LESSON: “Beneficial Counsels” Lesson 2 Q/A
-
Questions from Habib `Umar’s Internet Lessons on Tazkiyah
Lesson 2 in Imam al-Haddad’s “Beneficial Counsels”
(20th Shawwal 1432/ 18th September 2011)
Answered by Sayyidi al-Habib `Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah preserve him and benefit us by him).
1)What is the best way to give life to the heart if its light has been extinguished?
What Imam al-Haddad mentioned about taking knowledge from the Quran and Sunnah (Prophetic Way), with the attributes he mentioned, is the path to giving life to the heart. These attributes are: performing acts of obedience without influence of the ego and caprice, and not having expectations from people and having presence with Allah and remaining in a constant state of dhikr (remembrance).
In the text Imam al Haddad summarises how we should prepare ourselves for the Divine forth-pouring. He says it is through spiritiual strggle which cuts off the roots of desire, while maintaining unceasing directedness towards Allāh in the outward forms of worship. This is expressed in one’s consistency and keenness in reading one’s regular litanies (adhkar) and praying one’s prayers and reciting the Qur’an with presence of heart. The Imam mentions in this counsel and in the counsels that come after it many means through which the hearts are brought to life.
Another important foundation in bringing the heart to life is having a strong attachment to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) who Allah chose to be our Prophet and was sent to teach us and purify us and take us to Him. We must nurture our longing to meet him and accompany him and we must invoke abundant blessings (salawat) upon him. May Allah bring your heart and ours to life and the hearts of all of those watching and attending, and all of those connected to us and all the believing men and women seeking this goodness. May Allah give life to our hearts by the sanctity of the one who was sent to give life to the hearts. You said to us: answer the call of Allah and His Messenger when He calls you to that which gives you life.1
2)Is making du`a (prayers/invocations) for others obligatory or recommended?
Making du`a (prayers/invocations) for others is in essence obligatory, but doing it in abundance is an expression of a believer’s excellence (ihsan). The more he does it the more he will be elevated by Allah.
One of the best du`as that we can make is praying for someone who is absent. Allah has taught us to pray for others in the Fatihah (the opening chapter of the Qur’an) by saying: “Guide us to the straight path.” In the tashahhud (when one sits to make the testification of faith) one must say: “peace be upon us and all the righteous servants of Allah.” Likewise at the end of the prayer one sends peace to the right and to the left intending that it reaches all believing people, jinn and angels. These are examples of du`as for others which are obligatory.2
If we ponder upon the Prophetic statement that “The one who does not concern himself with the affairs of the Muslims is not one of them” then we will realise that to pray for the believers is an essential expression of our concern for them.
In summary making du`a for others is in essence obligatory, but doing it in abundance and repeatedly pleading with Allah is from the Sunnah and is recommended. Increasing in this goodness is a means of a person attaining closeness to Allah and His good pleasure.
3) Is it valid to make the prayer of Istikharah without there being a specific need? at the beginning of each day or is this an innovation?
The Prophet would teach his Companions Istikharah (the Prayer of Seeking Guidance) just as he would teach them a chapter of the Qur’an. He said: If one of you considers doing something… – This “something” could be something specific or it could be the numerous affairs which we deal with on a daily basis. What prevents from us from seeking the guidance of Allah in all our affairs and states? Where is the evidence to prohibit us from doing so, particularly as it has been the way of the pious people of the Ummah over the centuries to use it as widely as possible? It was the way of many of them to make the intention of Istikharah every day when they prayed the Duha (Ishraq or after sunrise) prayer, seeking guidance in all the affairs of that day. Others, due to the fact that according to the Sacred Law the day begins at dawn, would make the intention of Istikharah with the Sunnah prayer before Fajr (Dawn) every day. Thus their actions from dawn to sunrise would be covered by this Istikharah.
There is no prohibition upon doing a general daily Istikharah – just like it is done for a specific affair, as if a believer wants to do something important then he can make a specific Istikharah. In each of his days and nights he should be doing Istikharah and seeking from Allah to be guided to that which is good and most beloved to Him and seeking His assistance in avoiding that which is harmful.
So he can do Istikharah every 24 hours, and some of the predecessors did Istikharah in the morning and night – once with the Ishraq prayer (after sunrise) and once with the Sunnah prayer after Maghrib (Sunset). Thus in both the day and night the servant casts himself before Allah, acknowledging his incapacity, lack of knowledge and inability to choose, and seeking the guidance of his Lord – and no one who seeks the guidance of Allah will be disappointed.
4) I am in great difficulty. What du`a should I read?
You should turn yourself to Allah and repeat the Prayer of Difficulty [Du`a al-Karb] which the Best of Creation (peace be upon him) taught us:
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ العَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ،
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ رَبُّ العَرشِ العَظِيم،
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَات وَرَبُّ الأَرْض، وَرَبُّ العَرشِ الكَرِيم
La ilaha ill-Allah ul-`Azimul-Halim,
la ilaha ill-Allahu rabbu’l`arshi-l’`azim,
la ilaha ill-Allahu rabbu`ssamawati wa rabbu’l-ardi wa rabbu’l`arshi-l-karim
“There is no god but Allah, the Awesome, the Forbearing, there is no god but Allah, the Lord of the mighty throne, there is no god but Allah the Lord of the heavens and the earth and the noble throne.”
Also repeat abundantly:
يا حَيُّ يا قَيُّوم
Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum
O Living! O Sustainer!
Also send abundant salawat (blessings and peace) upon the Prophet (peace be upon him).
In one instant Allah can change someone’s state.
May Allah lift all difficulties from all of us, by your Mercy O Most Merciful of those who show Mercy.
About The Author
Leave a Reply
