Faraz Rabbani – The Rawha #190 Guidance for Seekers Heedlessness & Internal Enemies
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We're continuing to look at the councils
of Imam
Al Harith al Muhasibi
from his work, Risara al Musa Shideen,
a treatise for seekers of guidance. And there's
a beautiful
translation
with
very practical
contextualized commentary
by Imamzade Sheikir. And it's a this is
a wonderful book for anyone who would like
to be reminded
on how to
improve, how to nurture, how to cultivate their
relationship with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. And Imamzaid's
book was originally
a series of lessons
that Imamzaid taught
covering the book. And if and
the
the set is available through Firdos Books and
elsewhere,
and it is highly beneficial. One of the
things,
we used to spend a lot more time
driving together as a family than we used
to do as a family with
with our children is that we'd have different
series that we'd listen to systematically.
And one of the ones that we went
through together
was Imam Zayed's explanation of the treatise for
Seekers of Guidance, this particular book.
So
we reached his counsel, Rahimahullah
Ta'ala, and Imam Harith al Muhasibi died
in the year 243
after the Hijra. So he's one of the
imams of the salaf of the early Muslims,
a contemporary of the likes of Imam Ahmad
ibn Hambal and others.
He said,
So he tells us to be
to have caution
about certain
matters of harm in our lives. And this
is building on the council he gave before
of being wary
of one's whim, of one's Hawa, and being
far away from it. So he says,
be careful
about the places of heedlessness,
about the places
of heedlessness,
right,
of raflah.
Why? Because the basis of
of sin
is heedlessness.
Right? The the cause
of all benefit in life
is to be close
to the remembrance of Allah and that which
relates to it. And the beginning of harm
is heedlessness of Allah and the things related
to the heedlessness of Allah.
So the believer
is not someone who would go to places
of sin.
Right? And to be safe from sin,
you you not only avoid sin
but you avoid the places of sin. Both
actual places where sin takes place and those
circumstances
that would cause one to fall into sin.
Right? Such as in our times, if
you find that there's certain types of websites,
right,
that
you
lead you to commit to do things that
are sinful, to watch things that you know
are not permitted.
Then
a place of sin
for you would be the use of the
Internet at night, for example.
Right? But before the place of sin, if
you want safety,
avoid both physical
and nonphysical
places of heedlessness.
So that when you are using the Internet,
don't just drift heedlessly.
Be in places
with purpose.
The mall, for example, is a place where
if you go with purpose, it's a means
of
gratitude
that, you know, you
it's falls coming. You need to get a
jacket. You wanted to buy something for
your for your sibling,
for your parents, for your children, for whatever.
You go with those intentions.
It's a means of good.
But when you go
to places of heedlessness,
heedlessness is what converts then into
sin
and converts into disadvantage.
So beware
of the places of heedlessness.
And in worldly places,
that could be places of heedlessness or places
of
benefit.
Go there with purpose.
Right? And places where
the enemy will be found.
And who's the enemy?
Right? Or where the enemy
will deceive you, which is dunya,
the Shaytan,
your whims, your desires.
And one of the deceptions of the shaitan,
right, is to make you look at this
worldly life,
the merely worldly.
Right? So was once walking,
and his students were walking with him. And
they passed by a really beautiful
home of someone that they've done it up.
And in those days, generally,
people adorned the inside, the courtyards of their
house. And the adornment would
be trees or a fountain,
and trees are beneficial.
So they looked up because it was impressive.
And he told them, lower your lower your
gaze
because it's only the glances of people like
you that cause the wastefulness
of the people like
this owner.
It is only
so don't be impressed. Be impressed with the
good.
Someone got a bigger house. Why? Because they
have high intentions in it. Be impressed with
meanings,
not just with forms.
Right? Beware of the places where
your enemies, worldliness,
your desires,
your shaitan,
your whims
will be
deceiving you.
Right? The places
places that stir
your whim
and shopping is one of those key ones.
Right?
Every time a new certain new devices come
out, I don't I'm
not the public
council
on technological matters. I gotta should I buy
the new
whatever?
I felt guilty because I had put it
in my shopping cart. I took it out.
It was it was a foolish decision, so
I took it out.
I felt guilty answering the person's question,
but
the things that cause your whims to stir,
don't watch the keynote presentation.
Right? A man who died recently, they said
his talks were like a reality distortion bubble.
Right? So don't watch the keynote press because
what is the outcome?
The outcome is you'll make a whimsical decision.
$2,000
on a digital device that just takes better
pictures than the one you already have
is foolishness
is foolishness.
Sponsor an orphan,
give to the Mississauga Food Bank.
Right?
Buy some books,
treat your family,
spend on your parents.
Right? And the things that stir up your
your desires,
the things that stir up your desires. Something
directly stir up your desires, but there's other
things that indirectly
stir up their your desires. And amongst them
is
bad company kept in a bad way,
Such as you have dinner with some old
friends, but then you just hang out
afterwards.
Right? That excess
or
one of the things that is known to
stir desires
is not being careful of what you eat.
Not being careful of what you eat and
where you eat from.
The early Muslim who say you are what
you eat.
Right? And also beware
of the false dreams
of your nafs.
That one of these days. One of these
days you'll be dead.
That's
the reality
that should put every other reality in perspective.
And then
he we can we'll close it today with
Imam al Harith al Muhasabi's quoting of a
hadith of our beloved messenger,
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
Right?
That in
that the messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi salam
reported to us said
that the worst of your enemy
is your own lower self that is between
your two sides.
Right. And this
is
related
by Imam al Beihaki in his Kitab al
Zuhud.
And the chain of transmission is weak, though
it has a number of other similarly worded
hadiths
that confirm the meaning. And so the meaning
itself is sound and clearly established in a
number of
hadith of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
Right.
And
why is your lower self,
you know, which is your inclinations
towards your whims and your desires, the worst
of your enemies? He says,
It is your the worst of your enemies
if you obey it.
Right? Because your lower self
are the is those whims and desires
that turn you away from the good pleasure
of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
Your lower self
is your greatest friend
when you struggle against it
to draw closer to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
Insight regarding our affairs and grant us to
benefit
from the reminders that we hear and that
He make us of the people
of
who take
heed
and
who turn their hearts to Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala
who strive
to renew
and rekindle
the light
of the beloved Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam in
our lives
through
striving to connect with him, through sending blessings
upon him, through making a commitment
to
live
his beloved example as best we can and
to recognize
that we will fall short
from that beautiful example of the one described
by one of the great poets of the
20th century, Baad al Mahasliminka.
Right?
That, O chosen one,
O dazzling of beauty,
who is there
who encompasses beauty as you do?
A little of your beauty, the rest of
creation was granted.
Though in truth, is it possible to affirm
beauty for any other?
So to recognize that we always fall short
of that radiant standard.
May Allah
renew the meaning
of faith,
of love,
of gratitude,
of steadfastness,
of striving for uprightness,
of yearning and longing and hope and fear
and every quality
of those servants most beloved to Allah. Those
qualities reflective
of something of the light of our beloved
messenger
in our lives.
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