Rang-o-Noor (BY SA'DI)

SACRED LESSONS

When Allah's grace showers, man excels even angels. Take the example of Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik. He lived just sixty-three years but did great deeds and found so high position.

So many people's entire lives are spent in erecting a "high building. That building is at last erected but that fellow leaves that building and goes into the deep ditch of the grave.  

So many people's lives are spent in litigation for property whereas so many other people's lives are spent in frolics and sport. I happened to study the incident of a man in olden times who was fond of so much wealth to be able to purchase Roman maid-servants.

In that age, there used to be slaves and maid-servants. It was then legal to keep the maid-servants. On the other hand, the person who is deviated by the Satan plans to start a business in which he may employ so many women. In short, that person kept earning money in yearn for Roman maid-servants. He kept working day and night. When he was eighty years old, he grew very rich and purchased Roman maid-servants but he had grown so old and had caught so many diseases that when any of the maid-servant touched him, the old fellow uttered a cry of pain. In short, he spent entire life fulfilling only one wish and when the time for the realization of that yearning came, he had no power and capacity in his body to do so. O my brothers and sisters, this world is the graveyard of regrets for those who love it. Allah showered His grace upon Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik. He did not make any worldly thing his target but like a true and loyal slave, he kept searching for the good pleasure of his Lord in this world. Today, we shall try to learn some methods of success from the life of Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik if Allah wills.

Remembrance of Allah After the Asr Prayer.

When Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik established the Asr Prayer in the Masjid "Almasisah" he sat facing Qibla in the Masjid, got busy in remembering Allah and did not talk to anyone till the prayer of Maghrib. According to most of the saints, the time between Asr and Magrib is the best time to invoke and remember Allah. The man who is granted with the power and capacity, should make this time a treasure for the Hereafter particularly the time between Asr and Maghrib on Friday should be made precious by remembering and praying to Allah. If a person does not find time, he should at least make arrangements for the recitation of the Surah "An-Nabaw" after the Asr Prayer and reported supplications at the time of Maghrib.

Jihaad and Hajj on Alternate Years

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik had a very deep link with Jihaad. He never waited for the bugle sound to go out to wage Jihaad. Keep it in mind, when the bugle is sounded, Jihaad becomes all-obligatory. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik waged Jihaad at the time of attack of the enemy and slew dozens of Pagans in one battle. When there was no fight, he went to far off Islamic boundries to patrol them and thus earned the reward for Ribaat in the way of Allah. He even died on his return from Ribaat of Tartoos. It is reported in the Hadith that returning from Jihaad is also like going out to wage Jihaad. He had settled his schedule in his life that he would go out to perform Hajj and to wage Jihaad on alternate years. This routine continued till the last moments of life and he met his Lord on his return journey from Jihaad.

We should also love Jihaad and Hajj for eternal success in the Hereafter and remain steadfast in Jihaad.

Arrangement For Recitation And Prayer

Hazrat Hasan bin Shafique says:

"I did not find better reciter of the Holy Quran and greater establisher of prayers than Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik. He would spend the whole night in prayers whether journey or stay."

Every Muslim should learn to recite the Holy Quran correctly and never let any break occur in it. That day is of great loss for a Muslim when he does not recite the Holy Quran because prayer is the source of progress and elevation of a Muslim. The better a man's prayer, the better Muslim he is. The more a man establishes prayer, the luckier he is. O Allah, grant us all with the power and capacity to establish prayers!

Fear of Allah!

Hazrat Qasim bin Muhammad says:

"We have been on many journeys in the company of Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik. In every journey , I thought for which thing this gentleman has got superiority to us whereas if he establishes prayers, we also do so; if he observes fast, we also do so; if he wages Jihaad, we also do so; if he performs Hajj, we also do so. During a journey, we stopped at a house to have a dinner. The lamp was put out during meals. One of our companions got up to light it again and came back very soon. I saw at the face of Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik. His beard was wet with tears. I said in my heart: His superiority to us is due to this fear of Allah that there was darkness for a while and he recalled the Day of Judgement and began to weep out of fear of Allah."

Fear of Allah is, no doubt, a great blessing and a sign of Belief. If the knowledge of the students who study at the Madrassa keeps increasing along with fear of Allah, their knowledge is accepted. Same is the case with worship and Jihaad. If there is some cruelty and strictness in the knowledge, there occurs some falsehood and deviation in it.

Hazrat Fuzail bin Ayyaz once said:

"O yes, I love Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik because be fears Allah Almighty."

The Helpers of Cruel Rulers Are Also Cruel

In the days of Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik, a few rulers of Baghdad were cruel. A tailor used to sow their clothes. He came to Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik and said, "Shall I not be included in the helpers of the oppressors?" He said, "No, the helpers of the oppressors are the people who sell you needle and thread whereas you yourself are an oppressor i.e. the one who exercises oppression to ones ownself."
It comes to be known that there should be no co-operation with the cruel rulers. Everyone should remain away them and should always think of lawful living, always taking stock whether it is coming from lawful or unlawful sources.

Supplicating Without Demand

Hazrat Hasan bin Hammaad syas:

"Once Hazrat Hammaad bin Usamah went to Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik. Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik noticed the effects of poverty and starvation in his face. When he went away, he sent 4000 Dirham to his house along with a few verses."

It is not charity that you may give when one demands you but charity is to search out the deserving people and then blessing them honourably. The actual thing is that the giver himself is the needy that Allah may accept his wealth because if Allah does not accept the wealth, it is spent on evil deeds or goes waste while lying at one place. The wealth which Allah accepts becomes secure and it keeps increasing.

No Pretended Piety

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik was very generous in his personal wealth but very careful in collective wealth and the Spoils. A Muslim should have this same policy that if Allah has given him personal wealth, he should be very generous. He should invest it in Jihaad, help the poor and feed the hungry. If Allah has not given him much personal wealth, he should not involve himself in trouble rather he should thank Allah, live within it and serve the guests according to his capacity. No one is allowed to be generous in the collective goods. This wealth is a guartrust. This should not be spent to feed anyone for ones own name and fame. The incidents of Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik's piety are very famous. He used to observe fast and in spite of being so rich, he led a very simple life but he did not adopt exaggeration and pretention in his piety rather he would use lawful and good things. Roasted meat, chicken and flummeries were very often seen in his meals. He himself would eat these things and fed others also. If Allah blesses someone with lawful things and also grants him with the power and capacity to wage Jihaad, offer thanks and worship Him; these are also holy blessings of Allah. Now, people have falsely assumed that only that person is a saint who is destitute, poor and hungry. It is untrue.

May Allah raise Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarik in his degrees and may grant us with the power and capacity to follow in his sacred footsteps!  

Translated by: Abdullah