The True Meaning of Migration and Striving in the Way of Allah
Discourse of His Eminence Pir Sahib, may Allah have mercy on him,
delivered on 15th November 1986,
Discourse # 65
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
All Praise be to Allah Almighty
A hundred thousand thanks are due to Allah Almighty, the Exalted in Majesty, who has granted us once again this day the blessing and opportunity to gather here for His pleasure, in His remembrance and in His love. Countless blessings and peace be upon the Leader of the Prophets, the Beloved of God, Muhammad Mustafa, upon whom be peace, through whose noble mediation this immense grace has reached us.
Respected listeners! Allah Almighty has stated in the Holy Qur’an:
وَلَا تَطْرُدِ الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدٰوةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيْدُوْنَ وَجْهَهٗ ۭ مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِمْ مِّنْ شَيْءٍ وَّمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّنْ شَيْءٍ فَتَطْرُدَهُمْ فَتَكُوْنَ مِنَ الظّٰلِمِيْنَوَكَذٰلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُمْ بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُوْلُوْٓا اَهٰٓؤُلَاۗءِ مَنَّ اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِّنْۢ بَيْنِنَا ۭ اَلَيْسَ اللّٰهُ بِاَعْلَمَ بِالشّٰكِرِيْنَوَاِذَا جَاۗءَكَ الَّذِيْنَ يُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِاٰيٰتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلٰمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلٰي نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ ۙ اَنَّهٗ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْكُمْ سُوْۗءًۢا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنْۢ بَعْدِهٖ وَاَصْلَحَ ۙ فَاَنَّهٗ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ
“Those who believed, emigrated, and strove in the way of Allah with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank in the sight of Allah. It is they who are successful.”
Surah At-Tawbah, verse 20.
The meaning of this command of Allah Almighty is that those who believed in Allah Almighty and accepted all His commandments did not simply rest, thinking they had done some great favor by believing in the power of Allah, recognizing the Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him, and believing in the Day of Judgment. Rather, after embracing faith, they also emigrated in the way of Allah Almighty and strove with their wealth and their lives. Such people earned the pleasure of Allah Almighty. In the sight of God, they have great honor and an exalted rank, and He alone is the One who sustains and nurtures them.
What is migration? And what is jihad? These are matters that need to be understood. True migration is that a person abandons all acts of disobedience to God and devotes himself to God’s service. For this, even if one has to leave behind children, homeland, spouse, wealth, property, relatives, friends, and loved ones, or anything else, one should leave them without hesitation, and whatever hardships arise from this sacrifice, embrace them willingly. This is jihad. In this process, separation from dear ones and relatives, children, and one’s ancestral homeland can heap mountains of grief upon the heart. Along with the expenses of the journey, there are also physical hardships, the possibility of death or even killing, or facing the hardships of travel—all of this is striving with one’s wealth and life. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said regarding this, in concise words:
المھاجر من ھجر ما نھی اللہ عنہ و رسولہ
“Al-Muhājir is the one who abandons what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden.”
Respected listeners! Outwardly, due to the dominance of Satan and the lower self, it seems as though a person who makes such sacrifices and takes such actions will be ruined. But when we examine the history of our Master, peace be upon him, and see how his devoted followers sacrificed in the path of God, how they gave up everything, and then the rank they attained, the command of Allah Almighty becomes clear before us—that indeed, with God, they hold a very great rank and are the ones who attain all their desires. Their rank is such that they are granted an honor in this world and the next, which never fades. Both friend and foe revere them. And their desires are fulfilled in such a way that the worldly blessings for which others wander restlessly and cling to desperately, ultimately have to be left behind as they depart this world empty-handed. But those who sacrifice these in the path of Allah, He grants them many times over.
Who is unaware of the sacrifices of Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq? After giving everything in the way of Allah Almighty, did he become empty-handed or unsuccessful? Never. He attained an honor that no king of this world could attain. Today, there are nine hundred million Muslims in the world who accept him as their leader and master. Every week in gatherings, it is proclaimed that Allah’s mercy be upon him, who is the most excellent of all mankind after the prophets. This is the honor of this world, which will last until the Day of Judgment. And as for the honor of the Hereafter, that is beyond estimation. When Hazrat Abu Hurairah was appointed governor of a province, he would often recount with delight the story of his earlier life. He would address himself and say: “O Abu Hurairah, you are the same person who was once a servant of such-and-such tribe. Your wage was just enough bread to fill your stomach. Your duty was that whenever they traveled, you would accompany them on foot, and whenever they camped, you would gather firewood for them. And today, because of Islam, see how far you have risen—you are now called Imam and Amir al-Mu’mineen.
In short, those of you who have migrated to attend this blessed gathering—you are all Muhajirs. You have left your homes, your needs, your wealth, and your friends, and have come in the name and love of Allah Almighty. Remember, until you return to your homes, you are travelers in the way of Allah. The praises and blessings of God are being showered upon you. The honors and fulfillments of both worlds are being bestowed upon you. What is needed is that you understand this spiritual rank of yours and gather these blessings of good fortune, so that this honor and spiritual wealth may become everlasting. As long as you live, let this good fortune remain with you. And when you depart from this world, may your name be remembered with honor and respect, and in the Hereafter, may you be counted among the servants of God. When remembering God, this conviction should dwell in your hearts. When setting out from your homes, this should be your intention. While you sit here and until you return home, the same thought and certainty should stay with you. And for the favor that God has bestowed upon you by granting you this blessing, every hair on your body should remain prostrated before Him.
All praise is for Allah. Now, let us begin.
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
In the blessed name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.
The Awrād-e-Naẓīriyyah Sharīf were recited, and supplication was offered.
