Tawzifnama 20 to 25
20.
“Sometimes He makes your heart empty
Sometimes HE makes your morals pleasant
Sometimes He brings you face to face with His love
Let us then see what the Lord does
Whatever He does the result is beautiful”
Sometimes we find our hearts empty, as if it is a dry well. Or we find that some people’s hearts are without any sweating juice, no human feelings. In other words, man’s heart can be temporarily or permanently empty either in the way of sweetness or humanity. In the way of the sweetness, when we become tired and weary of long disappointments and frustrations and lose all over taste and jest for life, this is called depression or melancholia. We rake refuge in Allah against it. In the way of humanity, some person, for no apparent reason are stone- hearted. They seem to have no mercy and no warmth. Some of these are harmless while some others are cold-blooded monsters who we call psychopaths. We again take refuge in Allah from becoming one of either kind or being victimised by the latter. Still, all are Allah’s creation and although watching them with a certain wonder and trepidation we must take care that they do not harm us or anybody else.
When out own hearts are empty, the only cure is remembrance of Allah, continuously until the ice enveloping our hearts melt and our dried-up eyes become able to shed tears all over again so that we regain human warmth.
“Sometimes He makes your morals pleasant.” You will be kind, charitable, considerate, cheerful and fun, a benefit to be with. That is how we should all try to be. But how? This is both difficult and easy. It is difficult if you try to beautify your morals and manners on your own, by reading about it in books or trying to emulate everybody you think has a pleasant moral nature. These measures will give you some success, but not much. The better way is to look for a friend or a group of friends who impress you with their moral beauty about which there seems to be universal acclaim and agreement. Again, the best among such examples are the ones with well-developed religious piety on top of natural pleasant disposition, because faith and religious practice improves and embellishes any existing excellences. That is why the Messenger of Allah said, “ The better among you in Islam are those who were better ones among people before they came to Islam.”
The Prophet (sws) was the most excellent moral person before he was made the prophet of Islam and next to him was Abu Bakr (r.a). They retained their top ranks also after Islam. Similarly, those who were not too well known for their moral traits again occupied the moral lower ranks when they joined Muslims later on. It was they mostly who were first to get involved in plots and malevolent deeds when about two decades after the Prophet’s death discords started among Muslims. Pass away one more generation and we find such lower quality Muslims scandalising the Islamic nation (ummah) and humiliating and even killing some holy companions which even include the grandchildren of the holy Prophet (sws). From that time until today, good Muslims always tried to put things right under great danger to themselves while doubtful and crooked men rushed to occupy all positions of power and suppress objections by the better ones as well as by the general populace suffering under their bad rule.
We cannot, realistically speaking, change such permanent and persistent features afflicting the Islamic nation since time immemorial or equally if not more, corruption running amok all over the earth among all nations. It is apparently Allah’s will that the better something the less of it shall be available. Allah says,
“ Among my servants the thoughtful are rare.”
“ Let not the profusion (plentifulness) of the filthy amaze you..”
“ If you follow the majority of people on earth, they will lead you to error.”
I therefore pity those fools who spend all their time and energy towards the illusory good of bringing about an “Islamic Revolution” on earth as a result of which they imagine the majority if not the whole world’s population shall become good, practising Muslims. Had they been their only folly imagining such a future in view of Allah’s own will to the contrary, it could have been ignored and interpreted as a pious delusion rewardable by paradise on account of the good intention. But most of such people are observed to be unwise and immature souls fighting amongst themselves more bitterly than they would fight against their professed enemies. A number of them cannot come together but personality clashes and petty rivalries erupt and battles of words may eventually turn into battles of guns and bombs. Even those who remain seemingly unified suffer from the mentality and dirty politics of subversive secret societies in which the more brilliant but virtuous ones are routinely eliminated by the not so brilliant and virtuous cliques who are more selfishly ambitious.
In our history we find both the Omayyads and Abbasids victimise the family of the Prophet (sws) all of whom were brilliant and angelic Muslims but lacked the political ambition, cunning and ruthlessness of their robbers. All great imams from Abu Hanife to Shefir as well as all saints took sides with the family of the Prophet (sws) yet the self-seeking and clannish tyrants invariably won, because they were totally unscrupulous and ruthless. Make no mistake about it dear reader. It is this world’s law that with rare and temporary exceptions, it is the unscrupulous and the ruthless that will win the prizes of their world while those with moral scruples and mercy will have to wait for their turn in the hereafter. The majority of populations have always been and shall always be openly or secretly of week faith and piety and will support winners or switch to the side of the winners when the fighting starts in seriousness. That is how the Iraqi Shia deserted our master Hussein (as) the grandson of the Messenger of Allah (sws) and indeed and indeed his father Ali (ra) before him. In view of these irrefutable facts my advice to my brothers and sisters is to look after themselves in the sense that they try to improve their morals and piety by befriending a great Muslim or a group of great Muslims shining with the brilliance of prophetic morals and manners, if and when they find such.
Allah’s and His Messenger’s lights and perfections shine forth from saintly Muslims and know their companionships as the greater blessings in life. As they move towards paradise so do you. The Prophet (sws) said, “ Man is with the one he loves.” Loving such saintly brother and sisters brings you face to face with the incomparable love of Allah (swt). Lastly, cannot a community of Muslims one day rule a Muslim country or a greater part of the earth? They may. But only after each one of them become worthy of such a khilafah (representativeship of Allah) by personal sanctification. Until then all efforts are doomed to failure as they have done so to this day.
21.
“Sometimes plain, sometimes colourful
Now lively, now like stone
Now merry, now gloomy
Let us then see what the Lord does
Whatever He does the result is beautiful”
We turn from mood to mood but should never lose sight of the underlying happiness of existence in Allah who is constantly keeping watch over us to attend to our needs instantly, whether the need is about out sustenance or education towards His ultimate realisation.
Arif is only that person whose mood changes are under control, who, although sometimes merry and sometimes sad, is not carried over into spoilt sinfulness when merry and suspicion of Allah’s goodness when sad. He always keeps to his good opinion of his Creator and is finely poised between fearing Him and being hopeful in His mercy. If it like our living and fearing of our parents as children but overall feeling confident that they will not fail us and that essentially they love us more than anything else.
Then, learn to control your moods and not fall into disobedience or despair.
22.
“Eat little, sleep little, drink little
Turn away from the rubbish heap called the body
Emigrate to the rose gardens of the heart
Let us then see what the Lord does
Whatever He does the result is beautiful”
“Little” here means minimum compatible with good health and not so little as to make us weak and ill. You should realise that in Sufi style exaggeration is a constant feature of method and is intended to counterbalance the excesses we indulge in everything harmful.
If you think about it seriously, people are in general gluttonous and wasteful, usually buying too much, cooking too much, using too much, eating too much and throwing away too much, day in and day out. Leave the impious sinners but look if you want at supposedly religious people. If you are invited to a meal, say an iftar (breakfast) meal one evening in Ramadan you will usually notice that there are too many varieties of too much food and everybody is trembling with lustful appetite. As soon as it is time to break the fast most people except few, load their plates with too much food and while some leave a substantial part uneaten, others eat until they belch and have bleary eyes signalling early symptoms of indigestion. A lot of food remains in casseroles and trays and bowls unclaimed, and it is so much that you can be sure most will end up in the rubbish bin sooner or later. Let us say that these are common, ignorant people. But I have been to many large meeting of “ulame” or Muslim dignitaries and the same greed and waste were again there. I saw attendants emptying whole trays and casseroles into rubbish barrels, throwing away large chunks of prime meat, excellent vegetable dishes and artistically made sweets. Perhaps more was thrown away than eaten.
At home, we must take care that both ourselves and our children take only what they can comfortably eat and cook only just enough. The opinion of most nutritionists is that the average person can survive equally well on food half the amount he usually stuffs himself with. When we eat less, we digest better and waste less. Too much food is rejected by our own metabolism partly through undigested excretion and partly by storage as fat. In top of the waste, our bodies wear out faster and we live shorter. In an experiment on rats, nutritionists found that a group of rats which were fed on half the amount of food that another group of rats were allowed to consume to their fill, the former group became healthier and lives much longer.
As for sleep, we again stay too long in the bed. We need more sleep when we eat more and drink more. Once we cut on food and drink, we discover that far less sleep will be enough and give us more refreshment.
Why do we overeat and oversleep? It is because of our pitiful weakness of faith which causes us to doubt the word of Allah and eye the supposed delicacies of a carnal like with undue greed. It is as if we are trying to partake more of this transitory life’s carnal pleasures to make sure that we do not lose out in case there is no existence for us beyond death. Because we are not so sure of paradise, the rubbish heap of the body retains its primal attraction for us which heap we keep poking in in search of more and more pleasure, be it from food, sex or worldly authority or adornment or creature comforts.
But open your eyes. This rubbish heap is hopeless. It will grow old, get cold, wither, stink and eventually decompose. Beyond this pathetic façade you have an inner universe called the “heart” which may contain incomparably beautiful sentiments, emotion, thoughts and aspirations. Compared to the filthy body, the universe of the heart is an infinite rose garden full of beauty, colour and fragrance. Emigrate more into this garden and explore, discover and develop its beauties and delights. It is in there that the prophets and the saints dwell and it is through there that one travels to the Divine Throne and Presence. It is this garden that defies time and space and survives death intact.
The happy residents of this garden are so satisfied with its vistas and delights that they have no inclination to fight on worldly lusts and therefore they are at peace with both themselves and everybody else. Their benevolent smile and help are for everyone and even their rebuke of the evil people is done with underlying mercy- mercy for the deluded and corrupted criminal soul. They can take arms and resort to fighting to uphold the truth and justice but that is done truthfully and in context and in proportion and not as a pretext to satisfy the warlike lusts of an immature ego coveting the windfalls and spoils of that war. There are only too ready to forgive and forget and return evil with good.
They are the arifs, the friends of Allah. Seek them out and join them.
23.
“Do not tire yourself with people
And do not keep yourself either
Do not stray away from your heart
Let us then see what the Lord does
Whatever He does the result is beautiful”
People consist of all sorts of characters and all levels of psychological maturity and it is impossible to control such a complicated mixture of qualities. Do not waste your time by watching their behaviour, criticising, gossiping, backbiting or fighting. Rather, mind your own business. Nobody has even been able to harness people to his hearts desire and all prophets including ours have at times been bitterly disappointed with their fellow’s behaviour. Although you can and should offer advice to those whom you can reasonably, the general public is too unruly and unwieldy even for powerful governments to steer. Do only what you can do well and leave the rest to the Creator. If not, you will unnecessarily wear yourself out and lose the chance of achieving other more promising things. You cannot wipe out AIDS or murderers from the face of the earth but you can keep your home and street patch clean to prevent harm to yourself and your neighbours.
Your limiting your interference with the general public should not however result in your obsessed with yourself. Loneliness is the inner state of the Satan and his main port of call is the lonely heart of a human being. Therefore, make and keep a number of quality friends with whom your heart delights and keep their company as much as you can. Few things in life are either sweeter or more profitable than genuine friendships between fitting individuals and its benefits cover both this world and the next. Be friends for Allah’s sake and not with a worldly gain in view. Only such friendships are true and blessed by the Creator and can give continuous benefit year in year out.
Over everything else however, do not forget to attend to your heart, which is your infinite rose garden. Make your residence there your main residence and do not move back to this world of filth and transitory nature.
24.
“Do not be stuck in the past
And do not busy yourself in dreams about future
And do not be concerned even with the present
Let us then see what the Lord does
Whatever He does the result is beautiful”
Focusing only on the memories of the past obsessively, despite the fact that you cannot either go back to it or change what has already happened is vain pursuit. Why do we get stuck in the past? We get stuck because we find that we cannot cope with our present and our hopes for the future are pathetic. To re-live a little bit of happiness occasioned in the past or the excitement of some past struggle we start converging on them like ruminating cattle. This prevents us from working any good in the present and preparing us for our future successfully.
Do not bury yourself in dreams about the future either. This does not mean that we should not plan and perhaps for our future if Allah will grant us one. It only means that we must avoid idly and non-productively dreaming about the future and thereby wanting our time and opportunities for a real preparation for the future. Furthermore, when we indulge in purposeless past regurgitation or future dreaming the Satan will imperceptibly slip in and take the reigns of our imagination, inciting sinful nostalgias as regards to our past and equally sinful dreams dreamed for our future.
Lastly, even too much absorption in your present problems is harmful. After doing about them what you reasonably can, just shift your attention to your heart where your inner universe of rose gardens await your further cultivation and enjoyment.
Then see what Allah will present you with and how He will bring every problem to a beautiful result which shall be better than anything else you could dream of.
25.
“Remember Him every instant
Put aside being clever
Instead, admiring the Real say:
Let us then see what the Lord does
Whatever He does the result is beautiful”
Rather than letting your mind chase a thousand unconnected ideas and desires, concentrate on Allah’s remembrance. Immature and impious people’s minds are blown like a dry leaf in front of every passing wind, now landing on a rooftop, now sticking in mud. Thus, their hours, days and years pass without gaining any wisdom or improving in their morals and manners and coming nearer to their dark graves and the torments in there. In other words, they waste their whole lives without realising it until it is too late. A person who intends to prepare well for tomorrow should instead pay attention to the Lord of all time who is only the Creator, Allah (swt). Whatever we might be thinking about, planning or doing, at the back of our minds Allah should always loom large and incandescently bright. That is what true dhikr (remembrance, contemplation of Allah) is and not the formal simple recitation of a prescribed number of divine names while the mind strays to the dish cooking for the evening or the lady who just gracefully walked by.
When you truly keep Allah in mind at all times, at least at the background, you become more and more convinced that your success in obtaining your needs or achieving your cherished aims will not so much be brought about by your clever thinking than by the inexplicable help of Allah (swt). People forgetful of Allah regard their personal shrewdness as the main cause of their successes and keep planning and plotting to attain their aims whether rightful or wrongful. Anything pursued without Allah in mind results in disaster even it is looks and tastes like victory for a while.
To put it differently, enterprises devoid of Allah’s remembrance can only lead to sin and punishment even if outwardly lawful in themselves. From daily eating and sleeping to education and marriage and from war and peace to government, every enterprise should be started and conducted with Allah’s pleasure as the aim and nothing else. That is why we are ordered to start eating with “Bismillah” and end it with “Hamd,” to marry with a religious ceremony, approach our spouse with Bismillah and other prayers in order to fight and make peace only in the way of Allah and run the affairs of people with the justice and kindness of Allah (swt) as our standards. Godless cleverness is Satanic arrogance and can lead only to the backfiring results or cursed “victories” by which I mean virtual prizes with no barakah (blessing).
The mental attitude of the arif is not personal cleverness but blissful admiration for the Creator, realising that it is He who actually brings about any result with His Power and Wisdom. So, while sensibly and conscientiously working to get lawful result with Allah in mind, the arif is immersed in a wonderful admiration of the Creator, asking inside himself what great skill will now the Almighty display in the creation of the particular result. He will say:
“Let us then see what the Lord does