Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Thursday 16 April 2015
Tuesday 14 April 2015
The Need to become Real Muslims
Bismillahir
Rahmaanir Raheem
By Hadhrat Moulana
Abdul Hamid Is’haq Sahib
Daamat Barakaatuhu
In nursery school
or pre-school, little children are given pictures to colour in. If a child is given a picture of a lion, the child is not going to be afraid by the
picture of the lion. …In fact, the little child may take a pair of scissors and
poke the lion in its eye, cut off its tail or head – and may even squash or
tear the picture of the lion – because it is just paper.
…This is only being
presented as an analogy. It is not offering any concession for animate
pictures which we are forbidden to draw or take photographs of.
A picture of a lion
does not create any fear or disturbance to the heart because it is understood
that that is just a picture.
Then we have the
lion which is kept caged in the zoo. The authorities of the zoo keep a sign on
the outside of the cage: “DO NOT INTERFERE WITH
THE LION.” This is because the lion is real and if
provoked, can become very aggressive and violent.
However, despite
the lion being a real, living lion, there is not much fear because the lion is caged
and cannot do much. Children are also not scared of such a lion. In
fact, some children will even throw stones at the lion and say: ‘See, I’m so brave!’ …It matters little to
them if the lion is annoyed because the lion is behind bars and locked up.
And then we have
the lion who reigns as king of the jungle. The lion is known as the king of the
jungle because he overpowers all other animals. …This lion moves freely,
creating fear in animals and humans. His supremacy is accepted by all – uncontested
and unchallenged. …No one dares to interfere or provoke this lion for fear of
being the next meal of the lion!
Considering this
example, we can draw similarities to what we Muslims have become today.
Today, we are “picture
Muslims”: Take a glance at the
condition of the Ummah.
The land of Muslims
is dyed with the blood of the Muslims.
The land of the
Muslims carries the severe burden of the torture and suffering of the
Muslims.
The tears of the
Muslims have drenched their own land, whilst hundreds of thousands of slain Muslims
lie in the belly of the earth.
The Muslim land has
become a mass burial ground for the Muslims themselves – whether in Syria,
Palestine, Egypt, Burma, Africa or elsewhere.
…Lives are shattered and hearts
weigh heavy with grief.
The enemies
fearlessly persecute and imprison our brothers, rape our sisters and merrily
kill our innocent children – without care, concern or any conscience. There is
oppression, repression and injustice which just increases and intensifies – and
we are so helpless in the face of all these trials. …There is no escaping the
sight of the suffering Ummah. We are living in a world filled with injustice and oppression.
This scenario which we are
witnessing throughout the Muslim world is the consequence of our own actions.
We are to be blamed. We moved away from Dien and we moved away from the noble Sunnah
of our Beloved Rasul Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam.
There is no reality of
Dien in our lives; rather there is just the pursuit of dunya at the expense of
Dien and Aakhirah. Hubbud Dunya (love of the world) has consumed us – has made
us ghaafil (negligent) and has brought disgrace upon us. …Today, we are a feast
for the enemies of Islam. Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said: "The people will soon summon one
another to attack you as people, when eating, invite others to share their
food."
Someone asked:
"Will that be because of our small numbers at that time?"
He replied:
"No, you will be numerous at that time but you will be froth and scum
like that carried down by a torrent (of water), and Allah will take the fear of
you out from the hearts of your enemy and cast al-wahn into your hearts."
Someone asked,
"O Messenger of Allah, what is al-wahn?" He replied, "Love of
the world and dislike of death."[1]
Being a “picture
Muslim” will not help us - because there is no reality. In fact, so many cannot even be recognized
as “picture Muslims”. Many have forsaken the way of Islam and have adopted the
culture of the non-Muslims: The culture of Hollywood and Bollywood. The affinity and resemblance is with our own
enemies – and we don’t recognize our enemies. If a person does not
recognize his enemy, what precaution will he take? …None.
Allah Ta’ala
has warned us, cautioned us and identified our enemies for us. ‘Fore-warned
is fore-armed’. But our folly is that we see the mask of friendship, the
guise of comradeship and we think these are friends.
We will not be able
escape the stranglehold of the disbeliever’s oppression until we submit to
Allah Ta’ala, until we conform to the teachings of Islam and we follow the way
of Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam.
This is the solution.
There is no other solution.
We need the reality
of Islam in our lives if we want positive change. We need to become real
Muslims - in the real sense of the word.
…How often we read
of our Muslim brothers and even sisters who are unjustly imprisoned? They are like the
real lions that are caged. …So long as they are in captivity, they cannot
wield the strength that they have been blessed with – that is, if they are
obedient to Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam.
Whilst our brothers languish in the prisons
of this world, many of us languish in the prison of nafs and shaytaan – and the
prisoner of nafs and shaytaan is more helpless than the one who is imprisoned
by the enemies of Islam.
The Muslim
prisoners of Guantanamo Bay and other places are mazloom (oppressed). They
have Allah Ta’ala on their side despite their outward helplessness. The one
who is a prisoner of nafs and shaytaan, due to his sins, is deprived of Allah
Ta’ala’s Mercy and assistance, until he makes sincere Taubah.
By Allah, we can
go and stand before the United Nations – over a billion Muslims - pleading and
crying for help. Help will not come. …In fact, the United Nations is no
comrade and no well-wisher of the Muslims. We can turn to the
governments of the world for assistance and aid but they cannot do anything to
alleviate our plight. In fact, they desire the destruction of the Muslim Ummah
even though they show a face of friendship and offer some superficial
humanitarian aid.
…We have enemies on the outside, we have enemies on the
inside, and we have ourselves – and we cause more harm to ourselves than
others.
The need is for us – the Muslim Ummah at
large - to go and stand in the Court of Allah Ta’ala and plead to Him, cry
before him and sincerely repent for all our sins. This will invite the mercy of
Allah Ta’ala.
We have to turn to
the government of Allah Ta’ala for aid and support - by becoming faithful and
loyal to His Government. It will only be then that the Muslims will find the
support of Allah Ta’ala and will have with them, the force and the power and
the might of Allah Ta’ala on their side. With such
assistance, the Muslim Ummah will then be able to overcome all its enemies.
But we don’t want
to change. We don’t want to mend our ways. We don’t want to submit. …And so as
long as we remain aloof of Allah Ta’ala, Allah Ta’ala will remain aloof of us.
Then we have the real, living Muslim – free
from the clutches of the Kuffaar, free from the prison of nafs and shaytaan,
free from the prison of the love of this world. His connection is with the Creator
of the universe – Allah Ta’ala!
He is the vicegerent of Allah Ta’ala on earth
– a king without a throne and without a crown – living and breathing in the
obedience of Allah Ta’ala and Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam. He
moves in the protection of Allah Ta’ala and he is assisted and supported by
Allah Ta’ala – because he is the friend of Allah Ta’ala.
Nabi Sallallaahu
‘alayhi wasallam related a Hadith-e-Qudsi, wherein Allah Ta’ala states:
“…And the most beloved things with which My
slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps
on coming closer to Me through performing Nawaafil (praying or doing extra
deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of
hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his
hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I
will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him; (i.e.
give him My Refuge) …."[2]
The enemies of
Islam fear him because they know that he wields a power that lays waste to their
efforts to destroy the Muslims – in fact, their efforts to destroy mankind.
He wields a power that subjugates hearts to
Allah Ta’ala. He is a king of hearts. Wherever he goes, wherever he
travels, the hearts of the creation connect with Allah Ta’ala. He brightens the hearts of the creation with the light that burns brightly in his
heart – the light of Tauheed (Oneness of Allah Ta’ala). ...Like moths drawn to a flame, hearts are drawn
to the fire of Allah Ta’ala’s Love which burns strongly in his heart, and
hearts are ignited with Divine Love.
The enemies fear
him whilst others love him. He benefits the creation and he guides them. He
carries with him a key of unique composition – The key of Ma’rifat (recognition
of Allah Ta’ala) and Ishq (Intense Love) - given by Allah Ta’ala – which unlocks
the hearts and which releases us from the prison of nafs and shaytaan, and
makes us like the free, living lions in the jungles.
On a different level, if the real Muslim
engages the enemy in battle, he comes forth fearless of death – seeking death.
This is a lion. How many of us have this kind of spirit? How many of us have the lion's courage? …Look at the Mujahideen:
Allahu Akbar! They seek the honour of martyrdom, because they understand the
reality of this worldly life. They have certainty of the Aakhirah and they seek
it.
We run away; we shy away – we want to escape
because we are not real Muslims; rather we have become cowards. May Allah
Ta’ala have mercy upon us and forgive us and guide us and make us true, real
Muslims.
History bears
testimony to such men who walked on the earth, free, and supported by Allah
Ta’ala in every way: Hadhrat Hamza (Radiyallahu’anhu) was “Asadullah” (The lion
of Allah Ta’ala), Hadhrat Khalid bin Waleed (Radiyallahu’anhu) was “Saifullah”
(The Sword of Allah Ta’ala), Hadhrat Umar (Radiyallahu’anhu) was such a unique
personality that Rasulullah Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said: “O Ibn Khattaab, by the Divine Being in whose
hand is my life, if shaytaan sees you walking on any road, he will leave that
road and walk on another road.”
It is narrated that
on one occasion, the emperor Heraclius addressed a delegation of Sahaba-e-Kiraam
(Radiyallahu’anhum) and asked them for a description of the character of the
ruling Khalifah, Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallahu anhu). A Sahabi – illiterate, simple
in dress and demeanour, replied: “He neither deceives nor can he be
deceived.”
Subhanallah! …In
one, single statement he presented the character of the Khalifah in the most
befitting manner. The emperor was left awestruck upon this reply.
The emperor then
addressed his courtiers and noblemen and said: “These two qualities in their
leader have established his authority on the land: The entire world cannot
oppose a man in whom these two qualities exist. That he does not deceive
clearly indicates that he is a man of exceptional piety and piety is the crown
of kingship. That he cannot be deceived clearly indicates that he is a man of
great intelligence. A man blessed with such piety and intelligence will dominate and
rule over all.”
Similarly, all the
Sahaba-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu ’anhum) were like the lions who are free and they
were people, whom Allah Ta’ala established as His vicegerents on earth. …Allah
Ta’ala’s assistance was with the Sahaba-e-Kiraam (Radiallahu ’anhum) wherever
they went – because they were obedient to Allah Ta’ala and His Messenger
(Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam)
If the Ummah
strives to be like the Sahaba-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu ’anhum), there would be a
revolution in this world, success will follow the Muslims wherever they go, and
the forces of Kufr will be subjugated for good.
However, we need to
start with ourselves. We need to make this effort on ourselves – to free
ourselves from the shackles of nafs and shaytaan, and this will only be so when
we give up sins and strive in the obedience of Allah Ta’ala and bring alive, in
our lives, the beautiful Sunnah.
…And it is by virtue of the Suhbat of the
Friends of Allah Ta’ala that we will be successful in this endeavour. We too
will find freedom and we too will become the friends of Allah Ta’ala. We will
become real Muslims. We will be a force to be reckoned with, Insha-Allah.
May Allah Ta’ala
grant us the understanding, inspire us in His love, such that we give up all
sins and we eagerly seek His pleasure, in His obedience.
[1] Abu Dawud and Ahmad
[2] Sahih Bukhari
Thursday 9 April 2015
Wednesday 8 April 2015
Becoming Mindful of the Unseen
Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Hadhrat Moulana Abdul Hamid Is`haq Saheb
(Daamat Barakaatuhum)
When we read about the Sahaba-e-Kiraam (RA), the Tabieen, the
Tabe-Tabieen, and thereafter our Akaabir, we find that their condition was one
of awareness of Allah Ta’ala and consciousness of Aakhirah (the Hereafter).
They were mindful and alert in respect to their actions, as well as cautious
and vigilant against nafs and shaitaan.
Not only did this awareness create a strong barrier between them and
sins, it inspired them in obedience, and it also created an understanding of
the system of the Unseen – that nothing occurs except what is decreed by Allah
Ta’ala. So we find, in their lives, spiritual progress.…Lapses in their
relationship with Allah Ta’ala were negligible.
Whilst their condition was of a high level of Ihsaan, ours is of high
level of ghaflat (negligence). Whilst
their condition was one of progress, ours seem to be one of retrogression. …Despite our extreme distance from the reality of being conscious of Aakhirah,
it is not an impossible distance to cover, to reach that stage, where our gaze
and focus is on the Hereafter, and where we too achieve the stage of Ihsaan, as
described by Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
In the Hadith of Jibraeel, we read that from amongst the questions Hadhrat
Jibraeel (‘Alaihis Salaam) asked Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), he asked:
“What
is Ihsaan?”
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) replied: “That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, and if you cannot see
Him, then He sees you (anyway).”
This is the degree of Yaqeen that the Auliya Allah build up within
themselves. They then have a conscious
contact and connection with Allah Ta’ala and the Hereafter. …Of course, this is
not suggesting they have Ilm (knowledge) of the Unseen, because only Allah
Ta’ala is Aalimul Ghayb (Knower of the Unseen). This is His Exclusive Attribute
and no one can share in that.
Allah Ta’ala states in Surah An-Naml
“Say,
"None in the heavens and earth knows the Unseen except Allah…”
[Surah An-Naml 27 :
65]
Rather, our effort is to acquire a conscious
awareness that there is Allah Ta’ala, Aakhirah, Accountability, Jannat and
Jahannum.
Whilst, Alhamdulillah, our Mashaa`ik have presented different and effective
formulas in developing this awareness, the following is a simple prescription
which Allah Ta’ala put into my mind, and which Alhamdulillah, has proved
beneficial for those who followed through with the advice.
Salaah, five times a day is an obligation upon all of us. We all know
this, but how many of us are particular in fulfilling this obligation – whether
during business hours, at family functions, on travel, holiday, when sick,
weak, etc.? Allah Ta’ala has granted ease in the matters of Dien, and thus we
find that the Salaah of the Musaafir is shortened, the Salaah of the sick
person can be read in a sitting position or lying down, etc.
…Rasulullah (Sallallaahu
‘alaihi wasallam) described Salaah like the head to the body: “There is no
Islam in a person when there is no Salaah by him. The position of Salaah in Islam is as the position of the head in a
body.”
Without a head, there is no life. Similarly,
without Salaah, there is no spiritual life – Without this great Fardh in
our lives, how will it be possible to achieve this desired state of Ihsaan?
Thus, if Salaah is not already our practice and habit, then the first
step is to establish Salaah in our
lives, being punctual in its performance, and for the men to read Salaah in
Jamaat, in the Masjid. This is Waajib (obligatory).
Thereafter, to develop that conscious awareness of the Unseen and to
increase our Imaan in the Unseen, as well as to improve the Khushoo
(concentration) in Salaah, the following should be done as a start:
At the beginning of the Salaah, we should
make a conscious intention of fulfilling the Command of Allah Ta’ala, seeking
His Pleasure.
At the end of Salaah, when we make Salaam,
we should do so, with the intention of Salaam to the Angel on the
right shoulder – making Salaam, consciously and with conviction. We should also have the intention of Salaam
to the Musallis and Jinn on our right; and if the Imaam is on the right, to the
Imaam as well. Thereafter, we make Salaam, with
conviction, to the angel on the left shoulder, the Musallis, the
Jinn on our left side, and the Imaam, if he is on the left. Insha-Allah, in
doing this continuously and inculcating this habit, we will be blessed with 2
gifts:
We
will become conscious of the unseen system of Allah Jalla Jalaaluhu that is at
work all the time, and will develop and increase in our Yaqeen on it. …Whilst we will make the required
arrangements for our work of Dunya, we will have the Yaqeen that until Allah
Jalla Jalaaluhu does not decree it, it will not happen.
“Insha-Allah” will be a natural word on our
tongues, with Yaqeen, that until Allah Jalla Jalaaluhu does not wish something
to happen, it will not happen. We will
understand that this unseen system of Allah Jalla Jalaaluhu is what supersedes
and overrides our system of cause and effect.
The
reality of Aakhirah will dawn upon us. We will become conscious, aware and have yaqeen of the life after
death, of Qabr, Qiyaamat, and the final abode of Jannat – which we will now prepare
for and look forward to. We will also have conviction that there is Jahannum,
and will make every effort and endeavour to avoid those deeds which pave the
way to Jahannum (May Allah Ta’ala protect).
By becoming conscious of the Malaaikah who are in our attendance, on our
right and left side – Kiraaman Kaatibeen, we will be conscious of the fact that
our deeds and our words are being written down…
“But verily over you (are appointed angels) to protect
you;
Kind and honourable, writing down (your deeds).
They know (and understand) all that you do.”
[Surah Infitaar 82 : 10 / 11 / 12]
And this, in turn, will prevent us from engaging in sins. We will
restrain ourselves from whatever is displeasing to Allah Ta’ala. And abstinence
from sins is Taqwa. When the person has
Taqwa, he is the friend of Allah Ta’ala. SubhanAllah.
“…Verily none are the Auliya except those who refrain from His
disobedience…”
[Surah Al-Anfal 8 :
34]
Insha-Allah, if we concentrate on this simple prescription, many doors
of spiritual goodness, progress and success will open for us. Our Salaah too
will become ‘Mi`rajul Mu`mineen’ (the ascension of the Believers).
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the understanding and
Taufeeq
For more reading on Salaah :
Sunday 5 April 2015
Comforming to Islam
By Hazrat Maulana Abdul Hamid Is`haq Saheb (Daamat Barakaatuhum)
Bi Ismihi Ta’ala
Allah Ta’ala, out of His Infinite Grace and
Kindness, gifted us with this beautiful Deen of Islam. It is unfortunate that
we look at Deen today and see it to be something that does not fit our
lifestyles, something which does not comply with our whims and fancies and
something which needs to be amended because the societies of the world frown
upon it…(Na uzu Billah)
Due to our weakness, we look towards
“trimming” Islam down.
On an individual level, many say that the
Sunnats are not important, the Mustahabbaat and Nawaafil can be left out. The
thinking is : I can leave out Fajr because I find it
too difficult to wake up for. But this is okay because I will still be a Muslim.
I can leave out the beard and I can be a Muslim without a beard… and I can leave off (this) and (that) and
there should be no problem because I will still be a Muslim.
Many women also think along the same
lines: I can leave off the Hijaab, I can
leave off the scarf, I can do (this) and (that). …As long as my heart is clean,
I am still a Muslim … (Inna Lillahi wa-inna ilayhi ra`jioon).
We have been granted the priceless gift of
Islam. It is perfection. Allah
Ta’ala says:
“This day I have
perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have
approved for you Islam as religion.”
[Surah
Maa`idah 5 : 3]
We cannot carve and chisel Islam to suit our
nafs; rather it is for us to cut our nafs down to size, to humble ourselves
before Allah Ta’ala – as slaves and servants, and conform and comply to Deen
and Shariah.
Allah Ta’ala instructs us :
“O you who have
believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] …”
[Surah
Baqarah 2 : 208]
Furthermore, we cannot chop and chip Islam to
fit into modern society. We cannot cut or trim Islam to fit into modern times.
Let modern day fit into Islam!
To make society happy, to blend in with
society, to be accepted by the society, we want to downsize Islam; whereas, there is nothing as fresh,
beautiful, progressive and “up-to-date” as Islam.
What is the modern day of today?
It is immorality, adultery, pornography,
drugs, rape, gambling, theft, deception and every kind of evil… Must Islam fit into that kind of filthy
society? Na`uzu Billahi min zaalik.
Let us value this beautiful religion by
practising upon it entirely. Let us not subtract and divide, select and
discard, as if we are authority over Islam.
Through the practical implementation of Deen
and Shariah – as it is, in its pristine and pure form - the societies of the
world will be left in admiration for Islamic teachings, they will be left in
awe and wonder-struck at the beauty of the Sunnah, and this then will become
the catalyst for thousands entering into the fold of Islam.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the understanding,
the appreciation and bless us to live by Islam, die by it and be resurrected by
it.
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