The Virtue of Gathering for the Remembrance of Allah

Address of Hazrat Pir Sahib (May Allah Have Mercy on Him)

Dated: 18 April 1985

Speech No.12

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 are due to Allah, the Lord and Master of all creation, 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, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (peace and blessings be upon him), through whose blessed grace this favor has been bestowed upon us.

Respected listeners!

Even if a person were to remain in prostration for his entire life in gratitude to Allah, he would still be unable to fully repay the favor that Allah has granted by enabling him to follow the path of those righteous people who were beloved to Him. Yet, in this age of trials and tribulations, many people consider it undesirable to follow in the footsteps of those who were and remain beloved to Allah.

Whenever the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) preferred the gatherings of the poor and humble believers, the disbelievers of Makkah would mock and criticize him out of pride and arrogance. In response, Allah Almighty revealed:

وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدٰوةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيْدُوْنَ وَجْهَهٗ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنٰكَ عَنْهُمْ

(Surah Al-Kahf, Verse 28)

“And keep yourself patiently with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure, and do not let your eyes turn away from them.”

On one occasion, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out and saw a group of Companions engaged in the remembrance of Allah. They were wearing worn and patched clothes. Some possessed only a single garment. Due to hunger, thirst, and excessive worship, their bodies had become weak and their skin dry.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sat among them and said:

“Praise be to Allah Who has created such people in my Ummah, and I thank Allah Who has commanded me to sit with people like them.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) further said that whenever such a gathering is assembled, an announcer from Allah proclaims:

“Rise, for Allah has forgiven you, and your sins have been transformed into good deeds.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said:

“To sit in such a gathering is dearer to me than the entire world.”

This is truly a matter worthy of reflection. After hearing the command of Allah and the words of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), can there be anyone who possesses even a mustard seed of faith and still considers any worldly task or necessity superior to such a gathering? Certainly not.

When Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) love such gatherings so greatly, and when forgiveness is granted therein to the extent that sins are transformed into good deeds, what greater blessing could there be? What deficiency remains then? Nothing except misfortune can keep a person away from such gatherings.

Remember that Satan is the open enemy of mankind. Because of man, he lost his honor and status. Because of man, he was cursed until the Day of Judgment and condemned to eternal punishment. Therefore, he continuously strives to destroy human beings. He seeks not only their religious downfall but also their worldly ruin.

For example, when children go to school, Satan whispers into their hearts: “Come and play; what benefit is there in studying?” In this way, he destroys their future.

It is narrated that during the time of Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him), Satan appeared before him wearing a colorful cap. Musa (peace be upon him) asked, “Who are you?”

He replied, “I am Iblis (Satan).”

Musa (peace be upon him) asked, “Why are you wearing such a colorful cap?”

Satan answered, “Because I trap different people through different means. I create pride of knowledge in scholars, pride of piety in worshippers and Sufis, and greed and worldly desires in the hearts of worldly people.”

Respected attendees!

The purpose of mentioning this is that when Allah has praised such gatherings and made them beloved to Him, and when the Master of the Universe, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), has granted them such a high rank, then why do people still make excuses such as:

“I was ill,”

“My child was ill,”

“I had no fare,”

“I had official duties,”

“I was occupied elsewhere.”

Are these difficulties beyond the power of Allah to solve?

If a person believes so, then he is not merely lacking faith; rather, he has failed to understand the essence of Islam itself.

A true believer should first express gratitude upon receiving the opportunity to attend such a gathering. He should leave all other matters aside, participate wholeheartedly, entrust everything to Allah, and pray that Allah never deprive him of this blessing.

He should ask:

“O Allah, do not allow my ego, Satan, or the attractions of this world to keep me away from these blessed gatherings.”

It is indeed Allah’s great favor that He has granted us this opportunity and gathered us in such a blessed assembly where His sacred names are remembered and presented before His Divine Court.

We pray:

“O Lord of the worlds! As long as we live, keep Your love in our hearts, Your remembrance upon our tongues, and let the service and obedience of Your Beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) be our greatest treasure. Ameen.”

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Thereafter, the Awrad-e-Naziriyah Sharif was recited and a collective supplication was offered.