Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
We often hear
helicopters circling the area; generally searching for some hijacked vehicle.
This is a common observation and experience in the area.
If it is
night, then the helicopter uses a powerful light as a search light.
Listening to
and observing this, the following analogy came to mind :
The Auliya Allah[1], the Mashaa`ik, are like
those helicopters, except that they are searching for those persons who have
been hijacked by nafs and shaytaan - people like us.
The Auliya
Allah also possess a very powerful light in their hearts: It is noor that has
developed in their hearts through obedience to Allah Ta’ala and Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) as well as total abstinence from sins. With this powerful noor, they
are able to search out and save thousands, if not millions.
We know that
if the hijacked vehicle is found and returned to the owner, then the owner is
naturally very happy, more especially if his car is a very expensive one.
Similarly, if due to the search efforts made, not only by the Auliya Allah, but
by all Muslims, others return to Allah Ta’ala’s obedience, or return to
Imaan and Islam, Allah Ta’ala’s happiness is much, much greater than that of
the car owner.
The owner of
the car may either thank the person who found his car or if he is of a noble
disposition, he will express his gratitude with some gift. Allah Ta’ala is by
far more generous and appreciative and His rewards are granted in various forms,
in this world as well as the Hereafter, for those who make the effort of
searching and saving hijacked persons – those “hijacked” by nafs and shaytaan.
Then again,
looking at the life of the Muslim, we find that it is a “Rescue Mission”: He or she is always prepared to make sacrifices
to save the spiritual lives of others.
How often we
read of the rescue missions that go out to sea, to rescue someone or the other
carried away by strong current, or those struggling to survive due to the ship
sinking, or those who need to be evacuated from ships. We find that the pilot is well-trained for the operation and those
persons, those rescue swimmers, who form part of the rescue team, are
physically strong, fit, able and very experienced in their field. They have to
be highly skilled to ensure that the operation is a successful one. If not,
they too will become victim to the waters of the oceans.
Similarly, as Muslims who are rescue swimmers
and ‘spiritual’ life savers in the field of Da`wah[2] and Tabligh[3],
we have got to be spiritually strong, fit and able and gain in experience …
otherwise the current of fitnahs may sweep us away also.
If we are spiritually weak, then we too can
end up drowning in some sin or the other. And this is very much a reality :
Many who have surface knowledge and they have not made much of an effort
against their nafs, become victim to the storms of some sin or the other.
Similarly,
the Muslim is a Paramedic. Every
Muslim should be qualified in the basics on how to save the spiritual lives of
those who meet up with tragic accidents (that is, they fall into sins). If we
are in the know-how, then we will be able to apply ourselves immediately in
aiding and saving such people from spiritual death.
…How often,
it is the CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) or artificial respiration given
before being taken to hospital, which saves the person. Even though the person’s situation will still
be critical, he has been revived with CPR and the chances are thus strong, of
his survival if he is taken to a hospital immediately. Similarly, we need to learn spiritual CPR for emergency cases – that
is, to make sincere dua for hidayat; but the building of our spiritual stamina,
the training and the expertise comes in keeping company with those qualified
and masters in the field – our Mashaa`ik and Ulama-e-Haq[4].
Another
analogy is that of the Tracking and Security companies and search parties that
are formed to track kidnapped children or hijacked persons. The Muslim is a tracking company: He searches, invites and calls the
disbelievers to Imaan and Islam, and the weak Muslims, to stronger Imaan.
Unfortunately,
the state of affairs today is that many a time the guards hired from security
companies turn out to be the thieves, hijackers and criminals themselves. Here
in South Africa, we have security guards and police officers being caught,
arrested and apprehended.
Sadly, many Muslims have also become
hijackers, taking their Muslim brothers and sisters to Haraam – casinos, clubs,
pornography, music and so forth. Or some give the injection of spiritual death,
with drugs and other such Haraam, or kufr ideologies.
…Instead of
saving from the fire of Jahannum, many invite others to join them, to accompany
them, in disobedience and even rejection of Allah Ta’ala and His Ahkaam (Laws).
Allah Ta’ala have mercy upon us – because this is truly a reality. The Majority invite to the Fire, but the
Auliya Allah invite to Paradise. The majority “go with the flow”. The Auliya
Allah move against the current of fitnah.
Despite the
difficulties and challenges, the help of Allah Ta’ala is with those who are
Friends. Take heed :
“If you obey the majority of the people on
earth they will take you astray from Allah’s path. They follow nothing but
conjecture and do nothing but lie”.
[Surah An’aam 6 : 116]
“Your (real) friends are (no less than)
Allah, His Apostle, and the (Fellowship of) Believers, - those who establish
regular prayers, and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship).”
[Surah
Maa`idah 5 : 58]
"The (true) believers are those only who
believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with
their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere."
[Surah
Hujarat 49 : 15]
[1] Auliya
Allah : Friends of Allah Ta’ala
[2] Da`wah
: Invitation (to Islam)
[3] Tabligh
: Propagation
[4] Ulama-e-Haq:
Scholars of Truth
