Mathnavi of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (133 pages, 6/18)
https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6105
, if one is not a follower of the Sunnah, then the conditions of ease are of no benefit.
Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwy (R.A.) has said, "Calamities and difficulties come over sinners as well as the righteous ones. The calamity can be a punishment for evil deeds or a means of gaining more closeness to Allah Taala and an elevation of the rank of a person. Now how would one make out the difference that it is a blessing or punishment? That the person is a righteous or sinful one? The person that follows the sunnat even in the time of calamities, feels love for Allah, finds pleasure in Allah's decisions, gains more closeness of Allah and more humility, is a righteous one. On the other hand the calamities which create in the heart of a person feelings of darkness, solitude and a feeling of being far from Allah and through which a person does not feel inclined towards repentance and humility before Him, in fact finds rejection and complains of Allah; then you may understand that this misfortune is a punishment for evil deeds committed. In Surah Noor, the blessings of seeking forgiveness (istighfaar) are enumerated. Through it, Allah sends down rain, grants beautiful gardens and grants blessings in one's children.
Moulana Rumi (RA.) says:
"When you experience sorrow in the heart, turn towards Istigfaar, Sorrow comes through Allah's command,
So neglect not good deeds, but in fact increase therein. When Allah wishes to shower His mercy on us,
He creates in us the ability to incline towards weeping in humility. "
Moulana Thanwy (RA.) says that he had a problem for some time, understanding that Allah grants some devotees certain high ranks through their spiritual efforts and exercises (mujahadah). However, He also grants to others the same favour without them making any strenuous spiritual effort. So how is it logical that His Mercy should tolerate, that a true lover of His should subject himself to such strenuous ordeals.
Moulana Thanwy (RA.) struggled for quite some time to find a solution to this problem. He says that one day the solution dawned upon him. The answer was that if, without Mujahada (effort), all the stages and ranks were accessible to the devotees (Saalik) then there would be no appreciation for Allah's bounties (ne'mats). Hence if there was no appreciation for these ne'mats, then there would be no continuation and progress of such ne'mats. Just as there is an increase of bounties through gratitude, as described in the Holy Quran, likewise there is a loss of bounties in cases where gratitude is missing.
Moulana Rumi (RA.) says:
"Why should the King of all intellect,
Who is all Merciful, command such strenuous Mujahadah?"
Then Moulana (RA.) answers:
"Without Mujahadah no light of the truth is created in the heart Which is perceived through true faith and Divine communion. If that perception was possible through reason alone,
Then there was no need for putting the self to such strenuous exercises. "
Moulana says: "The amount of crying in humility and repentance, a person does in times of sorrow and pressing need, is much more than is possible in times of ease and comfort. In spite of that, a person should not wish for, nor look forward to calamities. What he should seek is safety from evil, happiness and prosperity. But if, from Allah's side some sorrow and calamity does befall one, one should not then become distressed and lose patience. Instead one should understand that it is Allah's intention to make and formulate you and through this formulation to increase and raise you in rank. Sorrow and calamities are also bounties (nee'mat) from Allah and in times of need the duahs come right from the heart, the place of prostration becomes wet with tears and one experiences the pleasure of supplication, which in itself is a great nee'mat..
"In praying to Allah the Lovers have no other objective
Than to have the pleasure of whispering secretly in communion with Him."
This secret talk is attained at the time of sorrow and weeping and these sighs of crying and lamentation in His presence is well loved by Him.
Moulana Rumi (RA.) says:
"I cry and weep before my Beloved, for that appears well pleasing to Him And in both worlds our crying and sorrowful sighs are loved by Him.
Blessed is that eye that cries in the remembrance of the Beloved And blessed is that heart that is embroiled. in His love.
For as long as the babe does not cry, milk does not flow forth from mother's breast. And as long as clouds don't shed raindrops, the garden does not become green.
From the' crying' of the clouds, the garden becomes green and fertile And as much as the candle 'cries', so much it increases its light.
There where .the tears flow, mercy prevails
And where water flows, greenery and fertility prevail. Allah equates the tears of the sinner in grief
To the blood flowing from a martyr.
Crying and weeping is a great wealth And the Mercy of Allah is a great blessing.
The wealth of this world consists of gold and silver.
The capital in Allah's sight is Love and two crying eyes."
One Saintly person said:
"0 Beloved, for the eyes to stay awake for anyone save You, is a waste, And to cry over anyone's parting save Yours, is useless!"
Although it is bitter to bear calamities and misfortunes with patience, it is still a wonderful medicine that brightens the devotee. The high ranks which were unattainable through years of spiritual exercises and rigours, are speedily attained through patient perseverance. For this reason, it is essential that every devotee (saalik) should consider the bitterness of patience as being sweet in view of the great bounty attainable through it. It will only be a few days of difficulty and hardship. Thereafter it will be smiles and laughing all the way. One gives only half a life in the effort but in exchange for this half, the Great Giver of bounty grants numerous lives.
"He grants so may bounties through suffering patiently Such bounties which has not entered your mind,
Such is the blessing of patience.
. Thousands of medicine has Allah created But one such as patience,
Adam and his children have not seen. Whoever has adopted patience
Has in fact acquired the high rank of the Siddeeq.
The Prophet has said that Allah does not even grant Imaan To that one in whose temperament there is no patience. Hazrat Ayoob (A.S.) for seven years remained patient
And pleased with Allah's guests (the worms on his body)."
It is related that when Hazrat Ayoob (A.S.) was saved from this calamity and became healed, someone asked him: "Hazrat, when were you more pleased? Was it at the time when you were suffering in this misfortune or at the time when you were healed of the calamity? "
He replied: "Thanks to Allah that he had granted me the bounty of good health. But during the time of this calamity, every morning and evening, the special voice which reached me from the unseen, asking me: "0 Ayoob, How are you?" What pleasure and ecstasy was in that voice! It is such that numerous lives can be sacrificed for it. That asking after my well being was such that it made me forget all the misfortunes which I suffered. The heart now longs for that voice which has now stopped".
When a person suffers sorrow and misfortune, he should most definitely not complain or utter any objections. This is most disrespectful. There is no objection in taking treatment or complaining of pain in the body. The lover of Allah should not, however, object to or have aversions of Allah who sends the calamity.
"Because sorrow and comfort are handed out by Allah,
Hence complaints and objections are disrespectful and Kufr. "
It is essential that a slave and a bondsman 'should at all times be satisfied with what the Master decides, as the Master is in full control and can do as he pleases.
Now I close this subject by quoting a few lines of poetry. May
Allah make us His true bondsmen and grant us the ability to act in accordance with his pleasure.
"When in Love the complaint of the beloved is not appropriate. For me there is no injustice in any of His actions.
Outwardly though it may be a calamity, But it is in fact a blessing in disguised form.
That calamity in which there is goodness for us,
Is not really a punishment.
The love of the slaves of Allah cannot reach perfection Until the blood of evil desires is not shed.
May that which is pleasing to You also become pleasing to me. What would I do with that pleasure,
Which is not accompanied by Your pleasure
How can I say that the pain which is in my heart (of Your love) Is not a gift of Yours.
He who is not blessed with this gift remains Unaware of Your glory.
Do not rejoice over my tears of longing for Him, When I am distanced from Him.
a you uninitiated in love, you have not as yet Experienced the pain of deep hearted love.
Whosoever you witness giving his heart and soul to gold and silver. a Akhtar, believe that he has not tasted
The sweetness of the love of Allah. "
THE STORY OF THE SAINT IN THE MOUNTAIN
A certain dervish once went up a mountain pass and there made a promise to Allah:
"I am turning my back on all worldly connections. Now I shall remain here in solitude busy worshipping You. When I feel hungry, I shall wait for sustenance from Your side. I will not ask anything from any person. I will not pick any fruit of the trees of this mountain. But in the wind if any fruit falls from the trees, that I shall eat".
For some time he remained steadfast on this promise to the tests that came from Allah's side. The tests came along because in his vow, the dervish did not say: 'Insha-allah' - if Allah so pleases. This omission of 'lnsha-allah' gave a sign of the dervish's pride, arrogance and over-confidence in his own courage and ability. For this reason, the punishment for his deed involved him in a great test and the no or from his heart left him, so that the ability to bear the difficulties of hunger became lost. Allah ordered the wind not to blow in that part of the mountain. For five days, the wind failed to blow, as a result of which no fruit fell from the trees. The dervish suffered unbearable hunger. He could no more have patience and the hunger made him feel weak. He was forced now to break his promise to Allah. He began picking the fruit from the tree to eat. When that happened, Allah punished him, because it is a command of His:
"Carry out your promise."
This is what happened. A group of thieves came to hide along the foot of the mountain. Someone informed the Chief Police Officer of the town that a group of thieves were hiding in the mountain. Before the Police Officer could arrest the actual thieves, he saw the dervish and thought that he was one of them. Hence he immediately arrested him. The dervish made a big noise protesting his innocence and proclaimed that he was not a thief, but the Police Officer and the other soldiers did not listen to him. The punishment was that they cut off his right hand and his left foot.
At that time a traveller passed that way and when he saw what had happened, he scolded the Police Officer and the soldiers:
"You dogs, what have you done to this holy and saintly Dervish? He is a real saintly man and the abdaal of our era. He has broken away from the world to settle in solitude in the mountain ".
When the Police Officer heard this, he began trembling in fear. In fear and with great grief and sorrow he came to the dervish with his bare head and feet, crying bitterly over the mistake that he had made, saying:
"I swear, I did not know that you were a saintly man. I made a mistake and considered you as one of the thieves. For Allah's sake, forgive me, otherwise I will become a victim of Allah's anger and will be destroyed. "
The dervish replied: "Brother, it is not your fault. I am the guilty one. I broke my promise to my Lord and for that I have been given this. punishment. "
"I know the cause of this and my inner self is aware thereof That for which sin of mine, this misfortune befell me.
I broke my agreement with Allah and as a result
The punishment for my deeds was the severing of my hand and foot.
The sincere ones are at all times in danger, In Allah's path, there are great tests awaiting them. Such promises and vows should not be made which you cannot fulfil.
And sit not in places of danger where you are bound to be tested with trials.". LESSON
Firstly a person should never take an oath for anything which is against the Shariat e.g. "I will not eat" or "I will not drink water" etc. The oath of the dervish was of this type. Secondly, a person should never depend upon his own courage and strength. In all matters one should depend upon Allah and seek His help. If one intends doing anything, then one should always say: 'Insha Allah'. If for some reason, one forgets to say so, then the moment he remembers it he should say 'Insha-Allah'. One must remember at all times that without Allah's power nothing can take place.
"Allah's one atom of favour is much better
Than a thousand efforts from the obedient ones. Humility in the path of Allah and indigence
Is better than to be proud of our devotion and obedience."
One should, with steadfastness on the deen, pray to Allah at all times, "0 My Lord, do not leave me to my nafs for one moment. Rectify my condition in such a manner that at all times it is in accordance with Your pleasure, till You make my ending upon Imaan.
Ameen.
THE STORY OF HAZRAT BILAL
Hazrat Bilal was an Abyssinian slave belonging to a Jew called Umayya Bin Khalaf. He embraced Islam in the early days of Islam, when the enemies of Islam did not allow the Muslims any restful moments. They tried every effort day and night to extinguish the Noor of Allah but Allah declared that He would complete that Noor, even though the non-believers were averse to it..
If Hazrat Bilal had wanted to, he could have kept his conversion to Islam a secret and thus have saved himself from persecution and injury. However, the Love for Allah within him forced him to openly proclaim the Kalima-e-Tawheed and to utter the cry of
"Ahad!Ahad!".
"When the Lover saw the dagger of Love in the hands of the Beloved, Without fear and oblivious of danger he ran towards it.
And when the Lover saw the dagger aimed at him,
He felt it compulsory to offer his head towards the knife.
O truly Beloved, in Your remembrance Love seems good to me And till Qiyamat I want to continue uttering this cry in madness. When the self has claimed to be a wild duck,
Then when the storm of calamities descended what complaint could it have?"
This means that the wild duck is not afraid of the storm, but is able to overcome the ebb and flow of the waves of the storm. Similarly, the self of the Lover continues on its way along the route without being adversely affected by the storm of happenings.
Hazrat Bilal uttered the cry of "Ahad! Ahad!" till the anger of the Jew forced him to react with violence and he assaulted Hazrat Bilal q~ in such a manner, that his body became filled with blood and injury. He made him lie down on the hot desert sand, saying to him: "Now do not dare utter the cry of God's oneness!"
Hazrat Bilal replied within himself:
"For the sake of Your Love the disbeliever wants to kill me and is shouting at me.
O Beloved, Come hither to the lowest heaven and see the show of Your Lover. What a show it is?"
One day Hazrat Abu Bakr was passing that way and saw the blood soaked Bilal '''crying out: "Ahad! Ahad!". On hearing this uttered cry, Hazrat Abu Bakr stood still and perceived the love for the Divine Being and the ecstasy involved. Seeing Hazrat Bilal being persecuted to this extent, his heart became agitated and tears came to his eyes. He called Hazrat Bilal towards himself and advised him to utter Allah's name in solitude and not to utter it in the presence of his persecutor. Otherwise his persecutor would continue to unjustly persecute and punish him. Hazrat Bilal '''replied: "0 Honoured One, you are the Siddeeq of Rasulullah I accept your advise and will act accordingly. "
The following day, Hazrat Abu Bakr again happened to pass that way. Again he witnessed the same sight. Hazrat Bilal was again uttering the cry of "Ahad! Ahad!" while the Jew was terribly assaulting him until again his body became bloodstained. Seeing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr 'was again filled with agitation and he advised Hazrat Bilal "Brother, why do you utter 'Ahad' in the presence of this persecutor? Utter it silently and secretly within yourself". Hazrat Bilal replied: "I make toubah and in future will not act contrary to your advise."
"0 Foolish One, do not command the nightingale towards silence For when it remembers the garden, its complaints will come on the lips. "
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"When Abu Bakr advised him towards silence and secrecy, Bilal repented again,
But when love overwhelmed, he swallowed the repentance. It is the message of the troubled heart.
Without You there can be neither peace nor comfort."
Hazrat Bilal in spite of the numerous calamities of persecutions and pains, could not keep his love for Allah a secret and kept on openly uttering the cry of "Ahad! Ahad!".
"When Love pulls the strings of its bow,
Many are the souls that become sold for a small price.
The body of Bilal was injured and blood-stained before the Jew,
But his soul was enjoying nearness to Allah in Divine Love, enjoying unending Spring."
This is what is called True Love. What a sad state of affairs that today people look at sensual love and call it love. That is not love. The love that comes from metaphorical beauty is not really 'ishq'. It is jisq' (transgression), which is caused by overeating. If a person has to go without food for a few days he will forget his love and ask for bread. But the Divine Love, because it is placed within the essence of man, even if no worldly needs are acquired, no change comes about in the Lover and his Love does not decrease. Love is actually a name for that kind of surrender that Allah, the truly Beloved is the Doer of everything and the servant is he who is pleased and satisfied with all that He does.
It is a fact that Allah loves seeing His servants in distressed. conditions and their weeping and crying in sorrow to Him. At times, in spite of His numerous mercies and gifts, He sometimes delays in accepting their duahs, so that this sighing and crying before Him is not ended after their needs are met and so that they can continue to call on Him: "Ya Allah!' Ya Allah!"
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"Sometimes Allah delays in answering the prayers so that one may continue earnestly to call on Him and crying in humility. While it is done, He is aware thereof and He greatly approves thereof"
Hence, this delay in answering their prayers is for the bondsman a means towards His Mercy and not a sign of His rejection or of His considering the duah as being worthless. For a person to be able to speak secretly to Allah in his communion with Him, is indeed a great honour and a favour for the believer.
A person who has attained the love of Allah, will never be able to attain freedom from it. Now at this stage someone may come forth with an objection. It would appear from this that those who are true lovers of Allah are all the time in a great calamity and distress, instead of experiencing Allah's Mercy. This is the answer to the one who has such a perception. Actually that is how it will-appear from afar. When looking at the outward features, it gives us a bloody appearance.
"From afar love seems like being bloody
So that insincere lovers do not tread this path. This bloody appearance is a guard
Against insincere and half-baked lovers, not to come this way."
On the other hand, when one is endowed with true love, then the following is his description. He says: "0 Beloved, let it not be the good fortune of your enemy, to be destroyed by your sword,
May the heads of friends remain safe, for you to try your sword on them. "
Imagine a certain lover who was pining for his beloved from whom he had been separated for ten years. He has turned pale, gone weak and sick. Now suddenly this beloved arrives and in an embrace presses him so hard that his ribs feel like breaking and his eyes appears to be popping out of their sockets. Noticing
his discomfort, the beloved says: "If you disapprove of this act of mine, I will discard contact with you and become intimate with someone else". Now, what answer will that lover give? If he is really a lover, he will answer thus:
"May my breath of life go out of me and fall at your feet. That is the desire of my heart and longing".
Someone else, looking from afar and from the outside, will get the impression that this lover is experiencing great distress. But question the lover himself and he will explain what joy and pleasure he feels. He will look upon those moments as pleasurable moments and will wish that the time spent in them will be long. When that is the effect of sensual worldly love, then one can just imagine how much greater the ecstasy will be experienced when one has love for the true beloved, i.e. Allah.
From the above example, it should be understood that those people who have fallen prey to Divine Love, although outwardly they would appear to be in great distress and calamities, but inwardly they enjoy nearness to Allah and His Communion, which indeed provides them with great pleasure.
Outwardly they may be dressed in tattered clothes, suffering hunger and starvation and be pale in the face, but inwardly they experience great peace, comfort and such joy as if it were experienced by .
Kings, who would then forget the pleasure of being in possession of a throne or a crown.
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) quotes Allah as saying:
"This distressed one, covered in a quilt is My special bondsman, Among thousands one such is born."
The main objective of this life for all creatures is to attain the love of Allah. This is the essential aim of life.
So Hazrat Bilal underwent and endured numerous difficulties and hardships because in his sight the reward for bearing them was great.
"For the sake of the love of my Beloved,
I am in love with suffering pain and sorrow."
Hazrat Abu Bakr on numerous occasions, advised Hazrat Bilal but on every occasion when he passed that way, he saw the same picture - the Jew persecuting Bilal who was all the time uttering: "Ahad! Ahad!". Hazrat Abu Bakrq then went to Rasulullah and related the story to him. When Rasulullah heard the story he was filled with sorrow and tears flowed from his eyes. He asked: "0 Siddeeq! What is the solution to this problem? How can we save Bilal from this calamity?"
Hazrat Abu Bakr replied: "Ya Rasulullah, I shall buy Bilal. Rasulullah said: "All right! Let my share also be therein". Allahu Akbar! What good a fortune for Bilal that Rasulullah himself also took part in purchasing him. In that black body of Hazrat Bilal was an enlightened heart, which was filled with Allah's love.
Hazrat Abu Bakr approached the Jew at a time when he was again busy beating Bilal. HazratAbn Bakr questioned: "Why are you beating this friend of Allah?" The Jew replied: "If you have so much sympathy for him, then bring the money and take him away as yours". Hazrat Abu Bakr immediately responded: "Take my white-skinned Jewish slave with the black heart and give me this black skinned slave with the enlightened heart from Abyssinia". Hazrat Abu Bakr took Bilal and went to Rasulullah. He asked: "Ya Rasulullah, what kind of transaction did I make? I gave away a white bodied, black hearted one and brought back a black body with an enlightened heart". Rasulullah replied: "You have made a very good sale, 0 Siddeeq".
Rasulullah embraced Bilal and held him to his heart. Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"Mustapha embraced Bilal and held him against his chest. The ecstasy Bilal felt! Who can ever imagine that?"
THE STORY OF SULTAN MAHMOOD AND AYAAZ
One day Sultan Mahmood called together the officials of his government with the aim of testing their intelligence. He took out a pearl from his treasury and first of all handed it to the Chief Minister and questioned him: "What is the value of this pearl? How much can it be sold for?" The Wazir replied: "Sir, this pearl is of great value. It is more valuable than two hundred donkeys laden with gold". The King then ordered: "I command you to crush this pearl into pieces". The Wazir replied: "I will not destroy this valuable pearl. I have the welfare of your treasury at heart and to crush this valuable gem would amount to disrespect on my part". The King applauded this reply and rewarded him with a royal robe of honour.
The king then took the pearl from the Wazir and handed it to another of his court officials and asked him to determine what was the value of the pearl. He replied: "Sir, this precious pearl is more valuable than half of your Kingdom. May God protect this pearl! ".
The King also commanded him to crush the pearl into small pieces. He replied: "Sir, my hands cannot mov
Link: https://www.nvrislam.net/index.php?j=eng&post=6105
, if one is not a follower of the Sunnah, then the conditions of ease are of no benefit.
Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwy (R.A.) has said, "Calamities and difficulties come over sinners as well as the righteous ones. The calamity can be a punishment for evil deeds or a means of gaining more closeness to Allah Taala and an elevation of the rank of a person. Now how would one make out the difference that it is a blessing or punishment? That the person is a righteous or sinful one? The person that follows the sunnat even in the time of calamities, feels love for Allah, finds pleasure in Allah's decisions, gains more closeness of Allah and more humility, is a righteous one. On the other hand the calamities which create in the heart of a person feelings of darkness, solitude and a feeling of being far from Allah and through which a person does not feel inclined towards repentance and humility before Him, in fact finds rejection and complains of Allah; then you may understand that this misfortune is a punishment for evil deeds committed. In Surah Noor, the blessings of seeking forgiveness (istighfaar) are enumerated. Through it, Allah sends down rain, grants beautiful gardens and grants blessings in one's children.
Moulana Rumi (RA.) says:
"When you experience sorrow in the heart, turn towards Istigfaar, Sorrow comes through Allah's command,
So neglect not good deeds, but in fact increase therein. When Allah wishes to shower His mercy on us,
He creates in us the ability to incline towards weeping in humility. "
Moulana Thanwy (RA.) says that he had a problem for some time, understanding that Allah grants some devotees certain high ranks through their spiritual efforts and exercises (mujahadah). However, He also grants to others the same favour without them making any strenuous spiritual effort. So how is it logical that His Mercy should tolerate, that a true lover of His should subject himself to such strenuous ordeals.
Moulana Thanwy (RA.) struggled for quite some time to find a solution to this problem. He says that one day the solution dawned upon him. The answer was that if, without Mujahada (effort), all the stages and ranks were accessible to the devotees (Saalik) then there would be no appreciation for Allah's bounties (ne'mats). Hence if there was no appreciation for these ne'mats, then there would be no continuation and progress of such ne'mats. Just as there is an increase of bounties through gratitude, as described in the Holy Quran, likewise there is a loss of bounties in cases where gratitude is missing.
Moulana Rumi (RA.) says:
"Why should the King of all intellect,
Who is all Merciful, command such strenuous Mujahadah?"
Then Moulana (RA.) answers:
"Without Mujahadah no light of the truth is created in the heart Which is perceived through true faith and Divine communion. If that perception was possible through reason alone,
Then there was no need for putting the self to such strenuous exercises. "
Moulana says: "The amount of crying in humility and repentance, a person does in times of sorrow and pressing need, is much more than is possible in times of ease and comfort. In spite of that, a person should not wish for, nor look forward to calamities. What he should seek is safety from evil, happiness and prosperity. But if, from Allah's side some sorrow and calamity does befall one, one should not then become distressed and lose patience. Instead one should understand that it is Allah's intention to make and formulate you and through this formulation to increase and raise you in rank. Sorrow and calamities are also bounties (nee'mat) from Allah and in times of need the duahs come right from the heart, the place of prostration becomes wet with tears and one experiences the pleasure of supplication, which in itself is a great nee'mat..
"In praying to Allah the Lovers have no other objective
Than to have the pleasure of whispering secretly in communion with Him."
This secret talk is attained at the time of sorrow and weeping and these sighs of crying and lamentation in His presence is well loved by Him.
Moulana Rumi (RA.) says:
"I cry and weep before my Beloved, for that appears well pleasing to Him And in both worlds our crying and sorrowful sighs are loved by Him.
Blessed is that eye that cries in the remembrance of the Beloved And blessed is that heart that is embroiled. in His love.
For as long as the babe does not cry, milk does not flow forth from mother's breast. And as long as clouds don't shed raindrops, the garden does not become green.
From the' crying' of the clouds, the garden becomes green and fertile And as much as the candle 'cries', so much it increases its light.
There where .the tears flow, mercy prevails
And where water flows, greenery and fertility prevail. Allah equates the tears of the sinner in grief
To the blood flowing from a martyr.
Crying and weeping is a great wealth And the Mercy of Allah is a great blessing.
The wealth of this world consists of gold and silver.
The capital in Allah's sight is Love and two crying eyes."
One Saintly person said:
"0 Beloved, for the eyes to stay awake for anyone save You, is a waste, And to cry over anyone's parting save Yours, is useless!"
Although it is bitter to bear calamities and misfortunes with patience, it is still a wonderful medicine that brightens the devotee. The high ranks which were unattainable through years of spiritual exercises and rigours, are speedily attained through patient perseverance. For this reason, it is essential that every devotee (saalik) should consider the bitterness of patience as being sweet in view of the great bounty attainable through it. It will only be a few days of difficulty and hardship. Thereafter it will be smiles and laughing all the way. One gives only half a life in the effort but in exchange for this half, the Great Giver of bounty grants numerous lives.
"He grants so may bounties through suffering patiently Such bounties which has not entered your mind,
Such is the blessing of patience.
. Thousands of medicine has Allah created But one such as patience,
Adam and his children have not seen. Whoever has adopted patience
Has in fact acquired the high rank of the Siddeeq.
The Prophet has said that Allah does not even grant Imaan To that one in whose temperament there is no patience. Hazrat Ayoob (A.S.) for seven years remained patient
And pleased with Allah's guests (the worms on his body)."
It is related that when Hazrat Ayoob (A.S.) was saved from this calamity and became healed, someone asked him: "Hazrat, when were you more pleased? Was it at the time when you were suffering in this misfortune or at the time when you were healed of the calamity? "
He replied: "Thanks to Allah that he had granted me the bounty of good health. But during the time of this calamity, every morning and evening, the special voice which reached me from the unseen, asking me: "0 Ayoob, How are you?" What pleasure and ecstasy was in that voice! It is such that numerous lives can be sacrificed for it. That asking after my well being was such that it made me forget all the misfortunes which I suffered. The heart now longs for that voice which has now stopped".
When a person suffers sorrow and misfortune, he should most definitely not complain or utter any objections. This is most disrespectful. There is no objection in taking treatment or complaining of pain in the body. The lover of Allah should not, however, object to or have aversions of Allah who sends the calamity.
"Because sorrow and comfort are handed out by Allah,
Hence complaints and objections are disrespectful and Kufr. "
It is essential that a slave and a bondsman 'should at all times be satisfied with what the Master decides, as the Master is in full control and can do as he pleases.
Now I close this subject by quoting a few lines of poetry. May
Allah make us His true bondsmen and grant us the ability to act in accordance with his pleasure.
"When in Love the complaint of the beloved is not appropriate. For me there is no injustice in any of His actions.
Outwardly though it may be a calamity, But it is in fact a blessing in disguised form.
That calamity in which there is goodness for us,
Is not really a punishment.
The love of the slaves of Allah cannot reach perfection Until the blood of evil desires is not shed.
May that which is pleasing to You also become pleasing to me. What would I do with that pleasure,
Which is not accompanied by Your pleasure
How can I say that the pain which is in my heart (of Your love) Is not a gift of Yours.
He who is not blessed with this gift remains Unaware of Your glory.
Do not rejoice over my tears of longing for Him, When I am distanced from Him.
a you uninitiated in love, you have not as yet Experienced the pain of deep hearted love.
Whosoever you witness giving his heart and soul to gold and silver. a Akhtar, believe that he has not tasted
The sweetness of the love of Allah. "
THE STORY OF THE SAINT IN THE MOUNTAIN
A certain dervish once went up a mountain pass and there made a promise to Allah:
"I am turning my back on all worldly connections. Now I shall remain here in solitude busy worshipping You. When I feel hungry, I shall wait for sustenance from Your side. I will not ask anything from any person. I will not pick any fruit of the trees of this mountain. But in the wind if any fruit falls from the trees, that I shall eat".
For some time he remained steadfast on this promise to the tests that came from Allah's side. The tests came along because in his vow, the dervish did not say: 'Insha-allah' - if Allah so pleases. This omission of 'lnsha-allah' gave a sign of the dervish's pride, arrogance and over-confidence in his own courage and ability. For this reason, the punishment for his deed involved him in a great test and the no or from his heart left him, so that the ability to bear the difficulties of hunger became lost. Allah ordered the wind not to blow in that part of the mountain. For five days, the wind failed to blow, as a result of which no fruit fell from the trees. The dervish suffered unbearable hunger. He could no more have patience and the hunger made him feel weak. He was forced now to break his promise to Allah. He began picking the fruit from the tree to eat. When that happened, Allah punished him, because it is a command of His:
"Carry out your promise."
This is what happened. A group of thieves came to hide along the foot of the mountain. Someone informed the Chief Police Officer of the town that a group of thieves were hiding in the mountain. Before the Police Officer could arrest the actual thieves, he saw the dervish and thought that he was one of them. Hence he immediately arrested him. The dervish made a big noise protesting his innocence and proclaimed that he was not a thief, but the Police Officer and the other soldiers did not listen to him. The punishment was that they cut off his right hand and his left foot.
At that time a traveller passed that way and when he saw what had happened, he scolded the Police Officer and the soldiers:
"You dogs, what have you done to this holy and saintly Dervish? He is a real saintly man and the abdaal of our era. He has broken away from the world to settle in solitude in the mountain ".
When the Police Officer heard this, he began trembling in fear. In fear and with great grief and sorrow he came to the dervish with his bare head and feet, crying bitterly over the mistake that he had made, saying:
"I swear, I did not know that you were a saintly man. I made a mistake and considered you as one of the thieves. For Allah's sake, forgive me, otherwise I will become a victim of Allah's anger and will be destroyed. "
The dervish replied: "Brother, it is not your fault. I am the guilty one. I broke my promise to my Lord and for that I have been given this. punishment. "
"I know the cause of this and my inner self is aware thereof That for which sin of mine, this misfortune befell me.
I broke my agreement with Allah and as a result
The punishment for my deeds was the severing of my hand and foot.
The sincere ones are at all times in danger, In Allah's path, there are great tests awaiting them. Such promises and vows should not be made which you cannot fulfil.
And sit not in places of danger where you are bound to be tested with trials.". LESSON
Firstly a person should never take an oath for anything which is against the Shariat e.g. "I will not eat" or "I will not drink water" etc. The oath of the dervish was of this type. Secondly, a person should never depend upon his own courage and strength. In all matters one should depend upon Allah and seek His help. If one intends doing anything, then one should always say: 'Insha Allah'. If for some reason, one forgets to say so, then the moment he remembers it he should say 'Insha-Allah'. One must remember at all times that without Allah's power nothing can take place.
"Allah's one atom of favour is much better
Than a thousand efforts from the obedient ones. Humility in the path of Allah and indigence
Is better than to be proud of our devotion and obedience."
One should, with steadfastness on the deen, pray to Allah at all times, "0 My Lord, do not leave me to my nafs for one moment. Rectify my condition in such a manner that at all times it is in accordance with Your pleasure, till You make my ending upon Imaan.
Ameen.
THE STORY OF HAZRAT BILAL
Hazrat Bilal was an Abyssinian slave belonging to a Jew called Umayya Bin Khalaf. He embraced Islam in the early days of Islam, when the enemies of Islam did not allow the Muslims any restful moments. They tried every effort day and night to extinguish the Noor of Allah but Allah declared that He would complete that Noor, even though the non-believers were averse to it..
If Hazrat Bilal had wanted to, he could have kept his conversion to Islam a secret and thus have saved himself from persecution and injury. However, the Love for Allah within him forced him to openly proclaim the Kalima-e-Tawheed and to utter the cry of
"Ahad!Ahad!".
"When the Lover saw the dagger of Love in the hands of the Beloved, Without fear and oblivious of danger he ran towards it.
And when the Lover saw the dagger aimed at him,
He felt it compulsory to offer his head towards the knife.
O truly Beloved, in Your remembrance Love seems good to me And till Qiyamat I want to continue uttering this cry in madness. When the self has claimed to be a wild duck,
Then when the storm of calamities descended what complaint could it have?"
This means that the wild duck is not afraid of the storm, but is able to overcome the ebb and flow of the waves of the storm. Similarly, the self of the Lover continues on its way along the route without being adversely affected by the storm of happenings.
Hazrat Bilal uttered the cry of "Ahad! Ahad!" till the anger of the Jew forced him to react with violence and he assaulted Hazrat Bilal q~ in such a manner, that his body became filled with blood and injury. He made him lie down on the hot desert sand, saying to him: "Now do not dare utter the cry of God's oneness!"
Hazrat Bilal replied within himself:
"For the sake of Your Love the disbeliever wants to kill me and is shouting at me.
O Beloved, Come hither to the lowest heaven and see the show of Your Lover. What a show it is?"
One day Hazrat Abu Bakr was passing that way and saw the blood soaked Bilal '''crying out: "Ahad! Ahad!". On hearing this uttered cry, Hazrat Abu Bakr stood still and perceived the love for the Divine Being and the ecstasy involved. Seeing Hazrat Bilal being persecuted to this extent, his heart became agitated and tears came to his eyes. He called Hazrat Bilal towards himself and advised him to utter Allah's name in solitude and not to utter it in the presence of his persecutor. Otherwise his persecutor would continue to unjustly persecute and punish him. Hazrat Bilal '''replied: "0 Honoured One, you are the Siddeeq of Rasulullah I accept your advise and will act accordingly. "
The following day, Hazrat Abu Bakr again happened to pass that way. Again he witnessed the same sight. Hazrat Bilal was again uttering the cry of "Ahad! Ahad!" while the Jew was terribly assaulting him until again his body became bloodstained. Seeing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr 'was again filled with agitation and he advised Hazrat Bilal "Brother, why do you utter 'Ahad' in the presence of this persecutor? Utter it silently and secretly within yourself". Hazrat Bilal replied: "I make toubah and in future will not act contrary to your advise."
"0 Foolish One, do not command the nightingale towards silence For when it remembers the garden, its complaints will come on the lips. "
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"When Abu Bakr advised him towards silence and secrecy, Bilal repented again,
But when love overwhelmed, he swallowed the repentance. It is the message of the troubled heart.
Without You there can be neither peace nor comfort."
Hazrat Bilal in spite of the numerous calamities of persecutions and pains, could not keep his love for Allah a secret and kept on openly uttering the cry of "Ahad! Ahad!".
"When Love pulls the strings of its bow,
Many are the souls that become sold for a small price.
The body of Bilal was injured and blood-stained before the Jew,
But his soul was enjoying nearness to Allah in Divine Love, enjoying unending Spring."
This is what is called True Love. What a sad state of affairs that today people look at sensual love and call it love. That is not love. The love that comes from metaphorical beauty is not really 'ishq'. It is jisq' (transgression), which is caused by overeating. If a person has to go without food for a few days he will forget his love and ask for bread. But the Divine Love, because it is placed within the essence of man, even if no worldly needs are acquired, no change comes about in the Lover and his Love does not decrease. Love is actually a name for that kind of surrender that Allah, the truly Beloved is the Doer of everything and the servant is he who is pleased and satisfied with all that He does.
It is a fact that Allah loves seeing His servants in distressed. conditions and their weeping and crying in sorrow to Him. At times, in spite of His numerous mercies and gifts, He sometimes delays in accepting their duahs, so that this sighing and crying before Him is not ended after their needs are met and so that they can continue to call on Him: "Ya Allah!' Ya Allah!"
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"Sometimes Allah delays in answering the prayers so that one may continue earnestly to call on Him and crying in humility. While it is done, He is aware thereof and He greatly approves thereof"
Hence, this delay in answering their prayers is for the bondsman a means towards His Mercy and not a sign of His rejection or of His considering the duah as being worthless. For a person to be able to speak secretly to Allah in his communion with Him, is indeed a great honour and a favour for the believer.
A person who has attained the love of Allah, will never be able to attain freedom from it. Now at this stage someone may come forth with an objection. It would appear from this that those who are true lovers of Allah are all the time in a great calamity and distress, instead of experiencing Allah's Mercy. This is the answer to the one who has such a perception. Actually that is how it will-appear from afar. When looking at the outward features, it gives us a bloody appearance.
"From afar love seems like being bloody
So that insincere lovers do not tread this path. This bloody appearance is a guard
Against insincere and half-baked lovers, not to come this way."
On the other hand, when one is endowed with true love, then the following is his description. He says: "0 Beloved, let it not be the good fortune of your enemy, to be destroyed by your sword,
May the heads of friends remain safe, for you to try your sword on them. "
Imagine a certain lover who was pining for his beloved from whom he had been separated for ten years. He has turned pale, gone weak and sick. Now suddenly this beloved arrives and in an embrace presses him so hard that his ribs feel like breaking and his eyes appears to be popping out of their sockets. Noticing
his discomfort, the beloved says: "If you disapprove of this act of mine, I will discard contact with you and become intimate with someone else". Now, what answer will that lover give? If he is really a lover, he will answer thus:
"May my breath of life go out of me and fall at your feet. That is the desire of my heart and longing".
Someone else, looking from afar and from the outside, will get the impression that this lover is experiencing great distress. But question the lover himself and he will explain what joy and pleasure he feels. He will look upon those moments as pleasurable moments and will wish that the time spent in them will be long. When that is the effect of sensual worldly love, then one can just imagine how much greater the ecstasy will be experienced when one has love for the true beloved, i.e. Allah.
From the above example, it should be understood that those people who have fallen prey to Divine Love, although outwardly they would appear to be in great distress and calamities, but inwardly they enjoy nearness to Allah and His Communion, which indeed provides them with great pleasure.
Outwardly they may be dressed in tattered clothes, suffering hunger and starvation and be pale in the face, but inwardly they experience great peace, comfort and such joy as if it were experienced by .
Kings, who would then forget the pleasure of being in possession of a throne or a crown.
Moulana Rumi (R.A.) quotes Allah as saying:
"This distressed one, covered in a quilt is My special bondsman, Among thousands one such is born."
The main objective of this life for all creatures is to attain the love of Allah. This is the essential aim of life.
So Hazrat Bilal underwent and endured numerous difficulties and hardships because in his sight the reward for bearing them was great.
"For the sake of the love of my Beloved,
I am in love with suffering pain and sorrow."
Hazrat Abu Bakr on numerous occasions, advised Hazrat Bilal but on every occasion when he passed that way, he saw the same picture - the Jew persecuting Bilal who was all the time uttering: "Ahad! Ahad!". Hazrat Abu Bakrq then went to Rasulullah and related the story to him. When Rasulullah heard the story he was filled with sorrow and tears flowed from his eyes. He asked: "0 Siddeeq! What is the solution to this problem? How can we save Bilal from this calamity?"
Hazrat Abu Bakr replied: "Ya Rasulullah, I shall buy Bilal. Rasulullah said: "All right! Let my share also be therein". Allahu Akbar! What good a fortune for Bilal that Rasulullah himself also took part in purchasing him. In that black body of Hazrat Bilal was an enlightened heart, which was filled with Allah's love.
Hazrat Abu Bakr approached the Jew at a time when he was again busy beating Bilal. HazratAbn Bakr questioned: "Why are you beating this friend of Allah?" The Jew replied: "If you have so much sympathy for him, then bring the money and take him away as yours". Hazrat Abu Bakr immediately responded: "Take my white-skinned Jewish slave with the black heart and give me this black skinned slave with the enlightened heart from Abyssinia". Hazrat Abu Bakr took Bilal and went to Rasulullah. He asked: "Ya Rasulullah, what kind of transaction did I make? I gave away a white bodied, black hearted one and brought back a black body with an enlightened heart". Rasulullah replied: "You have made a very good sale, 0 Siddeeq".
Rasulullah embraced Bilal and held him to his heart. Moulana Rumi (R.A.) says:
"Mustapha embraced Bilal and held him against his chest. The ecstasy Bilal felt! Who can ever imagine that?"
THE STORY OF SULTAN MAHMOOD AND AYAAZ
One day Sultan Mahmood called together the officials of his government with the aim of testing their intelligence. He took out a pearl from his treasury and first of all handed it to the Chief Minister and questioned him: "What is the value of this pearl? How much can it be sold for?" The Wazir replied: "Sir, this pearl is of great value. It is more valuable than two hundred donkeys laden with gold". The King then ordered: "I command you to crush this pearl into pieces". The Wazir replied: "I will not destroy this valuable pearl. I have the welfare of your treasury at heart and to crush this valuable gem would amount to disrespect on my part". The King applauded this reply and rewarded him with a royal robe of honour.
The king then took the pearl from the Wazir and handed it to another of his court officials and asked him to determine what was the value of the pearl. He replied: "Sir, this precious pearl is more valuable than half of your Kingdom. May God protect this pearl! ".
The King also commanded him to crush the pearl into small pieces. He replied: "Sir, my hands cannot mov
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