Words of wisdom

 

It is imperative for a bondsman that all his deeds and actions should be for Almighty Allah and without a stringent need shouldn’t be for the world.  If any person does against this, his (or her) whole life will be wasted and rendered futile.

 

An intelligent person is the one who doesn’t talk without a pressing need and saves his (or her) tongue from useless and lewd talk.

 

The person who doesn’t maintain silence gets embroiled in useless things and the person who talks after thinking it out, his (or her) talk will be correct.  The person who speaks without thinking regrets it.

 

Avarice destroys religion and contentment saves it.

 

Oneness of Almighty Allah (belief in it) is a radiance which douses all the fires of sins and ascribing partners to Allah Most High is fire which burns away the good deeds of the idolaters.

 

A human being cannot be safe from the malice of his own Self (Nafs) unless he (or she) gains the correctness of beliefs and desires with Almighty Allah and doesn’t turn away from everything other than Allah Most High.

 

The greatest bounty for a believer is to leave the imprisonment of the Self as this is the greatest veil between the Lord Almighty and the believer and as long as the Self is not tamed, its truth is not realized.

 

The very life a disciple is in taming the Self and in the life of the heart.  When the heart becomes alive, the Self is tamed.  Without help from Almighty Allah, the Base Self (Nafs Ammaara) cannot be tamed.

 

Death is one of the doors of the hereafter.  Without passing through it, no creation from the world can go to Almighty Allah.

 

Almighty Allah has made this world as a place of wisdom.  From it, every person benefits as per his (or her) ability.

 

Human beings seek remain the company of Almighty Allah.  If that is not possible, then the company of such a person should be sought who is the companion of Almighty Allah and can make this person reach Almighty Allah and thereby let him (or her) gain the felicity of both worlds.

 

The person who acquires knowledge follows the commands and the prohibitions and knowledge separates him from ignorance.  However, human beings shouldn’t acquire those sciences that take one away from Almighty Allah as there is nothing in seeking them except hurt and destruction.

 

The person who practices truth (Sidq) with Almighty Allah becomes independent of the creation.

 

Sit with Almighty Allah and spend less time with creation.

 

The best person is the one who considers others better than himself (or herself).

 

It is imperative for a slave of Allah Most High that in a state of reliance on Allah Most High, he (or she) should see the mistakes of his Self and the bounties of Almighty Allah.

 

There shouldn’t be any pride in good deeds.

 

Keep your courage high, as great works are accomplished through courage.

 

Salaat is the epitome of all spiritual states.  Recitation of the Holy Quran, glorification and extolment of Almighty Allah, Salutations on the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), repentance, etc. everything is included in it.  True and the most authentic spiritual states are gained in Salaat itself provided it is offered with all its proprieties.

 

Whatever hurts we get from others are all the results of our deeds.  If we treat elders with respect and reverence and the younger folk with affection, then no person can harm us.

 

Acquire piety and godliness.

 

Lead your life with patience and reliance on Almighty Allah.

 

Remove avarice and greed from your hearts.

 

Don’t look down on anyone.

 

Don’t be proud of your obedience and worship of Almighty Allah.

 

Consider yourself as the one who commits the most mistakes and the inferior-most of all.

 

Stay away from the company of the worldly folk.

 

Don’t deprive yourself of Islamic education.

 

As far as possible go against the Self, but not to the extent that it is troubled and no pleasure and yearning remains in obedience and worship of Almighty Allah.

 

[Excerpted from Mawaaiz-e-Hasana, Vol. 2]