An Effective Remedy for Ghaflah
Beliefs, Preparation for Death, Spiritual Diseases November 9th, 2008
* Ghaflah: Being unmindful and heedless of Allah Ta‘ala.
If still the nafs is not rectified and is lazy in performance of Salah and fasting, then one should meditate upon death. One should meditate upon the fact that one day he will be laying in the grave. What answer will one give to Allah Ta’ala at that time?
The person whose heart has become hard and has become habituated to committing sins should meditate upon death for 4 to 5 minutes daily. He should meditate:
“I have just died and after washing and shrouding my life-less body, the people are taking me to the graveyard and burying my lifeless corpse in the grave alone. My wife, children, business and home all have left me, and now, none of these things are of any benefit to me. Only my actions have remained.”
Death is a reality, it is definite, and how can there be any doubt about a thing which is definitely going to occur? Death is such a reality that even the kuffar (disbelievers) do not deny. Has any kafir (disbeliever) said that death will not come?
Therefore, ponder over the reason for us not performing Salah, and not paying the Zakah. What is the reason for us watching T.V. and V.C.R? What is the reason that we are involved in these evil actions? The reason is to pass time and entertain ourselves.
But ponder over the fact that when we are lowered into the grave, what will enter the grave with us? What will we entertain ourselves with then? How many T.V.’s and V.C.R.’s will we take with us? There will be no V.C.R in the grave, rather there will be punishment. Therefore, wake up from this heedlessness and do not entertain yourself with the disobedience of Allah Ta‘ala. That slave who pleases his heart at the cost of displeasing his Master is in total loss.
Just the following statement is sufficient for the guidance of someone, ‘The slave who pleases his own heart (by living a life of disobedience) at the cost of displeasing his Master, is in total loss.’ i.e. at any time the punishment of Allah Ta’ala could descend upon him. Allah Ta’ala is giving us chance after chance in hope that we will rectify ourselves. Nabi (saw) says,
“Remembrance of death is a sufficient lecturer and preacher.”
It is sufficient for guidance. It recharges one’s spiritual battery. One should also sit in pious company. Wherever there is any beneficial Deeni talk, then go there. Look! How far our pious predecessors used to travel to learn Deen!
Source: What is the Reality of Tasawwuf
A Few Important Teachings Of Deen
Preparation for Death, Sunnats June 29th, 2008
Whomsoever has obeyed Rasulullah (
) has (in reality) obeyed Allah Ta’ala. ( Para-5, Ruku.8 )
1. Rasulullah () is reported to have said:
“The one who does not show mercy to our young and does not respect our old, nor does he advise people to do good and prevent them from doing evil is not from amongst us.” (Tirmidhi)
2. “Anyone who causes harm to wealth or body or any Muslim brother or decieves him is accursed.” (Tirmidhi)
3. “Live in the world like a traveler.” (Bukhari Sharief)
4. “A true Muslim is one whom other Muslims are safe from the harm of his tongue and hand.” (Bukhari)
5. “The punishment for the disobedience towards parents afflicts one in this world as well.”(Mishkaat Sharief)
6. “Appreciate five things before five.” (Tirmidhi)
a. Youth before old age.
b. Good health before sickness.
c. Prosperity before poverty.
d. Free time before becoming pre-occupied.
e. Life before death.
Source: Beautiful Sunnah of Beloved Nabi (saw) By Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Sahab (db)
Tags: Bukhari, life before death, Rasulullah, Sunnah, true muslim
Shaytan, The Deceitful Trader
Love of Allah, Preparation for Death, Spiritual Diseases June 29th, 2008
You all believe in Maulana Thanwi (Rahimahullah). He says that if a businessman shows you a sample, and gives you an item which differs from the sample, you will call the businessman a cheat and a deceitful person. You will never buy anything from him again.
Shaytan always deceives. He shows you the cheeks and eyes of attractive people. What sample he shows you and what item he gives. He pollutes you in the organs of feces and urine. But you still have not left Iblees’ tail.
People say what must we do, there is nudity everywhere. Uncovered women do not give us a chance. I say why have you placed your nose under Shaytan’s tail. Safeguard your gaze.
Practise on the blessed statement of Rasûlullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. You will achieve piece. Allah will fill your heart with the sweetness of Iman and His love for every glance that you protect.
Friends, do not waste your lives. I am telling you with a painful heart and what more can I tell you? As Hadhrat Thanwi (Rahimahullah) said that if he had the power, he would have placed his heart in his friends’ hearts.
Allah has indicated two prescriptions of obtaining taqwa (piety) in these two verses. In the light of these verses I have showed you two ways of becoming a saint and becoming wealthy with the currency of the hereafter. When the entire world will kick you, only this currency will benefit you. What is this currency? It is the friendship of Allah. In order to attain taqwa, Allah has indicated in one verse that we should live with the people of taqwa. If you do not live with the people of taqwa, you will be consumed by negligence.
Source: Purpose of Life – By: Hazrat Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Sahab (db)
Tags: gaze, Leaving Sin, painful heart, sweetness of Iman, taqwa
Forgiving for the Sake Of Allah
Preparation for Death, Spiritual Diseases June 17th, 2008
Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mujaddid e Millat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) once mentioned in a lecture that a woman put extra salt in the food by mistake. Her husband thereupon decided this matter with Allah and said: “O Allah! She has made a mistake by making the food salty, so for Your sake I forgive this wife of mine who is your bondswoman. She has a connection with You, therefore I forgive her.” All this he thought in his heart and forgave his wife and did not tell her anything.
After he had passed away, someone saw him in a dream and asked him how he fared? He replied: “Matters were very frightening, great sins of mine were presented, but Allah told me that He forgave me and I am free to go, as one day I forgave His bondswoman (my wife), for making the food too salty.”
How would we like our son-in-law to treat our daughter if she makes a mistake? Would we not like that he should forgive her? When the son-in-law troubles our daughter, we run to buzrug’s for taweez and duas. Similarly, our wives are also someone else’s daughters. Must we not show mercy to them? We argue and fight so much with them that they cry inside and have no one to complain to in the in-law’s house. Their sighs and laments too will surely catch up with you one day!
Source: Treatment of Anger by Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Sahab (damat barkatuhum)
Tags: anger, forgiving, pardoning, Sake Of Allah, wife
Hazrat Sufyan Thawri (
) was asked by someone to give him advice, but to be very brief and concise. So he advised him saying,
“Make an effort for the world to the extent of your stay here. And make an effort for the hereafter to the extent of your stay there.”
Everyone knows that after leaving this world there is no return, and the life of the hereafter is everlasting. Therefore, one should make a great effort for that which is everlasting. The stay in this world is temporary. Thus, to make too much effort for it is foolishness. What a complete and comprehensive advice this is! Remember it and let it become imprinted in your heart.
Source: What is the reality of Tasawwuf – Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Sahab (damat barkatuhum)
Tags: effort in deen, Sufyan Thawri
The Sweetness of Iman
Friends of Allah, Preparation for Death, Spiritual Diseases May 8th, 2008
Mulla Ali Qari lived in Hirat and then emigrated to Makkah. His grave is in Jannatul Ma’la. He writes in the explanation of this hadith that whoever is granted the sweetness of Iman will most certainly die with Iman because Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’la will not grant the sweetness of Iman to one and then snatch it away. This is the third reward for protecting the gaze. Therefore, do a transaction of a good ending with Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’la by protecting your gaze wherever there are women eg. on the streets, airports, railway stations, shopping malls, etc. When the sweetness of Iman enters the heart, it never comes out again.
Mulla Ali Qari (Rahimahullah) states that this hadith contains an indication to a good ending – a life that ends on Iman. Today the sweetness of Iman is being distributed in all places like the streets, airports and shopping malls. The condition is that one must not stare at the shops for these sweets, namely ghair mahram forms. If someones’s sugar is over the limit and he looks at a sweet shop, his sugar will not increase by merely looking but one’s gaze is such a dangerous thing that by merely looking, the poison enters one.
Rasûlullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that the one who merely looks at strange women; he does not use her or speak to her has committed adultery of the eyes. This is a hadith of Sahih Bukhari. I request the Ulama to have a look at this hadith in Sahih Bukhari (vol.2 Kitabul Istizan). An evil glance is the adultery of the eyes. This includes staring at beardless youth.
Therefore, those who commit adultery of the eyes and see dreams of becoming a saint should beat their heads. Is this the way to become a saint?
Source: Purpose of Life – by Hazrat Maulana Shah Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Sahab (damat barkatuhum)
Tags: fornication of eyes, gaze, Mulla Ali Qari, Sahih Bukhari, sweetness of Iman
The Everlasting Lamp Is Lit By The Temporary Lamp
Friends of Allah, Love of Allah, Preparation for Death April 13th, 2008
Maulana Jalaluddeen Rumi (
) says that the light of the ‘lamp of life’ is very weak and dim. Along with this, the “winds of death” are constantly blowing and could extinguish the ‘lamp of life’ at any time.
In the violent storm of death,
The lamp of life burns away.
Therefore, make an effort to attain the lamp of the love of Allah in your heart so that when the lamp of this temporary life is extinguished, the everlasting, emergency lights of Allah Ta’ala ignite from within. The example of this is like the electricity that went off a minute ago and the generator caused the lights to turn on.
The winds are strong and the lamp is weak,
Quickly we must find another lamp.
The lamp is weak and the winds are blowing furiously. O people of the world! Quickly make an effort in lighting another lamp. Jalaludeen is not a fool! Through the blessing of Shaikh Shamsudeen Tabrezi (), I have lit the lamp of Allah’s Nisbah1 by adopting the Sunnah and by abstaining from sins. Maulana Rumi () says that when death approaches and the eyes close, the divine lamp of Allah’s love is immediately set alight in the hearts of the Auliya2 just as the generator turned on, and the lights immediately came back. When the eyes close from this temporary life then all the buildings, bungalows, luxurious cars, business dealings and beautiful women will come to an end. We will all have to leave this world one day.
While in Hardoi, India, I had composed a couplet regarding the instability of this temporary world. Hazrat Mufti Mahmood Hasan Gangohi and I were traveling on a riksha at that time. I told him, “Hazrat, I have composed a couplet…” When Mufti Sahebheard the couplet he said, “Do present this couplet of yours to your Shaikh, Maulana Shah Abrarul Haq Saheb ( ).” This couplet, which the Grand Mufti of India approved of, is as follows:
This garden will one day become a desert, tell this to the nightingale,
So that it may think before sacrificing its life.
To serve the Auliya and to adopt their company does not mean that you continue to have your eyes fixed on their wealthy mureeds. Therefore, I urge you to attain the love of Allah from the Auliya. I take an oath by Allah Ta’ala that the people of the world will rush to serve you. Do not become like the grape worm, which went to eat the grapes but was deceived by the green leaves of the grape. Thinking a leaf to be the grape, it spent its whole life on the leaf and died on that very leaf and was deprived of the actual enjoyment of the grape. Similarly, many mureeds come to attain the love of Allah Ta’ala but become lost in the glamour and glitter of the world. In this way they leave the world deprived of Allah’s love. May Allah Ta’ala save us all. Ameen.
1 The strong connection with Allah Ta’ala which is attained through adopting the company of a friend of Allah Ta’ala and abstaining from all sins and punctuality in zikr.
2 Those pious, Allah-fearing individuals who have attained a special connection with Allah Ta’ala.
Source: What is the Reality of Tasawwuf
Tags: Auliya, death, Jalaludeen Rumi, Nisbah, Shah Abrarul Haq, Shamsudeen Tabrezi, Sunnah
