Don’t live in dunia, just to show off!

Summary of Maulana Shaykh Nazim’s Suhbah

9th December 2009, Wednesday

Don’t live in dunia, just to show off!

A’uzubillah himinsh shaitan nirrajeem

Bismillahir Rahman-nir Raheem

Assalamu’alaikum wrh wbkt

• Maulana says that the most important part about learning knowledge, is the understanding that is derived from it. It is of no benefit just to know something, without deriving life-changing lessons from understanding it.

• It is only when we understand from such divine lessons, then we can discard our bad characteristics, and be raised to above the level of animals. Animals have no understanding of divine knowledge, hence their level is always such.

• It is a great pity, when Mankind, placed on earth as Allah’s Khalifa, and given the highest and deepest of spiritual knowledges, and bestowed with understanding and faculties that are even greater than angels, and with a place in the divine Presence that is so special and revered – it is a great, great pity and loss, if he chooses to reject all this and to remain at the level of an animal!

• It is like a Man who is destined to be King, but chooses to stay in the Sewers!

• Man has a great purpose behind the secret of his creation, he has a glorious destiny and an eternal reward awaiting him that is so immense and noble, yet he chooses to busy himself with what animals are busy with – pleasures of the flesh and desires of the ego. Maulana asks, have you no mind to tell the difference between what is your eternal honour and happiness, and what is a fleeting moment of pleasure?

• But nowadays, Man is no longer interested in being close to the Divine presence. They have abandoned that to seek worldly pleasure and meaningless status in this world.

• Seek protection from shaitan (the cursed), for he seeks to bring you to a level even below that of animals!

• How does shaitan do that? He whispers to you, constantly, TO LIVE AND TO ACT, SO THAT YOU ARE CONSTANTLY NOTICED AND PRAISED BY THOSE AROUND YOU!!

• When a person has that intention in his heart, he lives to show off. Every act of his, he wants to be noticed. To be hailed, to be idolised, to be spoken well off, to be emulated, to be followed, to be in the spotlight, all the time.

• We want people to notice our new and fashionable dressing, we want people to notice our new car, our haircut, our moustache, our beard, our special breed dog, our intelligence, our beautiful voice, our beautiful facial features, our good nature, our obedience, our circle of famous friends, our successful business, our latest gizmo/gadget, our everything. We live, speak and spend, so that others will always admire and envy us!

• This disease, Maulana says, has spread to all stratas of society, and even young children and old people, all want to be noticed and praised. It is a terrible disease, for one who is such, will have no sincere amal/deeds in his book when he returns to Allah.

• When a person dies, his soul will ascend with the angels, and he will hear the words of the angels who welcome him at each level. One who lives in such hypocrisy, with such insincerity, where every step of his has been in pride, arrogance, haughtiness and self-praise, will hear curses from the angels, who will call out to him, “Oh dirty one, Oh stupid one, Oh cursed one, Oh one-enveloped in darkness, Oh ye who is in Allah’s wrath……

• But a person who has lived only to be noticed by Allah (not by Man), will hear angels heap praises on his soul, calling out, “Oh Blessed one, Oh ye Loved by Allah, Oh best of creation, Oh Pure Creature of Allah……

• Maulana asks, why are you seeking recognition and fame and acknowledgment from your fellow man, who is at the same level as you, merely a Creation? Why aren’t you living to seek recognition and pleasure from Allah, your Lord, and the Lord of Man and of All of Creation? Why are you blind to this fact?

• When a person is proud, he falls BELOW the level of an animal, as animals have no pride in them and they do not show off.

• So, don’t be proud of all that you have been given and of what you have achieved, and do not seek to show yourself off, to be noticed and to portray and project yourself to those around you, as someone great or special (for shaitan was like that, and he wants you to follow his footsteps). Instead, be sincere in ALL your acts, live only to seek Allah’s pleasure, if Allah is pleased with you, He will praise you, and that is better than the praising of all the people around you. So seek to please Him, and Him, Only.

Fatihah.