Ahmad Arshad – Discourse At Khanqah #02
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AI: Transcript ©
1 of the aharwal and one of the
gafiyat
that
we must be familiar with
and what must be attached to, it is
the concept of toba.
Tawba
is a very common word that is used,
and we have been hearing it since we
we were children.
But we really have to understand in terms
of because this is a transformation.
This is a change that happens within ourselves.
There are some aspect of sthova that we
have to do with our physical form,
but it's a reorientation
of our metaphysical form, of our heart, of
our soul
that is known as.
And this is something that
nobody is
free from,
meaning that no matter what stage
of life we are in,
we must be become we must become amongst
those who are tawabi.
For example, if a person is stuck in
kufr
and shirk, that person has to do,
meaning return back from, reorient
himself from, gofer
and check.
If a person is a but
this person is stuck in,
then this person has to reorient
and make a U-turn or do from
all of his sins and itham and zam
that this person might be doing.
If a person might say, masha'Allah, that Allah
has protected him from sins,
This person, does is he in need of?
Of course, he is. Because now he has
to do from
any rafla,
any heedlessness that this person might be
suffering from. So it may not be that
a person might be actively committing a sin,
but the fact that a lot of our
life is wasted away, a lot of
our time is wasted away. You know? Oh,
god,
that have been wasted not in the zikr
of Allah
we have to recover from that.
That's what our have taught us.
And let's say a person
is a person of dhikr, he does not
commit any sins. Does this person or is
this person in need of? Of course, he
is.
Why? Because
none of our amal and we have to
really understand this. None of our amal
are worthy of Allah
So we have to do, we have to
do
over
those actions that we think
are worthy of.
So every person
every person
needs to
make sure that they are,
in a state of
at all
times. That the people who do not do
tawba,
Allah
gives them a stamp that they are from
amongst those people who are dwelling.
Meaning, they transgress
against themselves.
They are the transgressors. They are the oppressors.
You know, we have a concept of dul,
but this is real zul.
This is the same
terminology that our father, Hazrat Adam used as
well.
I have or we have transgressed
against our own nafus.
So Allah
is saying that a person who does not
do tawba,
those are the people who are the true
aggressors. They are the transgressors.
Right?
So the opposite is also true that
those people who actually do tawba,
then they are not amongst
those. They're not doing so. So that's why
we have
to make sure
that
in this month of Ramadan,
that every single day,
we remind ourselves and we find
that hal and the halal of within ourselves.
Okay?
Okay? And what it takes is is a
little bit of acceptance, a little bit of
the Quran,
the Quran of what we have done. Right?
Because usually, something
to do with our past.
Right? Something what we have done.
And for that, we ask
Allah to give us what is known as
the
ability to look at our own foul faults.
It's easy to look at other people's faults.
We can sit here and we can count
a million of them, but it is very
difficult to really count our own.
And so this is something we ask Allah.
Open up my own faults to me and
allow me to repent. Allow me to turn
back from them.
Allow me to make a u-turn for each
and every one of them. And these can
be outwards and these can be inwards.
And especially because we
decided and we made the intention that we're
going to have a goal oriented in Ramadan,
it is
essential that we we do this.
We do this accounting, that we try to
look at ourselves
and find certain things that we want to
change or that we want
to transform, that we want to turn away
from, we need to do that.
Okay?
And, you know, it's also,
you know, has
also written that there are different components to
Tawba, and we all know that. So this
is just a reminder
that, you know, the first thing is that
nidama. And this is also hadith of the
The
is
the the remorse
of the heart.
And so that in itself is telling you
that it has to do with something with
within.
That your heart
breaks. Like, you you find something and your
heart breaks.
So, you know, this
or this remorse,
you know, it has to begin with that.
But, again, you know, you have the feeling
and emotion,
it will translate into asking for forgiveness. And
what is that, you know, istafar that we
do every single day?
That is
represent representation
of our inner self. It cannot just be
that I'm just doing istakwasta through a lot
of and
and my batin is not
living up to that.
Okay? So it really has to be that
when we say,
it really is a manifestation, a reflection
of the heart that has found
within itself that
that remorse,
that that feeling, that emotion that, you know,
this is this is not good. That this
is not it. This I cannot live like
this,
and I cannot present myself to Allah
like this. Okay? And then, you know, we
have to desist.
You know, you can't say that
do exactly the same thing.
We have to we have to stop.
We have to stop doing what we are
doing, and this is the
the showing off that your inner emotion and
your tongue
and your action are in sync, that they're
aligned.
That you say that you have madamah, that
you're taking steps to to stay away from.
Okay? We can't keep on saying, oh,
you know, Allah, I'm sorry about this. Allah,
I'm sorry about that. And then deliberately,
intentionally
intentionally keep on doing that. Okay? So this
is this is
something that, you know, we really have to
worry about. A couple of more things because
we never
wanted this to be a long lecture of
sorts.
This is just the reflection of.
You know, one of the things that we
have to, like, reflect on that what is
it? Like, what did we do
that we were taken out of the shelter
of or we broke the shelter of Allah
Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, meaning that that
from that sin
that was with us.
What did we do that broke it? Or
what were you know, what about us so
that we were taken out of it? And
you know, have written about it.
Right? But, I mean, you know, we do
have to reflect it. You know? Sometimes it's
really to inculcate that humility because, you know,
a lot of times that, you know, we
become too comfortable with our own skin and
and we forget Allah. There is Allah
that allows us to,
be in whatever state we're in. To be
able to stay away from sins, to be
able to commit any good actions.
This is the rahmatul tawfiq from Allah Subhanahu
Wa Ta'ala. Sometimes
there's that as well. Okay? And another thing
is that we will be held accountable because
because mistakes everybody makes. That's.
But when it comes to,
you know, that is something that is deliberate.
That's intentional.
And what is even worse, you know, we
have to hold ourself account to the enjoyment
that comes with it.
So rather than the remorse, if we find
ourselves enjoying the sin,
you know, that just shows that the nafshtein
is in a very, very poor state.
Right? That not only are we committing this
grave action against the hookah of Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala, but we have allowed us to
enjoy it and that enjoyment a lot of
times remains stuck
within the nafs.
And that is the trigger, you know, we
we spoke about behaviors, that is the trigger.
That enjoyment,
that reminder, the memory of the enjoyment keeps
on triggering the same kinds of behaviors and
actions. Right? And this is a sazaa. This
is a punish from Allah because that enjoyment,
even though it might be for a few
minutes or seconds or whatever the case might
be,
Now this has become a doorway for you
to keep on committing the sin again and
again and again,
killing that remorse and voice within ourselves.
So we have to be a little bit
we have to care about that. We have
to care about that.
And you know,
trying to and, you know, again, people make
mistakes,
but,
you know, hastening,
asking for forgiveness, and replacing those actions with
good actions. That is also something we must
bring it into our life that, okay, you
know,
whatever the the reason might be, if you
have committed something, you you know, just
with that humility and humbleness, asking for forgiveness
and hastening to do something. You know, our
masha' used to punish their their their nafus.
We have to learn how to do that
as well, you know, skip a meal,
sleep on the cold floor,
right? Don't don't use a pillow, you know,
if it's if it's really cold, don't use
a blanket. This is this is punishing your
nafs. That, oh nafs, you force me to
go against Allah subhanahu wa'anahu. There's so much
I have done that as well, but also
one of the things that we're told in
this blessed sharia is to replace it with
good acts. Okay?
You know, do extra nawafil, give sadaqat,
you know, do something that is heavy on
the nafs from that perspective as well. So
we ask
that allows us
to become amongst those who are true repenters.
That is something that we have been ordered.
And, you know, so we,
we make dua Allah
gives us
that
After that, one of them is from the.
So that for a few minutes, just close
your eyes and bow your heads in humility
and humbleness.
Let go of all the thoughts of the.
Everyone in this
and bring your attention to your cloud, 2
fingers below your left chest,
and bring your attention of your cloud to
Allah
Imagine there's nothing in except Arrab,
and Arrab is sending down his blessings
and
into Arkar.
Arkal is absorbing it in all the filth
and darkness and hardness is escaping it, and
feel that your call is calling out to
him, feel that your call will be saying,
Allah, Allah,
Allah.
Experience the first song of this blessed month.
Oh, we
accept all the shortcomings and all the defects,
Allah, because of our weakness,
Allah, we could not fast the way that
you want us to fast, Allah. Despite that,
Allah, we ask you that you accept accept
this mehnad,
accept this effort that we have made, you
all Akareem.
Oh, Allah, we ask you, you all Akareem,
that you give us the full reward of
this, you all Akareem.
And we have been told by our beloved
prophet
that you yourself are the reward
for fasting.
Allah, we ask you that you bless us
with your love. Bless us with your
bless us with your connection.
Oh, Allah. Oh, Allah. Help us feel that
Help us feel that in our heart.
Oh, Allah. We ask you that you make
us people of Tawba.
Oh, Allah. Allah, make us people of sincere
Tawba. The Tawba that has a sincerity in
it, you Allah.
Without any pretenses, you Allah.
Tawba that is for your sake, you Allah.
Oh, allow us to change. Allow us to
change in this blessed month, you Allah.
Oh, Allah, increase us in our
with every passing day. Oh, Allah, help us
tire ourselves more for you. Help us, you
Allah, strive more for you, you Allah kareem.
Oh, Allah, oh, Allah, make this Ramadan count
for us, Allah. Make this Ramadan that you
bless us with your
Oh, Allah, make this Ramadan
that you protect us
from.
Oh, Allah, make us this Ramadan.
One fast like his,
Oh,
that is enough for a lifetime,
Oh, Allah accept this,
Oh, accept the duas of everyone, you Allah.
Oh Allah, we ask you to protect the
wherever they are. You know, your trials and
tribulations and the health
especially our brothers and sisters in Gaza.
Protect
them.
Protect them. Protect them. Protect them. Protect them.
Protect them. From transgression and oppression.
Allah, we are embarrassed by our own weakness,
you Allah. There's nothing we can do, you
Allah. Oh, help us make dua for them,
you Allah,
For the martyrs there, You Allah. Allah. Oh,
Allah.
You Allah. The women, they are calling out.
The children, they are calling out. Oh, Allah.
Oh, Allah. Make this ummah strong again.
Oh, Allah. Make this ummah strong again.