah before death, their salvation is, regrettably, not possible. All those who will enter Hell form these two steps.

“Indeed, shirk is a great cruelty.” (S: Bukhari, Istitabat al-Murtaddin, 1.)

“Shall I not tell you of that which I fear more for you than Dajjal?" The Companions said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He said: “It is hidden shirk (blasphemy).” (S: Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 21.)

“…I have created My servants as hanif, but the devils came to them, led them astray from their religion, made unlawful for them what I had made lawful, and commanded them to associate with Me that for which I had sent down no authority." (S: Muslim, Jannah 63, Hadith 2865.)

The sultan of Nabîs, our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), has many noble hadiths on this matter. Some of them are as follows:

“The thing I fear most for my ummah is associating partners with Allah. I do not mean that they will worship the sun, the moon, or idols. What I fear is deeds done for the sake of anyone other than Allah, that is, deeds in which the pleasure of Allah is not sought.” (S: Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 21.)

Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says:

"Allah will say to that person of the (Hell) Fire who will receive the least punishment, 'If you had everything on the earth, would you give it as a ransom to free yourself (ie. save yourself from this Fire)?' He will say, 'Yes'. Then Allah will say, 'While you were in the backbone of Adam, I asked you much less than this, ie not to worship others besides Me, but you insisted on worshipping others besides me'. " (S: Muslim 2805/51; Bukhari 6460.)

Yunus-8: As for those, their abode is the Fire for what they have earned (negative degrees).

Az-Zumar-65 And I swear, it has been revealed to you and to those before you: “Surely if you associate (if you do not wish to reach Allah), all your deeds would certainly be rendered vain, and you would certainly be of those who fall into a Loss.

Those in hidden shirk—blasphemy (those who do not wish to reach Allah) are the ones whose deeds are rendered vain. In return for the degrees they have earned, their destination is, regrettably, Hell.

Ar-Rum-32 (Don't be of those mushriqun(blasphemers)) who are divided in their Religion and became groups, all groups are rejoicing in what they have.

Those who cannot evaluate events correctly are in a state of hidden shirk (blasphemy).

At-Tawbah-126 Do they not see that they are tried once or twice annually? Yet they do not repent (don't turn to Allah) nor do they do dhikr (repeat the Name of Allah).

The choice of Allah Almighty depends on the testing of people through events and on the evaluations they will put forth as a result of these tests.

Al-An'am-88 This is the Hidayah (Guidance) of Allah. Whom He wills of His servants, with it He guides to Hidayah (delivers their spirit, physical body, soul and free will through Sırat Al-Mustaqîm) And had they associated others with Him, certainly what they did would have become vain.

Al-An'am-87: And We chose from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren. And We guided them to Sırat Al-Mustaqîm (the Path on which spirit is delivered to Allah)

Allah Almighty states that:

At this point of evaluation, people are divided into two groups: the chosen ones and the unchosen ones. At the beginning, Allah Almighty chooses all those in whose hearts He sees goodness. They are the ones who evaluate the events they experience correctly. Those who are not chosen are those who not only do not wish to reach Allah themselves, but also prevent others from hidayah (guidance). These people can never evaluate the events they experience in the direction Allah wills. Therefore, salvation is not possible for them under any circumstance.

The 2nd step of the ladder of Islam is the evaluation of events experienced by the person. It holds great importance among the steps of drawing nearer to Allah. This step determines whether one’s path is towards Paradise or Hell. At this point, the person stands at a crossroads, they will either evaluate the events of the first step correctly and save themselves from Hell, or remain in shirk (blasphemy), falling into eternal loss in both this world and the Hereafter.

Yunus-7: Surely they do not wish to reach Us (they do not wish their spirits to reach Us before death). They are pleased with the life of the world and are satisfied with it, and those are the ones who are heedless of Our Verses.

The one who does not wish to reach Allah commits the sin of shirk (blasphemy), and, as stated in the hadith, his destination is Hell, where he will remain forever.