An Incident Depicting the Sincerity of an Alim

An Alim mentioned to his Shaykh, ” Hadhrat, these days I experience no joy in making Zikr.” The Shaykh recognized by his speech and actions that he had succumbed to pride. The Ahlullah have a knack of diagnosing spiritual diseases by peoples outward activities, mannerisms and reactions. The Shaykh diagnosed and informed the Alim Sahib of the appropriate cure with these words: “Maulana! You have developed a severe case of pride which has to be cured.” The Alim replied, “Hadhrat, whatever treatment you deem fit, I am ready to act upon.” He was absolutely sincere, but Shaytaan had created a delusion of grandeur within the Alim. Due to this bloated feeling of self importance, he became distanced from the mercy of Allah resulting in the absence of enjoyment in his Zikr.

The Shaykh instructed him, “Do this, go and buy five kilos of walnuts, place them in a basket and go to such a locality where there are many children. Make an announcement there, that whichever child gives me a slap on the head I will give him five walnuts.”

No sooner did the Maulana, wearing his magnificent turban, sit down and make this announcement, his turban flew off his head. He was receiving slap afer slap, slap, dash, bang. The children were extremely thrilled at being able to receive five walnuts with the bonus of slapping the Maulana in the bargain. They were thus jumping with joy and taking great relish in delivering the continuous rain of slaps and receiving walnuts in return.

All this occurred while the Maulana was silently sitting, head lowered in obedience to the Shaykhs command. How sincere this person was. This must have caused quite a stir amongst the angels in the heavens. They must have been enviously admiring such a great Alim whose turban went flying off his head. He was, in order to acquire the pleasure of Allah, tolerating this temporary disgrace. In a short while the basket was empty of walnuts and his head was empty of pride. After this he sat down to make zikr. Uttering “Allah-Allah“, the very heavens and earth, were filled with spiritual effulgence. The heavens and earth were overflowing with honey. The sweetness of Allah’s name was coursing through his every nerve and fiber. He then thanked his Shaykh with these words, “JazakAllah, you have given me an extremely bitter draught to drink in lieu of which I have found Allah.”

If, my beloved friends, by giving up and leaving aside the pebbles and stones of sin, one finds Allah, it is indeed a bargain in the making. Verily sins are no more than pebbles and stones. One must gladly give them up so that one finds Allah. A sage says, “I have given up a few pebbles and stones of sin and have found Allah. Alhamdulillah, Allah has been acquired very cheaply.” Shah Abdul Ghani Sahib relates that a saint asked, “O Allah what is your price, that I may offer it and thereby acquire You?” The reply was heard from a voice in the heavens, “Give up both the worlds.” To this he replied, ”

O Allah, as both worlds have you fixed as your price.
Increase your price for the price is too meager to purchase You.

Today we find it difficult to bear the slightest inconvenience. We say it is very difficult to protect our eyesight. How is it possible to protect one’s sight without experiencing and bearing the pain and anguish of lowering the gaze? How will we acquire Allah Ta’ala without the courage to bear this sorrow? If only we realize what a great bounty and treasure this sorrow truly is. On the Day of Qiyaamah one will at least be able to say, “O Allah, I have borne great sorrow treading Your Path in preparation for today.”

– Manaazil e Sulook; pages 57-58

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