Wealth and Peace of Mind
A person asked Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen, ‘Does acquiring wealth brings peace of mind?”
Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen responded: I would not have chosen this path if wealth brought peace (Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen, despite acquiring significant wealth, did not find peace in it). True peace resides only with the Divine Essence. It is in the Holy Quran:
اَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللّٰهِ تَطْمَىٕنُّ الْقُلُوْبُ
(سورۃالرعد۔28)
Meaning: Know that it is the remembrance of Allah alone that brings calm to the hearts. (13:28)
Saints maintain a state of inner calm and peace. For instance, when a Saint experiences illness, they do not dwell on the pain. Even as a patient, their countenance remains serene and radiant. This is because their focus is constantly on the Divine vision.
Man is Helpless
Allah fulfils all the needs of mankind. He has predetermined everything within the book of destiny. Altering destiny is beyond human control, and even sustenance is not within their grasp. It is in the Holy Quran:
وَ مَا مِنْ دَآبَّةٍ فِی الْاَرْضِ اِلَّا عَلَى اللّٰهِ رِزْقُهَا
(سورۃ ھود۔ 6)
Meaning: And there is no moving creature (living being) on the earth but (that) its sustenance is upon Allah. (11:6)
In this verse, Allah refers to ‘moving creatures,’ not solely human beings. Even trees acquire sustenance. Furthermore, Allah has predetermined the source from which each creature will receive their sustenance.
وَیَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّہَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَھَا
(سورۃ ھود۔ 6)
Meaning: And He knows its resting-place and (also) the place where it is to be entrusted. (11:6)
Allah also wrote how much of the sustenance everyone will receive.
قُلْ اِنَّ رَبِّیْ یَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ یَّشَآءُ وَ یَقْدِرُ وَ لٰكِنَّ اَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا یَعْلَمُوْنَ
(سورۃ السبا ۔36)
Meaning: Say: ‘Surely, my Lord releases sustenance in abundance for whom He wills and restrains (for whom He wills) but most people do not know. (34:36)
Whether a soul is born pious or cruel, as well as its gender, is solely determined by the will of Allah. It is not in the hands of mankind
یَهَبُ لِمَنْ یَّشَآءُ اِنَاثًا وَّ یَهَبُ لِمَنْ یَّشَآءُ الذُّكُوْرَ – اَوْ یُزَوِّجُهُمْ ذُكْرَانًا وَّ اِنَاثًاۚ
(سورۃ الشوریٰ۔ 49،50)
Meaning: He blesses with girls whom He wills and blesses with boys whom He wills. Or He gives them (both) daughters and sons. (42:49-50)
It is also Allah’s will whether a couple is blessed with children
وَ یَجْعَلُ مَنْ یَّشَآءُ عَقِیْمًاؕ
(سورۃ الشوریٰ۔ 50)
Meaning: And makes infertile whom He wills. (42:50)
The guidance and nurturing of mankind are ultimately under the Divine direction of Allah. Even the upbringing of children is orchestrated by Allah, although parents often believe they are solely responsible for their child’s development. For instance, identical twins, raised in the same environment by the same parents, may have vastly different destinies. One may embrace a spiritual path, while the other pursues worldly ambitions. This demonstrates that human destiny is not solely determined by upbringing or environment. There is one thing in the hands of man and that is effort, the ultimate outcome remains in the Hands of Allah. Difficulties are from Allah:
مَاۤ اَصَابَ مِنْ مُّصِیْبَةٍ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِ اللّٰهِؕ
(سورۃ التغابن ۔11)
Meaning: No suffering afflicts (anyone) except by the command of Allah. (64:11)
مَاۤ اَصَابَ مِنْ مُّصِیْبَةٍ فِی الْاَرْضِ وَ لَا فِیْۤ اَنْفُسِكُمْ اِلَّا فِیْ كِتٰبٍ مِّنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ نَّبْرَاَهَاؕ
(سورۃ الحدید۔ 22)
Meaning: No calamity occurs in the earth or in your lives but it is in a Book before We make it happen. (57:22)
Then what is meant by all the human efforts, if everything is in the Hands of Allah.
Choice for Mankind
Regarding the pursuit of Divine connection, the responsibility lies with the individual. This simply means recognizing the Divine Essence. Allah says:
وَ اَنْ لَّیْسَ لِلْاِنْسَانِ اِلَّا مَا سَعٰى
( سورۃالنجم۔39)
Meaning: And that man will get only that for which he strives.
In this context, ‘striving’ refers to the pursuit of closeness to Allah. This aspect of human destiny is not predetermined and solely relies on individual effort. Humans exhibit peculiar behaviour. They tirelessly strive for material gains and worldly pursuits, which have been destined for them, while neglecting spiritual growth, which is essential for their ultimate well-being.
Satanic Traps
Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani says:
Satan uses different ruses to dissuade from the path of the Truth. During that time frame of my life when I was engrossed in hard mystic endeavours, Satan laid various traps around me and it appeared that they might entrap me. I asked him, “What are these traps for?” Satan replied, “This is the worldly trap of deception and is one of my ruses.” These traps appear first in the form of father, mother, siblings and relatives who try to dissuade from the path of Faqr.
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا قَاتِلُوا الَّذِیْنَ یَلُوْنَكُمْ
( سورۃالتوبہ۔123)
Meaning: O believers! Fight against those of the disbelievers who are around you. (9:123)
The self (nafs) is both negative and positive. Satan tries to allure this self. As it has both the qualities hence it is positive, when it helps in the path of Faqr like it is famously said by Sultan Bahoo in a verse of his:
ایہو نفس اساڈا بیلی، جو نال اساڈے سدھا ھُو
ਇਹੋ ਨਫ਼ਸ ਅਸਾਡਾ ਬੇਲੀ, ਜੋ ਨਾਲ ਅਸਾਡੇ ਸਿੱਧਾ ਹੂ
Eyho nafs asaadaa belee, jo naal asaade siddhaa Hoo
Self, now a friend, together with me it treads onto the straight path
Explanation: The self has become my friend being elevated to one at peace and is with me on the straight path.
(Sultan Bahoo: Punjabi Poetry)
Never Ending Hopes and Expectations
Sultan-ul-Ashiqeen said: Satan’s primary objective is to lead mankind astray, causing them to deviate from the path of righteousness. While given the power to mislead, Satan lacks the ability to influence sustenance, lifespan, offspring or the occurrence of hardships. Satan’s primary tactic is to deceive humans by luring them into a cycle of false and unattainable desires, hopes and expectations. A Hadith states, “Long (never ending) hopes is a Satanic ruse.”
The Holy Quran states:
وَ لَاُمَنِّیَنَّهُمْ
( سورۃ النساء ۔ 119)
Meaning: I will, for sure, lead them astray, arouse in them foul hopes and keep directing them. (4:119)
Satan in the form of human being
It is also a ruse of Satan to appear in the form of a human being therefore the last verse of the last sura is about it:
الَّذِیْ یُوَسْوِسُ فِیْ صُدُوْرِالنَّاسِ – مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَ النَّاسِ
( سورۃ الناس ۔ 6,5)
Meaning: Who whispers into the hearts of mankind, whether he (the whispering Satan) comes from the djinn or mankind. (114:5-6)
It is a Hadith that Satan in the form of human is more dangerous than the one in the form of djinn.
It is so because to recognize Satan in the form of human is hard. Quran also states about Satan in the form of human.
وَ كَذٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِیٍّ عَدُوًّا شَیٰطِیْنَ الْاِنْسِ وَ الْجِنِّ
( سورۃالانعام ۔112)
Meaning: And the same way We made for every Prophet enemies—the devils from amongst men and jinn. (6:112)
When Satan assumes a human form to deceive, it carefully selects an appearance that it believes will be most effective. For instance, it may appear as a scholar or a wife. Satan itself acknowledges that deceiving an illiterate person is a challenging endeavour, while misleading a scholar is comparatively effortless.
Satan misleads whom?
Satan vowed to fail men of God. Of course, these are not worldly people as they are already seekers of the world hence worships the self and not Allah.
اَرَءَیْتَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ اِلٰهَهٗ هَوٰىهُؕ
( سورۃ الفرقان۔ 43)
Meaning: Have you seen him who has taken the desire of his lower (inciting) self as god? (25:43)
A person does not need to be misled if he is already worshipping desires of his self. An idolator or one who does not believe in God also needs no one to be misled. Satan, instead, vowed to mislead God’s men. It means people who are treading the path of Faqr because it is this path which transforms simple men into men of God. Therefore, Satan devises tricks to mislead them.
Manifestation of Satan
When a person becomes an exact embodiment of Satan by annihilating in him then Satan leaves him freely to deceive. Rather it is better to say that the person who has become a manifestation of Satan is sent towards mankind to do Satan’s bid.
The Holy Prophet said:
- There are supporters of Satan among mankind. The cursed Satan sends them to Allah’s men to mislead. They dissuade from salat, donations and the invocation of Allah. They promote the ways to earn through illegal and haram ways.
Do not Argue with Satan
Quoted: It is foolish to argue with Satan as he himself was a scholar once. He taught angels for seventy thousand years and even was their leader. Man cannot argue and win against him. Once a desire aroused in the heart of Junayd of Baghdad to meet Satan. Allah granted it and Junayd of Baghdad questioned him, “O accursed! What prevented you from prostrating to Prophet Adam.” He answered, “O Junayd! You wanted me to prostrate someone other than God.” Junayd of Baghdad had no answer to it. While he was pondering cluelessly Allah favoured him by giving the answer, “The God who ordained you not to prostrate other than Him, also ordained you to prostrate to Adam.”
Dhun Nun al-Misri once said, “Satan sees you but you cannot see him whereas Allah sees him, but he cannot witness Allah therefore ask Allah’s help in his case.”
Fakruddin Razi was a renowned scholar of his time. He even wrote an exegesis of the Holy Quran. You can imagine his expertise from the fact that he often said that if he tried to fully explain Ta’awwudh then it would require him to elaborate on ten thousand points. When he was on his death bed, Satan asked, “You are a renowned scholar. Have you even recognized Allah?” He replied, “Indeed, God is one.” Satan responded, “What’s your argument on it?” Najm al-Din Kubra was the spiritual guide of Fakruddin Razi. He was performing ablution when he saw from many miles that his disciple is in ordeal on his death bed. He sprayed the water from his hands:
“رازی تو چرانمی گوئی کہ من خدا را بلا دلیل میشناسم”
Meaning: Razi, why not you tell (Satan) that you accept God without any reasoning.
Fakruddin Razi heard the call of his spiritual guide and said what he was told.
Therefore, the Holy Prophet said, “One who does not have a spiritual guide, his guide is surely Satan.”
People falsely hope that as they are Muslims they will eventually come out of hell on the doomsday. This is a foul expectation. First tell! are you even sure, you will die a faithful.
Soul and Body
Human being is a combination of body and soul. When we say:
اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَ اِنَّاۤ اِلَیْهِ رٰجِعُوْنَ
( سورۃالبقرۃ۔ 156)
Meaning: Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. (2: 156)
When a person dies, this body does not return to Allah rather is buried. It is the soul that returns to Lord because it is the soul that comes from Lord. Those do not die whose soul is alive and vivified.
Bulleh Shah says:
بلھا شاہ اساں مرنا ناہیں، گور پیا کوئی ہور
Explanation: Bulleh Shah has not died, it is another who is laid buried in the grave.
True life is eternal and free from grief. This is the reason that Saints are alive in the graves like Allah says about those who give up their life before death:
وَ لَا تَقُوْلُوْا لِمَنْ یُّقْتَلُ فِیْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ اَمْوَاتٌؕ-بَلْ اَحْیَآءٌ وَّ لٰـكِنْ لَّا تَشْعُرُوْنَ
( سورۃالبقرۃ۔154)
Meaning: And do not say about those who are slain in the cause of Allah that they are dead. (They are not dead.) They are rather alive but you have no perception (of their life). (2: 154)
However, to recognize these Saints of Allah is nearly impossible as is in a Qudsi Hadith, “Some of the Saints are under My Cloak. No one knows them except Myself.”
Rumi says:
اے بسا سگ پوست کورا نام نیست
لیک اندر پردہ بے آں جام نیست
Explanation: Listen! They adorn a simple piece of cloth but under the veil they have drunk the gnosis of Allah.
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