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Page 11
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THE
GUEST
The Mashaaikh say that a guest is a messenger from Allah Ta’ala. It therefore behoves the host to be kind and hospitable to guests. Hadhrat Shaqeeq Balkhi (rahmatullah alayh) said: “I do not love anyone more than the guest because his rizq, aid and the reward (for caring for him) are the responsibilities of Allah Ta’ala. In between, I am an insignificant medium.” ALLAH'S RAHMAT Every act of goodness and piety which man does is the result of the taufeeq which Allah Ta’ala bestows to him. Man’s achievements are not the products of his efforts.It is purely on account of Allah’s rahmat (mercy) that we are able to do whatever goodness and virtue we offer to Him. To illustrate this, Hadhrat Jibraeel (alayhis salaam) narrated to Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) the following interesting episode in which there is much lesson. He narrated: “Once there was a durwaish (buzroog/wali/saint) who lived on a mountain peak on an island. Allah Ta’ala had bestowed long life to him. He spent five centuries in ibaadat on the mountain peak. All around was the salty waters of the ocean. For the sustenance of the durwaish, Allah Ta’ala created a spring of fresh and sweet water and a pomegranate tree near to him. The durwaish lived on this sweet and holy water and on the delicious pomegranates which the tree yielded. Of all his acts of ibaadat, he loved Sajdah the most. He supplicated to Allah Ta’ala to take his rooh at the time of maut while he is in Sajdah. Hadhrat Jibraeel (alayhis salaam) commented: “Allah Ta’ala accepted his dua. Whenever we (the Angels) descended from and ascended into the heavens, we would pass by the durwaish and find him in Sajdah.” Continuing the narrative, Hadhrat Jibraeel alayhis salaam) said: “On the Day of Qiyaamah Allah Ta’ala will say to him: “On account of My mercy take My servant to Jannat.” The durwaish will exclaim in surprise: ‘In fact, on account of my deeds!” Allah Ta’ala will command: “Scale My bounties in relation to his deeds.” The scaling and reckoning will yield that the five centuries of ibaadat is the equivelant of only the ni’mat (favour) of the vision of the eye. Allah Ta’ala will command: “Take My servant to Jahannum.” The Malaaikah in charge will apprehend the durwaish and lead him towards Jahannum. The reality now will dawn on him that his five centuries of ibaadat was insignificant and unable to purchase Jannat. He will be overwhelmed with fear. While the journey to Jahannum will be in progress, Allah Ta’ala will command that the durwaish be brought back. He will be ushered into the Divine Court and the following dialogue will take place: Allah:
O My servant!Who created you? Allah:
Did you accomplish your good deeds by your effort or by My mercy? Allah:
Who granted you strength and taufeeq to offer ibaadat for five hundred years? Allah:
Who settled you on the mountain peak in the middle of the ocean? Who created the
fountain of sweet water in the middle of the salty oceans? Who created the
pomegranate tree? Who accepted your supplication for taking your rooh in Sajdah? Allah: All this is the consequence of My Rahmat. Only by My Rahmat am I admitting you to Jannat.” (Tambeehul Ghaafileen of Faqeeh Abu Laith Samarqandi) MAUT “Be prepared for Maut. When it arrives, it never returns.” (Hadhrat Shaqeeq Balkhi) EVIL GREED The greed that constrains a man to perpetually engross himself in the pursuit of wealth for the sake of pride is evil. This type of hirs (greed) makes man oblivious of Allah’s laws. Such a man does not distinguish between halaal and haraam. (Faqeeh Abu Laith Samarqandi) A MAN OF ALLAH Hadhrat Shaqeeq Balkhi (rahmatullah alayh) said: “If you wish to recognize a man of Allah, then look at his attitude to promises— does he generally ignore the promises of Allah and has he reliance on the promises of people.” If his reliance is on the promises of Allah, not on the promises of people, he is a man of Allah.Hadhrat Shaqeeq Balkhi (rahmatullah alayh) was among the senior Auliya. He flourished during the Tab-e-Taabieen epoch and he died in the year 153 Hijri. THE WASIYYAT OF HADHRAT AADAM Hadhrat Aadam (alayhis salaam) bequeathed to his son, Hadhrat Sheeth (alayhis salaam) five advices. He stressed that Hadhrat Sheeth (alayhis salaam) should deliver this wasiyyat to his sons as well. The following are the five advices: (1) Never have confidence in the world and its life. Allah did not approve of my confidence in Jannat, hence I had to leave. (2) Never fulfil the desires of women.I succumbed to the desire of my wife, ate of the forbidden fruit of Jannat, hence I was put to shame and remorse. (3) Before doing anything, reflect well on its consequences. If I had done this, I would not have been put to shame in Jannat. (4) If your heart is agitated by something, do not do it. When I was about to eat of the forbidden fruit, my heart agitated, but I did not heed it. (5) Before doing anything consult with people of wisdom. If I had consulted the Angels, I would not have suffered shame. CONSENSUS OF 700 ULAMA Hadhrat Shaqeeq Balkhi (rahmatullah alayh) said that 700 Ulama were asked: “Who is an intelligent man? Who is a wise man? Who is a wealthy man? Who is a durwaish (holy man)? Who is a miser? All of them unanimously replied: ‘He who does not befriend the world is an intelligent man. He who is not trapped in the deception of the world is a wise man. He who is contented with his taqdeer (what Allah has ordained for him) is a wealthy man. He who does not beg is a holy man. He who withholds Allah’s wealth from His creation is a miser.” SPEECH Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Do not increase speech (talking) besides the Thikr of Allah. Verily, much speech besides the thikr of Allah hardens the heart, and the one who is furthest from Allah, is a man with a hard heart.” Once Hadhrat Haatim Asam (rahmatullah alayh) sought naseehat (advice) from Hadhrat Shaqeeq Balkhi (rahmatullah alayh). He said: “If you want advice in general, then guard your tongue. Never speak until you are confident that what you intend saying is correct. If you wish for special advice, then as far as possible do not speak as long as you know that there will be no harm in silence.” However, if in the silence someone’s rights will be violated or the Haqq of the Deen will suffer, then speaking becomes necessary. Hadhrat Shaqeeq Balkhi (rahmatullah alayh) was among the senior Auliya. He flourished during the Tab-e-Taabieen epoch and he died in the year 153 Hijri. UMAR’S ZUHD Hadhrat Abu Uthmaan Mehdi (rahmatullah alayh) said: “I saw Hadhrat Umar delivering a khutbah while he was wearing a kurtah with twelve patches.” DEPARTING OF ILM The process of the elimination of Ilm — the Knowledge of
the Qur’aan and Sunnah — is incremental with the march of time. The closer
Qiyaamah approaches, the more and the swifter will be the departure of Ilm from
this world. The process of the departure of Ilm from this world was already initiated towards the closing of the era of the Sahaabah. In this regard, Hadhrat Abu Darda (radhiyallahu anhu), a senior Sahaabi, said: “I observe that Ilm will disappear very soon. The Ulama are increasingly departing (from the world), and the enthusiasm for Ilm is descreasing. Acquire Ilm before Ilm disappears with the departure of the Ulama. I can see that in you has developed the greed for something the responsibility of which Allah Ta’ala has assumed on Himself (i.e.rizq) while you are totally unconcerned with your own responsibility (i.e. Ilm and amal).” QUR’AANIC ULAMA Daarul Ulooms should concentrate on producing Qur’aanic Ulama. They are such Ulama about whom the Qur’aan Majeed says: “Verily,among the servants of Allah, only the Ulama fear Him.” Such Ulama have zaahiri and baatini khashiyat. To achieve this attribute, islaah of the nafs is essential. Students of the Deen should not be diverted from taqwa and khashiyat by extraneous activities such as lecturing, debating, writing, etc. The love for solitude and aversion for futility - sport and amusement -are essential attributes for gaining the Noor of Ilm. Students should understand that their final year at the Madrasah is their stepping stone to Ilm. They have only begun the journey along the Path of Ilm. But almost all Madrasah students nowadays labour under the huge deception of them being Allamahs and Muftis when they have learnt to tie a turban on their heads. The degree of takabbur and riya in them testifies that they are still grounded in jahaalat. When they have not recognized their nafs even after five years of studying Qur’aan and Hadith, it should then be clear that they are bereft of the Noor of Ilm. Ilm is a Noor in the heart of the Mu’min . This Noor is not gained without taqwa which in turn cannot be acquired with indulgence in futility. THREE EVIL STATES Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) declared with great emphasis that in three types of persons will develop three evil conditions. He emphasised this by saying that he guarantees the development of these evil conditions in these people. (1) A man who plunges headlong in worldly pursuits will be overtaken by such severe financial straits after which he will not again experience wealth. (2) One who has greed will be overtaken by such worldly involvement which will leave him with no leisure whatsoever. (3) One who is miserly with worldly wealth will be overtaken by such worry which will not allow him to experience a moment of happiness. |