Remembering Allah And Showing Gratitude In All Circumstance
Discourse of His Eminence Pir Sahib, may Allah have mercy on him,
delivered on 13th December 1986
Discourse # 69
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
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ
The Almighty Allah be praised that the Master of All Sovereignty once again granted us today the opportunity to gather in His remembrance and pleasure. Millions and billions of blessings and salutations upon the Leader of the Prophets, the Beloved of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa, peace and blessings be upon him, through whom this grace has been granted.
Respected audience! Allah Almighty has said in the Holy Qur’an,
قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِيْنَةَ اللّٰهِ الَّتِيْٓ اَخْرَجَ لِعِبَادِهٖ وَالطَّيِّبٰتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ ۭقُلْ هِىَ لِلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا فِي الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا خَالِصَةً يَّوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ ۭكَذٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْاٰيٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَّعْلَمُوْنَ
(آیت 32: سورۃ الاعراف)
“Say, who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants, and the wholesome things of provision? Say, they are for those who believe in this worldly life, and exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection. Thus We explain the verses in detail for people who know.”
Surah Al-A’raf, verse 32.
It is often thought that if someone turns to Allah, they lose comfort and honor in this world, receiving it only after the afterlife. But this noble verse shows that such a notion is completely wrong. Another mistaken idea is that even if Allah has given someone worldly blessings, He will only be pleased with them if they live in hardship and deprivation. This is also incorrect. The correct understanding is that Allah Almighty has created this world and all its blessings. First, when a person sincerely turns to Him and follows the way of His beloved Prophet, they are never deprived. Instead, Allah’s blessings flow to them. The things for which the people of this world struggle and stumble come to such a person easily, and beyond all these blessings, they are granted the peace of heart. What fills their heart is only the desire that Allah’s pleasure remain with them and that they stay firm in serving Him. Worldly things become their servants.
That is why it is mentioned in a blessed Hadith that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said, “When Allah Almighty bestows His blessings and abundance upon one of His servants, Allah likes to see the reflection of His blessings, and so forth, in the servant’s clothing and appearance.” Therefore, displaying one’s blessings is also a form of gratitude. Conversely, despite having abundance, wearing torn or unclean clothes is ingratitude.
The Holy Prophet ﷺ also wore the finest garments during times of financial ease. On one occasion, he came out wearing a blessed cloak worth a thousand dirhams. Imam Abu Hanifa wore a cloak worth four hundred dinars. Similarly, Imam Malik always wore fine clothes. One of his followers would arrange three hundred and sixty sets of clothing for him each year. Once he wore a set, he would not wear it again.
The upshot is that the whole universe belongs to God and moves by His command. Whoever becomes God’s servant, the world becomes subservient to them; everything comes to their feet, and using these blessings is gratitude to God. To declare them forbidden for oneself is just as sinful as desiring worldly things, striving to get them, and chasing after them. Those who deprive themselves of worldly blessings to impress simple-minded people are not really servants of God; they are seekers of the world. The second point is, those who rebel against God use the blessings Allah has given them like thieves. Just as a thief enters someone’s property and uses the owner’s things without permission, while the owner gives him time,” saying, “Let him complete this; I will catch him later.” In the same way, such people will be called to account later. Therefore, servitude to God and remembering God does not mean turning away from the world. Rather, it’s a way to draw near to the Master of both religion and the world. It’s not like the worldly people who prostrate thousands of times before thousands of others. Rather, by making a single prostration before the One Master, that very thing comes to one’s presence.
All praise is due to Allah who has shown us the way to please Him by sacrificing the world, turning away from its distractions, and entering into His remembrance and servitude. So you, who have been given this courage and divine enablement by Allah, during or after this blessed act, do not worry about how the necessities of the world will come to us. Rather, keep a single intention: ‘O Master of the Kingdom, accept our thanks for keeping us engaged in Your remembrance and servitude, and keep us in Your remembrance and servitude throughout our lives.’ By the blessing of these sacred awraad, grant us the life that You gave to the servants of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, whose hearts held the love of You and Your beloved Prophet as the most precious, and who considered it their duty to sacrifice everything for You and Your beloved. And who, by Your pure essence, were granted freedom from the sorrows of both worlds and blessed with the joys and blessings of both.
With this prayer and this longing in your heart, begin the recitation of these blessed awraad.
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
The blessed Aurad-e-Naziriyah were recited, and supplication was made.
