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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