Patience, Divine Trials, and the Love of Allah

Address by His Eminence Pir Sahib (May Allah Have Mercy on Him)

Dated: 26 April 1986

Address No. 49

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

Thanks are due to Allah Almighty, Glorious and Exalted is His Majesty, that the Lord of the Kingdom has once again granted us the opportunity and the ability to gather here today for His pleasure, in His remembrance and in His love. Millions and billions of blessings and salutations upon the Leader of the Prophets, the Beloved of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH), through whose blessed intercession this grace has been bestowed.

Dear participants of this gathering, Allah Almighty says:

اِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصّٰبِرُوْنَ اَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ۝

Verse No. 10, Surah Az-Zumar

Translation: Indeed, Allah Almighty will give those who are patient their reward without measure.

Patience means remaining steadfast in one’s condition—that is, people who, despite extreme hardship in this world, did not abandon the religion of Allah Almighty and remained steadfast in the love and remembrance of their Lord. Although such people may appear to be deprived of their desires, in reality they are the most successful of all. This is because Allah Almighty has reserved for them, after this temporary life, a reward without measure. As for the other righteous people, they will receive reward according to their deeds, but these people will receive an immeasurable reward in that everlasting life.

Hazrat Anas (RA) narrated a Hadith that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said that when the scales are set up on the Day of Judgment, those who offered prayers will be called and given their full reward according to the weight of their deeds. Those who gave charity and alms will be called, and they too will be given their full recompense. The pilgrims will also be brought forth, and they too will be given their full reward according to the weight of their deeds.

But those who were people of patience will be called, and there will be neither a scale for them nor will a record of their deeds be opened. Rather, innumerable rewards will be showered upon them, to such an extent that even those people who were enjoying well-being in the world on the Day of Judgment will wish that, had their bodies been cut apart with scissors in the world, they would have endured it with patience. They will make this wish when they see the reward granted to those who were patient.

Dear participants of the gathering! I have mentioned this verse and Hadith because our gathering often consists of people who are afflicted by difficulties and who seek the mercy and help of God. Such people should, first of all, have certainty that the Lord of the Kingdom, through His mercy and through the blessing of His sacred names, will remove their religious and worldly difficulties and make them happy.

Even if, God forbid, they are afflicted by hardship, they should not become disappointed and thereby become heedless of the remembrance of Allah Almighty. If they do so, they will become deprived of both religion and the world. But those people who understand that this is a test from Allah Almighty, and that Allah Almighty is Merciful toward them, and that in return for this hardship Allah Almighty is going to grant them a great reward—such people remain steadfast in the remembrance and love of God and exercise patience. Such people are those who fill their hands with the fulfillment of their desires in both religion and the world.

Gentlemen! While reciting these sacred Awraad, one should remember that God has bestowed His favor by granting us the ability to remember Him, and that these sacred Awraad will be presented before Allah Almighty as a means of supplication, so that the Lord, through their blessing, may bring us successfully through the trial, whether the trial is in the form of children, comfort and happiness, or hardship and grief, because both kinds are forms of trial.

In happiness, grief, and comfort as well, a person can forget all of this and end up in everlasting punishment. Grief and hardship are also a test: a person may be afflicted with difficulty and yet remain happy and absorbed in the remembrance of his Lord. Such people alone are the most successful.

The elders are present here, and Qureshi Sahib is also present. When Hazrat Pir Sahib (May Allah Have Mercy on Him) became ill, Qureshi Sahib submitted, “Hazoor, we have recited so many Khatams (Recitation Completions), but nothing has happened; there has been no improvement in your illness. If you would pray yourself…”

Hazrat Pir Sahib (May Allah Have Mercy on Him) said:)

“Har cheh ze dost ayad durust bashad.” (Persian Proverb)

Translation: “Whatever comes from the Beloved is right.”

This is not true devotion—that if happiness comes, a person happily accepts happiness and honor, but if difficulty or illness comes, he becomes distressed, disappointed, or complains. Whatever comes from God should be accepted with happiness. This is the sign of true friendship and servitude.

Dear participants of the gathering! Remember that this is a great gathering of the sacred Awraad, because it has been convened for the remembrance of Allah Almighty. There is no reason why anyone who participates in it should ever remain unsuccessful in attaining his desire. God willing, every person will depart with his hands filled with the fulfillment of his desire.

If there is some delay, have certainty that there is greater good for such a person in it—such good that, when it comes to him, his happiness will know no bounds.

Now let us begin with this same certainty and sincerity.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

The Awraad-e-Naziriyyah Sharif were recited, and supplication was made.