“The Difference between Knowledge and Belief”

13TH SHAWWAAL 1419  31st JANUARY 1999

بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم

ربّ اشرحلي صدري ويسّرلي أمري واحلل عُقدة مّن لُّلساني يفقهو قولي

الحمد لله ربّ العالَمين والعاقبة اللمتّقين والصّلوةُ والسّلام على رسولك سيّدنا محمّد

وأاله وأصحابه وأهل بيته وأهل طاعتك أجمعين – أمّا بعد

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرّجيم

بسم الله الرّحمن الرّحيم

َالَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ رِئَاء النَّاسِ وَلاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللّهِ وَلاَ بِالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَمَن يَكُنِ الشَّيْطَانُ لَهُ قَرِينًا فَسَاء قِرِينًا النساء/38

4:38 – And those who spend their property (in alms) to be seen of the people and do not believe in Allah nor in the last day; and as for him whose associate is the Shaitan, an evil associate is he!

(Nor) those who spend of their substance to be seen of men but have no faith in Allah and the Last Day: if any take the Evil One for their intimate companion what a dreadful intimate associate he is!.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تُبْطِلُواْ صَدَقَاتِكُم بِالْمَنِّ وَالأذَى كَالَّذِي يُنفِقُ مَالَهُ رِئَاء النَّاسِ وَلاَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَمَثَلُهُ كَمَثَلِ صَفْوَانٍ عَلَيْهِ تُرَابٌ فَأَصَابَهُ وَابِلٌ فَتَرَكَهُ صَلْدًا لاَّ يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِّمَّا كَسَبُواْ وَاللّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ البقرة/264

2:264 O you who believe! do not make your charity worthless by reproach and injury, like him who spends his property to be seen of men and does not believe in Allah and the last day; so his parable is as the parable of a smooth rock with earth upon it, then a heavy rain falls upon it, so it leaves it bare; they shall not be able to gain anything of what they have earned; and Allah does not guide the unbelieving people.

2.264. O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury like those who spend their substance to be seen of men but believe neither in Allah nor in the last day.  They are in Parable like a hard barren rock on which is a little soil; on it falls heavy rain which leaves it (just) a bare stone.  They will be able to do nothing with aught they have earned.  And Allah guideth not those who reject faith.

وَلاَ تَكُونُواْ كَالَّذِينَ خَرَجُواْ مِن دِيَارِهِم بَطَرًا وَرِئَاء النَّاسِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ الأنفال/47

8:47 And be not like those who came forth from their homes in great exultation and to be seen of men, (“Riya” – Annaas) – and (who) turn away from the way of Allah, and Allah comprehends what they do.

8.47. And be not like those who started from their homes insolently and to be seen of men and to hinder (men) from the path of Allah: for Allah compasseth round about all that they do.

(the Makkan army was destroyed because of ““Riya”” – similarly the one who does his ‘Amal for “Riya” – to be seen of men,  too will be destroyed).

Last week, we started on the subject of “Riya”

“Riya” means: to show good conduct in order to attract respect from

the people. We told you that, “Riya” could be expressed by outwardly bodily limbs, by signs and gestures, by words and actions.  We also explained to you that there are various stages; and each stage has various steps and we went into thorough detail  and we gave  you various authentic hadithes and various quotes from the Holy Quran and Hadith Qudsi.  We also explained to you that show comprises of  hypocrisy, deceit, pride and self-praise and all these tantamount to nothing but “Shirk” – شرك  –   polytheism.

Whatever that is done for the sake of praise from anybody other than Allah  it is polytheism and the suffering of such a person is beyond imagination.

In the course of our explanations  we touched on “Riya” in faith or creed.  We also said that man, who thinks that he has done good, is not aware  that as a result of certain actions, which he does, he may have to lose all the benefits of the good work that he has performed.  In this respect we asked you as to how could man know whether his good works have just been erased by his actions or whatever good he may have done what should he do to preserve their sanctity and reap benefits therefrom.  We, very superficially, came to a conclusion, that in order to know what is good and what is bad  what is fruitful and what is destruction, he must have some form of knowledge.

He must have belief and he must have knowledge.

So, today our subject that we will touch upon in these lessons of “Riya” is the “Difference between Knowledge and Belief”.

Let us the question: “Can knowledge really guide you into preserving your good actions performed as a result of your beliefs?”

Let us see..  Faith or Belief  “Iman”  is something different from the knowledge of Allah.

Look at the Six Articles of Faith – Iman: We say :

آمنْتُ بالله وملائكته و كتبه و رسله واليوم الآخر والقدر خيره و شرِّهِ من الله تعلى والبعث بعد الموت  Let us take the First Article of Faith – آمنْتُ بالله -Aamanthubillahi – The Belief in Allah Azzawajall.

Let us ask – “What is the knowledge of Allah? – The unity of His Being and His other Attributes”

Say for e.g. صفة كمالية – Sifath-e-Kamaaliyyah  – Meaning : The Attributes of Perfection –  The Positive Attributes; and

صفة جلاليَّة  – Sifath-e-Jalaaliyyah – Meaning : The Attributes of Glory:  The Attributes of Grandeur, Magnificence, Exaltedness, Splendor.

Let us see the Following Quranic Ayaths.

وَيَبْقَى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ الرحمن/27

55:27 And there will endure for ever the person of your Lord, the Lord of Glory and Honour.

55.27. But will abide (forever) the Face of thy Lord full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour.

تَبَارَكَ اسْمُ رَبِّكَ ذِي الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ الرحمن/78

55:78 Blessed be the Name of your Lord, the Lord of Glory and Honor!

55.78. Blessed be the Name of thy Lord full of Majesty, Bounty and Honour.

And the “negative attributes” and various other categories of Attributes are beyond the scope of this lecture.

The Articles of Faith – The knowledge of the angels;  the knowledge of the holy scriptures; the knowledge of Allah’s Apostles and the knowledge of the last day.

Anybody who possess such knowledge – Can he be called a believer?

I will give you one solid example to dispel any doubts that may cropped in your minds -

The devil – Shaithaan – Lucifer – Azazeel -  he possesses this knowledge.

In  fact his knowledge is far more than you and I and/or any other individual  but still he is called a “Kaafir – “كافر  – An Unbeliever.

The faith is a yearning of the heart.  It is an inner experience – which if not genuine does not become faith.

Anyone who has gained knowledge through religion -  through rational demonstrations and arguments, ought to submit to them wholeheartedly with the totality of his being and obey the call of his heart dutifully  i.e. with

completely surrender to Allah

That is complete surrender with humility and fear.

Completely accept all responsibilities expected of him sincerely without any question.

Then and only then can he become a perfect “Mu’min”.

The culmination of faith is tranquillity and peace of mind.

When the light of faith is stabilized, it brings with it  the tranquillity of the heart and that is something which does not issue from knowledge..

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ رَبِّ أَرِنِي كَيْفَ تُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قَالَ بَلَى وَلَكِن لِّيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي قَالَ فَخُذْ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنَ الطَّيْرِ فَصُرْهُنَّ إِلَيْكَ ثُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَلَى كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِّنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا ثُمَّ ادْعُهُنَّ يَأْتِينَكَ سَعْيًا وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ]البقرة/260[

2:260 And when Ibrahim said: My Lord! show me how Thou givest life to the dead, He said: What! and do you not believe? He said: Yes, but that my heart may be at ease. He said: Then take four of the birds, then train them to follow you, then place on every mountain a part of them, then call them, they will come to you flying; and know that Allah is Mighty, Wise.

2:260 behold! Ibrahim  said: "my Lord, show me how you give life to the dead" he said: "do you not then believe?"

Yes,  (I do believe) but that my heart attains tranquillity. (i'th.maanna: to feel reassured, tranquil, peaceful, quiet, calm, at ease, serene, untroubled...).

It is possible that reason may  accept something which is according to its dictates and logic, but the heart may not be ready to agree with it, thus making knowledge useless.

I have given this example before: but I shall repeat it –

You know quite well, that through your power of reasoning, that a dead person cannot do any harm.

The one who is dead does not possess any power of action even as much is possessed by a fly.

Your reason tells you that all the physical and spiritual faculties depart as soon as one is dead.    BUT

Your heart does not accept it.

Your heart has not approved the judgment of your mind -  Therefore, you will not spend a dark night with a dead body alone in a room.

The fear and the trauma that you will experience  when staying alone with a dead body may unleash your imaginative powers  which may even kill you.  But if your heart yields to your mind and approves of its judgment this job will not be difficult for you.

After some effort the heart resigns to the dictates of reason, then no dread of the dead remains in the heart.

The tranquillity of Ibrahim  (A) - see where it took him. The Belief, The Iman.

قَالُوا حَرِّقُوهُ وَانصُرُوا آلِهَتَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ فَاعِلِينَ الأنبياء/68

21:68 They said: Burn him and help your gods, if you are going to do (anything).

21.68 they said: "burn him  and protect your gods if ye do (anything at all).

Namrud -  issues the order – A great pit is dug and a massive fire is being made – So much so that people even started making vows for the fulfillment of their needs and began throwing items into the fire.  The heat was so intense, that even if a bird were to fly high above, but over the fire, it gets incinerated for the heat.  Nobody could get even close to the fire.  So Namrud and his people make a cart and they place Ibrahim (A) in it and they started pushing it with long poles towards the fire.  At this moment -  Meekaeel and Gibreel (A) Come to Ibrahim (A) offering to put the fire out.

The tranquility of the heart of Ibrahim, the Real Iman – the Real Faith, made him reply to them.  He said: “Does not my Lord know what is happening?  You have nothing to do with this, you can go.”   Iman – Faith at its extreme.

The tranquility and faith in Allah  here in this instance -  is not like a dead body that can do no harm.

Here it is the fire  which can just reduce you to ashes in a few seconds  the trust and tranquility of tha'th.mainna qalbee was absolute

So what does Allah do?  Does he put out the fire? Does he send rain or water gushing from the bowels of the earth to quench the fire.  The tranquility is such that he just removes the Burning Effect attribute of the fire.  Like when Ismaeel (A) was about to be sacrificed by Ibrahim (A) – He did not send an angel to snatch the knife.  Allah just took out the “Cutting Attribute” of the knife. So here the Holy Quran says;
قُلْنَا يَا نَارُ كُونِي بَرْدًا وَسَلَامًا عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ                الأنبياء/69

21:69 We said: O fire! be a comfort and peace to Ibrahim;

21.69 "We said, O fire be thou cool and (a means) of safety for Ibrahim." [salaaman: Meaning: Peace, Safety, Security (amn)]

It is therefore, very clear that the submission  which is the gratification and comfort of the heart is quite a different thing from knowledge which is the gratification of the mind.

This is the meaning of 2.208

يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ ادْخُلُواْ فِي السِّلْمِ كَآفَّةً البقرة/208

2:208 O you who believe! enter into submission in totality.

O you who Believe – “enter into Islam completely”

Not the portions you want; not what you prefer – but in complete totality.

It is possible that one can prove  logically  the existence of the Great Intelligent Designer, the Unity of His Divine Being, the Day of Judgment and other true beliefs, but such a belief cannot be considered as ““Iman”” -

Faith and the person cannot be regarded as a “Mu’min”

Today your eyes and my eyes are closed.  In fact. we do not want to open them. We do not possess any divine vision.

Our terrestrial eyes are unable to perceive – when the hidden is revealed, when the unseen is revealed, when the invisible is revealed, when the transcendental is revealed  when the divine secret is revealed and the kingdom of heaven is manifested.  Then the physical world vanishes, disappears, disintegrates, atomized, pulverized and the reality is disclosed

The truth is disclosed.

When the genuineness and true nature is disclosed – when the pith – the essence  the core – the real meaning is disclosed,  you will realize  very clearly  without any doubt you will realize :

That you were not a true Believer in Allah

You will realize that your rational judgment was not congruous with your faith.

Your rational judgment was not consistent with your “Iman”

Your rational judgment was not in agreement and was not even capable of coincident superposition  with your “Iman”.

Your rational judgment was not in harmony with your “Iman”,

It was not in concordance with your “Iman”,

It was not symphonic with your “Iman”  and it

was not in resonance with your “Iman” (muthawaafiq – مُتَوَافِق  – Meaning: harmonious, concordant, consonant, compatible congruent, in conformity etc.).

Unless these words – لا إله الاّ الله – Laa Ilaaha Illallaah  there is no deity except Allah  – are inscribed on the tablet of the heart with the pen of reason -  man is not a true believer in the unity of Allah.

Unless he believes No thing is like Him (42.11)

لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ  – Nothink like the likeness of Him.

And Allah’s is the loftiest likeness..(16.60) وَلِلّهِ الْمَثَلُ الأَعْلَىَ

And His is the loftiest similitude in the heavens and the earth [30.27]

وَلَهُ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ

Unless you believe..

He is Allah  there is no deity but he  he is the king  he The All Holy, The All Peaceable, The All Faithful, The All-Preserver, Almighty, The All-Compeller, The All-Sublime (59.23)

هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ السَّلَامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ

Unless you believe –

“and to Allah belong the east and the west  whithersoever you turn, there is the face of Allah.. (2.115)

وَلِلّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّواْ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللّهِ

Unless you believe :

“and he is Allah in the heavens and the earth; He knows your secrets, and what you reveal (6.3) – يَعْلَمُ سِرَّكُمْ وَجَهرَكُمْ.

Unless your belief confirms that:

“He is the first and the last, the Outward and the Inward.  He has knowledge of everything [57.3]

هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ الحديد/3

Unless you affirm  – He is the Living, the Everlasting ..2.255

اللّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ

Unless you believe that Allah is the Everlasting,  Absolute –

اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ الإخلاص/2

He who has no superior, He Who the Chieftain whose Chieftaincy is perfect. Unless  you believe that He is s.amadh  that the chieftaincy of the chieftain  is His Nobility and Glory – in His Clemency and Forbearance  in His Knowledge and Wisdom.

Unless you believe that “samadh” means  the one who is independent of all and all others are dependent upon Him.

Unless and otherwise you believe that He is perfect in all His attributes and works  –  He who is immune from every calamity  He who is faultless  He who is exclusive in all His attributes – Who is Ever-living  He who decides

whatever He wills and does whatever He wills  and there is no one to revise His judgment or His decision.

Unless you believe that Allah is unique  and neither He begets nor is He begotten -   لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ   -  and

Unless you believe that there is nothing equal to Him – وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

- man will never ever be a true believer

Let us ask another question – Does this unity mean one ?  In Number?  In Figures ? Remember nothing is equal to Him – number one can be equal to anything

Let us look into a wonderful Khuthba given by Amirul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali (A):

Recorded in Nahjul Balaghah – Peak of Eloquence indeed!!

مَوْجُوْدٌ لاَ عَنْ عَدَم ٍ    **

His Existence is not coming in to Being from non-existence.

مَعَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لا َ بِمُقَارَنَةٍ

He is everything but not in the sense of [physical] nearness.

وَعَيْرُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ لا َ بِمُزَايَلَةٍ

He is different from everything but not in the sense of separation.

(Khuthbah No.1)

**   لَيْسَ فِى الأشْيَاءِ بِوَالِج ٍ

He is not inside things in the sense of physical pervasion or

penetration.

وَ لا َ عَنْهَا بِخَارِج ٍ

And is not outside them in the sense of physical exclusion for exclusion entails a kind of finitude(Khuthbah. No.186).

** بَانَ مِنَ الأشْيَاء ِ بِالْقَهْرِ لَهَا وَالْقُدْرَةَ عَلَيْهَا

He is distinct from things because He overpowers them

وَبَانَتِ الأشْيَاءُ مِنْهُ بِالْخُضُوْع ِ لَهُ

and the things are distinct from Him, because of their subjection to Him

الأحَدِ بِلا َ تَأ ْ وِيْل ِ عَدَدٍ

He is the one but not in a numerical sense.[Khuthbah No. 152]

** لا َ بِحَدَّ ولاَ يُحْسَبُ بِعَدَّ

He is not confined by limits nor counted by numbers [Khuthbah No. 186]

**  وَمَنْ أشَارَ إلَيْهِ فَقَدْ حَدَّهُ – وَمَنْ حّدَّهُ فَقَدْ عَدَّهُ

He who points to Him, admits for Him limitations. and He who admits limitations for Him has numbered Him.[ Khuthbah No. 1]

مِنْ وَصَفَهُ فَقَدْ حَدَّهُ – وَمَنْ حَدَّهُ فَقَدْ عَدَّهُ – وَمَنْ عَدَّهُ فَقَدْ أبْطَلَ أزَلَهُ **

He who qualifies Him limits Him. He who limits Him numbers Him.

He who numbers Him denies His Pre-Eternity.[ Khuthbah No. 152]

** كُلُّ مُسَمَّى بِالْوَحْدَةِ غَيْرَهُ قَلِيْل ٌ

Everything associated with unity is deficient except Him [Khuthbah No. 65]

** لا تَصْحَبُهُ ا لأوْقَاتُ – وَ لاَ تَرْفِدُهُ ا لأدَوَاتِ

Time is not His accomplice, nor does He need the assistance of tools and agents.

سَبَقَ ا ْلأوْقَاتُ كَوُّهُ

His Being transcends time.

وَالْعَجَمَ وُجُوْدُهُ

And His existence transcends nothingness.

وَاْلإبْتِدَاءَ أزَلُهُ

And  His preeternity transcends all beginning.

اْلحَمْدُ لِلّهِ ا لدَّال َّ عَلَى وُجُوْدِهِ بِخَلْقِهِ

Praise be to Allah whose creation bears testimony to His existence.

وَ بِمُحْدَثِ خَلْقِهِ عَلَى أزَ لِيَّتِه ِ

Temporality  – origination of whose creation is the evidence of His preeternity.

وَبِاشْتِبَا هِهِمْ عَلَى أ نْ لا شَبَهَ لَهُ

The similarity and likeness amongst whose creation proves that He is unique.

لا تَسْتَلِمُهُ الْمَشَاعِرُ

The senses do not perceive Him.

وَلا تَحْجُبُهُ السَّوَاتِرُ

And nothing can conceal Him.

يَا مَنْ هُوَاخْتَفَى لِفَرْطِ نُوْرِهِ

You are Hidden on account of Your Perfect Brilliance

ا لظَّاهِرُ  ا  ْلبَاطِنُ فِيْ ظُهُوْرِهِ

You are the Manifest hidden in They Manifest-“ness”.

He is hidden because He is perfectly manifest and this perfect manifest-‘ness’ conceals him

When this sacred and Holy Dictum, is impressed on the Heart, the domain of the Heart turns by itself into the Kingdom of Allah Almighty.

Only then,  man does not see anyone else as efficient in the realm of truth. He does not expect any rank, any distinction or riches from anybody else.  He does not seek for honour and fame with the Help of others. And

His Heart does not become hypocritic and profane.

Therefore, if you see that “Riya” is stealing into your Heart, you should realize :

** that your Heart has not really surrendered itself to reason,

** and faith – “Iman” has not illuminated your Heart yet – because you consider others to be your god  and see them as efficient agents in the world  ** and you do not trust Him  the only God  the only Deity  the only Allah. ** it means  in short  that you have joined the company of hypocrites,

polytheists and idolators.

The effects of “Riya” are very dangerous.  Once you expect praises from the people ,  recognition from the people,  name,  fame,  power,  position and  wealth from anyone or anything other than Allah – Then  . . .

You have entrusted your truthful beliefs and religious understanding to the custody of the enemy of Allah  the Devil.

Remember what He said:

قَالَ فَبِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ الأعراف/16

7:16 He said: As Thou hast caused me to remain disappointed I will certainly lie in wait for them in Thy straight path.

7.16. He said: “because thou hast thrown me out of the way lo! I  will lie in wait for them on thy straight way.

You have attributed to others what specifically belongs to Allah.  You have exchanged those lights which would have illuminated your Hearts and spirit – which would have proved to be the source of your salvation and

eternal bliss ;

- which would have been responsible for being blessed with beatific vision (blessed  eternal happiness  glimpse of the glory of heaven) and acquiring divine nearness with the dreadful darkness of eternal misfortunes.

you have exchanged such blessedness  for the worldly treasures and

have lost the treasures of the next world.

You have alienated yourself from the most sacred threshold of the beloved.

You have deprived yourself of the Sight of the Visage of the Most High (Liqaa).

So what can you and I expect -  yes  we can expect nothing but darkness.

Be prepared for the darkness  which is not to be followed by any ray of light.

Be prepared for the scorn and shame from which there is no release.

Be prepared for the diseases which have no cure.

Be prepared for the death after which there is no life.  And

Be prepared for the fire which is ignited from the within the depths of the heart to engulf the whole region of your spirit, as well as the realm of the body.

It is the fire of Allah  kindled  raging, which leaps up over the hearts of men (104:67)  [huth.amah]

كَلَّا لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ الهمزة/4

104:4 Nay! he shall most certainly be hurled into the crushing disaster,

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ                 الهمزة/5

104:5 And what will make you realize what the crushing disaster is?

نَارُ اللَّهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ                        الهمزة/6

104:6 It is the fire kindled by Allah,

الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ              الهمزة/7

104:7 Which rises above the hearts.

إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌ                  الهمزة/8

104:8 Surely it shall be closed over upon them,

فِي عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَةٍ                    الهمزة/9

104:9 In extended columns.

It is beyond your capacity and mine to conceive or perceive or comprehend or even understand the intensity of that fire

-  The Fire of Allah  – Naarullah – نَارُ اللَّهِ

The effect of this fire which is kindled by Allah will be that it would consume the hearts as well.

* no fire can consume the heart except that which is kindled in hell.

If the belief in the unity of Allah  which is inherently engrained in human nature, is abandoned and is replaced with idolatry and infidelity  no intercession of any intercessor will be available to him  and man will

be destined to suffer eternal damnation.

What kind of chastisement will it be?  It will be the effect of Divine Wrath, issuing from his sense of honour.

سَأَصْرِفُ عَنْ آيَاتِيَ الَّذِينَ يَتَكَبَّرُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَإِن يَرَوْاْ كُلَّ آيَةٍ لاَّ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهَا وَإِن يَرَوْاْ سَبِيلَ الرُّشْدِ لاَ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً وَإِن يَرَوْاْ سَبِيلَ الْغَيِّ يَتَّخِذُوهُ سَبِيلاً ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَكَانُواْ عَنْهَا غَافِلِينَ {الأعراف/146}

7:146 I will turn away from My communications those who are unjustly proud in the earth; and if they see every sign they will not believe in It; and if they see the way of rectitude they do not take It for a way, and if they see the way of error. they take it for a way; this is because they rejected Our communications and were heedless of them.

7.146. Those who behave arrogantly on the earth in defiance of right them will I turn away from my signs.  Even if they see all the signs, they will not believe in them; and if they see the way of right conduct they will not

adopt it as the way; but if they see the way of error that is the way they will adopt; for they rejected our signs and failed to take warning from them.

وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِآيَاتِنَا وَاسْتَكْبَرُواْ عَنْهَا أُوْلََئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ {الأعراف/36}

7:36 And (as for) those who reject Our communications and turn away from them haughtily– these are the inmates of the fire they shall abide in it.

7.36. but those who reject our signs and treat them with arrogance they are companions of the fire to dwell therein (for ever).

قِيلَ ادْخُلُوا أَبْوَابَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا فَبِئْسَ مَثْوَى الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ {الزمر/72}

39:72 It shall be said: Enter the gates of hell to abide therein; so evil is the abode of the proud.

39.72. (to them) will be said: “enter ye the gates of hell to dwell therein: and evil is (this) abode of the arrogant!”

وَلا تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمْشِ فِي الْأَرْضِ مَرَحًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ {لقمان/18}

31:18 And do not turn your face away from people in contempt, nor go about in the land exulting overmuch; surely Allah does not love any self-conceited boaster;

31.18. “and swell not thy cheek (for pride) at men nor walk in insolence through the earth; for Allah loveth not any arrogant boaster.

So you see, my dearest brothers, sisters and children  do not make yourself an object of the divine wrath for the sake of an illusion  arrogant boasting insignificant and trivial, cheap popularity in the eyes of the weak

creatures of Allah and for the worthless attention of hopeless human beings. do not make a bargain of those divine blessings.

Do not make a bargain of those infinite favours and benevolences   with  cheap  popularity among the people.

This popularity is not even effective and neither is it long-lasting.

You cannot derive any benefit except inviting ultimate shame and regret. And while your relations with this world of illusion and deception are

severed in this manner – all regrets and sorrow at that time will be of no avail.

A great saint, sage and scholar  Hazrath Abdullah Manazil taught us:

1. damned is the seeker who seeks only the world.

2. love (Allah) who loves more than you love Him.

3. real modesty lies in your being conscious of the presence of Allah while you are speaking always feel as if Allah is present before you.

4. real renunciation consists in renouncing the world always remembering the Lord and preparing for the next world.

5. do not feel proud of your worship.

6. he who thinks himself near Allah is in fact far from Him.

I will relate to you two hadithes from Hadith Qudsi which is also related by Imam Ghazali in his Ihya.

Prophet Dawud (A) once felt elated and said: no time passes during the night and day in which a member of the family of Dawud does not do divine service by means of prayer, fasting or zikr.

Allah then revealed to him : “O! Dawud, how can they do it?  Would it have occurred to them if I had not given them the opportunity? If I had not helped you, you could not have gathered strength, just now I am entrusting you to

yourself and then you will see what calamity befalls you.

Then Dawud (A) fell into endless troubles.

Hazrath Aiyoob (a) said: O Allah, you are trying me by this calamity but I did not complain even once against your wish.  I am satisfied with your will. then a thunderstorm of ten-thousands in number from a cloud began to say “O Aiyoob, from whom did you get that attribute of patience?…immediately Aiyoob [a] became repentant, he cried uncontrollably, bitterly, he besmeared his head with dust and cried: O lord!, Yaa Rabb, Rabbana, I have got that

patience from Thee. You are ‘As-Sabr’ – The Patient.

Allah said: were it not for the Grace and Mercy of Allah on you none of you would have ever been pure but Allah purifies one whom he wishes. (24.21)

وَلَوْلا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ مَا زَكَا مِنكُم مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُزَكِّي مَن يَشَاء وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ {النور/21}

24: 21 . . .and were it not for Allah’s grace upon you and His mercy, not one of you would have ever been pure, but Allah purifies whom He pleases; and Allah is Hearing, All-Knowing.

(Insha Allah next week  we shall deal with “how to get rid of this curse of ““Riya””

وآخِرُ دَعْوَانَا اَن ِالْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْن

السّلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

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