That's what Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani said at the end of one of his discourses in Futh al-Ghaib on the subject of 'Drawing Near to Allah' - Allah is in charge of your guidance.
We remembered about 8 years ago, we had a chat over coffee with a girlfriend, struggling to explain to her about our overwhelming experience that had brought us to revert to Islam and hence hijab. It was difficult for us to explain something which was unseen. In fact, it is still impossible to explain something of that nature because one has to experience it to know. Today, she told us she finally understood what we had tried to express then. She understood it when she experienced the moments of hidayah several months ago. Alhamdulillah! Indeed, Allah is in charge of our guidance.
In his discourse in Futh al-Ghaib (Revelations of the Unseen) Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani advised us not to hurry our progress on matters of spirituality. We should not make an attempt to maneuver our path aggressively. Instead, we should be patient in embracing our present state until the time comes, until He invites.
Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani said:
"When you are in a particular condition, do not seek to exchange it for another, whether higher or lower. If you are at the gate of the King's palace, therefore, do not seek admittance to the palace itself until you are obliged to enter, under compulsion and not of your own accord. By compulsion I mean a stern, insistently repeated command. Do not content yourself with mere permission to enter, since this may be just a trick and deception on the King's part. You should rather wait patiently until you are compelled to go in so that your entry into the palace will be through sheer coercion and gracious favor from the King. Then, since the action is the King's own, He will not chastise you for it. If any punishment is meted out to you, it will only be due to your wrong motivation, greed, impatience, uncouthness, and discontentment with the situation in which you have been placed. When you do gain an entree to the palace, you must, therefore, bow your head in silence, keep your eyes modestly downcast and mind your manners as you perform the tasks and services assigned to you, without seeking promotion to the highest summit. Consider the words of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He): 'Strain not your eyes toward that which We have given for some pairs among them to enjoy–the flower of this world's life, that We may thereby put them to the test. Your Lord's provision is better and more lasting.' - Quran 20:131.
This is an admonition by which He instructs His chosen Prophet s.a.w regarding attention to one's present state and contentment with gifts received. To paraphrase His words, "Your Lord's provision is better and more lasting," He is saying: "What I have given you in the way of good news, prophethood, knowledge, satisfaction, patience, the guardianship of religion and a firm support therein-all this is more fitting and appropriate than anything I have given [to others]."
Thus all good lies in due attention to one's existing condition, in being content with it and ceasing to hanker after alternatives, for it can only be that something is yours by lot or is destined for another unless it belongs to nobody and Allah has created it only as a trial. If it is destined for you, it will come to you, like it or not. Any display of unseemly conduct and greed in its pursuit would, therefore, be improper on your part, with nothing in knowledge or reason to commend it. If it is destined for somebody else, spare yourself the futile effort of chasing something which you cannot get and which will never come your way. If it is only a trial, not destined to belong to anyone at all, how could an intelligent person find it worth his while to pursue such a thing and seek to acquire it for himself? Thus it is proven that all good and safety lie in properly attending to one's present state.
When you are promoted to the upstairs room, and then to the roof, you must observe all the proprieties of quiet and polite behavior we have already mentioned. In fact, you should redouble your efforts in that regard because you are now closer to the King and nearer to danger. So do not wish for a change of state whether by promotion or demotion and desire neither permanence and continuity nor alteration in your existing condition. You should have no self-willed option whatsoever since that would amount to ingratitude for present blessings, and ingratitude brings disgrace upon him who is guilty thereof, in this world and the hereafter.
Let your conduct always be as we have told you until you are promoted to a position which will become a permanent station for you, from which you will not be removed. You will then recognize it as a gift, self-explanatory and self-evident, so cling to it and do not let go. Ordinary saints [awliya'] have changeable states, while permanent stations belong to the Abdal. Allah is in charge of your guidance!"
La hawla wa quwwata illah billahil 'aliyil 'azeem
We can only thank Allah for all His generous blessings in the past, present, and future.
Shukran lillah.
___________________________________
Credit: Al Baz Publishing
Purchase Al-Baz books from IslamicBookstoreOnline.net
We remembered about 8 years ago, we had a chat over coffee with a girlfriend, struggling to explain to her about our overwhelming experience that had brought us to revert to Islam and hence hijab. It was difficult for us to explain something which was unseen. In fact, it is still impossible to explain something of that nature because one has to experience it to know. Today, she told us she finally understood what we had tried to express then. She understood it when she experienced the moments of hidayah several months ago. Alhamdulillah! Indeed, Allah is in charge of our guidance.
In his discourse in Futh al-Ghaib (Revelations of the Unseen) Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani advised us not to hurry our progress on matters of spirituality. We should not make an attempt to maneuver our path aggressively. Instead, we should be patient in embracing our present state until the time comes, until He invites.
"When you are in a particular condition, do not seek to exchange it for another, whether higher or lower. If you are at the gate of the King's palace, therefore, do not seek admittance to the palace itself until you are obliged to enter, under compulsion and not of your own accord. By compulsion I mean a stern, insistently repeated command. Do not content yourself with mere permission to enter, since this may be just a trick and deception on the King's part. You should rather wait patiently until you are compelled to go in so that your entry into the palace will be through sheer coercion and gracious favor from the King. Then, since the action is the King's own, He will not chastise you for it. If any punishment is meted out to you, it will only be due to your wrong motivation, greed, impatience, uncouthness, and discontentment with the situation in which you have been placed. When you do gain an entree to the palace, you must, therefore, bow your head in silence, keep your eyes modestly downcast and mind your manners as you perform the tasks and services assigned to you, without seeking promotion to the highest summit. Consider the words of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He): 'Strain not your eyes toward that which We have given for some pairs among them to enjoy–the flower of this world's life, that We may thereby put them to the test. Your Lord's provision is better and more lasting.' - Quran 20:131.
This is an admonition by which He instructs His chosen Prophet s.a.w regarding attention to one's present state and contentment with gifts received. To paraphrase His words, "Your Lord's provision is better and more lasting," He is saying: "What I have given you in the way of good news, prophethood, knowledge, satisfaction, patience, the guardianship of religion and a firm support therein-all this is more fitting and appropriate than anything I have given [to others]."
Thus all good lies in due attention to one's existing condition, in being content with it and ceasing to hanker after alternatives, for it can only be that something is yours by lot or is destined for another unless it belongs to nobody and Allah has created it only as a trial. If it is destined for you, it will come to you, like it or not. Any display of unseemly conduct and greed in its pursuit would, therefore, be improper on your part, with nothing in knowledge or reason to commend it. If it is destined for somebody else, spare yourself the futile effort of chasing something which you cannot get and which will never come your way. If it is only a trial, not destined to belong to anyone at all, how could an intelligent person find it worth his while to pursue such a thing and seek to acquire it for himself? Thus it is proven that all good and safety lie in properly attending to one's present state.
When you are promoted to the upstairs room, and then to the roof, you must observe all the proprieties of quiet and polite behavior we have already mentioned. In fact, you should redouble your efforts in that regard because you are now closer to the King and nearer to danger. So do not wish for a change of state whether by promotion or demotion and desire neither permanence and continuity nor alteration in your existing condition. You should have no self-willed option whatsoever since that would amount to ingratitude for present blessings, and ingratitude brings disgrace upon him who is guilty thereof, in this world and the hereafter.
Let your conduct always be as we have told you until you are promoted to a position which will become a permanent station for you, from which you will not be removed. You will then recognize it as a gift, self-explanatory and self-evident, so cling to it and do not let go. Ordinary saints [awliya'] have changeable states, while permanent stations belong to the Abdal. Allah is in charge of your guidance!"
La hawla wa quwwata illah billahil 'aliyil 'azeem
We can only thank Allah for all His generous blessings in the past, present, and future.
Shukran lillah.
___________________________________
Credit: Al Baz Publishing
Purchase Al-Baz books from IslamicBookstoreOnline.net
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