Closeness to the Creator

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

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

Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنفَال

… وَٱعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَحُولُ بَيۡنَ ٱلۡمَرۡءِ وَقَلۡبِهِۦ وَأَنَّهُ ۥۤ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ (٢٤) 

… and know that Allah Comes in between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom you shall (all) be Gathered. (Surah al-Anfal:24) 

What does this mean?  Only Allah (s.w.t.) really knows; but what we can take from it is that Allah (s.w.t.) is with us and He is inside of us in a way that He Alone knows; and He is even Closer to us than our life veins. 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴعرَاف

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ بُشۡرَۢا بَيۡنَ يَدَىۡ رَحۡمَتِهِۦ‌ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتۡ سَحَابً۬ا ثِقَالاً۬ سُقۡنَـٰهُ لِبَلَدٍ۬ مَّيِّتٍ۬ فَأَنزَلۡنَا بِهِ ٱلۡمَآءَ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۚ كَذَٲلِكَ نُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَڪَّرُونَ (٥٧) وَٱلۡبَلَدُ ٱلطَّيِّبُ يَخۡرُجُ نَبَاتُهُ ۥ بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِۦ‌ۖ وَٱلَّذِى خَبُثَ لَا يَخۡرُجُ إِلَّا نَكِدً۬ا‌ۚ ڪَذَٲلِكَ نُصَرِّفُ ٱلۡأَيَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمٍ۬ يَشۡكُرُونَ (٥٨) 

It is He Who Sends the winds like heralds of glad tidings going before His Mercy: when they have carried the heavy-laden clouds, We Drive them to a land that is dead, make rain to descend thereon, and produce every kind of harvest therewith: thus shall We Raise Up the dead: perchance you may remember.  From the land that is clean and good, by the will of its Cherisher, springs up produce, (rich) after its kind: but from the land that is bad, spring up nothing but that which is niggardly: thus do We explain the signs by various (symbols) to those who are grateful. (Surah al-A’araf:57-58) 

Firstly, these ayat are a parable for us.  Sometime we see the earth dry and parched.  Allah (s.w.t.) Sends rain clouds over which and after the rain has fallen we see vegetation emerging sometime thereafter.  What is Allah  telling us?  It is related to what was mentioned in the first ayat quoted above.  Allah (s.w.t.) is Close to us; Closer than we can imagine.  But look at what He Says in the other ayat.  When rain falls in some parts vegetation springs forth.  In other places, the rainfall has no effect.  For example, if it falls on the dry mountains the water simply runs off.  It has no effect and makes no difference.  It even floods in some cases.

This is the way with the Message and Mercy of Allah (s.w.t.).  It comes to all human beings; some can acknowledge it, appreciate it and can benefit from it.  For others it makes no difference to their current state.  They do not heed the call and do not remember that Allah (s.w.t.) is close to them and every day their thoughts and actions are being recorded and that one day they will have to stand before Allah (s.w.t.) with their book of deeds. 

While the Message is there, those who accede to it will benefit from it just like that part of the earth that absorbs the rainfall.  And for those whose mind is warped it makes no difference.  For example, Abu Lahab ‘Abd al-‘Uzza ibn ‘Abd al-Muththalib lived next to the most beautiful personality in all of Creation and he could not see nor understand the Message.  Instead he did so much wickedness like throwing filth on the Prophet (s.a.w.).  Why was he so unfortunately misguided?  Abu Lahab was like that hard earth that cannot absorb the beneficial rainfall.  The Message and blessed personality of the Prophet (s.a.w.) did not penetrate him.  And we find this throughout the history of all the Messengers.  Some of the people accepted and obeyed the message whilst others did not. 

The important question we need to ask ourselves is has the message penetrated us?  Is good, beautiful vegetation growing from you or are the blessings and mercies from Allah (s.w.t.) just running off?  Our concern must be our own selves and then our families and others.  How many of us are trying to adhere to the straight path but some family members are focused on other paths?  The Message is for everyone.  Those who accept, those who ponder and take note and make sincere effort will benefit.  Those who do not will have to answer to Allah (s.w.t.).  The Message today is universal; the Qur’an is for everyone.  I have asked people of differing faiths about the concept of God.  There is the Creator, whom they all agree on and then everything else are creatures.  The creature cannot be like the Creator.  So then why worship idols? 

What should I think of in front of me whilst praying?  A lot of people say the Ka’bah.  That is not right.  If I say I face the Ka’bah, the Hindus say they face Krishna and the Christians say Jesus (a.s.), then what difference does it make?  Saying we face the Ka’bah is contrary to what we say before we commence swalah: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام

إِنِّى وَجَّهۡتُ وَجۡهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ حَنِيفً۬ا‌ۖ وَمَآ أَنَا۟ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ (٧٩) 

“For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, toward Him Who Created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah.” (Surah al-An’am:79) 

Our direction of worship is the Ka’bah but we are facing our Creator.  Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is reported to have said, “When you stand for swalah facing the qiblah, understand that Allah is in before you, and is between you and the Ka’bah.” 

Understand that the message is universal.  Understand that Allah (s.w.t.) is Close to us and part of our mission is to realise how Close He is to you.  This is what we do in our dzikr sessions; culturing our personality to resonate Allahu.  Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) realised how close Allah (s.w.t.) is to him on the night of the Mi’raj.  And he says that swalah is the Mi’raj of the believer.  Swalah helps us realise how Close Allah (s.w.t.) is with us.  Try to realise how Close Allah (s.w.t.) is with you and make the best use of the Blessings that He Descends on you.  When we have the health and energy, utilise it smartly.  Make every effort and if we can understand how close Allah (s.w.t.) is with us, in the process we will understand how close Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is to us.  And we would have begun to benefit from your dzikr and good intentions.  Of course, Satan will not want this, so it will prevent us concentration on closeness with Allah (s.w.t.).  This is a universal experience.  Satan will try to divert our focus away from our Lord.  Thus, when we are faced with trials, understand there is wisdom in it.  Bear it with patience and concentrate more on the relationship with our Lord. 

May Allah (s.w.t.) Bless us, Guide us and Protect us; and may He Help us to ascend close to Him to benefit from what He has Provided for the righteous, insha’Allah.