[Following are some highlights (Not word-by-word) from the first Majlis delivered by Shaykh Kamaluddin Ahmed db on 21st Ramadan 2014 – listen to the audio]
إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ
“Nay! Indeed the Awliyah of Allah SWT are none other than the people of Taqwa.” [Surah Al-Anfal, 8:34]
There’s one branch of Deen that is called Tazkiya, also called Tasawwuf, also called Sulook, also called Ihsaan. So what we want to do is to spend these gatherings at night to understand what this is. Because some people have misconceptions about it, some people have misunderstandings about it. And many people, even who have the right understanding, and right conception, they still don’t eagerly try to pursue this path. So first thing we want to do is: Who are the Awliyah? Then, what is Nisbat? Then how is a person trained to get the Nisbat of the Awliyah?
Who are the Awliyaullah?
This word, Awliyah it comes in Qur’an. Just like the word Ullema comes in Qur’an – the word Awliya comes in Qur’an. So, the existence of Ullema and Awliya is guaranteed by Qur’an. Understand that it is our necessary aqeeda and belief that everything that Allah swt has Mentioned in Qur’an by way of hidaya for the Ummah – those verses will always have a living embodiment. It is necessary that all the way until the end of time, they will be some mo’mineen who are called “Ullama” and there will be some mo’mineen who are called “Awliyah”
who the Ullema are, that, many of you would already understand. Topic for tonight is who are the awliyah.
Understanding Awliyahullah – In the light of Qur’an
1. Allah swt Alone has the right to express who His Awliyah are
And, Allah swt expresses that right in Quran, He Says:
إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ
(8:34)
Nay! Indeed the awliyah of Allah swt are none other than the people of Taqwa
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ
(10:63)
Those who have iman and those who are always in the state of Taqwa
Means: Muttaqoon are the ones, for whom, taqwa is their life. Taqwa is their reality; Taqwa is their attribute. Understand with an example:
Halat-e-Sabr and Maqaam-e-Sabr(State vs Station of Sabr)
E.g. Sometimes me and you have Sabr, and sometimes we don’t. So, for that person who sometimes has Sabr and sometimes doesn’t, that’s called a haal. – “Al-Halat-us-Sabar” that at a particular moment they had Sabr; that moment they were in halat-e-Sabr but sometimes they didn’t have Sabr. means they reacted; they got angry; they had a backlash; they got upset; they got worked up. So, most of us – sometimes Sabr; sometimes not Sabr. that person will not be called “Sabiroon”
Then theres another thing called Maqaam, Maqaam means that now the person has reached the maqaam of Sabr; the station of Sabr. Means that Sabr has become their Sifat, their attribute. Means every single time there is an occasion, an opportunity to have Sabr, they have Sabr. That person is called Sabireen.
So, just like that – Muttaqeen – unlike me and you who sometimes have taqwa and sometimes don’t. Sometimes, Alhamdulillah out of the Karam, Fazl and Reham of Allah swt, we stay away from sins – we do lower the gaze. But, other times we don’t have that taqwa. Its not all the time. Sometimes we slip; sometimes we fall into sin; sometimes we skip a prayer; sometimes we misdirect gaze – so, sometimes taqwa; sometimes not taqwa. So, those times that we have taqwa – thats halat of taqwa, thats not maqam.
Muttaqeen and muttaqoon are those people who always have taqwa. its just the very structure of the Arabic language. Seegha-e-Sift. and Sift-e-ghayr munfaq. It is just the very nature of the Arabic language; Muttaqoon means those people who are permanently established on Taqwa. Now, when a person gets that, well that is the greatest thing in Allah Ta’ala’s regard. Allah swt Said in Qur’an,
إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ اللَّـهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you (49:13)
that Indeed the most honored; the most beloved; the most precious of you for Allah swt are the أَتْقَ, the ones who have the most taqwa – so these people who have taqwa become the most honored; most beloved; most precious so Allah swt used the word Awliyah for them.
Now, what is Awliyah? It is the plural of the word “Wali” and actually this is one of the words Allah swt has Used for Himself, He is Al-Wali. Allah swt Says in Qur’an
اللَّـهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا
Allah swt is the Wali of those who believe (2:257)
Now, imagine Allah swt is Using the word Wali to explain how much He Loves those who believe; how much He Befriends those who believe; how Attached He is to those who believe! And then, those mu’minoon who are the real muttaqoon – Allah swt Used the same word wali that He Used for Himself to Express His love for the believers – like another place Allah swt Says
وَاللَّـهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
(3:68)
Allah swt has Used the same word to express these people that now they have become My wali – I was their Wali in the beginning when they were just “allazeena aamanu”, but now they worked on themselves so much so that they became muttaqoon – mow they are My wali! Now imagine its two-way – Allah swt is their Wali and they are His wali. It means Allah swt is their Lover and they are His beloved; they are Allah swt’s lovers and Allah swt is their Beloved. So, this is a relationship which is called Wilayah.
A wali is a person who has this thing called Wilayah.
What is Wilayah? It is a special loving and beloved relation with Allah swt. How did that happen?
إِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ
because of their taqwa; because of their complete obedience to Allah swt; because of them getting the feelings of Qur’an and Sunnah into their heart.
2. Allah swt’s Reward for the Awliyah
Then, Another verse Allah swt Mentions about them in Qur’an:
أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّـهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
” Unquestionably, [for] the allies of Allah there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” (10:62)
Now, after mentioning their definition that they are the people of Taqwa – Allah swt Mentions what do they get as part of this special friendship with Allah swt. Allah swt Says in Qur’an:
لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ
there is no fear upon them
Interpretation of the verse:
This has been interpreted by Ullema to mean many things:
1. There is no fear from Shaitan i.e. Allah swt Protects them from Shaitan. This is the Fazl of Allah swt – thats why they are called Mehfooz – protected from Shaitan.
2. They are protected from the fire of Jahannam – means that Allah swt is so Happy with their effort to become muttaqoon, Allah swt Decides that I’m going to Keep them as muttaqoon
You see one is our own effort to have taqwa, and one is for Allah swt to Accept our effort and Allah swt Himself Decide they will remain on Taqwa all the way until they pass away. That means Allah swt will now Preserve them:
يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ
(2:257)
thats what He Promised for the believers; that He will take them from darknesses into the light – spiritual darkness into spiritual light. And, those who made the effort to do that then Allah swt Protects them لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ
Then,
وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
Interpretation of the verse:
this means that their Nafs will never make them grieve anymore; their Nafs will never make them sorrowful anymore; their Nafs will never trick them into falling into sin anymore – they will have what is called, النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ in Qur’an that their Nafs is mut’main on Deen. Mutma’in in English means that their Nafs is completely happy, content, satisfied with Deen.
Example:
1. Fasting in Ramadan: me and you are experiencing right now in Ramadan when Allah swt Told us to fast – so we fasted and we are mutma’in: we never think to ourselves “Oh, I’m going to secretly drink water” “Oh I’m going to secretly eat something.”
why? because we are completely happy, content with that command of Allah swt of fasting. So, as regarding the command of fasting, me and you have Nafse mutmainnah
2. Pork: None of us has eaten pork and nor have any of us ever desired it. or ever dreamed of it of been tempted of it, right? I’ve never received an email saying, “Dear Shaykh, I’m tempted to eat pork; I have attraction towards Pork; I see internet sites with pictures of Pork…I’m addicted to Pork! No, I’ve never received an email like that! Because people have Nafs-e-mutmainnah when it comes to that Hukm – they are content completely – 100% satisfied with this commandment of Allah swt
Now, just like me and you are like that about not eating Pork, these people(awliyah) are like that about every single thing Allah swt Says.
سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا
“We hear and we obey.”(2:285)
– we hear we learn we understand and we obey! whatever Allah swt Says, we are completely happy and pleased; content doing it.
وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
3. Another Feature of the Awliyahullah: Living reminders of Allah swt!
Ibn-e-Kathir rah in his Tafsir, who is one of the greatest Mufassiroon of this Ummah has narrated a Hadith that when Nabi-e-kareem mentioned this verse
أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّـهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
so, one Sahaba when he heard this
لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
he asked, O RasoolAllah صلى الله عليه وسلم, who are these people? He was thirsty, he wanted to be like that himself, so
:قال رجل
یا رسول اللہ! من اولياہ اللہ؟
A person from the Sahaba asked, ‘O Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم! who are these awliyahullah?’
:قال
Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه وسلم responded,
الذين اذا رؤوا ذکر اللہ
they are those people that when you gaze upon them you are reminded of Allah; you remember Allah swt -so, thats another feature. Nabi-e-Karim صلى الله عليه وسلم knew another definition of them i.e. muttaqoon – but the Sahaba knew that also because they also know the Qur’an. So, the Sahabi knew this verse and he knew that verse but he wanted more clarification; more explanation. So, Nabi karimصلى الله عليه وسلم explained to him in this extra detail
الذين اذا رؤوا ذکر اللہ
that those when you look upon them; gaze upon them – when you’re with them – you’re reminded of Allah swt, you remember Allah. They are the living reminders of Allah swt; they are من شعائر اللہ
شعائر اللہ
means the signs, the representations of Allah swt’s Majesty and Mercy one earth – like Baitullah, رجال اللہ they are known as the people of Allah swt.
4. Another attribute: Zakireen
Then, another attribute of them is that they are also called in Qur’an as Zakireen – thats a word in Qur’an
For e.g. Allah swt Says in Qur’an
وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ
“…and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so.”(33:35)
Women should also know that this attribute of remembering Allah swt abundantly is not just for the men,
وَالذَّاكِرِينَ
the men believers who remember Allah swt abundantly
and,
وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ
the women believers who remember Allah swt abundantly
Concept of Gender Equality in Islam
So, actually the women should know that “A women can be as big a wali in Deen as a man can – this is the real equality of gender”
– we don’t judge equality of gender that oh, let the women be construction workers like you let the women be; let the women expose herself to public enmity and hostility like you let the men be! we don’t believe in that
Real equality is eternal equality
A women in our Deen can be as big a wali of Allah swt as a man can; a woman can have as much taqwa as a man can; a woman can be as big an aalima as a man can be an aalim and the real equality is a woman has equal access to Jannat-ul-firdaus as a man does! what greater equality can there be? thats an eternal equality! A spiritual equality – a heart equality! that’s the real equality of gender
Other major religions don’t have that. The three largest religions in terms of adherence are Islam, Hinduism and Christianity
In Christianity, women cannot be the spiritual equal of men. The classical orthodox Christianity or in Catholicism – women cannot be pope, women cannot be archbishop even in eastern orthodox. Why? because women is spiritually inferior
then, on top of that- if a man wants to be like this he cant be married to a women because women are viewed as spiritually impure. If you want to become archbishops, monk, cardinal, pope etc – you have to be celibate you can’t get married because woman is impure.
So, what worth is that equality that you let your women be construction workers and security guards but spiritually you view them as inferior to you – what type of equality is that?
The next biggest religion is Hinduism, same thing – a woman cannot become a guru; a yogi – only a man can. Same story- if a man wants to become a yogi or guru, you can’t marry a woman because she’s considered spiritually impure.
look at the benefit of hidaya Allah swt’s Given us – there’s nothing in any of us: anyone of us could’ve been from the other large percentage of people who are maybe christian or hindu. Just Nafs-e-iman; the fact of being Muslim itself is such an incredible limitless blessing that has been Given to us by Allah swt!
So, Deen-e-Islam is teaching real equality – a women can be as big a wali of Allah swt; as big from the muttaqeen; as big from the Zakireen; as big from Sabireen – every word that comes in Qur’an!
So, another word in Qur’an used for Awliyah: Zakireen. But,
how much do they remember Allah swt?
وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا
they remember Allah swt a lot! At another place, Allah swt Explains in the Qur’an-e-Karim:
الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّـهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ
“Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides ..”(3:191)
that they remember Allah swt so much – they remember Allah swt when they are standing;when they are sitting; when they are lying down – what does it mean, all the time! Because physically, you can only be in one of three postures! Every second of your life – you will either be standing or sitting or lying down: means they always remember Allah swt.
then, Allah swt Exlains in another way in Qur’an. A person could say, maybe Allah swt is talking about Salah..no, Allah swt Says they remember Allah swt literally all the time:
رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّـهِ
“[Are] men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah …”(24:37)
They are such people that even when they are in the fikr of worldly activity, even when they are in pursuit of material gain ‘Tijaratun’ and ‘Bay’un’, they are doing business, trade and commerce even then, even all of their engagement, involvement in worldly activity cannot distract them from the Zikr of Allah SWT one drop, one iota.
Can you imagine that? Imagine that person who when buying, selling, trading is doing Zikr, can you imagine what the Salah of such a person must be? How much Zikr they must do when they are actually in the Masjid and in Ibadah if Allah SWT is testifying to them that they are making completely perfect Zikr even when they are engaged in buying and selling?
So if anybody thought that, okay, I am a shopkeeper, I work in a factory, I am a labour, I have a co-operate job where is the verse in Qur’an for me? That’s the verse in Qur’an for you. Yes ‘La Tulheem Tijara’, that’s your goal. And it’s a Kinaya, it means anything. It can be medicine, can be labour, can be business, can be profession, can be teaching, anything. Nothing can distract that person from the dhikr of Allah SWT.
5. Another word for Awliyah in Qur’an: Siddiqeen and Sadiqeen
Another way Allah Ta’Ala uses in Quran is Siddiqeen and Sadiqeen. Most famously Allah Ta’Ala says in Quran,
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ
O you who believe! Be careful of (your duty to) Allah and be with the true ones. (Surah Toubah, 119:9)
That Oh you who have Emaan, means that each and every single one of you who have accepted Eman,
اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ
you must have taqwa, taqwa means to fear Allah Ta’Ala as He deserves to be feared, to love Allah Ta’Ala as He deserves to be loved, to be aware and conscious of Allah Ta’Ala as it is His right over us that we should always be aware and remembering Him.
And how will we get this blessing?
وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ
That we have to join our very hearts and our very beings with the sadiqeens. Many of you must have heard the verse
كُن فَيَكُونُ
Be, so it is. (Surah Yaseen, 36:82)
Allah Ta’Ala wants to create something he just says kun, faya koon, be and it comes into existence. So ‘kunu maas’sadiqeen’ means interlace and interlined inextricably your very being with the being of the saadiqeen.
That’s how intense it has to be. It’s not just enough to have a loose relationship, no ‘kunu mas’sadiqeen’. So the word Allah Ta’Ala uses for them in Quran is siddiqeen and sadiqeen.
Then these people were so beloved to Allah SWT that you should know that all sahabah were Awliyah, but some of the sahabah had a special aspect to their Wilayah.
EXAMPLE: Ashabus Suffa
One example of this is Ashabus Suffa, these were those companions of Nabi Kareem Sallahu Alaihi wassalam that they left everything. Left all earning, and they left all working. Why? They were many other sahabahs around them that were working and earning. Khulafa rashidoon themselves, Sayyidina Usman Ghani Radi’Allahu Anh remained a trader throughout the life of the Prophet Sallahu Alaihi Wassalam. That’s also permissible, no problem. But this is also permissiable, this is also a way! This is a proof that it is actually also permissible in deen that if a person wants they can leave all earning and all working for the sake of acquiring the Deen of Allah SWT. So some sahabah made that decision. So they are called Ashabus Suffa because they used to camp out on a bench on a raised flatform right in front of Nabi Sallahu Alaihi Wassalam house. This will also show you their love. They could have said that its okay we pick a tent out in masjid e nabvi, separate institution darul uloom, no! there are going to leave everything else in the world, we can only leave it for the walls of the Prophet Sallahu Alaihi Wassalam, for being the neighbours of the Prophet Sallahu Alaihi Wassalam. That’s whats leaving everything in the world, so they are called Ashabus Suffa.
How beloved these people are to Allah SWT?
Now listen in Quran how beloved they are to Allah SWT, that in this verse of Quran surah kahaf verse 28 Allah SWT tells the Prophet Sallahu Alaihi wassalam about these Sahabah who were Ashabus Suffa. What does Allah SWT says,
وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ
And withhold yourself with those who call on their Lord Morning and evening desiring His goodwill. (Surah Kahaf, 18:28)
Oh Prophet Sallahu Alaihi Wassalam, you Nabi e kareem Sallahu Alaihi Wassalam you should keep yourself steadfast along with those people, those people mean Ashabus Suffa Sahabah,
يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ
Call on their Lord Morning and evening. (Surah Kahaf, 18:28)
Those who are making dua to their beloved Rub, to their Rub Allah SWT in the morning and evening. What are they doing?
يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ
Desiring His goodwill (Surah Kahaf, 18:28)
They are seeking the pleasure of Allah Ta’Ala, they want Allah Ta’Ala’s expression of pleasure to descend upon them. That’s why they are doing it. So they are such great Awliyah Ullah the ashabus suffa that Allah Ta’Alah is telling the Prophet Sallahu Alaihi Wassalam that you should spend time with them. Can you imagine? And Allah Ta’Ala saying it in Quran. Because there are many times that Allah Ta’Ala told the Prophet Sallahu Alaihi Wassalam which aren’t in Quran right? Some them we’ve seen in hadith, some of them we will never know. But here Allah Ta’ala publicly in His pre eternal and timeless Quran so everyone can see how special these people are, who are turning in dua and yearning and longing for their Rub. So then also for Sunnah Ite’kaaf we can make that niyyah also, that Rubb e kareem I want to spend ten days and nights like the ashabus suffa. I’m also camping out here like they used to camp out in Masjid e Nabvi, I also want to be yearning for the expression of your pleasure, and I also want to be making dua to you, seeking you morning and evening, I also want to be amongst those people .. al’lazeena yadoona rubbahum’ I want to be like that.
Then Allah Ta’Ala continues and says in another incredible thing to the Prophet Sallahu Alaihi Wassalam,
وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ
And let not your eyes pass from them(Surah Kahaf, 18:28)
That Oh you Nabi e kareem sallahu alaihi wassalam don’t you even lower your gaze from them. Gaze at them. These are my beloved Awliyah. Gaze at them. Stare at them. Look at them.
So this is another example in Quran that how much Allah Ta’Ala loves His lovers. You see that Allah SWT is the greatest lover, if you love Allah SWT, Allah Ta’Ala will love you back in a way that’s phenomenal way. So these Sahabah started loving Allah SWT, so Allah Ta’Ala loved them back in such an incredible way. So now we showed you few verses from Quran.
Understanding Awliyah: In the light of Hadith
Now I want to show you a few verses from Hadith. And I’ve deliberately, although for this audience it won’t be necessary strictly but I wanted to you see because there are some people who try to spread some misconceptions and confusions. So we have made for you this talk just from Quran and from hadith from Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim ONLY. Not that in any way hadith is confined in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim. Hadith are to be taken from all muhaditheen. We take hadith from muhaditheen. Like we take taseer from mufassiroon. But sometimes you’ll need a person that sometimes they have a misconception that they will only accept hadith from Bukhari and Muslim. And some people they then like to say that you don’t need people. They try to tell this that you don’t need to follow any one in Islam, you just need books. You need your translation of Quran and you need your translation of Bukhari and you need your translation of Muslim and you are good to go. You don’t need people. Here I want to show you that the very same Quran e Kareem, the very same Sahih Bukhari and the very same sahih muslim are telling you that you need people. Are telling you to go to people. How can somebody say that in deen then they don’t need people, when in surah Fatihah we make dua to Allah SWT,
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ
Keep us on the right path. The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. (Surah Fatihah, 1:6,7)
Allah Ta’Ala Grant me Hidayah to the straight path, the path of people whom you have blessed. How can somebody tell me that you don’t to follow anyone, you don’t need to be a student of anyone, you don’t need to learn from anyone.‘You don’t need to follow any one’. When every Rakah, every Salah, every prayer, every day of my life I am begging Allah SWT to grant me guidance to the blessed people, how can somebody try to convince me that I don’t need people and I just need books and texts?
1. Those People Whose Supplications are Never Rejected
What Nabi-e-Kareem SWS said in this Hadith from the Sahih Bukhari:
قال رسولاللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم
انّ من عبادللہ من لو اقسم اللہ لابرّہ
That indeed there are some people:
• Min Ibad Illah: From the servants, slaves and worshippers of Allah SWT
• Man Lao Aqsama: That if this person took a Qasam, they took an oath taking Allah SWT’s name, so they said something like “I swear by Allah SWT, X Y Z.” This person is so beloved to Allah SWT
• La Abar’a Ho: means Allah SWT will necessarily make sure that the person’s word is fulfilled because Allah SWT loves that person so much that whatever that person says if that person takes Allah SWT’s name and says it Allah SWT will fulfill their word, Allah SWT will fulfill their oath.
It’s a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari, there are people like that. Just like I told you about Qur’an, same thing here, that there will be always people like that in the Ummah. So that’s why we want to look for them. We want to sit with them, we want to learn from them. How they got so close to Allah SWT? How they love Allah SWT so much? How they become beloved to Allah SWT so much? We want them to train us also and that’s why we want their Dua’s.
So, some people say, “Oh, you know you wanted your Shaykh to make Dua for you, why do you do shirk, why don’t you make Dua to Allah SWT yourself?” Answer is no, Shirk is not what you think it is according to your intellect. Shirk is only what the Qur’an and Sunnah say it is, and the Qur’an and Sunnah teach that we should make Duas for ourselves and we should also go to people like this and ask them to make Dua for us because Prophet SWS has told us in Sahih Bukhari, that these people are so special that if they take Allah SWT’s name, whatever they say, Allah SWT will fulfill it. I can’t even explain to you how strong this Arabic word is la abarahu, those who know Arabic understand it so clear, crystal clear. Allah SWT will necessarily, definitely, definitively, undoubtedly fulfill and honor each and every word they say, as even a promise, an oath, if they take Allah SWT’s name. They are so beloved to Allah SWT. And when Imam Bukhari narrated this Hadith this is his Tafakur in Kitab-u-l Jihad. Why? Because he was teaching that actual victory is done through Dua’s. That there are such people when they raise their hands to Allah SWT and make Dua for their protection, make Dua for their help and aid, make Dua for their victory, make Dua for that victory, because they’re so beloved to Allah SWT, Allah SWT answers their Dua’s, Allah SWT changes the maps on earth. This was a time that believers were like this. Me and you have failed even associating with such people, let alone that any one of us could try to become such a person.
2. Then now look at a Hadith in Sahih Muslim, this is one of the most beautiful Hadith for me personally that I have ever in my life I have ever read or heard. I want you to listen to it very carefully. This is a strange Hadith.
(Hadith in Sahih Muslim)
قال رسولاللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم
ان االلہ اذا احبّ عبدًا، دعا جبرائیل
When Allah SWT Loves, Falls in love, Loves one of his servants and slaves, He Calls Jibra’el, angel Jibra’el to him.
فقال
and Allah SWT says to angel Jibrael AS:
انّی احبّ فلاناً
That O Jibra’el! I Allah SWT loves so and so. (He declares his love! Sahi Muslim! Who is going to tell me that there are no such people who are beloved to Allah SWT? Just read Bukhari and Muslim. I read Muslim. Muslim told me that there are people who are beloved to Allah SWT. There are people who are so beloved to Allah SWT, Allah SWT calls Jibra’el AS and says to Jibra’el AS that:
Inni Uhibu Falanan
That look, I Allah SWT, indeed, verily, undoubtedly, I Allah SWT, I love this person.)
فاحبّہ
You Jibra’el AS, you love this person. Allah SWT tells Jibra’el AS that you now also you fall in love with this person.
قال
then Prophet SWS continues:
فاحبّہ جبرائیل
So now Jibra’el AS starts loving this person. Then what does Jibra’el AS do?
ثم ینادی فی السماء
Then a call is proclaimed out in the heavens and firmaments and skies, where the angels, you can think like in the angelic realms and what does Jibra’el AS say?
فیقول
Jibra’el AS announces to all the angels
انّ اللہ یحبّ فلاناً
That indeed Allah SWT loves such a person.
فاحبّوہ
That O all of you angels! I Jibra’el, imam of the angels, I am telling you that,
Fa ahiboohu
All of you should love this person.
It’s a hadith in Sahi Muslim. This person is mehboob-allah ,mehboob-e- Jibra’el ,mehboob-e-malaika
فیحبّہ اہل السماء
Now all of the inhabitants of the heavenly realms, means all of the angels now love this person.
then,
قال
then Prophet SWS continued:
ثمّ یوضع لہ القبول فی الارض
Then Allah SWT has placed for this person acceptance on earth.
Means they’re Mehboob-ul- llah and they are Maqbool in Makhlooq -means they become accepted and beloved to all creation. Fil arz means all of creation. So sama and arz, these two words are in this Hadith. They become beloved to all the inhabitants, all the angels of the heavenly realms and they are accepted and beloved to all of the inhabitants on earth.
You see what?
Allah SWT knows how to love. If you love Allah SWT, Allah SWT loves you back like this! Allah SWT is the true lover. He is the greatest lover. He loves the way only Allah SWT can love.
Everything He does,
کما یلیق شأنہ
He does as befits His majesty, as befits His grace.
So when He loves someone He loves him in a manner that is befitting to Him, which is such complete, absolute, utter, deep, everlasting, eternal, abadi love.
Then there is another part of this Hadith which is also there.
و اذا ابغض عبداً
When Allah SWT dislikes, detests a person, same story, He calls Jibra’el AS and He tells to Jibra’el AS:
انّی ابغض فلاناً
That indeed, I dislike,detest this person and tells Jibra’el AS, you detest this person. Then same thing, Jibra’el AS, he starts detesting this person and then he calls out to all of the angels, that O angels!
انّ اللہ یبغض فلاناً
That indeed Allah SWT detests this person, O all angels! Each and every one of you should detest this person. And then Allah SWT places dislike and detest for him in the hearts of all people.
So means who Allah SWT loves angels love, who Allah SWT loves creation love. So this Hadith is a testimony that there are people in this Ummah, there will always be people in this Ummah, other word for them in Qur’an is called Awliyah, Sideqeen, Sadiqeen, that they are beloved to Allah SWT, beloved to angels and beloved to all of creation. So you should never be deceived by anybody who tries to suggest that people like this don’t exist.
3. The Ahl-e-Zikr and Their Gatherings
Now another Hadith in the Sahih Bukari, also in the Sahih of Muslim, This is a long Hadith so I will just do the summary for you in English Syedina Abu Hurairah RA reports that Prophet SWS said that:
Allah SWT has teams of angels and what has He made them do? To search the paths and roads on earth and what are they doing? They are seeking those who remember Allah SWT
یلتمسون اھل الذکر
they are searching out to find Ahl-e-Zikr .
This is also word used in Hadith; it’s also in Qur’an:
فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
“So ask the people of the message if you do not know”
[Surah Nahl, 16:43]
Another term is Ihl-e-zikr.
So Allah SWT has teams of angels searching for them and when any one angels finds any of these people doing Zikr of Allah SWT, then he calls out to all of the other angels that look we found what we are looking for. So then all of the other angels come and then they surround those people making Zikr, such that the wings between the space between them and the lowest sky of Saba Samawat is fully covered. That many angels surround the Ahl-e-zikr , That all of the wings of the angels from the ground on earth, all the way up to what you call if you want the atmosphere, that is one definition of the lowest Sama . Other definition of lowest Sama which is actually more scientific is the entire end of the universe.
Understanding the Hadith:
Where the Known Universe ends, the angelic realm starts: Understand that the angelic realm begins where the non-human universe ends, so the first Sama is actually the canopy of non-physical universe. And then when you transcend that, that’s the angelic realm.
Can you imagine then?
– If you asked an astronomer and asked a physicist that how many wings, how many angels that would be, he would tell you that’s trillions of trillions of light years that to the best of our knowledge is to the farthest ends of the universe. That’s the first Sama; now we know that more through science!
– Earlier they thought that the first Sama was just the sky. No, because after the sky is still creation. The solar system is still creation. Milky Way galaxy is still creation. All the galaxies are still creation. All the universe is still creation. It’s beyond that, that lies the skies and the angelic realms.
– Now can you imagine that how many angels, how many angels sent by Allah SWT to seek the ahl-e-zikr ,to find their gatherings? Sahi Muslim.
– And then to cover them and surround them then Allah SWT asks these angels that what these slaves of mine servants of mine saying? So the angels respond that Ya Allah! They are doing your tasbeeh, takbir,tehmil, tehlil, means they’re making Zikr of you. They’re saying SubhanAllah, they are saying Alhumdulillah, and they are saying Allahu-Akbar. They are saying tamjeed, they are saying, proclaiming you majesty.
– So Allah SWT asked the angels although Allah SWT knows everything. He is just having this conversation with angels. Obviously He knows. He doesn’t need the angels to tell Him anything. So Allah SWT asks angels have they seen me. Have these people , these Ahl-e-Zikr ever seen Allah SWT, So angels will say no Allah SWT, they have not seen you. Allah SWT will ask angels how do you think it would be, How do you think they will act if they were to see me? How do you think they would act, so angels respond to this Ya Allah if they were able to see you they would be even more earnest even more dedicated even more eager in the Zikr than they were doing in their worshipping, in their Zikr. Allah SWT will say what are they making Dua to me? What are they asking me? What they are begging of me. Angels will say Ya Allah SWT they are begging for your Jannah. Allah SWT will ask the angels have they seen my Jannah? They will say no our Rab they have not seen your Jannah. Then Allah SWT will ask them that how they would be if they were to see Jannah? So the Angels say Ya Allah SWT if they were to have seen Jannah they will be even more and more intensely eager for it even more yearning for it. Then the angels say Ya Allah SWT they are also begging you another thing. They are begging Your protection. So Allah SWT Says what are they asking My protection from? So angels reply Ya Rab they are asking Your protection from the fire of Jahannum so Allah SWT asks, have they seen the fire of Jahannum? The angels say no. Allah SWT asks what would it be like if they had seen the fire of Jahannum? Angels say if they were to see, they would be even more begging You for protection from it. So then Allah SWT sSays to the angels about who, about these Ahl-e-Zikr (Sahih Muslim) about these people, special people-Ahl-e-Zikr. Then Allah SWT after this whole conversation says oh my angels I Call you all angels to witness that I, Allah SWT hereby Pardon and Forgive all of these Ahl-e-zikr. I Grant them what they ask that is Jannah and I Give them protection from which they wanted protection for and I have protected them from Jahannum.
This is Hadith of Nabi Kareem SWS. Then, now the beautiful part. I told you this is in both Bukhari and Muslim. I am actually reading to you now the Arabic version in Sahih Bukhari. I have to do this in Arabic for you, the last part, because this is so beautiful so then what happens
Nabi Kareem SWS says
قال
یقول ملکٌ من الملائکہ
That one of the angels, very clever one, one of the angels of all of these angels says to Allah SWT that
فیھم فلانٌ
That Ya Allah SWT from this whole gathering of Ahl-e-Zikr there is also so and so person, such and such person and what is said about this person?
لیس منھم
he is actually not from the Zakireen. He is not from the Ahl-e-zikr. He is not one of them.
انما جاَءَ لِحاجۃٍ
Actually he did not come to do Zikr and love you and praise you and remember you. He came because he has some worldly need and he thought that okay these are pious people ,maybe If I sit and join their company and make Zikr of Allah SWT, my worldly need will be fulfilled
So he came why? “Innamma ja’a lay hajjatin” he came due to some worldly need.
Qaal, Allah SWT responds to this angel:
ھم الجُلُساءُ لا یشق بھم جلیسھم
Don’t worry these are such people that anybody jalees; it’s from sitting; anybody who even sits with them will never be deprived of the mercy that I send upon them. He is also forgiven. He is also granted jannah, he also gets protection from Jahannum even though he wasn’t even one of them.
– This is Hadith in Sahih Bukhari. And you want to listen to people who say no there is no need to go to these gatherings. Why do you think there is Barakah in these gatherings brother? This is Shirk. You are wrong. You should just make Dua to Allah SWT directly. My Nabi Kareem SWS told me that there are such gatherings. My Nabi kareem SWS told me indisputable Sahih Hadith and Sahih Bukhari that there is Barakah in such gatherings. My Nabi Kareem SWS told me even if I go for a worldly intention to such a gathering of such people I’ll get the mercy and forgiveness and get Jannah and the protection from Jahannum. So don’t listen to people who have their man made ideologies.
– Listen to the real Sunnah of Nabi Kareem SWS. These Hadith have been kept from the people so that they don’t know, they don’t realize and they think that Awliyah is some myth and Ahl-e-Zikr is some fairy tale and there is no such gathering and no blessing in these gatherings and these things don’t exist.
– You should know, You should learn and you should spread this.
– Don’t think you are protected by these false ideologies. They are fast and croaching and creeping all over the world because people are trying to understand their Deen through their mind as opposed to understanding it from their heart. They are trying to understand Hadith based on their own mind instead of understanding Hadith according to great, classical Muhadithin. Then people will go astray.
— If I try to understand the text book of medical science from my own mind and not on what the professor of medicine say, and not what the doctor say but just from my own mind to it, I will make mistakes and then if I insist that no I am intelligent, I am educated I know English, people would say fine you are intelligent , educated and English but you are making mistakes because you are not a doctor, you are not a professor of medicine, you are not a scientist. It’s not just about the English. I know English I can’t understand engineering text books, or medical sciences text books. It’s not just the language. So knowing Arabic is not enough. You have to know the knowledge of Muhadithin to understand Hadith. It’s just not enough to know the Arabic language. So this was another beautiful Hadith.
– Now look at that that gives us hope when we come to gatherings like this. We make every one of us have the view of the rest of us the Muttafiqeen that they are Ahl-e-Zikr. They have come here with sincere intention. They have come here searching for Allah SWT. They have come here to love Allah SWT. They are doing Tasbeeh. They are doing tehmeed. They are making Dua to Allah SWT, making Dua for Jannah, asking protection from Jahannum. And even if one of us came with some worldly intention, even Allah SWT, is telling to Nabi Kareem SWT in this Hadith that that person is la yashkaha. That person can never be deprived.
This is why we want to come to gatherings. This is incredible. Now imagine if this is what happens to the person with a worldly intention, he gets Jannah and protected from Jahannum but what will happen if somebody could manage to come with the real intention that I know I also came because I wanted to do some worship .I also wanted to do Dua. I also wanted to do Zikr. I also wanted to do Taubah. I also wanted to be forgiven by Allah SWT. Then can you imagine what would happen for such a person.
There is indeed this category of people known as the Awliyah of Allah SWT.
There is another Hadith in Sahih Bukhari narrated by Syedina Abu Huraira RA and he says Qala Rasul Allah SWS, he says
42:51:00] “Innallaha azawajjala qaal”,
Nabi Kareem SWS says that Allah SWT says, this is called Hadith-e-qudsi , that Allah SWT said
“Man Ada li walliya”
that whomsoever shows enmity to my Wali, whomsoever becomes an enemy to my Wali, despairs them, insults them, backbites them, tries to slander them that they are Mushrik or they are on Biddah. Anybody who tries to slander the true Awliyah of Allah SWT
“Waqad azantuhu biharb”
Allah SWT announces that I proclaim and announce that I, Allah declare war on such a person.
I told you when Allah SWT loves; He is the truest lover, deepest lover, He says that anybody who wants to have enmity towards my beloveds I, Allah SWT will declare war on them. So we should be careful and not listen to backbiting and not listen to that slander and not harbor any resentment, ill will, doubt, suspicion against the true Awliya Allah who are Mut’taqoon and whose life is inside the Shariah and Sunnah
We are not talking about fake Shaykhs and charlatans who do things outside Shariah and Sunnah,we are talking about the Awliyah-e-haq; the real Awliyah Ullah whose life is within Shariah and Sunnah.
Allah SWT says that my servant draws near to me with the most beloved thing is what I made Fard upon them etc.
This is Hadith in Sahih Muslim also fascinating Hadith.
The Man Who Killed 99 People
Sayyidina RasulAllah SWS said that there was once upon a time a person in an earlier community, now listen to this carefully, he killed 99 people. He killed, murder, serial killer, mass murderer. He killed 99 people and then all of a sudden, he felt like he wanted to make Tawbah to Allah SWT.
So he started asking around, “that how can I get myself forgiven?” First he went to a Raahib, a monk of that time and he asked him that how can I get forgiven and he told him from what, he had killed 99 people, When the monk heard this, he said what you have killed 99 people, yes, that there is no way you can be forgiven , Nabi Karim SWS is telling this Hadith , I told you this is in Sahih Muslim, so when he told, the monk told him that there is no way you can be forgiven, so the person, he killed the monk also, he killed the monk, now he has killed how many people, hundred people. Now heeps looking though, at the same time,
The way I read this part is that he had a craze for Tawbah. The 100th act wasn’t actually murder. He was in a state of temporary insanity, I would call it. He had such a craze for Tawbah , craze to be forgiven that he could not take the shock that my Tawbah won’t be forgiven that he ended up killing that person in that craze so the ninety nine were murdered, this one I feel was an active craze. He keeps going looking for people then he meets an Aalim, and when he meets an alim and again This is Sahih Muslim. It tells you the value of Ulema; Nabi e Kareem SWS is teaching us these old stories, why. It’s Sunnah; it’s guidance to us that we need to learn these things from the Ulema. So the person goes to an Alim and he says the same thing that I have killed the 100 people When he goes to the Alim, he asks the same thing, that is there any way, any scope for my Taubah to be accepted. Alim says “Yes! Na’am!”
He says “Na’am! wa man lahu bainahu wabainat-tauba?”
That yes, what is it that is preventing you, coming between you and your Tauba? So that’s a good answer!
He says: Okay, so tell me what to do?
So what does this Alim tell him?
“Intaliq!”
That you have to leave this land where we are right now, and you have to journey ila ardin kaza wa kaza to such and such place.
The Prophet SWS did not name that place. He said that the Alim told that killer that you have to go to such and such a town. Why? Why go to such and such a town? People will tell you you can do Tauba at home, you can do Tauba on your own. Listen to the hadith– Sahih Muslim! Nabi Kareem SWS is giving us guidance, that sometimes to make Tauba you have to make a move! So he said go to such and such a town, why?
Fa inna biha unaasan, ya’budoonallah
Because there they are some people–Unaas–literally Arabic! There are some people: Ya’boodunallah. And they make a lot of Ibaadat of Allah SWT
Fa’budullaha ma’ahum
You go and you make Ibaadat to Allah SWT with them and your Tauba will be accepted.
This is not some old story–it applies to us! This is why the Prophet SWS is telling us this! Allah SWT revealed this incident of the past to the Prophet SWS to tell us, his Ummah, that a way to make Tauba is to go to the people who are worshiping Allah SWT and to make Ibaadat to Allah SWT with them, and then your Tauba will be accepted– Sahih Muslim.
This is why we come to gatherings. This is why we travel the world. This is why we seek out these Mashaikh. This is why we try to spend few days doing worship to Allah SWT along with the people who are doing worship to Allah SWT. Exactly what is in this Hadith is exactly the intention we can make for the Sunnah I’tekaf. And even those who come partially– part-time in Nafil I’tekaf, exactly they can make this intention So this is established to you from Qur’an ul Kareem, from the Sahih of Bukhari, from the Sahih of Muslim that there are people who are blessed and beloved to Allah SWT and simply being with those people and simply worshipping Allah SWT along with when those people worship Allah SWT can be enough to forgive a person from one hundred murders. I don’t even think me and you have done any sin like that that we have brought to I’tekaf
This is the mercy and forgiveness and blessing, Allah SWT is teaching through the prophet SWS in this Hadith about how much blessing there is in the gathering of the people of Zikar and the people of worship so this was the first thing now that I wanted to make clear this night established in our Deen and then the next nights we will talk about how to join we this Ahle Zikar, how to join with those people of worhsip, how to join with those of Mut’taqeens, Sadiqeen, Awliyah Ullah, how one learns from them, how one benefits them, how do they teach ,what are their methods so we can understand the whole system and how it works, but the very least we should have this longing and should have this yearning and it should be part of our Duaas in the night of the twenty first and every night of the last ten days and every night of our lives that:
Ya Allah Alluma allhiqna bihim
That Allah SWT join us with these Ahle Zikar, join us with these people who do worship of you, join us with these who are so beloved to you that they are your Wali, join us with these people that when they take any statement and they take your name, you fulfill their statements, join us with these people that even if we come from a worldly intention ,even then we will not be deprived, All of these things just few, there is much more than I told you, less for tonight, much more than I bring tonight, but our part of our Dua’s must be because we have to get complete guidance, we have to be guided by every verse in Qur’an and every authentic Hadith of Nabi SWS and we have to make Dua for that in these last ten days to be connected to those people, to be guided by those people, to become lovers of those people, to become beloved of those people, like Nabi Kareem SWS taught us to make Dua on other Sahih hadith that
Allahuma inni assaluka minka hubbaka wa hubba man yuhibbuka
Ya Allah SWT I ask that you grant me love for you and love for those who love you,
we need to love the lovers of Allah SWT in order to love Allah SWT
May Allah SWT put that love for him in our heart, May He out love for His lovers in our heart, May He put love for His beloveds in our heart, May He join us and connect us with these people in the true and authentic way as established form the Qur’an and true Sunnah .
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very nice! PLEASE provide transcripts of other talks also.
excellent! Please provide more transcripts of other talks..