Increasing Our Faith in Allah (s.w.t.)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is a transcript of discourse given by Mawlana Wafi’ Muhammad. 

Two beneficial formulae are taken from the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).  They are reciting Surah al-Kahf every Friday morning that Allah (s.w.t.) Protect us for the coming week, and reciting Surah Yusuf every night before we go to bed.  Insha’Allah, Allah (s.w.t.) would Protect us from any pain at the time of death and would also enable us to overcome any enemy in this life. 

Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

ٱللَّهُ وَلِىُّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا... (٢٥٧) 

Allah is the Protector of those who have faith ... (Surah al-Baqarah:257) 

A wali is a person’s closest, most senior elder.  Someone who we love, someone who we could go to and he will take care of us and would never, at anytime let us down.  If Allah (s.w.t.) Says that He is our Wali what a great thing that is.  This statement has so much of meaning.  One of which is that Allah (s.a.w.) Takes one out of darkness into light.  One way is through Knowledge.  Another is through Guidance. 

The more intense our belief in Allah (s.w.t.) gets, the closer we feel we are to Him.  We will begin to ascend and our personality will become different and more refined.  And this is one of the lessons that we can take from the Mi’raj.  Through faith and perseverance, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) ascended so high that he became the Beloved of Allah (s.w.t.).  This is why it is not easy to translate Ayat an-Nur: 

سُوۡرَةُ النُّور

... نُّورٌ عَلَىٰ نُورٍ۬‌ۗ يَہۡدِى ٱللَّهُ لِنُورِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ‌ۚ وَيَضۡرِبُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡأَمۡثَـٰلَ لِلنَّاسِ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٣٥) 

Light upon Light! Allah does Guide whom He Wills to His Light: Allah does Set Forth parables for men: and Allah does Know all things. (Surah an-Nur:35) 

One way of removing the darkness from our personality is by letting the Light of Allah (s.w.t.) Brighten our personality.  And this is what we try to achieve through our spiritual exercise of muraqabah.  And through this, our faith would grow and our closeness to our Lord would also increase.  And insha’Allah, we would spirituality ascend. 

There is no ending to spiritual experiences and it is something that cannot be explained through contemporary reason and logic.  A person will only achieve what Allah (s.w.t.) Wills for him.  But He Allows a bit of free will through which we can cultivate remembrance for Him, standing, sitting and lying on our sides.  This can be achieved when our qalb makes dzikr even if we are physically engaged in other matters.  Perhaps this is one reason why the Prophet (s.a.w.) is reported to have said that even when the Messenger (s.a.w.) is asleep, his heart remains alert.