Content Soul – Nafsun Mutma'innah brought to you by Al Kawthar Academy

وَالْعَصْرِ

إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ

By time
Indeed man is in a great and constant state of loss
[Surah al Asr 103:1-2]

We learn from the Qur’an and hadeeth that man is in a constant state of spiritual decline. You do not have to do anything wrong to be in decline. This is because even if you do not commit a sin, the environment around you will have an effect on your level of spirituality. It is for this reason that religious gathering such as daroos and majalis are vital to arrest our spiritual decline.

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[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 13th January 2013].

Gratitude for a gift is not something that is expressed verbally, rather it is expressed in attitude and deed, i.e. it is appreciated and utilised it in a beneficial manner. We have the opportunity to learn, educate and reform ourselves, yet despite this gift of ilm available to us, we lack desire and motivation. We do not appreciate this opportunity since we have become involved in a rat race and rivalry has distracted us.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq on 13th April 2004].

People never forget any wrong done to them by others and any good done to them is easily forgotten. However a believer should overlook any wrong done to him and engrave in his heart and mind any good done to him no matter how small. Unfortunately, nowadays the tables are turned and people are fickle in friendship and loyalty, and are willing to overlook many years of good done to them, yet are unforgiving even for a single mistake.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 20th March 2004].

The whole purpose of tazkiyah is to reform one’s fitrah (core character). A person may adopt a facade for a certain time, however when he is tested, his true fitrah emerges. On the path of spiritual purification, a person must strive and work hard in order to eradicate bad character.A spiritual guide can only help and advise, however the onus, effort and struggle is upon the individual.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 12th March 2003].

Many of us wander at our lack of spiritual progress yet we fail to avoid the basic sins. For example, sins of the tongue such as swearing, backbiting, rumour mongering and slander.

Silence is the hallmark of a believer and one of the goals of tazkiyah is to cut down on one’s speech. Most people tend to talk excessively and this in itself is a curse. We have to train ourselves to remain silent and true silence is when a person has the ability and desire to speak yet remains silent, for example when angry. We should be conscious that we will be accountable for every word we utter on the Day of Judgement.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 5th February 2003].

The pressures and trials of life inevitably test a person’s character, but the beauty of a person’s character should shine through in such situations. Many of us become visibly miserable and agitated at such times, however it is the mark of a believer that he maintains a dignified composure and continues to treat others with adab (etiquettes), akhlaaq (manners) and pleasantness. Even in suffering a believer behaves beautifully to the extent that others cannot tell whether he is suffering or not.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 31st July 2002].

We should regularly attend gatherings of knowledge and engage in the work of deen (religion), to ensure our own stability, steadfastness and imaan (faith). Allah’s deen is not in need of us and nor do we have something to offer, rather we should do so for our own good and benefit. The work of deen is not necessarily doing things which are fanciful and glamorous, rather it is about contributing in any way possible, even if this is an apparently menial task such as cleaning in the masjid. However, we should not consider this to be insignificant because it is a very virtuous act from which we will benefit insha’Allah.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 17th July 2002].

Allah سبحانه وتعالى says in the Holy Qur’an:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

“I have not created men and jinn except that they worship Me. ” [Al Dhariyat 51/56]

Worshipping Allah سبحانه وتعالى is a duty upon a person regardless of whether one is in ease or hardship. Many people despair when they practice Islam because they do not see their lives changing for the better in dunya terms and they eventually abandon their worship. The world by its very nature is a life of trials and tribulations. Even after practising Islam one will continue to suffer afflictions and one’s life will not necessarily change to one of ease, free of all worries and concerns. However, a person is duty-bound to worship Allah سبحانه وتعالى in all circumstances.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 29th May 2002].

Alongside the apparent laws, Islam also has a certain spirit. Qualities such as selflessness, tolerance, open-heartedness, open-mindedness and eagerness to serve others are fast disappearing. In this day and age and with our modern society, many of us are not learning sublime, spiritual qualities and social etiquettes, epitomised by the great Muslims of the past, rather we have become increasingly self-centered and selfish. The only way to combat this trend is to spend considerable time in a pious environment and under the supervision of a spiritual guide.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 24th July 2002].

Islam teaches us to maintain a balanced perception of others. We should not have unrealistically high expectations of anyone. This is because if our exceedingly high expectations (of others) are not realised, we will be disappointed and will eventually lose respect for them. Human beings naturally make mistakes and only Allah سبحانه وتعالى is perfect. If we see others as normal human beings with faults, passions, desires and weaknesses and then view their achievements in that context, our respect and admiration for them will increase. However, if we expect others to be angels then we will be disappointed, just as the disbelievers were with Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم. Being the bearer of Divine Revelation ,they expected him to be more than a human being. Allah سبحانه وتعالى quotes them in the Holy Qur’an:

قُلْ لا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ

وَلا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ

“Say (O Prophet to the disbelievers): I say not unto you, that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the Unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I but follow that which has been revealed unto me. ” [[Al An'am 6/50]]

The disbelievers rejected the message of Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم because he was a normal human being. However, despite him being a human being with human needs, his achievements were miraculous. In this way our love, admiration and respect for him should only increase. We should apply the same principle in our perception of others i.e. see the achievements of others whilst overlooking their weaknesses and faults.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 24th April 2002].