Ahmad Kutty – Spiritual Ascent – Stages on the Path of Ihsan

Ahmad Kutty
Share Page

AI: Summary ©

The segment discusses the importance of achieving spiritual success through cultivating a spiritual path and aligning actions with sincerity. It also touches on the worship of Jesus and the supreme miracles holding in Rajab miracle. The segment provides examples of experiencing spiritual experiences and gifts to achieve growth and success, including seeking ahead in pursuing spiritual growth and avoiding regret. The segment also emphasizes the importance of testing one's ability to receive forgiveness and returning to spiritual growth.

AI: Summary ©

00:01:09 --> 00:01:10
			Okay, Shaykh go ahead inshallah.
		
00:01:11 --> 00:01:15
			Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen
		
00:01:15 --> 00:01:20
			Wasalatu wasalamu ala Sayyidil anbiya wal mursaleen Muhammadin
		
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23
			wa alihi wa sahbihi ajma'een Rabbi ishra
		
00:01:23 --> 00:01:27
			li sadri wa yassir li amri wa ahlil
		
00:01:27 --> 00:01:31
			uqdatan min lisani yafqahu qawli Once again we
		
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33
			turn to Allah subhana wa ta'ala in
		
00:01:33 --> 00:01:38
			humble supplication Allahumma allimna ma yanfa'una bima
		
00:01:38 --> 00:01:42
			allamtana wa zidna ilma Ya Allah teach us
		
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44
			that which is beneficial for us and bless
		
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46
			us in the knowledge you have granted us
		
00:01:46 --> 00:01:47
			and increase our knowledge.
		
00:01:49 --> 00:01:53
			It's my pleasure and honour to welcome you
		
00:01:53 --> 00:01:57
			to a very very interesting course I have
		
00:01:57 --> 00:02:01
			designed for my own personal benefit and then
		
00:02:01 --> 00:02:05
			for each one of you this is extremely
		
00:02:05 --> 00:02:11
			important the spiritual upliftment the spiritual purification the
		
00:02:11 --> 00:02:16
			spiritual development how do we strive on the
		
00:02:16 --> 00:02:21
			path the spiritual journey so that we can
		
00:02:21 --> 00:02:25
			realize the goal of Ihsan as much as
		
00:02:25 --> 00:02:29
			possible within the limitations Allah subhana wa ta
		
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32
			'ala has given each one of us this
		
00:02:32 --> 00:02:37
			is extremely important because no matter how long
		
00:02:37 --> 00:02:42
			we live ultimately we will be called by
		
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44
			Allah subhana wa ta'ala so when we
		
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47
			appear before him we want to appear in
		
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50
			the best of shapes with a heart that
		
00:02:50 --> 00:02:56
			is purged of the vices and presentable to
		
00:02:56 --> 00:03:00
			Allah subhana wa ta'ala before I go
		
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03
			into my presentation I would urge each and
		
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06
			every one of us to continue to pray
		
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09
			for our brothers in Gaza and Palestine and
		
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11
			all over the world wherever they are oppressed
		
00:03:11 --> 00:03:18
			including Sudan Myanmar everywhere we don't need to
		
00:03:18 --> 00:03:22
			mention all of the names but let's pray
		
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24
			for all of them that Allah subhana wa
		
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27
			ta'ala bring relief to them and give
		
00:03:27 --> 00:03:31
			them that freedom and dignity that Allah has
		
00:03:31 --> 00:03:32
			bestowed on them.
		
00:03:34 --> 00:03:38
			The course is called spiritual ascent the maqamat
		
00:03:38 --> 00:03:44
			stages on the journey to realizing Ihsan which
		
00:03:44 --> 00:03:49
			is the highest stage you know Islam is
		
00:03:49 --> 00:03:53
			a journey of a thousand steps the first
		
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56
			step is Islam the second is Iman the
		
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59
			third is Ihsan so how do we progress
		
00:03:59 --> 00:04:06
			towards that pinnacle the climax the culmination of
		
00:04:06 --> 00:04:13
			that spiritual journey so first I would talk
		
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16
			about this is introduction to Ihsan Ihsan, what
		
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17
			is Ihsan?
		
00:04:17 --> 00:04:22
			Ihsan is spiritual excellence of course I will
		
00:04:22 --> 00:04:26
			go into the details definition is excellence in
		
00:04:26 --> 00:04:31
			worship as explained in the Hadith Jibreel Hadith
		
00:04:31 --> 00:04:35
			Jibreel is called the mother of the Sunnah
		
00:04:35 --> 00:04:39
			even as Fatiha is called Ummul Kitab the
		
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42
			mother of the book why?
		
00:04:42 --> 00:04:48
			because this Hadith is fundamental in understanding the
		
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51
			nature of Islam not as a static thing
		
00:04:51 --> 00:04:55
			but as a dynamic it's a process it's
		
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58
			a journey so we need to look at
		
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01
			Islam our practice of Islam everyday we are
		
00:05:01 --> 00:05:06
			journeying so let us not journey backwards but
		
00:05:06 --> 00:05:13
			forward the goal is to reach the state
		
00:05:13 --> 00:05:17
			of Ihsan which is excellence in worship in
		
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20
			the Hadith Jibreel because I don't have time
		
00:05:20 --> 00:05:26
			to narrate that entire tradition I am going
		
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29
			to narrate only that part that touches on
		
00:05:29 --> 00:05:35
			Ihsan Ihsan Jibreel A.S. asked Rasul A
		
00:05:35 --> 00:05:41
			.S. in that great moment, teaching moment because
		
00:05:41 --> 00:05:45
			Jibreel appears before Rasul A.S. when he
		
00:05:45 --> 00:05:50
			is assembled with his companions he comes all
		
00:05:50 --> 00:05:54
			of a sudden he suddenly appears immaculately dressed
		
00:05:55 --> 00:05:59
			you know there is no trace of travel
		
00:05:59 --> 00:06:04
			and he goes straight and sits close to
		
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07
			the Prophet, his knee touching his knee and
		
00:06:07 --> 00:06:11
			he places his hand on the knee of
		
00:06:11 --> 00:06:12
			the Prophet, on the thigh of the Prophet
		
00:06:12 --> 00:06:17
			Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and then puts questions on
		
00:06:17 --> 00:06:21
			you know this three dimensional Islam he asks
		
00:06:21 --> 00:06:24
			about Islam and final question is tell me
		
00:06:24 --> 00:06:28
			about Ihsan and the Prophet says Al Ihsanu
		
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31
			an ta'budu Allah ka annaka taraah fa
		
00:06:31 --> 00:06:36
			illam takum taraahu fa innahu iraq Ihsan is
		
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39
			to worship Allah as though you see him
		
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42
			in front of you even though you don't
		
00:06:42 --> 00:06:47
			see Allah, you cannot see Allah but remember
		
00:06:47 --> 00:06:52
			he does see you so visualize that you
		
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54
			are seeing Allah and Allah is watching you
		
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58
			so this is the pinnacle, this is the
		
00:06:58 --> 00:07:04
			culmination of faith the end of the journey
		
00:07:05 --> 00:07:10
			integrating Ihsan and Islam into a state of
		
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12
			total spiritual awareness.
		
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19
			Now Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam you know
		
00:07:19 --> 00:07:23
			I am you know instead of just using
		
00:07:24 --> 00:07:30
			the terminology of Tasawwuf I want to harmonize
		
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33
			you know the materials from the Quran and
		
00:07:33 --> 00:07:38
			the Sunnah with the insights from the works
		
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39
			of Tasawwuf.
		
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43
			In this way we can facilitate the practice
		
00:07:43 --> 00:07:48
			of Tasawwuf or Ihsan Tasawwuf is the science
		
00:07:48 --> 00:07:53
			of Ihsan of course the word Tasawwuf itself
		
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57
			you know when people hear that you know
		
00:07:57 --> 00:08:03
			immediately it brings up in their mind somebody
		
00:08:03 --> 00:08:07
			dressing up in green turban and walking with
		
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10
			the staff and of course people kissing his
		
00:08:10 --> 00:08:14
			hand and even sometimes bowing down to him
		
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15
			and things like that.
		
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18
			This is cult This Surah Tasawwuf It's not
		
00:08:18 --> 00:08:23
			real Tasawwuf Real Tasawwuf is emulating Rasulullah Sallallahu
		
00:08:23 --> 00:08:28
			Alaihi Wasallam because he is the perfect exemplar
		
00:08:28 --> 00:08:32
			of Ihsan Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala describes
		
00:08:32 --> 00:08:39
			him You have indeed the best exemplar in
		
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42
			the messenger of Allah for those who look
		
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45
			forward to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and
		
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48
			look forward to the hereafter and for those
		
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51
			who want to celebrate the remembrance of Allah
		
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53
			Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala so the heart of
		
00:08:53 --> 00:08:57
			Ihsan and the heart of Ihsan is constancy
		
00:08:57 --> 00:09:01
			in Zikr Allah it's always a person is
		
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04
			a state of communion with Allah Subhanahu Wa
		
00:09:04 --> 00:09:09
			Ta'ala that direct awareness and remembrance of
		
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12
			Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala so the perfect
		
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14
			model for that is none other than messenger
		
00:09:14 --> 00:09:18
			of Allah no Sufi Sheikh no Alim can
		
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21
			compete with him in that because Allah Subhanahu
		
00:09:21 --> 00:09:26
			Wa Ta'ala My Lord has mentored me
		
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29
			and he mentored me very well so look
		
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32
			up if you want to achieve the state
		
00:09:32 --> 00:09:37
			of Ihsan look nowhere else but the example
		
00:09:37 --> 00:09:44
			of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam Ihsan is of
		
00:09:44 --> 00:09:48
			course in another Hadith Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam
		
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50
			describes it because we have to look at
		
00:09:50 --> 00:09:54
			it from various angles drawing near to Allah
		
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56
			Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala in a beautiful Hadith
		
00:09:56 --> 00:10:01
			Qudsi we read Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
		
00:10:01 --> 00:10:05
			saying the Prophet is narrating from Allah Subhanahu
		
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07
			Wa Ta'ala so Hadith Qudsi is not
		
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10
			a standard Hadith but it is a sacred
		
00:10:10 --> 00:10:14
			saying where Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is narrating
		
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16
			from Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala of course
		
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19
			this is not Quran, Quran is of course
		
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21
			you read it in the Salah in the
		
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24
			case of Hadith Qudsi you don't read Hadith
		
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27
			Qudsi in Salah because the words are words
		
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30
			of Rasulullah but the idea is suggested to
		
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32
			him by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala Allah
		
00:10:32 --> 00:10:37
			says My servant does not draw near me
		
00:10:37 --> 00:10:42
			to me anything more than the obligations I
		
00:10:42 --> 00:10:47
			have enjoined upon him so in other words
		
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49
			if you want to come near Allah Subhanahu
		
00:10:49 --> 00:10:52
			Wa Ta'ala you have to follow the
		
00:10:52 --> 00:10:56
			prescription the commandments and the prohibitions that Allah
		
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59
			has revealed you know people cannot make up
		
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02
			we are in the age of new age
		
00:11:02 --> 00:11:07
			where you know pseudo-spirituality all kinds of
		
00:11:07 --> 00:11:12
			cults flourishing leading to great exploitation this is
		
00:11:12 --> 00:11:17
			Ramban all around us millions have destroyed their
		
00:11:17 --> 00:11:21
			souls, corrupted their souls by following this pseudo
		
00:11:21 --> 00:11:25
			-spirituality and the cultic practices which is pure
		
00:11:25 --> 00:11:31
			inventions innovations but as believers we should stick
		
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34
			to the revealed you know so Allah is
		
00:11:34 --> 00:11:38
			in this Hadith Qudsi we are told first
		
00:11:38 --> 00:11:42
			carry out the obligatory duties that Allah has
		
00:11:42 --> 00:11:46
			prescribed for us and after having done so
		
00:11:46 --> 00:11:50
			this is the beginning only My servant continues
		
00:11:50 --> 00:11:53
			to draw near me to me the super
		
00:11:53 --> 00:11:56
			-obligatory acts of worship taqarrabu ilayya bin nawafil
		
00:11:56 --> 00:12:00
			taqarrabu ilayya bin nawafil he continues to perform
		
00:12:00 --> 00:12:05
			optional voluntary acts good deeds, righteous deeds of
		
00:12:05 --> 00:12:09
			course there are no limitations it's not limited
		
00:12:09 --> 00:12:15
			to simply salah or fasting guiding someone it
		
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18
			is volunteering it is all kinds of good
		
00:12:18 --> 00:12:22
			deeds you know there is no comprehensive definition
		
00:12:22 --> 00:12:26
			provided by Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam so when
		
00:12:26 --> 00:12:32
			a person after having performed the farail goes
		
00:12:32 --> 00:12:36
			performing the nawafil super-obligatory acts of worship
		
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38
			then what happens?
		
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41
			he attains that stage when I love him
		
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45
			I love him until I love him so
		
00:12:45 --> 00:12:50
			he attains the state of muhabba this is
		
00:12:50 --> 00:12:54
			muhabbatullah that is the station he has reached
		
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56
			there but when I love him I become
		
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59
			his hearing with which he hears his sight
		
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02
			with which he sees his hand with which
		
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05
			he strikes and his foot with which he
		
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08
			walks this is the greatest thing because this
		
00:13:08 --> 00:13:13
			person doesn't become God as some religious you
		
00:13:13 --> 00:13:19
			know cultic religions you know this he becomes
		
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21
			an instrument of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:13:21 --> 00:13:25
			just as Isa said in the gospel I
		
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28
			do this by the will of God not
		
00:13:28 --> 00:13:32
			by himself he is acting on behalf of
		
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34
			Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala with the power
		
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37
			and the grace of Allah subhanahu wa ta
		
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40
			'ala is simply an instrument a slave of
		
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43
			Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala doing his will
		
00:13:43 --> 00:13:48
			so this is the stage ultimate closeness to
		
00:13:48 --> 00:13:53
			Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala ultimate goal is
		
00:13:53 --> 00:13:57
			to achieve closeness to Allah subhanahu wa ta
		
00:13:57 --> 00:14:04
			'ala through sincere acts of devotion and we
		
00:14:04 --> 00:14:09
			do so always remember that our way of
		
00:14:09 --> 00:14:13
			spiritual path on the spiritual journey is following
		
00:14:13 --> 00:14:17
			the example of Rasulullah at every step of
		
00:14:17 --> 00:14:21
			the way Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala honored
		
00:14:21 --> 00:14:25
			his messenger with that miracle of many many
		
00:14:25 --> 00:14:29
			miracles one of the supreme miracles we are
		
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31
			in the month of Rajab miracle of Isra
		
00:14:31 --> 00:14:35
			and Miraj where Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:14:35 --> 00:14:40
			takes him in a fraction of night to
		
00:14:40 --> 00:14:43
			Jerusalem where he gathers with the messengers previous
		
00:14:43 --> 00:14:47
			prophets and leads them in prayer because he
		
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49
			is the seal of the month and then
		
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52
			Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala takes him to
		
00:14:52 --> 00:14:57
			the higher heavens ultimately preparing before Allah subhanahu
		
00:14:57 --> 00:15:00
			wa ta'ala where Allah communicates to him
		
00:15:00 --> 00:15:05
			directly so he is gifted with that miracle
		
00:15:05 --> 00:15:09
			of Miraj ascension now believers can have also
		
00:15:09 --> 00:15:13
			this kind an ascension that gift of ascension
		
00:15:13 --> 00:15:17
			which is that ultimate closeness with Allah subhanahu
		
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19
			wa ta'ala and the prophet sallallahu alayhi
		
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21
			wa sallam said when you are in a
		
00:15:21 --> 00:15:26
			state of perfect Sujood Sujood involving the body
		
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29
			and the soul this is a kind of
		
00:15:29 --> 00:15:34
			Miraj which of course this is the position
		
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36
			that we are closest to Allah subhanahu wa
		
00:15:36 --> 00:15:40
			ta'ala because we are showing that utter
		
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43
			dependence on Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala humbling
		
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46
			ourselves before the lord of the worlds as
		
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49
			we are utterly dependent on Allah subhanahu wa
		
00:15:49 --> 00:15:59
			ta'ala Ihsan
		
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01
			as a goal of journey Ihsan as a
		
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04
			path of self purification so it's very important
		
00:16:04 --> 00:16:09
			for us to know that Ihsan is not
		
00:16:09 --> 00:16:13
			a static state it's the culmination on the
		
00:16:13 --> 00:16:18
			path of spiritual journey how do we journey
		
00:16:20 --> 00:16:24
			to that how we can reach that state
		
00:16:26 --> 00:16:32
			the journey is it starts it involves cultivating
		
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34
			that awareness of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:16:34 --> 00:16:39
			Taqwa Allah Taqwa is protection for us and
		
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42
			it is coming from Biqaya which is prevention
		
00:16:42 --> 00:16:47
			you know it prevents us when we have
		
00:16:47 --> 00:16:50
			this consciousness of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:16:50 --> 00:16:56
			it saves us from trespassing from deviating from
		
00:16:56 --> 00:17:00
			acts of disobedience and also we will be
		
00:17:00 --> 00:17:03
			reminded that we are being watched by Allah
		
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05
			subhanahu wa ta'ala so we will take
		
00:17:05 --> 00:17:09
			the steps carefully and Umayyuna Ka'b defined
		
00:17:09 --> 00:17:15
			Taqwa by asking Umar Umar Khattab radiallahu anhu
		
00:17:15 --> 00:17:19
			did you pass through a thorny bush Umar
		
00:17:19 --> 00:17:22
			said yes, how did you pass through that,
		
00:17:22 --> 00:17:25
			he said I was extra careful so that
		
00:17:25 --> 00:17:28
			I don't get hurt with the thorn or
		
00:17:28 --> 00:17:33
			stone so he said that is the Taqwa
		
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35
			that is the way to conduct oneself in
		
00:17:35 --> 00:17:39
			life because we are not without purpose here
		
00:17:39 --> 00:17:44
			we have existence we lead and examine life
		
00:17:44 --> 00:17:48
			and aligning our actions with sincerity actions must
		
00:17:48 --> 00:17:54
			be always with a sincere intention of obeying
		
00:17:54 --> 00:17:57
			Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and pleasing Allah
		
00:17:57 --> 00:18:00
			subhanahu wa ta'ala another next thing is
		
00:18:00 --> 00:18:04
			emulating the Prophet salallahu alaihi wa sallam because
		
00:18:04 --> 00:18:07
			Rasulullah's life itself was a journey towards Ihsan
		
00:18:07 --> 00:18:11
			and we are called to follow his path
		
00:18:11 --> 00:18:19
			of devotion and sincerity there are stages on
		
00:18:19 --> 00:18:23
			the path of the spiritual journey towards that
		
00:18:23 --> 00:18:28
			ultimate goal of Ihsan to reach the pinnacle
		
00:18:28 --> 00:18:36
			of the spiritual attainment there are many stations
		
00:18:36 --> 00:18:40
			you know I would first emphasize on key
		
00:18:40 --> 00:18:46
			stations of course there are different textbooks in
		
00:18:46 --> 00:18:49
			Tasawwuf just like there are many textbooks in
		
00:18:49 --> 00:18:53
			Fiqh unfortunately people don't read the text of
		
00:18:53 --> 00:18:56
			Tasawwuf they only read the text of Fiqh
		
00:18:56 --> 00:19:01
			Fiqh is the outward laws as somebody simply
		
00:19:01 --> 00:19:06
			following the Fiqh of Salah he cannot expect
		
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08
			that his Salah is acceptable Alhamdulillah subhanahu wa
		
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11
			ta'ala so the soul of Salah is
		
00:19:11 --> 00:19:15
			more important of course form is important because
		
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18
			Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said pray as
		
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21
			you have seen me praying but he also
		
00:19:21 --> 00:19:28
			Allah already said that successful indeed are the
		
00:19:28 --> 00:19:32
			believers who have Khushu in their prayer Khushu
		
00:19:32 --> 00:19:35
			is that soul of Salah so where do
		
00:19:35 --> 00:19:38
			they discuss this it is in the textbook
		
00:19:38 --> 00:19:42
			of Tasawwuf there are many many textbooks like
		
00:19:42 --> 00:19:45
			that so I am relying I am giving
		
00:19:45 --> 00:19:48
			you I cannot cover all the stages and
		
00:19:48 --> 00:19:55
			stations that that various you know all those
		
00:19:56 --> 00:20:00
			expound and explicate we will focus on the
		
00:20:00 --> 00:20:04
			main and then we will bring some auxiliary
		
00:20:04 --> 00:20:08
			ones later on Inshallah so focus on seven
		
00:20:08 --> 00:20:14
			Maqamat stations in the science of Ihsan or
		
00:20:14 --> 00:20:20
			Tasawwuf the spiritual seekers achieves on the path
		
00:20:20 --> 00:20:23
			to closeness with Allah they do so through
		
00:20:23 --> 00:20:29
			their own effort perseverance and devotion and why
		
00:20:29 --> 00:20:33
			because they are intended to align our actions
		
00:20:33 --> 00:20:37
			with the actions and examples of Rasulullah so
		
00:20:37 --> 00:20:43
			that we arrive at the level of Ihsan
		
00:20:43 --> 00:20:51
			and spiritual excellence what are the seven stations
		
00:20:52 --> 00:20:57
			Tawbah is the first one Tawbah is recognizing
		
00:20:57 --> 00:21:02
			sin that you know our sin becoming aware
		
00:21:02 --> 00:21:08
			that we have sinned and then committing to
		
00:21:08 --> 00:21:12
			avoid the sin refrain from it and repent
		
00:21:12 --> 00:21:16
			next is Wara piety we will go into
		
00:21:16 --> 00:21:20
			explanation of this each stage in detail Inshallah
		
00:21:20 --> 00:21:25
			piety which is avoiding the doubtful matters avoiding
		
00:21:25 --> 00:21:30
			sins and doubtful matters actually avoiding that which
		
00:21:30 --> 00:21:33
			is prohibited and doubtful and that which is
		
00:21:33 --> 00:21:36
			not just the prohibited but also the doubtful
		
00:21:36 --> 00:21:39
			it is very very important we will explain
		
00:21:39 --> 00:21:42
			it in great detail Zuhud, letting go of
		
00:21:42 --> 00:21:46
			worldly desires asceticism means that you don't become
		
00:21:46 --> 00:21:52
			preoccupied obsessed with Duniya and wealth and possessions
		
00:21:52 --> 00:21:55
			and you know health and things like that
		
00:21:55 --> 00:21:59
			but of course let go of worldly desires
		
00:21:59 --> 00:22:03
			so that you are restrained you become focused
		
00:22:03 --> 00:22:07
			on spiritual growth we become focused on spiritual
		
00:22:07 --> 00:22:12
			growth next is poverty which is letting go
		
00:22:12 --> 00:22:16
			of materialism we are in a world surrounded
		
00:22:17 --> 00:22:25
			commercialism materialism extreme greed so Fakr is that
		
00:22:25 --> 00:22:28
			real you know letting go of materialism relying
		
00:22:28 --> 00:22:32
			entirely on Allah it doesn't mean that you
		
00:22:32 --> 00:22:35
			don't work, you don't acquire wealth no, you
		
00:22:35 --> 00:22:38
			can still be rich and Fakir Fakir means
		
00:22:38 --> 00:22:42
			you don't, you have possessed wealth but the
		
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44
			wealth doesn't possess you.
		
00:22:45 --> 00:22:50
			Sabr patience facing trials with perseverance for Allah's
		
00:22:50 --> 00:22:54
			sake and Tawakkul which is trusting in Allah
		
00:22:54 --> 00:22:58
			because there is a difference between Tawakkul and
		
00:22:58 --> 00:23:02
			Tawakkul Tawakkul is resignation, it's fatalism, Islam is
		
00:23:02 --> 00:23:06
			against that Tawakkul is you strive hard and
		
00:23:06 --> 00:23:09
			put your trust in Allah Subhan Allah and
		
00:23:09 --> 00:23:11
			the seventh one is Rida of course there
		
00:23:11 --> 00:23:16
			are other stations that others have we will
		
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18
			cover some of them later on after having
		
00:23:18 --> 00:23:22
			covered this of course Rasulullah once again is
		
00:23:22 --> 00:23:26
			the one who walked on this you know
		
00:23:26 --> 00:23:33
			followed them in great detail followed all of
		
00:23:33 --> 00:23:39
			these stations and exemplified for us gave us
		
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41
			examples of how to integrate them in our
		
00:23:41 --> 00:23:48
			life you know defining the stations according to
		
00:23:48 --> 00:23:50
			Sufi scholars I already mentioned that we are
		
00:23:50 --> 00:23:53
			we have to base it because this is
		
00:23:53 --> 00:23:56
			Tasawwuf so we have to base it on
		
00:23:56 --> 00:24:01
			the standard text of Tasawwuf first is Imam
		
00:24:01 --> 00:24:06
			Qushayri one of the great Risalah it's available
		
00:24:06 --> 00:24:09
			in English for those who want to delve
		
00:24:09 --> 00:24:12
			deeper I would urge them to get this
		
00:24:12 --> 00:24:17
			source and study it read it carefully and
		
00:24:17 --> 00:24:19
			study it and study it and study it
		
00:24:20 --> 00:24:23
			define maqamat he defined maqamat stages of spiritual
		
00:24:23 --> 00:24:28
			growth through personal struggle so we need to
		
00:24:28 --> 00:24:33
			expand our efforts to purify the self and
		
00:24:33 --> 00:24:37
			they represent an ongoing inner transformation towards Allah's
		
00:24:37 --> 00:24:41
			monotheism we are journeying towards Allah's monotheism our
		
00:24:41 --> 00:24:45
			heart our soul Qushayri highlighted the importance of
		
00:24:45 --> 00:24:49
			course we have to do that by emulating
		
00:24:49 --> 00:24:55
			the examples of Rasulullah according to Qushayri another
		
00:24:55 --> 00:25:02
			scholar maqamat stages where seeker overcomes negative traits
		
00:25:02 --> 00:25:07
			like pride and greed replacing them with virtues
		
00:25:07 --> 00:25:12
			such as humility and patience once again emulating
		
00:25:12 --> 00:25:20
			the beautiful examples of Rasulullah Ghazali another great
		
00:25:20 --> 00:25:24
			scholar of course Hujjatul Islam is the proof
		
00:25:24 --> 00:25:28
			of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala look at
		
00:25:28 --> 00:25:31
			the the way Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:25:31 --> 00:25:33
			preserved the form and spirit of his religion
		
00:25:33 --> 00:25:37
			he is a great theologian, a great jurist
		
00:25:37 --> 00:25:40
			a great mujaddid also he is a mujaddid
		
00:25:40 --> 00:25:44
			and he is a perfect he is a
		
00:25:44 --> 00:25:47
			spiritual master actually and his book Ihya ul
		
00:25:47 --> 00:25:51
			-Ubuddin is the classic work and of course
		
00:25:51 --> 00:25:55
			it has to be studied carefully because there
		
00:25:55 --> 00:25:59
			are some questionable traditions in there I have
		
00:25:59 --> 00:26:05
			given detailed lectures on Ihya maybe it's available
		
00:26:05 --> 00:26:08
			for you but inshallah I will be putting
		
00:26:08 --> 00:26:13
			them out into treatises or manuals inshallah for
		
00:26:13 --> 00:26:17
			the benefit of all of you inshallah so
		
00:26:17 --> 00:26:21
			Imam Ghazali looks at refining inner qualities of
		
00:26:21 --> 00:26:24
			course there is a different way of approaching
		
00:26:24 --> 00:26:27
			this, the same thing actually aligning actions with
		
00:26:27 --> 00:26:31
			intentions and in living Islam teaching sincerely, once
		
00:26:31 --> 00:26:36
			again emulating the Prophet's personal transformation focus, who
		
00:26:36 --> 00:26:39
			his life was focused mirroring the Prophet's examples
		
00:26:39 --> 00:26:48
			of piety, humility and spiritual growth tasawwuf
		
00:26:48 --> 00:26:52
			in tasawwuf maqamat or spiritual station the seekers
		
00:26:52 --> 00:26:56
			attain through effort of course we have already
		
00:26:56 --> 00:26:58
			mentioned it in a different way so effort,
		
00:26:58 --> 00:27:06
			discipline spiritual purification tawbah, shukr tawakkul are required
		
00:27:06 --> 00:27:10
			through struggle and worship once attained they become
		
00:27:10 --> 00:27:13
			a permanent part of the seeker's spiritual state
		
00:27:14 --> 00:27:17
			and afford the growth in ihsan you know
		
00:27:22 --> 00:27:26
			and of course there is another thing which
		
00:27:26 --> 00:27:32
			is ahwal, you know maqamat and ahwal maqamat
		
00:27:32 --> 00:27:38
			are the stations that we step by step
		
00:27:39 --> 00:27:43
			we take towards that pinnacle of spiritual excellence
		
00:27:43 --> 00:27:48
			but then when we do so there are
		
00:27:48 --> 00:27:52
			gifts from Allah gracious of Allah flowing into
		
00:27:52 --> 00:27:58
			us these are spiritual experiences gifts that Allah
		
00:27:58 --> 00:28:03
			bestows on the seekers we can we should
		
00:28:03 --> 00:28:08
			have them we should have spiritual experiences if
		
00:28:08 --> 00:28:13
			we are practicing Islam authentically it should be
		
00:28:13 --> 00:28:15
			sometimes we feel that a prayer is heard
		
00:28:15 --> 00:28:20
			this is a hal this is suddenly we
		
00:28:20 --> 00:28:25
			are in a state of ecstasy at peace
		
00:28:25 --> 00:28:31
			this is a hal so these states are
		
00:28:31 --> 00:28:35
			transient, they are spontaneous and you cannot earn
		
00:28:35 --> 00:28:37
			it it is a gift from Allah so
		
00:28:37 --> 00:28:41
			may Allah bestow on us this kind of
		
00:28:41 --> 00:28:47
			graces baqa, constant awareness of Allah have that
		
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49
			constant awareness of Allah, it is a hal
		
00:28:49 --> 00:28:54
			but of course it may not last because
		
00:28:54 --> 00:28:59
			sometimes we are all occupied with the world
		
00:29:01 --> 00:29:07
			and then wajid, ecstasy and khashiya this of
		
00:29:07 --> 00:29:11
			Allah and reverence, you know you stand on
		
00:29:11 --> 00:29:14
			the seashore and look at that vast immense
		
00:29:14 --> 00:29:19
			ocean or you are in the desert expanse
		
00:29:19 --> 00:29:22
			of the desert you feel that tremendous wow,
		
00:29:22 --> 00:29:26
			and you look at that high mountain mountain
		
00:29:26 --> 00:29:30
			Himalayas and you have that sense of wow
		
00:29:30 --> 00:29:35
			this is a hal the spiritual gift, grace
		
00:29:35 --> 00:29:41
			that Allah grants so key differences, how do
		
00:29:41 --> 00:29:45
			we distinguish maqamat and ahwal what are the
		
00:29:45 --> 00:29:52
			key differences maqamat entails effort source of maqamat
		
00:29:52 --> 00:29:54
			is effort you have to put forth the
		
00:29:54 --> 00:29:58
			effort and the nature of maqamat they are
		
00:29:58 --> 00:30:02
			permanent, of course they are not transient they
		
00:30:02 --> 00:30:06
			don't pass and of course we have the
		
00:30:06 --> 00:30:11
			control over the maqamat and they should progress
		
00:30:11 --> 00:30:16
			sequentially you know start with tauba, which is
		
00:30:16 --> 00:30:19
			the first and then of course zuhud and
		
00:30:19 --> 00:30:23
			wara, go step by step and the purpose,
		
00:30:24 --> 00:30:26
			why do we do that why do we
		
00:30:26 --> 00:30:31
			do it consciously because spiritual development, we need
		
00:30:31 --> 00:30:37
			to attain the stage of ihsan, culminate our
		
00:30:37 --> 00:30:44
			journey in ihsan whereas ahwal source is divine
		
00:30:44 --> 00:30:48
			grace it's not our effort Allah bestows this
		
00:30:48 --> 00:30:51
			on us it's a grace from Allah, it
		
00:30:51 --> 00:30:55
			is temporary, ecstasy may not last, but of
		
00:30:55 --> 00:31:01
			course Imam Ibn Uthaymiyya said you know when
		
00:31:01 --> 00:31:05
			you are in a constant state of zikr
		
00:31:05 --> 00:31:09
			nahnu fee laddha, he quoted lau alimahal muluk
		
00:31:09 --> 00:31:14
			lajjaladuna aliyah you know we are enjoying such
		
00:31:14 --> 00:31:18
			ecstasy if the feeling that we have, the
		
00:31:18 --> 00:31:23
			experience of paradise we have if the secular
		
00:31:23 --> 00:31:27
			monarchs or rulers were to know about it
		
00:31:27 --> 00:31:30
			the value of it, they would fight with
		
00:31:30 --> 00:31:32
			swords to * it from us if they
		
00:31:32 --> 00:31:37
			can and of course Ibn Uthaymiyya was placed
		
00:31:37 --> 00:31:40
			in a dungeon, but he said ayah means
		
00:31:40 --> 00:31:44
			paradise he was in a state of ecstasy
		
00:31:44 --> 00:31:47
			so this is a higher gifted by Allah
		
00:31:47 --> 00:31:51
			so it's not within our control and it
		
00:31:51 --> 00:31:56
			occurs spontaneously and it's a reminder of Allah's
		
00:31:56 --> 00:32:00
			nearness so when you have that gift from
		
00:32:00 --> 00:32:03
			Allah, it shows that you know there is
		
00:32:03 --> 00:32:11
			an interconnection between maqam and hari ahbar can
		
00:32:11 --> 00:32:14
			inspire when we have this kind of experience,
		
00:32:14 --> 00:32:20
			this awareness that our prayer is heard or
		
00:32:20 --> 00:32:24
			we feel that state of utter peace and
		
00:32:24 --> 00:32:30
			tranquility or we see a taste of paradise
		
00:32:30 --> 00:32:34
			experience that kind of thing of course it
		
00:32:34 --> 00:32:38
			motivates us to go further and further the
		
00:32:38 --> 00:32:41
			person who has attained a maqam may experience
		
00:32:41 --> 00:32:46
			circling ahbar like zuhud that deepens their spiritual
		
00:32:46 --> 00:32:52
			connection both are part of spiritual journey you
		
00:32:52 --> 00:32:56
			know they go hand in hand you know
		
00:32:56 --> 00:32:59
			that is why aiming to realize the ultimate
		
00:32:59 --> 00:33:05
			truth we read everyday in prayer Fatiha Fatiha
		
00:33:05 --> 00:33:13
			on to the straight path so the truth
		
00:33:13 --> 00:33:18
			that is we have this when we have
		
00:33:18 --> 00:33:23
			that haal and maqam and haal combined harmonized
		
00:33:23 --> 00:33:29
			we are ultimate truth surat al mustaqim you
		
00:33:32 --> 00:33:37
			know let us try to understand it maqam
		
00:33:37 --> 00:33:40
			steps on a ladder you have a ladder
		
00:33:41 --> 00:33:44
			you climb and you have to put forth
		
00:33:44 --> 00:33:47
			your effort to climb and while ahwal are
		
00:33:47 --> 00:33:51
			more like refreshing breezes you know when you
		
00:33:51 --> 00:33:55
			climb to that peak the burst of light
		
00:33:55 --> 00:34:01
			or breezes you experience momentarily when you climb
		
00:34:01 --> 00:34:05
			towards that pinnacle or peak the steps remain
		
00:34:05 --> 00:34:09
			firm but the breezes come and go encouraging
		
00:34:09 --> 00:34:13
			the sea those who reach to keep ascending
		
00:34:18 --> 00:34:22
			harmonizing the two we have to strive how
		
00:34:22 --> 00:34:26
			do we grace and effort the grace from
		
00:34:26 --> 00:34:28
			Allah subhana wa ta'ala and effort we
		
00:34:28 --> 00:34:32
			put forth the striving in worship to ascend
		
00:34:33 --> 00:34:38
			maqamat, experience divine gift through ahwal Imam Rabbani,
		
00:34:38 --> 00:34:43
			Sheikha Masri Hindi is considered a mujaddid deviation
		
00:34:43 --> 00:34:46
			from the sharia is a sign of incomplete
		
00:34:46 --> 00:34:53
			journey so it may give us satanic experience
		
00:34:53 --> 00:34:56
			not really the spiritual haal.
		
00:34:56 --> 00:34:58
			Emulating the prophet.
		
00:34:58 --> 00:35:02
			So how do we combine harmoniously maqam and
		
00:35:02 --> 00:35:06
			haal we cannot, we have to adhere to
		
00:35:06 --> 00:35:10
			the sharia not like some so-called pseudo
		
00:35:10 --> 00:35:13
			-sufis say when you are already in a
		
00:35:13 --> 00:35:16
			state of zikr you don't need to pray
		
00:35:16 --> 00:35:19
			because prayer is aqm-e-salat al-dhikr
		
00:35:19 --> 00:35:22
			when you are already there when you are
		
00:35:22 --> 00:35:24
			already in Toronto there is no need for
		
00:35:24 --> 00:35:26
			you to take a bus to get to
		
00:35:26 --> 00:35:28
			Toronto, we are already in it this is
		
00:35:28 --> 00:35:32
			what pseudo-sufis say no, sharia we must
		
00:35:32 --> 00:35:35
			adhere to it always, there is no way
		
00:35:35 --> 00:35:39
			suqootu taqleef, taqleef we are not, will not
		
00:35:39 --> 00:35:44
			be we are not allowed to shun you
		
00:35:44 --> 00:35:47
			know not to abide by the rules of
		
00:35:47 --> 00:35:51
			sharia we must follow the sharia, the heart
		
00:35:51 --> 00:35:55
			of sharia is tasawwuf and the professor perfectly
		
00:35:55 --> 00:35:58
			harmonized his efforts with the grace of Allah
		
00:35:58 --> 00:36:08
			so he established that balance actually now Quran
		
00:36:08 --> 00:36:11
			and hadith are full of it because I
		
00:36:11 --> 00:36:16
			have to we have to finish this course
		
00:36:16 --> 00:36:21
			on time so I am bringing here a
		
00:36:21 --> 00:36:23
			few quotations, key central quotations from the Quran
		
00:36:23 --> 00:36:28
			because as I mentioned, I cannot simply give
		
00:36:28 --> 00:36:30
			you what I find in the text because
		
00:36:30 --> 00:36:34
			the text of course they caught these Quranic
		
00:36:34 --> 00:36:38
			verses so let us see some of those
		
00:36:39 --> 00:36:42
			quotations or maqamat Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:36:42 --> 00:36:46
			says li man khaafa maqama rabbihi for he
		
00:36:46 --> 00:36:53
			who fears the station of my station maqam
		
00:36:53 --> 00:36:56
			for he who fears my station and my
		
00:36:56 --> 00:37:01
			threat maqami wa khaafa wa eed this is
		
00:37:01 --> 00:37:07
			surah 14 verse number 14 there is no
		
00:37:07 --> 00:37:11
			one among us except with a known station
		
00:37:11 --> 00:37:17
			lahu maqamun maloom whereas ahwal their skies skins
		
00:37:17 --> 00:37:22
			shiver when their skins and hearts soften to
		
00:37:22 --> 00:37:25
			Allah's remembrance you know these are verses from
		
00:37:25 --> 00:37:28
			the Quran and of course Prophet sallallahu alayhi
		
00:37:28 --> 00:37:31
			wa sallam highlights the states and stations of
		
00:37:31 --> 00:37:35
			course he used to tremble he used to
		
00:37:36 --> 00:37:42
			always aware of standing before Allah subhanahu wa
		
00:37:42 --> 00:37:46
			ta'ala and he was in a state
		
00:37:46 --> 00:37:50
			of fear of the aware of the threats
		
00:37:50 --> 00:37:51
			and warnings of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:37:51 --> 00:37:55
			stay away so that from all those things
		
00:37:55 --> 00:37:57
			that are displacing to Allah subhanahu wa ta
		
00:37:57 --> 00:37:59
			'ala and he used to tremble in fear
		
00:37:59 --> 00:38:01
			of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala he used
		
00:38:01 --> 00:38:03
			to cry, shed tears in fear of Allah
		
00:38:03 --> 00:38:17
			subhanahu wa ta'ala of
		
00:38:17 --> 00:38:21
			course foundational hadith okay foundational hadith of course
		
00:38:21 --> 00:38:24
			we already mentioned hadith Jibreel and of course
		
00:38:24 --> 00:38:28
			the hadith that about the closeness, hadith Qudsi
		
00:38:28 --> 00:38:30
			we have mentioned so I am not going
		
00:38:30 --> 00:38:34
			to repeat that once again now the first
		
00:38:34 --> 00:38:38
			maqam is tawbah as we mentioned now let
		
00:38:38 --> 00:38:42
			us explore this further tawbah is a central
		
00:38:42 --> 00:38:49
			concept in Islamic spirituality it refers to sincere
		
00:38:49 --> 00:38:53
			return because tawbah yatubu the original meaning is
		
00:38:53 --> 00:38:57
			return in a beautiful hadith which Rasulullah s
		
00:38:57 --> 00:39:02
			.a.w. said that Allah is so happy
		
00:39:02 --> 00:39:07
			when his servant who has walked away from
		
00:39:07 --> 00:39:12
			the path like that of a traveller in
		
00:39:12 --> 00:39:16
			the desert he loses his camel on which
		
00:39:16 --> 00:39:19
			his baggage is there his food is there,
		
00:39:19 --> 00:39:24
			his drink is there loses it and then
		
00:39:24 --> 00:39:28
			suddenly and he is in despair he is
		
00:39:28 --> 00:39:32
			asleep and then he wakes up and his
		
00:39:32 --> 00:39:36
			camel is right waiting for him by his
		
00:39:36 --> 00:39:40
			side how joyous how happy he would be
		
00:39:40 --> 00:39:44
			he would rejoice this is how Allah rejoices
		
00:39:44 --> 00:39:48
			when his servant returns to him after having
		
00:39:48 --> 00:39:53
			strayed away so this is tawbah Allah is
		
00:39:55 --> 00:39:59
			so joyous happy with the more than that
		
00:39:59 --> 00:40:02
			of a traveller in the desert who has
		
00:40:02 --> 00:40:04
			lost his camel and then found it again
		
00:40:08 --> 00:40:11
			tawbah in the Quran of course very important
		
00:40:11 --> 00:40:13
			tawbah is a critical concept in the Quran
		
00:40:13 --> 00:40:26
			in surah 39 verse 53 O
		
00:40:26 --> 00:40:30
			my servants who have transgressed against themselves the
		
00:40:30 --> 00:40:32
			sinning do not despair of the mercy of
		
00:40:32 --> 00:40:36
			Allah Allah forgives our sins He is forgiving
		
00:40:36 --> 00:40:41
			and merciful is a beauty another ayah is
		
00:40:41 --> 00:40:44
			indeed Allah loves those who are constantly Allah
		
00:40:44 --> 00:40:53
			loves those who are constantly repenting
		
00:40:53 --> 00:41:00
			and turning to him in repentance and acts
		
00:41:00 --> 00:41:10
			of purification another
		
00:41:10 --> 00:41:14
			ayah is but those who committed evil deeds
		
00:41:14 --> 00:41:17
			and then repented after them and believed indeed
		
00:41:17 --> 00:41:21
			your Lord thereafter is forgiving and merciful Allah
		
00:41:21 --> 00:41:25
			is forgiving this was a surah that sinners
		
00:41:25 --> 00:41:35
			no matter how no matter
		
00:41:35 --> 00:41:44
			how the verses are sinners all of us
		
00:41:44 --> 00:41:49
			who have sinned we always constantly sin so
		
00:41:49 --> 00:41:54
			Allah gives us the hope that Allah once
		
00:41:54 --> 00:41:59
			we turn to Allah in sincere repentance Allah
		
00:41:59 --> 00:42:05
			will forgive us you know it is this
		
00:42:05 --> 00:42:07
			is a hope is a reassurance from Allah
		
00:42:07 --> 00:42:16
			your Lord has decreed that anyone of you
		
00:42:16 --> 00:42:18
			who does wrong out of ignorance and then
		
00:42:18 --> 00:42:22
			repents after that and correct himself indeed Allah
		
00:42:22 --> 00:42:26
			is forgiving and merciful Allah assures humans that
		
00:42:26 --> 00:42:30
			no matter how enormous our sins Allah's mercy
		
00:42:30 --> 00:42:34
			is greater we should not despair of the
		
00:42:34 --> 00:42:38
			mercy of Allah remember in surah al buruj
		
00:42:38 --> 00:42:42
			Allah says those who killed you know they
		
00:42:42 --> 00:42:47
			burned them alive group of believers steadfast on
		
00:42:47 --> 00:42:49
			their Iman they put them in the fire
		
00:42:49 --> 00:42:53
			pit and burned them alive yet although they
		
00:42:53 --> 00:42:57
			committed the most enormous of sins the gravest
		
00:42:57 --> 00:43:03
			of sins those who returned to Allah in
		
00:43:03 --> 00:43:07
			repentance Allah has forgiven Allah will forgive them
		
00:43:07 --> 00:43:11
			and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam narrated
		
00:43:11 --> 00:43:13
			the story of a man who killed 99
		
00:43:13 --> 00:43:18
			people and then finished and killed another one
		
00:43:18 --> 00:43:20
			who said there is no way Allah forgives
		
00:43:20 --> 00:43:23
			you you can finish him too and then
		
00:43:23 --> 00:43:26
			he is on his path to find someone
		
00:43:26 --> 00:43:29
			who is more knowledgeable to see whether Allah
		
00:43:29 --> 00:43:33
			will forgive him and half way through he
		
00:43:33 --> 00:43:36
			died and then of course the angels of
		
00:43:36 --> 00:43:39
			mercy took his soul because he had already
		
00:43:39 --> 00:43:43
			taken the steps to his repentance so this
		
00:43:43 --> 00:43:46
			is the mercy this is the effect of
		
00:43:46 --> 00:43:51
			tawbah Allah commands us to repent in the
		
00:43:51 --> 00:44:01
			Quran Allah wants us orders us to
		
00:44:01 --> 00:44:11
			repent sincerely O believers all of you together
		
00:44:11 --> 00:44:14
			turn to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in
		
00:44:14 --> 00:44:18
			repentance so tawbah is a condition for success
		
00:44:19 --> 00:44:22
			and of course it is urgent we should
		
00:44:22 --> 00:44:27
			not delay the tawbah because nobody knows when
		
00:44:27 --> 00:44:30
			death will come upon us but when we
		
00:44:30 --> 00:44:33
			are in the throes of death tawbah is
		
00:44:33 --> 00:44:38
			not valid it doesn't work so do that
		
00:44:38 --> 00:44:46
			before Allah will accept the repentance of a
		
00:44:46 --> 00:44:49
			slave as long as death did not reach
		
00:44:49 --> 00:44:54
			his qurban when death comes to one of
		
00:44:54 --> 00:44:56
			them he says indeed I have repented now
		
00:44:56 --> 00:45:00
			there is no repentance accepted in that state
		
00:45:03 --> 00:45:11
			conditions of repentance of course we will discuss
		
00:45:11 --> 00:45:15
			this in detail inshallah examples of course we
		
00:45:15 --> 00:45:18
			have now what are the examples of acceptance
		
00:45:18 --> 00:45:22
			of repentance of course we have the sin
		
00:45:22 --> 00:45:25
			of Adam alayhis salam the father of us
		
00:45:25 --> 00:45:29
			all Adam and he sinned they disobeyed the
		
00:45:29 --> 00:45:32
			order of Allah and ate of the forbidden
		
00:45:32 --> 00:45:38
			tree but Allah forgave them so it is
		
00:45:38 --> 00:45:41
			not passed on to his progeny as Christianity
		
00:45:41 --> 00:45:45
			teaches that because Adam sinned all of us
		
00:45:45 --> 00:45:49
			are born sinners so we need to be
		
00:45:49 --> 00:45:53
			redeemed ourselves by believing that Jesus died for
		
00:45:53 --> 00:45:59
			us astaghfirullah Quran tells us in categorical terms
		
00:45:59 --> 00:46:04
			that Allah forgave him taab alayhi Allah has
		
00:46:04 --> 00:46:09
			received talaqa mi rabbihi kalimatim fa taab alayhi
		
00:46:09 --> 00:46:14
			Allah taught him how to seek repentance and
		
00:46:14 --> 00:46:17
			Adam alayhis salam turned to Allah using those
		
00:46:17 --> 00:46:27
			words and then Allah forgave him now let's
		
00:46:27 --> 00:46:32
			explore the details of tawbah as explained by
		
00:46:32 --> 00:46:38
			the spiritual masters who have ordered I will
		
00:46:38 --> 00:46:43
			limit myself to two, the Risalah of Imam
		
00:46:43 --> 00:46:50
			Qushayri and Ihya just briefly mentioned scholars Qasim
		
00:46:50 --> 00:46:53
			al-Qushayri in his Risalah I mentioned and
		
00:46:53 --> 00:46:56
			Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali in Ihya, Qushayri
		
00:46:56 --> 00:46:59
			described tawbah as the foundation of the spiritual
		
00:46:59 --> 00:47:03
			journey the foundation and it is a requirement
		
00:47:03 --> 00:47:07
			for all other stations so tawbah is not
		
00:47:07 --> 00:47:12
			just finished one thing, you have to continue
		
00:47:12 --> 00:47:15
			with that so returning from what is blameworthy
		
00:47:15 --> 00:47:19
			to what is praiseworthy it involves outward actions
		
00:47:20 --> 00:47:24
			stopping sits and inward stays remorse and sincere
		
00:47:24 --> 00:47:34
			resolve and of course, Imam Qushayri said there
		
00:47:34 --> 00:47:38
			are levels of tawbah of course ordinary believers
		
00:47:38 --> 00:47:43
			repent from sins and outward misdeeds but of
		
00:47:43 --> 00:47:48
			course, those who are salihin among them dependence
		
00:47:48 --> 00:47:52
			from neglect in worship and those who are
		
00:47:52 --> 00:47:57
			higher, you know Quran also tells us مُقَرَّبُونَ
		
00:47:57 --> 00:48:00
			السَّابِقُونَ السَّابِقُونَ so he is not making up
		
00:48:00 --> 00:48:04
			this thing so the station of sabiqoon dependence
		
00:48:04 --> 00:48:09
			from distractions everything that distracts from Allah subhanahu
		
00:48:09 --> 00:48:12
			wa ta'ala including occupation with the permissible
		
00:48:12 --> 00:48:15
			actions if it distracts from Allah subhanahu wa
		
00:48:15 --> 00:48:18
			ta'ala then it is you know Rasulullah
		
00:48:18 --> 00:48:20
			salallahu alayhi wa sallam nothing distracts him from
		
00:48:20 --> 00:48:23
			remembrance of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala as
		
00:48:23 --> 00:48:25
			Aisha r.a and his beloved wife said
		
00:48:25 --> 00:48:33
			everything he did he did it with sincerity
		
00:48:33 --> 00:48:36
			of intention to praise Allah subhanahu wa ta
		
00:48:42 --> 00:48:48
			'ala of course conditions of regret sincere remorse
		
00:48:48 --> 00:48:53
			and stopping sins immediately and of course firm
		
00:48:53 --> 00:48:56
			commitment not to repeat and then make amends
		
00:48:57 --> 00:49:07
			compensate in the case practical implications of
		
00:49:07 --> 00:49:13
			this regular introspection how do we do that?
		
00:49:13 --> 00:49:17
			we have to examine where we are in
		
00:49:17 --> 00:49:25
			tawbah tawbah is ongoing Rasulullah himself said يَا
		
00:49:25 --> 00:49:30
			أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا فَإِنِّي أَتُوبُ
		
00:49:30 --> 00:49:34
			إِلَى اللَّهِ فِي الْيَوْمِ وَيَا تَمَرَّى people make
		
00:49:34 --> 00:49:37
			repentance and turn to Allah subhanahu wa ta
		
00:49:37 --> 00:49:39
			'ala I do so 100 times a day
		
00:49:39 --> 00:49:46
			not once 100 times a day Imam Ghazali
		
00:49:46 --> 00:49:53
			Imam Ghazali in his masterpiece describes it as
		
00:49:53 --> 00:49:57
			an emotional reaction to sin tawbah is our
		
00:49:57 --> 00:50:01
			response how do we respond to sin emotionally,
		
00:50:01 --> 00:50:06
			psychologically spiritually it's a transformative process that leads
		
00:50:06 --> 00:50:10
			to spiritual growth he is more of a
		
00:50:10 --> 00:50:14
			scientific psychologist he defines tawbah as the first
		
00:50:14 --> 00:50:17
			stage of the journey to Allah and the
		
00:50:17 --> 00:50:21
			key to our success so severing ties what
		
00:50:21 --> 00:50:22
			it involves?
		
00:50:23 --> 00:50:28
			severing ties you know, disobedience and of course
		
00:50:30 --> 00:50:32
			returning to Allah Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:50:33 --> 00:50:35
			deep love for Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:50:35 --> 00:50:40
			three stages Imam Ghazali tells us there are
		
00:50:40 --> 00:50:45
			three stages on the Imam Ghazali in every
		
00:50:45 --> 00:50:52
			maqam there are three stages to it knowledge,
		
00:50:53 --> 00:50:57
			which is recognizing the seriousness of sin and
		
00:50:57 --> 00:51:02
			its impact in both this world and the
		
00:51:02 --> 00:51:04
			next world of course this is, you know,
		
00:51:04 --> 00:51:08
			behavioral psychologists tell us that if you want
		
00:51:08 --> 00:51:12
			to break a bad habit why do you
		
00:51:13 --> 00:51:14
			indulge in this bad habit?
		
00:51:14 --> 00:51:20
			because you have associated pleasure with that now
		
00:51:20 --> 00:51:21
			you want to skip it?
		
00:51:21 --> 00:51:26
			you need to cut this association and associate
		
00:51:26 --> 00:51:30
			this bad habit with pain and suffering so
		
00:51:30 --> 00:51:33
			in the case of those who smoke if
		
00:51:33 --> 00:51:37
			they want to quit smoking because they have
		
00:51:37 --> 00:51:41
			associated smoking with pleasure, the only way they
		
00:51:41 --> 00:51:44
			can cut off this habit is by linking
		
00:51:44 --> 00:51:49
			it cutting that association and linking smoking with
		
00:51:49 --> 00:51:52
			cancer and maybe it's a good idea to
		
00:51:52 --> 00:51:55
			go to the hospital and look at those
		
00:51:55 --> 00:51:58
			who are suffering from cancer because of smoking
		
00:51:59 --> 00:52:02
			and look at the thing of the money
		
00:52:02 --> 00:52:06
			they have wasted and think of some of
		
00:52:06 --> 00:52:09
			the risks they have, because sometimes this person
		
00:52:09 --> 00:52:12
			put this cigarette it's not extinguished and the
		
00:52:12 --> 00:52:16
			house is burned so associated with pain and
		
00:52:16 --> 00:52:20
			suffering instead of pleasure cut that, the same
		
00:52:20 --> 00:52:24
			thing Imam Ghazali tells us you cut off
		
00:52:24 --> 00:52:30
			the sin fornication, adultery and all those sins
		
00:52:30 --> 00:52:33
			we have been associating with pleasure, that's why
		
00:52:33 --> 00:52:36
			we are indulging in that, so cut off
		
00:52:36 --> 00:52:39
			that association and link it with pain and
		
00:52:39 --> 00:52:42
			suffering of course pain in this world and
		
00:52:42 --> 00:52:46
			pain in the next world so and then
		
00:52:46 --> 00:52:52
			of course acknowledging Allah's majesty and mercy understanding
		
00:52:52 --> 00:52:55
			how it affects the soul harms the soul
		
00:52:55 --> 00:52:59
			and corrupts the soul and make it dead,
		
00:52:59 --> 00:53:03
			the spiritual soul will be dead when we
		
00:53:03 --> 00:53:07
			indulge in sins the emotional response, this is
		
00:53:07 --> 00:53:11
			hard we need to also feeling during response
		
00:53:12 --> 00:53:17
			remorse for disobeying Allah Subhanaw Taala and driven
		
00:53:17 --> 00:53:20
			by love and reverence for Allah Subhanaw Taala
		
00:53:20 --> 00:53:24
			and the third thing is steps, action, taking
		
00:53:24 --> 00:53:29
			steps to reform immediately stopping the sin seeking
		
00:53:29 --> 00:53:33
			forgiveness and making amends and correcting harm done
		
00:53:33 --> 00:53:37
			to others, because the sins may involve the
		
00:53:37 --> 00:53:39
			rights of human beings or rights of Allah,
		
00:53:39 --> 00:53:42
			in the case of rights, violation of the
		
00:53:42 --> 00:53:45
			rights of human beings it is not enough
		
00:53:46 --> 00:53:50
			to feel remorse and stop doing it but
		
00:53:50 --> 00:53:53
			we also may compensate for the mass forgiveness
		
00:53:53 --> 00:53:56
			of them, if we can otherwise compensate for
		
00:53:56 --> 00:54:04
			them so these are three stages practical method
		
00:54:04 --> 00:54:09
			rectification, correcting wrongs like returning stolen goods or
		
00:54:09 --> 00:54:13
			apologizing and devotion, performing acts of worship like
		
00:54:13 --> 00:54:18
			prayer fasting and charity, these are atonement, breaking
		
00:54:18 --> 00:54:22
			bad habits, avoiding situations or companions that lead
		
00:54:22 --> 00:54:25
			to sin, it's very very important for us
		
00:54:26 --> 00:54:29
			I need to stop here we will continue
		
00:54:30 --> 00:54:34
			with this, I didn't finish my whole presentation
		
00:54:34 --> 00:54:38
			today, I will take it resume it next
		
00:54:38 --> 00:54:42
			week Inshallah, so before I proceed I would
		
00:54:42 --> 00:54:50
			urge you to think of istighfar, tawbah Ya
		
00:54:50 --> 00:54:53
			ayyuhan nas tawbu ila Allah wa istaghfiru fa
		
00:54:53 --> 00:54:57
			inni atubu ila Allah atamara, O people with
		
00:54:57 --> 00:55:02
			tawbah and istighfar and I would urge you
		
00:55:02 --> 00:55:08
			you know, sayyid al istighfar practice sayyid al
		
00:55:08 --> 00:55:11
			istighfar as you wake up in the morning
		
00:55:11 --> 00:55:15
			and before you retire to bed, because Rasulullah
		
00:55:15 --> 00:55:18
			sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said sayyid al istighfar
		
00:55:18 --> 00:55:22
			means master dua for seeking repentance and forgiveness
		
00:55:22 --> 00:55:28
			the messenger of mercy said if you supplicate
		
00:55:28 --> 00:55:32
			to Allah sincerely using this dua of sayyid
		
00:55:32 --> 00:55:38
			al istighfar master, key supplication if you do
		
00:55:38 --> 00:55:40
			it in the morning and if you do
		
00:55:40 --> 00:55:45
			to die during the day you are reassured
		
00:55:45 --> 00:55:48
			of paradise, if you do it before retiring
		
00:55:48 --> 00:55:51
			to bed and you were to die in
		
00:55:51 --> 00:55:57
			your sleep, paradise is guaranteed because sincere repentance
		
00:55:57 --> 00:56:00
			allows Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to forgive
		
00:56:00 --> 00:56:03
			your sins inshallah, but with that condition that
		
00:56:03 --> 00:56:07
			sins involving the rights of human beings we
		
00:56:07 --> 00:56:11
			need to make amends compensate for them and
		
00:56:11 --> 00:56:14
			ask forgiveness of them so with this I
		
00:56:14 --> 00:56:16
			congrue I pray to Allah subhanahu wa ta
		
00:56:16 --> 00:56:21
			'ala to inspire me and you to be
		
00:56:21 --> 00:56:25
			steadfast we walk in the path was journey
		
00:56:25 --> 00:56:29
			towards that spiritual excellence the path of ihsan
		
00:56:30 --> 00:56:36
			by taking these steps towards ihsan consistently and
		
00:56:36 --> 00:56:39
			consciously and may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
00:56:39 --> 00:56:41
			bless me and you, honor me and you
		
00:56:41 --> 00:56:44
			to do that, there is nothing in this
		
00:56:44 --> 00:56:49
			world greater than ma'rifatullah because as Ibn
		
00:56:49 --> 00:56:53
			al Mubarak Abdullah ibn Mubarak said if you
		
00:56:53 --> 00:56:55
			pass through this life and you did not
		
00:56:55 --> 00:56:59
			have that gnosis knowledge of Allah subhanahu wa
		
00:56:59 --> 00:57:03
			ta'ala experience knowledge of Allah subhanahu wa
		
00:57:03 --> 00:57:08
			ta'ala you miss everything you may have
		
00:57:08 --> 00:57:11
			all of the riches of the world you
		
00:57:11 --> 00:57:15
			may possess the best treasures the whole dunya
		
00:57:16 --> 00:57:18
			you may be the biggest richest man on
		
00:57:18 --> 00:57:22
			earth having the best mansion driving the best
		
00:57:22 --> 00:57:27
			car but if you did not you are
		
00:57:27 --> 00:57:34
			not gifted with that ma'rifatullah experience feeling
		
00:57:34 --> 00:57:39
			and communion and tranquility the remembrance of Allah
		
00:57:39 --> 00:57:43
			subhanahu wa ta'ala you miss everything so
		
00:57:43 --> 00:57:46
			subhanaka allahumma wa bihamdik nashadu wa la ilaha
		
00:57:46 --> 00:57:50
			illa ant nastaghfiru kawlan utubu ilayk glory be
		
00:57:50 --> 00:57:52
			to Allah and praise be to you we
		
00:57:52 --> 00:57:54
			testify there is no god but you we
		
00:57:54 --> 00:57:57
			ask forgiveness of you and return to you
		
00:57:57 --> 00:58:00
			in repentance glory be to Allah and praise
		
00:58:00 --> 00:58:01
			be to you we testify there is no
		
00:58:01 --> 00:58:03
			god but you we ask forgiveness of you
		
00:58:03 --> 00:58:05
			and return to you in repentance glory be
		
00:58:05 --> 00:58:07
			to Allah and praise be to you we
		
00:58:07 --> 00:58:09
			testify there is no god but you we
		
00:58:09 --> 00:58:11
			ask forgiveness of you and return to you
		
00:58:11 --> 00:58:13
			in repentance we testify there is no god
		
00:58:13 --> 00:58:14
			but you we ask forgiveness of you and
		
00:58:14 --> 00:58:19
			return to you in repentance we testify there
		
00:58:19 --> 00:58:21
			is no god but you wa rahmatullahi wa
		
00:58:21 --> 00:58:22
			barakatuhu