If You Really Want To Disobey Allah...
A man came to Hazrat Ibrahim ibn Adham, and said, "Abu Ishaq, I am unable to control myself and I continually wrong my own self, and I turn away from everything that invites me to improve my way of life. Please give me something to help me with it""If you accept five conditions," said Hazrat Ibrahim ibn Adham, "and are able to put them into practice, your disobedience will not cause you any problem and sinning will never harm you, and you can fulfil your desires as much as you want.""Just tell me what they are the man said. "The first is that when you want to disobey Allah you do not eat anything He provides." "Then how will I get anything to eat? Everything on the earth is from Him!" "So is it right to eat His provision and disobey Him at the same time?" replied Hazrat Ibrahim ibn Adham."No, it is not. What is the second condition?" "When you want to disobey Him, move off His land.""That is even more difficult! Exclaimed the man. "In that case where will I live?""Is it right to eat his provision and live on His land and then to disobey Him?" asked Hazrat Ibrahim ibn Adham. "No, it is not.""What is the third condition?" "When you want to disobey Him in spite of eating His provision and living on His land, find a place where He will not see you and disobey Him there.""What do you mean, Ibrahim? He knows everything that happens even in the most hidden places!" "So is it right to disobey Him when you eat His provision and live on His land and when you know that He can see everything you do?" "It certainly is not!" the man replied."Tell me the fourth condition." "That when the Angel of Death arrives to take your soul, you say to him, 'Give me chance so that I can repent and do good deeds.'""But he won't listen to me!" "Then if you cannot ward off death long enough to give yourself time to repent, and you know that when it comes there will be no chance, how can you hope to be saved?""What is the fifth?" "That when the angels of the Fire come to you to take you to the Fire, you do not go with them." "They will take me whether I like it or not!" exclaimed the man."So how can you hope to be saved?"The man replied, "Stop, stop! that is enough for me. I ask Allah to forgive me and I indeed repent to Him."The man then dedicated his life to the worship of Allah Ta’ala from that day.
Moral
This story presents us with conditions that if we fulfil them then we can be free to commit sin. However it soon becomes obvious that every condition is impossible to fulfil and therefore we should avoid sin to the best of our ability.
Man's Share in the Divine Attributes of Al - Rahmaan and Al - Rahim
Imam Al - Ghazali ( ra) states:
"The share of the servant in the name Al - Rahmaan lies in showing mercy to the negligent servants of Allah , by way of dissuading them from the path of disobedience towards Allah , through advice and counseling , by way of gentleness and not harshness , treating the sinners with the eye of mercy, and not with the eye of contempt ; letting every sin perpetrated in the world be as if his own sin , so sparing no effort to remove it to the best of his ability : all out of mercy to the that sinner , lest he be exposed to the wrath of Allah , and so deserve to be removed from closeness to Him."
"The servant's share in the name of Al- Rahim lies in ( not ) turning away any needy person , except by fulfilling his needs , to the extent of his ability, nor abandoning any poor in his neighborhood or city , except by undertaking to relieve their poverty - either from his own wealth or reputation or otherwise by interceding on his behalf with another . If he is unable to do all that , he should assist the poor person by prayer, and by showing grief on account of his need, in sympathy and compassion towards him, as though he was sharing in his misfortune and need. "
( translated from the Arabic text: المقصد الأسنى شرح اسماء الله الحسنى ، للأمام الغزالى )
The History Of Qunoote Naazilah
The Qunoote Naazilah began in the fourth year after Hijrat in the month of Safar. The tribe of Ri’l, Zakwaan, Usayya and Banu Liyaan requested help from Rasulullah Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam against the enemies. These tribes claimed to be Muslims.
In response to this request, Rasulullah Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam dispatched a contingent of 70 Sahaabah, all of whom were Qaaris (experts in the recitation of the Qur’aan) to assist them.
These Sahaabah used to earn their livelihood by collecting and selling firewood during the day and their nights would be spent in Ibaadat.
When this group reached a place called ‘Bi’r Ma’oonah’, they were ambushed by these very tribes who claimed to be Muslims and had requested assistance. In actual fact, these people were not Muslims.
All these Sahaabah were slain by these people. Before they were so brutally massacred, they made Du’aa unto Allah to inform Rasulullah Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam about their plight. Allah did so through Wahi (revelation). When the Prophet Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam received this tragic news, with tears in his eyes, he informed the Sahaabah, saying, “Your brethren have been slain.”
Thereafter, for one month Rasulullah Sallaluhu Alayhi Wasalam recited the Qunoote Naazilaah in the Fajr Salaah, cursing these tribes and asking Allah for their destruction. After a month the Qunoot was stopped. Hadhrat Anas Radiallahu anhu says that this was when the Qunoot was first started.
TRANSLATION OF THE QUNOOT
Maulana Ilyas ra Emphasises On Ilm & Zikr
One day after Fajr when a big congregation of in this effort [of Dawah & Tabligh] actively part-taking gathered in Nizamuddin’s Masjid and Hadhrat Maulana [Muhammad Ilyas Kandhalvi]‘s health was so weak, that laying on bed he could not even utter three four words in an audible voice, he demanded a special servant through who he conducted the whole congregation:
“All your Tabligh activities will be of no avail if, along with them, you do not pay proper attention to Ilm (knowledge) and Dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Ilm and Dhikr are the two wings without which one cannot fly in these surroundings. What is more, if Ilm and Dhikr are neglected, this endeavour may become a new source of mischief. Without Ilm, Islam and Iman are a mere formality, and without Dhikr, Ilm is darkness. Effluence is produced in Ilm by Dhikr and the real fruits of Dhikr are gained only when Ilm, too, is there. The Devil often makes the ignorant sufis his tools. The importance of Ilm and Dhikr should therefore, not be overlooked in this regard otherwise the Tablighi endeavour will end up in waywardness, and, Allah forbid, you will be in great loss.”
Hadhrat Maulana’s meaning of this guidance was that the ones working on this path should not understand the effort and struggles, the journey and migrations and the offering and sacrifices in line of Tabligh-o-Dawat as the essential work like nowadays it has become common. Instead learning and teaching of Deen and bringing the habit of Allah’s remembrance and understanding the building of a connection with these as one’s important obligation. In other words they should not become only “Sipahi” [Soldier] or Muballigh [Propagator] instead seekers of Deen’s knowledge and Allah-remembering servants, too.
[Malfoozat Hadhrat Maulana Muhammad Ilyas (Rahimullah) by Maulana Muhammad Mansoor Nu’mani, pg. 38, Malfoozat #35]
