To purify oneself of blameworthy traits and acquire praiseworthy traits is the essence of Tazkiya

 

To purify oneself of blameworthy traits and acquire praiseworthy traits is the essence of Tazkiya

 

Weekly lecture of Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi

 

Islam lays great emphasis on purification of the Self.  In the Holy Quran, Allah Most High has mentioned not once or twice but 4 times, the purification of the Self as one of the major reasons for sending Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  After completing the construction of the Holy Ka’aba, Hadhrat Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) supplicated in the following manner:

 

O our Lord! Raise up from amongst them the (Last and the Exalted) Messenger (Muhammad [blessings and peace be upon him]), who shall recite to them Your Revelations, and teach them the Book and wisdom (logic and good judgment, making them gnostics of the divine secret), and purify and sanctify (their hearts and ill-commanding selves). Certainly, You alone are All-Mighty, All-Wise.’  Surah Baqarah (2:129)

 

Allah Most High accepted the supplication of Hadhrat Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) and sent the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in Makkah.

 

In the supplication of Hadhrat Ibrahim (May peace be upon him), the purification of the Self is the third in order of mentioning.  However, in Surah Baqarah, Surah Aale ‘Imran and Surah Jumu’a, Allah Most High has mentioned this as the second thing, even before instruction of the Holy Quran and wisdom.  This is to show when one acquires knowledge after the purification of the Self, that knowledge is helpful in traversing the path of guidance.

 

These are the words of Mufti Syed Ziauddin Naqshbandi, Professor, Islamic Law, Jamia Nizamia, Founder-Director, Abul Hasanaat Islamic Research Center, in the weekly lecture conducted under the aegis of AHIRC in Masjid Abul Hasanaat.

 

The revered Mufti said that in Surah A’ala a person who purified himself is declared as successful.  We human beings should cleanse ourselves of blameworthy traits and embody the praiseworthy traits.  We should protect ourselves from pride, jealousy, rancor, deception, disobedience of Allah Most High, etc. and embody the traits of humility, selflessness, sacrifice and love for fellow human beings, etc.

 

In spiritual diseases, all other diseases are like offshoots whereas the main disease is love of the material world and usually the one suffering from this disease has no cognizance of it.  Islam does not prohibit acquiring from the material world, but prohibits taking to heart the love of the material world and becoming heedless of the hereafter in one’s pursuit of it.

 

The revered Mufti quoted on the authority of Hadhrat Muhaddith-e-Deccan (May Allah shower His Mercy on him):  Seeking the world is not bad, getting sucked into it is bad.

 

Seeking this material world and love for it can be explained with the illustration of a boat in water.  For the boat to move, water is necessary.  As long as that water remains under the boat, it will aid the boat.  If the same water enters the boat, then it will capsize the boat.  In the same way earning one’s livelihood is not wrong, seating the love of this world in our hearts is what is wrong.

 

The biggest defect in this world is that it is ephemeral and temporary.  The revered Mufti said that the way we worry about our physical bodies that when they fall ill, we seek cures for them, in the same way we should make efforts for spiritual advancement and cure of spiritual diseases as well.  The Self (Nafs) and Satan set up many obstacles in this path.  To save ourselves from the machinations of Satan, we should seek Allah’s protection and for spiritual instruction and advancement, we should attach ourselves to a spiritual guide and mentor.

 

The session ended with Salaam and Dua.  Maulvi Hafidh Syed Muhammad Bahauddin Zubair Naqshbandi led the proceedings.