Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi 'alayh)
It is
mentioned in the Hadith: “When a true
Believer is praised, he increases in his level of Imaan.”[1]
The person
who is a Kaamil Mu`min understands that everything is a gift from Allah Ta’ala.
Allah Ta’ala conceals sins and weaknesses and puts into the hearts of people,
‘Husne zan’ (good opinion).
In fact, this
Husne zan or Thana-e-khalq[2] is one of the commentaries
of the Masnoon Dua, where we ask for, ‘Hasana
fid dunya’[3].
رَبَّنَاۤ
اٰتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَّفِى الْاٰخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَّقِنَا عَذَابَ
النَّارِ ◌
“Our Lord and Sustainer, grant us
good in this world and good in the hereafter, and save us from the torment of
the fire.”
What needs to
be understood is that the person who is ‘Qaabil’ (efficient and hard-working)
is not necessarily ‘Maqbool’ (accepted).
Maulana
Sayyid Sulayman Nadwi (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) used to say:
‘Whether we
live like this or whether we
live like that,
What is left
to be seen is how our
stay there will be
(i.e. the
Hereafter).’
So when
someone praises us, we must not allow that to inflate our egos. Let it inflate our Imaan.
Recognize
Allah Ta’ala’s Sifat of Sattaar (The One who conceals). Look at His great Mercy
and Kindness… that He conceals our many, many weaknesses and sins. This will
increase our Imaan and love for Allah Ta’ala because we see how loving, caring,
compassionate and tolerant Allah Ta’ala is.
The nature of
man is such, that he picks up weaknesses of people to broadcast them. People
search for weaknesses in others and hasten to broadcast, circulate and publish.
Newspapers and radio stations clamour to broadcast the vices and failings of
others. They want the rights to publish. Look
at Allah Ta’ala’s favour upon us - He conceals. سُبْحَانَ الله
When praised,
we should make Dua: “O Allah, this is
the good opinion of these good people. Make me as per their opinion, and even better
than their opinion.”
[1] Mustadrak lik
Haakim
[2] Thana-e-Khalq : Praise of creation.
[3] ‘Hasana fid Dunya’ : The good of this
world.
