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This humble servant addresses you every month on a
different topic. In today's sitting I would like to say something about the
mental worries, feelings of insecurity, fear, and despair about the future that
are faced by the Muslim population.
Seeing the sad, sorrowful, and lifeless faces, it appears
as if we are travellers who have no destination. But if we adopt the beautiful
ways of the Islamic lifestyle, we can bring an extraordinary power of
attraction to our faces. Not only the Muslims, but other nations as well have been
attracted to the enlightening ways of Islam and have been pulled towards this
religion that manifests truth. Just as surely, as air, water, and light, the
faith of Islam is the common inheritance of all people. But it is not enough to
verbally declare this. A show of selflessness and other actions consistent with
such a declaration must also follow.
In
today’s modern and technological age, reverence and respect for parents and
elders is decreasing every day. This is the first in a series of steps which leads
to the deterioration and loss of Islamic moral values. According to God's
command, the Holy Prophet (saw) has composed,
for his followers in particular and for humanity in general, principles that
are clear and illuminating. The practice of these principles will shield us
from mental chaos, nervous tension, confusion and worry.
Once, while the Holy prophet (saw) was distributing meat,
a woman arrived. The Holy Prophet (saw) left his task and spread his mantle [or
'un-sewn outer covering'] on the ground, and, with immense respect and
reverence, asked the honourable lady to sit on that mantle. Hadhrat Abu Tufail
(r.a) says that he asked people [regarding the lady], "Who is this
honorable personality?" Those present there told him that, "this
revered woman is the 'mother' who nursed the Holy Prophets'" on her milk,
as an infant."
In
regards to the kind treatment of parents, in chapter Bani Israeel, Allah says,
"And your Lord has commanded that,
'worship none but Him, and show kindness
to parents."
[The Holy Quran, chapter 17:
verse 23]
Show of gratitude towards one's benefactor is the first
requirement of decency, and the truth is that the tangible cause of our
existence is our mother and father, under whose supervision and with whose
upbringing we grow and reach mental maturity. Considering the extraordinary
sacrifice, unparalleled effort, and the exceptional love and selflessness they
display in the upbringing and the training of their children, justice demands
that our hearts be filled with reverence, gratitude, and love towards them, and
every fibre of our being be thankful to them. This is the reason why, along
with the command to show thankfulness towards Him, God has instructed that we
be thankful towards our parents.
We are also commanded to show kindness and respect
towards our parents' friends. We are instructed to acknowledge their advice
with respect. The Prophet" of Allah has said:
'The highest virtue is that a person should
be benevolent towards his father's friends.'
[Muslim]
When we make a garment, regardless of whether it is
(instructed of a cotton fabric, wool, or nylon, its purpose is 14, Lover
ourselves. Similarly, in order to keep itself hidden, the spirit [‘rooh’] has
made up a garment, and this garment Irk our body, which is composed of flesh
and bones. Just as, without a body, a garment has neither significance nor its
own movement, in the same way, the garment of the spirit Iran significance only
as long as the spirit gives it significance. When we wear a jacket or a coat,
it is not possible that while that coat is on our body, we can move our arm
without the sleeve moving along with it. It is also not possible for us to hang
that coat on a peg or put it down on a bed, and for it. Its move of its own
accord. A garment's significance remains only as long as it adorns a body. Just
like a woollen or cotton garment, all the movements of a garment composed of
flesh [which is our body] are dependant on the spirit. As long as the spirit
remains in the body, the body moves about and shows about and shows signs of
life; as soon as the spirit breaks its relationship with the body, the body
becomes no more significant than a coat hanging on a peg.
If an intelligent, mentally competent, adult does not
know who his parents are, then regardless of how capable and
intelligent ht. k, a feeling of loss and deprivation surrounds him. And
feelings of loss and deprivation create such a huge vacuum in a person’s life
that eventually such a person becomes mentally ill Whether insanity is on a
small scale or large, such a person would still be called insane.
Although we are aware of the fact that we exist, but we
are unaware of the reality of who created us. Suppose we say that, 'our creator
is Allah,' then that would be just like saying that the body of flesh and bones
is the real person, whereas that person has no significance of his own. This
person is under the control of the spirit, whereas the spirit is hidden from
our worldly eyes. Merely offering lip service that, 'our creator is Allah,'
does not fulfill the requirements of acceptance of one's Creator. That person who has no idea of who his parents
are will similarly say that, his parents gave birth to
him ' If we are not familiar with our spirit, then declarations of Allah as the
Creator and the Lord would be based merely on our speculation. How tragic is
the fact that in society, a person whose parents are not known is not given any
status. Yet, at the same time, the best that many of us are able to do is to
offer lip service when remembering Allah the Exalted, while we consider
ourselves Ashraf-ul-Makhlooqat ['best of the creation']. Allah is He whose
hearing we listen with, whose vision we see with, and whose heart [favvad] we
think with. Yet we consider it unnecessary to recognize the God who gives us
birth, who raises us with his special favour and blessings, and who protects
us, while He himself has announced:
"And those people who strive in Our path--We surely
guide them in Our ways." [The Holy Quran, chapter 29:
Verse 69]
It has been the mission of all prophets, on whom be
peace, and all Godly men that, just as people have familiarity with their
parents, they should gain an understanding of their Creator.
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
Science has made immense progress, yet many believe that, even with all of the modern tools at our disposal, human beings function at no more than 10% of their mental capacity. This leads to the question of what exactly it is that comprises the remaining 90%. Yet another question that arises is this: If it has taken man four and a half billion years to be able to apply only 10% of his ability, how long will it take for him to make use of the remaining 90%?