The Path

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Umar radiyalaahu anhuma had mentioned, "Whoever wishes to follow the way of another, should follow the ways of those who have passed away. These were the companions of Muhammad sallalaahu alayhi wassalam, who were the best people of this Ummah. Their hearts were most pious, their knowledge was deepest and they were least pretentious. They were people whom Allah Ta'ala had chosen to be companions of His Nabi sallalaahu alayhi wassalam and for the transmission of His Deen. You people should emulate their character and mannerisms. By the Rabb of the Kaabah! The Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum of Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam were correctly guided."

Friday 22 June 2012

Hijrah and Nusrah


"Allah is pleased with the first to lead the way from the Muhajireen, the Ansaar, and those who followed them with sincerity and they are pleased with Him. He has prepared for them such Jannah beneath which rivers flow, in which they shall live forever. This is the ultimate success." (Surah Taubah: 100).


The Muhajireen were among the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum who left their dearly loved homelands (hijrah), an act that is extremely difficult for a person. They also left with the intention of never returning until their deaths. Doing this was more beloved to them than the world and all its pleasures and that they gave preference to the Deen above mundane pleasures and were not concerned when these pleasures were lost. The Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum also travelled from place to place to protect the Deen from evil, as if they were specially created for the Aakhirah and were its sons. It therefore appeared as if this world was created for them.

The Ansaar were among the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum who rendered assistance (nusrah) to the upright of Deen and the Straight path. Doing this was more beloved to them than everything else and how they prided themselves for this more than they prided themselves for worldly honour. They sacrificied their pleasures for it, doing it all in search of Allah's pleasure and in compliance with the commands of Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam.

Hadhrat Ayesha radiyalaahu anha says, "Every year Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam used to present his case to the various Arab tribes, asking them to grant him asylum with their people so that he could propagate Allah's word and message. He promised them Jannah in return for their assistance. However, no Arab tribe accepted his offer until the time came when Allah decided that His Deen should become dominant, that His Nabi sallalaahu alayhi wassalam should receive assistance and that His promises should be fulfilled. It was then that Allah pulled forward the tribe of the Ansaar. They accepted the offer of Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam and Allah thus created a place to which Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam could migrate."

Hadhratji Maulana In'amul Hassan rahmatullah alayhi said, "The Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum of Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam were divided into two groups, either Muhajireen or Ansaar. The first state is the Hijrah and the second state is Nusrah.  Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam  said, "Were it not for Hijrah, certainly I would become the Ansaar." Even if today the people are divided into two groups, one doing Hijrah, and the rest did Nusrah, then Deen would prosper in the world. Have concern for the world and seek the way how people can be saved from Jahannam."

And so during one of the session of our halqah mesywarah, it was decided that a form of assistance should be given to me and Imam Al for the initial effort that we had started in our masjid. Hence, one fine weekend, the first jamaat of 3 days from the Markaz Masjid Jame' Seri Petaling consisting of old karkuns (fellows connected with the effort of dakwah and tabligh for a long time) arrived at our masjid. 

There were about 13 brothers in the jamaat. The amir of the jamaat was the youngest person among them. He was an accountant by profession. I was very excited since it was the first time that I made nusrah to the jamaat. In fact, I did not even know the word "nusrah" then. I remember sitting with them with the mix feeling of awe, respect, nervous and a little confuse with some terms that they used in conversation. There I was, a chap who not very long ago got to know the masjid/surau and just stepped in to worship Allah, sitting in the company of the righteous workers of Deen. Most of the time I just observed and listened to them, trying to learn from them. 

Just as fire spreads from one house to another, so does divine love spread from one heart to another. Hadhrat Jalaluddin Rumi rahmatullah alayhi said that from one heart to another there are secret ways. He said, "Understand the secret unseen ways of heart to heart contact like this: When two lamps are being lit, the lamps will remain separate. But their light will become intermixed." In other words, if the lamps are lit, it is impossible to say which light belongs to which lamp. Similarly the body of Muslims are different, but when they sit together in a gathering the enlightenment (anwaar) from their hearts become as one in the atmosphere of the gathering place.

This is one of the reasons why Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam gave the advise to the Muslims to have mutual consultation over matters of importance. Among the other points of wisdom in mutual consultation is that when ten Muslims gather for consultation, then it is like ten lamps burning together in one place and their light being so much stronger than one light, hence in the light of this increased light of Imaan and Yaqeen, the truth is uncovered.

Hadhrat Maulana Rumi rahmatullah alayhi said, "Consult with the assembly of the righteous, for Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam was also ordered to do that. The minds of men are like lighted lights. The light of twenty lamps surely gives more light than one." He further said, "This is also the reason why  Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam prohibited monasticism, because by casting aside the world and going to settle alone in a cave in the mountains, the idea of mutual rectification and consultation is lost."

Alhamdulillah, by the favours of Allah Ta'ala, in a short period of 3 days the jamaat had shown us the practical way of doing the work of dakwah and tabligh in our makami (locality). There were numerous visits made to the local people at their houses as well as speeches, explanation and bayaan made in our masjid/surau.

May Allah Ta'ala transforms every masjid all over the world to be like Masjid-un Nabawi during the time of Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam. May Allah Ta'ala transform every cities like Madinnah al-Munawwarah during the time of Rasulullah sallalaahu alayhi wassalam. May Allah Ta'ala transforms every household of the Muslims to be like the household of the Sahabah radiyalaahu anhum, eventhough our meager effort is not worthy of such transformation to come into existence.