Akhlaq of Islam

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THE  AKHLAQ  OF  ISLAM

(Extracted from the book Shariat and Tasawwuf by Hazrat Moulana Maseehullah RA)

Continuing from the last issue with Sabr… 

NI'MAT AND MUSEEBAT

Ni'mat (fortune, favour, blessing) produces delight and happiness which in turn result in muhabbat (love) for Allah, The Benefactor. On the contrary museebat (difficulty, hardship, calamity) produces unpleasantness and grief. Thus the occasion of sabr is in the face of museebat. Museebat is the condition detested by the nafs. This condition is of two kinds: first is the form of hardship, and second, true hardship. 

Grief and frustration follow in the wake of true hardship which is the consequence of sin. Hardship which brings about the strengthening of one's bond with Allah and elevates one's spiritual condition is not true hardship. It is merely a resemblance or form of hardship. It increases one's submission to Allah Ta'ala. The }rifeen do perceive hardship. In fact their sense of perception is sharper, but due to their gaze being on Allah Ta'ala their grief and sorrow do not exceed the limits. 

Difficulties are a means for the expiation of many sins. At times Allah Ta'ala wishes to bestow a special rank of elevation to a servant, but the latter lacks the ability to attain that lofty rank solely by virtue of his righteous deeds. Allah Ta'ala then afflicts him with some hardship by virtue of which he attains the desired lofty rank. It appears in the Hadith Shareef that on the Day of Qiyaamat the people of ni'mat (fortune and happiness) will envy those who had undergone museebat (hardship and sorrow). They will envy them and wish:

"Would that our skins were cut to bits with scissors so that today we could have attained the ranks bestowed to the people of hardship."

It is also narrated in the Hadeeth Shareef that he who takes his vengeance, Allah Ta'ala assigns his affair to him (the one who took his own course). But the one who adopts sabr, Allah Ta'ala extracts vengeance on his behalf. Allah then sometimes awards him in this world, or may in Qiyaamat waive punishment totally from him. Allah Ta'ala states in the Qur'an  Shareef:

"When a hardship afflicts you, say: innalillahi wa inna ilayhi raji- ‘oon (Verily, we are for Allah and unto Him will we return)." 

The purport of this ayat is that one should engage in the thikr of innalillahi wa inna ilayhi raji- ‘oon at the time of difficulty and hardship. One should meditate the meaning of this statement, that we are the exclusive property of Allah; we belong to Him and He has the full right to utilize and dispose of His property as He deems fit; we are, therefore, contented with the decree of Allah. 

When hardship afflicts one, firstly remember one's sins. Such remembrance of shortcomings and faults will fortify one against depression during the hardship. One will then realize the correctness of the affliction and accept it without complaint. One will regret and not complain. Secondly, meditate the reward which Allah has promised for hardship. Remembering this reward will lessen the grief and keep one resolute in the state of hardship. Never complain nor entertain the impression that Allah Ta'ala has become displeased with one. This impression is dangerous because it weakens the bond with Allah Ta'ala and by degrees one's relationship with Allah Ta'ala becomes effaced.

Consider hardship as either punishment or a trial and contemplate its reward. At the time of hardship, the Shariat instructs sabr and firmness. For every hardship, the compensation will be good. There is, most assuredly, benefit in hardship, in this world as well as in the Akhirat although one may not be able to understand the worldly benefit therein. 

ACQUIRING SABR

Sabr is inculcated by weakening the desires of lust and emotion. 

SHUKR

Allah Ta'ala says:

"Be grateful unto Me." 

Rasalullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:

"If happiness reaches him (the believer), he is grateful." 

THE NATURE OF SHUKR

Accepting that all benefit is from the True Benefactor (Mun'im Haqeeqi), the effect of which is to be happy with the Benefactor and be ever ready to render obedience to Him, is the meaning of Shukr. 

The meaning of Shukr envisages:

Acceptance of the fact that all benefit is from Allah, the True Benefactor (Mun'im Haqeeqi). This acceptance induces: 

1.  Happiness with the Benefactor.

2.  Eagerness to execute the commands of the Benefactor and to abstain from his prohibitions.