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 :
