Sadullah Khan – 19th Post Witr Talk Ramadaan 1444 2023

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.