The favour of Allah on the believers

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Many times you hear me emphasise that we are specially blessed; and today I wish to highlight one ayat of the Holy Qur’an in which Allah alludes to this.  He says in Surah Imran;

 

Allah did confer a great favor on the believers when He sent among them an apostle from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error.  (3:164)

 

In Surah Fatihah we ask Allah to join us with those on whom He has bestowed.  It contains the same root as the ayat quoted above.  Before expounding on the blessings and favours Allah has bestowed upon us through the personality of Prophet Muhammad (pboh), we need to understand the dua that Prophet Abraham (as) made to Allah after he and Ishmael (as) finished reconstructing the Kaba.  Abraham prayed;

 

"Our Lord!  Send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall rehearse Thy Signs to them and instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom, and sanctify them: for Thou art the Exalted In Might, the Wise.  (2:129)

 

In others places in the Qur’an Allah records where He answered Abraham’s prayer.  But specifically in Surah Imran Allah is telling us that He has been very favourable to the believers by sending the Messenger (pboh).

 

And exactly what was the mission of the Messenger?  Prophet Muhammad (pboh) had a specific function.  He was commanded to rehearse the Signs of the Lord, and teach the people everything about the working of the Allah; to sanctify them and to teach them the wisdom of the Book, etc.

 

A few of the favours that Allah has blessed us with, that wasn’t given to the previous nations, are;

1) He made the Kaba the Qibla.  He has unified the system of worshipping.  All believers are like one big family, with one common direction in worship.. 

 

2) He has made Makkah a sanctuary.  Unbelievers are not permitted to enter the sacred city.  Theologically specking if you are at the Kaba you are safe.  Safe from capture, safe from revenge etc.  There are a lot of etiquettes that pertain to the sanctity of Makkah.

 

3) The Messenger (pboh) came from amongst them.  Abraham left baby Ishmael at the Kaba when the land was barren.  And look at what grew out of that place.

 

4) The progeny of Abraham through Ishmael, learnt to appreciate the blessings and gift from Allah.  Unlike Israelites who instead of being thankful for the many favours from Allah, they showed discontent; and for example asked Moses (as) to pray to Allah for a change in the food they received.  In another occasion, when Allah parted the sea and saved them from Pharaoh; as soon as they were safe they requested Moses to make idols for them to worship.

 

This was not the case with the believers who were at all times appreciative for whatever blessings came from Allah.

 

5) The believers learnt to apply the law in their daily lives through the teachings and guidance of Prophet Muhammad (pboh). 

 

6) Through Prophet Muhammad (pboh) we learnt Tazkiyah nafs; purification of our nafs.  How to purify your personality and engage in zikr.  Which other faith has this.  Some of them meditate such as the charismatic movement and those who engage in yoga, but what do they do.  In reality they sacrifice part of their lives in order to achieve this.  Believers don’t do this.  We live and carry on as normal and at the same time engage in the purification of our nafs.

 

7) When Moses and Jesus wanted to communicate with Allah they had to climb a mountain.  Muslims don’t have this.  We have a blanket appointment to meet with, and communicate with our Lord through the institution of salaat.

These are just a few of the special favours that Allah has given to the believers.

 

Keep in mind that all of us have a special mission.  We connect Islamically from our ancestors and need to transmit the teaching to the next generation.

 

At the time of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) his detractors thought that his mission would grind to a halt because he didn’t have a male offspring.  Whether you have children or not you can still pass on the legacy.  Abraham and Zakariyah knew the importance of passing on the legacy that they specifically prayed to Allah for an offspring to continue transmitting the message.

 

Although the Prophet (pboh) did not have any male offspring, Allah gave him many spiritual children—all of us. He says that the Prophet is closer to the believers than themselves, and his wives are their mothers.

 

Allah has truly been merciful and favourable to the believers.  And our message is not adulterated.  The Hindu faith for example got inspiration though the Rishis who gave the pure message, but unfortunately it was not preserved.  Look at Allah’s favour to us.

 

We need to be conscious of all these blessings Allah has been so merciful to bestow on us.  He has sent a messenger to show us the way to develop our personality in the way required of the progeny of Adam; a way that will successfully take us back to our Lord.

 

May Allah continue to guide us and bless us and enable us to understand the numerous blessings He has showered upon us.  And may we always be thankful and be from amongst those who will successfully impart the true teachings to the next generation.

Transcript of discourse delivered by

Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

The video presentation of this discourse can be accessed at

http://www.youtube.com/markazalihsaan

 

 

Building on the good gained in Ramadhan

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

 

Brothers and sisters, welcome back after the blessed month of Ramadhan, and we pray that Allah would have blessed us tremendously for all our efforts made in the blessed month; and today we would have been much better as a believer, both morally and spiritually.

 

Allah has established a law regarding His connection with the believers and how we can get closer to Him.  He says good erases evil.  We have a good example of the application of this in the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (pboh) regarding the month of Ramadhan where he is reported to have said “whoever fasts Ramadhan with faith and seeking the reward of Allah will have his past sins forgiven”.

 

So good removes evil.  What is important for us to keep in mind all the time is that faith does not stay static.  Nothing in this world is static.  Even Allah says about Himself;

 

Every day He manifests Himself in yet another wondrous way.  (55:29)

 

So nothing remains stagnant; even our faith.  Our faith can increase or decrease.  In connection with this Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said; “Imaan (faith) increases or decreases”. 

 

Ramadhan is that occasion where Allah allowed the believers to increase their faith tremendously through the fast, extra worship and trying to be careful of thoughts and actions for His sake.  Our reason for doing all of this is to get Qurbay Ilaahi – getting closer to Allah.

 

When Allah wanted to show mankind how they can get closer to Him, He invited Prophet Muhammad (pboh) in His Divine Presence on the night of the mir’aj.  And he, (pboh) being our model and that one who demonstrated real success in this life, if we were to follow him and engage in much of the actions that he used to do we would insha Allah also increase our faith and gain closeness to our Lord.

 

But if after the blessed is over, we fall back into some thoughts and actions that would bring about dark spots on our heart we would be reducing our faith. 

 

It all depends on the individual and their intention, their desire and their activity.  The reason for saying this is because Allah says in the Holy Qur’an that those who try to keep their soul bright and shinning are the real successful ones.

 

It is those who believe and clothe not their beliefs with wrong - they are (truly) in security, for they are on (right) Guidance.  (6:82)

 

Scholars are of the opinion that at the time of doing a wrong deed your faith is not strong because at that time you are not mindful that Allah is with you.  This does not mean to say that we are free from faults and mistakes.  Allah says;

 

And if Allah were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature.  (16:61)

 

What does this ayat tell us?  That we do a lot of wrong, knowingly and unknowingly.  However, Allah has given us this great blessing that even if we falter we can wipe out the blemishes through repentance and engaging in good deeds.

 

The point is that we have a good head start coming out of the month of Ramadhan, therefore don’t lose it and keep building on it.

 

Some people can’t understand life so they behave like the spider.  Invest all their efforts and recourses to build a big ‘web’ paying no heed to returning to their Lord and without warning it can all come crashing down leaving them destitute and back at square one.

 

For us it is a simple reality; if when we exhale and the oxygen doesn’t go back in that is it!  All your work and aspirations come to an end.  And what next?  What about the meeting with your Lord? 

 

And this is the message of life.  Be careful all the times.  We want that when our last breath comes out our soul will be transported to a beautiful place and the Messenger of Allah (pboh) is reported to have said;

 

“The soul of the believer is in a bird hanging from a tree in Paradise until Allah returns it to his body on the day He resurrects him”.

 

Work for it.  Try your utmost to have good intentions and don’t harbour hate and malice, etc.  Islam wants us to be part of the beautiful universal family.  Let us try our best, so our faith will continue to grow and our personality would become brighter and brighter.

 

So as we have started back on this program, try your best and work hard against the baser desires as Prophet Muhammad (pboh) told his Companions “I have returned from the small Jihad (Jihad Asghar) to the big Jihad (Jihad Akbar)”.  The Sahabas enquired “what is the big Jihad?”  Prophet (pboh) said “the Jihad al nafs (inner desires).”

 

One mistake can destroy all your life’s work just as a married couple can destroy their loving relationship through one moment of ill treatment.

 

This is why we engage in the zikir and try to culture or spiritual stations to resound Allahu.  If you have Allah in your heart Satan cannot come and whisper to divert your intentions and emotions.

 

We beg Allah to forgive us for our mistakes, wipe out our evils and cover up our faults.  Keep conscious of your responsibilities and duties, and guard your faith so that when you leave this world you will have no room for regrets.

 

May Allah forgive us, bless us, guide us and protect us all insha Allah.

 

Man: A Special Unit In Creation

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Human beings are special as their origin is different from the rest of creation. First of all when Allah decided to create the universe, He gave a divine Command, “be”, and the whole of the universe began as a single cell, which grew until it burst open forming the skies and the earth. Man was not a part of what became the skies and the earth. Allah tells us about this in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an. He says:

Do not those who disbelieve know that the skies and the earth were a closed up mass? Then He opened them out? And We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? (21:30)

The skies (cosmos) and the earth were perfected in six periods called days in the Holy Qur’an, with each period varying in length of time, from 1000 years to 50,000 years of our reckoning.

When the earth was perfected, and all the plants and animals were already created, then Allah created Adam. The creation of man is therefore different from the creation of the rest of the creatures on the earth, as they were all created from water, but man from clay. He says:

(Allah is He) Who has made perfect everything that He created; and He began the creation of man from clay; then He made his progeny from an extract of despised fluid; then He fashioned him, then breathed into him his soul; and He gave you hearing, sight and hearts. (32:7-9)


The Soul: Refined Light

Man is a combination of a physical element - the body; and a non-physical element - the soul created from a very form of refined light not available in the universe. As a result it is very difficult to know much about the nature and capacity of the light of the soul.  Allah says:

 

And they will ask you (O Muhammad) about the ruh (i.e. the soul); Say: it is from the Command of the Lord, and you (O man) have been given very little knowledge about it. (17:84)

 

All other forms of light were created as part of the universe. Allah tells us about this in the following verse:

 

All praise is due to Allah Who created the skies and the earth and caused to come into existence darkness and light. (6:1)

 

Perhaps, the light of the earth began when Allah created the solar system He says:

 

Allah it is Who raised up the skies without any visible support; then He established Himself on the Throne; and He pressed the sun and moon into service; each pursuing its course, until an appointed term. (13:2)

 

Regarding the soul of man, it was only when Adam was created and perfected physically, that a special spark of refined light was created and commanded to enter into the chest of Adam. Allah tells us about this in the following verse:

 

So, when I (Allah) have fashioned him (Adam), and have breathed into him the soul which I created for him; then all of you (i.e. Angels and Jinns) acknowledge his superiority over you. (by prostrating in front of him). (15:29)

 

 

Man: Physical and Spiritual Elements.

With the entry of the soul into Adam man became a unit with two dimensions in his personality; viz. a physical and a spiritual.

 

Some people believe that the physical man cannot access the spiritual world, except through a particular channel, but Islam teaches that in every human being both the physical and spiritual are so created that they can work together for upholding the mission for which man was sent on earth. As a result there is no need for an intermediary to get to God. Allah tells us about this in the Holy Qur’an in many places. For example, He says:

 

He is with you where so ever you may be. (57:4)

 

And when My servants ask you concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me. (2:186)

 

The physical body is like a vehicle for the soul. It can impact upon it in a negative way, by doing what is prohibited; or in a positive way by doing what is permissible. It can keep the soul bright and shinning, or it can put stains on the soul, thereby preventing its light from penetrating the cells of the body. When the light of the soul reaches all the cells of the body, and that person dies, he or she will be resurrected on Judgment Day with a brightened countenance.

 

 

Man’s Capacity:

 

Allah has given man a tremendous capacity and capability, as His Representative on earth; and has made available for his use and benefit, all that is in the skies and the earth. He says:

 

It is Allah Who has created the skies and the earth, and sends down rain from the skies; and with it brings out fruits wherewith you are fed. It is He Who has made the ships subject to you; that you may sail through the sea by His Command; and the rivers has He made (also).  And He has made subject to you the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses; and the night and the day He has also made subject to you. And He gives you all that you ask for; but if you were to count the favors of Allah, never will you be able to number them. (14:32-34)

 

Regarding the spiritual dimension of the personality, if properly managed and maintained, man can ascend as a person above the skies and can have experiences of what has been described in the Holy Qur’an as the “Unseen”. Every single person can have religious experiences of the “Unseen” if he or she lives a righteous life.

 

 

Man’s Mission:

Allah appointed man as His Khalifah, (Vicegerent) on the earth. He is supposed to always keep in mind that he is a traveler here, as the earth is not his permanent abode. One needs to constantly remind himself that he is on a journey back to his Lord. Muslims says this very often. It is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verse:

 

(Those who have patience) when they are affected with a calamity remind themselves that they came from Allah and to Him is the returning. (2:156)

 

While on earth, man has been given certain responsibilities. The most important is to acknowledge the fact that we are all creatures and there is only one Creator. And the creatures are not in any way like the Creator. Allah tells us about this in a very simple statement He made in the Holy Qur’an. He says:

 

and there is none like unto Him. (112:4)

 

Even though we are creatures and cannot be like the Creator, we can behave like Him in some ways. He says:

 

So set thy face steadily and truly to the Faith; the nature of Allah is the Nature He has given man, there is no change in the law of Allah, that is the Upright way, but a lot of people cannot understand. (30:30)

 

The best of the Lords representative that have passed through the earth was Prophet Muhammad (pboh). Allah tells us about this in the Holy Qur’an. He says that:

 

The Prophet (pboh) never said anything of his own desire. (53:2-3)

He had the most perfect personality. (33:21)

He is the lamp that gives light. (33:46)
He continuously invited the people to Allah (33:46)

If one should follow the example given to us by Prophet Muhammad (pboh) he or she would become a friend of the Lord and an asset in society. He will spread peace in the earth; he will demonstrate love and compassion; he will be a trustworthy, sincere person, he will not be a hypocrite; and will not harbor hate, malice, jealousy, selfishness, greed, etc. He will receive from his Lord special guidance in all his undertakings.

Muslims are specially blessed as they have the opportunity to read and recite the unadulterated Words of the Lord, in the form of the Holy Qur’an.


The Blessed Tree:

A truly successful person in this world is one who can be defined as a blessed tree; that is a person who:

(a) Is able to ascend close to the Lord

(b) Is able to provide shade to passers-by.
(c) Is able to supply juicy, delicious fruits to the hungry.

Allah tells us about such a person in the form of a parable in the Holy Qur’an. He says:

Don’t you see how Allah sets forth a parable? A goodly world is like a goodly tree, whose roots are firmly fixed (in the earth) and its branches reach the skies. It brings fruits at all times, by the leave of the Lord. (14:24-25)

Every human being should try to be a goodly tree that is capable to provide help to the weary, thirsty, hungry, tired passer-by; and at the same time observing high moral principles.


How fasting helps?

Fasting in Ramadan is one of the Institutions in Islam that is designed to nurture and cultivate the qualities that will make a person fit to stand happily in the presence of the Lord on one hand, and to become a useful, sincere and truthful member of society on the other.

 

It impacts upon the individuals through what is called Tazkiyah-e-Nafs i.e. by trimming out all the unwanted qualities and desires in the individuals; in other words by pruning our trees, so that we can grow and bear sweet juicy fruits. Tazkiya has a physical, moral and spiritual program for making the individual a true and reliable representative of the Lord here on the earth.

 

In addition it is one of the opportunities to have all of one’s past sins forgiven, and it also helps the individuals to ascend higher on the way back to the Lord.

 

Perhaps, this one of the reasons for celebrating Eid, as the believer who kept the fast and did extra worship feels elevated in the sight of Allah.

 

 

The Way Forward:

 

Allah has given us a beautiful example of how we should conduct ourselves in this life, even if the environment is harsh and oppressive. He says:

 

and Verily In cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. from what is within their bodies between excretions and blood, we produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it. (16:66)

 

Let us endeavour to continue to improve our lives, through submission and worship on one hand; and by dedicated service to humanity on the other. When this is done we all will become beautiful blessed trees in this world, and very important persons in the next, as we all will enter Paradise  by a special gate called Rayyaan, reserved for all those who kept the fast sincerely for the sake of Allah.

 

And let us all this day make a firm resolution that we will keep our milk pure by doing what is good and staying away from the evil.

 

May Allah forgive us for our past mistakes and guide and protect us for the remainder of our lives.

 

Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

 

Believing without reason and logic

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

There are some things in our faith which cannot be explained through reason and logic.  In other words we cannot rationalize some of the things we do.  For example we are supposed to make wudu before salaat.  However if there is no water available or we can’t use water we are supposed to make Tayammum.  Tayammum is in no way comparable to wudu because you are not cleansing all the parts that you normally do when you’re performing wudu.  Then why do it?  This is something that cannot be explained rationally.  We believe and accept because that is what Allah has ordained for us.

So too, there are so many things that we cannot explain through scientific reasoning and logic; and, unfortunately some people, because they cannot find a suitable explanation, reject it totally or condemn it. 

For example according to our school of theology we have an understanding concerning the night of the 15^th of Shabaan.  There are many traditions concerning the sacredness and benefits associated with this night.  One such belief is that a person’s sustenance is written on this night, another is that those who are to be born and those who will die for the following year is also written etc.  How can we explain these things rationally?  We cannot, and that is why we have faith in Allah. 

To become a Muslim the first thing a person says is I testify that there is no God but Allah.  Imagine those pagan Arabs who were idolaters; those who believed that Jesus (as) was God; others who believed that God somehow manifested Himself in an earthly form; and now you’re taught to say no God but Allah; that is something that comes only through faith because you cannot rationally prove the existence of God.

There is this philosophical problem termed ‘cause and effect’.  Every cause has an effect.  So we were created by God but then the problem arises, i.e. who created God?  Concerning this Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said “Satan comes to one of you and says, ‘Who created so-and-so’; till he says, ‘Who has created your Lord?'  So, when he inspires such a question one should seek refuge with Allah and give up such thoughts”.  (Bukhari)

We need to understand that belief is something outside the realm of reason and logic.  Some people try to prove the unseen rationally.  For example have you ever seen an angel?  How can we prove the existence of angels rationally?  It’s difficult, that is why Allah begins the chapter of Baqarah with;

 Who believe in the Ghaib (unseen); (2:3)

 

Another example; how can you prove human beings possess a soul?  Has anyone seen it?  Many things we have to accept whether we can rationally prove it or not.

According to the teachings of Islamic spirituality these matters are outside the realm of reason and logic.  It is called religious experience and this can only be experienced.  It cannot be described.  You cannot tell me how sweet honey is; I have to taste it to really know.  When we say the term ‘I believe’ we are really implying that whether or not we can understand/prove we believe unconditionally.

Islamic spirituality is that realm of knowledge which is outside the references of reason and logic.  It is something that has to be experienced.  That is why a lot of Masha’ikhs do not disclose religious experiences; because of the potential backlash from those who cannot forgo rational thought. 

On the night of the Mir’aj Allah says that Prophet Muhammad (pboh) ascended higher and higher and then He revealed what He wanted to reveal.  What did Allah revealed?  No one knows.  How can the blessed Prophet (pboh) rationally describe such an experience?  The people doubted whether he travelled from Makkah to Jerusalem; what about his experiences in the heavens?

As we go along the path of Islamic spirituality always remember that it is not really permissible to discuss your religious experiences with any person.  You need to discuss it with your teacher or someone who he may refer you to.

For example there was once a great Masha’ikh called Mansur al-Hallaj.  During his time many of the Sufi masters felt that it was inappropriate to share religious experience with the masses, yet Al-Hallaj openly did so in his writings and through his teachings. He thus began to make enemies.  This was exacerbated by occasions when he would fall into trances which he attributed to being in the presence of God.  During one of these trances, he uttered Ana l-Ḥaqq - “I am The Truth”.  The masses could not understand what he truly meant and subsequently murdered him by severing limb from limb.  And when his blood flowed into a nearby river the words Ana l-Ḥaqq were formed.  How can we understand this rationally?

In the battle of Badr when the Muslim army were grossly outnumbered Allah through His Grace and Mercy send the angels to fight with the Muslims; and Companions reported that even before they could strike their blow the enemy was killed.  How can you explain this using scientific reason and logic.

As we go along this path you will hear people levelling the claim ‘bidah and shirk’.  In situations like these always remember the Qur’anic ayat; 

And the servants of (Allah) Most gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, “Peace”!  (25:63)

You will not be able to make an impression on these persons.  In the very beginning of the mission of man Satan confronted God with reason and logic.  He could not have seen that Adam (as) was endued with knowledge which he and the angels did not have.  That is an eye opener for all of us.

We need to go along with faith in Allah and in His Prophet (pboh) and whether we can understand it or not we do what we are expected to do.  Prophet Muhammad (pboh) demonstrated this in every way.  Do you think he knew that reasons for everything that was to happen?  For example when he was given the news that his grandson was to be martyred did he question?  He simply requested that he be brought the soil where his blessed grandson’s blood was to fall.

In Islamic spiritually you can get knowledge from Allah and He can take you closer to Him as He so desires. 

A lot of things people take for granted and they really do not know.  However, never condemn them.   They may be honest and sincere but were never exposed to these teaching and understandings and will thus have reservations.  When you experience this don’t get upset.  Instead be sympathetic and show love because all success lies through love.

If you show overflowing love for your Lord what do you think will happen?  Pursue this path with humility and sincerity and because we are touching on areas that are sensitive you will get comments and remarks; but just carry on with your own mission for success in this life and the next and let Allah take care of the rest.

May Allah bless us, enlighten us and protect us all insha Allah.

Transcript of discourse delivered by

Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

The video presentation of this discourse can be accessed at

http://www.youtube.com/markazalihsaan

Good and evil never mix

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah tells us in Surah Muzzammil; And whatever good ye send forth for your souls ye shall find it in Allah’s Presence, - yea, better and greater, in reward and seek ye the Grace of Allah for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.  (73:20)

Good goes to Allah and evil goes down into a dungeon.  Allah says in Surah Infitaar; As for the righteous, they will be In Bliss; and the wicked - they will be in the fire.  (82:13-14)

What we need to understand is that good goes up to Allah and evil goes downwards.  Good and evil do not mix.  They are not even recorded in the same place.  As I’ve said in the past good is recorded in the skies and evil is recorded in a dungeon.

Allah has given us examples in the Holy Qur’an about the end of those who lived a life of wrong and those who lived a life of good.  I would like to reference just two examples.

Firstly, the story of Qarun.  Qarun was a person who lives at the time of Moses (as).  Once he overheard when Angel Jibril explaining to Moses (as) the process for making gold.  So in his past time he used to make gold.  And he became so wealthy that the keys for his treasures were a burden for men.  Allah records this in Surah Qashash;

Qarun was doubtless, of the people of Moses; but he acted insolently towards them: such were the treasures we had bestowed on Him that their very keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men.  (28:76)

When Moses told Qarun to pay his zakaat he schemed up a plan to accuse Moses of adultery in an effort to get rid of him.  And what was his end?

Then We caused the earth to swallow up him and his house; and he had not (the least little) party to help him against Allah, nor could he defend himself.  (28:81)

Allah caused the earth to swallow him along with his wealth.  Evil goes down into the earth!

Next reference; Prophet Jesus (as).  Jesus (as) was a righteous man.  He was brought into this world in an extra ordinary way.  He never depended on anyone for anything.  Jesus (as) lived in the hills and came down to preach to the people.  Allah records of him in the Qur’an;

And Zakariya and John, and Jesus and Elias: all in the ranks of the righteous:  (6:85)

He never wanted anything from him yet they want to kill him.  What did Allah do?  Allah took him up in the skies and he is still there.

Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.  (4:158)

What is the importance of telling you this?  It is to show you the ends of those who did evil and those who did good.  Allah is Dhil-maarij.  Dhil-maarij literally means He is the Owner of the ascending stairways.

Our mission is to ascend and get closer to our Lord.  And those who do will get a greater reward.  On that Day they will have the fastest transport to reach their Lord.  Build your transport here.  The time is now and the preparation is now.

There is nothing wrong in striving for betterment in the world, but don’t make it your Lord and get arrogant of what you’ve achieved.

Understand what Allah has for you, you will get it.  Rumi wrote day and night there is movement of foam on the Sea.  You see the foam, but not the Sea. Amazing!  What he’s alluding to is to drown yourself in your Lord and not in the world.  Be careful of what you are fighting for.  We all have to leave one day.  What are you sending before you and where is it being kept?  Remember what you send in the dungeon won’t help you.  It’ll only lead you in the fire.  What you send upwards is safe and insha Allah the more you send the further and further away you will be from the abyss.

May Allah bless us and guide us and enable us to send plentiful upwards to Him for safekeeping insha Allah.

Transcript of discourse delivered by

Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

The video presentation of this discourse can be accessed at
http://www.youtube.com/markazalihsaan 

Refining your intention

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

If you go to a market you will see a lot of people and each one of them will concerned with his or her own business.  Each of them would have gone with a purpose that concerns their own affairs.  Like this is the human family.  We were all created by Allah and are placed on this earth for a purpose.  And that is to represent Allah and prepare ourselves to return to, and Him.

Throughout the history of man you will see tribes and nations that deviated.  And when they deviated, Allah sent Messengers to remind them and bring them back.  Bring them back to what?  This is what we need to understand.  To bring them back to the common thread that binds all human beings together.  This common thread has one important strand and that is to believe that Allah is the Creator of the Universe.

The Messengers came to remind the people of this and in spite of their efforts the people remained divided and disunited; each looking after his own material affairs and not thinking of the return to the Lord.  Islam came to remove that kind of thinking and Allah testifies to this is Surah Imran;

and ye were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He saved you from it.  (3:103)

Muslims are supposed to have one common denominator and that is La Ilaha Illallah; this unites all believers together.  There are, however unfortunately some who attest to this but their hearts have not yet joined that human family.  For example in our zikir sessions we are joined by one motive and one intention that makes us all part of this family.  But in society even amongst the believers you don’t have that common purpose and focus.

The reason is because Satan is able to get into the chest of us and is able to effectively whisper in a few to get them to have some sort of selfish motive.  And in spite of the fact that they are believers and they harbour love of the religion of Islam, some of them may have ulterior motives.

A perfect example is the story of Adam (as) and Satan in the Garden of Eden.  Satan, Adam (as), the Angels, the Jinns all lived together in the Garden. There Satan posed to be a good and trusted friend of Adam and look what he did.  He harboured an ulterior motive although he was in the Garden.

This is what Islam came to guard us against.  Be careful with your intention.  Some people profess to be Muslims and in so doing are supposed to submit in totality to Allah and His Rasool (pboh), but they have their own agendas.  Perhaps this is why today we have such turmoil in the Muslim world; because we are not living for the sake of Allah.

We have to try our best to live for the sake of Allah.  Sometimes we may think ‘if I do something like this I can get personal benefit’.  It’s a natural thinking but in so doing we are sacrificing some of the blessings Allah can shower upon us.  Then I am not truly living for the sake of Allah.  This is a little lower category than a truly righteous believer about whom Prophet Muhammad (pboh) said ‘a Muslim in the Hands of Allah is like a dead in the hands of those who wash him’.

True faith is to live for the sake of Allah and understand that whatever is happening to you is coming with Allah’s Permission and Knowledge and He knows why He is doing it.  That is why we recite in our duas;

‘We hear, and we obey: (We seek) Thy forgiveness, Our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys’.  (2:285)

This is applicable to us all, none of us are perfect.  We will at times think of ourselves, however let us all try to grow our Iman and try to think about Allah and His Rasool (pboh) and hope for the best from our Lord.

Moses (as) prayed to Allah: “Our Lord! Thou hast indeed bestowed on Pharaoh and His Chiefs splendour and wealth in the life of the present, and so, Our Lord, they mislead (men) from Thy path. Deface, Our Lord, the features of their wealth, and send hardness to their hearts, so they will not believe until they see the grievous penalty”.

On the other hand Allah says of Prophet Muhammad (pboh)

Thou wouldst only, perchance, fret thyself to death, after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message.  (18:6)

He was so loving and compassionate that he felt sorrow for the nonbelievers who didn’t listen and were using their God giving gifts to destroy themselves and others.

Let us try to do our little bit for ourselves and for others and let Allah take care of the rest.  This earth belongs to Him, not us.  We can do a little and if you do He will take care of you and whatever you are doing. 

Try to make your intentions more and more refined because we are all humans and it is very possible to get carried away and tempted at times.  However when times like these occur hasten to ask your Lord for forgiveness and turn back to Him in the hope for His blessings and forgiveness.  May Allah always bless us and take care of our affairs.


Transcript of discourse delivered by
Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

The video presentation of this discourse can be accessed at

http://www.youtube.com/markazalihsaan 

 

Submitting to Allah in all conditions

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Last week we spoke of the importance of cultivating faith in our hearts.  We remind ourselves of what Allah tells us in Surah Hujuraat;

 

The desert Arabs say, “We believe”.  Say, “Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, 'We have submitted our wills to Allah, for not yet has faith entered your hearts.  But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.  (49:14)

 

If you have true faith in your heart it will manifest throughout your entire personality and when that happens, you will submit to Allah willingly.  There are some who profess to have faith but as Allah says ‘in their hearts is a disease; and Allah has increased their disease’ (2:10); meaning that they don’t really have faith.  And Allah expounds about such people in the very beginning of Surah Baqarah;

 

Of the people there are some who say: "We believe In Allah and the Last Day;" but they do not (really) believe.  (2:8)

 

In reality they are professing to be something they are really not.  There is something else in their hearts.  We need to culture our hearts to ensure that faith enters and remains there, because the heart is the centre or nucleus of the personality.  And if the heart has true faith it will manifest itself throughout the entire personality.

 

Understand that we, on one hand, want our entire personality to meet the expression made by Hazrat Abraham (as): Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds:  He understood so well the importance of his complete personality being in total submission to Allah.  And that is what we should all strive for.

 

If we want to get close to our Lord we need to aspire for it.  We cannot put anything between us and Him.  If we love the world more it will ultimately come between us.  The true believer, in all conditions, learns to submit to Allah no matter what the circumstance may be.  We are living for His sake and He will not let us down.  He will give us all sorts of trials and always remember that the higher you go the more the trials you will get.  Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported to have said “when Allah loves a servant, He tests him” (Tirmidh)

 

Look how He tried His Beloved (pboh).  He was an orphan born  in the most aristocratic family but they were so humble.  His mother could not even afford a wet nurse.  And look at how he was able to draw all the people close to him.  He never forced them.  On one hand they knew if they were associated with him they would get blessings from Allah and on the other they knew they will learn to culture and cultivate their personalities.

 

The test of faith of the believers is the trials from Allah.  When the trials come will you run to someone else other than Allah?  When everything is good and peaceful your faith isn’t truly tested.  As Allah says in Surah Hajj;

 

There are among men some who serve Allah, as it were, on the verge: if good befalls them, they are, therewith, well content; but if a trial comes to them, they turn on their faces: they lose both this world and the Hereafter: that is loss for all to see!  (22:11)

 

Some people sit on the fence.  When everything is nice and rosy there aren’t any complaints; but when they are afflicted with some hardship they lose faith and trust in Allah.  This is what we have to be careful about.  Any of us can display levels if hypocrisy at anytime if we give something priority over Allah.

 

Everyday Hazrat Umar (ra) would visit a Companion who Prophet Muhammad (pboh) made a special dua for.  This particular companion thereafter possessed the ability of identifying a hypocrite.  So gifted was he that whenever there was a Janaza of a hypocrite he would not attend and this led Hazrat Umar (ra) to scan the crowd to see if this particular Companion was present.  If he was not present Umar (ra) would refrain from leading the Janaza because he knew the deceased was a hypocrite.  And Everyday Umar (ra) would visit this blessed companion and ask “am I a hypocrite?”

 

It is quite easy to fall into complacency.  For example when salaat time enters and we don’t pray our salaat because of some worldly preoccupation; what happens?  These are the things what we need to be careful about.

 

A true believer is a humble person because on one hand they know their Lord is close to them and on the other they know they can make mistakes at anytime.  Your heart is like the pearl inside an oyster.  Try your best to keep it bright and shinning.

 

Ask you Lord for forgiveness for the wrong we would have all committed.  Yes we make mistakes but if our intention is Allah He will help us.  Strengthen your heart through His remembrance and through this insha Allah, Satan will not get the better of you.

 

We all have one life to live and everyday that passes is a day gone.  May Allah always protect us, guide us and bless us insha Allah.

 

 

The video presentation of this discourse can be accessed at

http://www.youtube.com/markazalihsaan