Turn to Allah Before It’s Too Late
Address of Huzoor Wala Shan Pir Sahib (RA)
Delivered on 29 March 1985
Speech No.10
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
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 the Lord 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 and billions of blessings and salutations be upon the Leader of the Prophets, the Beloved of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him), through whose blessed mediation this favor has been bestowed upon us.
Respected listeners!
Allah Almighty states in the Holy Qur’an:
وَاَنِيْبُوْٓا اِلٰى رَبِّكُمْ وَاَسْلِمُوْا لَهٗ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَّاْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لَا تُنْصَرُوْنَ۔وَاتَّبِعُوْٓا اَحْسَنَ مَآ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكُمْ مِّنْ رَّبِّكُمْ مِّنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَّاْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَّاَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُوْنَ
(Surah Az-Zumar, Verses 54–55)
Translation:
“Turn towards your Lord and submit yourselves to Him before a punishment comes upon you, after which you will find no helper besides Him. Return to and bow before the One Who has undertaken every aspect of your upbringing and sustenance, and from Whom every blessing and act of kindness originates.”
If one looks with the eye of reality, it becomes clear that the very things which cause a person to neglect the remembrance of Allah, and which he considers extremely important, are themselves blessings granted by Allah. In fact, they are tests for mankind—to determine whether these favors will increase his gratitude to Allah or whether he will become so absorbed in them that he forgets the Giver Himself.
Allah Almighty has decreed that human beings will inevitably be tested. These tests may come in the form of comfort, ease, honor, and prosperity, or in the form of hardship, sorrow, and adversity. Allah has declared that He alternates these days among people.
Those who have forgotten Allah because of an abundance of wealth, honor, and worldly luxuries should remember that a time will come when circumstances will change. On that day, no one will be able to help them except Allah, and they will once again be compelled to turn toward Him.
Likewise, those who are suffering from hardship and difficulties should remember that these trials are also tests from Allah. If they endure these difficult days with patience and do not abandon the remembrance of their Lord, then all the joys and successes of this world will eventually come to them. History bears witness to this truth, and the heavens have never observed anything contrary to it.
The conditions of those who dwell beneath the sky and upon the earth have always changed. Therefore, no person should ever neglect the remembrance of Allah. Whether in times of happiness or sorrow, fear or security, one should remember Allah constantly and live a life of Taqwa (God-consciousness). This means safeguarding oneself from the thorns of both luxury and hardship while steadily moving toward one’s ultimate destination, until one reaches the presence of the Lord and attains the everlasting joys of eternal life.
Someone once asked Hazrat Umar (RA), “What is Taqwa?”
He replied:
“If there are thorns on both sides of a path, then walking carefully while protecting your garments from being caught by them is called Taqwa.”
It is indeed a great favor of Allah that He has granted the participants of this gathering the opportunity to remember Him. Attending such a gathering means filling one’s lap with the mercies of Allah, while neglecting such a gathering is, in reality, neglecting the mercy of Allah.
It is narrated in a blessed Hadith that once the Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him) was addressing a gathering of the Companions (May Allah be pleased with them all). Three men arrived. One of them came forward and stood among the gathering. When he found a place, he sat down. The second sat farther back. The third saw no apparent place and turned away without joining the gathering.
When the Prophet (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him) finished speaking, he said:
“One of them turned towards Allah, so Allah made room for him and granted him a place. Another felt modest before Allah, so Allah honored him. But the third turned away from Allah, and Allah turned away from him.”
What a profound lesson this contains! In gatherings dedicated to the remembrance of Allah, one should not seek personal honor or comfort. Rather, one’s focus should be directed entirely toward Allah. Wherever a place is found, one should sit and spend time in His remembrance, seeking only His pleasure, for all honor and comfort are contained within His pleasure.
Today, by the grace and favor of Allah, we have gathered here. In order to attend this gathering, you may have faced difficulties, worries, and endured the heat. However, do not concern yourselves with these hardships. Remember Allah with such enthusiasm and devotion that the Almighty Lord, through the blessings of His remembrance, removes all your worries, hardships, and sorrows.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Thereafter, Awrad-e-Naziriya Sharif was recited and a collective supplication (Dua) was offered.
