Live Like a Flower in a Garden

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on the 15th October 2010. 

Shaykh Nazhim (q.s.) began by reminding us about a simple and known fact that is always forgotten – we must obey our Creator, Allah (s.w.t.).  If we do not, we face a series of problems that grow in severity in this world and the next.  The life of the disobedient are filled with burdens.  We must bring that same message to everyone we meet and call Mankind to obedience to Allah (s.w.t.).  The disobedient fall into the valley of trouble and despair in this life, just as they will fall into the valley of fire in the hereafter. 

Do we not want to enjoy the sweet life in both worlds?  Allah (s.w.t.) did not Create us except to taste the sweetness of being Created; the love and pleasure culminating in an eternal existence in Paradise.  Why do we reject this and choosing a meaningless existence saddled with disappointment and despair?  Humanity is drunk throughout the day, seeking pleasure and meaning in this life.  The disobedient are so desperate to taste that pleasure but they cannot taste anything.  They eat but it is tasteless.  They drink but it is tasteless.  They socialize but it is tasteless.  They sleep and even their sleep is tasteless.  The disobedient cannot even sleep naturally anymore.  So many people need sleeping pills and other drugs just to fall asleep.  How troubled their souls must be that they cannot find any taste in living.  One whose heart is at peace, can eat dry bread with salt, and he will find it fulfilling.  And he can sleep in the open with a rock as his pillow and will be a picture of tranquility and contentment.  One whose heart is aimless and restless, even if he is sleeping on a thick and comfortable mattress, still needs medicine to induce sleep.  Those sleeping with the help of drugs are sleeping the sleep of death, like corpses. 

Sleep contains a form of spiritual rest, a Grant from Paradise. As believers fall asleep, their souls are taken by the angels.  The sleep of the believers and lovers of Allah (s.w.t.) and His Prophet (s.a.w.) is sweet.  And their waking moments are equally sweet.  To the rest of humanity, everything is tasteless.  Taste comes from spirituality, not from the physical world but far too many do not understand.  They are looking for life’s sweetness, in all the wrong places. 

Shaykh Nazhim (q.s.) spoke on the deception posed by technology.  On the surface, it seems like a wonderful thing.  It seems to make life so much easier – everything is fast, easy and automated.  Communication, travelling, farming, medicine have all been transformed dramatically by technology.  In the old days, workers worked methodically, doing dzikrullah, while the angels joined them in the remembrance.  There was pleasure in the air, unlike today, when the air is polluted with poisonous fumes and noxious discharges.  But what has happened to Man with this technology?  He has become a creature who has faith only in the material world and has forsaken his spirituality.  That has dire consequences, as peace, love and all pleasurable experiences reside in our spiritual self and not our physical bodies.  It is attained by spiritual practices not by physical stimulation.  Today’s people are devoid of spirituality and faith.  They are desperately unhappy but do not know why.  They are yearning for rest but cannot find it.  Man is drowning himself in this worldly life, hoping to become numb and detached from his hopelessness and emptiness.  Technology is killing your spirituality.  We must return to nature and lead a natural way of life. 

All men are brothers.  As such, we must behave as brothers to one another.  Every tribe is Created unique, with special characteristics.  When we unite, we complement each other.  Each tribe is like a different flower.  When united, they form a resplendent garden with a staggering array of stunning flowers of unique shapes, colours, fragrances and sizes. 

سُوۡرَةُ الحُجرَات

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ۬ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ شُعُوبً۬ا وَقَبَآٮِٕلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓاْ‌ۚ إِنَّ أَڪۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَٮٰكُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ۬ (١٣) 

O mankind!  We Created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and Made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise each other).  Verily the most honoured of you in the Sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you.  And Allah has Full Knowledge and is Well Acquainted (with all things). (Surah al-Hujraat:13) 

Shaykh Nazhim (q.s.) asked, have we ever seen flowers fighting?  Obviously not.  Humans should not be in conflict; they should be in cohesion.  There is no honour in fighting and killing.  Today, missiles and weapons of mass destruction, are not only designed to kill, but also to kill in the most painful and inhumane way.  They not only kill and maim as well.  They have no regard or concern for the plants or animals either. Civilised people do not burn each other to death.  Allah (s.w.t.) will Send a Divine Cleansing to weed out those who perpetrate cruelty and violence.  The weeds will be killed and this earth will then become a Garden where only the flowers will remain.



Comments

  1. Assalamualaikum Brother, I must say your blog has taught me plenty and I thank you and Allah for sharing your insights and opinion. However, I feel that your statement on 'technology is killing your spirituality. We must return to nature and lead a natural way of life.' is too generalized. I believe that spirituality can only be 'killed' when one allows it to be killed. In my opinion, it is a matter of discipline and choice. Is that not what Allah has given us, the ability to reflect and choose? Technology is a mere medium to which you can either enhance your spirituality by reading on spiritual matters and reflecting upon them; as communication gets easier with technology, or ruin spirituality by allowing yourself to be caught up with the chaos and material world. Like how I am now reading your reflections to gain understanding and appreciation on the beauties of Islam and reflect on it, or I could choose to get caught up with the media craze on less important things that would not really impact my life, like the battle between apple and samsung. However, I do agree that nature has always been a great inspiration towards bringing us closer to Allah. Perhaps, for people who lives in concrete areas; where nature is scarce to gain some inspiration and requirement for one to work hard to survive basic necessities, other than practicing regular sincere prayers and dzikrullah for guidance and maintenance of internal peace, perhaps, technology may also be one of Allah's ways towards opening our eyes wider towards seeing the vast beauty of nature, culture and universe systems out there, and have more opportunities for a wider and deeper spectrum of thinking and reflection towards appreciation to Allah and the meaning to life. It actually proves on how magnificent is Allah's greatest creation, mankind, who, with His blessings, are able to create things that may seem impossible, connecting people better to maintain silaturrahim to those who are far, allows humanitarian efforts and charity to be done easier, and perhaps when done right, may actually be a platform to bring the Ummah as one. In fact, it gives us less excuses to do more good with the vast knowledge and opportunities present as compared to before.
    As Islam follows the Golden Mean, laying down regulations with reasonable limitations as seen in the Qur'an, it must be realized that being blessed with the opportunity to reflect and reason, humankind must learn to lay down reasonable limitations towards using what is available to them and how they are to use it for their own benefit towards bringing themselves closer to The Creator.

    But then, The Creator knows best than the creation, and I may not have the right answers as these are just some of my reflections upon reading yours.

    May Allah constantly guides all humanity to the right path.

    Wassalam

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    Replies
    1. Wa 'Alaykum as-Salaam,

      Thank you for your kind words.

      As you correctly pointed out, it is a general statement, not a call to ditch technology. That was from Shaykh Nazim (q.s.) and perhaps he meant it in a different context from what we understand - too much television, too much of the wrong sorts of entertainment, the commercialisation of farming. These things come to mind.

      Also, as you rightly pointed out, the real issue is not technology, but the heart that rules the person using it. This blog can talk about the Divine or it can be a vehicle of the Self. Or worst still, a vehicle of the Self masquerading as a means for the Divine.

      Your feedback is greatly appreciated and a source of reflection. Thank you and feel free to comment further.

      Wa as-Salaam

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