Selling One’s Life and Wealth for the Pleasure of Allah
Discourse of Huzoor Wala Shan Pir Sahib (RA)
Dated: 18 October 1985
Speech No. 28
﷽
فَنِعۡمَ الۡمَوۡلٰی وَ نِعۡمَ النَّصِیۡرُ
رَبِِّ اشۡرَحۡ لِیۡ صَدۡرِیۡ وَیَسِّرۡ لِیۡۤ اَمۡرِیۡ وَ احۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَۃً مِّنۡ لِّسَانِیۡ یَفۡقَہُوۡاقَوۡلِیۡ
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِ عَلٰی سَیّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍوَّعَلٰی اٰلِ سَیِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍوَّعَلٰی اَصْحَابِہٖ وَعَلٰی اَذْوَاجِہٖ اَجْمَعِیْنَ وَبَارِکْ وَسَلِمْ وَصَلِ عَلَیْہٖ
All praise is for Allah.
Countless thanks to Allah Almighty, the Master of all sovereignty, who has once again granted us the opportunity and ability to gather here for His pleasure, in His remembrance, and in His love. Millions upon millions of blessings and peace be upon the Leader of the Prophets, the Beloved of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), through whose blessed means this favor has been bestowed upon us.
Respected listeners!
Allah Almighty has stated in the Holy Qur’an:
اِنَّ اللّٰهَ اشْتَرٰي مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ اَنْفُسَھُمْ وَاَمْوَالَھُمْ بِاَنَّ لَھُمُ الْجَنَّةَ
Surah At-Tawbah 9:111
Translation
“Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their wealth in exchange for Paradise.”
SubhanAllah!
Once a transaction is completed, it cannot be reversed. What concern is there for something that has already been given away? If a person is truly a believer, then according to Allah’s command he has already sold his life and wealth to Allah. If he is not a believer, then he may continue worrying about protecting his life and wealth. The choice of this transaction is voluntary.
When this transaction has been made, Allah sends great trials to strengthen and confirm its sincerity. The servant gives little, yet receives far more in return, therefore he must prove his commitment through sacrifices of life and wealth.
O people present in this gathering!
The stronger a person’s faith becomes, the greater his trials become. Those who came before us faced trials far more severe than ours. As their faith increased, their tests also became harder. No one should think that suffering once in the path of Allah is enough. Rather, the stronger the faith, the greater the test, because the reward also continues to increase.
Look at the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The final military expedition of the Prophet (PBUH) was the expedition of Tabuk, and it was the most difficult of all the expeditions. In the first place, the enemy was much larger in number; secondly, there was a severe famine that year, the heat was extremely intense, thirdly, it was the exact season when crops were ready for harvest. For farmers, this was the most valuable time of the year, as their livelihood depended upon it.
Yet the Prophet (PBUH) commanded that the Romans were preparing for attack, and therefore the Muslims should march first. The Companions had already sacrificed their wealth, children, and lives for Allah and His Messenger, so they immediately stood up in obedience.
During this journey, the hardships became so severe that Hazrat Umar (RA) said that both people and animals became stiff from extreme thirst. Camels were slaughtered and the water from their stomachs was squeezed out to moisten their throats. Several Muslims would share a single date; one person would suck it for a while and then pass it to another, and so on until it was completely consumed.
Despite such suffering, not a single true believer considered disobeying the command of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). Only the hypocrites stayed behind, offering excuses such as the heat being unbearable or their crops suffering loss. Allah’s severe displeasure descended upon such people.
Among the Muslims who remained behind were three sincere believers. One of them was Hazrat Ka‘b bin Malik (RA). He narrated that he possessed both the means of transportation and the strength to join the expedition. He kept delaying his preparations, thinking he would catch up later. Eventually the army departed and he was left behind. Deeply ashamed, he later presented himself before the Prophet (PBUH).
The Prophet (PBUH) smiled with displeasure and turned his blessed face away. Others presented false excuses, but Ka‘b (RA) thought, “I have committed one mistake; I cannot commit another by lying.” He admitted the truth. The Prophet (PBUH) instructed him to remain apart until Allah’s decision came regarding him.
Then the Prophet (PBUH) commanded all the Companions not to speak to those who had stayed behind. Ka‘b (RA) said that his own home and city became unfamiliar to him because no one spoke to him. After forty days, another command came that he should separate from his wife. He sent her to her parents’ home. Five more days passed, and then Allah revealed the acceptance of his repentance. After the Fajr prayer, the Prophet (PBUH) gave him the glad tidings.
Out of gratitude, Ka‘b (RA) offered to give all of his property in the path of Allah. The Prophet (PBUH) advised him not to give all of it. He then offered half, and finally one-third, which was accepted.
Respected listeners!
The purpose of narrating this blessed incident is that when a person truly believes in Allah and His Messenger (PBUH), nothing of this world remains his own. He sells himself in exchange for Paradise. The servants of Allah have different ranks, and some receive a reward even greater than Paradise: the pleasure of Allah.
When the people of Paradise have received all its blessings, Allah will ask them, “O My servants, are you pleased?” They will reply, “Yes, O Lord, we are pleased.” Allah will then ask, “What more do you desire?” They will answer, “O Allah, we have received everything.” Allah will say, “Today I grant you something greater than all of that: My pleasure.”
This is the treasure that is taught in the path of Tariqah. After following the Shari‘ah, a person seeks closeness to Allah through Tariqah. This is the gift sought from Allah after worshipping Him, seeking His help, and becoming His true servant. Those who recite “Ihdinas-Siratal-Mustaqeem” and other spiritual litanies are in reality asking Allah for this priceless blessing.
Keep this purpose in your heart when engaging in the recitation of the prescribed supplications.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Awrad-e-Naziriyah Sharif was recited, and a collective supplication was made.
