Topics

JUN 2016-RAMAZAN LAYLATUL QADR

 

A moment of contemplation and brainwork is an act, longed over whole universe. It is an act, which is void of any distance between us and universe. It is due to the agility of life in the phenomenal world as well as in innumerous worlds, which began with 'kun' (to be).

Life is supplemented with resources. Resources are required to fulfill need of senses. The knowledge of phenomenal existence arises due to fulfilment of senses in various states, such as hunger, thirst, awake, sleep, mutual interaction, conversation, will to be outstanding and several other interests.

Despite the singularity of senses, they are two folds. An awareness to the apparent and hidden aspects of senses is termed as life. These two aspects are constructive at one fold, and destructive at another fold.

 

Allah said,

"The month of Ramadan is the one in which Quran was revealed as guidance for mankind, and as clear signs that show the right way and distinguish between right and wrong. So those of you who witness the month must fast in it. But the one who is sick, or is on a journey (should fast) as much from other days (as he missed). Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you. All this is so that you may complete the number (of fasts as prescribed) and proclaim the Takbir of Allah for having guided you, and that you may be grateful." (Quran, 2:185)

The illuminated verses in Quran are guiding pathways for an individual's contemplation. It unveils the potential benefits to human faculties by the practices to be commenced in Ramadan.

 

Unlike month of Ramadan , rest of the year our activities are overwhelmed with the physical world such as work or labour for earning. When an individual pays attention to something, then all other things become non-existent. For instance, if one observes a rose then there may be two scenarios. Either an individual observation may be limited merely on rose only, or he may find a whole universe inside the rose. Former tendency of observation limits the perception.

On the other hand, later tendency of observing rose extends the moment of perception across whole universe. It means that limiting one's perception on a particular self also restricts the freedom of perception in the spatio-temporal constraints.

A practice of fast during the Ramadan inculcates an attitude void of phenomenal existence. Such practices continuously instill a thought that there is a faculty of senses which can reveal upon us the ghaib (hidden world). For twenty-four hours, an individual tends to focus his attention on Allah. These practices include, refrain from drinking or eating, careful in conversation, avoid backbiting and lie, adopting righteous ways in earning and selling commodities , being gracious in donations , reduce down the duration of sleep, to name a few.

 

Allah says,

"Fasting is for Me (Allah) and I (Allah) am ultimate reward of fasting."

(Hadees e Qudsi)

The faculty of senses during fasting enables an individual to observe the Noor (a finest light form) of Allah. One aspect of faculty of senses is constrained by spatio-temporal limitations ; while on the other fold, time and space are grasped by the faculty of senses. At one aspect, it creates nearness to Allah , while other aspect creates distance from Allah. These two aspects can be understood with the help of process of thought.

Unlike a physical motion of a body, thoughts in any individual are independent of spatio-temporal constraints, they travel to distant destination at a speed of light; whereas physical motion is limited by its traversing along the space in certain time. Thought is an attribute of a hidden world. Quran termed such senses in an individual as lay! (night).

Allah said,

"You make the night enter into the day, and make the day enter into the night; and You bring the living out from the dead, and bring the dead out from the living, and You give to whom You will beyond measure." (Quran, 3: 27)

In the same vein, Allah said,

"And a sign for them is the night, We strip the day from it." (Quran, 36: 37)

Faculty of senses operates in two tiers. During the nigh- fo ld, temporal attributes of senses dominate over the spatial attributes. It is the night-fold of senses which enables to travel into the hidden worlds of ghaib. Ghaib is a place, where an individual observes barzakh (a zone of hidden worlds), a 'araf (a zone of hidden worlds) and ange ls .

 

Allah said about the mayraj (apex of night-fold voyage) of His prophet (PBUH) as,

"Glorious is He Who made his servant travel by night from AlMasjid-al-Haraam to Al-Masjid-al-Aqsa whose environs We have blessed, so that We let him see some of Our signs. Surely, He is the All-Hearing, the All- Seeing." (Quran, 17:1)

Readers can find similar state of mental freedom asleep (in senses of lay/ or night), which is free of all spatio-temporal constraints. Fasting is a program which enforces similar state of spatio-temporal freedom during the day time (while awakening).

 

Fasting abstains an individual from all eligible or ineligible acts. Any activity which is practiced during the rest of year for example eating, drinking, communication, sleeping etc. are restrained during month of Ramadan. An individual does not eat or drink for a certain time, to show his obedience for Allah. He reduces duration of his sleep while fasting, which ultimately invokes the unconscious activity of layl (night), like state of sleep. Though sleep and talk is not forbidden, but he neither sleeps nor talks un-necessarily. The focus of his mental faculties remains on the percept that Allah is watching him. During this month, he fasts and bears an orderly pure life.

Allah said about the Ramadan,

"When My servants ask you about Me, then (tell them that) I am near. I respond to the call of one when he prays to Me; so they should respond to Me, and have faith in Me, so that they may be on the right path." (Quran, 2: 186)

 

Ramadan is a program to purify heart and soul and eventually entering in a state of unconscious (senses of layl or night). The practice of abstaining oneself from eating during day time, reducing duration of sleep and refraining from over eating at iftar (breakfast at the early evening), unveil worlds of ghaib before us.

The spiritual aspect of fasting is applicable to all individual beings without any discrimination. Unlike most of us, the recognizers of Allah are well aware of blessing they achieve after the practices of abstaining oneself (that is fasting in Ramadan). All the followers of Prophet (PBUH) can practice fasting.

An individual who starves since dawn till the sunset become acquiescent of blessings of fasting. When he misses a fasting day, it appears to

him as if lost a precious state. Despite hot weather and extreme starvation, holding oneself back from drinking water and forbid everything which is eligible otherwise (during other months) is undoubtedly an act of refrain exclusively for Allah. Everyone who fasts is well aware of blessings of fasting.

Refraining one' s own self develops a pattern that nullifies individualism. One who lives a life following his individual mental tendencies, limits himself into fewer inclinations. An individual can adopt other thought pattern, when he is void of present thought patterns. An individual who annihilate his ego, he overwhelms himself with attributes of Allah. This practice gradually turns his thought pattern and his mind to mirror the attributes of Allah.

 

One who fasts during the early twenty days of Ramadan become closer to ghaib due to willfully refraining from phenomenal world.

Abdal-e-Haq Qalandar Baba Auliya (RA) mentioned that until the Layla tu! Qadr (a special night in the month of Ramadan), the mental faculties of a person holding fast, accelerate above seventy thousands times (as compared to other months). At this stage, he reaches to a state where he sees Hazrat Gabriel (RA) (an angel of higher echelon in ghaib) and other angels by the might of Allah. He shakes hand with Hazrat Gabriel (RA).

Allah said,

"We have sent it (the Quran) down in the Night of Qadr. And what may let you know what the Night of Qadr is? The Night of Qadr is much better than one thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend in it, with the leave of your Lord, along with every command. Peace it is till the debut of dawn." (Quran, 97:1-5)



 

Allah Hafiz

JUNE 2017-QSM 


 

Topics


MESSAGE OF THE DAY

KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DIN AZEEMI


Articles of 'MESSAGE OF THE DAY' from Qalandar Shaoor Monthly