Ahmad Kutty – Spiritual Ascent Stations On The Path To Ehsan #03

AI: Summary ©
The course on Server Ascent provides insight into the meaning of shukr and Sabr in relation to achieving spirituality. The three principles of shukr and Sabr, which stress blessings and gratitude, are being used by Islam's actions. The course provides guidance on finding support and face trials for personal growth, while highlighting the importance of shukr and Sabr as vital for spiritual growth.
AI: Summary ©
Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Brothers and sisters, it's my pleasure to welcome
you to another episode, the third one in
our course, Spiritual Ascent, the maqamat or the
stations on the path to ihsan, the spiritual
excellence.
And today, inshallah, we will cover the maqamat
of shukr and sabr.
Let me start by praising Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala.
Alhamdulillah.
I pray to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
to bless us in this endeavor.
Allahumma allimna ma yunfa'una wa nfa'ana
bima allamtana wa zindana ilma.
It's my pleasure to welcome you to this
session, the third session on the maqamat, or
the spiritual ascent stages on the path to
ihsan, or spiritual excellence.
You may call it also authentic tasawwuf, the
new spirituality.
Before I begin, I would urge myself and
everyone listening to me to continue to pray
for our brothers and sisters in Gaza, Palestine,
and every part of the world wherever they
are oppressed and persecuted.
Let us pray that Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala brings them relief.
May Allah give them victory over the oppressors
and persecutors, and may Allah grant them honor
and dignity and freedom to practice their faith
and exercise their rights as human beings as
endowed as given by Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala to each and every human being.
We have indeed honored the children of Adam,
so nobody has the right to persecute or
oppress another human being.
Now coming to today's session, we are dealing
with two important stages on the path towards
ihsan, towards excellence, practicing ihsan, and spirituality.
These are shukr, gratitude, and thankfulness, and the
other is sabr, patience, self-restraint.
So these are milestones on the journey towards
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and we will
focus on shukr and sabr.
These are essential traits that everyone should possess
in order to grow spiritually and come closer
and closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Now let us begin with defining the shukr.
You know, what is the linguistic meaning and
what is the definition and the spiritual significance
that we will continue to explore this further.
Linguistic meaning of shukr, this is the root
meaning we are talking about recognizing Allah's blessings
by expressing thanks to Allah verbally and also
cherishing that gratitude within our heart and manifesting
this gratitude through actions that manifest, that demonstrate
our gratitude to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
What is the spiritual meaning of it?
It's using Allah's blessings to obey Him.
You know, Allah has bestowed on us blessings.
We are virtually surrounded and drowned in them,
and so all of these blessings given to
us, for us to obey Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala, there is a way of using
these blessings.
If you abuse them it is called zulm,
but if you use them wisely then of
course we pass that test.
When we do so, the promise of Allah
is true, that He promises increase in blessings.
He will bless us with the abundance of
His blessings and favours.
Allah says in surah 14 verse 7 If
you are grateful I will surely increase my
favours upon you If on the other hand
you are ungrateful, remember my punishment is still
instructive.
As for sabr, what is the linguistic meaning?
Of course it has the meaning of patience
enduring hardships without complaint, and restraint exercising self
-control when we are faced with trials and
tribulations.
And the third meaning implied in this root
word is only going to believe during challenges.
This is called steadfastness.
The word shukr and its derivatives appear 75
times in the Quran.
The Quran, why?
Because to emphasize the important role of shukr,
expressing gratitude and thankfulness, acknowledging the blessings of
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
So 75 times in surah al-Baqarah verse
152 Allah says So remember me, I will
remember you In hadith Qudsi, Allah says as
reported by Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam I
am with my servant whenever he remembers me
Remember me, I will remember you be grateful
to me and do not deny me my
favors, do not remain ungrateful.
In another ayat in surah 14 verse 77
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala In
surah 16 verse 18 if you were to
sit down and count the blessings of Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala, you could never finish
counting them and yet human being is ungrateful
and Allah reminds us that He is forgiving
and merciful so He is not ungrateful so
He is encouraging us to seek His mercy
and forgiveness for all of the ungrateful behavior
and attitude that we are displaying Another in
surah 14 verse 7 Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala says The same thing, if you remain
ungrateful then know that my punishment is severe
Coming to the hadith, Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa
sallam is the Mufassir of the Quran He
is the Mufassir protected by Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala If he were to commit an
error of judgment, Allah will surely intervene and
correct him.
That is not the case with anyone else
no matter how great an Imam, how great
a scholar he is, we are all fallible
but Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam has been
protected by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala from
making errors in matters of religion.
The believer is a truly remarkable person Rasulullah
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam says Everything, every aspect
of his life is filled with goodness There
is a special privilege granted to the believer
When good things happen, they are grateful and
gratitude helps them.
In difficult times they patiently persevere.
This perseverance also brings them benefits.
Another hadith He who does not give thanks
for small things will not give thanks for
large things.
So we need to express gratitude to Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala even for the littlest
things You see the whole human system we
are breathing How often we realize the value
of breathing We know the value when we
cannot breathe We are able to see.
We only know the value of eyesight when
we lose the eyesight The same thing with
hearing.
The same thing with our ability to reason,
to think, to recognize to acquire knowledge.
You name it all of these little and
all of them.
These are not little These are great blessings
of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala Even little
things like to drink, to be able to
drink, enjoy a glass of water or a
morsel of food.
There is nothing This is not little.
This is great.
How do we know that?
We see, go to the nursing homes when
people are struggling to lift that morsel of
food and even when you put it for
them they are not able to swallow it.
They are not able to enjoy it.
The same with drink.
So Allah wants us to thank him every
time they eat or drink.
So when you take that sip of water
or that morsel of food, Allah wants you,
reminds us that we should thank Allah And
then another, the one who does not thank
people has not thanked Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala.
So even as we must thank Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala, we should thank the benefactors.
Of course we should thank Rasulullah the messenger
of mercy by making salawat sending salutations of
peace and blessings on him He is the
greatest benefactor to us, second only to Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Then we should also thank the scholars who
teach us, the ulama, the imams and the
leaders So anyone who has given us a
favour we ought to give them thanks.
Sabr in the Quran, the word sabr and
its forms appear 103 times in the Quran.
Look at that.
Shukr is mentioned 73 times and sabr is
mentioned 103 times.
Let us see some a few verses.
There are so many verses Allah is indeed
with those who perceive your impressions.
Allah says Allah does not burden a soul
beyond what it can bear meaning we owe
to whatever difficulties, trials and tests Allah sends
our way, we need to turn them into
opportunities for blessings by bearing patiently because and
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in surah
verse number 139 Do not feign
weakness or express grief you will surely overcome
all the obstacles and be superior if you
are believers.
Allah has promised to give victory to the
believers.
So you may ask why Muslims are in
this situation.
The reason is we did not follow the
commandments of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala We
have rebelled against Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
We are disobeying him.
We have violated the terms of the pact
we made with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
So surely we are being punished.
We are suffering because of our turning our
back from the message of the Quran, the
lessons of the Quran and the message that
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has put on
our shoulders.
The patient will be rewarded with all Bashar.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said that because
there are a number of verses like that.
In other words, endure with patience like the
messengers of firm resolve.
This is a command issued and directed to
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and after that
to every one of us.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has ordered
in face of all those trials and tribulations
and persecutions he and his followers endured.
Allah tells him to endure with patience like
the messengers of firm resolve.
Another verse, surah 12 87.
To do despair of Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala it's only disbelievers who shall despair.
In another ayah, very very important, this is
unfortunately there is a repetition here, surah 32
verse 24.
We chose from among them leaders for mankind.
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We chose from among them leaders for mankind,
leading humanity by our command.
When they persevered patiently.
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two lakh.
This is the lesson from Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam.
You know, he was the greatest leader, the
most successful leader to work on this earth.
You know, even by testimony of Michael Hart
100 great leaders top of the list replaces
the name of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Why?
Because with the smallest of means the least
resources achieve what no other leaders achieved.
How did he?
So, of course Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
is as he wake up.
He taught us to count the blessings of
Allah.
Why?
Because if you start your day by dwelling
on what you don't have.
You will not be motivated to go for
things to seek to work hard to earn
what you don't have.
But so if you dwell on your strength.
This is a positive attitude.
You're developing and Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
told us because this is the interpretation of
the words from Quran, you know in a
spousal in your married life when you are
you you are prompted to think about the
negative aspect of your spouse force yourself look
at to look at the positive side because
even as you see some weaknesses in her
or in him you will surely find positive
aspects strong points to dwell on the strong.
So this is a beautiful formula for us
to start our day and also keeping a
journal of the blessings.
So that you are reminded to appreciate them
and avoid ingratitude.
Interested sugar should be intrinsic in more with
continuous awareness practice mindful of seeing throughout the
day.
We stop and acknowledge even the smallest blessings
such as present conversation beautiful days moments of
peace.
In summary Ghazali emphasized the gratitude should be
an active eulogistic practice involving recognition of blessings
verbal expressions acts of kindness patience and trials
and a mindset of appreciation by integrating this
into our daily life fosters a deeper relationship
with Allah swt and a more richer and
fulfilling spiritual experience.
In the case of Kurshid is teaching on
sabar some for size spiritual importance and practical
role key points he mentions recognize that blessings
come from Allah swt.
So how do we example is reflect daily
and attribute experiences like meals to Allah's mercy
whereas you take that meal, you know, this
is a blessing because how many are millions
there who cannot afford a meal.
How many there who cannot have even a
pure glass of water and cultivating gratitude develop
an internal attitude of thankfulness practice mindfulness to
focus on your blessings during quiet moments verbal
acknowledgement.
So gratitude is speaking it loud say Alhamdulillah
gratitude action demonstrate shukur through actions.
Waladir or donate to help others with your
gratitude and I should be a guide for
during tough times challenges look at them as
you know, opportunity to grow and reframe struggles
to find lessons and strength gained, you know
struggles are there to for us to learn
lessons from them and gain strength avoid ingratitude
which can be lead spiritual decline use a
gratitude journal, of course to look at the
positive things.
Gratitude a constant practice make shukur a regular
habit not just a reaction to specific.
So it should be a daily habit a
second nature with us.
We should always appreciate and notice even the
smallest of blessings.
So, of course is the highlighting importance of
recognizing blessings awareness of Allah's presence expressing thanks
to Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala and taking proactive
by doing so we deepen our appreciation for
the gifts of Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala Ghazali
consider sabr as essential for spiritual growth.
He say keep understanding sabr, enduring hardships and
maintaining faith without complaint.
Stay calm during the toughest work situations.
Stay calm types of shukur obedience.
No patience in fulfilling religious duties.
It takes patience for us to pray five
daily prayers from time to fast to give
zakah to perform hajj.
It takes patience to wake up early morning
before sunrise.
When you know the shaitan tempts you to
go and say continue the sweet sleep.
It takes patience to resist sin avoid temptations
when you step out lot of temptations surrounding
you facing you.
So resist enduring trials persevering through challenges keep
up daily prayers even when you are busy.
Trust in Allah true patience means to relying
on Allah's wisdom and accepting his decisions.
Because Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala sends his test
not to weaken us not to destroy us,
but it's good for us.
Obstacles are learning opportunities rather than sources of
stress.
Strength through remembrance engage in dhikr to build
patience recite inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajoon
recognize that we are from Allah and we
must return to him, you know, so trials
as test hardships are test that from our
growth personal losses chances to build character.
And of course another important point is seek
support and face your trial from friends and
family to strengthen patience surround yourself with positive
encouraging people who would strengthen you will give
you and enhance your patience and support you
empower you but if you are with the
wrong type of people, they may drag you
further down so that you just become depressed
and disempowered and what happens the result you
destroy yourself.
So these principles through prayer remembrance and support
groups individuals can cultivate greater patience and grow
spiritual.
Kusairi's teaching is of course, this is the
same thing but in different ways.
He's saying in during ashram faith without complaining
spiritual significance sabr reflect trust in Allah's wisdom.
Patience in performing religious duties avoiding similar behavior
in patient during ashrams refines character aid spiritual
progress and prepares for higher spiritual states.
So it's a guide but practicing patience in
worship assisting temptation enduring challenges and fostering gratitude.
What are the tips he provide have faith
in Allah's wisdom and plan during trials.
Seek Allah's help turn to prayer make dhikr
learn from the patience of prophets commit to
worship community support.
Now, let us sum up the teachings on
shukr and sabr Imam Ghazali says acknowledge blessings
recognize gifts start a gratitude journal verbal expression
use words make it a habit regularly Alhamdulillah
act positively use blessings for good donate parts
of your gains.
Whatever blessing you have use it to help
others endurance tested fast and trials practice mindfulness
be patient in obedience and during hardship set
reminders for prayers.
You patients are essential for a character development
reflect on personal growth from challenges Kusairi says
because identify blessings as gift from Allah attribute
successes to Allah not because of our intelligence
not because of effort, you know, it's you
know, Karun the story of Karun is he
said, you know, it's all because I deserve
it.
It's from me because I am intelligent you
see it all around us ever Muslims also
we get carried away but spirituality is attribute
success to Allah is what the prophets Suleiman
all those prophets in the Quran.
They recognize that whatever they have it's all
from Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala he can take
this blessings away any time what we see
around us in Los Angeles various parts of
the world suddenly Allah said this trial everything
is taken away wiped out look at those
posh areas in Los Angeles completely reduced to
ashes.
These are the best very very rich neighborhood
completely wiped out.
So attribute these are blessings hadha bin fadli
rabbi.
This is all favors from my Lord the
Yabani to test me whether I am I
will thank him whether I will be ungrateful.
So reflect on blessings dearly that you show
thanks to good deeds engaged in community service
endurance through hardships use affirmations to practice patience.
rabbi afri alayna sabra you know the prayers
of the believers Ya Allah pour patience fill
our hearts with patience.
Allah inspire me to be patient and also
to speak that which is right and good
understand patience when you conduct specific goal for
practicing patience seek help from others share experiences
Ibn al-Qayyim step for of course the
more in different way reflect on Allah's blessings
we get smart to grow to strengthen that
that say Alhamdulillah regularly acts of worship use
your blessing to worship and serve Allah subhanahu
wa'ta'ala and of course charity share your
blessings through giving and good deeds gratitude in
hardships he trials has had and blessings and
stay grateful gratitude journal.
Of course all of these scholars emphasize these
kind of tips write down daily blessings to
strengthen thoughtfulness.
So the three scholars Qushayri, Ghazali, Ibn al
-Qayyim highlight shukr and sabr as vital for
spiritual growth by applying these lessons in our
daily life and practicing them following those tips
and also looking at the examples exemplary lives
of the prophet and the prophets of Allah
in the Quran lot of lessons on shukr
and sabr.
We can definitely move closer and closer to
Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala May Allah subhanahu wa'ta
'ala inspire us to think of the blessings
of Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala even the smallest
blessings to thank Allah even for the smallest
blessings because if you look at carefully you
may think that this breathing is coming easy
to you but look how people who cannot
breathe how they are struggling to breathe the
little thing to be able to enjoy a
glass of water.
You may think it's a minor blessing.
You already know the value of it when
you struggle how many go to the hospital
and see you know, when you see one
of the purposes for us the Sunnah of
visiting the sick is you know that you
will know the value of help.
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam beautiful hadith says
you know make use of the five opportunities
given to you to me to everyone before
they are taken away from us.
When you are young, this is a great
opportunity to do things lot of things if
you look at the Islamic history, it was
a young people who led Islamic civilization.
They mastered the sciences.
They were the one who fought and won
victories and battles.
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is to choose
young people for many many tasks and they
accomplished them very very successful.
So Shabab Akkad don't waste your youthful energy
today.
We see the youth wasting and squandering this
energy.
They have WhatsApp internet movie houses video chat
rooms in him it lot of productive time
is wasted.
You know, they say IBM stands for efficiency,
but in the case of many Muslims IBM
means Inshallah Masha'Allah Bukra Masha'Allah Inshallah.
Of course, they have no intention of doing
that say Inshallah God-willing there is Inshallah
means you are determined to do it barring
interference or Allah stopping you from doing that.
Now how we turn it around Inshallah is
an excuse to postpone that thing and then
Bukra when tomorrow comes Bukra it's tomorrow come
tomorrow.
I remember going now when I was a
student in Matine University.
We have to go to the office to
get a exit visa and then return visa
because to leave the country we need a
visa.
So you go to the office and the
man is sitting there watching the football game.
It's a Tal Bukra come tomorrow when you
go tomorrow and tomorrow comes if you go
there Tal Bukra and this postpone postpone postpone.
It takes some time two weeks to get
that stamp and your passport.
You are allowed to leave.
You see how Inshallah Bukra Masha'Allah, but
that is not the attitude Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam told us always struggle hard to
accomplish meaningful goals.
But if you work expend the best of
your efforts and you are stopped say that
was the will of Allah.
I try my best.
So change the course to something else.
Maybe Allah wants you not to pursue this.
So he wants you to look your luck
elsewhere.
So if you find apply work hard for
a career goal and you do not succeed
don't fall prey to depression change the course.
Maybe there is something better for you and
upgrade your studies and then your career you
will shine you will work hard.
Don't say you know, I wish if I
had done this it could have been done
this way it could have been this way
this kind of talk self-talk is coming
from Shaitaan and he want to defeat you
because you see we have stories of success
people success of people how many times this
man tried to invent the right bulb thousands
of times and this journalist goes to him
and making fun of him, you know, he
said gentleman.
I learned thousand ways of not inventing a
life but so channeled it possible.
So take a lesson from your mistake and
try something else.
So, of course, this is how we need
to look at life.
Shukr and summer looking at the trials as
opportunities and also trying to do things consistently
develop this this trades every single day so
that it becomes second nature with us by
doing so we come closer and closer to
Allah subhana wata'ala and sharpen our moral
and spiritual skills.
And of course that is the level of
Ihsan.
This is excellence.
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was the best
shakir of shakireen and the best of sabireen
how Allah subhana wata'ala tested him with
blessings he Allah gifted him with that victory
in the battle of Badr.
So that's an opportunity for him to express
time to be grateful to Allah subhana wata
'ala.
He comes back to Medina to hear the
news that his daughter has died.
So the same time Allah tested him with
the opportunity to appreciate the blessings of Allah
subhana wata'ala and opportunity to test his
patience.
How Rasulullah directed our thoughts in times of
grief.
Of course, he was grieving when his son
Ibrahim passed away.
He said heart grieves.
But we don't express protest because Allah
gave what belongs to him and took back
what belongs to him.
Everything has an appointed time.
So channel these thoughts positively so that we
can succeed in life.
Once again, we read that Glory
be and praise be to Allah.
We bear witness.
There is no God but you.
We ask forgiveness of you and return to
you with repentance.
Inshallah.
We would like to see you inshallah next
week.
By the will of Allah subhana wata'ala
that will be the fourth session in this
great series maqamat stages for the journey to
spiritual excellence part of spirituality.
Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu.