By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh)
IN THESE TIMES OF ‘LOAD SHEDDING’*,
there are so many advertisements which market generators, emergency lights, gas
stoves and whatever else which offers an instant or quick solution to power
cuts.
When load-shedding became the
order of the day, the sales of all these products soared. It seemed as if
everyone wanted to make some quick money selling anything that would benefit
people during times of load shedding. And because we are so dependent on
electricity, we were and are prepared to spend money in purchasing any product,
so long as we are not inconvenienced during power failures.
The very many complaints that were
verbalized, as well as published in various newspapers, due to the
load-shedding and the power cuts that were taking place, made evident the
impatience, frustration and intolerance of people. It was too much of an
inconvenience, loss of working hours and inevitably, loss in business and
profit, and everyone was unwilling to accept even a few hours without electricity.
Nevertheless, some very apt
lessons came to mind on observing how, at the time of a power failure or power
cut, these emergency lights automatically take over the responsibility of
providing light, and generators take over in providing electricity.
The emergency lights that we
purchase have to be plugged into a power point and left to charge, so that when
we experience power failure or load shedding, they immediately provide light.
The condition for the benefit is that the emergency light is plugged in and
charged for a considerable period of time. Whilst we do not see anything
happening when the light is being charged, we know that something very
significant is happening – and the
benefit will be evident when there is darkness. We have the reassurance
that the moment there is a power-cut, the emergency light will take over in
providing light. …If it was not plugged in and charged, it will not serve its
purpose. We will remain in darkness when there is a power cut.
We should take lesson when the
lights go off and we should utilize the opportunity for a little Muraqabah
(meditation): When the light of our
lives switches off, no surgeon can switch that light on again. When the light
of life is gone, no medication will bring it back.
We should ask ourselves: What
preparations have been made for the power cut that must inevitably occur to our
lives? What will happen when our lives will be switched off permanently and we
will have to enter the darkness of the grave? Here, in this worldly life, we have
emergency lights and generators… but the same will not be of any assistance to
us in the grave. No one will be taking emergency lights to light up his grave.
So when we cannot tolerate a few
hours of darkness in this world, how will we be able to tolerate the darkness
of the grave? When we cannot accept material loss due to load-shedding, how can
we accept spiritual loss with the on-going load-shedding in our hearts, due to
our excessive indulgence in sins; of which the consequences are extremely harmful
and damaging to our Deen, as well as to our worldly lives and our lives after
death?
Just as the emergency lights are
being charged for a purpose, so too, we need to ‘charge’ ourselves spiritually,
with sincere, righteous deeds. The benefit will be seen when the light of our
lives is switched off. Our ‘emergency lights’ take the form of our Ibaadaat and
righteous deeds – Salaah, Zakaah, Fasting, Zikr, Tilawah, good character and so
forth.
After our souls are extracted from
our bodies and we are placed in our graves, our Imaan and our good deeds
generate Noor which automatically light up our graves and we experience the
comfort of life in the grave – until Qiyamah. If we have not secured noble
deeds and charged them with Ikhlaas (sincerity), and if we spend our lives in
the darkness of sins, then the grave will be a place of darkness and sorrow.
May Allah Ta’ala protect us all.
We know that it is the power plant
that makes electricity. And this electricity flows through transmission lines
to sub-stations and electric poles; and thereafter, via ‘distribution lines’,
electricity enters our homes.
Allah
Ta’ala blessed us with the Power House of His Love: Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi
wasallam). Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) passed on this love of
Allah Ta’ala into the hearts of his companions, who in turn passed on that love
to those who kept their company – and in this way, Allah Ta’ala established the
“transmission lines” of His Love and we find in each era and time, the
Auliya-Allah do the work of ‘distributing’ Allah Ta’ala’s love in the hearts of
people.
By keeping the company of the
Ahlullah, our hearts are charged with the Love of Allah Ta’ala and with the
courage for good deeds. The Mashaa’ikh teach us the Love of Allah Ta’ala and
His Rasul (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) – in fact, they generate that love into our hearts, and they guide
us to the best deeds. These are the deeds that serve as our ‘emergency lights’!
There is no charge for the
knowledge they disseminate or the good deeds they teach us and no charge for
the good company they offer us. It is free from their side. It is only for us
to appreciate and value, and for us to take advantage of what they generously
and willingly share. They give. They don’t take. So we don’t need to worry
about loss in wealth; rather their company is an investment with great profits,
in both worlds. Allah Ta’ala also directs us to their company:
“O you who believe, Fear Allah and join the
company of the truthful ones (the pious, the Auliya Allah).”
[Surah
At-Taubah 9 : 119]
…That is, we should remain with
them, until we become like them, until we too become spiritually charged with
the Love and Ma’rifat of Allah Ta’ala, and with obedience to Allah Ta’ala and
Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam).
With this effort – where we
develop our Imaan and spiritually charge ourselves with good deeds, death
becomes a ‘gift’ for the Believer as is described in the Hadīth . Insha-Allah,
when we die, we will be taking with us a heart imbued with Imaan and Love for
Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) as well as the
“emergency lights” of good deeds. Insha-Allah, our graves will light up brightly
when we enter them and will offer us great comfort and joy.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the
understanding, the Taufeeq of Amal and grant us death on Imaan.
________________
* Load-Shedding: Disconnecting
or cutting off the electric current on certain lines when the demand becomes
greater than the supply.
