The Adab of Return

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on the 14^th October 2010.  In it, we are told to return to Allah (s.w.t.) as a servant, and He will Honour us like a king. 

Prophet Solomon (a.s.) began his letter to the Queen Balqis (r.a.) of Sheba as follows: 

سُوۡرَةُ النَّمل

إِنَّهُ ۥ مِن سُلَيۡمَـٰنَ وَإِنَّهُ ۥ بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ (٣٠) 

“It is from Solomon, and is (as follows): ‘In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful …’” (Surah an-Naml:30) 

We are all weak.  We all wish to be more powerful and more honoured in faith.  We wish to be Forgiven by Allah (s.w.t.) and to be amongst the best in His Eyes.  If that is the desire, then recite Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim at least 100 times daily.  At any time we feel threatened by a situation or by ta problem in this, the answer is to recite Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim and we will be Under His Shelter and within His Protection.  Such are the asrar of Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim, if an ‘arif were to attempt to speak about them, he would be unable to finish, even if he started talking when Allah (s.w.t.) began Creation until the end of time.  So much has been given by Allah (s.w.t.) within the Basmallah to Rasulullah (s.a.w.) for us.  The Qur’an Contains countless lessons, leading us to countless Grants of Honour from Him.  The recitation of the Basmallah upon food as we eat, converts the food into nur within our bodies and Allah’s (s.w.t.) Blessings descend on that person.  The Basmallah is the door to safety and pleasure.  That is why Shaythan works so hard to make us forget to recite it at the beginning of all our actions, especially eating. 

The Qur’an Mentions the throne of Solomon (a.s.).  It is not a worldly throne sat upon by worldly kings.  This is a heavenly throne.  What makes this throne special is the value of the one who sits upon it.  The value of that one is Judged Divinely by the servanthood to Allah (s.w.t.) he practised in his life.  A throne in which sits a wicked and cruel tyrant has no value in the Divine Eye.  There is no honour to be on it, since it is only a burden for one who sits on it.  But a throne on which sits a humble and obedient servant of Allah (s.w.t.) becomes Holy, Honoured and Blessed.  We must beware of worldly kings and followers from the Wahhabi school of thought, who feel jealous when they see people love and honour Rasulullah (s.a.w.).  These are people who have the disease of jealousy in their hearts and anyone who has such ill-feelings towards Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), has no iman.  The Wahhabis frown upon people who stand up to honour Rasulullah (s.a.w.), those who perform swalawat and those who respect him.  These people must realise, that if Allah (s.w.t.) has Honoured Rasulullah (s.a.w.), then we must also honour him. 

سُوۡرَةُ بنیٓ اسرآئیل / الإسرَاء

...عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَبۡعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامً۬ا مَّحۡمُودً۬ا (٧٩) 

… soon will your Lord Raise you to a station of Praise and Glory! (Surah al-Isra’:79) 

Shaykh Nazhim (q.s.) felt ashamed to refer to Rasulullah (s.a.w.) as a servant though indeed, our Prophet (s.a.w.) is the Most Glorified of servants, being the pinnacle of perfection in servanthood.  As a sign of his immense respect for Rasulullah (s.a.w.), prefers to refer to him, as the Khalifatullah, for indeed, he is the representative Mentioned in the Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةً۬‌ۖ ... (٣٠) 

Behold, your Lord Said to the angels, “I will Create a vicegerent on Earth.” … (Surah al-Baqarah:30) 

In reality, only an Appointed king may sit on a throne.  Earthly kings should, out of humility, sit on an ordinary chair placed beside their thrones, for their thrones are meant only for the Seal of Prophets (s.a.w.) to sit on.  That should be the adab.  Solomon’s (a.s.) throne was built by jinn and it was made of gold, not from earth, but from the Heavens.  It was a wonder to behold.  Anyone who looked at it would fall into prostration in astonishment.  Allah (s.w.t.) Dressed the throne and the one sitting on it with Magnificence, Majesty and Greatness so that no one could look at Solomon (a.s.) and not be mesmerised by his commanding presence.  No one in his court, could raise his head, to look at Solomon (a.s.).  Allah (s.w.t.) Dressed him with one spot of His Greatness, Majesty and Glory.  These were necessary attributes as Solomon (a.s.) was to be the commander of men, animals and jinn. 

Allah (s.w.t.) has a throne for each prophet.  Certainly, our beloved Rasulullah (s.a.w.) also has one.  But Rasulullah (s.a.w.) was not sent with a throne, for certainly, it would have been a throne more glorious and majestic.  Rasulullah (s.a.w.) did not want such a throne.  He said, “I sit as a servant sits, and I eat as a servant eats.”  Rasulullah (s.a.w.) had been shown that his ummah would be one that would be filled with people who wanted fame, glory and power.  He wanted to show the example of servanthood to his ummah by rejecting such a throne and living simply and with the best of adab.  He wanted to show us, that we must not be proud of owning something in dunya whether it be fine clothes, expensive furniture, palaces, sports cars or designer goods.  Honour does not come from these.  It comes from being a servant to Allah (s.w.t.).  He showed us the best example of servanthood by sitting, eating, walking; by living as a servant.  The Prophet’s (s.a.w.) message was not seek glory, majesty and honour through our thrones, our worldly possessions.  Those are Granted by Allah (s.w.t.) to His servants according to His Wisdom.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) taught us to say that we are but weak servants of our Master. 

Rasulullah (s.a.w.) taught us how to be accepted in the Divine Presence.  Shaythan teaches us to be arrogant, to be proud of what we have, and to aim to make people notice us.  Shaythan tells us to sit on his throne and to be seen.  A man poisoned by this would say, “If I can find a throne to sit on, I would.”  If Rasulullah (s.a.w.) had indeed showed us his position of honour by virtue of owning a majestic piece of furniture, members of his ummah would have dedicated their lives to attaining the finest of decorations and dressings of dunya.  Eventually, we will become an ummah of Fir’awn and Namrud, sitting on our thrones.  Because deep in every man’s heart, is the desire to be worshipped by the rest of creation.  This desire, to be a worshipped leader, to be a self-centred tyrant, is the highest aspiration of our egos.  It is a disease that has infected the world today. 

There are only two categories in life.  There is the Creator, and there is Creation.  Since we are not the Creator, we must be of Creation, the servants.  If we do not act as servants, that means we act as the Master.  Allah (s.w.t.) is displeased with those who do that, for Allah (s.w.t.) has no partners.  There is only servanthood.  There is no other category for us except that.  We must live for three days in this dunya as a servant.  In the eternal life, Allah (s.w.t.) will Grant us majestic thrones and palaces and place us in them.  In dunya, we must be humble servants to Him.  Return to him as servants, and He will Grant us never-ending honour and glory.  We must not strive to return to Him as a king.  Only as a servant.