Divine Message and Our Choices

 

Guidance & Misguidance: Rewards & Punishments

 

'And Allah’s is the direction of the way, and some (paths) go not straight. And had He willed He would have led you all aright.' (An-Nahl, 16: 10) 

The existence of man revolves around his Creator and he does not even perceive it except for the truly intelligent. When Allah sends His Messages or Revelations upon His Elect, He guides him to guide the people through them. These Divine Messages come in the form of good news as well as warnings. The good news is imparted to all the people without distinction, giving them the blessed opportunity for reform. Those who submit to the will of Allah and reach out their hands to receive the divine boons are those who will go to become lights in their own rights through the light of Allah and His Messenger. They are those who will light up new lights through their efforts to invite others to Allah, and to accept the gift of Divine Revelations and the advent of a Messenger in their era.

As for those who turn their back to the Divine Messages and Messenger, they are those who fall prey to the mirages which the Satan make them see – of a world filled with success and power which are but flimsy and fake.

Had Allah wanted, He could have guided all people on the Straight Path. He has the power to do so. Apart from His Chosen Path, the Path of Righteousness, there are other paths which are crooked and misleading and which do not lead to Allah. This is the trial which He has set upon man, to seek the true path, tread on it and keep walking and striving, despite the great hurdles on the way so that they may accede to none but Allah.

Poem: 'When the Ocean Calls'

 

When the Ocean calls me in its deep waters,

In it I find the Arms of my Lord inviting me 

To the unknown places of the Known Kingdom,

He is the King and I am His Subject,

Yet He raised me up high to the Pleiades of His pleasure,

And made me a Prince of peace,

Though I am not His Son,

But He is etched in me like a fiery essence of Love and Light,

Guiding my every step to fulfilment,

He is my Port of Call, my Haven and Heaven,

Poem: ‘A Hymn to God’

 

 Lo! How manifest is the Light of God,

Who is the Ultimate source of all Light

The whole universe is turning into a reflective mirror

For the eyes to perceive Him.

 

                               Last night while watching the Moon

I became so agitated

In the beauty of the Moon

Were the traces of the beauty of my Beloved.

 

Under the influence of that consummate beauty

My heart is in a state of turmoil

Mention not to me

the comeliness of the Turk or the Tartar.

 

O my Beloved,

How wonderfully is Your

Creative power manifested everywhere

Whichever way I look I find

Every road leading to Your presence.

A Kashf on ‘Divine Hug’

 

True devotees are a sign of Living Faith. Love of God drives them to respect and act upon Divine commands and prohibitions as they should be. For instance, they offer regular prayers at specified times of the day; they recite the Holy Qur’an at dawn. Moreover, they sincerely engage in remembrance of God all the time. In the pure quest for the grand favour and blessings of Divine nearness, they even wake up at night and pray as an extra offering of their own: in the long hours of the night prostrating before God and weeping in supplication, nurturing their souls even in a state of exhaustion. Like the Holy Qur’an notes, Allah Himself indicates the standards of readiness and rewards of sincerity: 

‘O you who are bearing a heavy responsibility, stand up in Prayer at night except a small portion thereof—Half of it, or make it a little less than that, or make it a little more than that—and recite the Qur’an slowly and thoughtfully.’ [73: 2-5]. 

‘O Ye who believe! Offer Tahajjud prayer in the latter part of the night. It may be that your Lord will raise you to a highly praised status.’ (17: 80) 

True devotion to God, or Divine Love, has beneficial consequences for the believer when God gazes at the heart of the sincere soul with forgiveness, mercy, kindness and indulgence. A famous Hadith-e-Qudsi reads as follows:  

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) narrates that the Holy Prophet (sa) said: “Allah the Almighty says … ‘My servant can be close to Me through the things that I love and that I made obligatory upon him. By offering Nawafil, My servant gets so close to Me that I start loving him. When I make him a friend of Mine, I become the ears with which he hears, the eyes with which he sees, the hands with which he holds and the feet with which he walks. Thus, I fulfil all that he desires. If he begs of Me, I provide for him; if he seeks My protection, I grant him protection. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabul Riqaq, Bab-ul-Tawazu)

Indeed, the pious men and women who are steeped in Divine waters and absorb themselves in Divine remembrance and sublime invocations- the special servants and friends of God; it is they who are blessed to partake in the subtle mysteries of this universe, and special signs of Divine nearness appear in and among their circle. Indeed, at the highest levels of this mystical journey, the believer will become alone with the Alone, almost 'lose' himself in God. With such depths of Faith in a Divinely-imbued servant, the blessings of the Islamic Way will be demonstrated- it is  as if the heaven and the earth are renewed through his presence and work for the sake of Allah (swt) as the new ‘Adam’, the ‘Khalifatullah’ of the era.

 

Today, Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International with a Divinely-appointed ‘Khalifatullah’ [who speaks with the help of ‘Roohul Qudus’ at the head of the Jamaat] strives for the creation of a new heaven and earth; in its own humble and sincere way of pure devotion and submission to the Will and Decision of Allah (swt), it is a stunning example of the kind of Divine Manifestations that have had been witnessed through the centuries in different lands, with the advent of prophets and messengers and saints of God who strove to uphold the pristine truth about God through a correct appreciation of the eternal teachings of Faith, Alhamdulillah, Summa Alhamdulillah.   

 

Reproduced Below is a mystical experience of special Divine Nearness reported by none other than our Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian [1835-1908] in the previous era- at a time when Allah (swt) raised him as the commissioned one of the age to demonstrate the blessings and favours of the living religion of Islam:

Noble Traits of the Prophet

 

 The Character and Life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

It is essential to inculcate in one the reverence and respect for the lofty character and habits of the Messenger of Allah, the Holy Prophet of Islam and [of] whole Humanity Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). It is necessary that the morals of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) become established in one’s heart so that love for the best of mankind (pbuh) becomes dominant in the heart and eagerness to follow his holy character is induced in the believer. I will mention some Quranic verses and Hadiths in this regard.

 

Allah the Exalted has said: “Verily, you (Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character”. (Surah Al-Qalam 68:5)

 

Allah furthermore says: “O you who believe! Do not enter the houses of the Prophet for a meal without permission. If you are invited, you may enter, but be punctual (so that you will not be waiting while the meal is being prepared). When you have finished eating, leave his home. Do not sit around chatting among yourselves. This will annoy the Prophet but he will feel embarrassed to tell you. God does not feel embarrassed to tell you the truth...” (Al-Ahzab 33: 54)

 

This is a reference to a particular incident. Some companions stayed longer than what was proper on this occasion at the home of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) who was anxious to retire for the night. They continued in conversation. Although the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) was inconvenienced by their late stay, he nevertheless refrained from telling them anything. This was in regard to his personal matters and not to such affairs which came within the purview of Tabligh.

 

Hazrat Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri (ra) narrated “The Prophet (pbuh) was more shy (from Haya: i.e. pious shyness from committing religious indiscretions) than a veiled virgin girl.”

Worshipping God, or Idols ?

‘Your God is the one God: there is no god except Him, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy. In the creation of the heavens and earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the ships that sail the seas with goods for people; in the water which God sends down from the sky to give life to the earth when it has been barren, scattering all kinds of creatures over it; in the changing of the winds and clouds that run their appointed courses between the sky and earth: there are signs in all these for those who use their minds.’ (2: 164 -165)

 

Islam privileges an uncompromising belief in the unicity of God as the true religion of people. In the Islamic tradition, the personal name of God is ‘Allah’, and in the Arabic language, ‘Allah’ has no plural, masculine or feminine form; the expression is never used for any other object or being. ‘He is Lord of the heavens and earth and everything in between so worship Him: be steadfast in worshipping Him. Do you know of anyone equal to Him?’ (19:66)

 

‘Say, ‘He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him.’ (112: 2-5)

Many other Qur’anic verses also testify to the Lord’s awe-inspiring presence: ‘Allah is He besides Whom there is no god, the Ever-living, the Self-subsisting by Whom all subsist; slumber does not overtake Him nor sleep; whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His; who is he that can intercede with Him but by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot comprehend anything out of His knowledge except what He pleases, His knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of them both tires Him not, and He is the Most High, the Great.’ (2:256)

Our Covenant with God

 

In theory, a social contract binds the State and the citizen; defining nature of relations, prescribing rules of engagement, and allocating the rights and duties of the Parties involved. In our societies, the basic social unit of family and kingship is also rooted in marriage contracts between husbands and wives; like the Qur’an reminds: “they have taken from you a firm and solemn covenant (by marriage)” (4:22). Similarly, the Qur’an speaks of humanity’s covenant with God through history: an original covenant that prescribes duties that we owe to God and to fellow beings, in return for Divine approval and rewards in this world and the world to come. In the Divine scheme of things under the covenant, those who refuse to respect the terms of engagement by leading a Godless life in this world, and those who ignore His warnings and go on to persecute His believing servants are the real law-breakers, and they are condemned to severe punishment, as per the Will of Allah (swt).

 

Human servitude to the Lord Almighty

Islam teaches us that Allah (swt), the Creator and Sustainer of all the worlds, raised humans with a certain purpose of life, and through Revelations sent via prophets and messengers, He granted clear guidance on how best to spend our days in this world. The Creator, in His infinite kindness, imprinted all human souls with a deep yearning in quest of Him, and the human heart and mind are designed to be truly inclined to recognize the Lord; an intuitive capacity is ingrained in all persons to observe and reflect and recognize and understand the beauty and wisdom of His revelations sent through the prophets and the sages; to find peace and tranquillity by being mindful of His commandments. The Qur’an says: ‘And when your Lord took from the children of Adam, from their loins, their progeny and made them bear witness concerning themselves, “Am I not your Lord Who sustains you?” They said, “Yea, surely, we bear witness (to it and acknowledge it).” (7:173)

The Significance of 'Duah'

Supplicating (to Allah) * Making 'Duah'

 

Duah or supplicating is to petition Allah (twt) for one’s needs and requirements, be such needs mundane or spiritual - be they in regard to one’s worldly affairs or Deeni affairs - whether such affairs and needs are within one’s ability of acquisition or not. In all cases, the Muslim has to supplicate to Allah (twt) for the fulfillment of his needs.

 

Duah for unlawful desires and needs is not permissible. While making duahs, all the lawful means and agencies for the requirement should be harnessed, e.g. the farmer while making duah for his farm to yield should at the same time engage in the means and ways of farming; the one making duah for protection against an enemy should at the same time engage in the ways and means of warding off the enemy; the sick while making duah for recovery should resort to medicine and treatment as well; one involved in litigation should while making duah for success in his court-case, engage the proper means of achieving the success as well; one engaged in the acquisition of Qur’ani and Deeni knowledge should make duah for Barakat [blessings] and success while at the same time study properly and acquire whatever ways are essential for the correct acquisition of knowledge; one involved in Ibaadat [worship of Allah] should strive against the lowly desires and the diversions of Satan and the Nafs [ego/ passion] while at the same time make duah [supplications] for aid from Allah (twt) for sincerity and steadfastness in his acts of worship.

 

In affairs in which physical and material means and agencies have no role to play; one should in entirety resort to only duah, e.g. rainfall [protection against rainfall in case of too much rainfall causing floods etc. & prayers for rainfall in case of drought], protection against plagues, the Satan and the deception of the Nafs, protection from the oppression of cruel persons, etc.

Duah does not mean the mere recitation of some words and the ritual reiteration of words after Salat. The nature of duah consists of petitioning in the court of Allah (twt). The earnestness and concern which people have when making appeals in the courts of the world should at least be adopted when making duah in the court of Allah (twt). When making duah, one’s mind and body have to be concentrated and directed into the purpose of duah. One should never lose hope in the event of fulfilment of the duah being delayed or if fulfilment is not discerned. One has to submit to the Will of Allah (twt). Duah is an appeal of His servants. We have no right to become disillusioned and despondent if we cannot discern acceptance of our duah.

'Taqdir,' 'Tawakkul' & 'Tadbir'

 

Belief in Destiny & Putting One’s Trust in Allah 

The belief that everything which happened, happen and will happen is according to the knowledge, will and command of Allah the Almighty is called Taqdeer [Destiny]. Belief in Taqdeer is compulsory.

The advantages of belief in Taqdeer (Destiny) and Tawakkul (Trust – Here meaning the Trust in Allah) are as follows:

 

No matter what hardship or misfortune befalls one, it will be accepted without panic and the heart will remain strong in the face of such hardships. Strong belief in Taqdeer will indicate that Allah’s wish is in operation and it cannot be opposed. The hardship will disappear only when so desired by Allah the Almighty. Thus the man of Taqdeer [i.e. who truly believes in Taqdeer] accepts what comes his way with contented resignation.

 

One who has understood and accepted this conception of Taqdeer will not be overcome with frustration at the delay in the passing of the hardship. He will not become despondent and lose hope when the misfortune endures for any length of time. He will banish weakness.

 

The adherent of Taqdeer will not adopt unlawful ways and means of combating the difficulty, for he knows that the adversity has been brought about by Allah (twt). He understands well that elimination of the hardship is not possible without the Will of Allah (twt). He therefore realizes the futility of his efforts in trying to eliminate what Allah (twt) has willed. He will thus not unnecessarily court the displeasure of Allah by the adoption of unlawful measures. Why court Allah’s Wrath when one’s purpose cannot be achieved even after having displeased Him?

Poem: 'The Pen of Eternity'

 

 

The pen of my Heart has written, 

has written the thousand wonders 

and the thousand Secrets 

residing in my heart

The red pen of eternity 

has tasted the black ink of its Lord,

The master and the pen forming an indestructible pair,

In the depths of the Heart revealing their interior,

So brilliant and so dazzling

In the sun of his heart, 

the master has found his Master,

Thanks to the pen of eternity of his Heart,

The Master of the pious is at the door, 

at the door of your Heart

Visible is the light that shines in your eyes,

At the door of your Lord 

you dwell day and night,

The favourite of the humble you are,

In this world you are not alone,

Because your Master will always be there,

Your life in His hands,

Your way in His footsteps

Keep Away from 'Shirk'

  

True Oaths in Islam 

And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way. [Al-Baqarah, 2: 187]

Islam teaches man to address his Creator directly. There is no need to use any intermediary. There is no need to go through creatures to join the Creator. It is on earth that man uses this means to reach another person like him. For example, to join a Minister, you have to make an appointment with his secretary and then later you join him [i.e. the Minister].

 

This is the way [of doing] of man. But talking with Allah is so easy that you just have to call on Him, and He will answer your call. If someone offers a sacrifice (e.g. an ox, a hen etc.) to others besides Allah, he is committing Shirk. He has no right to say: “I am doing this sacrifice on the name of such Pir or such Saint.” It’s Shirk.

Revelations of 14 January 2022

 

Allah (swt) is the Lord and Master of the Universe. And Allah loves the doers of good, not those who plot evil and commit injustice. Allah (swt) brings about the days of fortune and misfortune in this world among the believers, with the sole purpose of testing and proving their mettle- to know whether they turn to their Lord with faith; hold patience in adversity, and show sincerity in God’s cause. Hence, the evil-doers will never attain a happy state in permanence, even if fleeting gains might confuse them in the present world for a period. Indeed, the future belongs to the Elects of God and the righteous believers- the true servants of God who believe in the Grace and Help of God and put their full trust in their Lord as the disposer of all affairs.

The Qur’an teaches us a lesson of spiritual life and a sublime Duah from the struggles of the Prophets and devote companions in God's Way:

“And how many a Prophet has had to fight (in God’s cause), followed by many God-devoted men: and they did not become faint of heart for all that they had to suffer in God’s cause, and neither did they weaken, nor did they abase themselves [before the enemy], since God loves those who are patient in adversity; and all that they said was this: ‘Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excesses. Make our feet firm, and give us help against the disbelievers,’ and so God gave them both the rewards of this world and the excellent rewards of the Hereafter: God loves those who do good.” (3:147)

The Keys of Divine Grace

 

‘He has the keys to the unseen: no one knows them but Him. He knows all that is in the land and sea. No leaf falls without His knowledge, nor is there a grain in the darkness of the earth, or anything, fresh or withered, that is not written in a clear Record’. (6:60)

There is not a thing whose storehouses are not with Us. We send it down only according to a well-defined measure’. (15:22)

‘To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He enlarges the provision for whomsoever He pleases and straitens it for whomsoever He pleases. Surely, He knows all things full well’.  (42:13)

‘To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth; and as for those who disbelieve in the Signs of Allah, these it is who are the losers’. (39:64)

‘To Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth: but this truth the hypocrites cannot grasp’ (63:8) 

Through these verses and very many other verses, the Holy Qur’an calls attention to the ultimate sovereign authority and protective power of Allah, the Almighty over the heavens and the earth. He opens the treasuries of provisions, mercy, and knowledge on whoever He wills, and He withholds the same as He alone desires. Indeed, it is Allah Alone who possesses the power to bring blessings of this life- provisions, knowledge, honour and benefits- on anyone. Speaking of this grand Sustainer of the Worlds, Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian once wrote:

Poems of Divine Love

 

The Presence of God 

 

The warmth of Love is lost to him

Who takes to Sin and Vice

The Face of God is hidden from view

It’s this the Evil's price.

 

You see that He is far away

And cannot or doesn't see

You think of doing whatever you like

You feel that you are free.

 

The fact is this and you must know

Wherever you go and hide

Whatever you think, Whatever you do

He is always by your side.

 

If you can see the presence of God

The sin and vice will go.

For sure, He knows and sees us all

It’s this that you must know.

 ******************************

 

 

My Freedom

 

With head on ground

I pray to God

And there I feel so free,

I talk to Him whatever I like.

No frown from Him I see

I talk of this,

I talk of that too 

I talk of everything.

 

My heart and soul are full of joy 

As if they dance and sing