The Test Behind Every Blessing Remembering Allah in Times of Trial
A Discourse by Huzoor Wala Shan Pir Sahib (May Allah Have Mercy on Him)
Sermon No. 48
29 March 1986
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
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 the Kingdom, Who has once again granted us the opportunity and ability to gather here for His pleasure, in His remembrance and love. Millions and billions of blessings and peace be upon the Leader of the Prophets, the Beloved of Allah, Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH), through whose blessed grace this favor has been bestowed upon us.
Respected listeners! Allah Almighty has said:
فَاِذَا مَسَّ الْاِنْسَانَ ضُرٌّ دَعَانَا ۡ ثُمَّ اِذَا خَوَّلْنٰهُ نِعْمَةً مِّنَّا ۙ قَالَ اِنَّمَآ اُوْتِيْتُهٗ عَلٰي عِلْمٍ ۭ بَلْ هِىَ فِتْنَةٌ وَّلٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُوْنَ
(Verse 49, Surah Az-Zumar)
Translation:
“When hardship touches man, he calls upon Us. But when We bestow a blessing upon him from Us, he says, ‘I have only been given this because of my knowledge and ability.’ Rather, it is only a test, but most of them do not know.”
If we reflect upon this, we can see how perfectly the Creator has portrayed the condition of worldly people before us. If we look carefully today, at every step there is a demonstration of human weakness, disloyalty, and foolishness.
When hardship comes, a person remembers Allah. But when Allah Almighty, through His mercy, grants him something, he becomes excessively proud and boasts about what he has accomplished in the world. He begins announcing everywhere that everything is the result of his own effort, planning, intelligence, or knowledge.
Allah says that this is merely a test from Him.
Whether it is hardship or difficulty, in reality everything in this worldly life is temporary and insignificant. Life is like a dream. What does it matter if someone becomes a king in this life, or if he experiences suffering? After this life passes, the real life begins, and that life must be successful. It is essential to be saved from shame and humiliation in that eternal life.
The real test is that a person is given respite. Otherwise, the person who becomes arrogant over his own effort and intelligence does not stop to think: Who gave him this intelligence? Who gave him knowledge? Who gave him strength and abilities?
No matter how intelligent a person may be, if Allah, through His power, takes away his intelligence, what can he do? He would become helpless even in dealing with the most basic functions of his own body.
A person may become so absorbed in his children that he forgets Allah and His Messenger (PBUH), and forgets the fear of the Day of Judgment, becoming completely immersed in worldly life. Yet there have been countless incidents in which people have even ended up killing their own children with their own hands. You must have heard of many such incidents.
It is all through the grace of Allah Almighty that a human being remains alive in this world. His existence, his surroundings, and everything he possesses are gifts from Allah Almighty. Even if a person were to remain prostrated for thousands of years, performing ablution with his tears, he still could not repay the gratitude for even one blessing of Allah Almighty.
Wisdom does not lie in challenging the honor of Allah or inviting His wrath. True wisdom is to seek more from the infinite favors of Allah. And the way to ask Him is to regard His remembrance and love as the greatest and most important thing, placing them above everything else.
In this way, a person will be honored and successful in this world as well as in the Hereafter. He will be saved from shame and humiliation and, after the Day of Judgment, will be included among the servants of Allah and will benefit from His countless blessings.
The way to please Allah Almighty is through His remembrance. This is why this gathering is held. This gathering of Awrad-e-Naziriyyah is a gathering dedicated to the remembrance of Allah.
Those who sincerely participate in such a gathering to remember Allah, seek His forgiveness, and ask for His grace return with their hearts and hands filled with the pleasure and blessings of Allah.
Therefore, we should make a special effort to attend such gatherings regularly and with commitment.
It is narrated in a Hadith that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said that among the Children of Israel there was a man who had committed ninety-nine murders. Then the thought of repentance came into his heart, and he went out seeking someone from whom he could ask whether his repentance could be accepted.
He was directed to a monk. He went to the monk and asked whether his repentance could be accepted.
The monk replied, “No.”
The man killed him as well, thus completing his one hundred murders.
Afterward, he asked people, “Who is the wisest and most knowledgeable person among the people living in this land?”
Someone directed him to a scholar.
He went to the scholar and said, “I have committed one hundred murders. Can my repentance be accepted?”
The scholar replied:
“Yes. Who can prevent repentance from being accepted?”
He then told him, “Go to such-and-such a place. There are people there who are engaged in the worship of Allah. Join them and devote yourself to the worship of Allah. And do not return to your former settlement, because it is a land of sin.”
Upon hearing this, the murderer set out toward the place indicated by the scholar.
He had traveled halfway when death overtook him. The angels of mercy and the angels of punishment differed concerning him.
Finally, it was decided that the distances to both places should be measured, and he should be assigned to whichever side he was closer to.
When the land was measured, the distance toward the place he had intended to go was found to be shorter.
Therefore, the angels of mercy took possession of his soul.
All praise is for Allah Almighty, Who has granted us a gathering that is held purely for His remembrance and has given us the opportunity to participate in it.
Therefore, while reciting the Awrad-e-Naziriyyah, we should keep this thought in our hearts:
“O Most Generous Lord, as long as we remain alive, continue to grant us benefit through gatherings such as these, and include us among Your servants both in life and in death.”
Now, let us begin.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
The Awrad-e-Naziriyyah were recited, followed by supplication.
