Showing Off in Dunya

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is adapted from a swuhbah by Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on the 09^th December 2009. 

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 that 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.  We were Placed on Earth as Allah’s (s.w.t.) khalifah, Given the highest and deepest of spiritual knowledge and Bestowed with understanding and faculties that are even greater than angels, with a place in the Divine Presence that is special and revered.   It is a great pity and a loss if we choose 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. 

We have a great purpose behind the secret of our Creation.  We have a glorious destiny and an eternal reward awaiting us that is so immense and noble, yet many of us choose to busy ourselves with what animals are busy with - pleasures of the flesh and desires of the ego.  We must be able to judge the difference between what is eternal honour and happiness, and what is a fleeting moment of pleasure.  Nowadays, people are no longer interested in being close to the Divine Presence.  They have abandoned that to seek worldly pleasure and meaningless status in this world. 

We seek protection from Shaythan for he seeks to bring us to a level even below that of animals.  How does Shaythan do that?  He whispers to us, constantly, to live and to act, so that we are constantly noticed and praised by those around us.  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 gadget, our everything.  We live, speak and spend, so that others will always admire and envy us.  This disease has spread to all stratum 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 in his book when he returns to Allah (s.w.t.). 

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, “O Dirty One, O Stupid One, O Accursed One, O One-Enveloped in Darkness, O You Who is in Allah’s Wrath …”  But a person who has lived only to be noticed by Allah (s.w.t.), and not by others will hear angels heap praises on his soul, calling out, “O Blessed One, O You Loved by Allah, O Best of Creation, O Pure Creature of Allah …” 

Why do we seek recognition and fame and acknowledgment from our fellow men who are at the same level as us, merely a Creation?  We live to seek Recognition and Pleasure from Allah (s.w.t.), our Lord, and the Lord of All Man and All of Creation?  We cannot be blind to the Reality.  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, we must never be proud of all that we have been given and of what we have achieved and not seek to show ourselves off, to be noticed, to portray and project ourselves to those around us as someone great or special.  Shaythan was like that, and he wants us to follow his footsteps.  Instead, we must be sincere in all our acts, live only to seek Allah’s (s.w.t.) Pleasure, for if Allah (s.w.t.) is Pleased with us, He will Praise us, and that is better than the praising of all the people around us.  So, we seek to please Him, and Him Alone.