To Have Iman is One Thing & Another to Depart with Iman.
The greatest thing is to possess Imaan and the greatest achievement is to depart this world with Imaan. A person's level of Imaan fluctuates and the heart goes through many emotions throughout the day. It does not remain upon one state as Allah ta'ala has created it like this. Sometimes one is happy, sometimes unhappy and sometimes deflated.
Ramadan has come so we can create the concern for our Imaan and so that we can adopt Taqwa within ourselves. Only once our Imaan is strengthened, can we possess Taqwa.
Due to our faith, we loot the treasures of Ramadan and recite the Quran. This is the blessing and wealth of possessing Imaan. The one who does not have Imaan, cannot take any benefit from the precious moments of Ramadan.
This great concern of departing with Iman is loved by Allah ta'ala. All our worship should be done with this intention as well as the desire of strengthening one's Imaan.
We have great enemies with us until our end - nafs and shaytan, so we should never be under false pretences that we are pious and protected and that we will die with Imaan.
Desires and lust are a big test and each of us face challenges everyday. Many have fallen after achieving high ranks of piety. We tend to relax and take everything easy in life, but these dangers are always looming, so we have to be cautious. Allah ta'ala removes the danger if we strengthen the caution in our life. Thereafter, He assists those people who seek His help. We should question ourselves; what actions have we performed during the day to protect our Imaan?
If our Imaan is strengthened, then we can pass away with the kalimah upon our tongues. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to protect our Imaan until death.
Shaytan has laid out many traps and he attacks the lone person. To protect ourselves, we must come into the shade of a protector, which is the company of a Wali Allah. The Sheikh is the fortress of protection for you. When you have a connection with a pious teacher, Shaytan weakens and is not able to deviate you. A student becomes stuck when he is far from his Sheikh's company and doesn’t have a strong connection and love for his teacher.
The great pious predecessors would go to those pious elders who were non scholars as they knew that protection was found in the company of a Sheikh as the Quran mentions. People would ask Hadhrat Hajji Imdãdullah Makki رحمة الله عليه regarding this and he replied, "we were without shade and now we are searching for shade in order to protect ourselves."
If one is granted the company of a Sheikh, then he is protected from thousands of dangers and pitfalls and he arrives into a fort where he is protected. When he leaves the fort, he is attacked by Shaytan and when he returns, he is purified and safeguarded again. The influences of Shaytan are destroyed as soon as one views the blessed face of his Sheikh.
Nabi ﷺ said to the Sahabah, "How can it be possible that you walk upon water and your feet do not get wet?" Similarly, how can it be that a person lives in this world, yet the world does not have an effect on him.
Thus, we should never consider ourselves invincible over Shaytan and his influences. We should not consider any sin to be insignificant. One should adopt the habit of lowering his glance towards his shoes in order to safeguard his gaze from immorality.
After one acquires knowledge, it is not necessary that he delivers speeches. The intention of acquiring knowledge should be, to attain Taqwa and develop fear within oneself. Knowledge is in fact, attaining information and seeking news, yet it opens the door of implementation.
The ranks of the Ulamah are high because they practice upon their knowledge throughout their lives and attained Taqwa through It.
Shaytan’s work is that he presents the wrongdoing to appear beautiful. If sleep wasn't relaxing, would we leave prayer? If music did not appeal to us, would we listen to it? He tempts us with alcohol. If we understood the reality of these sins, we would feel distaste from afar.
Hadhrat Zakariyyah عليه السلام once met Shaytan and he held a container in his hands. Shaytan explained, "These are the nets of desires and attraction. Through these traps I make people get stuck." Hadhrat Zakariyyah عليه السلام responded, "have you got a trap for me?" Shaytan said, "no, but once you were a bit lazy with prayer and I caused this. I made you eat more which caused you to become drowsy and sleepy in your prayer." Hadhrat Zakariyyah عليه السلام said, "I promise never to eat in excess in future," to which, Shaytan said, "I promise to never advise you again in future."
So, when a person eats too much, he begins to get drowsy and he misses his prayers, including Tahajjud. He feels discomfort during Taraweeh prayers. We should make a habit to eat according to the Sunnah method and to avoid eating to one's fill.
Hadhrat Muadh Ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه was given advice by Nabi ﷺ when he was departing from Madinah. He requested Nabi ﷺ to prescribe him one deed which would bring him closer to Allah ta'ala and an action which is the most beloved to Him. Nabi ﷺ replied, "when you depart from this world, your tongue should be moist with the remembrance of Allah."
If we engage in dhikr daily, this hadith guarantees that our tongue will be moist with dhikr at the time of our death. Hadhrat Abu Dardah رضي الله عنه also said, "Whoever's tongue is moist whilst leaving this world, he will enter paradise smiling."
Furthermore, the blessing of dhikr is such a thing which causes acceptance for the other deeds a person has performed in his life.
The one who engages in dhikr, his Hereafter is unique, so he will not feel any restriction or hurdles after deaths. This is why the Awliyah Allah promote and emphasise the dhikr of Allah in abundance. They have attained the path themselves and they know that one is guaranteed death with Iman via abundant dhikr.
Therefore, we should establish love for the dhikr of Allah. We should sit in company of a Wali Allah and spend our life according to his learning. This will make our life very easy for us. We must keep this objective in front of us - "I want to prepare for my Hereafter and protect my Imaan, so I will take hold of dhikr as there is no guarantee that I will be able to recite the kalimah at the time of death.
Nabi ﷺ mentioned, "to sit in a gathering of dhikr between the duration of Asr and Magrib is more beloved to me than the whole world and what it contains." This is the action we should take hold of! This is clear cut guidance from the Quran and Ahadith so we should avoid following our own desires.
The greatest thing is to possess Imaan and the greatest achievement is to depart this world with Imaan. A person's level of Imaan fluctuates and the heart goes through many emotions throughout the day. It does not remain upon one state as Allah ta'ala has created it like this. Sometimes one is happy, sometimes unhappy and sometimes deflated.
Ramadan has come so we can create the concern for our Imaan and so that we can adopt Taqwa within ourselves. Only once our Imaan is strengthened, can we possess Taqwa.
Due to our faith, we loot the treasures of Ramadan and recite the Quran. This is the blessing and wealth of possessing Imaan. The one who does not have Imaan, cannot take any benefit from the precious moments of Ramadan.
This great concern of departing with Iman is loved by Allah ta'ala. All our worship should be done with this intention as well as the desire of strengthening one's Imaan.
We have great enemies with us until our end - nafs and shaytan, so we should never be under false pretences that we are pious and protected and that we will die with Imaan.
Desires and lust are a big test and each of us face challenges everyday. Many have fallen after achieving high ranks of piety. We tend to relax and take everything easy in life, but these dangers are always looming, so we have to be cautious. Allah ta'ala removes the danger if we strengthen the caution in our life. Thereafter, He assists those people who seek His help. We should question ourselves; what actions have we performed during the day to protect our Imaan?
If our Imaan is strengthened, then we can pass away with the kalimah upon our tongues. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to protect our Imaan until death.
Shaytan has laid out many traps and he attacks the lone person. To protect ourselves, we must come into the shade of a protector, which is the company of a Wali Allah. The Sheikh is the fortress of protection for you. When you have a connection with a pious teacher, Shaytan weakens and is not able to deviate you. A student becomes stuck when he is far from his Sheikh's company and doesn’t have a strong connection and love for his teacher.
The great pious predecessors would go to those pious elders who were non scholars as they knew that protection was found in the company of a Sheikh as the Quran mentions. People would ask Hadhrat Hajji Imdãdullah Makki رحمة الله عليه regarding this and he replied, "we were without shade and now we are searching for shade in order to protect ourselves."
If one is granted the company of a Sheikh, then he is protected from thousands of dangers and pitfalls and he arrives into a fort where he is protected. When he leaves the fort, he is attacked by Shaytan and when he returns, he is purified and safeguarded again. The influences of Shaytan are destroyed as soon as one views the blessed face of his Sheikh.
Nabi ﷺ said to the Sahabah, "How can it be possible that you walk upon water and your feet do not get wet?" Similarly, how can it be that a person lives in this world, yet the world does not have an effect on him.
Thus, we should never consider ourselves invincible over Shaytan and his influences. We should not consider any sin to be insignificant. One should adopt the habit of lowering his glance towards his shoes in order to safeguard his gaze from immorality.
After one acquires knowledge, it is not necessary that he delivers speeches. The intention of acquiring knowledge should be, to attain Taqwa and develop fear within oneself. Knowledge is in fact, attaining information and seeking news, yet it opens the door of implementation.
The ranks of the Ulamah are high because they practice upon their knowledge throughout their lives and attained Taqwa through It.
Shaytan’s work is that he presents the wrongdoing to appear beautiful. If sleep wasn't relaxing, would we leave prayer? If music did not appeal to us, would we listen to it? He tempts us with alcohol. If we understood the reality of these sins, we would feel distaste from afar.
Hadhrat Zakariyyah عليه السلام once met Shaytan and he held a container in his hands. Shaytan explained, "These are the nets of desires and attraction. Through these traps I make people get stuck." Hadhrat Zakariyyah عليه السلام responded, "have you got a trap for me?" Shaytan said, "no, but once you were a bit lazy with prayer and I caused this. I made you eat more which caused you to become drowsy and sleepy in your prayer." Hadhrat Zakariyyah عليه السلام said, "I promise never to eat in excess in future," to which, Shaytan said, "I promise to never advise you again in future."
So, when a person eats too much, he begins to get drowsy and he misses his prayers, including Tahajjud. He feels discomfort during Taraweeh prayers. We should make a habit to eat according to the Sunnah method and to avoid eating to one's fill.
Hadhrat Muadh Ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه was given advice by Nabi ﷺ when he was departing from Madinah. He requested Nabi ﷺ to prescribe him one deed which would bring him closer to Allah ta'ala and an action which is the most beloved to Him. Nabi ﷺ replied, "when you depart from this world, your tongue should be moist with the remembrance of Allah."
If we engage in dhikr daily, this hadith guarantees that our tongue will be moist with dhikr at the time of our death. Hadhrat Abu Dardah رضي الله عنه also said, "Whoever's tongue is moist whilst leaving this world, he will enter paradise smiling."
Furthermore, the blessing of dhikr is such a thing which causes acceptance for the other deeds a person has performed in his life.
The one who engages in dhikr, his Hereafter is unique, so he will not feel any restriction or hurdles after deaths. This is why the Awliyah Allah promote and emphasise the dhikr of Allah in abundance. They have attained the path themselves and they know that one is guaranteed death with Iman via abundant dhikr.
Therefore, we should establish love for the dhikr of Allah. We should sit in company of a Wali Allah and spend our life according to his learning. This will make our life very easy for us. We must keep this objective in front of us - "I want to prepare for my Hereafter and protect my Imaan, so I will take hold of dhikr as there is no guarantee that I will be able to recite the kalimah at the time of death.
Nabi ﷺ mentioned, "to sit in a gathering of dhikr between the duration of Asr and Magrib is more beloved to me than the whole world and what it contains." This is the action we should take hold of! This is clear cut guidance from the Quran and Ahadith so we should avoid following our own desires.
May Allah ta'ala allow us to implement.