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Question:
I am committed to performing my prayers and strive diligently to avoid sin.
However, I am frequently burdened by intrusive negative thoughts, and my heart
often concurs with them. My conscience continuously reprimands me for this.
Could you kindly suggest a spiritual practice that would help me achieve
greater concentration during prayer and alleviate these disruptive thoughts?
Answer:
On one occasion, the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) was addressing his companions,
discussing the virtues of the Muslims who would follow them. A companion
inquired, "O Messenger of Allah, may our parents be sacrificed for you,
will the Muslims who come after us be better than us?" This question
displeased the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), who responded, "By Allah, if you were
to cease sinning, Allah would replace you with a people who would not
sin."
Beloved,
it is intrinsic to human nature to be susceptible to sin. Were this inclination
removed, it would extinguish the essential sense of remorse, which is critical
in maintaining humility before Allah. Remorse is the driving force behind our
spiritual rectitude.
For
fostering concentration during prayer and mitigating distracting thoughts,
engage in the recitation of "Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum" a hundred times
prior to your prayer. Subsequently, close your eyes for five minutes, and
contemplate the profound reality that Allah is observing you. Through sustained
practice, this spiritual discipline will gradually enhance your focus,
enriching the depth of your prayer and cultivating a more attentive and serene
mind.
Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi
Nearly three decades ago, the esteemed spiritual scholar and blessed guide, Khwaja Shamsuddin Azeemi (R.A), inaugurated a mission of public service with the objective of liberating humanity from afflictions, psychological distress, and physical ailments. For ten years, he remained in contemplative retreat, silently advancing this sacred commitment to the service of creation (khidmat-e-khalq). As the hearts of the people began turning toward him, he employed the medium of mass communication. In 1969, this initiative was formally introduced to the public through newspapers and spiritual journals. According to conservative estimates, through written correspondence and face-to-face interaction—particularly via national publications and the Roohani Digest—Hazrat Azeemi has extended spiritual guidance and healing to over 1.4 million men and women, addressing intricate personal crises and intractable medical conditions. Today, it is not uncommon that wherever a few individuals gather, and a seemingly insoluble dilemma or incurable illness is mentioned, someone inevitably suggests: “Establish contact with Azeemi Sahib—the matter will be resolved.”
Through the grace of Allah the Almighty, the spiritual affinity with the Prophet (P.B.U.H), and the continued beneficence of the blessed guide, four volumes of Roohani Daak (Spiritual Correspondence) have now been compiled. The first volume is hereby presented to you for contemplation and benefit.
