What Really Is Ribat? The Prophet's Surprising Answer

Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala says in the 200th and final verse of Surat Ali Imran. Asbiru Wasabiru Warabitu Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala says, All you who have believed, be patient and be more patient than your enemies that stand against you and do what is called ribat. Now, ribat in the Arabic language is originally taken from al-rabt, which is a rope as you use to tie two things together. And so, it becomes the term that is used to articulate preparation for war. It's referred to as ribat. Why? Because you know, one of the most one of the most prominent aspects of war are horses. And horses, you know, are used they're tied with ropes. I think we can see the connection. So, it's referred to as a ribat. And so, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala here in this verse is saying, "Be patient, sabiru, which means to be more patient than your enemy, warabitu, and you know, prepare yourselves for battle. Be in a constant state of readiness to face your enemies on the battlefield." Now, there's an interesting narration, you know, whenever someone hears this verse and hears this term, aribat, warabitu, right? Allah uses this term, surat al-anfal, wa'iddulu huma stata'tum min quwatin wamin ribat al-khail, right? So, whenever someone hears this term, immediately what comes to mind is war, and you know, a person having his having himself in order and ready at a moment's notice to defend and fight on the battlefield. And so, that's clear. That's clear to everyone who hears the verse. But, there's another aspect of this verse, of this word, aribat, that is not so obvious. And so, what does the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam do? He points out the meaning of the verse that is less obvious. Right? Everyone gets the obvious one. So, he now wishes to add to the verse and complement it by pointing out an aspect of the verse that not many will think of. There's a narration collected by Imam Malik in his book Al-Muwatta and both Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam said to the companions He said to the companions, "Shall I not inform you of that which Allah uses most to erase bad deeds, erase sins, and raise levels?" Many of us believe on incorrectly that paradise is earned most usually by way of big giant sacrifices, huge choices that are of epic proportion, one fork in the road, if you will, that a person makes the right choice at this moment and you know, it it it changes everything. It's this epic sacrifice. This is not how most people enter paradise. Most people will enter paradise due to very mundane, overlooked deeds that most people wouldn't bat an eye at. Little deeds that are done repeatedly, systematically, that are done habitually, and they accumulate and build a person's momentum through the gates of paradise. So, in this narration, the prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam says, "Shall I not inform you of that which Allah uses to erase from a person's sin and raise a person's levels and and and status?" Meaning it's it's the way that he says it, it's as if this is the only way that Allah Subhana Wa Ta'ala does this. Obviously, there are many ways that Allah forgives sins and raises levels, but this is one of the most common and one of the most likely. The companion said, "Bala, of course." He said,.

[Silence]

He says, "Perfecting one's wudu even in times of discomfort. The water is cold or it's cold outside or the water's hot or warm and it's hot outside that a person doesn't cut corners even then. They completely make their wudu even in times of discomfort. He says, "And making one's steps to the masjid very numerous. Constantly going to and fro salat and the masjid. He says, "And waiting for a prayer after you've already finished a prayer." Meaning once you go to the masjid, you make salat al-maghrib, and then you remain in the masjid waiting for salat al-isha. This one thing here that many of us would not even really think about or consider to be something that would be life-altering, these are the three things that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala most usually forgives or erases sins, which is better than which is a higher status than just forgiveness. Forgiveness, the sin is affirmed, but he overlooks it. Erasure of the sin means that the sin is completely removed as if it never happened. The prophet here says, "That Allah doesn't just forgive the sins by these acts of worship, he completely erases them." As if they never happened. He says, "That is truly ribat. That is ribat." Now, if we take this narration, obviously when the companions heard this, what is the first verse that would come to mind? This verse in Surat Ali Imran, right? It's got a key word in it that causes the listener to make an association between what he's saying and this verse, and that's how it is intended. It was meant that. That's why he said it that. So, we take this narration, and it brings out another dimension of the meaning of the ribat that most people would not really would not really pay attention to or would not really would not realize, if you will. And so, in this way, he complements the verse and enriches the listeners' understanding of the verse. Nasa Allah subhanahu.

[Arabic recitation]

An yaj'alana mimman yastami'unal qawla fayattabi'una ahsanah. As'aluhu subhanahu wa ta'ala an yarzuqana isbaghal wudu' 'alal makarih wa an yarzuqana kathratul khuta ilal masajidi wa an yakhtarana wa an yastafiyana lintizaris salawati ba'das salah.

[Arabic recitation]