Sadullah Khan – 19th Post Witr Talk Ramadaan 1444 2023
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We continue our theme for this blessed month
of Ramadan.
Moral guidance from everyday experiences.
In the holy Quran, we have a verse.
Allah makes reference to the column or the
writing instrument,
and this is in the first revelation,
the first five verses
which
received
in the cave of Hira.
We see and utilize, of course, writing instruments
all the time.
So today, we reflect on something
seemingly mundane
but tremendously impactful.
A sheikh was writing something with a pencil
in his book,
and his grandchild asked him,
grandpa or grandfather,
why don't you write with a pen? Why
are you using a pencil?
And the sheikh said,
in case I make a mistake,
there is an eraser on the edge of
the pencil, and I can remove the error
and rectify it.
The grandchild then told his grandfather the share.
I would like to have that pencil.
So the grandfather,
the sheikh, placed his grandchild on his lap,
and he said the following things.
Said this pencil is something very simple,
yet there is so much that we can
learn
from this simple object
as there are signs and lessons for us
in everything around us for those who wish
to learn.
He said you see the pencil,
it cannot write by itself.
It must be in the hand of someone
to be written.
In other words,
the pen by itself cannot do something,
it must be guided
to be able to write.
And therefore,
I want you to remember the first lesson,
do not forget your parents or your teachers
who guide you through life.
And remember,
Allah
is the ultimate guide over everyone else.
He says now and then
you have to use a sharpener
to sharpen the pencil, to make it write
better.
So sometimes in
life, you may go through
inconvenience,
which may be unpleasant.
But sometimes
after the unpleasantness,
something better may come out and you know,
after difficulty,
there comes ease.
Then he said when you use a pencil,
it always makes a mark.
When you use a pencil, it makes a
mark.
Just like whatever you do in life has
an effect.
Consider the consequence of your actions
as one of the imam said, one of
the salaf said,
The imam said, when you decide on some
action,
always think of the consequence thereof.
If the consequence is good,
then go ahead with it. And if the
consequence seems not too good,
then
refrain from doing it.
So be careful what you do,
why you do
before you decide to do it.
He said the pencil has an eraser to
erase mistakes.
So too in life people do make mistakes.
All of human beings
do And the best of those who make
errors and make mistakes
are those who repent.
So he says, remember
Remember, if you sincerely turn away from that
which is wrong or from the error, rectify
your ways,
then know that Allah will turn to you
mercifully
accepting your repentance.
And by doing something good, it can
after repairing or repenting,
the doing of good may wipe out the
wrong that you have done
Like the eraser removes the error.
The pencil he said has a wooden exterior
normally
And the exterior of a pencil looks very,
very nice. It may be attractive.
But it's not the wood that makes a
difference or make the pencil works. It's only
the casing.
The real thing of the pencil is the
lead inside the pencil.
That wood can do nothing by itself if
you move it. The essence of the of
the pencil
and the worth of the pencil lies in
the lead, which is in the middle of
the pencil.
Therefore,
he said, it's not what's on the outside
that counts, it's what's on its side that
really matters. Even Allah when he judges, he
says, Allah does not judge you by the
apparent.
Allah doesn't judge the outward
as much as he focuses.
But the sincerity of the heart which internally
and what flows from it.
Then he said the pencil gets shorter as
you use it. You use it, you sharpen
it, it becomes shorter all the time just
like life.
Just like life.
Every day we have lived
is one day less we have left to
live. Every day we live is one day
less that we have to live. And therefore,
as Imam Shafi said,
and eventually realized
that you have to go to the grave.
So with every moment, with every passing day,
with every use, you are coming to your
end.
And finally, he said, the pencil pencil writes
even if it's only a little rift.
The pencil is usable
till the very end.
And Hadith of Rasool Allah in the Muslim
If you have a sapling or a seed
in your hand, and even if the trumpet
blows on the day of but
you have the opportunity to plant it,
do plant it. In other words,
through every living moment of life, be loving,
be useful, be beneficial,
and be productive.
The sheikh then said to the grandson,
I give you this pencil, and I want
you to always pray for me and remember
these 7 lessons
when I'm not here one day.
May we reflect
on something so mundane, yet the lessons are
so impactful.