Be Thankful We were Created Human

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on the 14^th December 2009. 

Allah (s.w.t.) Created us in the best of forms, as stated in Surah at-Tin. 

سُوۡرَةُ التِّین

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ فِىٓ أَحۡسَنِ تَقۡوِيمٍ۬ (٤) 

We have, indeed, Created man in the best of moulds. (Surah at-Tin:4) 

A man shorter than 1.5 m or taller than 2 m appears odd, as would a human with four legs or a woman with wings.  So, Allah (s.w.t.) has Created us with the best form, the most perfect of proportions and in the highest of stations.  Despite all this, we are busy trying to outdo animals, the lowest of creation, in their achievements.  An example is a weightlifter, who trains for years to win a gold medal for being able to carry the greatest weight.  A donkey deserves the gold medal even more, as it can carry twice that weight, and unlike us, its knees do not tremble and buckle under that weight.  It is able to walk comfortably for miles with that weight, as compared to the weightlifter, who can hardly take one step while hoisting such a heavy weight. 

Allah (s.w.t.) Offered the amanah to the whole of Creation, but none was willing to accept it.  Even mountains bowed and trembled and begged for Forgiveness when they were Offered the amanah.  It was only humanity who accepted it.  Allah (s.w.t.) had Offered the amanah to the one who was able to fulfill it.  Hence, we have been Created at the pinnacle of Creation; we are the ones with the best form and the highest stations.  Why is it that people are always ungrateful and complaining?  We should be grateful that we are Created as Bani Adam, not as a donkey or an ant.  He Could have Created us as any other creature, but gave us this priceless and eternal gift of being a child of Adam (a.s.).  We must constantly say al-Hamdulillah. 

Do the so-called learned Wahhabi ‘ulama know what this amanah was?  That it is knowledge that has to be sought, for not all that attend the lessons learn anything from it.  To teach arrogant and insincere people such secrets, would be akin to placing a necklace of precious stones around the neck of the donkey - the donkey does not look any more honoured because of the necklace, and the necklace does not gain any more beauty or honour by being on the donkey.  We attach great importance to the dressing of a person, to the point that we value a person based on how well he dresses.  Sulthan Timur, a great king who ruled from Central Asia to the border of Europe, was in a Turkish bath with Mulla Naswr ad-Din (q.s.), who was a wali who preached by making funny comments that got people thinking. 

Sulthan Timur, clad only in his bath sarong, asked Mulla Naswr ad-Din (q.s.), “If I were a slave boy, and you were to bring me to the slave market, how much would you be able to fetch if you offered me for sale?” 

Mulla Naswr ad-Din (q.s.) answered, “Ten darahim.”  That was a meagre amount.  A dirham is a silver coin. 

Sulthan Timur replied, “O Mulla, my sarong alone is already worth ten darahim!” 

To which Mulla Naswr ad-Din (q.s.) replied, “That is why I said that I could have you sold for ten darahim, as they would be paying ten darahim for your sarong; you are actually worth nothing.” 

So, the moral of this funny story, is that we value a person based on his clothing and that people spend much on clothing and jewellery, as they believe that their honour and status is achieved by that.  People do not realise that honour and status are a result of knowledge, obedience and faith, not clothing.  We must not delay the performance of the daily prayers from their appointed times.  Pray as soon as the adzan is made for that prayer.  After one has performed the prayer, go look for our rizqi.