A person's success is based on guidance. Either a person is guided or deviated. A deviated person is he who has deviated from the path of Allah ta'ala. He is similar to a traveller who is lost on his journey. He forgets the path, faces problems and dilemmas. His mind isn't at rest and he is devoid of peace. Similarly, the one who is astray, loses determination. He becomes confused and runs after unlawful things like adultery and drugs.
When using a map on your journey, you sit comfortably and confidently in your car as you follow the route. There is no confusion or distress. The route is mapped out for you, so, you reach your destination with ease.
Similarly, the path to Allah ta'ala is called Sulook and the one who has a guide (Sheikh) on this journey, feels at ease. His Sheikh develops and rectifies him when he faces ups and downs, when his nafs overcomes him, and when he loses direction on the path to Allah ta'ala.
If a new driver undertakes a journey using a good map and knows how to follow the signs, then he will easily reach his destination, although he's a learner. Similarly, if you don't have much knowledge and insight on your journey to Allah ta'ala, but you have a great guide, then you will reach your destination. Thus, it depends on the guide you have adopted.
Guidance is easy to attain, yet, we have made it difficult upon ourselves because we do not consider ourselves deviated and astray. We attend one lecture and are not satisfied, so we go to another, and then, still not satisfied. In reality, we are all lost until we connect ourselves with a guide.
The guide is he who will deliver you to what you're seeking, and that is Allah ta'ala and his Rasul ﷺ and the path of his Sunnah. This is true guidance for a person. Until you adopt a guide, you won't reach your destination.
Mujãhadah is another factor. Without effort, we won't achieve any results. Our nafs desires an easy solution to reach Allah ta'ala. We seek easy formulas and small actions. In reality, one cannot be successful without hard work. When a person has the true desire to improve, then he should also be mentally prepared to work hard at the same time.
Mujãhadah is assigning yourself to a teacher. When you go to a Sheikh, form the intention of preparing yourself for making effort. Otherwise, you will fail after being provided the means of guidance by Allah ta'ala.
You should humble yourself and assign yourself completely to him and accept the tasks he instructs you to do, without seeking loopholes or easy options. He will guide you through whichever method he chooses and it will not be according to your own preference and choice. Until you submit yourself completely to your guide, you cannot succeed upon the path of Allah ta'ala. As a result, you will waste your life and will remain lost in the traps of your nafs.
The greatest supplication is to seek Allah ta'ala's guidance. This is why we are commanded to seek guidance in every rak'ah during prayer. We should be thankful for having such a Sheikh who enables us to follow the path of guidance, because he exemplifies the explanation of this verse himself. When you have a Sheikh, then know that you have attained everything, including Paradise.
Without the support of a Sheikh, you will pray, but you will not be at peace. You'll be confused. You'll listen to many scholars, but you will not be satisfied. You will read Tafseer, but experience no enjoyment. There is no relaxation and contentment in the heart. Instead, there is this feeling of emptiness and restlessness. After one finds a Sheikh, he stops attending all sorts of lectures, he stops reading Tafseer and he closes all the books, because he no longer finds pleasure in them. This is because the greatest Tafseer becomes his Sheikh's beautiful lifestyle. Then, the student learns to read him instead.
If you have sought guidance and you have been given a Sheikh, then know, that your supplication has been accepted. In his company, you must work hard. You cannot merely sit there and relax without making any effort, otherwise, you will be lost. You must obey his instructions, respect him, be in his service and crush your desires.
Only the one who accumulates good deeds whilst adopting guidance alongside, will receive the impact of his worship. If you do not have a guide, then certain defects like pride, develop within you. This is because you are worshipping according to your own preference and choice. The more you increase in knowledge, the more arrogant you become and this is what leads you to become wretched. Pride is not removed until there is a guide to remove it. Until you assign yourself completely to a teacher, the arrogance will stay within you.
You must hand yourself over to your teacher mentally and physically without any regrets and doubts. Avoid comparing yourself with other students. When your Sheikh prevents you from something, it doesn't mean he is punishing you. Rather, he is elevating your status.
There are two types of Mureeds. One is a worldly student and the second is on the path of Allah ta'ala. The worldly students do not understand and lose out. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they disobey. They practice when they want to, so, they are deceived. And the second student is he who assigns himself fully over to the teacher.
Fanàa-fi-Sheikh, is the most difficult thing and the most easiest thing. Until you are completely immersed in your Sheikh, you cannot travel on the path to Allah ta'ala. The true student is he who desires to become exactly like his Sheikh. He achieves this by drowning himself in love for his teacher. If you want to reach Allah ta'ala, then adopt humility. Consider yourself to be the worst person. One doesn't reach the heights through worship or knowledge, rather, through hard work and having manners in the company of his Sheikh.
You will receive guidance from that teacher who possesses 2 signs. He obeys the Prophet ﷺ in totality and is not connected to those who are astray and misguided. This is guidance.
When a person treads the path to Allah ta'ala, he will face tests and challenges. He will be left standing alone against thousands of people. Everyone will consider him mad, yet, he is the one with most wisdom.
The most important factor in reaching Allah ta'ala's closeness is adopting Taqwa. Hadhrat Fatimah رضي الله عنها experienced great hardship and poverty in her house, but was too ashamed to ask her father for a slave.
Nabi ﷺ replied to her and gave a message to the entire Ummah. "Do not worry about these things. If you desire the closeness of Allah, then fear Allah." Thereafter, he prescribed her some dhikr.
Prescribed dhikr is very effective and through it, one receives guidance, peace and happiness. He lives a beautiful life through the circumstances Allah ta'ala has placed him in. He doesn't worry about his sustenance, how to pay the bills, how his business will flourish. He doesn’t worry about what his children will do when they grow older. He doesn't send his womenfolk out to work. He doesn't take up unlawful means to earn an income. He doesn't migrate to other countries to earn more. Instead, he is hopeful in Allah ta'ala. He has peace and contentment for he understands that his sustenance is written for him wherever he is, no more, no less.
Fear, is what distresses us and causes us to sin.
Allah ta'ala has pre-ordained everything in our destiny, so, we should eliminate the fear of the world and instead, bring Allah ta'ala's fear within us.
A person's success is based on guidance. Either a person is guided or deviated. A deviated person is he who has deviated from the path of Allah ta'ala. He is similar to a traveller who is lost on his journey. He forgets the path, faces problems and dilemmas. His mind isn't at rest and he is devoid of peace. Similarly, the one who is astray, loses determination. He becomes confused and runs after unlawful things like adultery and drugs.
When using a map on your journey, you sit comfortably and confidently in your car as you follow the route. There is no confusion or distress. The route is mapped out for you, so, you reach your destination with ease.
Similarly, the path to Allah ta'ala is called Sulook and the one who has a guide (Sheikh) on this journey, feels at ease. His Sheikh develops and rectifies him when he faces ups and downs, when his nafs overcomes him, and when he loses direction on the path to Allah ta'ala.
If a new driver undertakes a journey using a good map and knows how to follow the signs, then he will easily reach his destination, although he's a learner. Similarly, if you don't have much knowledge and insight on your journey to Allah ta'ala, but you have a great guide, then you will reach your destination. Thus, it depends on the guide you have adopted.
Guidance is easy to attain, yet, we have made it difficult upon ourselves because we do not consider ourselves deviated and astray. We attend one lecture and are not satisfied, so we go to another, and then, still not satisfied. In reality, we are all lost until we connect ourselves with a guide.
The guide is he who will deliver you to what you're seeking, and that is Allah ta'ala and his Rasul ﷺ and the path of his Sunnah. This is true guidance for a person. Until you adopt a guide, you won't reach your destination.
Mujãhadah is another factor. Without effort, we won't achieve any results. Our nafs desires an easy solution to reach Allah ta'ala. We seek easy formulas and small actions. In reality, one cannot be successful without hard work. When a person has the true desire to improve, then he should also be mentally prepared to work hard at the same time.
Mujãhadah is assigning yourself to a teacher. When you go to a Sheikh, form the intention of preparing yourself for making effort. Otherwise, you will fail after being provided the means of guidance by Allah ta'ala.
You should humble yourself and assign yourself completely to him and accept the tasks he instructs you to do, without seeking loopholes or easy options. He will guide you through whichever method he chooses and it will not be according to your own preference and choice. Until you submit yourself completely to your guide, you cannot succeed upon the path of Allah ta'ala. As a result, you will waste your life and will remain lost in the traps of your nafs.
The greatest supplication is to seek Allah ta'ala's guidance. This is why we are commanded to seek guidance in every rak'ah during prayer. We should be thankful for having such a Sheikh who enables us to follow the path of guidance, because he exemplifies the explanation of this verse himself. When you have a Sheikh, then know that you have attained everything, including Paradise.
Without the support of a Sheikh, you will pray, but you will not be at peace. You'll be confused. You'll listen to many scholars, but you will not be satisfied. You will read Tafseer, but experience no enjoyment. There is no relaxation and contentment in the heart. Instead, there is this feeling of emptiness and restlessness. After one finds a Sheikh, he stops attending all sorts of lectures, he stops reading Tafseer and he closes all the books, because he no longer finds pleasure in them. This is because the greatest Tafseer becomes his Sheikh's beautiful lifestyle. Then, the student learns to read him instead.
If you have sought guidance and you have been given a Sheikh, then know, that your supplication has been accepted. In his company, you must work hard. You cannot merely sit there and relax without making any effort, otherwise, you will be lost. You must obey his instructions, respect him, be in his service and crush your desires.
Only the one who accumulates good deeds whilst adopting guidance alongside, will receive the impact of his worship. If you do not have a guide, then certain defects like pride, develop within you. This is because you are worshipping according to your own preference and choice. The more you increase in knowledge, the more arrogant you become and this is what leads you to become wretched. Pride is not removed until there is a guide to remove it. Until you assign yourself completely to a teacher, the arrogance will stay within you.
You must hand yourself over to your teacher mentally and physically without any regrets and doubts. Avoid comparing yourself with other students. When your Sheikh prevents you from something, it doesn't mean he is punishing you. Rather, he is elevating your status.
There are two types of Mureeds. One is a worldly student and the second is on the path of Allah ta'ala. The worldly students do not understand and lose out. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they disobey. They practice when they want to, so, they are deceived. And the second student is he who assigns himself fully over to the teacher.
Fanàa-fi-Sheikh, is the most difficult thing and the most easiest thing. Until you are completely immersed in your Sheikh, you cannot travel on the path to Allah ta'ala. The true student is he who desires to become exactly like his Sheikh. He achieves this by drowning himself in love for his teacher. If you want to reach Allah ta'ala, then adopt humility. Consider yourself to be the worst person. One doesn't reach the heights through worship or knowledge, rather, through hard work and having manners in the company of his Sheikh.
You will receive guidance from that teacher who possesses 2 signs. He obeys the Prophet ﷺ in totality and is not connected to those who are astray and misguided. This is guidance.
When a person treads the path to Allah ta'ala, he will face tests and challenges. He will be left standing alone against thousands of people. Everyone will consider him mad, yet, he is the one with most wisdom.
The most important factor in reaching Allah ta'ala's closeness is adopting Taqwa. Hadhrat Fatimah رضي الله عنها experienced great hardship and poverty in her house, but was too ashamed to ask her father for a slave.
Nabi ﷺ replied to her and gave a message to the entire Ummah. "Do not worry about these things. If you desire the closeness of Allah, then fear Allah." Thereafter, he prescribed her some dhikr.
Prescribed dhikr is very effective and through it, one receives guidance, peace and happiness. He lives a beautiful life through the circumstances Allah ta'ala has placed him in. He doesn't worry about his sustenance, how to pay the bills, how his business will flourish. He doesn’t worry about what his children will do when they grow older. He doesn't send his womenfolk out to work. He doesn't take up unlawful means to earn an income. He doesn't migrate to other countries to earn more. Instead, he is hopeful in Allah ta'ala. He has peace and contentment for he understands that his sustenance is written for him wherever he is, no more, no less.
Fear, is what distresses us and causes us to sin.
Allah ta'ala has pre-ordained everything in our destiny, so, we should eliminate the fear of the world and instead, bring Allah ta'ala's fear within us.
May Allah ta'ala allow us to implement.