Summary & Main Points of discourse by Hadhrat Shaykh Abdul Mueed Saheb (Hafizahullah) of Sukkur, Pakistan – Saturday, 16 November 2024, 14 Jamadul Ula 1446 at Masjidus Saliheen, Durban, South Africa.
A Practice of the Pious
It is a standing practice and routine to study the teachings of the pious servants of Allah Ta’ala, after Asar Salah. We read the teachings of Hadhrat Hakeemul Ummah Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Rahimahullah). These teachings were delivered over a hundred years ago. It seems as though they were delivered today, for our times. These teachings are an embodiment of sincerity. Anything done with sincerity for the pleasure of Allah has a great effect.
We have a lot to say, but in our speech there is a lot of ego and emotion. Therefore, instead of us being effective, there is an ill effect in our speech.
The purpose of these discourses is for each person to evaluate his own condition. If there is some good being mentioned and that good condition is within us, be grateful to Allah Ta’ala that He has enabled us to do that good deed. We should make dua in our heart that Allah retains this good with us. If there is some weakness or a wrong mentioned, then we should seek Allah’s protection from it. We should decide to change while sitting here, resolve to remove this ill effect or wrongdoing from our life.
Evaluate Yourself
So, the objective of these gatherings is that while we are sitting here, we evaluate our lives, then we make immediate remedy and reparation. Hadhrat Hakimul Ummah (rahimahullah) has said, ‘One who sits with the correct intention and purpose, then one such sitting is sufficient for a person to change his life.’
The idea is to keep our gaze upon our own weaknesses and wrongdoings. Today, unfortunately, our focus is on other people’s problems and wrongs. But we forget ourselves. On the day of Qiyamah, we will be asked about our wrongs, not about the wrongs of other people.
Spying on Others
Today, unfortunately, our focus is to ‘spy’ on others. We worry about and focus on (the faults) of others. We question where that person is going, what is he doing, and what is the status of his ibadat and worship? This falls under spying and prying on a person, and spying is something that is impermissible.
Do not worry about other people’s wrongs and don’t even focus or pay any attention to it. If we ‘spy’ on ourselves, worry about ourselves, then we will see a lot of wrong within us.
Our condition, as Hadhrat Thanwi (Rahimahullah) has said, is that we can see the fly on the other person’s face. However, we cannot see the snakes and scorpions on our own body. The fly will not harm the other person, but the snakes and scorpions are deadly, and will harm us.’
Restrain and Repel your urge
Noor (spiritual light) means, a person gets the urge and feeling to sin and then he opposes and restrains himself. Spiritual illumination occurs when a person gets the urge to sin, then restrains himself and opposes that urge. If a person wants to gain such piety where there is no urge for sin, it is not possible.
The Sahabah RA used to also get feelings of sin. And this is the feeling and urge that brings about the progress of a person. Without these whispers, thoughts and feelings, how will a person progress? How will good deeds be done?
If a blind person claims not to look at wrong things, then this is no achievement, as he has no ability to see. Achievement is when one, who has the ability to see, refrains from looking at the wrong.
Do what is in your Control
People experience whispers and feelings coming into their heart. They become worried and restless because of these feelings. Remember, even a hundred thousand wrong feelings and urges are not harmful, because these are not within your control. And something that’s not within your control, you will not be accountable for. The only thing you will be asked about is, what you did intentionally and purposefully.
The problem arises when a person builds upon the urge and feeling. Shaytan whispers to encourage a person to act on the wrong feeling. Now, if the person acts upon it, then one can’t blame Shaytan as the action was committed intentionally. Do not become weak in this situation. Whatever we can do in our ability and power, we should try our level best to oppose these urges and whispers and overcome them. This process, of a person opposing his nafs and confronting shaytan is an ongoing lifelong process.
Prepare for Combat
A person must psychologically, mentally and emotionally prepare himself to combat these ideas that come into the heart and mind. A person has to actually communicate with himself and say that I need to conquer my desires. I cannot allow the situation to overwhelm me. So light, spiritual benefit and elevation is in this.
So all these different lights, the light of courage that a person takes to oppose sin, the light of obedience, the light of good deeds and all these lights together, strengthen a person and weaken the opposition. This is the beauty of Taqwa, the illumination of a person’s heart and spirituality.
Today, we feel that if we read some wazifa (formula) then we will become pious and be able to control our emotions. This is not the case. To attain Taqwa, one will have to make an effort. People are reading hundreds of wazifas in the hope that they will ward off the urge of sin and wrongdoing. The idea is to take control of what we can, and that is to be able to oppose our nafs, to be able to have that strength to conquer the inner force that is trying to bring us down.- It is compulsory to protect oneself from sin just as it is compulsory to perform Salah. To achieve success in sacrifice, a person should also curtail certain permissible aspects, as this develops capacity within us. So when a person develops the capacity to restrain, then when the urge for wrong arises, a person already has the ability, he’s already developed that strength.
Oppose your Instinct
There are various bounties on the table. Certain items are of a higher level, some are of a lower level. For example, there is salad, then there is chutney, then there is biryani. Now the nafs says that, let me go for the biryani. The nafs wants to go straight for the good food. Start with the salad. Take that which your nafs doesn’t want to take. So you defy your inner desire. Your inner self wants to go for the food, but you don’t conform with it. You oppose it to develop this capacity and ability. This ability and strength helps one when the time to stay away from sin arises.
When a person is called upon to do a sin, that is the time to acquire Allah’s mercy. As soon as you save yourself from that sin, Allah’s mercy comes upon you immediately. So, the opportunity to sin is also the time to earn Allah’s pleasure.
When a person makes a commitment, Allah’s help will be with him. Because Allah is the one who makes us do good deeds and Allah is the one who protects us from sin also. Make these firm commitments and Allah will save and protect us.
The Trained and Untrained Horse
The example of the inner self is that of a trained and untrained horse. Both have instinct. The trained horse is under the guidance and order of the master. It remains on the right road and does not behave like the wild horse. This is the example of a person who has trained himself with commitment. He shows courage. He knows that the urge to do wrong will be there. But because he is holding the ‘reins’, he is able to save and protect himself.
The ‘Light’ of Good Actions
So it will become weakened to the point where a person will be on top of it. He will be able to control Insha Allah. And thereafter to be able to do this becomes easy.
To stay away from sin at the beginning is difficult. But gradually, as a person strives, he weakens these urges and brings them within his control – it then becomes easy to manage.
When the light of good actions permeate a person the effect is seen on his outward self. People are then able to observe this person through his character and speech. People see that this person is a disciplined person, a reformed person, a person with good character.
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