Leave your fantasy, come to reality

Summary of Maulana Shaykh Nazim’s Daily Suhbah

1st March 2010, Monday

Leave your fantasy, come to reality

A’uzubillah himinsh shaitan nirrajeem

Bismillahir Rahman-nir Raheem

Assalamu’alaikum wrh wbkt

• There are two types of support for humans – heavenly support and worldly (material) support. Billions of humans cling strongly to material support – they depend completely on wealth and power. They believe that these earthly treasures are their keys to an endless life on earth, for once Man has tasted the refreshing pleasures of this earthly life, he wants to live forever. The analogy of one depending on material support, is like a man depending on an ant for help, says Maulana.

• True believers know this, and they seek heavenly support (madad) always. Hence, there is knowledge that is known to believers, which is not known to the unbelievers, and believers understand something of their worldly missions (to different extents), as compared to unbelievers, who have no understanding at all about their reason for existence.

• As believers, you must know what religion (deen) is about. The Prophet (saw) said, “Ad-deenu naseehah,” which means, “This religion is about advising (one another).” So whenever believers meet, it is important that they advise one another, advice is actually a heavenly support that protects and guides those who accept it. So seek out good advice (like these Suhbahs), it is a heavenly support for you!

• Since advice is a heavenly support, it comes from the heavens, not from this dunia. Philosophers give ‘advice’ from their minds, such ‘advice’ is from dunia, and it is not a form of heavenly support, it is simply a creation of disturbed and foolish minds. Maulana says, philosophers are unstable and fickle people, whose opinions change repeatedly – they may have one idea during the night, and a different one during the day, or they may have one idea when they are hungry, and yet another when they are full, or they may have one idea during summer, but a completely opposing one during winter. So such people, are graduates from Shaitan’s Academy, they are at the lowest point of understanding (since they reject Islam), and their preachings have spread much unbelief and confusion amongst humans today. Incredibly, these day-dreamers are much sought after by equally foolish individuals, who wish to hear their new-fangled philosophies of life. They live in a world of make-believe, and they reject reality, just like shaitan.

• Iblis is a great day-dreamer and fantasizer, he is the creature with the greatest ego amongst the creation. Before he knew that Rasulullah (saw) was going to be Allah’s Representative in this Universe, he was already imagining, that he would be chosen to be master of the Universe, to Represent his Lord. He fancied himself as the best choice, as his ego was egging him on, and he continued in that day-dream, for a long time. “This Universe needs a master, and I may be that One, I would like that One to be me!” shaitan imagined.

• Yet, when the reality dawned upon him, that the chosen One was Sayyidina Muhammad (saw), he exploded in anger! He could not accept reality, for it was not as he had imagined it to be. He wanted what he was fantasizing about, to be the reality.

• How often have our day-dreams been shattered by reality? A man may imagine that he would be victorious in an election, but the reality when the votes had been tallied, may simply be a crushing defeat. Another man may day-dream of becoming King one day, yet he may remain a common peasant all his life. So fantasy and reality are worlds apart, we must learn to reject our make-believe castle-in-the-air, and accept the reality of what Allah has destined before us!

• Seek heavenly knowledge, as it leads to reality. Shaitanic knowledge leads to fantasies. When Allah commanded Iblis to prostrate to Adam (as), Iblis said, “That is the wrong order, You may command all of creation to bow to Adam (as), but not me, for in my imaginary world, which, in my understanding, is real , the actual Master for whole Creation, is me. You are ordering me to deny my imagination and to accept this? I am refusing to!”

• Maulana said Astaghfirullah, when he recounted the audacity of iblis to say such a thing to his Lord. Yet today, billions are following in iblis’ footsteps, following philosophers with fancy, nonsensical, fickle ideas, just like a chameleon, who is always changing its skin colour to match its background. Each day, false guides create new ideas, spreading darkness and falsehood, the fruits of their egoistic imagination.

• Oh people, your generation of humans live in a world of imagination, but you were not created to live in fantasy, you were created to live in and to accept, reality – and that reality is – you are Allah’s servants. By following shaitan’s ways, you are fighting your Lord’s Will, and you will be drowned in difficulties and afflictions. Man’s ego loves to imagine himself as the leader, he wants to be followed by others, he does not like to follow. Tyrants want to be hailed by their citizens, and they also want other countries to follow their leadership, yet in reality, they are leading their people to the Fire.

• Every fantasy that you imagine, always depicts you as the top dog, the idolized one around whom all else gravitate towards. Your ego loves that, and is reluctant to be brought down to earth by reality, so it will resist all your efforts to accept reality.

• Those who reject reality, will be visited by their Lord’s punishments – just look at the frequency of earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis, today.

• Scholars must give advice to the masses, as religion is advice, and many people need to be saved from deviant ideologies and heavenly chastisement! Instead of debating on petty things like whether a hadees is strong or weak (dhaif), just take from the vast Al Quran itself and advise! So many Muslim nations are now adopting the ways of the unbelievers – it is a terrible tragedy, as the ways of Islam are blessed and has Divine support, whilst the Western ways are human creations, devoid of heavenly support or benefit. So many Muslims have also become Shaitan’s followers. Oh Scholars, teach the Ummah to fear Allah!

• Maulana reminds us that we are still in the blessed month of Rabi’ul Awwal, he says the seven heavens are bedecked with lights and decorations to celebrate Maulid, so what are we doing to celebrate the birthday of Allah’s beloved? Look at how Christians celebrate the birthday of Nabi Isa (as), with so much gaiety and love, yet some Muslims disregard the Maulid celebrations, even labeling them as Innovations (bida’ah). And these same Muslims, would actually pay more attention to their children’s birthdays, than the Prophet’s (saw)!

• As for such people who scornfully belittle Rasulullah (saw), Maulana has some advice for them to mull over. The perfection of faith, for all previous Ummahs of each Prophet (saw), was for them to have faith in Rasulullah (saw). For example, the Bani Israel would recite, ‘La ila ha illallah, Musa Rasulullah, Muhammadur Rasulullah wa Habibullah wa Abdullah” And Prophet Nuh’s (as) Ark would never have made it through the Great Deluge, had he not recited ‘Muhammadur Rasulullah.’

• So Maulana’s advice for all of humanity is this: Don’t follow philosophers or tyrants or false guides – they are all liars. You must follow heavenly ones, those endowed with heavenly support, you must follow the Prophet (saw) and his inheritors, and you may also follow his Companions, for Allah had said in the Holy Qur’an that He was pleased with them all, so do not belittle them either. Death is very near to us, the Day of Resurrection lies just ahead, so leave your fantasy, and come to reality – in that, lies your honour.

Fatihah.