In the Service of Allah Ta'ala's Deen

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Those of us who are involved in some service of Deen, should consider our likeness to the guards who protect the Palace of the King.

The guards understand that the King is not in need of their service. The King’s resources are such that he can easily replace one with a hundred more, or a thousand more guards. A guard thus considers it his good fortune to be accepted by the King and to be in his service.

In the same vein, those involved in the Khidmat of Deen, have been selected from millions to serve the Deen of the King of Kings. They are defending and guarding the Deen of Islam or propagating the Deen.

We should thus consider ourselves as most fortunate, that despite us not deserving such a privilege and despite our failings, Allah Ta’ala is using us for some service or the other. We must understand that this is entirely the Ihsaan (Favour) of Allah Ta’ala.

We should not forget that Allah Ta’ala is not in need of us and can easily replace each person with an entire nation, to be in the service of Islam. Allah Ta’ala, in fact, expresses this independence and sovereignty:

 “…AND IF YOU TURN AWAY, HE WILL REPLACE YOU WITH ANOTHER PEOPLE; THEN THEY WILL NOT BE THE LIKES OF YOU.”

[Surah Muhammad 47 : 38]

Appreciation should be continuously expressed for the great favour of serving Deen; forgiveness should be sought for our shortcomings and inadequacies, and Dua should be made for acceptance in the Court of Allah Ta'ala.

We should not seek worldly gains because the rewards of Allah Ta’ala encompass the best of both worlds, for those who are Mukhlis (sincere).

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

Our Signboards

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Our Muslim names, Islamic dress and our prayers are like the sign board found outside a shop, which informs us that inside this shop, sweets, chocolates, biscuits, cakes, fruit, etc. are stocked and sold. The person reading the signboard thus expects to find what has been advertised outside, inside that shop.

What would be the reaction of the person if he or she finds cow dung, horse manure and cat’s droppings inside, instead of sweets and chocolates?

In a similar vein, our beautiful Muslim names and Islamic garb informs others that inside our hearts there is certain ‘merchandise’ in the form of firm Imaan in Allah Ta’ala and love for His Beloved Rasul (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam). A person expects to find, the attributes of trustworthiness, honesty, sincerity, forgiveness, charity, Taqwa (piety), Zuhd (asceticism), Sabr (patience), Shukr (gratitude), etc. These are the qualities and traits a person expects to find in his social dealings with us.

The beard, kurta, turban, tasbeeh, or the cloak, purdah, etc. are all additional signs which lay more and more emphasis on the person’s virtue and goodness.

What would be a person’s reaction, when instead of these virtues, he or she finds arrogance, pride, malice, greed, jealousy, etc.? 

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

Conditions for Spiritual Benefit

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem

The ‘Suhbat’ or company of the Auliya Allah (Friends of Allah Ta’ala) is such that even if they remain silent in their Majaalis, those who are present and who had come with sincerity, will leave with Noor in their hearts. 

It is via this Noor that a person makes sincere Taubah, and it is this Noor which is instrumental in creating the keen desire of change in the person’s life.

Fragrant roses in a room do not give any speech. Their fragrance imbues throughout the room, enters the nostrils and creates pleasure in the heart. The conditions for benefiting are :

The roses must be real and fragrant; not artificial.

The people in the room must have their noses open and sinuses unclogged.

In a similar manner, the person must be a genuine Wali of Allah Ta’ala and not a fraud, and the people sitting in his company must have love and respect for him and must sit with an open and unprejudiced heart, willing to receive. People sitting in the talks of a Wali, harbouring malice against that Wali, will derive no benefit whatsoever.

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

Consideration for neighbours

 Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem

If one’s neighbours are poor, then to ‘braai’ outside or cook food in such a place, which would cause the aroma of that food to reach their homes, projects a lack of sympathy and mercy. 

Those poor neighbours would be desirous of such food but would not be able to afford it. At such a time cook inside or at least send a little to them so that they do not feel hurt.

In a Hadeeth wherein Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) enumerated the many rights of neighbours, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) also said: “…and (when a delicious food is prepared in your house), (you take care that) the aroma of your pot does not cause sorrow to him (and his children), (i.e., it does not travel to his house) except that you sent some of it to him (as a gift).”

~ Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb (Rahmatullahi 'alayh)

Formula for Unlimited Blessings

The Story of Hazrat Halima Sa`diyya (RA), the foster mother of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) is well-known.

The custom of the Arabs who lived in the towns was to entrust their young children in the care of the Bedouin women, who earned a living by being wet nurses. For the town Arabs, this time afforded their children the healthy environment of the desert, facilitating good health, strength and an opportunity to master the rich, untainted speech of the Bedouins.

Thus, it was the good fortune of Hazrat Halima Sa`diyya, that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) was destined for her.

In the many books on the Seerah, we read Hazrat Halima’s personal account of how she, her husband and baby travelled in the company of other women, in search of children to suckle. It was a time of famine and drought, and theirs was a state of hunger and want, to the extent that she could not even feed her baby.

On reaching Makkah Mukarramah, none of the women were prepared to accept Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) once they were told that he was an orphan. Their hope was to secure a child whose father would reward them generously.

Whilst the other women were successful in their quest, Halima was not. Before departing from Makkah Mukkarramah, she decided to take the orphaned baby, rather than have none to take home.

Halima relates herself, that the moment she lifted him into her arms, she found to her great surprise, that she had sufficient milk to feed him, as well as feed her own little baby. And she thereafter related the good fortune that came their way whilst taking care of the little Muhammad (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam): Their she-camel was suddenly blessed with plentiful of milk; her lean, slow donkey was suddenly blessed with strength and speed; their barren land was blessed with plentiful of grass for their animals to feed on. And like this, prosperity filled their homes due to the presence and blessings of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam).

Reflecting over this, we learn so much: Just the physical body of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) coming into the arms of Hazrat Halima as a little baby, caused such blessings to pour into their lives.

Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) was not able to give lengthy speeches in the arms of Hazrat Halima; nor was his character, his dealings, his relationships with people, his honesty and his truthfulness, his charity and his sincerity, his nobility and forgiveness, and other beautiful characteristics apparent at that time, when she took the little baby into her arms. At this stage, it was only the physical body of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) as a baby … yet look at the tremendous Barakah.  

Blessings in their lives, in their home, in their time and crops, in their animals and their food …Blessings in everything.

If so much of Barakah came with just lifting and carrying the physical body of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam), then what would we say about the Barakaat and the blessings that a person will see and experience in his own life if he has to bring the teachings of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) in his life?

What kind of blessings he will experience…? And what kind of blessings will the Ummah of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) experience if they have to bring into their lives, the beautiful Sunnah?

We will experience the same Barakaat that Allah Ta’ala gave to Hazrat Halima and thereafter what became even more manifest in the lives of the Companions of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam).

Look at their condition : Most of the Sahaba-e-Kiraam (RA) were extremely poor, undergoing extreme difficulties, tests and trials. But with the implementation of the teachings of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) in their lives, look at the Barakaat that Allah Ta’ala gave to them : The Persian Empire at their feet, the Roman Empire at their feet – something that could not be even imagined at one time but the Prophecies of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) were seen and experienced by them.

Of course they did not just sit and do nothing. They did what they had to do - they fulfilled their part of the contract. They performed their Salaah, they gave their Zakaah, they kept their fasts, they performed Hajj if it was Fardh, they were kind, they were charitable, they were honest, they were truthful; each one brought the beautiful, noble character of Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) in his or her life. …They went forth in Jihad with Nabi (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) and after his demise also, they spread the message of Islam and the teachings of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) in the world – and then look at the Barakaat that came pouring into their lives…  “Barakaat minnas sa’maa’i wal ardh” (Blessings from the heavens and the earth).

Thus, if someone looks at that incident of Hazrat Halima Sa`diyya (RA), and the blessings of just taking Rasulullah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam) into her arms as a baby, then we draw the lesson : Blessings are sure to follow, in abundance, if we only bring into our lives the beautiful Sunnah of Rasulullah   (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi waSallam).  So simple.

Let those who wish to enjoy blessings, bring alive the Sunnah. 

by Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel (RA)