Refining Our Intention

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

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

If we go to a market, we will see a lot of people and each one of them will be concerned with his or her own business.  Each of them would have gone with a purpose that concerns their own affairs.  Like this is the human family.  We were all Created by Allah (s.w.t.) and Placed on this Earth for a purpose.  And that is to represent Him and prepare ourselves to return to Him.  Throughout the history of man, tribes and nations deviated.  And when they deviated, Allah (s.w.t.) Sent Messengers to remind them and bring them back.  Bring them back to what?  This is what we need to understand.  To bring them back to the common thread that binds all human beings together.  This common thread has one important strand and that is to believe that Allah is the Creator of the universe. 

The Messengers came to remind the people of this and in spite of their efforts the people remained divided and disunited; each looking after his own material affairs and not thinking of the return to the Lord.  Islam came to remove that kind of thinking and Allah (s.w.t.) Testifies to this: 

سُوۡرَةُ آل عِمرَان

... وَكُنتُمۡ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفۡرَةٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنۡہَا‌ۗ ... (١٠٣) 

… and you were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He Saved you from it ... (Surah Ali ‘Imran:103) 

Muslims are supposed to have one common denominator and that is Laa ilaha illa Allah; this unites all believers together.  There are, however, unfortunately some who attest to this, but their hearts have not yet joined that human family.  For example, in our dzikr sessions we are joined by one motive and one intention that makes us all part of this family.  But in society even amongst the believers, we do not have that common purpose and focus.  The reason is because Satan is able to get into our chests and to effectively whisper in a few to get them to have some sort of selfish motive.  And in spite of the fact that they are believers and they harbour love of the religion of Islam, some of them may have ulterior motives. 

A perfect example is the story of Adam (a.s.) and Satan in the Garden of Eden.  Satan, Adam (a.s.), the angels, the jinn, all lived together in the Garden.  There. Satan posed as a good and trusted friend of Adam (a.s.) and look what he did.  He harboured an ulterior motive although he was in the Garden.  This is what Islam came to guard us against.  We must be careful with your intention.  Some people profess to be Muslims and in so doing are supposed to submit in totality to Allah (s.w.t.) and His Rasul (s.a.w.), but they have their own agendas.  Perhaps this is why today we have such turmoil in the Muslim world; because we are not living for the sake of Allah (s.w.t.).  We have to try our best to live for the sake of Allah (s.w.t.).  Sometimes we may think, “If I do something like this I can get personal benefit.”  It is a natural way of thinking but in doing so, we are sacrificing some of the Blessings Allah (s.w.t.) Shower upon us.  Then we are not truly living for the sake of Allah (s.w.t.).  This is a little lower category than a truly righteous believer about whom Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, “A Muslim in the Hands of Allah is like the dead in the hands of those who wash him.” 

True faith is to live for the sake of Allah (s.w.t.) and understand that whatever is happening to us comes with Allah’s (s.w.t.) Permission and Knowledge and He knows why He Does it.  That is why we recite in our ud’iyyah: 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

...‌ۚ وَقَالُواْ سَمِعۡنَا وَأَطَعۡنَا‌ۖ غُفۡرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ (٢٨٥) 

… “We hear and we obey; (We seek) Your forgiveness, Our Lord, and to You is the end of all journeys.” (Surah al-Baqarah:285) 

This is applicable to us all since none of us are perfect.  We will, at times, think of ourselves.  However, let us all try to grow our iman and try to think about Allah (s.w.t.) and His Rasul (s.a.w.) and hope for the best from our Lord. 

سُوۡرَةُ یُونس

وَقَالَ مُوسَىٰ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ ءَاتَيۡتَ فِرۡعَوۡنَ وَمَلَأَهُ ۥ زِينَةً۬ وَأَمۡوَٲلاً۬ فِى ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا رَبَّنَا لِيُضِلُّواْ عَن سَبِيلِكَ‌ۖ رَبَّنَا ٱطۡمِسۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ وَٱشۡدُدۡ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمۡ فَلَا يُؤۡمِنُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَرَوُاْ ٱلۡعَذَابَ ٱلۡأَلِيمَ (٨٨) 

Moses prayed, “Our Lord!  You have indeed Bestowed on Pharaoh and his chiefs splendour and wealth in the life of the present, and so, our Lord, they mislead (men) from Your Path.  Deface, our Lord, the features of their wealth, and Send hardness to their hearts, so they will not believe until they see the grievous Penalty.” (Surah Yunus:88) 

On the other hand, Allah (s.w.t.) says of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.): 

سُوۡرَةُ الکهف

فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـٰخِعٌ۬ نَّفۡسَكَ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِمۡ إِن لَّمۡ يُؤۡمِنُواْ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا (٦) 

You would only perchance, fret yourself to death, following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message. (Surah al-Kahf:6) 

He was so loving and compassionate that he felt sorrow for the nonbelievers who did not listen and were using their God-Given Gifts to destroy themselves and others.  Let us try to do our little bit for ourselves and for others and let Allah (s.w.t.) Take Care of the rest.  This earth Belongs to Him, not us.  We can do a little and if we do have faith, He will Take Care of us and whatever we are do.  We try to make our intentions more and more refined because we are all humans, and it is very possible to get carried away and tempted at times.  However, when times like these occur, we hasten to ask our Lord for Forgiveness and turn back to Him in the hope for His Blessings and Forgiveness.  May Allah (s.w.t.) always Bless us and Take Care of our affairs.