Title: Are our actions accepted? Transcription of a Majlis delivered by: Hadhrat Maulana Shah Abdul Hamid Is haq Sahib Dâmat Barakatuhum

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3 Title: Are our actions accepted? Transcription of a Majlis delivered by: Hadhrat Maulana Shah Abdul Hamid Is haq Sahib Dâmat Barakatuhum Transcribed By: Mufti Mohammed Desai Edited By:- First Edition: Dhul Qa dah 1437 / August 2016 Publication no:- kab 058 Published by: Khanqah Akhtari, Azaadville; Tel:(+2711) /6, Fax: (+2711) , enquiries@ka.org.za; Web: Blog: hameediyyah.blogspot.com

4 CONTENTS FOREWORD... 2 SHUKR... 3 AN IMPORTANT DUA... 3 WHO IS A DEPRIVED PERSON... 4 INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SHUKR... 4 HAS OUR IBAADAT BEEN ACCEPTED?... 5 SEEKING FORGIVENESS ON OUR WUDHU... 6 ALLAH CHOOSES WHOMSOEVER HE WISHES... 8 PREPARATION FOR THE AAKHIRAT... 9 ISTIGHFAAR AT THE END OF SALAAH MERCY OF ALLAH AN EYE OPENING INCIDENT ONLY ALLAH CAN ASSIST US ATTITUDE OF THE SAHAABA THE MERCY OF ALLAH MAINTAIN A BALANCE BETWEEN FEAR AND HOPE VALUE OUR TIME QADHAA FAST AND THE 6 FAST OF SHAWWAL Page 1

5 FOREWORD Normally, at the end of Ramadaan, we are pleased with our actions due to the Ibaadaat carried out during the blessed month of Ramadaan. However, this in no way should bring any sense of pride within us, as a person that possess even an iota of pride will be deprived of Jannat. Hadrat Maulana Abdul Hamid Saheb D.B. has discussed this important subject in this Kitaab which teaches us how to conduct ourselves at the end of Ramadaan. May Allah Ta ala give us the ability to practice upon these advices and benefit fully from this Kitaab. Ameen! Page 2

6 Before Ramadaan a person is concerned whether he will be able to keep the fast of Ramadaan, whether the love of the month will be in the heart or not, whether he will be looking forward to the fasts of the day and nights of Taraweeh, etc. but when Allah gave us the opportunity to worship Him Page 3 احلمدد ا ي هدده الددن عبدده علدد وسدد هللا وكفدد امندد ا اتقدد ا هللا ولتنظدد نفدد الددن مدده اصدد ف قدد مت لغدد ص ق هللا العظيم وتعددهى هللا تبدده قدده فقدد امدده بعدد ط واتقدد ا هللا ط ان هللا خبددر مبدده تعمل ن SHUKR We are now approaching the end of the month of Ramadaan, for which we should express our gratitude to Allah. Shukr is a great Ibaadah yet we are generally very lax and negligent in this matter. Making Shukr is a simple and easy Ibaadat and any person that has attained a reasonable amount of recognition of Allah will always remain grateful unto Allah for His unlimited bounties. AN IMPORTANT DUA We are taught a Dua that should be recited prior to Ramadaan, ل م ض ه ن و س ل م م ض ه ن ى و س ل م ه ى م تد ق ب ا )كنز العم ه ) ا ل ا له م س ل م ن O Allah, keep me safe for Ramadaan, keep Ramadaan safe for me, and keep it safe for me in a manner that it is accepted (for the future)

7 during Ramadaan and fulfil all our duties, then we have no other option but to express gratitude to Allah. Hadratjee Maulana Inaa mul Hassan Saheb mentions, A person that spends his life in the manner he spends Ramadaan, his death will approach him like the day of Eid (a day of happiness). WHO IS A DEPRIVED PERSON There is a discussion amongst the pious people of the past as to who is a deprived person. Obviously, there are different angles and explanations to this question in the Hadith, but amongst the pious servants it refers to a person that stops his Ibaadaat after the month of Ramadaan. After the month of Ramadaan, we may not be able to carry out good deeds at the level that we did in Ramadaan, but we should continue with steadfastness. We should continue with our five times Salaah, Tilaawat, etc. INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SHUKR A diabetic perhaps feared that he will not be able to fast, doctors also feared that he won t be able to manage, yet he managed keeping all his fast, then he should make even more Shukr. Similarly, a person that estimated that he will be able to complete 2 Khatms in Ramadaan but he managed to complete 3 Khatms, he too should express plenty of gratitude. At the same time a person should fear or rather be concerned as to whether his Ibaadat has been accepted or not. Keeping the mercy of Allah before us, we should Page 4

8 have hope that our Ibaadat will be accepted. However, looking at our condition, we should think, where is my Ibaadaat worthy of acceptance? How many pious people after spending their entire lives in the Ibaadat of Allah said, If Allah forgives me, then it is sufficient. HAS OUR IBAADAT BEEN ACCEPTED? There should be some anxiety at the end of Ramadaan whether our Ibaadat has been accepted or not. Hadrat Maulana Muhammad Umar Saheb Palanpuri used to give an example of a meter or a gauge. If the radiator temperature is high, the needle of the temperature gauge will be in the red indicating that the temperature is high and the driver will immediately realise that it is dangerous. At the same time, it is not healthy for the needle to indicate extremely low temperature rather the needle should remain in the middle. If we have too much of hope in the mercy of Allah, it is not a healthy sign as such a person will easily develop pride within himself and as a result regard himself superior to others. A person that could easily develop pride should study the warnings and punishments of Allah, look at his past life (that is at the errors that he has committed) so that a balance is created between fear and hope. If he happens to be on the other extreme whereby he is filled with fear and reached despondency, he feels that his recitation of the Quraan Sharif was incorrect, his istinja is not in order and consequently his Wudhu and Salaah is not Page 5

9 in order then he should keep the mercy of Allah before him. Allah states, ال كلف هللا نفسه اال وسعهه Allah doesn t burden a soul except according to its capacity There are many that do suffer from such Wasaawis as well. Some just go on and on with Istinja thinking that they not clean, Allah has saved us from such illnesses. SEEKING FORGIVENESS ON OUR WUDHU We have been burdened to carry out actions according to our ability as we can never reach where the Ambiya and the Sahaaba had reached. We will take a simple example, if we are to make Wudhu from a Mudd which has a capacity of approximately 750ml of water, we will save quite a bit of water, which many people are managing to do. We are taught in the Hadith to preserve water even though a person happens to be performing Wudhu on a river bank or at the ocean. Unfortunately, we on the other hand waste so much of water, we place our arm under the tap and let water flow, the correct way of washing the arms is by taking water in our hands and washing, and whilst washing the tap should be closed. Let the water flow from the top of the arm and whilst flowing rub the hand. By rubbing the entire hand including the arms once, the Fardh has been fulfilled. We shouldn t be finding fault in this method of Wudhu as this is actually tantamount to finding fault in Rasulullah. Similarly water is taken in one hand from the Mudd and Page 6

10 then both hands are used to wash the face, yet when washing the face under the tap both hands are filled with water whilst the tap is left open, which results in wastage. The Ghusl of Rasulullah would be completed with four Mudds of water which is approximately 3 litres of water and also keep in mind Rasulullah used to grow his hair, which requires extra water yet everything would be washed using 3 litres of water. When this is our condition where can we ever be satisfied with our Ibaadat, we have to make Tauba on our Wudhu. Muslims do not lie down in a bath tub and take Ghusl, perhaps all or many of us utilise a shower which results in excessive wastage of water. Even those using a bucket waste quite a bit of water, whereas Rasulullah would take a complete Ghusl in approximately 3 litres of water. When this is the condition of our Wudhu and Ghusl where can one ever feel content that his acts of Ibaadat are according to requirement! When a person feels proud and happy with himself that he has carried out a great deal of Ibaadat, it is totally disliked by Allah. One spiritual illness is referred to as Ujub (vanity) whilst the other is Takabbur (pride). Takabbur is where a person looks at other Muslims on Eid s day and considers himself as superior as he had spent 40 days in Jamaat or in the Khanqah, or in the Haram Sharif of Makkah, etc. He feels that he had experienced such great difficulty in Ibaadat whilst these people haven t done anything. Due to such behaviour a person is written off by Allah. Page 7

11 ALLAH CHOOSES WHOMSOEVER HE WISHES A wealthy person generally keeps a few writing pens in his pocket or on his desk. He is at liberty to choose any pen from amongst his pens to write out a cheque to the value of ten million Rand. If the pen boasts that I have written a cheque to the value of ten million, the wealthy person can easily choose another pen to fulfil this task. The wealthy are generally moody and would therefore use different pens all the time. It shouldn t be such that when we feel happy with ourselves, Allah replaces us and uses somebody else. Our Sheikh has written, the person that you looking down upon may be raised to a pedestal much higher than you, and it is possible that your good qualities are snatched away and transferred to him. That person then progresses even further than you, therefore never have a holier than thou attitude. Allah states, ا ي هه الن امن ا اتق ا هللا ولتنظ مه ق مت لغ نف ط واتق ا هللا ط ان هللا خبر مبه تعمل ن (Surah Hashr verse 18) O people of Imaan, Fear Allah and every soul should see what it has sent forth for tomorrow, And fear Allah! Verily Allah is fully informed of your actions. The people of Imaan are the friends of Allah, to become a special friend of Allah a person is only required to Page 8

12 possess Taqwa (which is to refrain from the disobedience of Allah ). In this verse, Allah has prescribed an easy way of attaining Taqwa, that is, look at what you have sent forth for the Aakhirah. PREPARATION FOR THE AAKHIRAT If a person is travelling, he ensures that his travel documents, passport, baggage, etc. is in order. How much more prepared shouldn t a person be for his travel to the Aakhirat! Our travel to the hereafter is referred to as tomorrow in this verse, we know as a fact that the day of Qiyaamah is perhaps many years away as there are various signs of Qiyaamah that are still to come, but a person that leaves the world already experiences his Qiyaamah, and no person knows when he will leave the world. A friend had visited a cardiologist many years ago for a check up. The doctor checked him up and found everything to be in order. He left the surgery and collapsed on the pavement due to a heart attack. This was after being certified by the doctor that he was 100% healthy. These things are not in our hands, death can strike at anytime. Now, if a person prepares for death and is prepared to meet his Rabb, then too he shouldn t adopt a holier than thou attitude, therefore Allah says, And fear Allah a second time in the verse. During the month of Ramadaan, Allah blessed us with the Taufeeq of wearing the Sunnah garb which is a great thing in these times, we tried performing our 5 daily Salaah with Takbeer-e-Ula in the first Saff, we kept our fasts, etc. Now Page 9

13 make Shukr, and through the Shukr, Allah will accept our fast and give us the Taufeeq of increasing by keeping additional fasts and being punctual with our Salaah. Together with the Shukr, we should have anxiety whether our Ibaadat has been accepted or not. ISTIGHFAAR AT THE END OF SALAAH The greatest Ibaadat bestowed upon the believers is of Salaah, the greatest teacher was Rasulullah and the greatest student was Sayyiduna Abu Bakr. Rasulullah taught him how to perform Salaah and at the end of Salaah the Masnoon Dua recited is, ال ا لهم ا ن ظلمت نفس ظلمه كثرا وال غف النن ب اال انت فهغف ى مغف ة م وا محن انك انت الغف ال حيم عن O Allah, I have greatly oppressed my soul, and none forgives sins except You, therefore forgive me a complete forgiveness from Your side, and have mercy on me, verily You are Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. Many Sahaaba whilst leaving the world stated, We don t know whether we are entering the pleasure of Allah, or the displeasure of Allah. Rasulullah was dipping his hands in water whilst on his death bed and saying, The pangs of death are difficult. May Allah make it easy for us, that before leaving the world the angels of Rahmat descend with the good news and our souls depart whilst we are reciting Kalimah. Page 10

14 Also, a person shouldn t have vanity, whereby he feels good and happy with himself, after carrying out good deeds. A person that just respects the month of Ramadaan, without carrying out any good deeds is also forgiven in Ramadaan. Allah forgives all! How can we then feel that we are good! Bishr Haafi honoured a piece of paper on which the name of Allah was written and how Allah elevated him! Looking at the mercy of Allah, nobody should be despondent. A person that didn t fast but refrained from eating publicly, or a person that is addicted to alcohol but didn t drink in Ramadaan, can also have hope in the mercy of Allah. A person that fulfilled all the commands of Allah in Ramadaan shouldn t think that only he is accepted in the court of Allah. Keep a balance by thinking of our evil actions, whenever vanity comes into a person. think, what have I done in Deen? داین ںیم ریتی لقع ایک رکیئگ دنی ںیم وہ اہکں رمیئگ What didn t your brains do in Dunya, where did it die in matters of Deen? Page 11

15 MERCY OF ALLAH The mercy of Allah is so great that a 99 year old Kaafir that was to be destined to Jahannam but sincerely recited Kalimah once, will now be going to Jannat, he was a Naari (one of the fire) but will now become a Noori (one full of light), he was hated by Allah but now becomes beloved to Allah. When a person recites Kalimah once sincerely, all his sins are forgiven. When we hear of these virtues we should act upon the narration immediately, by reciting Kalimah from our hearts. Hadrat Maulana Maseehullah mentioned, If a person whilst sitting in a gathering, listening to some talk of Deen realises that he is a great sinner, and after hearing of the kindness and mercy of Allah repents, then he is blessed with the crown of Wilaayat immediately. Perhaps he is a drunkard, he is far from being displayed as a Wali or he is a womaniser, gambler, a clean shaven person, but he has been crowned with the friendship of Allah immediately. It is for this reason that we are taught in the Hadith never to look down upon anyone. It is possible that the person has attained the friendship of Allah yet you are looking down upon him. Sometimes we say sarcastically, You also came for Eid Salaah. By this we mean, that you never come for Salaah, where did you come from today? On Eid day, sometimes the Imaam is told to wait a few minutes for the late comers when someone in the gathering shouts out, They don t Page 12

16 perform Salaah throughout the year, what you waiting for them? Refrain from such statements! AN EYE OPENING INCIDENT There was a great worshipper during the time of Essa that engaged in excessive Ibaadat of Allah. There was also a great sinner living in the same era. Once Essa was walking, and this great worshipper fell at the feet of Essa, who was a great Nabi of Allah. The sinner was watching this from a distance and felt extremely remorseful thinking of his terrible condition, and looking at the lofty status of these great personalities. When the worshipper saw the sinner, he thought to himself, this is a great sinner and thus made Dua, O Allah, let me not be anywhere near him on the day of Qiyaamah. Due to such attitude, Allah decided that he will send the worshipper to Jahannam. Many great Sufis were destroyed due to their pride. Previously, the world was inhabited by the Jinn who are rebellious by nature, so Allah destroyed them. Iblees was also from amongst the Jinn but was extremely pious due to his worship of Allah. Due to the intercession of the angels, he was accepted to stay amongst the Malaaikah. Now, Iblees thought that he will be appointed as the vicegerent of Allah on the earth, but to his amazement Adam was appointed as the Khalifa of Allah on earth. He therefore objected using his logic. He said, He is created from sand whereas I am created from fire, thus I am superior. As a result he failed to fulfil the command of Allah by prostrating to Adam. Page 13

17 Sometimes a Mashwera is made whilst we in Jamaat as to who should deliver the Bayaan. We think that we are most deserving and should be appointed to conduct the programme, but another is chosen for this task. The person hoping to be selected for this task then gets a feeling in his heart, why was that person appointed? A natural feeling that one experiences is beyond one s control, but it is dangerous when one builds on it. Even worse is when a person goes on speaking about it and even objects, why was so and so made the Ameer? This type of problem is common in various departments of Deen. Sometimes the Sheikh gives a person Khilaafat, another person feels that he is more worthy of it, why was it given to this person? These illnesses are quite common amongst the worshippers of Allah. Through worship, servitude suppose to come into a person, but this person in the time of Essa regarded himself as someone great. Sometimes a person regards himself as more superior on account of his knowledge. Sometimes people kiss your hands and refer to you as Hadrat, this also brings pride easily into a person. Some of our Saathies say, We also wish that people make Musaafaha with us, kiss our hands, etc. These are things that could be dangerous and we should be made alert of these things. An important point to take note of, this incident doesn t give us the licence to sin, it doesn t mean that every sinner will go to Jannat. This particular sinner was feeling guilty over his actions, therefore he was blessed with such a lofty rank, Page 14

18 else there is no comparison between a person that obeys Allah and the one that sins. ONLY ALLAH CAN ASSIST US How high is the status of that Aa bid that doesn t have pride! He worships Allah but is on his guard at all times. Shaytaan attacks each person differently; he won t take an Aabid to the cinema or casino. He will allow him to engage in his Ibaadat but attacks him by bringing pride into his Ibaadat and causes him to object on other Ulema, which is quite common, also one Aabid commonly objects on another Aabid, thus we should be on our guard in regards to these things. We can t even protect ourselves, rather it is only Allah that can help us. Hadrat Hakim Saheb says, Our work will only get done with the Fadhl of Allah, we are just hoping that Allah makes Fadhl on us. There is no power of turning away from sin and no ability to do good except by the might of Allah. We are continuously in need of the help of Allah, and it is only this help that will save and protect a person. ATTITUDE OF THE SAHAABA We should never think that we are safe from the plan of Allah. When Shaytaan was expelled from Jannat, Jibraeel, Michaeel, and others stood shocked for years. Seeing their condition, Allah asked, Why are you people like this? They replied, There isn t a span of ground where Shaytaan didn t make Ibaadat, he was such an Alim that he knew the Shariat of all the Ambiya with the finer points, he was an Aarif, yet he was expelled from Jannat. Our Sheikh Page 15

19 writes that he wasn t an Aashiq (lover) of Allah, a lover doesn t follow logic but simply does as he is told. Allah told them, This is the attitude that is required, always be afraid of your end result. Never think that you are accepted by Allah. Naaz is a serious thing, where a person feels that he is okay and doesn t need to worry. The Sahaaba in spite of their high and lofty ranks, and living in the best of eras feared hypocrisy. After performing Salaah, we should be concerned as to whether our Salaah has been accepted or not. It is mentioned in the Hadith, the Salaah of the servants are accepted according to the quality of their Salaah, but there are those people upon whom their Salaah is flung back. We don t know the condition of our Salaah and should always beg of Allah to accept our Salaah, and constantly fear. We should also make this Dua which will be beneficial, O Allah! Throughout my life, I had performed Salaah, performed Haj, discharged Zakaat, etc., these were outward forms, put reality into them. If for any reason they were rejected, You are most Kind and will still accept it. If I had destroyed any Ibaadat due to ostentation, place them back on record and in fact increase the reward even more than before. Page 16

20 THE MERCY OF ALLAH Allah is Kareem (Most Generous), Raheem (Most Merciful), Rahmaan (Most Beneficient)thus we have great hopes in Allah. Imaan is between the fear of the Allah and the mercy of Allah. If we look at the quality of our actions we will lose hope, but if we have to look at the mercy of Allah then no person will ever become despondent. A man that murdered 100 people was forgiven when he repented, an evil woman that provided water for a thirsty dog was forgiven. Hajee Ahmad Nakhooda Saheb mentioned that an old lady was speaking Arabic whilst on her death bed. The Qari Saheb from the Masjid was called to explain what she was saying. Her words were as follows, هنا ال ج ن ق الن ى ا خل اجلن ة These two men are telling me, enter into Jannah She was speaking fluent Arabic whereas she never understood a word of Arabic. The people were all astonished at this, as she was not considered as a very pious person. One particular quality in her was that she always requested people to keep silent when the Adhaan would be called. Respecting the Adhaan is a great thing but our actions prove otherwise, we do not reply to the Adhaan. If Allah has to look for our faults, nobody will be successful on the day of Qiyaamah, except the Ambiya who are sinless, but Allah looks for little excuses and grants a person Jannat. Page 17

21 MAINTAIN A BALANCE BETWEEN FEAR AND HOPE We should maintain a balance, on one side the anxiety whether our Ibaadat has been accepted or not, whilst on the other side we should have hope in the mercy of Allah, that He has accepted all our Ibaadaat. The mercy of Allah is so great that the Hadith states, When a person recites Quraan Sharif, an angel is appointed to rectify his incorrect recitation and it is then presented before Allah in the correct manner. This is like a person that writes an article and requests another person to check it out and correct all errors; it is then presented in a wonderful manner with all corrections completed. We cannot imagine the mercy of Allah. The doors of Taubah are opened throughout the year and to a greater extent in Ramadaan. The night of Qadr, the night of Baraa at, the night of Jumuah are all occasions of Taubah. Appreciate the night and day of Jumuah, there are those people in our country that don t attend even to a phone call from Thursday Maghrib until Friday Maghrib as the entire family is involved in reciting Durood. We are really very far! VALUE OUR TIME We should learn to appreciate time. During the month of Ramadaan, every moment is extremely valuable. The reward of a Nafl is equal to a Fardh and a Fardh is multiplied by seventy. The opportunity to say a single Subhanallah whilst we are living is a great bounty. Sheikh Abdul Fattah Abul Ghuddah explained that he visited India where he met a Buzurg. There were two exits to his room. There were two sandals in his room, perhaps one at Page 18

22 each exit; he had initially thought that perhaps the Buzurg was extravagant. We shouldn t test any person, we like testing people very quickly. He enquired from the Buzurg the reason for having two sandals; he didn t go around informing one and all that the Buzurg was extravagant but enquired from him. We won t ask the person the reason but we will spread it in the world. The Buzurg replied, When I leave the room from a particular exit I use the sandal that is ready for use there, and when I exit from the other exit, there is a sandal ready for use there, in this way I save quite a bit of time as I don t have to pick up the sandal from the opposite direction. Many of us want to save money but we do not think of saving time. We think that it will cost me R200 to get a certain job done, so I rather do it myself. In that time we can recite one Para of Quraan Sharif, and the value of one Para far exceeds the value of a meagre R We don t think of saving time, yet we save in monetary terms. Allah has taken Qasm on Fajr (dawnbreak), Asr (time), the night, the day, etc. If we only carry along with us the value and importance of time from this Ramadaan until next Shabaan, we would be carrying along a great amount. Page 19

23 QADHAA FAST AND THE 6 FAST OF SHAWWAL We should try and keep the 6 fasts of Shawwal as advised in the Ahadith. If any fasts were broken, then keep the Qadhaa. Our Nafl Salaah will cover up for the deficiency in the Faraaidh. Unfortunately, we don t attach any importance to Nawafil but we will see the value of it on the day of Qiyaamah. Again, don t let pride creep into us! Don t take off with our family members, don t find fault with the young ones. We tend to forget that at one stage we were also young, today we finding fault with this young Hafiz but where were we at his age what was our condition? Today, Allah made fadhl on us, so we running down people, looking down upon them. If this quality comes into us naturally, we should make Shukr and if it doesn t come into us naturally, bring it into us. Leave from our I tikaaf with this anxiety. Eid is a day of enjoyment thus rejoice, the rejoicing of the day of Eid is that Allah blessed us with the month of Ramadaan and Allah granted us the Taufeeq of observing the month of Ramadaan correctly. May Allah accept from us all! Ameen! Page 20

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