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Is This World Beneficial For Us? - Dars 40
English Bayan, 46 mins
5th August, 2020

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DARS 40
Is this world beneficial for us?
{فَأَزَلَّهُمَا ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ عَنۡہَا فَأَخۡرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ‌ۖ وَقُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ۬‌ۖ وَلَكُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}
Surah al-Baqarah v36
Here, the instruction and the order of Allah subhana wa ta'ala is made. {وَقُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ} – ‘All of you, go down; fall down.’ Who? Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam, Hadhrat Hawa alayha salam and the snake. And in some narrations, included also was the bird that helped the snake, said to be a peacock. When shaytan wanted to enter, the bird said ‘If you cling to my feet, you can enter with me when I go into Paradise.’ And by this means, shaytan gained entry into Paradise. This is why the peacock is so very beautiful and elegant. There are some points connected to this. This is a bird that is seen to dance in good weather and when it is happy. It spreads its tail feathers in a beautiful way and starts to dance, raising its tail and looking towards its feet so as to show off its beauty. Although the bird is very beautiful, its feet are not, and this is because shaytan attached himself to the feet of the peacock. Allah ta’ala gave this punishment to the peacock, whose body is elegant and beautiful because it was in Jannah, but its feet were made ugly because shaytan attached itself to its feet.
Anyway, they were all ordered to go, to fall down: {وَقُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ}. So this is when Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam has to migrate, to move out of such a great place, from the comfort and the beautiful environment of Paradise. To where? To the Dunya; he has to move to the Dunya. So how did Hadhrat Adam alahi salam and Hadhrat Hawa alayha salam come out of Paradise? Theirs was a strange predicament. All the benefits of Paradise were taken away from them; all of their rank and status was taken away. Allahu Akbar. Allah’s anger is also like this when Allah ta’ala comes into Ghadhab, into anger – may Allah forgive. Allahu Akbar.
Now Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam is leaving Jannah with nothing, in complete contrast to the ease and the comfort and the relaxation that he had, SubhanAllah. Allah says {فَأَخۡرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ}. Look at how he was taken out of such a great realm of Paradise, and where he is being sent to. ‘Fall down’ Allah says, and he left with nothing to his name, save for one branch of Jannah that he had in his hand. That is all he had. And the Libaas that he had in Paradise was beautiful - he had been wearing the crown of Khilafah. He was the deputy of Allah, the representative, so imagine the crown that Allah ta’ala gives to His Khalifah! Imagine the crown of the leader of the world, of the Khalifah. Imagine its qualities and how stunning it looked. We see the crowns of kings in the world and how grand they are. The bigger the country, the more valuable is its crown. So when the King of kings, Allah subhana wa ta'ala, put the crown of Khilafah on the head of Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam in front of the whole world, and all the angels submitted to him, imagine the beauty of that crown! But when he was sent down to the earth, that crown did not remain with him. He was not wearing the crown of Khilafah from Jannah, but what was in its place? A crown made of twigs from the branches of the trees of Jannah, Allahu Akbar.
So Allah ta’ala took everything away, but the crown remained in a different form. It was not taken away from him. This establishes the point that when Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam came down to the earth, the glory of Khilafah, of being the representative of Allah, remained intact - and this has been the case from that time until today. What is the proof of this? The crown on the head, for this signifies the glorious status, dignity, reputation and rank. This is the indication given by a crown upon the head. When Allah puts a crown on someone’s head, imagine the glory, grandeur and significance of the person wearing that crown. The form of Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam’s crown changed, but it was still present upon his head, and this shows us that although Hadhrat Adam was sent down to the earth, he was the Khalifah on the earth, SubhanAllah. He, the human being, was the representative of Allah. Through everything that happened in Paradise and then coming down to planet earth amongst all of creation in the world, he, Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam, was the Khalifah, the leader of all of creation. That is why even today we see this rank of Bani Adam in the world. The Hakim and ruler of all the animals, birds, creatures and everything that we see, is Insaan, the human being. So Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam coming down from Paradise was a form of punishment, but he remained the Khalifah of Allah, the representative of Allah.
Another point that comes out of this is that Khilafah did not cease. Rather, it continued, and its greatness is present until today. Allah subhana wa ta'ala placed this crown on the head of Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam, whose form changed, but Khilafah and leadership of Allah’s representative on earth remained. And we should pay attention to this point that Allah ta’ala placed the crown on his head as a sign that he was still the Khalifah, and as a result, shaytan dislikes that crown of Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam intensely. The conferring of the crown made shaytan shriek and cry due to his enmity with Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam, because the crown was the symbol of Khilafah, of the fact that Allah ta’ala had made him His representative, His leader. Allah ta’ala kept the crown on his head so that the wretched shaytan would continue to cry and sulk and be anguished, and this would increase in intensity with the realization that although Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam had been sent down to earth, yet he was still the Khalifah. He retained the leadership, and the biggest sign of this was the crown upon his head, SubhanAllah – what a point!
And listen to this: this crown is still present until today - say SubhanAllah! This crown has not gone. Up until today, this crown is present and is still making shaytan sulk. What crown is that? The Sunnah Sharifah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam which is worn on the heads of his Ummatis in the form of the ‘Imamah, the turban, SubhanAllah. This is that same crown of Khilafah which came from Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam, and the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam maintained that in the form of his blessed, honourable Sunnah that he placed on the heads of the Ummah in the form of the ‘Imamah. He placed the crown of Khilafah onto the heads of the Muslimeen so that it would remain there until Qiyamah. So imagine the grandeur, magnificence, glory and brilliance of the blessed ‘Imamah! How many things it represents, and what Barakah and greatness it conveys. So tell me, is the ‘Imamah some minor, insignificant thing? Firstly, the people who wear the ‘Imamah upset shaytan more than anyone else; wearing the ‘Imamah is the biggest slap in the face that can be given to shaytan. And Allah ta’ala and His angels send blessings and Rahmah on those people for making shaytan sulk and cry. Also, it is such a great weapon that Allah has given against shaytan because the shine and the glow that comes from the ‘Imamah are such that he cannot come close to it, for it is the crown that is linked originally to Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam, but also, SubhanAllah, to the final Nabi, Habeebullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam. So when the Sunnah of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam is placed upon the head, that crown conveys light upon light - it is the crown of Jannah, so what a great crown to wear now!
The point is that when a person wears the ‘Imamah Sharif on his head, this traces back to Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam, and it renews, signals and symbolises the Khilafah that he brought from Paradise. The Khilafah of Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam is made visible through the wearing of the ‘Imamah, and this blessed turban bears witness that its wearers are linked to Paradise, living here for a few years but destined to return to Jannah. The wearing of the ‘Imamah confirms this and represents good news for every man who wears it. By doing so, he is declaring ‘I am a person of Jannah and am here only for a short time, after which I have to go back to my home, which is why I am wearing the ‘Imamah, the crown of Paradise.’ This is glad tidings and great good news in advance to the wearer of the ‘Imamah that he is going to go to Paradise - this is the ‘Imamah that Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam gave to the Ummah. As I have said to you, every verse of the Qur’an proves the importance of the Sunnah. From the first day I told you that every verse of the Qur’an will take you to the Sunnah. This humble servant mentioned that the Shari'ah and Sunnah can be seen in every verse, and from this one verse that we have been discussing, Allah ta’ala has given us this signal.
Allah ta’ala says {قُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ} – what a great Tafseer that gives us this point about the crown of Jannah, this ‘Imamah Sharif that we wear today, SubhanAllah. It is such a great gift from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam to his Ummah that those brothers who wear it are deserving of praise. They don’t mind where they are; in whatever nation of the world they find themselves, they do not fear adorning their heads with the crown of Paradise, which confirms that they are Jannatis. What great news for those men and children who adorn their heads with the ‘Imamah Sharif, not worrying about anything or anyone as they do so. And what a big loss and misfortune for those who oppose the wearing of the ‘Imamah. Never mind not wearing it, they speak against it! Those who wear the ‘Imamah are confirming openly that they are in the group of the Ambiya alayhimus-Salam, in the group of Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam, and those who don’t wear the ‘Imamah and who mock it, sulk about it, criticize it and look down on it, whose group are they aligning themselves with? Shaytan is very happy with them because they have taken their crown off their head and are against it and don’t think of it positively. Just as when Allah ta’ala took the original crown from Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam and sent him to the earth, shaytan gets happy when he gets Muslims to take the crown off their heads and doesn’t let them wear the ‘Imamah Sharif. Understand the point, my brothers – this is not a minor point.
Just imagine Allah’s great favour and Mercy - what a massive favour Allah subhana wa ta'ala has given to us. And this is all due to the Sohbat of the Walis of Allah. If I hadn’t met my Hadhrat Sheikh, my great Sheikh, I wouldn’t know what the blessed ‘Imamah Sharif was. When you go into the company of the Wali of Allah, into the great Sheikh’s Sohbat, you attain the mercies of the Deen. Hadhrat Ali karamAllahu wajh narrated a Hadith recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah, Abu Dawood and Baiyhaqi, in which he stated ‘The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam put an ‘Imamah on my head and let the tail hang down my back so that the tail was between my shoulder blades.’ So there are two Sunnahs: one is to wear the ‘Imamah letting the tail fall behind on your back, and the second way mentioned by Hadhrat Ali radhiAllahu anh is to bring the tail in front across the shoulder. And Hadhrat Ali radhiAllahu anh said that after the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam put his ‘Imamah on, he said ‘Oh Ali, on the expeditions of Badr and Hunayn, when Allah ta’ala helped me with the angels, they descended to the earth wearing ‘Imamahs in just the same way that I have tied your ‘Imamah upon your head.’ SubhanAllah. And then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam gave a great statement: ‘The ‘Imamah is a barrier between Kufr and Imaan!’ SubhanAllah – it is a barrier between being a Muslim and a Mushrik. Wearing an ‘Imamah elevates the Iman of a Muslim to such heights that there is no route to take towards Kufr.
If you wear an ‘Imamah, it raises and protects your Iman, SubhanAllah. It protects the Iman – this Hadith proves this great point in relation to the blessed ‘Imamah. The Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said that this great Sunnah was seen in Badr and Hunayn and in various places, and this was the Sunnah of Adam alayhi salam, of the Malaa’ika, and the Sunnah of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and the Sunnah of the Sahaba - and the Sunnah of the Saliheen as well, SubhanAllah. This is such a great deed, such a great Sunnah, and there is such a great reward for wearing the ‘Imamah. Just imagine the rewards Allah will give to those who wear ‘Imamah – think about it. Hadhrat Jabir radhiAllahu anh narrates in Mathnawi Firdawsi that the person who wears the ‘Imamah to pray two Raka’ahs of Salah is better than one who prays without it, SubhanAllah. What is the reason for this? Allamah Nawawi states in his commentary that the angels come when a person is in Salah, and that it is against the Adab of Salah not to wear it because the angels wear ‘Imamah. They come to the earth and say ‘You know this is the Sunnah of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, so why do you leave it and say it is not necessary?’ It is the crown of Jannah that has come onto our heads in the form of the ‘Imamah; it is the crown of Paradise. The crown of Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam was the crown of twigs from the branches of the trees of Jannah, and when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam came, he changed it to the form of the ‘Imamah. Imagine the light that is emitted from the ‘Imamah!
In another narration, Allamah Sakir rahmatullah alayh stated that the Fardh and Nafl Salahs that are performed with ‘Imamah are twenty-five times greater than if performed without – Nafl or Fardh, twenty-five times greater. And when Jumu’ah is observed with ‘Imamah, it is seventy times greater than if prayed without. So if you pray Jumu’ah wearing an ‘Imamah, you get seventy times more reward. Hafidh Ibn Hajar Asqalani rahmatullah alayh also confirms these virtues of the ‘Imamah Sharif, SubhanAllah. Imam Shami narrates a Hadith from Abu Darda radhiAllahu anh which states that Allah ta’ala and His angels send special mercies on those who wear the ‘Imamah for Jumu’ah. In another narration, it is stated that the angels wear ‘Imamah on Jumu’ah, and they pray for the Maghfirah of those who wear ‘Imamah. Some of these narrations may be Da’if, but they are present and they confirm what is established. Hadhrat Anas radhiAllahu anh narrated a Hadith that angels attend the door of the Jami’ah Masjid on the day of Jumu’ah, and they do special Dua of Maghfirah and Astaghfar at the door for those who come wearing ‘Imamah. Imam Ghazali rahmatullah alayh has narrated a Hadith that it is Mustahabb for the person reciting the Khutbah to wear an ‘Imamah on the day of Jumu’ah. There are so many narrations and virtues, SubhanAllah.
{قُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ} So this is how Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam came down from Paradise, and Allah ta’ala gave him a crown from Paradise and today this crown is the ‘Imamah that we have in the form of the Sunnah of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam. And in another narration, it is said that Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam also brought Hajar-e-Aswad with him when he came – a few leaves, twigs for his crown, and Hajar-e-Aswad. And it is also stated in a narration that Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam came down in what today is Hind, in the Indian sub-continent, where there is a city called Wahna. That is where he came onto the earth, and he was very distressed and upset at that time. He said ‘What is this strange world I have arrived in? I have come from Paradise to this?’ He was upset and felt depressed and worried, Allahu Akbar. Hadhrat Hawa alayha salam was there also, and Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam was sat with his head bowed down – it was an extremely painful and difficult time for him. He was overcome by great sadness. So then Allah subhana wa ta'ala prepared a unique thing by means of Gibreel alayhi salam. Allahu Akbar, this is the Karam and mercy of Allah ta’ala. So Gibreel alayhi salam came and called the Adhan, and Adam alayhi salam heard the words ‘Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa’llah’ followed by ‘Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar-Rasoolullah.’ So he heard ‘Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar-Rasoolullah’, and as soon as he heard the name of the gracious, generous and noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, the life of Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam changed; his state was transformed. Suddenly, Sukoon and peace came over him and he felt that glad tidings had reached him, and he said ‘Whose beautiful name is this?’ He heard the name of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam by means of that Adhan called by Gibreel alayhi salam; the announcement reached him. Unimaginable peace and Sakeenah came to him as he listened, SubhanAllah.
Now at this point, my passion dictates that I share with you some couplets of a Naat about this blessed and honourable name of which we are speaking, and which has such a Maqam that it revived Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam suddenly and jolted him out of his negative state, giving him a new lease of life.
Most beautiful to me is the name of Muhammad,
The light of my heart has the name of Muhammad.
No words can describe the status of Muhammad -
The beloved of the Lord has the name of Muhammad
The one whose splendours illuminate the world,
That fountain of light has the name Muhammad.
Oh drinkers, today keep drinking to the full
For your cup bearer today has the name of Muhammad.
Oh Asif, why should I fear the Day of Gathering?
For my pillar of strength has the name of Muhammad!
Sallallahu alayhi wasallam! So brothers, the name came, that great name that shook the heart. Just imagine the scene: Hadhrat Gibreel alahyi salam was giving the Adhan, and when he reached the name of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, a new lease of life came to Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam, SubhanAllah. Every verse of the Qur’an proves the glory of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam; every verse establishes his glory and status.
So Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam experienced a severe time when he came to the earth; his condition was low and distressed when he arrived in fulfilment of the order {وَقُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ}. Allah ta’ala exposed to him the reality of the world, SubhanAllah. What was that reality? {هۡبِطُواْ بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ۬}. Allahu Akbar – the reality of this world that we are in was stated and demonstrated by Allah on that day. When he was sat down, Allah ta’ala questioned him: ‘Oh Adam, I told you to stay away from that tree and not go near to it. Why did you approach it? Tell me. I told you and your wife, didn’t I? And I warned you and your wife about your enemy, but he has now taken you out of Paradise. Why didn’t you listen to My order?’
We need to bring up a very valuable point here. Allah subhana wa ta'ala is giving us a direction here. This is all a warning for us, and a sign for us. The Qur’an gives us advance notice. Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam made a mistake, and then punishment followed; and after the punishment, he came down from the heights. After hearing this event, the hint, the guidance that is given to us is beware! Beware! People of understanding should realize that if they make a mistake and receive punishment for that, that mistake should never again be repeated. This event has been mentioned time and time again in the Qur’an so that we, when we are in the world, do not repeat this mistake. As we read about this in the Qur’an, it will make us continually aware that this is the reason we came to the world; we made this mistake for which we received this punishment, and now we should not make any further mistakes because to repeat this mistake again would be the greatest act of foolishness and stupidity.
Brothers, this Qur’an is not a novel, or a folk tale or a story book. It is a warning, it is advance notice, and a clarification to us so that we don’t make these mistakes in our lives, so that we don’t repeat these mistakes. What is the mistake to avoid? Allah is saying ‘When My order comes, when My Hukm comes, don’t reject it, don’t deny it, and don’t shun it, otherwise it will become like going near that tree.’ Every sin is like that forbidden tree. {وَلَا تَقۡرَبَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ} – ‘Don’t even go near to sin’, Allah says. Every order is like the order that Hadhrat Adam alayhi salam was given; every sin that we have been told to leave in the world is like this. Those who have understanding will keep repeating the account of this event to themselves time and time again. Allah is saying ‘Don’t repeat this mistake in the world, oh human beings, for I will give you more punishment than that in the world.’ And what will that punishment be? ‘I have sent you into this world’, Allah says ‘and everything about this world will remind you of this point that you have been punished. You have been sent here as a punishment.’ Allah says {بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ۬}. How will it be for you in this world in which you are living? ‘You will be enemies to each other’, Allah says; everyone a foe unto the other.
What does this mean? At every moment, there will be clashes in the world – murders, fighting, no satisfaction. A person kills due to wealth or to women or to pride or to fame. In other words, enmity and opposition will come and go all the time; do not imagine that you will attain total peace. You come from a great place, from Paradise, in which there was peace and prosperity and relaxation, no difficulties – SubhnaAllah. What a tremendous reward is Paradise. Imagine its gardens and rivers and palaces! But this is the place into which we were thrown by way of punishment, and the punishment is that {بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ۬}. Allah says ‘You will be enemies to each other.’ The world has been explained, so don’t go into the world with a big-headed attitude and think that you have achieved – no, no, no! The Dunya is not a place of peace and prosperity and satisfaction. Now shaytan will try to make you try to make the world into a place of peace and Sakeenah. ‘Let’s make so many houses so that I get great wealth and then I will be at peace and will be happy.’ Shaytan will make you run after this for your entire life, but Allah subhana wa ta'ala says that there is no way that this can bring peace and Sakeenah. Why? Because Allah ta’ala has stated {بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ۬} – the world will be full of murder and fighting. There will be quarrelling in the houses and Fasad in families and in the streets and in business and among relatives; amongst friends there will be Fasad. All the time shaytan will try to contaminate your connections, and there will be no Sakeenah, but rather illnesses and diseases and problems and calamities in the world.
Allah’s Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam announced to us and told us and explained to us, time and time again, that we should be wary of this. Hadhrat Jabir radhiAllahu anh narrated in a Hadith that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam once walked past the carcass of a dead lamb, and then he turned to his Companions and asked ‘Would any of you want this? Would anybody purchase this? Would anyone pay four Dirhams for this rotting carcass of a lamb? Who will buy it?’ The Companions replied ‘Why would anyone want to buy this? We wouldn’t accept it even if it were offered free of charge, let alone for four Dirhams. How could anyone buy an item as dirty as this?’ Then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam explained the example so beautifully: ‘This Dunya into which we have been sent, the world in which we are living, this has less value than this rotting carcass that is in front of you.’ SubhanAllah. So why should we go about trying to adorn this place? This is a waste of time. How will you attain peace here? It doesn’t matter how many cars or houses you have, or how much wealth you have. The plans for children’s futures and careers – this is all time wasting that you are engaged in. Trying to adorn the world is a complete waste of time. Dunya, Dunya, Dunya – always seeking progression and advancement in Dunya.
Allah’s Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam said “مَنْ أَحَبَّ دُنْيَاهُ أَضَرَّ بِآخِرَتِهِ” – “Whoever loves the world has destroyed his Hereafter.” May Allah ta’ala not allow us to destroy our Hereafter. ‘Buy this shop, get that shop, another business, another branch, let me open this warehouse, and start a night-time market stall.’ But where do all such people go? Have you seen people like this? Do they take all their wealth and luxuries with them when they die? “مَنْ أَحَبَّ دُنْيَاهُ أَضَرَّ بِآخِرَتِهِ”– “The person who loves the world destroys his Akhirah.” How much time we are wasting in the world in this life. The narration continues: “وَمَنْ أَحَبَّ آخِرَتَهُ أَضَرَّ بِدُنْيَاهُ” – SubhanAllah. Undoubtedly, for those who love the Hereafter, the life of the world is never straightforward. There are ups and downs and challenges. What link do they have with the Dunya, with the world? The person who loves the world has destroyed his Hereafter, and he who loves the Hereafter has shunned and compromised this world. What a great point! Rasollullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam says “أَضَرَّ بِدُنْيَاهُ”. And he then said ‘If you are going to get something, acquire that which lasts forever.’ What is that? SubhanAllah! Say SubhanAllah. You will have purchased a tree of Jannah which has been planted for ever if you say ‘SubhanAllah wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllah il-Adheem’. The Noor that shines fills the space between the heavens and the earth, and this will last forever. Say ‘HasbunAllahu wa ni’mal-Wakeel’, say ‘La Hawla wa la Quwwata illa bi’llah’ – you loot the jewels from the treasures of Jannah by just saying this once. This is the love of the Akhirah when your tongue moves with these Kalimaats, and when Allah ta’ala gives you these Kalimaats, you get the luxuries and the treasures of the Hereafter. That is the great sign. So Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam taught us that this is a wasteful place, not a place where we will stay forever, so not a place upon which to build. Allah ta’ala says {بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ۬} – ‘You will go down onto the earth and will be foes against each other, enemies. Fall down, each you a foe unto the other, into this place of loss and waste of time.’
And Allah further says {وَلَكُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}. Ah, this message of the Qur’an that Allah ta’ala has given is something to hear! Allah says {وَلَكُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}. Here, Allah ta’ala is telling us the schedule and the program of the world. Allah is saying ‘Yes, you will be running around in the world, but do you think I have sent you without a schedule, without a reason? No, this is not the case.’ Yes, the Dunya is a wasteful place and is not permanent, but Allah is saying ‘I have made this house of yours impure and dirty and temporary and a place of loss and danger, but remember one thing: this is your place of living {مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}.’ There are two points to note here – this is a very brilliant message the Qur’an is giving to us. Listen to what Allah ta’ala is telling us here. {مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}. There are two points. What is {مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمَتَـٰعٌ}? Habitation and provision or profit. And this is what? It is {إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}. Allah ta’ala is saying that this world in which we live is not a good place, it is full of loss and sins, but how long have we been sent here? {إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬} – ‘For a time.’ Allah ta’lala says ‘I have sent you there for an apportioned time. You won’t live there forever, but only for a set time, a small amount of time. So don’t worry about it. It shouldn’t make you cry and panic.’ Allah says {مُسۡتَقَرٌّ۬ وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬} – ‘I have sent you here for a set time, for a short time, so that you can get profit from this world.’ Allah is telling us to take profit from this world for the Hereafter. That is the schedule for this world. Allah ta’ala has sent us here, and He ordered us down from the heavens, but He didn’t send us to live like wild animals so that we lose ourselves – no.
{وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬} – Allah ta’ala says ‘Don’t come back empty-handed from this wasteful earth; benefit from it!’ And what is the benefit we can take? Allah ta’ala is telling us: ‘I give you a program and a schedule of how to live your life in this world, and you need to adhere to this program, observing and implementing this schedule of life and living by its methodology for the short time that you live on the earth. If you fulfil that program and implement that schedule, you can take benefit even from this dirty, impure Dunya. But if you shun or leave that program for which I sent you to the world, then the Dunya will become a storm for you. It will become loss and darkness, like a hurricane. On the other hand, if you follow the schedule and program, then shaytan can never affect you, the problems of the world can never affect you, and nor will this Dunya become Adhab for you. Rather, SubhanAllah, everything will come into your control if you follow that blessed schedule and implement that program that I have given to you.’
And what is the program and schedule of life that Allah ta’ala has given to us? What is that way of life and methodology? Listen to this: {وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۥ فَقَدۡ فَازَ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمًا} – Allahu Akbar! La ilaha illa’llah, Muhammadur-Rasoolullah. Allah says ‘I give you one way, one schedule of life, one method. While you live in this world, {أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ} – grab hold of that. You need to live your life according to that, and then you will take full control of this Dunya that I have given to you, this {مَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}.’ How will you do this? {إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}. Allah says ‘For a portion of time! After that, you come back to Me.’ {إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬} points to this. If you live your few days, weeks, months or years according to { أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ}, if you implement that program in your life, embracing it and living your lives according to the blessed Shari’ah and Sunnah of the final Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, { فَقَدۡ فَازَ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمًا}, then you can never leave this earth unsuccessful. You will pass the test.
So my brothers, we have been given this punishment of being in this world, for we were sent down from Paradise to a place of loss, waste and impurity, but Allah ta’ala has given us such an enlightened program that if we live our lives according to it, following its ways and practicalities, and the methodology of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, his Shari'ah and Sunnah, embracing and adhering to this, then this world into which Allah ta’ala has placed us will be like Paradise for as long as we live. I guarantee you this. I gave you the example of the crown of the ‘Imamah – you will be Jannatis by wearing that crown. This is the blessing of this Deen, and this is the example and the understanding and the message of this verse that Allah ta’ala has given to us. This is an announcement that Allah ta’ala has given to us. As I said to you, the Qur’an gives us warnings and signs and advance notice: do this, learn, understand and live life according to this Tariqa.
So now, what is the summary of this message? We came to this world by way of a punishment, and we need to understand two things. Number one: we are living with this mistake that has taken place, because we didn’t listen to Allah and so we received the punishment, but we shouldn’t repeat this disobedience to Allah, otherwise the punishment will become even more severe in the form of Jahannam for evermore. And the second point to understand is that this Dunya is an extremely dirty and impure place, so never try to make it a place of relaxation and wealth. Shaytan tricks you because he is your enemy and he wants to prevent you from attaining Paradise by trying to adorn and decorate the world for you so that you will run after its assets. Whatever difficulties and problems are in this world, don’t let them worry or distress you – { وَمَتَـٰعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}. Allah is telling us to benefit from this world – how? By taking the program, the schedule, the way of life that you have been sent to the world with. What is that? { أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ} Obey Allah’s order in the way of the Shari'ah and Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. That is life – a simple life! When you do that { إِلَىٰ حِينٍ۬}, then after a portion of time, when you return to Allah, then Allah says { فَقَدۡ فَازَ فَوۡزًا عَظِيمًا} - ‘I will give you that Jannah again; I will return you to those same palaces from which you were expelled. Due to that crown of the world that you wore, I will give you those same assets in Paradise again.’
Let us pray to Allah that we are given the Tawfeeq to implement and practice the blessed Sunnah Sharifah of Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam. This is the style of the Qur’an, my friends; this is the message of the Qur’an. Look, whichever human being living in this world improves and moulds his life according to the Shari'ah and Sunnah, he receives protection from shaytan. The biggest protection from shaytan is the Sunnah Sharifah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam – remember this. Protection from the difficulties, worries and distresses of the world is acquired from the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. It doesn’t matter how dirty and impure and stress-inducing the world is, for those people who observe the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, this world is not dirty. They have understood that Allah ta’ala has given a total shield, one hundred percent protection, through this Tariqa and methodology. So never consider this world to be a waste of time. No – this world is a very valuable place for us. Every second is valuable for us if we live our lives according to this method and divide up the time of each day and night so that we can implement the Sunnah beautifully. Allah ta’ala has given us beautiful ‘Ibadaat in different times of the day and the night; different slots have been apportioned, different moments, different hours, and different mercies in each time.
Who teaches us this? The graceful Prophet, the generous Prophet, the merciful Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam has demonstrated this, telling us ‘At this time, I do this; and that time, I do that action.’ The Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam demonstrated all these actions to us physically. He showed us physically what to do and at what time. The Sunnah of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was not disclosed for nothing. Every singe Sunnah makes us understand that if we live our lives according to this, then not a second of our lives will be wasted. Rather, alhamdulillah, every single second of our lives will bring reward from Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Allah will give us reward for every single action if we live life according to the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. At every second, in every moment, we should revert to how he spent his days and how he spent his nights, taking his life as our guide.
Let us pray to Allah subhana wa ta'ala that Allah ta’ala gives us the Tawfeeq to do Amal on the blessed Sunnah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
وأخر دعوانا أن الحمد لله رب العالمين
16th Sep, 2020
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