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Islah e Batin – Self Reformation

Translated from Khutbaat e Hakeemul Ummat: Volume 11

(Hazrat has just lectured on a category of carelessness commonly found in Muslims.)
Another level of carelessness found in Muslims is such that although one maintains some degree of remembrance of Allah during worship, there is no remembrance otherwise. Those people who are considered ‘devout-worshippers’ are also involved in this. They should understand that just as there is a routine adopted by the tongue for worship, there is also a routine for the heart. In other words, the routine of the tongue is zikr lisaani, or verbal remembrance, and the routine of the heart is remembrance through focusing towards Allah and through thoughts about Allah. So, often worshippers remain involved in verbal remembrance of Allah but they fail to keep the heart occupied in a similar manner.

The pious are also involved in such carelessness in terms of the heart. This is why is it necessary to understand that just as zikr lisaani, verbal remembrance is necessary, remembrance in our hearts is also essential. One should keep the heart focused on Allah at all times. Upon necessity it is permissible to think about something other than Allah but without such necessity do not invite such thoughts into the heart. However, do not think that since your heart is always involved in thoughts other than Allah it is necessary to rid of all these things. If upon necessity your thought falls on a foreign matter, this is no grounds for panic. However, after the thought leaves immediately bring your attention back towards Allah. Now, after giving permission to have thoughts on other than Allah, I have taken care of all issues that may arise. Now no one can argue that I do not have any awareness of the necessary aspects in life. Gentlemen! I also have knowledge of the necessities of life. Now look ahead to the extent the explanation of this has been done.

The detail that I am trying to convey is this; you have to understand what Zikr-Ullah actually is. If the thought of something other than Allah (ghayr) comes into the mind, it should only be out of necessity. I am further trying to convey that if this type of habit develops strength, then during the times when there is no such necessity, and at the times when there is separation and freedom from the necessities of life, one can easily keep the thought of Allah in ones mind. The affect of this InshaAllah will be that even during those times of necessity and during those times when you are involved in worldly activities, the thoughts of Allah will remain in the mind. Such a condition will also rise where the remembrance of Allah will remain firm in the heart at all times. If the thought of ghayr does creep in the mind, it will come crawling with great difficulty.

When a tenant takes residence in his house, any other individual who enters the house comes under the role of a guest. But now the opposite is happening. The house has been taken over by the guest. If the owner wants to enter, he cannot even pose his say. This is why it is necessary to free the house from the control of strangers and to absorb Allah within so that when another enters, he enters with the proper etiquettes and with the attitude as is customary within a guest.

From my lecture you have understood that thoughts of ghayr are not entirely prohibited. Permission is given to keep relationships and partake in daily transactions, but these thoughts are only to the extent that is habitual of a guest, or to that extent that occurs with a stranger. Look, our servants also enter into our house, but they come with manners. They do not come to take over the house nor do they come to govern us. So, bring others into your heart, but bring them in that manner. I am not saying to strictly ban others from entering your heart. Allow them up to necessity, as strangers for a brief time period only.

Make Allah the permanent resident in the mansion of your heart. This fine difference is worthy of remembrance. The difference meaning that you should keep the difference of truth and fiction between Allah and those other than Allah fresh in your mind. Now look, I do not leave out the world, nor do I stop any of your work and duties. Do all types of work and duties, but keep and maintain the most important and prime duty, the remembrance of Allah prominent. Fully perform your other tasks but thereafter immediately return back to your prime duty.

Now take a minute and reflect deeply over the condition of your own heart. The difference that should exist between the remembrance of Allah and the remembrance of ghayr, is that in fact the difference present in your heart or not? Is the remembrance of Allah the type of remembrance that is associated with the prime aim, and is the remembrance of ghayr the type that is associated with remembrance of strangers? If the difference is not such, then verily nearby a time will come when you will hold your head in your hands and cry aloud. A time will come when you will be full of regret as to why you left even one moment without the remembrance of Allah. At that time however, there will not be any chance of recovery. If I had said to leave out the worldly trades and worries completely and remain only in remembrance of Allah, then you would indeed have had an excuse, but this is not the case. And what excuse do you have now? I have not even forbidden those things which are necessary. I am merely saying to maintain the difference between the asal (genuine) and the arzee (counterfeit). Keep the remembrance of Allah prominent and the thoughts of strangers secondary.

Keep in mind the reference to the household servants. For household duties, it is necessary for the servants to enter the home. But it is not necessary for them to establish domination over the house. Servants should enter the house as servants, not to become the head of the household or to govern the house. This is a very heavy issue, memorize this stance very well. Make the master and head of your heart Allah. And allow strangers and those other than Allah to enter your heart only as servants. And all of this is well in your control. Allah knows best! Allah knows best! This is well in your control! Let no one think that this is not possible for them or that they cannot do this. It is possible, and it is possible very easily. Unfortunately we do not even give any attention to it or consider it necessary. If we did we would realize it is possible to do so very easily. Use a bit of strength; attempt to do so and you will see. Afterwards you will question; this is considered difficult? To remember all, but keep the remembrance of Allah prominent over everything and anything else.

If you still consider this to be difficult you may have the excuse that since you have not seen Allah, such an entity which you have not seen, to constantly think about Him or to absorb such an entity into the heart is very difficult. And remembrance of such a thing does not bring pleasure either. So how can the heart become its devotee?

So i give the answer to even this excuse. Consider such a thing which is very tasteful and which you have seen before as well. Then make this your focus of remembrance. That thing is Jannat, your home from where you came into this world. Remember this. And the thoughts of this are indeed very pleasant. The types of blessings here you seen as well and the thoughts of such things will easily become absorbed into your heart. If one time you bring these thoughts into your heart with great stature and importance, your heart will recur upon these thoughts ten times out of pleasure.

Now, in this matter you have received significant comfort and a great methodology. If the thoughts of Allah do not absorb into the heart otherwise, then utilize the above method. Follow this, and a very high level of remembrance of Allah will follow.