09.07.08
Reminder to Remember
To starve one’s soul,
merely neglect zikr.
To ruin your Hereafter,
just lack in fikr.
Follow your nafs down a slope that is slippery
Will ensure that your life will remain in misery.
The journey of this materialistic universe,
Is nothing but a day.
Yet importance is given to everything around us…
As if we are here to stay.
How foolish is one to let this precious time slip away…
To be wasted away…
Constant remembrance of one’s Creator,
Is essential for progress in both the dunya and aakhirah
Seeking guidance from a spiritual mentor,
Will keep one from leaving the path of Allah.
As the Messenger of Allah (S) said,
“Worship Allah as if you see Him,
If not, then surely He sees you.”
~ Pearl
04.09.08
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.
02.20.08
The Bowl of Beggars
Allah Ta’alaa has stated in the Qur’an, “O mankind, all of you are beggars to Allah.” Regarding this verse, I have heard from my Shaykh (DB) that Allah has given every beggar a bowl to beg from in the court of Allah. That bowl is when we put our hands up to make dua’ to Allah, our hands form a little bowl. In the west it is commonly known that beggars cannot be choosers, but this does not apply to the court of Allah. Just look at the things we make dua’ for….We ask Allah for mercy, forgiveness, paradise, protection from hell, and most importantly His pleasure, yet we deserve not even a single one of these things. Contemplate over how merciful our Allah is that it is stated in a hadith that Allah gets angry at the one who does not ask from Him. Raise your small bowl in front of Allah, and surely He will grant you big and great things Insha Allah.
01.31.08
Objecting Against the Ahlullah
There is not deprivation at the door of the saints but the condition is that there must be no malice and enmity in the heart. Mullah Ali Qari (Rahimahullah) states in Sharh Mishkat: Whoever objects to his Shaikh and looks at him despisingly, will never be successful.
Maulana Abrarul Haq Sahib (DB) said that a Mureed (disciple) traveled with him. Hadhrat had delivered a lecture at night and became exhausted. He rested. Allah regards the rest (sleep) of the Ahlullah as worship. Maulana Gangohi (Rahimahullah) said that if a person’s carpenter makes a door and his tools wear out, and he repairs them for an hour, he will have to pay the carpenter because the latter used them for his sake. Thus, the Ulema of Deen who use their heads and tire them out for religious work, their sleep is also counted as worship. If Allah wills, he will grant them reward for sleeping as well.
So Hadhrat said that the disciple wrote a letter to him saying that because Hadhrat did not perform his tahajjud salah in the train whereas he being the disciple performed it, he was abrogating his pledge (Bay’at). The disciple said that his worship was more than the Shaikh’s worship. If only the wretched person realized that the two raka’at of the Maulana and all other saints, are better than our hundred thousand raka’ats. Their sleep is better than our staying awake, our awwabeen, ishraq, and tahajjud. Hadhrat Hajee Sahib (Rahimahullah) used to say that the two raka’at of an arif (one who has full recognition of Allah) is better than one hundred thousand raka’at of a non-arif. Those who harbor objection against the Ahlullah remain deprived.
11.13.07
Two Gems From the Fountain of Wisdom
Hazrat Hakimul-Ummah Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahimahullah) said:
“Two things are very beneficial. If a person adopts them, he will not go astray.
One: He should annihilate his personal opinion.
Two: He should not hanker after results in his spritual activities; zikr, shaghl, ibaadat, etc.
He should act according to the instructions of his Shaikh (Spiritual Guide). Hazrat Haji Imdadullah (rahmatullah alaihi) usually commented: “The Taufeeq (Divinely granted ability) to do good, in itself is a great wealth.”
[The above advice pertains to spiritual and moral reformation where one is following the guidance of a qualified Shaikh who is an expert in the field of spiritual reformation. The mureed (disciple) should submit to his Shaikh's instructions and abandon his personal ideas and opinions.]
(Extracted from the Malfoozat of Hakimul-Ummah)
