[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].

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].

[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].

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].

وَقُلْ لِعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ

“And say to My servants to speak that which is the best, for shaytaan seeks to draw divisions between them.” [al Isra' 17:53]

Shaytaan creates enmity and hatred between us by exploiting what we say to each other. It is human nature to feel hurt by what another says, however shaytaan turns this into hatred. Therefore we should cut this at its root by being extremely careful about what we say to our husband, wife, children, parents, and friends. Rather than speaking harshly, we should train ourselves to speak with love and respect otherwise shaytaan will create divisions between us.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 27th February 2002].

وَلا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ

وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُوْلَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولاً

“Do not pursue that regarding which you have no knowledge. Indeed the hearing, the sight and the heart will be questioned” [al Isra' 17:36]

Further, in a hadeeth Rasūl Allāh صلى الله عليه وسلم mentions,

“Part of the goodness of a man’s religion is that he abandons that which does not concern him.” [Tirmidhi]

We cannot become pure of heart and mind without abandoning interest in other people’s affairs, which are of no concern to us. By asking questions and probing into the private affairs of others, we are only satisfying a craving of the nafs. In order to progress spiritually and thus make our religion good, we must abandon such acts.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 6th February 2002].

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 30th January 2002].

”Remember the terminator of all pleasures i.e. death.” [Tirmidhi]

In the above hadeeth we are being reminded to remember the terminator of all pleasures. This is why we are instructed to visit graves and remember death, because death is something that awaits every one of us. The believers have been instructed to take part in funerals for which there is a special reward. Funerals also remind us of death, and when a Muslim dies, his or her bathing, shrouding, the funeral prayer, and burial are an obligation upon all Muslims. If these things are not done, all Muslims of that area are sinful. The deceased has a right over all of the people in the vicinity.

[This short excerpt is from Lesson 166 of the Book of Funerals of al Tajrid al Sarih (Abridged Saheeh al-Bukhari) which was delivered on by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq 17th August 2007].

الوحدة خير من جليس السوء والجليس الصالح خير من الوحدة

”Solitude is better than bad company and good company is better than solitude.” [Bayhaqi – Shu’ab al Imaan]

If a person cannot adopt good company, then he should remain in solitude. Nothing is more helpful in achieving sincerity of intention than solitude. When a person is away from the view and attention of people, then it is more likely that his deeds will be sincere. Furthermore, a person often changes his behaviour when associating with different people, thus becoming somewhat hypocritical in his behaviour. One of the unique characteristics of the siddiqeen (truthful ones) is that they prefer to keep away from people other than what is necessary. Solitude also reveals a person’s faults to himself. The fewer people a person sees and meets the better it is for the heart.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 24th October 2001].

“One faqih (jurist) is more severe upon Shaytaan than a thousand worshippers.” [Tirmidhi]

This means that one who has understanding of religion will not be deluded by Shaytaan on account of his knowledge, whereas an ordinary worshipper who has no understanding is led to believe in his own greatness (self-conceit), despite his lack of knowledge, by people approaching him for advice thinking him to be knowledgeable. One should never forget one’s own station and position when asked for advice.

[This short excerpt is based on a brothers' majlis (gathering held for spiritual training) held by Shaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul Haq on 6th October 2001].