On one occasion, when
Hazrat Maulana Yusuf Kandhlawi (Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh) gave the Jumu`ah Khutbah,
his respected father, Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ilyaas (Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh)
asked him what intention he had made for the Khutbah he had delivered.
Hazrat Maulana Yusuf
(Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh) replied that his Niyyah (intention) was to deliver the
Sunnah Khutbah.
Hazrat Maulana Muhammad
Ilyaas (Rahmatullahi ‘Alayh) advised him thus:
“Had you made the Niyyah that Allah Ta’ala conveys this message to all
the people of the world, you would have then reaped so much more in thawaab
(rewards), you would have secured tremendous rewards on such a niyyah.”
Contemplating on this
priceless gem, and thereafter on the intentions we make, it came to mind that
on undertaking any khidmah of Deen – whether, Khutbah, bayaan, writing, travel
for the purpose of Deen, etc. – we should keep the following points and
concerns before us when formulating our intention, including the above.
The following Dua is
actually an extension and an explanation to the main intention to do solely and
only for the Pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, and this Dua also reflects the weighty
responsibility we have when engaging in the services of Deen, creating that
concern to carry out our work in the best possible manner, as would be pleasing
to Allah Ta’ala (Insha-Allah):
When formulating our
intentions, we should keep the following before us. Insha-Allah, it will assist us
in understanding what a sincere intention should be:
“O Allah, make this a means of Aml and Hidayah for
myself and for all; grant me the Taufeeq to convey it correctly, and explain it
correctly; let it be understood correctly and let it be practised upon
correctly.
O Allah, grant me 100% sincerity, as well as all the
qualities of acceptance. Allow the message of Your Deen to spread to all
mankind and jinn till the day of Qiyaamah. Wherever it reaches, in which ever
way it reaches, by whatever means, let there be only good in it and let only
good come out of it, let there be no evil or harm in it and let no harm come
out of it.
O Allah, Bless me to convey that which is necessary
and beneficial, according to each individual; let there be no test or trial in
it, no mistakes or errors in it, and O Allah, save me from any kind of
disrespect also.
O Allah, let each and every Ayah and Hadeeth be only
for Your Pleasure. Seal this talk with Your Special Pleasure and Acceptance -
whether of the sayings, actions and conditions of the pious, or the analogies
and the examples, or the events, poems or anecdotes.
O Allah, let every single moment spent in the
Khidmat of Your Deen be only for Your pleasure. You, out of Your Kindness,
declare it to be only for Your pleasure, as far as the words, meanings,
insinuations and body language are concerned.
O Allah, Crown our humble efforts and endeavours
with acceptance even though not worthy of acceptance.”
By Hazrat Maulana Abdul Hamid Is`haq (Daamat Barakaatuhum)
