Earning God’s Pleasure

March 7, 2018

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp) has said: “Surely, God is displeased when Fatimah (p) is displeased, and He is pleased when she [is pleased].”¹

We often hear this narration quoted in the context of those who hurt and oppressed Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (p) after the death of her father, the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp), but here let us examine this narration from a different angle. We see that God is pleased when Fatimah (p) is pleased, so we need to ask ourselves what would be pleasing to Fatimah (p)? We should learn what pleases her and know that if we do those things, then we would be earning God’s pleasure and satisfaction. The same is true for those who displease Fatimah (p), that they would be earning the displeasure and anger of God. So, we should learn what would anger Fatimah (p) and refrain from those types of actions.

One might say, “This is only referring to Fatimah al-Zahra (p) while she was alive and has no relevance after her death.” On the contrary, we will realize from the following verse and narrations that the Holy Household of Muhammad (pbuh&hp) still observe our deeds and become happy or sad over what we do in this world.

Do not consider those who are slain for the cause of God to be dead. They are alive but you are unaware of them. (Quran 2:154)

[A person named] Sama’at has said that Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (p) asked him: “Why do you hurt the Prophet (pbuh&hp) of God?” He replied: “May I be your devoted servant! How do we hurt him?” Then Imam al-Sadiq (p) said: “Do you not know that he [is] informed of your deeds, and he gets upset if he sees a sinful act? [You must then be] mindful not to hurt the Prophet (pbuh&hp) of God.”²

We should be mindful that God is well-aware of all our deeds and has angels recording them in our record. We should also be mindful that whatever we are doing is either causing joy to the Holy Prophet (pbuh&hp) and his household (pbut) or is causing them pain and sadness. We should never want to displease God, His Messenger, or the Holy Household.

Let us strive to do things that we know would please the Leader of the Women of the Worlds, Fatimah al-Zahra (p), and thus earn God’s pleasure. What are some of the things that would earn the pleasure of Fatimah (p)? One such thing would be going to visit her beloved son’s grave.

Narrations tell us that Imam al-Sadiq (p) said, “Verily Fatimah (p), the daughter of Muhammad (pbuh&hp) [attends to] those who go to the Ziyarat (visitation) of the grave of her son Hussain (p) and she seeks forgiveness for their sins.”³

Lady Fatimah (p) would want us to study and base our lives upon the Holy Quran as we find that she said the following in a beautiful narration:

Lady Fatimah (p) has said, “The book of God is the guide of its followers towards the pleasure of God. Listening (carefully) to it leads to the salvation. The enlightened clear evidences and proofs of God can be obtained through it and (also the knowledge) of His interpreted intentions, fear invoking constraining prohibitions, His sufficing testimonies, conspicuous arguments, desired virtues, allowed endowments, gifts and obligatory divine laws.”⁴

Being kind and caring to our parents is also something that would bring joy to Lady Fatima (p). We know that she was so caring and attentive to her beloved father that she was given the honorary title of Ummu Abiha (the Mother of her Father).

Lady Fatimah (p) has said, “And (God made) the kindness to parents as a protectiona1 (shield) to His wrath and displeasure and God made joining and connecting with the kinship the cause of lengthening of life.”⁵

The above-mentioned points are just a few of the many things that Lady Fatimah (p) would be pleased with. We should take time to research her life and gain benefits from the profound teachings she imparted to us. We should look to her as our role model and strive to implement her teachings in our lives., This will earn her pleasure, thus earning the pleasure of God. Let us honor Lady Fatimah’s legacy by refraining from those things that would displease her and do our best to uphold her teachings and shape our lives according to the things that would bring her joy.

 

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1. Sheikh al-Mufid, Al-amaali, p. 95, ch. 11, H. 4.
2. Shaykh al-Kulayni, Al-kafi, vol. 1, p. 220.
3. Ibn Qoulawayih, Kamil al-ziyarat, p. 231, Ch. 40, H. 9.
4. Shaykh al-Majlisi, Bihar al-anwar, vol. 29, p. 223.
5. Shaykh al-Majlisi, Bihar al-anwar, vol. 29, p. 223.