Seeking Refuge in the Fortress of Madina

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is adapted from a swuhbah by Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on the 26^th March 2010. 

We are surrounded by many different people, each with a different understanding and ideology.  In the midst of this confusion, we must identify which one brings us benefit, because it is easy to get lost in a sea of different ideas and principles. 

There was once a raj, the prince of an Indian kingdom, who brought five blind men to touch and describe an elephant.  The one who touched the trunk said that the elephant was like a pipe, the one touching the ears said it was like a fan, the one touching the tail said that it resembled a brush, the one holding the leg, said that it was like a pillar, the one holding the body said it was like a wall.  So everyone who is blind can only give a vague and inaccurate description of anything.  We cannot take spiritual instruction from one who is spiritually blind, so beware.  A blind person teaches from his assumptions and forms hardened ideas about something he is uncertain of. 

We seek Protection from Shaythan, who likes to instigate quarrels and pour fuel on burning flames.  Shaythan suggests to us, that if we were to constantly stir up trouble for our enemies, then that enemy would be so engrossed tackling these problems, that he would have no time to cause trouble to us.  This ideology is firmly entrenched in our hearts today.  People are always finding ways to make things difficult for others.  People are always viewing others with suspicion.  People are always jumping to an evil conclusion about the intention of others, and since they feels that everyone else is plotting against them, they pre-empts this by striking first, to make a problem for the party they believe is plotting against them.  A suspicious mind always believes that others are constantly conspiring against him.  He interprets every action as someone devising a plot to wound him in the present and even in the future.  There is a Divine Warning for us to cease such evil behaviour. 

But there are people who love to exist in harmony with others, but this is but a tiny fraction of humanity.  These are the Blessed, safe from destructive traits, safe from an existence that is hurtful to others.  They do not spew words that are caustic, or perform actions that are malicious, or have intentions that are spiteful.  They do not exist to burden or pain others.  They have overcome their loathsome animal-like traits.  They have discarded their revolting beast-like characteristics.  Unlike these blessed ones, the majority of humans are Shaythan’s representatives.  They have graduated from the Academy of Iblis, and they are always 'kicking' people with words and actions, in order to hurt them. 

In any war, once one party knows that it is the weaker of the two forces in battle, it will retreat, and cease to attack the enemy.  In Madinat al-Munawwarah, there was a fortress, where the residents took shelter, in the event of a battle.  When the enemy saw that the residents had taken fortified positions, they knew it was useless to attack further, and they would withdraw.  We are in dire need of such a heavenly fortress.  One in which we can take shelter from trouble-makers as they are everywhere.  It is only within such a fortress that we are safe from these vicious people.  We must find ways to enter such a fortress. 

This question, about how to enter the fortress of protection, is a vital question for any one, who views himself as a leader of his people.  A leader who cannot guide his followers into the sacred fortress, will see them all, his entire flock, fall in battle - every one of his followers will perish in the onslaught of evil influences, evil whispers and evil instigation brought by Shaythan and his numerous representatives, the Jahannamiyyun.  We must ask ourselves; how do we save ourselves from all this?  The door to the sacred fortress of safety is contained in a single ayat of the Qur’an.  In this All-encompassing Book, a single sentence is enough to solve such a difficult problem: 

سُوۡرَةُ التّوبَة

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُواْ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰدِقِينَ (١١٩) 

O you who believe!  Fear Allah and be with those who are true (in word and deed). (Surah at-Tawbah:119) 

We must be with the Swiddiqin, the True.  The Swiddiqin are the doors to the fortresses of salvation.  There is no other way to attain felicity in dunya and akhirah.  We must be with the True and Guided.