Sunday 23 March 2014

De-mist the heart


Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem


By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb 
(Rahmatullahi ‘alayh)


If there is heavy mist on the windscreens of our cars, we de-mist the windscreen when driving. If we do not do so, we are likely to meet with an accident. Similarly, when our hearts become misted with sins, with evil desires and passions, it becomes necessary to de-mist our hearts with Taubah and Istighfaar.


If we do not de-mist our hearts of evils like malice, greed, pride, jealousy, anger, etc., we will always be causing ‘accidents’ in society.


Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said: “Everything has a cleaner, and the cleaner of the hearts is the remembrance of Allah.”[1] 


From another perspective, we learn that everything rusts according to its nature, and the hearts rust with worldly desires and sins. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) explained that hearts rust like how iron rusts.


When the Sahabah (RA) asked: “What is its polish?” Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) replied, “Abundant remembrance of death and recitation of the Qur’aan.”[2]


Zikrullah thus removes the rust of the spiritual heart - it purifies and cleans the heart.


The easiest way to obtain purification of the heart and soul is to spend time in the company of the Ahlullah (the people of Allah Ta’ala) - those who have already purified their hearts.



[1] Shu'abul Iman.
    [This has also been recorded as the statement of Hazrat Abu Darda (RA)]

[2] Shu'abul Iman


Wednesday 19 March 2014

Give it up...


The Influence of Television
By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi 'alayh)



One of the many Sunnats of the Ambiya[1] (عَليْهِمُ السَّلام)[2] is that of Hayaa – shame and modesty : a quality which is sorely missing in the lives of the majority of Muslims today and which should otherwise be an outstanding characteristic and feature of all Muslims, whether married or un-married. The Hadith states : Hayaa is a branch of Imaan.’

Television is such an evil that if our society only understood its reality, then they would find no excuse to watch. Its spiritual harm is that it takes away the hayaa and shame of our men, women and children. 


The content of most television programmes is nothing but immodesty and indecency, which invites nothing but immodesty and indecency – into our homes, into our lives and the lives of our children.


However, this truth and reality seems to just pass over the understanding of even those Muslims who have some link with Deen. Many are regular with Salaah, they are seen in the Masjid, they are wearing the garb of the pious and yet they will be the ones to present flimsy and feeble excuses to view television programmes.

Let us consider this situation of sin from the following view – which Alhamdulillah[3], has been a means of many getting rid of the television.

Ø   If a person has to knock on your door and tell you : ‘I would like to use your lounge to commit adultery.’

Ø   Or a group of some friends have to request you : We would like to use your home to gamble and enjoy our liquor.’

Ø   Or a group of youngsters have to tell you : ‘We have chosen your home as a venue for our partying, dancing, drug-taking and fornicating.’

Ø   Or a Christian family has to request you : ‘We would like to use your home as a venue for our church ceremony : The marriage of our daughter as well as the baptism of our grandchild. We have already obtained the consent of one of our priests.’

Ø   Or some idol-worshippers have to suggest : ‘We would like to carry out some of our religious rites in your home. We would like to bring our idols also. You are more than welcome to observe or participate in our rites. ’


Many Muslims, on hearing such requests, will get very angry; will express disgust – if not swear and curse such suggestions.


However, these very same Muslims, who will even resort to swearing and cursing such proposals, invite into their homes all of the above by the switch of the television, by hiring English and Hindi films and DVDs and downloading porn and other films from the Internet. There is so much of adultery, partying and other filth that we seem to just welcome into our homes – least realizing the consequences.


Just to give you one example and this is but the tip of the iceberg – and it is said with the intention of removing the blindfold that most parents wear :


A father of four children mentioned to me that he had got rid of his television and he thereafter explained why. He said that late one night he heard strange noises from his children’s room. On opening the door of their room, he found their television switched on. […This is our concept of modesty : parents must have their own television, to view all kinds of filthy programmes in their privacy, and children must have their own television to view all kinds of indecency in their privacy (Na-uzu Billah).]


The father mentioned that there were dirty and obscene scenes of naked people on the television screen. He mentioned that it was filthy and that it shocked him; but what had him even more shaken was that his children were all undressed, engaging in the same kind of indecent acts. They were imitating the pornography they were viewing. He said himself, that until then he had not considered the harm of television. It took this kind of incident to wake him up. …This is just one example of so many. Do we wish to face something similar?


…Do we care to even know what our sons and daughters are doing in the secrecy of their rooms? The fact that many demand that no one ‘invade’ their space and privacy to the extent of having ‘No Entry’ signs on their doors, should have parents a little more than worried…  especially if they are viewing television and are surfing the net or have free access with cell phones.


Many have written, that after watching certain films or programmes, the desire came strongly into their hearts to take drugs, drink liquor, murder their parents, indulge in homosexuality, engage in adulterous relationships, commit suicide, rape, and so much else – and many of them do so.


Moreover, with sins like television and evil, lustful glancing, Allah Ta’ala removes the love between husband and wife, and even ones children become disobedient.


There are many husbands who entertain thoughts of and fantasize of other women when with their wives, and they will, especially when they are watching different actresses and television presenters. Many wives are guilty of the same infidelity having seen or socialized with ghair-mahareem. Many women are so infatuated and obsessed with some soccer player or cricket player that they become dissatisfied with their husbands, and spend their time fantasizing.


Had the person not viewed all those ghair-mahareem on the television screen and computer screen, and had lowered his gaze in real life situations, then he would not have desired that which he cannot have, and there would not have been dissatisfaction with his (or her) spouse.

Moreover we complain : There is no barkat[4] in our homes; there is no barkat in our wealth; there is no barkat in our time. Our children are rebellious. The husband is having an extra-marital relationship. The daughter has accepted Christianity. The son is on drugs … and the list of complaints does not end.


Then who is to blame except the one who brought all of this Haraam into the home by purchasing the television and exposing the family to so much of sin.


…Great ‘Ulama became Bay’t upon the hands of Maulana Hakeem Fakhrudeen (Rahmatullah ‘alaih). He mentioned that there was a time, that with the rising and setting of the sun, he saw nothing but noor in Surat[5]. The atmosphere was one of Noor. The day commenced with Salaah, Tilawat, Zikrullah…


After the cinemas and television and videos flooded Surat, there was nothing but ‘zulmat’ – darkness. With the distraction of such entertainment, Ibaadah becomes a forgotten duty.


One Wali of Allah Ta’ala, on visiting a home, mentioned that he perceived the sin of Zina (adultery) from the walls of that home. He was able to recognize this due to the purity of his heart. The residents of that home were not indulging in adultery but they were watching the sin on television. 


When fire burns against a white wall, it blackens the wall. The Ahle-Dil, with their purified hearts, see the fire of sins which has burnt and blackened the white hearts of the Muslims.


Would that we take lesson and take measures to protect ourselves and our children… Insha-Allah.





[1] Ambiyaa : Prophets
[2] Alaihimus Salaam : ‘May peace be upon them’.
[3] Alhamdulillah : ‘All praise is due to Allah.’
[4] barkat : blessing
[5] Surat : Well-known city of Gujerat, India




Sunday 16 March 2014

The Food of the Heart

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem




Allah Ta’ala has given the human being a heart. The food which nourishes and pleases the heart is love. The food of the eyes is beautiful scenery and beautiful colour. The ears derive pleasure in listening to beautiful sounds. The tongue appreciates tasty and delicious food and drink. …We find the food for everything is different.


The food of the heart, the enjoyment and pleasure of the heart is in love, but the vast majority of people are wasting this precious commodity of love on those things which are transitory and perishable and which will turn to dust.


Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) related in his Mathnavi: “Your hearts are attached to the things of the world which have their origin in sand. The women of the world are created from sand, the homes are of sand, the food is of sand, the children are of sand. EVERYTHING is of sand. They only appear in different forms and colours. The end result is also sand.


Aside from that, you are to be separated from them one day, so why attach yourself to them? Our attachment to these things, which we are to leave behind, should be with a very weak and light adhesive. On the other hand, we are to live with Allah Ta’ala forever. Our attachment to Him should be with a very strong adhesive, i.e. we should create an extremely strong link with Him in our hearts.”


The love of one’s parents, wives, children and property is not prohibited, but it should not exceed the love of Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam). 

This heart is reserved solely for the Love of Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam).



Hazrat Khwaja Azizul Hasan Majzoob (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) used to say: “The heart is Allah’s house. It is not the house for (worldly) idols.”


[Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi 'alayh)]


Monday 10 March 2014

True Zikrullah


Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem



True Zikr is to fulfil the Command of Allah Ta’ala which is directed to us at a particular time – to perform Salaah in its respective time, to pay Zakaah when due, to fast during the month of Ramadaan, to perform Hajj at the time of Hajj (if one has the means), etc.
           

            When a person’s parent, wife, child, neighbour, etc. is very ill and requires medication to be brought from the chemist, as a matter of urgency, then at that time, true Zikr is to postpone all optional Ibaadah and attend to the need.
      
     
                        Hazrat Ruqayya (RA), the beloved daughter of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), was very ill when the call for Badr was suddenly made. 

Since there were only 313 companions accompanying Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), there was a definite need for Hazrat Uthman (RA), the husband of Hazrat Ruqayya (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), to also join the expedition. However, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) left him behind to care for his wife during her severe illness.
         
              

            True Zikrullah is the fulfillment of the Commands of Allah Ta’ala and Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam)    


[By Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi 'alayh)]


Tuesday 4 March 2014

Influence of Words





Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem


There can be ‘Sihr ’ (sorcery /witchcraft) and ‘magic’ in the words and writings of those who have deviated from the Siratul Mustaqeem . Their words have darkness because they have the darkness of deviation in the form of Kufr (Disbelief), Shirk (Polytheism), Nifaaq (Hypocrisy) and Fisq (Sin) prevalent in their hearts. Those who have spiritually pure hearts can sense this darkness in their hearts, when reading such writings.


            In fact, shaytaan glorifies the person’s deviated speech or writings and causes it to enter the heart of the reader or listener, as a result of which a person goes astray, sometimes even losing his Imaan (faith). May Allah Ta'ala protect us all.
     
      
            There are so many people who read the books of communists, atheists, Qadianis and Shias, with a so-called ‘open mind’, trusting their intelligence to save them from deviation. However, people of great intelligence and learning went astray. There is no shortage of evidence to prove this point.

          
            The writings and speeches of the Ulama-e-Haq and people who have purified their hearts and souls in the company of the pious have Noor (Light). This, in turn, lights up the hearts of both readers and listeners.

           

            Those who have to do comparative studies should only do so after acquiring sound knowledge of the teachings of Islam, and should do so under the guidance of the Ulama-e-Haq.


[Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi 'alayh)]