Sembang Kopi II: Jema'ah

AF: ko join [jema’ah play safe] ke [jema’ah perjuangan kebenaran mutlak] ke ape kat sane?
ID: soalan sensitif
ID: ade [jema’ah perjuangan kebenaran mutlak] ke ?
ID: kat us ade?
ID: silap canada
AF: takde
ID: ape kate ko jd pengembang sayap
AF: mati aku

AF: har ko join [jema’ah perjuangan kebenaran mutlak] er?
ID: weih, aku tak ckap aku join mane
AF: btw aku join [jema’ah yg agak dilaknat] sini
ID: uhh, [jema’ah yg agak dilaknat] tu

ID: perlu official ke dlm menjoin program or aktiviti?
AF: aku rase tak perlu pon
ID: however it is the way utk berdakwah whichever is the best n suits us, kite gune kan?
AF: hoho
AF: ade hadith
AF: tangan Allah dalam jema'ah
AF: jd mcm mane tu?
ID: baru nak keluarkan ayat yg same
ID: terkene dulu
AF: ceh... nak kenekan aku
AF: but aku ade counter
AF: sesetengah mufassir hadith tak tafsir hadith tu as in join organized jema'ah. Umat islam sendiri tu dah jema'ah.

ID: meaning we can do it independently la?
AF: why not?
AF: ttp erm
AF: mengikut cerite
AF: baguih la join jema'ah
AF: dapat 'tarbiyah'
AF: so ape verdict ko ttg jema'ah?
ID: verdict?
ID: mengikut kata fathi yakan, menggabungkan diri dlm islam adalah asas, penggabungan diri dlm jemaah islam
ID: adalah satu bahagian yg tidak bercerai tanggal daripada menggabungkan diri dalam islam
ID: in conclusion, jum kita fikir

AF: hoho
AF: hmm menarik
AF: jd ape tindakan praktikal ko pulak?
AF: berdasarkan falsafah ko tu
ID: perlu tau ke?
AF: hoho.. tidak2
AF: js wondering

ID: kita cari jemaah yg seswai dgn waqi' negara kita
AF: pandai jugak ko berpusing2
AF: maybe someday i'll be convinced dgn falsafah ko ttg jema'ah ni
ID: ces, try bace buku fathi yakan
ID: apa ertinya saya menganut islam
ID: sebenarnye, even kalau msk jemaah pun, kalau setakat msk atas name n tunggu diberi tarbiyah, memang tak bergerak sangat la kite, try jg penggerak tu

AF: jd boleh ke aku join [jema’ah yang agak dilaknat]?
ID: ape hujah ko menjoin
AF: 1. sebab takde jema'ah lain
AF: 2. maybe boleh betulkan dr dalam <--- ni poyo je, aku pon tak percaye sangat
AF: 3. mereke support activism islamic dan tak buat bende2 hedonistic dan sebagainye
ID: mcm penah dgr point 2nd tu.
AF: hahaha....
AF: lek2

ID: ape2 pon, jgn terlampau idealistic, make sure bergerak

p/s: Why do I usually get only clichéd conversation off late. I’m so bored! But I have to put up with it I guess. No other way around nowadays, good old days are gone.. gone.. going.. gone...

p/s2: The content of the conversation doesn’t necessarily reflect my view.

p/s3: As days go by, I am more convinced that [jema'ah yang agak dilaknat] is actually a cancer.

Altruism II

My housemate is from Dubai, so I am being introduced to the social dynamics of this megalopolis by him. He is a good friend: I am always scolded by him for not following such and such sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w. What a blessing! We will part ways soon - at least not living together anymore. This is a nice video about a woman with tremendous rahmah who is doing social work at Dubai:

"The meaning of being a Muslim is you are a human rights activist. The minute you pronounce the shahadah you become a human rights activist"

Certainly I have done nothing to be called a human rights activist! Ops...

Altruism

"None of you truly believes (in Allah and in His religion) until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself"

Al-Bukhari & Muslim

"Always strong and patient, to protect my Love and Way of Life"

Seri Negara

He told me that "my Love" is love of Allah and "Way of Life" is Islam.

p/s: Sometimes I feel that I am too weak and fragile for this world

Some Musing on Film

I rarely watch Malay films. The only Malay film I remember watching was Mukhsin, and I don't like it. The liberal element that the director tried to put into the story is just so blatant, so I was fumed with the agenda. Having said that, I have to admit that the vast majority of Malays out there are fast becoming like Mukhsin - sadly. But I won't give credit to the film for potraying the reality of our society, because I believe the theme of the story was put up with an agenda, not as a critique.

Somehow - not under normal circumstances - I watched Zombi Kampung Pisang pretty recently. Well, I watched snippets of the movie rather than the whole thing - the latter would put me to sleep. I was left wondering as to why would anyone make such a movie? Better still, how can anyone feel entertained by it? Maybe it's just beyond me.

“Ada antara filem hantu yang tidak menyumbang kepada pembentukan insan, tambahan apabila ditonton oleh kanak-kanak boleh mempengaruhi pemikiran mereka," Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin.

I don't see any point either in making substansive films that probably can win awards, but they promote messages and cultures that are - simply put - pointless. I know some people who rave about some Malay films which are substansive, with good story line, etcetera, but they failed to spot the messages or agendas behind the film, which are actually antithesis to the ideals that they hold. To me that is schizophrenic; it's like raving about how nice the black leather of an electric chair is, without realizing that you are the next person who is going to sit on that mega-volt killing machine. Worse, some people don't even realize it's an electric chair.

“Kita tidak boleh asyik melahirkan filem yang penuh dengan kekarutan sehingga mempengaruhi minda masyarakat kita,” Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin.

Put aside hollywood movies, they have expert psychologists, propagandists, and masterminds behind them in their bid to dominate the world; to control the mind of human being; to control the thought process of human being. Plus, whatever direction their civilization wants to go is up to them. It is their influence that we should be wary of, because we live for the akhirah, not just for the ephemeral dunya.

Lastly, in an age where people of knowledge have little integrity, only few will stand up and make their voices heard.

Dr. Asri juga mengingatkan karyawan filem supaya tidak menghasilkan filem yang bercanggah dengan agama.

“Walaupun sesuatu filem tidak semestinya mempromosikan agama, tetapi mereka tidak boleh menghasilkan filem yang bercanggah dengan agama. Filem seram boleh dihasilkan, tetapi kesimpulannya mesti menunjukkan bahawa syaitan dan jin tidak mempunyai kuasa,” katanya.

Dr. Asri juga mencadangkan supaya diwujudkan satu program antara karyawan filem dengan ulama dan beliau sudah berbincang dengan Finas untuk mengadakan program berkenaan.

Just what is happiness?

"Many people cannot differentiate between excitement or happiness or tranquility of the soul. Or maybe they have not achieved happiness, although they often feel the excitement or passion" Dr. Asri Zainal Abidin

“Just what is happiness?”, an existential question that each one of us always ask ourselves - whether we do it consciously or not. Not to mention, philosophers, psychologists, neurobiologists, and theologians are trying hard to demystify ’happiness’. In the end, we, human being are constantly trying to find happiness in our lives. Almost everything that we do to certain extend is done because we are trying to search for ’happiness’ - regardless whether we actually find it or not. I come to the conclusion that there are two types of happiness in this world: One that is based on short burst of passion or excitement and the other one is based on a deep sense of inner tranquility.

Eating food makes you happy, having sex makes you happy (I presume), bungee jumping gives you the exhilaration of adrenaline, drugs give you ecstasy (I presume), so on and so forth. The modern society has perfected the art of attaining this type of happiness - with television, computer, other technological advancements, big houses, fast cars, and other luxuries. Inspite of that, humankind has lost sense of the real meaning of happiness. Humankind is captivated by a false sense of happiness that this world has to offer. The search for a utopia in this world - wahn is the ‘islamic term’ I presume - that modernity is obsessed with has captivated even muslims. Nights out at bars, dress to impress - or kill? - rock concerts, parties, etcetera are available to feed a modern person’s hunger for the elusive happiness. Yet, there is a palpable sense of disconnectedness and emptiness that a modern person feels. The betrayal of the state of fitra and the stop-gate that is put on the religious impulse has led to the modern society’s spiral into oblivion.

Seyyed Hossein Nasr argues that an old sage who lives in an old village at Africa knows more about the human nature than the philosophers or the humanities professors nowadays. The second type of happiness can be achieved only when the heart is docile towards the Divine Law. The texture of this kind of happiness is different than the first one - anyone who has feel it before will testify to this fact. Unfortunately, I can’t even describe it here - If I try it will be a very terrible attempt. Ya ayyuhan nafsul mutma’innah irji’i ila rabbik radiyatan mardiyah (”O you Tranquil Soul, return to Your Lord, well pleased, and well-pleasing unto Him!”) [Holy Qur’an 89:27-28]

“So what kind of happiness are you trying to find?”, an existential question that is - perhaps - meant to be rhetorical.

Sabda Nabi s.a.w: “Sesiapa yang akhirat itu tujuan utamanya, maka Allah jadikan kekayaannya dalam jiwanya. Allah mudahkan segala urusannya dan dunia akan datang kepadanya dengan hina (iaitu dalam keadaan dirinya mulia). Sesiapa yang menjadikan dunia itu tujuan utamanya, maka Allah akan letakkan kefakirannya antara kedua matanya. Allah cerai beraikan urusannya, dan dunia pula tidak datang kepadanya melainkan dengan apa yang ditakdirkan untuknya (iaitu dalam keadaan dirinya hina)”. (Riwayat al-Tirmizi, dinilai hasan oleh al-Albani)

Al-Ghazali - The Alchemist of Happiness

You must buy the original dvd if you watch it because it is copyrighted. What holds you back from supporting production companies and distributors that produce good films about Islam?

The Effects and Need of Dhikr II

These are notes from Sheikh Abdul Mun’im Burkhes halaqa taken by my friend. The Shaikh explained Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya's (rahimahullah) book al-Wabil as-Sayyib min Kalim at-Tayyib (Abundant Showers from the Good Word). This session was on the chapter: 'The 'Effects (and need) of Dhikr'.

Recap: Reminding us that a human being goes through 3 types of situations:

-enjoying with bounties and everything is fine. The human should offer thanks with the tongue, body parts and hearts

-going through hardships, difficulties, trials, means that a person should be patient in heart, tongue and body parts.

-when one falls into sin, the duty of the person is to repent and seek forgiveness from Allah SWT and turn back to Him

This is the way to establish ‘Ubudiya (servitude) based upon complete love and humility to Allah SWT. This entails that you will humble and love Allah SWT much before anyone else. You can’t achieve this without a straight and steadfast heart; the first way is to give precedence to loving Allah SWT over anything else and anything else. Also, to give respect to order and the prohibitions (i.e. complying to the standards). Therefore, giving due respect will show that you truly love Allah SWT.

He went on to clarify that one to give due respect it is that you do not oppose these orders/prohibitions and you don’t expose them of going overboard and transgress limits or being too lax and falling short of reaching the straight path. The object of Shaytan, is to get a servant out of the Straight Path and he doesn’t care how this will happen; he assesses a person’s character (i.e. strong and ambition) would make a person go overboard or if he is lazy (i.e. too easy-going) then he will make things so relaxed that the person would fall short of the Straight Path.

Thus, one should be careful of this and the following of the rules correctly. Therefore explanations shouldn’t be given to Allah SWT’s commands; you don’t philosophize Allah’s sayings-there is Wisdom behind these acts-following it is what is required.

A Hadith that talks about excellence and dhikr under Al-Harith Al-Ashari says as follows:

-5 words were said to Yahya AS, son of Zakariya AS by Allah SWT to the Children of Israel. Yahya AS was going to delay but Isa AS warned him-he said that either you command them, or I will command them. Yahya said that either I will be tormented if you do this before me or open the earth. He said to the people after gathering them:

1. Worship Allah-don’t associate any partners with Him. A man who bought a slave with his pure money and told the slave to work in the house and whatever fruits from the work should be given to the master. That slave used to work and used to give the benefit to other than the owner. The Prophet SAW warned against this..

2. Allah orders you to pray; do not turn your faces as surely Allah SWT turns his face as long as the person doesn’t turn his face.

3. Order you to fast; the parable of fasting is a man in a group with a bag full of musk. Everybody was amazed and wondering at this very nice scent. Surely, the Prophet SAW said the scent of the fasting person is better in the sight of Allah SWT than the fragrance of musk.

4. Order to give charity (Sadaqa); the example of that is the example of a person captivated by the enemy. They tied up his hands to his neck and brought him forward to chop of his neck. The prisoner said: I will save myself with whatever himself and was saved from the captivation of the enemy.

5. Remember Allah-the example of that is the example of that is the enemy who runs after a man very fast to a point that they came to a fortified fort and the escaper protected himself from him. The person only can protect himself from Shaytan through remembering Allah SWT.

Now, the Prophet SAW ordered with five more commandments:

1. Allah has commanded to perform Jihad, stick to Jam’ah: the one who drifts away from the group even a hand-span has basically abandoned Islam like taking off a garment except if he returns. The one who calls by the call of Jahiliyah, (e.g. chauvinism, fanaticism, tribalism, etc), then he is from the people of Jahanam. A man asked the Prophet SAW, even if the person prayed and fast-the Prophet SAW said that even if he claimed he is a Muslim thus he suggested to call by the call of Allah.

Explanation of the first part:

Tawheed: the Prophet SAW mentioned that every Muslim should memorize and understand in this great Hadith what protects/saves one from Shaytan-how the person would attain success and salvation in this life and the Next. Thus, he explained the parable of the Muwahhid and Mushrik. The Muwahhid is like the one who worked for his Master, and gave to his Master, the gain of what he has been employed for. As for the Mushriq, he is like the one who works for the master but gives the fruits and harvest of the work to other than his owner. This is the parable of the mushrik. He works for other than Allah SWT in the land that belongs to Allah SWT and draws closer to the enemy based on the bounties Allah SWT gave to him. If a slave would be like this on earth, he would be hated and expelled even because of his inconsiderate work and the master would be so angry will being a mere created being.

They are both bestowed by the bounties of Allah SWT so if this is the case, what about the Lord of the Worlds who no bounty on the face of the Earth gives good except Him and no one repels evil except Him and single-handedly created his servant, ran affairs of the servant, gave him sanctity from sickness, gave him provision.. So then, how is it fitting for a slave to give love to the same meaning to a servant of Allah than Allah? How can he swear by someone like this or treat someone other than Allah the same way? Or fear him? Or anything else that is from the Worship of Allah? This would be a very dangerous condition indeed and the situation of these people (mushrikeen) what you witness from their conditions, statements and actions, you will see as if they are saying that they love Allah’s rivals whether they are living or dead so he said their condition witnesses against them. This is a Shirk (association of partners with Allah) WHICH Allah Never Forgives. Surah Nisa: 48 affirms this-that Allah will never forgive for such an instance but Allah SWT may forgive for anything else to whoever He wills SWT.

Oppression/transgression/wrongdoing with Allah SWT has three categories:

-1. A category where Allah SWT will not forgive anything: that is Shirk.

-2. There is a second category where Allah doesn’t leave any of it-holding the human accountable for any condition where oppression by humans by other humans where Allah SWT will take the rights of the oppressed ones will get back the rights and justice is fully served.

-3. Allah SWT doesn’t give any weight/consideration to it: that is oppression that a human being commits against his ownself between himself and Allah SWT other than Shirk. Whatever else between you and Allah, the person will not give any weight to those sins. This category of oppression is the lightest of the types of oppression and the fastest of being erased by repentance and seeking forgiveness and doing good deeds that wash away the sins. Also, the sins that are between you and Allah can be washed through calamities that befall you-this would expiate the sins and washing it away to a point where even if a thorn pinches you, then there is reward in that (Hadith). Only a believer has this-if he goes through good, he is thankful, if he’s in bad, he is patient. This is the category Allah doesn’t give weight to because it can be erased so easily Inshallah. Unlike the categories above that contain Shirk, then it can’t be erased except by Tawhid and the category of sins/oppressions while the second type of oppressions, can’t be washed except by asking the people to forgive and pardon you for what you are done or giving them back there rights.

The Sheikh said since the Shirk in worship with Allah was the gravest of the three categories in Allah’s Sight, he prohibited Paradise for these peoples. None so who will enter Paradise if that soul had Shirk in it. Rather, the Paradise will only be for the people of Tawhid and this is the key to the door of Paradise. So the one who doesn’t have the key of tawheed, then he can’t enter because it’s door will not be opened. Likewise if one brought a key that has no teeth of it, is struck by the same problem; the one who comes with such can’t open the door-the teeth of the key are the pillars of Allah, Jihad, commanding good, forbidding evil, kindness to parents, joining kin, etc. SUBHANALLAH…

Thus the one who has a key with the teeth (commands of Allah), will come to the door and have it’s key to a door that can be opened except if the key is perfectly fitting. If there are evil deeds and big problems a person did, then the person would be jailed from Jannah till he is cleansed from these flaws, burdens. That will be if he is not cleansed by the Day of Judgment and all the hardships that people go through on it-a very hard day that doesn’t even start until an intercessor is found (the Prophet SAW). Thus if those sins were not even erased, then, he has to enter into the fire in order to cleanse the filth from the fire and then can be taken from it and enter to Paradise. For Paradise is the abode of good people unless if the people are fully pure. Allah SWT said that the ones who the Angels take their souls while they are good: Nahl: 32, Zumar:73 [And those who feared their Lord, were taken to Paradise in groups till their doors are opened and the guardians say “Salam Alaykum”. You have been pure so enter it to stay there perpetually-forever]. No one enters except if they are perfectly pure-even those with Tawhid if they have some filth by any means of cleansing, so that the filth or dirt and qualify for Paradise. As for the Fire, it is the abode of filth-statements, actions, food, drinks. It is the abode of the filthy people [Anfal: 37-So that Allah will distinguish the filthy from the pure and make the filth crammed together and put it in Jahanam-such are the losers]. Thus, there is nothing but Khabeeth.

Since the people are upon three degrees, some good are not marred by any filth, some filth that has no purity in it or some filth and some goodness in it; since people are like this, then the abode and homes of the next life are three… Homes for those who are completely good and pure and the other home is for those who are completely filthy-these two homes will never perish and they will remain forever. There is an abode for the one who has good and bad; this is the abode/home that will vanish, that is the home of the disobedient ones. No one of the sinners amongst those upon Tawhid never stays forever in Jahanam. They are punished to how much is deserved and they will be removed from the Fire and enter Paradise, entering only to a complete state. This part deals with the example on Tawhid.

Baseline: The Muwahhid is like the slave who works and delivers the harvest to the owner. Shirk is the worst sin ever that Allah doesn’t ever forgive.

The Effects and Need of Dhikr I

These are notes from Sheikh Abdul Mun’im Burkhes halaqa taken by my friend. The Shaikh explained Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya's (rahimahullah) book al-Wabil as-Sayyib min Kalim at-Tayyib (Abundant Showers from the Good Word). This session was on the chapter: 'The 'Effects (and need) of Dhikr'.

One who cares, will stay away from prohibitions and their places.

One who glorifies Allah will hate/get angry for Allah SWT and feel sad about this.

One of the signs that one is giving due respect is for him not to go on with practicing actions which are allowed to the point of going overboard.

An example is this is the Sunnah about waiting for Salatul Dhuhr-waiting for a cooler time. He said, for one to take the allowance and stretch it to the extreme, would be consider very wrong. The time of Asr may be about to come and this is going overboard.

The wisdom behind allowing Dhuhr to pass to a cooler time is because the heat would be discomforting so the legislation allowed delay to later, when the heat of the sun, would cool off. This would achieve the objective of the Salat and being in a state of greater Khushoo.

One example is that the one who is attentive shouldn’t pray when the food is readily available/wants to relieve himself. This is to be avoided because the person would be bothered in the Salat and so the objective of the Salat wouldn’t be achieved. And so, part of the Fiqh showing someone has understanding in the religion is to get rid off whatever is busying his mind. His Salat would thus be ready to focus on the Salat-thus making his heart empty from any other business and turned to Allah SWT. All of the body parts are in attention and two Rakat of this quality Salat could lead to all the sins of the servant to be washed away.

The traveler to combine between the Salat because of the difficulty a person would face on travelers. There is thus an allowance for the person to combine the prayer. If one stays in the same place is in the same way-it is not a regular way-combining the Salat is a temporary allowance. As for Al-Qasr (shortening), this is a regular Sunnah-and there is no excuse in this matter. For the other case, it is an allowance. If one travels, always shorten the Salat but combining them, do it if needed otherwise pray on time.

Another example, filling the stomach with food is an allowance. One shouldn’t go to an extreme such that they would reach to a point of extreme fullness-the stomach would thus take all his attention before and after the food. Rather, the servant should be hungry and full sometimes. While a person still desires it, he should leave some of it and the scale to do it is the Hadith: 1/3 for food, 1/3 for drink and 1/3 for air.

As for one treating the prohibitions with the extreme of taking it too easy, will take one out of the straight path. Exaggerations and hardness is the other side. The one who has waswasa with wudhu-one goes into the extreme and misses the Salah-he might then miss the Rakah, etc. One example is when a man said full proclaimed Niyyah in the Haram. A Bedouin next to him said ‘say the time and place’ when the person was about to start.. Thus, one should say the Niyyah in his mind as mistakes may happen-one may become too extreme. Thus one could leave something that is disliked up to even being liked.

The scholar brings the point of eating only what is Halal-thus he wouldn’t eat the food of the general persons even. Thus some of the worshippers prevent themselves from eating anything in the Muslim land and this person is bringing the food only that is brought from Christian lands-he spends someone specially to bring some type of food thus the person has cause the person to fall into evil thoughts on Muslims and good thought of others.

Then to give due regard to the orders and prohibitions is for one to not oppose them by extreme laxity or extreme hard application. Allah SWT wouldn’t order anything unless that the Shaytan has two ways of misguiding. The Shaytan doesn’t care which one of the two he causes the person to fall into. Rather, the Shaytan goes into the heart of a Muslim and tries to analyze and evaluate it. If he found if the person finds shortness from applying/relax/taking things slowly/found of allowances, then he will grab him from this way and will slow him down even more-making his lazy and slowing down and cold-hearted (no desire). The door of falsehood may be opened and the person applies what Allah doesn’t order at all.

If one founds someone paying importance and doing good and rising to the challenge, then Shaytan will cause the person to strive excessively and that the will power is higher than this and that the person should do more than others-I.e not cool off, not sleep, not fast, etc. This extreme action would making his transgress the Straight Path. The objective of the Shaytan is to transgress both people and this relates to the Hadith on this. Most of the creation was tried with these two ways and nothing will save one from this than firm Iman, knowledge and desire to stick to moderation and being balanced.

The signs of glorifying Allah and his orders is for one not to explain for the order that would lead someone to be weak in surrendering to Allah SWT. Thus he should try to carry out the wisdom of the order and if the Hikma becomes apparent, then the person will not just leave things completely. Such as with people who are hypocrites who called themselves Sufis-Allah SWT legislated 5 daily prayers and for the heart and the body parts to be used in worshiping Allah SWT. Allah gave every body part the share of servitude- Salat is one of the highest types of worship and Allah created the Son of Adam and made the heart the place for his treasures-of faith, Tawheed, Ikhlas, love, shyness/modesty, glorifying, watching, etc. Allah SWT made the reward for this Son of the Adam when he comes to Him, Allah made the reward the best and highest of Reward-to look and be close to Allah SWT in Paradise.

The heart of the person is the treasure chest and yet, Allah tested the Son of Adam with lusts, desires, anger and heedlessness. Allah SWT tried him with the enemy-Iblees who never stops plotting against him-he enters towards part of his nature and the Son of Adam inclines because he is inclined to these desires.

The Shaytan, the self of the human being and his desires are the three parts that come together upon the servant of Allah and order him. These three thing s will make the body parts achieve and do what they want and thus, the body part are just following instructions. Thus, the affairs of the body parts of the human will continue to obey these three things thus causing the Abd to be in trouble. Allah SWT necessitated that Son of Adam would be helped by soldiers and arms by which the servant would fight. Thus Allah SWT sent down a messenger and His Book and supported him with the Noble Angel. Sometimes, one party may take over and the winner is the one who Allah SWT protects. To face Shaytan, the Angel was sent and the soul is made at peace/tranquility not to do that. If the soul that orders him to do evil, then the peaceful soul would ask him to do good deeds. The person may order one over another and the authority would go to one who beats the other-maybe one of these two souls will be defeated that it will never rise again. In the face of the Shaytan is the Angel and to face evil is goodness and to face desires, is light, insight and intellect that stops one from following the desires. They warn the person of entering to Haram and destruction.

If one goes after the desires, one would be snatched and the person would obey the advisor, seeing the guidance and go after the desires at times. The person may obey good advice or not and the thieves may attack him-the person would wonder at his condition then and the strange thing is that the person truly knows from where he was taken and why. He knows the road which he took where the wrongdoing occurs but the person continues with this because it has taken authority over him. If he weakened this guide by opposing him and shun evil then he will not be able to take over. But in the other case, if the person gives his hand out to an enemy, would captivate and severely hurt him. The human being is captive to desire, self, Shaytan in such a situation and wants to be rescued but it’s impossible. Since the servant was tried and tested, he was helped with tools, forts, etc.

Striving against the enemy is his mission one is to fortify oneself-staying at the borderline, being on guard till death. The time one is required at this state is a very small period of time and it may be soon to se e the Great King and one would be relieved. Thus, the King would let him to be free and the enemy has been jailed. Thus the enemy was ou in the worst imprisonment and so there is no relief while you may do whatever you desire, your eyes are cooled for being patient for a small period of time as if the hardship was never there. If one became weak to notice all this, then let him ponder over S.35-‘As if when they see what they have been promised except one hour of the day’. Allah SWT would ask them about this and they would reply it was very short as if they didn’t stay for one day/part of the day.

How short a person stays is so short and the Prophet SAW gave a speech that when the Sun was above the mountains, during Maghrib, the Prophet SAW said there is nothing left of the dunya except what of the day has passed till now. The fact that the Prophet SAW was sent as a messenger is a sign of the closeness of the Hour so the wise should reflect on this and know what he has achieved that the person is left in confused dreams and desires. One has sold off the happiness of the everlasting realm and endless bliss with a small type of share and if one seeks Allah SWT and the Last Day, Allah SWT will give him that share with more and better. Sell of the worldly life for the next and you would win both of them-don’t do the opposite, is one would lose both.

Oh Son of Adam, you need this share of life but the next life needs a larger share. And so, one would be risking it and the one who starts with the share of the next life, would get both Inshallah. Caliph Umar ibn Aziz ordered for one to have steadfastness and thus, one should give precedence to Allah over anything else and that one should not treat them of going into extreme of laxity/hardness. Ignoring Allah’s prohibitions would make one straight and steadfast.

Allah ordered Yahya ibn Zakariyah AS to act upon and the Children of Israel would act on them: the last order is to do Dhikr.