A Life of Piety
Hadhrat Moulânâ Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Sâheb (Dâmat
Barakâtuhum) Translated by Moulânâ Ebrahim Muhammad
Compiler’s Note
Some people regard the urge to sin to be contrary to piety. They
remain in complete anxiety due to these urges. Shaytân misleads
led them by saying that a person can never become a saint if he has these
urges. How many ignorant ones have not been able to differentiate
between the urge to sin and sin itself. Due to this, they lose all
hope, fulfil their urges and become deprived of the proximity of the Creator.
May Allâh grant Hadhrat tremendous reward for proving from the
Qur’ân that the urge to sin does not contradict the path of tasawwuf.
It is harmful to practise on these urges. Had there not been any
urge to sin, no one would have been pious because the meaning of taqwâ
is to curb and control the carnal self from fulfilling an illegal urge.
Therefore, taqwâ is dependent on the substance of sin, namely the
urge to commit wrong. The existence of these urges is essential for
taqwâ. One should not be perturbed by these urges at all.
One should not fulfil these urges. The substance of sin is of two
types: status and sexual sins. If we do not practise on these urges,
we will obtain the proximity of Allâh. The method of obtaining
this proximity is to live with the pious. This discourse is a bright
sun of hope for those who have become hopeless. Hadhrat has explained
the topic with proof from the Qur’ân and hadith and he has also used
numerous examples from the MathnawT of Moulânâ Rûmî
(Rahimahullâh). Hadhrat delivered this discourse with complete
emotion and love which is his distinguishing characteristic. May
Allâh grant us the ability to appreciate him and may He grant him
a long life.
He delivered this discourse in Musjid-e-Ashraf on Friday 5 Shawwâl
1414 A.H. (18 March 1994). ). Brother Suhail Ahmad transcribed
it from cassette while I compiled it. It has been called Hayât-
Taqwâ (A Life of Piety).
Compiler: Muhammad Ishrat Jamil Mir
Introduction
After taking an oath of the sky, earth and other great signs, Allâh
took an oath of the nafs. "I take an oath by the nafs and the One
that corrected it."
"He inspired the nafs with evil and piety."
Allâh has created the ability to sin as well as to be pious in
man. Man now has a choice of accepting the slavery of the nafs and
preparing his way to hell or he could muster some courage, become pious
and thereby become a friend of Allâh. He could either become
Abdur Rahmân (the slave of the Merciful) or Abdus Shaytân (the
slave of satan). Allâh has granted man a choice to either adopt
the path of piety or the path of sin. Retribution and punishment
will be based on this choice.
Now the question arises why Allâh mentioned taqwâ after
mentioning sin. Normally a good thing is mentioned first. When
you enter the musjid, you step in with the right foot first. You
eat with the right hand. Every good thing is placed first but Allâh
mentioned sin first in this verse. This has a very great secret and
if one comes to know this secret, one will not be grieved by the urge to
sin. The urge to sin is not harmful. Fulfilling the urge is
however sinful. If you do not have the urge to sin, you cannot become
pious.
The Blood of Hopes
The blood shed by sacrificing one’s desires is the horizon of becoming
a saint. Taqwâ means to curb the fulfilling of the desires
of the heart. Shed the blood of all your desires and all the four
horizons of your heart will become red. The sun of this world rises
from one horizon, that is from the east. But when the saints adopt
piety by sacrificing all their desires and enduring grief in the path of
Allâh, then all the horizons of the heart become red and the sun
of Allâh’s friendship and relationship rises in the heart.
And if one did not sacrifice his desires, then what will he achieve?
He will attain darkness upon darkness and pollution over pollution.
He will get a foul odour and a disgraced name. No one on earth will
call him Hadhrat. When the creation comes to know that a person is
the head (of evil), they snatch all noble titles away from him. One
of the punishments of sin in this world is that all titles of honour are
snatched away from one in this world.
What will be the condition of that heart whose every horizon has the
sun of Allâh’s proximity rising from it? When a man called
KhurshTd (sun) came to me one day, I recited the following couplet to him:
When Khurshîd obtained the creator of Khurshîd (the sun)
in his heart, then ask Khurshîd the condition of his world.
The Secret of Mentioning Sin First
The fact that Allâh took an oath of the nafs is proof that He wants
to explain something very important. I was travelling from Lahore
to Karachi by train with a very great scholar. On the way, he recited
this verse in Fajr Salâh. During salâh the thought occurred
to me why Allâh mentioned sin first. I asked the scholar who
smiled and told me to explain.
Taqwa’s Dependence on the Ability to Sin
I replied that Allâh has inspired me with the answer. Just
as salâh cannot be performed without wudhu, similarly one cannot
study Sahih BukhârT without doing the pre-final year. In the
same way, taqwâ is dependent on the substance of sin. Had this
substance not been existent, how could one prevent it? Every prohibition
requires the existence of the prohibited act. For example, I tell
you not to look at the tasbTh in my hand. The existence of the tasbTh
is essential. If I do not have a tasbTh in my hand and tell you not
to look at it, everyone will say the statement is wrong. There is
no tasbTh in the hand.
The Urge to Sin
Allâh has exhorted man to curb the urge to sin. Man has to
obey Allâh and become His slave because Allâh has created man
and not the nafs. This indicates that the urge to sin is essential.
That is why He is commanding us to prevent the nafs. Had there been
no urge to sin, taqwâ would not have existed because taqwâ
means to subdue the urge of the nafs to sin and to endure the grief that
follows.
The Greatness of the Grief of Allah’s Path
Allâh is reached by this grief. But how regretful it is that
man is prepared to endure the grief of the entire world, but he hesitates
and fears undergoing the grief of Allah’s path. The grief of Allah’s
path is so honoured that if all the crowns and thrones of the kings of
the world are placed in one pan of the scale together with the beauty and
love of all the lovers of the world, the entire wealth of the world and
all the deliciousness of the shâmT kababs and biryânT of the
world cannot equal one atom of the grief of Allah’s path. How aptly
Allâmah Sayyid Sulaimân NadwT (Rahimahullâh) has said,
When I obtain the wealth of Your grief I become independent of the grief
of both the worlds.
The grief of Allah’s love and the grief of abstaining from sin is better
than the whole world. You can attain heaven by this grief.
This is the grief that brings one into close proximity to Allah, makes
one a walTullâh, keeps one at ease in this world and makes one reach
jannah. Who can pay the price of this grief? If all the joys
of this world present a guard of honour to the grief of Allah’s path, they
cannot fulfil the rights of this grief. I implore you with a painful
heart that this grief is extremely valuable. This grief leads one
to Allah.
My crown is hidden in the lap of poverty. One atom of Your grief
is not less than both the worlds.
Allâh is not so oppressive so as to neglect the one who undergoes
so much pain and worry by not committing sin. Allâh is most
merciful. He knows that first His servant did not have a beard.
Now he is sporting a beard in spite of the fact that people are mocking
him. Today the people can mock and jest but on the day of Qiyâmah,
Allâh will not mock at me.
The Rule of the Moustache
Initially he had a long moustache. After hearing the rule, he trimmed
it. It is mentioned in a hadith that Rasûlullâh will
not intercede on behalf of the one who keeps a long moustache. A
long moustache is one that conceals the upper lip. It is not permissible
to sport such a moustache. If the hair is short and does not conceal
the upper lip, it is permissible. However, Sheikhul Hadith Moulânâ
Zakariyyâ (Rahimahullâh) has written that it is best to trim
the moustache with a scissors so that no hair remains. According
to some scholars, it is an innovation to shave off the hair with a blade.
Therefore, a scissors or machine without a blade is best. Similarly,
Allah’s slave had a habit of listening to music. Now he has abandoned
it and undergone the grief of abstention. But who can fulfil the
right of the honour of this grief?
A True Incident
One of my friends who is also my khalîfah in the island of Reunion
initially had a habit of listening to music. He was such an expert
that he used to put all the European tourists to sleep with his flute at
the foot of the mountain. But when Allâh chose him and granted
him guidance, he broke all the instruments and buried them. Now he
is pious from head to toe. He has the attire of a pious man and all
praise is due to Allâh that his heart is also attached to Allah.
If you listen to him, you will think that he is a very great saint.
But did he not endure the grief? He still undergoes grief.
If he hears the voice of anyone singing, his heart undergoes pain.
His heart wants to listen but he suppresses his urge to do so.
Disobedient Limbs
Whoever does not have the habit of this grief is useless. His foot
is worth chopping off. Moulânâ Rûmî (Rahimahullâh)
states that it is better for the feet that do not walk in the path of Allâh
or towards the mosque to be cut off. It is better to amputate the
hands that do not worship Allah, do not touch Hajre Aswad or shake hands
with the saints. The ears that do not listen to Allah’s talk should
be torn off. The eyes that do not appreciate Allah’s manifestation
and disobey Him should be thrown away.
The one who disobeys Allâh should not remain alive. However,
this does not mean that you should go and kill someone or tear off his
eye or cut off his ear. What is meant here is that a disobedient
person has no value in the eyes of Allah. Allah, through His forbearance
and grace grants him the opportunity to repent. But our insistence
in sinning has no limit. Had Allâh not been forbearant, we
would not have existed.
What is Taqwa?
Allâh did not mention taqwâ first. He first mentioned
the fact that He created the ability to sin within man. Now it is
your duty not to fulfil the urge to sin. This will create taqwâ
(piety) in you. If you want to obtain piety, then all you have to
do is abstain from sin. Achieve Reward without Doing any Work
The owners of factories first make their employees work and then reward
them. But in this case, Allâh is granting reward for not doing
any work. Do not steal, speak lies and do not look at women.
By not doing these things, you will be rewarded with piety and Allah’s
friendship. What is taqwâ? Taqwâ is when you have
the urge to sin but you abstain due to the fear of Allah. Then you
must endure the pain and not regret adopting piety. Do not say, "I
wish I should have looked at least once." Remember that it is shaytân’s
ploy to make you regret. One who regrets has an undeveloped heart
and his Imân is weak. Imân will be complete when he abstains
from sin, endures grief, thanks Allâh and becomes ecstatic with joy.
Who is a Muttaqi?
A muttaqi is one who protects himself from sin, protects his gaze from
women, protects himself from speaking lies, from bribery, from disobeying
his parents, from oppressing his wife and neighbours. He keeps away
from all impermissible acts and does not regret. He does not regard
Islam as oppressive. Islam has protected him from troubles otherwise
if he had to eat from every farm like a cow, people would beat him so much
that it would be impossible for him to stay alive. Go to the villages
and have a look at the cow that grazes from everyone’s farm. It is
beaten by everyone. Not an inch of its back is safe. When it
falls ill, there is no one to cure it. When it dies, there is no
one to bury it. Vultures and crows feed on its corpse.
The Reality of Bay’at
Is this life? The one who becomes free from the limits of Allâh
has a cursed life. And the one who is pious is actually sold on the
hand of the saints. Allâh has kept His representatives on earth
who ‘buy’ the people and make them reach Allah.
An Example of Bay’at
If the prime minister wants to send some wheat somewhere, he does not go
himself to the farmers. He appoints a commissioner as his representative
in every area to contact the farmers, buy the wheat and pay them using
official money. Then they must send the commodity to Islamabad, the
capital city.
Similarly, the Ahlullâh are the representatives of Allâh.
They ‘purchase’ people and ‘send’ them to Allâh, that is, they show
the path of becoming a saint. By treading this path, one becomes
a walTullâh. They do not purchase them for themselves.
The Ahlullâh make bay’at to teach the worship of Allâh.
The meaning of bay’at is to be sold. He is actually sold to Allah.
The hands of the Ahlullâh are representatives just as Allâh
says that those who make bay’at on the hand of Rasûlullâh ?,
that is actually not the hand of Rasûlullâh ?. It is
the hand of Allâh. The hand of the Nabi ??is a representative.
The one who makes bay’at is sold on the hand of Allâh. He then
joins the group of the Ahlullâh and becomes a walTullâh.
Do not be perturbed by the urge to sin. These urges are steps to
your sainthood. The one who does not have these urges becomes a hermaphrodite.
He can never attain sainthood.
The Superiority of the Ahlullah
Therefore the Ahlullâh are superior to the angels because they have
the urge to sin within them. By not fulfilling this urge, they endure
the grief of abstention in their hearts. Angels do not have any urge
and they see man continuously enduring grief. In spite of the urge,
they do not obey their nafs and remain engrossed in the worship of Allah.
Piety is obtained by not acting on the urge to sin.
An Example of the Inspiration of Sin and Piety
The example of virtue and piety is that of a match. A match only
produces fire if it is rubbed. The match of virtue and evil which
we have within ourselves has virtue on the one side and evil on the other.
Allâh has kept both these capabilities within us. He has given
us the ability to sin as well as commit good acts. But neither will
the evil be ignited nor the virtue until they are rubbed. Both have
their matchsticks. If you live in the company of the pious saints,
then you have rubbed the matchstick of virtue. Now the lamp of piety
will be illuminated. When the urge to sin is aroused in you, you
stamp it out. You have thus rubbed the matchstick of virtue.
Now the light of piety will be created. But if you cast evil glances,
and began sitting by ghair mahrams and soothing yourself with attractive
women, you have rubbed the matchstick of evil. The fire of evil will
be lit. You will burn in the fire of love affairs. You will
be uneasy and worried. This is not the oppression of Allah.
Allâh is pure of oppression. We have oppressed ourselves.
No harm is caused by the urge to sin. The one who acts on his urge
to sin is caught out and he is the one who has lit the match of evil.
Allâh has commanded us to refrain from fulfilling these urges.
The match cannot do anything itself. These urges are not harmful
as long as you do not fulfil them. Do not adopt the causes of intensifying
these urges otherwise a fire will be lit. Then in spite of a beard
and round hat, this person will run behind beauty. This is a dangerous
disease because he has cast evil glances and removed the shadow of Allâh’s
mercy. He has now entered the curse of Allah.
Earning Sin
Therefore Allâh says, "Shaytân has misled them due to the sins
they committed." Shaytân cannot mislead anyone unless the person
commits a sin and goes far away from Allah’s mercy. It is impossible
that the shadow of Allâh’s mercy be present and shaytân destroys
a person. Allâh has created the nafs. It urges man to
sin excessively. It creates severe urges to sin. But remember,
O people of the world, if Allah’s mercy exists, then the nafs cannot cause
any harm. But when you commit a sin, the shadow of Allah’s mercy
moves away.
When a person commits one sin, then he commits the second and the third
and so on. If a person casts an evil glance once, for example, at
a bus stop in Gulshan Iqbal, then he will continue casting evil glances
the whole way until he reaches the final stop, Keamari. And if he
protected his gaze the first time, then Inshâ Allâh, his gaze
will be safeguarded the whole way. Some people delay in repenting
because they feel that the enjoyment experienced at the next stop of staring
at attractive females will be terminated. In order to eat faeces,
he does not repent from faeces in order to continue his enjoyment at the
next stop.
A Benefit of Repenting Quickly
Allâmah Âlûsî (Rahimahullâh) states in Tafsîr
Rûhul Ma’ânî that one should repent immediately after
committing a sin because sin creates darkness and due to this darkness,
Iblîs makes the heart his headquarters. If you keep him in
control for a long time, many sins will be committed. Therefore,
illuminate the heart by repenting quickly and shedding tears of regret.
Shaytân will then have to flee. Just as a bat survives in darkness,
similarly, shaytân also has the same nature. He survives in
the darkness of sins. If you delay in repenting, he will remain there
for longer. Do you wish to keep your enemy for a long while in your
home? Therefore, if you repent quickly, shaytân will flee due
to the nûr of taubah.
Allah’s attribute of Grace
At this point, Allâmah Âlûsî has narrated the incident
of Ibrâhim Ibn Adham (Rahimahullâh). He was a king who
sacrificed his kingdom for Allâh’s sake. He worshipped Allâh
for ten years in a cave in Nishâpfr. Due to his blessing, the
tafsîr of Allâh’s words is being presented to you. Now
my name will also be mentioned with Your name.
Many kings have left their kingdoms but no one blesses them with Allah’s
mercy. But this king abandoned his kingdom on Allah’s name due to
which Allâh granted him the honour of being mentioned on the tongue
of the Auliyâ. Allâmah ÂlûsT has narrated
his incident in the fourth part of the Qur’ân. After worshipping
Allâh for ten years, Ibrâhim Ibn Adham set off for hajj.
Whilst making tawâf, he requested Allâh to make him sinless.
He heard a voice saying within himself, "O Ibrâhim, I know that you
have abandoned the kingdom for My sake. I appreciate your love.
But all of mankind is making the same request as you have made. O
Ibrâhim, if We accept everyone’s duâ, then on whom will Our
grace and honour be manifest? On whom will My attribute of forgiveness
be shown? Supplicate in this manner that Allâh should protect
you from sin and grant you the ability to repent. Seek steadfastness
and if you commit any sin, immediately resort to repentance.
Two Paths Leading to Allâh
Allâmah Isfarâînî (Rahimahullâh), the teacher
of Imâm Ghazâlî (Rahimahullâh) supplicated for
thirty years to Allâh to make him sinless. He wanted to be
completely free from all types of sin. This was a special status
he sought. Only the one who does not want to displease Allâh
can make such a duâ. One day he thought that although he had
been supplicating for thirty years, Allâh had not accepted his duâ
despite being Karîm (generous in giving).
Taqwa and Taubah
A voice emanated from the sky saying, "O Isfarâînî, you
want to become sinless when I have made two paths for becoming a walT.
One is the path of piety and the other the path of repentance. Have
you not recited the verse in the Qur’ân wherein Allâh says
that He loves those who repent. When there are two windows, why are
you specifying one? If due to human weakness, you commit a sin, come
in close proximity to Me by repenting. Do not commit sins intentionally.
When there is excessive mud, even an elephant can slip. Therefore,
if you commit a sin, repent and become My beloved. Why do you only
want to come via the route of piety when I have opened the door of repentance
as well? When I have opened two doors, why are you appointing only
one for yourself? Become My beloved via the path of repentance.
Supplicate for protection from sin, not for becoming sinless."
Two Destructive Illnesses
If you commit a sin, do not delay in repenting. Go all out in refraining
from sin. I am summarising the entire tasawwuf in two sentences.
There are only two diseases that keep a sâlik away from Allâh.
One is jâh (seeking status) while the other is bâh [sexual
sins]. Due to bâh, one becomes overpowered by the nafs and
becomes involved in casting evil glances, adultery and all sins of carnal
desire. Jâh is pride and arrogance and the desire to become
famous among people. If a person removes these two illnesses, he
will become a walî.
Âh and the Proximity of Allâh
If you remove the jîm of jâh and the bâ of bâh,
you are left with âh. This âh brings one into close proximity
to Allâh. You will find this âh in the word Allâh.
Allâh has included this âh in His name so that when man experiences
grief in sacrificing his status and desires, he will find solace in Allâh’s
name. Has not the whole of tasawwuf been encompassed in two sentences.
These two illnesses make one rejected and entrapped by shaytân.
He then becomes distant from Allâh. Some people, due to their
arrogance, think of themselves as being very great. Some people are
involved with women. The carnal desires have overpowered such people.
Hâjî Imdâdullâh Sheikhul Arab Wal Ajam (Rahimahullâh)
says that there are basically two illnesses of the nafs. The remaining
are all branches. One is jâh while the other is bâh.
Wipe out the feeling within you of becoming great. How can you decide
now whether you are great or not? Allâh will make this decision
on the day of Qiyâmah. Our value will be determined by Allâh.
The slave that determines his own value is foolish and insane. Allâmah
Sayyid Sulaimân Nadwî states,
We remained like this or like that. There we have to see how we
will be.
When Allâh will determine our value on the day of Qiyâmah,
then enter jannah while expressing gratitude over His grace and bounty.
But the one who determines his own value in the world and regards himself
superior to others is arrogant.
The Atom Bomb of Pride
Rasûlullâh said that the one who has an atom’s weight of pride
in his heart will not enter jannah. He will not even get the scent
of Jannah. This is the material of the atom bomb of pride that it
deprives one of the scent of heaven. Therefore, one should have concern
about it. We should not have this atom bomb within ourselves without
knowing about it. Consult the bomb disposal squad, namely the Ahlullâh
to rid oneself of this bomb.
Two Ingredients of Pride
What is pride? Rasûlullâh has apprised us of its ingredients
namely, non-acceptance of the truth and regarding people as inferior.
Some people don’t accept the truth even though they know it is the truth.
They say, "We do not accept what the Molvis have to say." This is
pride. The second sign of pride is that one regards others as inferior.
Rasûlullâh did not use the word ‘believer’ in the hadith but
he said, ‘an-nâs’, that is all the people. Thus, even if you
regard a kâfir as inferior, you have pride. Now you may ask
how can we not regard a kâfir as inferior. Well remember that
it is obligatory to dislike kufr [disbelief] but it is harâm to regard
a kâfir as debased. It is possible that he may recite the kalimah
and die with faith.
Disliking Kufr
Moulânâ Qâsim Nânotwî (Rahimahullâh)
saw a Bunya (Hindu) walking in jannah. He asked the latter how he
entered jannah. He replied that he had recited the kalimah at the
time of death. He spent his whole life saying Ram, Ram but he was
successful at the end of his life. Therefore, it is harâm to
regard a kâfir as disgraced. We don’t know how his end will
be. Moulânâ Rûmî (Rahimahullâh) says:
Do not regard any kâfir as debased, because there is hope of him
embracing Islam before death. It is possible that his death be on
Imân. We don’t know what our end result will be. We don’t
have any guarantee.
The Great Mujaddid
That is the reason why Hadrat Thânwi (Rahimahullâh) regarded
himself as lower than all the Muslims of the world during his time.
He would regard every Muslim as superior because there was a possibility
that some act of his being accepted by Allâh and an act of mine not
being accepted by Allâh and He becoming angry. With regards
to the future, he said that he regarded himself worse than all the kuffâr,
dogs, pigs and animals of the world, that is, regarding the end result
because no one knows what his end result would be. When one does
not know the consequence, how can one regard oneself as better. Subhânallâh,
what knowledge Hadhrat had and how illuminated were his words. "I
regard myself lower than the Muslims now and lower than the disbelievers
and animals in future." He used to say that when he thought about
the final result, he would tremble and wonder what Ashraf Ali’s condition
would be. He said that if he got a place where the people of jannat
left their shoes, that would be indeed sufficient for him. This also,
he said he was not entitled to but because he could not withstand hell.
On the other hand, we perform a few raka’ât nafl salâh and
think we have become the owners of jannah. This is pure foolishness.
The Bomb Disposal Squad of Pride
The disease of pride is so dangerous that it will deprive one of the scent
of jannah. Even though one would have performed hajj, umrah, tahajjud
and ishrâq, then too one would not smell jannah. This is the
statement of Rasûlullâh. When this bomb is so dangerous,
why then don’t you meet with the bomb disposal squad. Who are they?
They are the Ahlullâh, the friends of Allâh. Ask them
whether you have pride. If you live with them, they will indicate
this to you, Inshâ-Allâh. Hadhrat Hakîmul Ummat
states that when a person places his foot in the khanqah, he comes to know
of all his internal illnesses. It is as if he takes an x-ray of the
person. He comes to know whether the person has pride in him or whether
his eyes are full of lust. He knows whether the person glances at
attractive faces. At the very first glance he comes to know all this.
Allâh grants this ability to those who are given the responsibility
of reforming people. Salvation from Pride
Therefore refrain from two things. Firstly, do not regard yourself
as great. Regard yourself lower than all the Muslims of the world.
In this way you would have saved yourself from ‘ghamtun-nâs’
- regarding people as inferior. Sometimes as a means of precaution,
utter this verbally. "I regard myself lower than the Muslims now
and lower than the disbelievers and animals in future." If you continue
uttering this statement verbally, you will not regard others as inferior.
And secondly, always accept the truth. When you come to know that
a certain fact is true, accept it immediately. You will be cured
of pride because you have been freed of the two major ingredients of pride.
The one who accepts the truth and does not regard himself as superior is
free of pride.
The Method of not Despising Disobedient People
Do not despise anyone no matter how bad a condition he may be in, even
though he may be an adulterer or drunkard. Despise the actions of
the disobedient; not their persons. It is compulsory to hate the
disbelief of the disbelievers and the transgression of the sinners.
Hate the act, not the doer of the act. Hadhrat Thânwî
(Rahimahullâh) said that this is very easy. This is similar
to a situation where a prince whose face is radiant comes with ink all
over his face. Will you despise the prince or his act of applying
the ink. You will not hate the prince because you know that he is
a prince. You don’t know when he will wash his face and make it radiant
once again. From this you can understand that one should hate the
act and not the doer of the act. Perhaps he may repent and become
a walTullâh. However, when you see someone committing a sin,
supplicate to Allâh to protect you from that sin. And express
gratitude to Allâh for not involving you in that sin by reading the
du'â
If perchance you saw someone staring at a woman, then protect your gaze
and thank Allâh for protecting you from this spiritual malady.
An Easy Way to Achieve Piety
Now I will narrate to you the statement of my Sheikh, Shâh Abdul
Ghani (Rahimahullâh). He said that Allâh, due to His
perfect mercy, indicated the prescription for taqwâ after making
taqwâ incumbent. "Remain with the truthful ones (the people
of piety)." Till when will you continue sinning. By living
with them, your temperament will one day change. The one who once
lived in the sewerage area but has now begun living in a garden among fragrant
flowers, will find that his nature will change. Now he will not go
back to the sewerage area to smell a canister of faeces. Muster up
the courage and leave the sewerage for a few days. The Prescription
for Reformation
If you fear reverting back to the sewerage area and committing sin if
you have to come out of the khânqah, then abandon going out for a
year or two. Sacrifice even your relatives for Allâh’s sake.
Tell them to come and meet you in the khânqah. No matter what
they say that the path to Allâh is very difficult, do not worry about
them. These very relatives will eventually fall at your feet when
you don the crown of piety, when piety flows from your eyes and the scent
of piety is effused from your tongue. Allâh promises that He
will love the one who leaves sin. He is in no need of amulets.
When he belongs to Allâh, Allâh makes the creation love him.
Do not worry about people saying that the path of Allâh is difficult.
Tell them that you are ill and that your Sheikh has prescribed a two-year
stay for you in the khânqah.
The Incident of Allamah Khalid Kurdî
Allâmah Khâlid Kurdî was a very great scholar of Syria
who came to spend forty days in the khânqah of Shâh Ghulâm
Alî in Delhi. Shâh Ghulâm Ali was the khalîfah
of Mirza Manhar Jâne Jânân (Rahimahullâh).
Shâh Abdul Azîz Muhaddith Dehlwî (Rahimahullâh)
came to meet Allâmah Khâlid. The latter wrote a note
to him saying that he was not able to meet anyone as he was spending time
in the company of his Sheikh. After completing his forty days, he
would go and meet him. This is the status of the Sheikh that one
should do as he says. Until you do not sacrifice the whole creation,
your relatives, businesses and desires, you cannot reach Allâh.
Make yourself subservient to the wishes of Allâh and see what you
achieve. Those who are deeply involved in love affairs should spend
two years in the khânqah. They should not go outside even to
eat pân [betel leaf]. Then see whether you become a saint or
not. If a person lives among flowers but in between he also goes
to the sewerage area, will not be able to change his nature. If after
two months or four months you make an excuse of visiting some relative
or your brother has arrived from abroad, you leave the khânqâh,
then you have reached the centre of sin. You have in actual fact
entered the sewerage area and smelt the faeces. Your nature will
also be spoilt and all your effort will be wasted. May Allâh
raise the status of my Sheikh. What an amazing person he was!
He used to say that one should live with the people of taqwâ and
hold firmly onto them. He said that wherever Allâh revealed
any command, He also prescribed an easy method of fulfilling that command.
As in the case of taqwâ, He has prescribed living with the pious
ones.
Allah’s Independence
Allâh has revealed the word ‘ahad’ in Sûrah Ikhlâs and
not the word ‘wâhid’ although ‘wâhid’ also means one.
What is the difference between ‘ahad’ and ‘wâhid’? The word
‘ahad’ is only used to refer to one entity while ‘wâhid’ can be used
for several entities as well eg. wâhid mi’ah - one hundred
and wâhid alf - one thousand. Wâhid is one but here it
refers to thousand as well. When Arabs speak, they use ‘wâhid’
for hundred and thousand but they do not use the word ‘ahad’. ‘Ahad’
is only used for one being. Therefore Allâh used this word
to specify the unity of His being. Shâh Abdul Ghanî (Rahimahullâh)
used to say that the proof of this is the following verse, "Allâhus
Samad" Allâh is independent. Sharing is a proof of need.
To form a coalition government or a limited company is a sign of need.
When a person cannot run a company himself, he forms a limited partnership.
A partnership is always a proof of need. Allâh says that He
is not forming a partnership because He is independent. Abû
Hurairah (Radhiallâhu anhu) states that ‘samad’ means one that is
independent of everyone else while everything is dependent on him.
Because Allâh is independent of everyone and everyone is dependent
on Him, this independence is proof of His unity. Therefore, no one
can be a deity besides Him. This was the inspired knowledge of my
Sheikh. How amazing that he proved Allâh’s unity from His independence.
An Example of Changing Sins to Virtue
Now I will present an example given by Moulânâ Rûmî
(Rahimahullâh) and conclude my talk. Moulânâ Rûmî
(Rahimahullâh) states that Allâh has kept the ability to sin
as well as the ability to do good within man. He gives an example
that when the sun shines on cow dung that lies in the forest, it becomes
dry. Then the baker places it in the oven where it becomes completely
red and makes the oven red. The baker is now able to bake roti (bread).
The dung became dry and pure, then it became red in the fire. Now
it was used for baking roti as well as giving light. Who granted
it this benefit? A mere creation of Allâh, the sun produced
this effect that it made cow dung clean.
The Effect of the Sun on Impurities
The rays of the sun dried up the liquid part of the dung and converted
it into fertilizer. This very fertilizer now produces fragrant flowers
like the rose and jasmine. Moulânâ Rûmî (Rahimahullâh)
states that the sun’s rays made one part of the impure dung illuminated
in the oven while the other part was converted into flowers. When
this is the effect of the sun’s rays, then what will be the effect of Allâh’s
grace on evil character? What will happen to the urge of sinning
that one has? Why will it not change into good character and the
desire to worship? Then he recited this verse: O Allâh, Your
sun has an effect on apparent impurities. And Your general grace
does not search for capability.
Had it searched for capability, then the sun in the sky would not have
had an effect on impurities. The sun would have said that it was
beyond his dignity and honour to have an effect on dung. The sun
would have changed its speed.
The Sun of Mercy
When the sun in the sky can convert impurities to fragrant flowers and
creating bread in the oven, then what will be the condition of Allâh’s
sun of grace? When the rays of Allâh’s mercy shine on the evil
thoughts in the heart, those thoughts are changed to the light of piety.
Allâh does not require capability or a certificate for giving.
When Allâh can grant filthy impurities such garments, then what will
He be able to give his pure servants. Jalâlud-dîn Rûmî
(Rahimahullâh) is at a loss of vocabulary to express what bounties
Allâh grants those who tread His path. The Effects of a Relationship
With Allâh
When the sun of Allâh’s grace rises on people’s hearts, their
evil character changes to virtuous character. The love which was
being sacrificed for decaying corpses is now being sacrificed for Allâh
in prostration. That love is expressed now by placing the head on
the ground in prostration by saying, "Subhâna Rabbiyal A’lâ".
Honour belongs to the one who places his head at the feet of the Creator
of the head. He will have no difficulties.
The Light of Piety
Life is a matter of just a few days. Muster up some courage and do
not fulfil your urge to sin. Make the urge of sin dry up in the rays
of the sun of mujâhadah (striving) just like how the sun in the sky
dries up dung. If you do not fulfil the urge to sin, the light of
taqwâ will be created. But if a person does not allow the dung
to dry up and lets the cattle continue defecating fresh dung, then whatever
was dried up by the sun will also become soft and will not be allowed to
become dry. The earth which had become hot will now become cold.
The bounty of the sun’s rays will be destroyed. In the same way some
people waste the efforts of their Sheikh by not being cautious. To
Allâh do I present my complaint.
The Meaning of Success
Allâh says, "The one who purified himself has succeeded."
He has achieved the success of this world as well as the hereafter.
‘Falâh’ means all the good of this world and the hereafter.
Successful is the one who listened to his spiritual mentor and obeyed him.
Listen to the sheikh and do not look at your family or relatives and your
habits of eating pân. The very same family will carry your
shoes. Make duâ that Allâh grant us the ability to practise.
O Allâh, accept this discourse of mine. O Allâh, accept
me and all the listeners. Change our criminal hearts to saintly ones.
You are capable of changing fire into water and vice versa. You can
change joy into grief and vice versa. Make our hearts full of pain
and hearts like those of the saints. Grant us life with the safety
of limbs and Imân. Take us away from this world with the safety
of limbs and Imân. Accept this duâ for us, our progeny
and all the Muslims of the world. O Allâh, grant us the final
stage of the Siddiqîn. O Allâh, grant us such Imân
and conviction so that every breath of ours is sacrificed for Your sake.
We should not displease You even for one breath. Every breath of
ours should be spent in actions that please you. If we commit any
sin, grant us the ability to moisten our places of sajdah with tears of
remorse and repentance. Make our dunyâ and hereafter. |
