Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
By Hadhrat
Moulana Abdul Hamid Is’haq Saheb (Daamat Barakaatuhum)
The word Aayah is commonly
translated as “verse” but it means “sign”. There are more than 6000 Aayaat in
the Qur’aan Sharief. These Aayaat are signs from Allah Ta’ala - which offer us
direction to the Zaat (Being) of Allah Ta’ala. …The Qur’aan
Sharief leads us to the beautiful destination of Allah Ta’ala’s Ma’rifat, ‘Ishq
and Pleasure.
As an example: We are currently
in Azaadville. If we want to travel to Johannesburg, which is towards the east
of Azaadville, we will have to follow the respective signboards to reach
Johannesburg. If a person wants to reach any other city, he will have to follow
the appropriate signboards to reach that city. …Similarly, with every Aayah
of the Qur’aan Sharief, one gets direction to Allah Ta’ala.
Alhamdulillah, with Allah
Ta’ala’s Fadhl and great Ihsaan, when we commenced learning the Qur’aan
Sharief, we read it by looking inside (Naazirah), thereafter we memorised some
Surahs, then we went on to become Huffaaz of the Qur’aan Sharief.
Alhamdulillah, Allah Ta’ala then opened another special door to more of His
Bounties and Blessings - by guiding us to the Darul Uloom and we commenced the ‘Aalim
course. There, we went further in learning the Qur’aan Sharief, studying the
translation and the Tafaasier (commentaries). Alhamdulillah, after qualifying,
many then begin to teach the Qur’aan Sharief to others.
…Very
sadly, despite being blessed with all of these great bounties, and having this
link to the Qur’aan Sharief, many of us have not found Allah Ta’ala; have not
recognised Allah Ta’ala.
To illustrate: A person
undertakes a journey. In spite of many signboards that are placed strategically,
offering directions, he gets lost. He even has a GPS to show him the correct
route but he still finds himself lost. He then asks someone for directions and
the person gives directions, pointing out land marks on the route, and
informing him where to turn right or left, etc. The person even draws a sketch
with details and landmarks, and keeps in contact with the person, via the cell
phone, to ensure that the person is on the right course. If the person still
does not reach his destination after all these
directions, what would we say of such a person?
…Of course, this is not like
the case of the person who was lost in KwaZulu Natal and stopped to ask someone
for directions. The person said: “Turn right at the second traffic
light, left at the stop street, then continue ahead and get lost!”
Like a comprehensive map, the
Qur’aan Sharief outlines and details the route to Allah Ta’ala; to Najaat
(salvation) and to Jannah. From Allah Ta’ala’s side, He has given us 6000+
signs so that we do not get lost. In many places in the Qur’aan Sharief, Allah
Ta’ala uses the plural, “Aayaat”.
Together with this beautiful guidance, we,
ourselves, and every part of our bodies are signs to recognise Allah Ta’ala.
وَفِى الْأَرْضِ اٰيٰتٌ لِّلْمُوْقِنِيْنَ◌ وَفِىْٓ أَنْفُسِكُمْ ط
أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُوْنَ◌
“On the
earth are signs for those of assured Faith, as also in your own selves:
Will
you not then see?”
[Surah Az-Zariyat 51 : 20/21]
The morning the evening, the
mountains, the seas, everything around us, our waking up and our sleeping are
all magnificent signs of Allah Ta’ala!
Allah Ta’ala does not give
meaningless directions – Na’uzu Billah[1].
Allah Ta’ala gives us clear and detailed directions and repeatedly reminds us
so that we may stay on course, that we don’t mistakenly take any wrong turns –
and that we reach Him in the easiest, safest and quickest way. If we
still have not found Allah Ta’ala, we still have not recognised Allah Ta’ala,
then there is definitely some failing from our side.
We should reflect over what effort we
have made in giving up sins? Sins are like concrete walls which separate us
from Allah Ta'ala. They block our path to Allah Ta'ala. They block our access
to the Qurb (closeness) and Ma'rifat (recognition) of Allah Ta'ala. ...If we
want to reach Allah Ta’ala, we will have to undertake some Mujahada[2]
against the nafs and we will have to give up our sins.
We should also reflect over our intentions when reading the Qur’aan Sharief or teaching the Qur’aan
Sharief. The Qur’aan Sharief is Hidayah – so we should be seeking its guidance.
It is Ma’rifat of Allah Ta’ala – so we should be seeking this Ma’rifat. It is
Qurb (proximity) – so we should be seeking this Qurb. It is Noor – so we should
be seeking this Noor. It is Rahmah – so we should be seeking this Rahmah. It is
Shifa (cure) from all physical and spiritual ailments – so we should be seeking
this Shifa.
Hadhrat Hasan Basri (Rahmatullahi
‘alayh) had said: "O son of Aadam, how will your heart be softened
by the recitation of Qur'aan Sharief if all you read for, is to reach the end of
the Surah?"
Similarly, how will we take the
guidance of the Qur’aan Sharief, acquire the Ma’rifat of Allah Ta’ala and
follow the wonderful directions that the Qur’aan Sharief offers, if, from our
side, there is no sincere intention or aspiration and we do not practise upon
it?
With these great bounties of Hidayat and Ma’rifat, a person also becomes Mukhlis (sincere). He
realises that Allah Ta’ala alone can reward and that Allah Ta’ala is the One
who is the best of those who appreciate. When there is this good understanding,
the person will naturally carry out his actions solely for the pleasure of
Allah Ta’ala.
When there is Ma’rifat, then the person also recognises and
understands his own insignificance. Takabbur (pride), Ujub (conceit / vanity)
and Riyaa (ostentation) will, Insha-Allah, depart from the heart.
In the physical journeys of this
world, even with a map, people sometimes request a guide – someone who knows
the territory very well and who will facilitate ease with his experience and
his knowledge of the landscape, its dangers, etc. and who can be a means of
protecting us from mistakes or disasters.
Whilst we have the Qur’aan Sharief
with its beautiful signs from Allah Ta’ala so that we may traverse and travel
this journey towards Allah Ta’ala and reach Allah Ta’ala, this journey also
becomes easy when we have a guide.
Allah Ta'ala gave us Rasulullah
(Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) to explain His great signs and to practically
demonstrate to us how to follow these great signs. After him, were his Noble Companions
(Radhiyallahu ‘anhum) and thereafter their Companions - until we have our
present day 'Ulama-e-Haq and our Mashaa'ikh - who teach us, remind us and point
out to us the Signs of Allah Ta'ala that we remain on Siratul Mustaqeem and
reach our destination.
In the Ahadith, Rasulullah
(Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) encouraged seeking a companion before
undertaking a journey ... so that we may have someone who offers us help and support.
In this
journey to Allah Ta'ala, traversing spiritual realms, we should also seek a
companion. The Sheikh-e-Kaamil proves to be a wonderful companion and assistant.
He is experienced in traveling the spiritual terrain towards Allah Ta’ala and
will be a means of protection, reassurance and success for the travellers to Allah
Ta'ala.
This great bounty of reaching the
destination of the Ma’rifat of Allah Ta’ala is easily obtained through the
company of the Auliya Allah[3].
It is in their noble company that we will enjoy the treasures of the
Qur’aan Sharief and truly appreciate the wonderful, beautiful and great signs of Allah
Ta’ala. We will also experience how each Aayah delivers us closer and closer to
Allah Ta’ala!
May Allah Ta’ala grant us all the
full blessings of the Qur’aan Sharief and the Taufeeq of practising on it
entirely.
[1] Na’uzu Billah: We seek protection
in Allah
[2] Mujahada : striving /
struggle
[3] Auliya Allah : Friends of Allah
(Ta’ala)
