i)        Why is there a problem?

ii)       Where did the problem come from?

iii)      How to deal with the problem?

then the problem will lead to frustration. The person will then make inappropriate statements like “Why did Allah do this to me?” etc. At times during the height of frustration a person may even assault his ownself to give vent to his frustration. He may even assault his wife and children.

The various challenges of life can be overcome by pondering upon verses 155, 156 of Surah Baqarah. Allah Ta’ala say:

And certainly, We shall test you with some degree of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.) Those who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.”

(Qur’an 2:155-156)

The above verses answer all three questions.

Q. Why is there a problem?

A. Allah put us in various challenges of life to test our Iman and to see how we respond to those challenges.

Q. Where did the problem come from?

A. If the problem is not due to one’s own shortcomings, sins etc. it just came upon a person, then it is a test from Allah.

Q. How to overcome the problem?

A. Allah says, Be patient and exercise restraint. Say:

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna ilayhi Rāji῾ūn.

“Truly! To Allah we belong and truly,
to Him we shall return.” (Qur’an 2:156)

In essence, during difficulties, turn to Allah and make the zikr of Allah. Yunus alayhi salam was trapped in three darknesses. The darkness of the night; the darkness of the huge waves of the sea; and the darkness of the belly of the whale.

Outwardly, there was no way Yunus a could be relieved from such a difficulty. Yunus alayhi salam beseeches Allah from within the belly of the fish.

…لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ o فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ…

…‘There is no one worthy of worship except You(Allah). You are pure. I was among the Zalimeen (who went against your orders). ‘We responded his prayer and saved him from grief… (Qur’an 21:87-88)

While we adopt means to address our difficulties, making Zikr is an effective way of invoking the mercy of Allah. It is through the blessing of Zikr, Allah guides a person to the solution of his problems.

Allah Ta’ala say:

Behold, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find content! (Qur’an 13:28)

An outstanding characteristic in the life of our pious predecessors was making Zikr. This was their shield against all challenges. A person who does not make the Zikr of Allah is uneasy. A poet characterises the heart of such a person:

Forgetting the Zikr of Allah is the death of the hearts of people.

The physical body is a grave before reaching the grave

The poet attributes the empty and miserable feeling of the heart to the absence of Zikr.

Allah says those that confront the challenges of life with the Zikr of Allah invoke the mercy of Allah and such people are guided. (Qur’an 2:157)

Take out some time every day to make the Zikr of Allah and make dua to Allah after the Zikr. Duas after Zikr are most definitely accepted.

Ebraheem bin Adham said:

” Do not desire anything of this World and the Aakhirah (Hereafter), free yourself solely for Allah (Ta’ala) and focus your attention to Allah (Ta’ala), he shall focus his attention toward you and befriend you.”

(Al -Risaalah al – Qushariyyah, Pg.261, Al – Asriyyah, 2008)

Subhaanallah! what an easy prescription to attain the love of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala). Imagine that Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) is willing to befriend us and focus his attention to us if only we focused our attention to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala).

Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Daamat Barakaatuhum)

Hadhrat A’isha (Radhiyallahu Anha) was falsely accused of having an affair with Hadhrat Safwaan Bin Mu’attal (Radhiyallahu Anhu).

This accusation was instigated by the leader of the Munafiqeen (hypocrites), Abdullah Bin Ubayy.

This was a very trying time for Hadhrat A’ishah (Radhiyallahu Anha), Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) and the general Muslims.

Some sincere Muslims got caught up with this rumour. Among them was Hadhrat Hamanah Binte Jahash (Radhiyallahu Anha), the sister of Zainab (Radhiyallahu Anha). Zianab (Radhiyallahu Anha) was the wife of Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam).

Zainab (Radhiyallahu Anha) and A’ishah (Radhiyallahu Anha) used to compete with each other as wives of Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam).

Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) consulted with Zainab (Radhiyallahu Anha) regarding A’ishah (Radhiyallahu Anha) as it possible she must have heard something about A’ishah (Radhiyallahu Anha) from her sister.

The response of Zainab (Radhiyallahu Anha) is amazing. It presents a glimpse ofa pure and shining heart.

She could have take advantage of the trying times of Ayesha (Radhiyallahu Anha) to gain mileage for herself. Yet she responded and said:

“Oh prophet of Allah,

احمي سمعي و بصري

“I protect my ears and my eyes”

This is a glaring example of a clean heart and expounds justice and fairness.

Know that the Zikr of Allah (Ta’ala) has five specialties:

1. ” The pleasure of Allah (Ta’ala) is attained through it.”

2. ” It increases one’s inclination to do acts of obedience”.

3. ” It protects one from the Shaytaan if one is engaged in the Zikr of Allah (Ta’ala)

4. ” It creates softness within the heart”.

5. ” It prevents/deters one from sins”.

  (Tambeehul Ghafileen, Pg.264, Dar al- Hadeeth)

Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Daamat Barakaatuhum)

It is part of Ikhlaas (sincerity) to do good deeds and conceal one’s good deeds.

Hadhrat Abu Musa Asha’ari (Radhiyallahu Anhu) explains the difficult and hard times they experienced in the war Dhaat al – Riqaa. They were six people in a group and shared one camel. Often they had to walk in rough terrain and their feet were wounded. Their nails also fell off. They had to bandage their feet with pieces of cloth, hence the name of the war is Dhaat al- Riqaa. Riqaa means pieces of cloth.

After Hazrath Abu Musa Ash’ari (Radhiyallahu Anhu) mentioned this incident and he regretted and felt he exposed his good deed. He then stated:

ما كنت اصنع بان اذكره

“I do not do (good deeds) to mention it”

(Saheeh al- Bukhari, Pg.592, Vol.2, Qadeemi)

Hadhrat Mufti Ahmed Khanpuri (Daamat Barakaatuhu)

Sheikhul Hadeeth, Hadhrat Moulana Yunus Saheb (Damat Barakaatuhum) mentioned that one of his friends had related this incident to him that once there was a theft that took place in one of the rooms of Saharanpur.

What used to happen was that whoever was suspected of being involved used to be searched. This task was generally assigned to Hadhrat Moulana As’adullah Saheb who was one of the most distinguished Khulafaa (deputies) of Hadhrat Moulana Thanwi (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) and from among whose Khulafaa (deputies) were the likes of Hadhrat Moulana Qari Siddeeq Saheb (Rahmatullahi Alayhi).

The incident continues as follows as related by his friend:

” I was still a young beardless boy. When my turn came to be searched, Hadhrat Moulana As’adullah saheb addressed me as follows:

” Kindly separate your pants from your thigh.”

He then searched my pocket without touching my body in any way.”

Can we imagine this degree of caution!

These were the noble galaxy of men who truly safeguarded themselves from transgressing the bounds of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala).

(Safeguarding of the eyes and the private parts, a discourse by Hadhrat Mufti Ahmed Khanpuri (Daamat Barakaatuhum), Pg. 81- 82)

Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Daamat Barakaatuhu)

Sulaiman al – Daraani (Rahmatullahi Alayhi),a great Sufi, says:

1. “The most virtuous action is to oppose the desires of the Nafs (carnal self).”

2. “Everything has a sign and the sign of disgrace is to leave out crying (out of fear for Allah (Sunahanahu Wa Ta’ala)).”

3. ” Everything becomes rusty, and the Nur (effulgence/light) of the heart becomes rusty with a satiated stomach.”

      (Al – Risaalah al – Qushayriyyah, Pg. 411, Al – Asriyyah, 2008)

Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Daamat Barakaatuhu)

Ebraheem al – Khawaas (Rahmatullahi Alayhi), a great Sufi of his time, states:  The cure of the heart is in five things:

1. To recite the Holy Qur’aan with contemplation.

2. To keep the stomach empty.

3. To engage in Ibaadah at night.

4. To implore Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) in Du’aa during the latter portion of the night.

5. To sit in the company of the pious ones.

        ( Al- Risaalah al- Qushayriyyah, Pg.411, Al – Maktabah al – Asriyyah, 2008)                

Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Daamat Barakaatuhu)

Anas ibn Maalik [radhiallaahu anhu] narrates that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said that there are 40 Abdaal in his Ummah. Twenty two of them are in Shaam (Syria) and 18 are in Iraq. When one of them dies, Allah appoints someone to fill the vacancy. When Qiyaamah is nearby, they will all die.

Abdaal – this is a class of Awliyaa whose identities are secret. They execute a variety of duties imposed on them by Allah.

Hadhrat Mas’ood [radhiallaahu anhu] narrates that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said, ‘There are three hundred servants of Allah, whose hearts are like the heart of Aadam (alayhimus salaam), forty have hearts like the heart of Ibraahim (alayhimus salaam), seven have hearts like the heart of Izraaeel (alayhimus salaam), five have hearts like the heart of Jibraaeel (alayhimus salaam), three have hearts like the heart of Mikaaeel (alayhimus salaam), and one has the heart like the heart of Israafeel. When one dies, Allah appoints one of the group of three to take his place, when one of the group of three dies, Allah appoints one from the group of five to take his place, when one from the group of five dies, Allah appoints one from the group of seven to take his place, when one from the group of seven dies, Allah appoints one from the group of forty to take his place, when one from the group of forty dies, Allah appoints one from the group of three hundred to take his place, when one of the group of three hundred dies, a man from the rank and file of mankind is ennobled (with Imaan and Taqwa) and appointed. Allah removes calamities from the Ummah of Muhammad [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] by virtue of the blessedness of these Awliyaa.’

The one servant mentioned in this Hadith is called the Qutub or Ghauth. Among the Awliyaa, his rank and position are like the centre of a circle. He is the pivot.

Mufti Ahmed Khanpuri (Daamat Barakaatuhu)

The scholars of Tasawwuf have unanimously agreed on the fact that as long as a person remains trapped in the vice of “bad-nazri” i.e evil glances, the reformation of his heart will not be accomplished.

Despite the fact that there exists much more graver sins than “bad- nazri”, the evil effects of it are so severe and intense that as long as a person does not muster the courage to combat this scourge within his life, his heart will never gain contentment and spiritual cleansing and due to this, he will never be able to establish a bond with his creator, which is Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala).

Hadhrat Sheikh Moulana Muhammed Zakariyya Saheb (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) has written in his autobiography entitled, Aap Beeti:

“There are many such people who regularly engage in  the remembrance of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) and due to their Zikr, develop a great degree of spirituality and illumination of the heart; however, because of them being caught in the transgression of “bad-nazri”, become deprived of all their spiritual accomplishments.”

Today we are diligently involved in the performance  of Salaah, recitation of Qur’an, Tasbeehaat and various other acts of worship, but despite all of this, we are not able to achieve the relish and true enjoyment of these actions. Why is the case?

From among the various factors contributing to this unfortunate state of affairs, one major element is that of “bad-nazri.

“bad – nazri” is such a dangerous impediment (from the path of Sulook) that once it grips a person, to break lose therefrom is indeed a monumental task.”

 (Safeguarding of The Eyes And The Private Parts, a discourse by Hazrath Mufti Ahmed Khanpuri (Daamat Barakaatuhum), Pg.49 – 50)