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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Shopping tips from a Sufi ! |
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| jaihoon |
| 03/05/03 at 07:44:48 |
| Sheikh Abdul Qadar Jilani's (rahmatullahi alaihi) discourse from Futuh Al Ghaib (Revelations of Unseen). Summarized by Jaihoon Those who got to the markets from among the people of religion, in observation of the institutions of religion, or in performance of such commandments of Allah at those concerning the congregational prayers on Friday or other religious congregations or to fulfill other needs with which they may be confronted, are of several kinds. SHOPPER I : Eyes glitter, hearts litter Some of them are such that when they go to the market and see in it various kinds of provisions for the gratification of the senses and for enjoyments, they are captivated there by and their hearts become a cause of their ruin and of discarding their religion and its institutions and makes them incline towards yielding to their lower nature and towards following their passions unless of course Allah looks after them by His mercy and protecting power and by His providing them with patience to struggle against these temptations ; it is by this means that they can remain safe. SHOPPER II : Amused, not seduced. Then there are others among them who, when they see these things and are on the point of being ruined, return to their effort and drink the bitterness of discarding them. These are like valiant warriors in the cause of religion who are helped by Allah to assume control over their own selves and natures and desires and passions. Allah awards them abundance of reward in the life after death. In this connection we have it I some of the traditions handed down by the Holy Prophet : "Seventy acts of virtue are recorded to the credit of a believer on his discarding the urge of passion while he is overpowered by it or when he overpowers it" SHOPPER III : Eye sees, heart sleeps While they are still others who neither see nor are aware of these enjoyments; they are blind to every thing excepting Allah, the Mighty, the Glorious; so they do not see anything besides Him are deaf to everything besides Him, so they do not hear anything besides him. They are too engaged to look at anything excepting the Beloved and their urge for Him. So they are away from what keeps the world occupied. When you see such persons entering the market place and ask then what they see in the market, they will say: "We do not see anything." Yes, they do see things but they see them with their physical eyes but not with the eyes of desire. The sight is of the appearance and not of reality. It is an outward sight, not an inward one. So outwardly he sees what he sees what is in the market while in his heart he sees the Lord-sometimes His Glory and at others His Grace. SHOPPER IV: People matters, not products While there still others who, when they enter the market place, find that their hearts are filled on account of Allah, the Mighty, the Glorious, with mercy for the people in it. So this pity for the people of the market keeps them too occupied to look at the things that belong to these people and which are before them. So such people remain engaged, right from the entrance to their exit, in prayer and in seeking the protection of Allah and intercession for its people, in an attitude of affection and mercy. So their hearts burn to seek their benefit and to prevent their loss, and their tongues remain engaged in the praise of Allah on account of all that He has given them from his blessings and favors. |
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