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Let's Celebrate New Year
English Bayan, 43 mins
31st December, 2020

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Let’s Celebrate New Year
Alhamdulillah, in line with our habit, Allah has gathered us together on us this Jumu’ah eve, the night of Friday. He has destined this for us, and it is from Allah’s favour and His blessing and His gift if He gives His servants the Tawfeeq to do a certain good deed. On this night of Jumu’ah, there are so many virtues, and on this night, the blessings of Allah and His Anwaraat and rewards and magnificence shower upon us, alhamdulillah. There are many virtues on the night of Jumu’ah, and the night has started already for us. And in addition to this, although not from a Shari’i point of view, this night holds great Dunyawi importance in respect of the world, because the year is ending today and tomorrow is the start of the new year.
Obviously, the Islamic year starts from Muharram, and all our actions revolve around that. We should know Islamic history and the months of our calendar, but the Dunya has taken a unique turn, and every aspect has its specific way. We also follow the Gregorian calendar, and many of our life’s matters and issues follow that calendar. Wherever we go, and wherever we are, we see that same calendar is held to and referred to and followed, so obviously it is routine for us now. According to that calendar, tonight is important because it is the night on which one year ends and the next year begins. For us, Islamically, the day ends at Maghrib and the new day starts thereafter, but in the Gregorian calendar, when midnight strikes, the new year will start.
So with this in mind, consider the point that when we start an action, and whenever something new is initiated, this should be made blessed. We must seek Barakah in that matter – this is Lazim, essential, for us. We should definitely try to include Barakaat in every action that we initiate, so bear this point in mind in that the old year is passing, and the new year is coming. This is an added factor for us tonight. People celebrate it and commemorate it, and we also give it attention, as we do to Muharram, so why not do an action by which we will derive benefit from this factor. Generally, this is regarded as something which brings benefit to the Dunya, but if somebody does an action with an objective for the Hereafter, it becomes worship. So why should we miss out? We should also involve ourselves with such an intention and do an action that brings blessings with it.
So let us do an action in respect of this aspect of tonight that I have mentioned, for we can ask Allah for forgiveness for the mistakes we have made during this worldly year that is ending. Allah ta’ala may compensate us, for the Rahmah of Allah is very vast, and due to the Amal that we do tonight, Allah ta’ala may wipe away our deficiencies of the year that has passed, and alhamdulillah, maybe Allah ta’ala will also open up the Barakaat of the year that is to come. We can see the difficulties and issues and worries that are around us in respect of this year that is finishing, so why not do a deed in such a style and manner that both forgiveness and blessings may come together tonight? Should we do such an action, my brothers?
Look – I will tell you an Amal we can do. Now this is not from Hadith. Rather, this is a mindset, you might say, or an opinion, but what I am going to tell you is very beneficial. So what is that Amal? What is that deed? Others will set off fireworks, so why don’t we do our action and make an Ibadah of this occasion? The year is about to end and the next year is going to start, and we have to turn the page on the calendar, and the dates will change – though it is the same life, the same situation; there is really nothing different. Nevertheless, why don’t we make it a means of blessings for us? How? Through which action? How can we do this? By doing a specific Amal, such a deed through which both things can come together for our Deen, namely our Akhirah and Allah’s blessings in this life, by utilizing this opportunity of the end of the year.
So what deed is that? In reality, this deed is such that it is at the heart of our life. If we take this Amal out of our life, our life is a waste. Allah ta’ala has attached everything to that deed. Our Akhirah, our Dunya, our happiness, our sadness – every factor of our life is attached to that deed. We can see this. If we reject that deed, if we neglect that deed, then there is destruction. Our life is destroyed, our physical life, and in reality, this is the cause of our destruction today, because we are neglectful of that Amal. We are lazy in that deed that I am about to mention to you. This deed that Allah has given to us is such an important Amal from an Islamic point of view, in respect of Shari’ah. It is such an important deed that if a human being rejects or neglects it, what is the resulting condition of that person? Allah subhana wa ta'ala says that if a person rejects or neglects this deed, all of Allah ta’ala’s promises are withdrawn in respect of that person. Allahu Akbar – there are no promises for that person.
Now tell me, our whole Deen is based on Allah’s promises – the promise of Jannah, of salvation from hellfire, the rewards of the Hereafter. What is there that is not based on Allah’s promise? And Allah says that whoever rejects this deed, none of Allah’s promises apply to him. Allahu Akbar. This is such a big deed – a massive deed. And in reality, the situation that follows the rejection of this deed is that your life in this world is destroyed, and it is as if the building of the Deen has collapsed. If someone is sat in a building and the ceiling collapses, then everything underneath is finished. This is the extent of the destruction of the Deen that comes with leaving that deed. If we do that deed, alhamdulillah. Imagine how important that Amal is. Shall I tell you what Amal it is that I am mentioning to you? Everything that I have told you about this deed is from Qur’an and Hadith, so pay attention. This will certainly affect our lives, and then imagine what the result it will bring us when we are resurrected. What is that Amal? Namaz – Salah! What is the Amal? Salah!
In Musnad-e-Ahmad, there a Hadith in which it is narrated that once, a Sahabi came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam while he was sitting, and said to him ‘Ya Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, I am deserving of punishment!’ The Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam did not pay attention to him, so he approached again and said ‘Oh Prophet of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, I deserve punishment!’ but again, the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam did not acknowledge him. He approached a third time, saying ‘Ya Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, punishment is incumbent upon me!’ Yet again, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam did not respond, and then it was time for prayer and so everyone stood for Salah. As soon as Salah was completed, the gracious Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam stood up, faced the congregation and asked ‘Who was the person who said that he was deserving of punishment?’ The man came forward and said ‘Oh Prophet of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, it is me who is deserving of punishment.’ The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam then asked him ‘Did you make a complete Wudhu before Salah?’
Now listen here to how important it is to make a Kamil, complete, Wudhu – not splashes of water, not talking, but a Kamil Wudhu. How do you make it? What makes a Kamil Wudhu? What is the measuring gauge to know whether your Wudhu is Kamil? The measuring gauge is Sunnat-e-Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Do we make Wudhu according to the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam? The closer your Wudhu is to matching the Sunnah features, like using Miswak, making the Duas, sitting down and so on, in the manner of the Sunnah, that attachment to the Sunnah is what makes the Wudhu Kamil. The more Kamil and complete your Wudhu is, the more this will affect and colour the Salah that follows it. It will be evident in the Salah – this Hadith is telling us this.
So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam did not say ‘Did you make Wudhu before Salah?’ What did he say? Are you listening? ‘Did you make Kamil Wudhu? Did you do Wudhu according to my way, according to the way I have explained and prescribed and taught? Did you do Wudhu in that way?’ This should make us think now. It’s not just a matter of ‘Oh, Salah is done now, it is complete.’ No! The two Hadiths I have told you make clear just how important an action it is. It is the pillar of our Deen, and just as taking away the pillar from a building will make the ceiling collapse, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said that Salah is the same, because if the Salah is not completed, then the whole building of the Deen will collapse.
I have just remembered another Hadith which makes clear that if a person’s Salah is not correct, then Allah subhana wa ta'ala will not accept any of his good deeds. A person may do a lot of work of the Deen, doing this and that pious action, but for Allah, the first thing is what? It is Salah! Salah is the most beloved of deeds, the deed of which Allah’s Beloved sallallahu alayhi wasallam said ‘Salah is the coolness of my eyes.’ The real destruction of a human being comes from neglecting this, so imagine that home in which there is no Salah, where the children do not pray Salah, and then the father thinks to himself ‘Why does nothing good come from my home? There is no progress, and we are not achieving anything.’ What measurement gauge are we using? We complain to Allah when we have problems, so think about why this is the case.
So Allah’s Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam said to that individual ‘Did you do Kamil Wudhu before Salah?’ The man replied ‘Ya Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, yes, I did - absolutely. I made a Kamil Wudhu.’ Then he was asked ‘And did you pray Salah with us?’ and the man said ‘Yes.’ Then Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said ‘Listen, your condition is such that it is as if you had just been born from the womb of your mother!’ Say SubhanAllah! Now that person must have done something serious, some big sin, but this is the Shari’ah law that is being established here from the words of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Now it might be thought that this forgiveness was perhaps limited to just that particular occasion, but immediately after this, it was revealed in the Qur’an that Salah can wipe away the sins of Insan. It was not just on that day; rather, Salah is such a great action that whenever an individual prays and then asks forgiveness with an honest heart, then Allah ta’ala makes him pure. Say SubhanAllah!
So how important it is that Salah is in our homes! Salah, Salah, Namaz! This is that action that when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam was departing from this world, leaving behind the whole Shari’ah, the whole Deen, the message that he gave was ‘Salah, Salah, Salah!’ Allahu Akbar. The success of our whole Deen is based on what? Salah! We will be measured according to our Salah. When we return to Allah, the secret to our success will be derived from what? Say it loudly! Salah! Namaz! And as for the rewards of the Hereafter, whoever’s Salah is better will find that his Akhirah will be better. See how important this is.
Now even in respect of the world, Salah makes one’s life so beautiful. Nothing else can give that contentment and satisfaction and bring such mercies and blessings. And you won’t need a great quantity of material things, but there will be Barakaat in your homes due to Salah. Allah will send Rizq from the heavens to you on the earth, not in terms of a huge house or big cars or a private jet – this is not Barakaat. There is Barakaat in somebody’s home when you get the feeling of coolness and satisfaction as soon as you enter. The faces of those who dwell there look so satisfied, even if the sofa is broken! People think that if the settee is not nice, and the curtains are nothing special, and the car is small, the people inside must be crying and distressed, but when you enter into that home, you feel so content and beautiful, even if it is a mud hut with bare walls. If they make you a nice cup of tea and present it to you, you will remember the feeling you got as you drank that cup of tea for your whole life! Why? Because that cup of tea is entirely Halal – the milk is lawful, the sugar is lawful. It won’t be like a cup of tea in a beautiful, ornate cup with a special saucer accompanied by Burfi and Laddoos and other sweets, after consuming which all of your Ibadah becomes Haram as well! Say SubhanAllah.
Do you understand what I am saying? Who changes this and why? Because he established Salah in his home and did not fill his children’s ears with ideas of becoming this or that or earning so much – he wasn’t afraid of the Dunya. He was not concerned about status and rank and elevation in the world or about accumulating wealth. He knew that the world would criticize him and ask what he had planned for his son and what career he wanted for him and his other children, but what did he teach them instead? With his full energy, he emphasized to his children the importance of observing Salah, even before Qur’an and ‘Ilm. He established Salah in their lives, he filled their ears with the call to Salah, and he demonstrated this too, showing them the route to the Masjid. He didn’t open chemistry books with them or give them books on physics, and he didn’t make his children afraid of poverty or distress. He paid no attention to criticism and what people say, like ‘Why did you waste your children’s future?’ No, no. The central action he focused on was making his child a Namazi, a person who prays Salah. SubhanAllah.
And this is not a matter of either Salah or Dunya. I say clearly that if you make your son a person who has established Salah in his life, and if Salah is established in your home, then all the needs of the world will come into that house. Science, chemistry, physics – everything will come into the house. SubhanAllah! He will follow whatever path is in his destiny, but he will become a Namazi doctor, a Namazi engineer, a Namazi accountant, praying his Salah without fail. His Salah will be in his very veins, and through this, whatever profession or action he undertakes will be full of Barakah. This is not a minor thing, and no one is saying you shouldn’t become a doctor or an engineer – no. But how do you initiate your life and your profession? Say SubhanAllah!
On what basis do you start your life? Today our society is destroyed. There is so much fear. As soon as a child is born, we become scared, thinking ‘Where will my child earn money so he can eat? What will be his status? What will he do and where will he go?’ What is the consequence of this? When that child matures, when the tree grows and the branches bring forth fruit, what kind of fruit will be produced? The child will smoke cannabis, do immodest actions, and wander around in society immersed in sins. Then the parents start thinking ‘Let’s go to this Pir, let’s get Dua from that Sheikh and tell him someone has done black magic on our son.’ SubhanAllah. Did Allah subhana wa ta'ala not tell you to start from the basis of that Adhan that you gave in the ear of the infant? Allah is saying ‘I enabled you to make that Adhan, now you make him into a Namazi. Make him pray Salah.’
Do we not give Adhan into our babies’ ears? What about Salah then? Allah ta’ala has assigned this task to us, enabling us to give Adhan and Iqamah into the ears, and then He expects us to make that child pray Salah. As soon as the child is born, is this not the message that we give? Say SubhanAllah. We are not talking about a child born in a disbeliever’s home here, Astaghfirullah. Look, the very least grade of a Muslim, even he is broken down and sinful, with no Qur’an or anything in his home, a totally modern family where everything is permitted, even then the first concern of the parents is to give Adhan in the child’s ears. They call Moulana Sahib to do this for them – is this not the case? Even a broken-down person like me will have this concern when a child is born and say ‘At least let’s recite the Adhan in his ear. Call the Adhan and say the Iqamah in his ears.’ Do parents not think like this? This is such a big reward and blessing. Allah ta’ala has given us a basis for life such that nobody runs away from this action. Even the most sinful Muslim gives the Adhan into the ears of his child when it is born. When this is done, then Allah ta’ala says ‘I have enabled you to give Adhan, and now I will see how hard you work on this Ni’mah I have given you, on this daughter or this son, to make them into a Namazi.’
So Namaz is an immense action. Now I come back to the discussion about this action I was telling you about. What action is involved? Say it loudly! Salah, Namaz, the foundational basis of our lives. All our actions start with Salah. The day starts with Salah; the middle of the day is marked by Salah. Allah’s Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam tells us that if there is any action or item you wish for, ask for it through Salah. Rizq, wealth, children – whatever you need, He has given us the action by which we can seek it. Allah is saying ‘Make Wudhu, pray two Rakahs of Salah, and then ask from Me – I will give to you!’ SubhanAllah, this is the biggest Wazifah, the best supplication. There is no path that is closed for us if we ask through Salah. Every other form of worship was given on the earth, but Allah ta’ala gave the gift of Salah to His Habeeb sallallahu alayhi wasallam in front of Him in the heavens. He went on the Night Journey, and there he was assigned Salah. What a journey he had to undertake, from here to there to there, and then, in the secret discussion they held between them, the subject was the importance of this Salah that was being bestowed upon us.
Where is the Ummah today? Beautiful Masjids have been made, but a persistent sinner cannot be forgiven by saying ‘Oh, what a lovely Masjid!’ and admiring the Minars and pillars and decorations. How come there are only a few people who attend Fajr Salah in Bolton? Not even two rows are full. And what are we leaving? That thing through which success is attained throughout our entire lives – Salah! The objective of life is obtained through Salah. We say ‘Oh, I want to become a Sufi, and I am going to a Wali of Allah and I am doing Dhikr of Allah.’ Why are you doing this, my brothers? What is the objective of this? All you individuals, MashaAllah, you do Dhikr, Adhkar, you recite, you praise Allah, so understand why you have embarked on this line of Tazkiyyah, of purification. Why do you want to do Tazkiyyah? In order to get Kashf and visions and Karamaat? So you can start seeing angels and have people call you a Wali of Allah or a pious person? Remove these ideas!
I am your Sheikh, and I am explaining this to you, my colleagues who do the Dhikr of Allah. And it is Lazim – essential - for every Muslim to do Tazkiyyah. Whoever does not do Tazkiyyah is a broken-down human being. Why? I will tell you why, because the foundation and focus of Tazkiyyah and its importance are explained in the Hadith of Jibreel alayhi salam. If you read it, three states were brought together: what Islam is, what Aqeedah is, and SubhanAllah, what is needed for success in the world and the Hereafter, which is Ihsan. Islam, Iman and Ihsan combined in one Hadith. And why is this so important? Because everything, all the A’mal, all your deeds and all your Aqeedah, your Islam and its foundation all depend on what? On Ihsan! On Ihsan, on purification. If you don’t do Tazkiyyah, then your building will collapse. Yet we run away from Tazkiyyah and Ihsan and give it no importance. The Qur’an is telling us this, and the Hadith are telling us that we have to undertake Tazkiyyah. But today, the concept of Piri-Mureedi comes with weird actions, and the concept of Tazkiyyah and Ihsan has changed. Shaytan has changed it, and we have forgotten what the objective of Tazkiyyah is, and what the meaning of Ihsan is. People say ‘Oh, this Jam’ah does this, and that group does that’, but there is no Jam’ah. Rather, it is compulsory for all to attain the station and rank of Ihsan.
Why? Ask me why! Because success is through Shari’ah and Sunnah. To do Tazkiyyah, to follow Shari’ah and Sunnah, you have to go to a Wali of Allah. The Qur’an tells us this:
{كُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ} Go to the Sadiqeen – go to them for Tazkiyyah. Why do we do Tazkiyyah? So that we can become a Pir and get Khilafah, become deputies and be seen as a pious elders? No, no, no, this is not the reason. There is only one reason. The message that we should do Tazkiyyah and purify ourselves is what? As soon as your inner state becomes clean and purified – say SubhanAllah – as soon as your inner state becomes clean, your Salah will become established, improved and elevated and through your purification, your Salah will reach the station where it seems as if you are seeing Allah, according to that Hadith. Is anyone’s Salah like this? Never mind the people around me, I am speaking about myself. My life has passed, and I have rubbed my forehead on the ground, sometimes in Makkah or Madina – have any of us felt as if we are seeing Allah? Is this Hadith that we are discussing a fiction? Who is it for, this Hadith that tells us to worship as if we are seeing Allah? Is it for other people? It is for me and you! This Hadith is for us, but we have no recognition or awareness of this.
Why are we born? What do we need to attain before we leave this earth? When we go to Allah, Allah will ask us ‘Did you have even one Salah in which you had the feeling that you could see Me?’ Allah is telling us ‘Pray such a Salah, and I will remove the veils between us! I am your Rabb and your Creator – this is not difficult for Me. And if you can’t get to that stage, at least you should try hard and make an effort. And then, if you couldn’t reach that elevated status, the second status of which I have told you is that even if you don’t see Me, at least you should feel that your Rabb is watching you!’ Allahu Akbar.
So what is the condition of our Salah? This is why our Salah is wasted. The reason that our Salah has not got to this rank is that we don’t do Tazkiyyah. We don’t try to purify ourselves, and we think that Dhikr of Allah is a waste of time. Have we not heard that there is a polish for everything, and the polish for the heart is Dhikr of Allah? Allah’s Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam declared that the polish for the heart is Dhikrullah. Why are we sat here? Why are the scholars sat here? We are not here for some alternative reason. Why did we come for Dhikr? So that the Pir can make you into a Pir? Do we think this is only for Pirs? No, every Muslim man and woman must do Dhikr Katheer to purify their inner state and attain their objective. And what is that objective? Five times Salah! Every Mu’min’s objective is that he rubs his forehead on the earth, thinking ‘Am I seeing Allah, or, at least, do I feel that Allah is watching me? And has the fear of Allah come into my heart so that my sins are being removed?’ Otherwise, it is a waste of time. A waste of time.
If you tell someone, ‘Come on, brother, pray Salah’, he says ‘Oh, Allah is Ghafur-ur-Rahim. I will pray sometime, but Allah will forgive me and give salvation, so don’t tell me.’ What a drama we make of life! Then you ask ‘What about your home?’, and he says ‘Oh, leave it. Why should we decorate the Hereafter – it will decorate itself automatically.’ Do you ever think this way about your car or your shop? Do you say ‘Oh, it will run itself - I don’t need to put any stock into it.’ Have you ever thought about your Deen when you say ‘Oh, never mind Namaz, we will pray later maybe - Allah is Karim and Rahim. He is Ghafur-ur-Rahim – we will pray sometime in the future.’ This is the Hal of Salah, this is the standard that we need to reach, but such people never even try. We haven’t even made an effort! Will we make an effort now?
I am not giving a speech. I am not trying to deliver a speech here, but this is a message that I am sharing with you, a message that I am delivering. Somebody gave it to me, and now I am giving it to you. I didn’t call you here and make an assembly so that I could deliver a speech. I assembled people for Dhikr, and this is just a point that came to my mind which I thought I would share with you.
So whoever wants to improve his Salah, make it a Salah of Ihsan. Our whole life is based on Salah. Whoever has no Salah in their life has nothing, no Qur’an, no Hajj, no Madina, no Makkah – nothing. In every place, success is attained through Salah, Salah, Salah. That is why Allah gave us this life. Allah ta’ala will ask His servant, when he goes to his bed at night, ‘How was your Salah today? Did you meet Me five times today?’ When you retire to your mattress in the evening, Allah ta’ala will ask, and when he gets up in the morning Allah will also ask, saying ‘Oh My servant, have you prepared yourself today to pray the five times Salah that I have given you?’
{إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ كِتَـٰبً۬ا مَّوۡقُوتً۬ا} Allahu Akbar – SubhanAllah! And you are a Mu’min, so this is essential – the Qur’an says this. The Qur’an is telling us that if you are a Mu’min, then one action is compulsory for you. What is it? Compulsory, Lazim, for every Mu’min. Allah is saying ‘I have established in your life that you must pray Salah. Don’t worry about how you will pray – that is My responsibility. I am your Rabb, your Creator, I know what time you are busy, and what time you have to eat. I will select the time windows myself, and I will give you the Barakaat in that time.’ That is why Allah refers to the allotted time, the appointed time. This is the selected time that Allah has chosen. Allah says ‘I will call to you. When My Muadhdhin calls out, then know that this is the time that I have selected for you.’ A person cannot select the time for prayer. Can you select the time for Fajr? Can you tell the Muftis ‘Oh, we won’t pray Fajr at this time, we’ll pray it at another time in the day.’ Can anyone change that appointed time? Can you change the time for Dhuhr or Asr? No, because Allah ta’ala has said ‘I have appointed that time. It is a { كِتَـٰبً۬ا مَّوۡقُوتً۬ا}. I have selected the time and I am your Rabb. I know when I will call you. Will I send you back empty-handed?’
Allah’s Nabi sallallahu alayhi wasallam showed us – ‘If you come to Salah with sins, it will be as if you were newly born from the womb of the mother.’ In this Hadith he showed us – Salah, Salah, Salah! That’s it! But not the Salah that we pray. There is a standard of Salah, namely that either you feel as if you are seeing Allah, or, secondly, that Allah is seeing you. How do you achieve this standard? Work hard, make effort, clean your inner self, your Batin. How do you do this? Go to such a person who has attained this station, who has spent his life working hard to clean himself in order to attain that station. Go to that individual and sit with him. Allah subhana wa ta'ala says that when you go in front of a person like this, who has worked hard in his life and has improved his Salah, then what will happen to you? When you go to him, as soon as you enter his company, such a light will be illuminated inside you that, automatically, your life will go towards cleansing and purification. SubhanAllah.
But we don’t even seek the friend of Allah, and if we find a friend of Allah, we say ‘First let him give me a prescription for how to succeed in the world. I want a Taweez for the shop, and one for the children, and for other worldly things.’ And when they don’t get this, they say ‘Oh, leave him – he is not a Wali of Allah because my worldly life is not improving.’ What a standard we have of Deen! We have made such a weird concept of Deen. Understand today, properly, that from first to last, life is based upon just one action. What is that? Say it loudly. Salah! Everything else is secondary. Zakah, Hajj, fasting, these are all secondary. Qur’an, Tilawah, recitation, this is all based on what? If your Salah is correct, then your Qur’an is correct. If your Salah is correct, then your recitation is correct. If your Salah is correct, then everything in your life will be good.
So how do we improve our Salah? By purifying our Batin. And how do you purify the Batin? Dhikrullah Katheera – Dhikr in abundance. Not two Tasbeehs, no. The Qur’an says this everywhere that Dhikr is mentioned. Why? If you open the Qur’an, you find that you must pray Salah five times a day; Hajj happens once a year and you have to go once in your life; Zakah is a set percentage. Allah ta’ala has put limits on everything. But when the question of Dhikr arises, Allah ta’ala says { ذِكۡرً۬ا كَثِيرً۬ا}. The word Katheer is used, meaning unlimited. There is no limit - ten thousand, fifteen thousand. Why? Allah knows everything. He knows that there will be so much dirt of the world inside a person that small Tasbeehs here and there will not bring about improvement and benefit. That is why you have to do Katheer. You always have to be immersed in Dhikr. Keep on doing Dhikr and purification will keep going on and on, and your Salah will be elevated. And when your Salah is elevated, you will continue to see Allah. Say SubhanAllah! You will get closer to Allah.
So now, let us move toward this. Now even my battery is charged from these beautiful words, due to your blessings, MashaAllah! May Allah ta’ala give you Jaza Khair. I am an impure person, trying to improve myself. I have been wandering around trying to improve myself, and alhamdulillah, after today, I will work hard on this action myself. When I do Dhikr from now on, what will my intention be? Until today, I thought it was about being a Pir and Hadhrat Sahib, but from today, my Niyyah will be for what? My brothers, now I want to improve my Salah! I will look at my heart from today, and ask ‘Is it becoming clean?’ Say SubhanAllah! Let everyone make this Niyyah for Dhikrullah so that we can attain our destination.
Through Allah’s Karam and mercy, He has taken us to the cure. If an unfortunate soul gets cancer or some other serious disease, he becomes extremely upset. But if he finds a good doctor or a consultant or an experienced physician, the first thing he should do is to thank Allah for bringing him to a good doctor. He would be so happy, wouldn’t he? He would say ‘My life was in the balance between life and death, and now, through Allah’s blessings and mercy, I have met a really good doctor who can cure me.’ In the same way, Allah’s blessings and Karam are upon us! Those who do Dhikr, the blessings and Karam of Allah are upon us, because without us even working for it, Allah ta’ala has opened the door for us. He has given us Dhikrullah, which is that door through which we can attain the nearness of Allah ta’ala. Allahu Akbar. Allah has opened the door of Dhikr for us, He has seated us, He invites us – we do Dhikr Katheer. Say SubhanAllah! The door has opened for us, oh you who do Dhikr, so now make the Niyyah. Why do we do Dhikr? Keep on checking your Salah. How has it been improved? Is it on time and correct? Are your sins being removed due to your Salah? And is that illuminated feeling generated in your Salah that Allah ta’ala has mentioned? This is Allah’s massive grace and favour upon us.
Now if we follow this direction and we do Dhikr, and we have the Niyyah for improvement in Salah, then Allah says ‘Don’t worry now! Even if you don’t reach your destination, I am your Lord and your Rabb, so I know that you tried and made effort and worked hard, and I give according to effort. I don’t look at how far you reached. I will just ask if you worked hard! If I can see that you worked hard, and you started to do Dhikr such that you did it abundantly with the intention and desire of perfecting your Salah, then never mind the rest. I just want to see that you worked hard and made effort, and then I will give you a special Maqam that I have set aside for you!’ Allahu Akbar.
Now one thing – listen carefully here. When we start making this effort, don’t get scared and think ‘Why am I not achieving? Why have I not reached the destination?’ Absolutely not. Our task is to start working with a sincere heart, and to work hard. Leave the rest – to who? To Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Leave it to Allah subhana wa ta'ala. And what is working hard? I will explain this point to you here about the meaning of hard work. Say SubhanAllah! What is the definition of a hard worker? Who is a hard worker? What does Shari’ah say? You can say that a person is working hard if he does an Amal with Istaqamat - the person who is steadfast in carrying out his tasks and deeds. Say SubhanAllah! If Allah has given you some Tasbeehs of Dhikr, it should not be that one day you do it, and next day you leave it if you don’t feel like it, and are lazy and neglectful – no, no. Don’t waste time.
Working is hard is doing it whether or not your heart feels like it; whatever difficult circumstances surround you, you don’t leave that action that Allah ta’ala has given to you. Allahu Akbar. Just do this action regularly, this Dhikr that Allah ta’ala has given, whether you enjoy it or not, whether you feel good or not – don’t worry. Just think that Allah ta’ala has given us this Dhikr, so we must have Istaqamat, consistency and regularity on it every morning and evening. In whatever quantity Allah ta’ala has prescribed, just do it, whether there is enjoyment or not, whether you are tired or not – Allah ta’ala says ‘Don’t worry about that. I am looking at your effort – { سَعۡيُكُم مَّشۡكُورًا}. I have accepted this!’ SubhanAllah! Please listen again to all these points in my Bayan, because shaytan makes a person forget these factors, these very precious points.
Now let’s come towards the Amal and then we shall start Dhikr. What is about to start? The new year – the so-called new year. It is not the Islamic new year, but it is a new year nevertheless. So how should we start this new year? How can we make our sitting into a form of worship? What Amal have I been emphasizing? Say it loudly! Salah. So let us pray such a Salah by which our sins in the previous year are forgiven and the year to come becomes full of blessings. I will explain the Tariqa, and you can consider this my permission or however you want to regard it, but this is very beneficial, Allahu Akbar. So what shall we do? At 12 o’clock midnight, the year changes from old to new – and we are living here, so all our schedules are linked into this calendar, which is why we should accept this. We are living in this world and so we have to go with this calendar as well. If we do this Ibadah, we will attain both things – the new year and reward as well.
So, my brothers, when people are ready to set off fireworks and do immodest actions, at that time we should make our preparation. Start doing Wudhu – say SubhanAllah! This is the Amal now, and the method to perform it. So what should we do before midnight? Wudhu. Others are doing their actions – let them do whatever they are doing, but we should make Wudhu. When? At ten minutes before midnight, at 11.50pm, come into the state of purity by making Wudhu. Keep a clock in front of you, and then at five to midnight, put out your prayer mat, and what Niyyah should you make? SubhanAllah, make the Niyyah for Salah, either two Rakahs or four Rakahs. And when you have made the Niyyah, pray so that you finish at five past midnight – say SubhanAllah. So what will have happened? We will have finished the year that is ending with Salah, and will be starting the new year with what? Salah! SubhanAllah – say SubhanAllah. What a great idea - is this not a good idea?
So we will end the year that is passing with Salah, and bid it farewell. Some are dancing, others are jumping up and down, and what are we doing? We are saying farewell and making Dua to Allah for the year that has passed. And why should we not do such an action through which Allah will automatically forgive what we did wrong in the year that has gone? SubhanAllah. Will the sins not be removed this way? And as for the year that is to come, Allah says ‘Everything that starts with My Name is blessed’ - and the best deed to remember Allah’s Name is Salah. The biggest Dhikr is what? Salah! Allah ta’ala says ‘If you start something with My Name, then I will fill that with Barakaat and blessings.’ So if the year starts with Salah, then the whole year will be instilled with blessings, and Corona will be destroyed! Corona will be wiped away and the sicknesses will be wiped away.
Now do Dua that Allah ta’ala gives us all the Tawfeeq. I have told you the prescription and the solution and the cure, so you just have to pull yourself together and commemorate the new year in the way that I am telling you. Let us not stay behind the times, so no one can say ‘Oh, you don’t celebrate new year.’ Yes we do! ‘How do you celebrate’ they will ask. ‘Oh, I celebrate new year by being forgiven for all the sins of the previous year and receiving blessings for the whole year to come. That’s how we celebrate it!’ We are up to date and contemporary; we are advanced and progressive. We go with the Dunya and also earn for the Akhirah. What is the phrase? ‘Happy new year!’ – we will say this to each other as well. No problem. The previous year will have gone in a beautiful way, and the new year will have started in a brilliant way.
May Allah ta’ala give us all the Tawfeeq. Ameen. May Allah ta’ala also give me the ability to implement these few points that I have mentioned, and may He give me the ability to practice upon them. MashaAllah, you are all pious people, so please do Dua. Now we will do the Dhikr of Allah, for the reasons which I have told you about. Why do we do Dhikr? So that our Salah becomes elevated and improved. That’s it. Don’t do it just once, and think ‘Oh, I’ve prayed Salah.’ No, this is not sufficient. You need to clean yourself more and more. Why am I saying this? How is it that we pray Salah and then still do sins? Why do I pray Salah and then find my eyes straying towards the wrong direction? Why do we pray Salah? Allah has said that Salah should destroy all the sins and wrong actions. If it does not do so, this is because inside, I am not clean, and I need to keep purifying more and more. I need to use more soap and detergent in the form of the Dhikr of Allah.
And, most definitely, meet the Wali of Allah so that you can learn the method of doing Dhikr, and go to him with the Niyyah that you want to purify yourself inside. Ask Allah ‘Give me such a Dhikr that I can purify myself internally.’ And they are the doctors, so inshaAllah, the WaliAllah will open their book and give you a prescription and tell you to do this action and this deed. And inshaAllah, Allah is the one who solves, and inshaAllah the internal cleaning will begin. Will we not do this action? Then Happy New Year to everybody – SubhanAllah!
Let us do Dhikr of Allah now. Recite Durood Sharif.
6th Jan, 2021
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