Allah (swt) commands His faithful servants to fear Him in “Taqwa”, which refers to acts of obedience and all the goods and refrain from the prohibitions and the prohibited matters:

 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ارْكَعُوا وَاسْجُدُوا وَاعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمْ وَافْعَلُوا الْخَيْرَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

(O you who have believed, bow and prostrate and worship your Lord and do good – that you may succeed.) (Al-Hajj: 77)

As such, Islamic religion is a call to goodness and giving.

(… وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ …) (…and seek the means [of nearness] to Him …): Meaning, seek the means of approach to Him (swt) by obeying Him and performing the acts that please Him. The Prophet (saws) said:

“When you hear the Mu’adhdhin, repeat what he says, and then ask for Salah (blessing, mercy from Allah) for me. Verily, whoever asks for Salah for me, then Allah will grant ten Salah to him. Then, ask for the Wasilah for me, for it is a grade in Paradise that only one servant of Allah deserves, and I hope that I am that servant. Verily, whoever asks (Allah) for Wasilah for me, he will earn the right of my intercession.”[1]

And here it becomes clear that the means also comes with the meaning of high position in Heaven, and it is specific to the Prophet (saws), hence, when we hear the Adhan, we pray for our master, the Messenger of Allah (swt) saying:

“O Allah! Lord of this perfect call and of the regular prayer which is going to be established, give Muhammad the right of intercession and illustriousness, and resurrect him to the best and the highest place in Paradise that You promised him (of)]”.[2]

“the means” may mean “begging” as well, that is to ask Allah (swt) a need for the honor of the Prophet (saws), or a righteous, or a good deed that he presented, and this is proven by evidences.

(  وَجَاهِدُوا فِي سَبِيلِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ … ) (…and strive in His cause that you may succeed): Striving is to make effort , Allah (swt) says:

 } فَلَا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَجَاهِدْهُم بِهِ جِهَادًا كَبِيرًا {

(o do not obey the disbelievers, and strive against them with the Qur’an a great striving.) (Al-Furqan: 52)

Here, to strive with the Holy Quran. However, (striving) is to make an effort, whether it is through education, or digging the ground, or other things, and there is a combative strive: It is to defend against those who attack us, and it is permitted under the authority of the ruler to prevent aggression.

The (striving) mentioned here is in its general sense, which is related to learning and defending the homeland. Allah (swt) wants us to approach to Him with what He (swt) has enjoined upon us, and not with random acts of worship as we wish. Allah’s Messenger (saws) said, Allah (swt) says:

” I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My Refuge) and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer, for he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.”[3]

 

[1] Sahih Muslim: Book of Establishing Prayers, Chapter of: It Is Recommended For The One Who Hears The Mu’adhdhin To Repeat His Words, Hadith No. 384.

[2] Sahih al-Bukhari: Book of Adhan, Chapter: Invocation at the time of Adhan, Hadith No. 589.

[3] Sahih al-Bukhari: Book of : To make the Heart Tender, chapter of: The modesty, Hadith No. 6137.