07.29.09
Why Our Dua’s Go Unanswered
Ibrahim Bin Adham (RA) was asked as to why our dua’s do not get accepted even though Allah Ta`ala has said, “And ask of me; I shall grant you…”
So Ibrahim Bin Adham (RA) answered:
Your dua’s do not get answered because your hearts are dead.
They said, ‘why are our hearts dead?’
He answered, because of 8 things….
1) You know the rights of Allah upon you but you do not fulfill them.
2) You read the Qur’an but you do not act on its commandments.
3) You claim that you love the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) but you don’t follow his way.
4) You say we fear death, but you don’t prepare for it.
5) Allah says, “Indeed shaytan is your enemy, so take him as your enemy…” but you obey him in committing sins and disobeying Allah.
6) You claim that you fear the hell fire but you have thrown yourselves therein.
7) You claim that you love paradise but you don’t make an effort for it.
8) When you get up from your beds in the morning, you throw your deficiencies behind your backs and involve yourselves with other peoples’ faults.
Thus you have angered your Lord, so why would He answer your prayers?
(Taken from: Ihya Ulum al-Din; Kitab Sharh `Aja’ib al-Qalb)
06.23.09
Hate Disbelief, Not the Disbeliever!
Hazratwala (DB) said:
“Mawlana Qasim Nanotwi (RA) once saw a Hindu street-cleaner that he knew, taking a stroll in Jannah in his dream. He asked him in the dream,
“O Lala Jee, how have you entered Jannah?”
The Hindu man answered, “At the time of death, I uttered that phrase…”
Notice that he is referring to the kalimah as “that phrase” due to the fact that for a Hindu, the kalimah is a phrase that must never be mentioned. But Allah granted him the tawfeeq of uttering it before his death. His whole life he had been worshipping idols and statues, but in the end, he was blessed with imaan.
This is the why having hatred in the heart for a disbeliever is haraam. Because we do not know what a person’s end will be upon.
Mawlana Rumi (RA) said,
Do not ever look at any disbeliever with hate,
Because there is still hope for him to become a believer!
Do not consider any disbeliever as low and inferior. Do not look at him with the eye of scorn. It might be that his end has been written to be amongst the believers. And in relation to oneself one should always meditate on the fact that it could possibly be that my end might be upon disbelief. We pray that Allah save us all and allow us to pass away in a state of imaan.
Hayat-e-Taqwa; pg. 24
Translator’s Note:
One of the most deadly spiritual diseases is the disease of kibr (looking down upon others and rejection of truth). Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Anyone who has an atom’s weight of kibr in his heart will not enter Jannah.”
Pondering deeply over the above mentioned utterance of Hazratwala is an excellent antidote to this deadly disease. May Allah Ta`ala save us from all spiritual diseases.
04.09.08
Why?
It’s not what you do, but why you do what you do…This is one of the main principles of our tareeqah. Some people gauge themselves based on the quantity of their deeds, but we are told to gauge ourselves based on the quality of our deeds. We don’t enter paradise due to our deeds. Life is based on Allah, not on what we do. The basis of our deeds is Allah, not norms of society. The deception of life is when we decide what to do with our Deen. Servitude is doing what Allah wants from us, not deciding ourselves when to do what.
Signs of a Sound Heart
There are five things that constitute a sound heart (Qalb Saleem):
1. الذي ينفق ماله في سبيل الله
“A person is able to spend his wealth in the path of Allah (SWT).” i.e. having a giving nature
2. الذي يرشد اهله الي الحق
“A person is able to guide and instruct their family towards that which is the reality/the truth.”
What is ‘truth’? امر بالمعروف و نهي عن المنكر “To promote virtue and prohibit vice.”
3. الذي يكون قلبه خاليا عن غلبة الشهوات
“A person, his heart be in such a state that it is free from his carnal and base desires dominating his life.” i.e. Being the slave/servant of Allah, not a slave/servant of the nafs.
4. الذي يكون قلبه خاليا عن العقائد الباطلة
“A person, his heart if free from corrupted, distorted beliefs.”
5. الذي يكون قلبه خاليا عما سواك تبارك و تعالي
“A person, his heart is free from everything else other than Allah (SWT).”
Initial steps to take to attain a pure heart:
To make Taubah (repentance). There are three general requirements when repenting:
- To remove yourself from the sin that you are doing.
- Feel regret – Nadamat
- To make a resolution to never return to that sin.
- If you have wronged another human then there is a fourth condition which is to clear things up with that person and ask for forgiveness.
Symptoms of a sick heart:
-Making false gods
- Love of wealth – حب المال
- Love for fame – حب الجاه
- Love of fulfilling lustful desires – حب الباه
-False love for things
A few things to do in order to abstain from sin:
1. To be in the company of the Ahlullah.
2. Constantly remember Allah (SWT).
3. To be in public the same way you are in private.
4. To recite the Qur’an.
03.03.08
Guarding Your Tongue
Why is it so important for a person to guard his or her tongue? The tongue is the part of a human that decides whether he or she will dwell in paradise or in the hellfire for eternity. There is a hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim regarding this topic that states the following, “He who truly believes in Allah and the Last Day should speak well or he should remain quiet.”
When we speak without thinking, which is often times the case; we go on speaking nonsense, or say something hurtful to others. This leads to backbiting and slandering. This is just a way to incur sins and lose out on our own good deeds.
We all know that we are responsible for whatever we do, whatever we say, whatever we see, whatever we listen to, wherever we go, and for whatever we write. On the Day of Judgment everyone will be questioned regarding the above mentioned things and much more. On that day, our own limbs will bear witness against us. Allah says in Surah An-Noor, “On that day, their tongues, hands, and legs will testify against them regarding their actions.”
My fellow brothers and sisters, are the few moments of pleasure we attain through backbiting worth going to hell for? In the end, would it matter what so and so did and what so and so said? Would these few moments of “sweet revenge” actually be worth it?
Let us learn to think twice before we even utter a single word. Let us start to use our tongue for something that will be beneficial to us and more importantly be pleasing to Allah. Let us all try to help ourselves to guard our tongues from saying anything remotely evil.
As we all know that our actions are based on our intention. Allah knows what everyone’s intention is. He knows whether you plan to do good or evil. Anyone can appear to be good, but it is that which is in the heart that truly counts. Remember that Allah knows very well that which we conceal in our hearts.
Thus the heart is the place from where all actions stem; whether good or evil. If the heart is good then the actions will be good, and if the heart is corrupt then the actions will be bad. The heart is what Allah examines the Prophet (Sallallahu ‘Alayhi Wa Sallam) said, “Allah does not look at your bodies nor your wealth, but rather He looks at your heart and deeds.”
Now let us scan our own hearts and ourselves, and change ourselves before they are scanned for us. Let us repent to for our sins. Let us pray that Allah forgives us all. Aameen!
- A Student
