بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
I gesture to wipe them away, but they've yet to be shed. Harboured deep inside, given no voice, they're hardly said. But the heart has forgotten not, for it delights at the knowledge while grieving its cessation. Perhaps it's greed that incites a palpitation. Stillness occurs but rarely. And in such moments, one wonders. Perhaps it is an infatuation. Perhaps it is a hopeful mirage. Time continues to take its course, but the voiceful echo of "This is true!" resounds firmly. Thus questions float and tears halt. How can they descend in a desert? A heart that harbours only its desires is at manifest fault.
So let the will to transcend overcome the invitation to wonder. What has passed will remain complete, and what will come is not by one's personal accord. This is a lesson most cannot afford. For choosing other than the way of good is not an option. It is a notion that will never be indulged. Its consumption releases a poison. Death before death is ignorance. Truth is beyond us and belongs to Him.
May we live in His way, by His laws, earning His closeness and good pleasure. May we be strangers to other than what He wills. May we be firm in progressing, in loving, in existing for His sake alone. Ameen.
جمعنا ربنا
هو يعرف ما في قلوبنا
هذه نعمة منه
فنسأله وحده
الخير لنا
و الفتح علينا
و القربى إليه
جل جلاله
آمين
Update: 04/06/2011
My statement "death before death is ignorance" referred to the death of the spiritual heart before the physical heart. But here is something else to think about in terms of truly living.
Imam Abdullah ibn 'Alawi al Haddad was heard to say, "We should now be counted with the dead for all our worldly appetites have died and we find in us not the slightest inclination nor desire for anything of this world, whether it be food, clothes, or any other thing; and in all these I find no pleasure. However, when food is placed before us we eat what we can to conform. This has been our state for quite some time now. Prior to this, I had for these things a very weak inclination which has now disappeared, even though you may observe me behaving and speaking differently with the people. The Prophet, may God's blessings and peace be upon him, has said, 'Die before you die!'" He once remarked that those who come to know the illusory nature of the world become detached from it even though they may be disbelievers who expect no Day of Judgment. He said, "All religions have united in vilifying it, yet all the communities to whom those religions were sent are united in loving it. And he remarked that as much as a third of the Quran is aimed at dispraising the world and encouraging people to renounce it.
[Sufi Sage of Arabia, pg. 40-41]
I gesture to wipe them away, but they've yet to be shed. Harboured deep inside, given no voice, they're hardly said. But the heart has forgotten not, for it delights at the knowledge while grieving its cessation. Perhaps it's greed that incites a palpitation. Stillness occurs but rarely. And in such moments, one wonders. Perhaps it is an infatuation. Perhaps it is a hopeful mirage. Time continues to take its course, but the voiceful echo of "This is true!" resounds firmly. Thus questions float and tears halt. How can they descend in a desert? A heart that harbours only its desires is at manifest fault.
So let the will to transcend overcome the invitation to wonder. What has passed will remain complete, and what will come is not by one's personal accord. This is a lesson most cannot afford. For choosing other than the way of good is not an option. It is a notion that will never be indulged. Its consumption releases a poison. Death before death is ignorance. Truth is beyond us and belongs to Him.
May we live in His way, by His laws, earning His closeness and good pleasure. May we be strangers to other than what He wills. May we be firm in progressing, in loving, in existing for His sake alone. Ameen.
هو يعرف ما في قلوبنا
هذه نعمة منه
فنسأله وحده
الخير لنا
و الفتح علينا
و القربى إليه
جل جلاله
آمين
Update: 04/06/2011
My statement "death before death is ignorance" referred to the death of the spiritual heart before the physical heart. But here is something else to think about in terms of truly living.
Imam Abdullah ibn 'Alawi al Haddad was heard to say, "We should now be counted with the dead for all our worldly appetites have died and we find in us not the slightest inclination nor desire for anything of this world, whether it be food, clothes, or any other thing; and in all these I find no pleasure. However, when food is placed before us we eat what we can to conform. This has been our state for quite some time now. Prior to this, I had for these things a very weak inclination which has now disappeared, even though you may observe me behaving and speaking differently with the people. The Prophet, may God's blessings and peace be upon him, has said, 'Die before you die!'" He once remarked that those who come to know the illusory nature of the world become detached from it even though they may be disbelievers who expect no Day of Judgment. He said, "All religions have united in vilifying it, yet all the communities to whom those religions were sent are united in loving it. And he remarked that as much as a third of the Quran is aimed at dispraising the world and encouraging people to renounce it.
[Sufi Sage of Arabia, pg. 40-41]
4 comments:
beautifully written, great post thanks for sharing learn Quran online
Assalamualaikum...
Hope you're well.
Regarding the update on Imam Abdullah ibn 'Alawi al Haddad saying:
"We should now be counted with the dead for all our worldly appetites have died and we find in us not the slightest inclination nor desire for anything of this world..."
How does one reconcile between natural human desires and still attain closeness to Allah?
Read Quran:
BarakAllahu fikum.
Anonymous:
Wa 'alaykum assalaam wa rahmatullah
InshaAllah you're well too. It's important to keep in mind that Imam Al Haddad, rahimullah, was a great wali of Allah and when he speaks of himself and his spiritual state, though he gives only mere insights, it is beyond what we can truly comprehend. This includes his experience of being dead to or shut off from worldly pursuits (even just eating).
As for your question, it is better directed to those with a true and deep understanding of wayfaring to Allah (suluk). My perspective of the matter, as it stands now, is overly simplistic. Human desires are a part of who we are, naturally, and we appreciate that they have a purpose. They do not have to conflict or move us away from Allah if we use them in service of Him or for His sake alone and within the boundaries that He has set for us. The more tawfiq that Allah gives us in weakening our nafs and strengthening our hearts, the more adept we will inshaAllah become in seeking of this world for His sake and not for the sake of our nafs.
Habib Husayn As Saqqaf, Allahu yafazhuhu, teaches weekly lessons on Imam Al Ghazali's book "Ayyuhal Walad." They're translated into English. He explains how to deal with the nafs, how to train it, how to discipline ourselves such that we are moving closer to Allah as humans have every potential to do. You can find recordings of the previous lessons here, inshaAllah: http://hemmah.net/Lessons.aspx?SectionID=6&CatID=86
How does one reconcile between natural human desires and still attain closeness to Allah? A beautiful question. Intend them as acts of ibadah.
I can discuss this from a fiqhi Usuli perspective with you if you are interested. Just hit on my ID you will get my contact.
Allahu ma'akum
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