Total acceptance of The Will of Allah is the only way to change it!
Bismi'llah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim...for the sake of Prophet Muhammad saws and Sheikh Nazim may Allah protect his secret.
Well, even though the pattern is the same, yet, I think that the following is applicable to people from BL and Sufistuff, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
In this way perhaps, I am really "killing two birds with one stone" or feeding two audiences with one post as I had hoped to with previous ones.
Totally accepting The Will of Allah is the only way to change it!
The other day, after reading Debbe's post "Dreaming of a Better World." (3rd August) I left a comment which perhaps needed expanding on. I said I would put up a talk of Sheikh Nazim's on the subject and try to pass on a bit of his wisdom.This morning I found the talk and laboriously typed it out.
The general wisdom is that, if one looks with the eye of real knowledge or wisdom, the world will be seen to be absolutely perfect just as it is.(Wether we like it that way or not, is another thing.)People with some knowledge of Zen Buddhism will have heard of "The Perfection of Imperfection." This is great and lovely while telling tales of smashed tea pots lovingly glued back together with golden glue and the finished result being more beautiful than the original, but, when it comes to the war in Iraq and the sufferings of men and families on both sides.. then, of course, it is much harder to swallow.
At one point in the Koran the Prophet (saws) is told by Allah.. "Look at my Creation, and then, look again.Your sight will come back to you amazed. Do you see any crack or fissure in it?"
I think, at one level, (the Koran has so many thousands of levels of wisdom in every "ayat", [verse or sign].) Allah is talking about this point.We must look, and then look again.The Truth is not apparent at the first peremptory glance influenced by our own predelictions.. we must look again, with the eye of wisdom, to really see and understand.
Here then is the story illustrating not only this point, but, the further wisdom that, if we can accept the Will of Allah as being the perfect one, and that all is just as it should be, because He willed it that way .. then .. that is the key to changing it!
NO ONE CAN CHANGE OR ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING SAVE BY THE HELP OF ALLAH ALMIGHTY.( LA HAWLA WA LA QUWATTA ILA BI'LLAH )
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) taught his companions that no one can change anything, nor is anyone capable of initiating any action except by Allah Almighty's power. If He is with you, you can change whatever needs to be changed ( yourself, those around you, the world ) and you may initiate actions that will be effective.
In this teaching of the Prophet we find huge and profound realities. It shows us the real position of mankind and indicates the high station that steadfast servants of their Lord hold. In reality mankind can change nothing and do nothing - only by the order of the Almighty and through His Will is anything changed and done at all. In fact this reality dominates the life of man. Nowadays all of mankind is divided into two parties, according to their recognition or heedlessness of this very teaching. One large group consists of those who deny that Allah's Will dominates us all: they think that they can change things and act on their own. These people are the heedless, as they deny the fact that they are constantly faced with difficulties from every side in trying to accomplish what they set out to do.The second group of people believe ( and in comparison to the first one, it is but a very small group ), and they believe with certainty, that it is really Allah Almighty who has the power to do and to change whatever He likes, and that servants can only change or do anything through their Lord Almighty's Will and Power. This group of people, those who have absolute faith in their Lord's Power, are never overwhelmed by the difficulties facing them in life, as their faith and their certainty of belief makes every difficulty easy. For them every difficulty is solved by their saying: "There is no change possible, nor any power great enough to do anything except with Allah, The Most High, The Most Great ( La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah )."
Because of the great power of this phrase, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said that it was a treasure from among the treasures of Paradise. He who has this heavenly treasure may change and may do - for saying this phrase gives authority to the servants of Allah Almighty. Therefore whoever speaks that holy word will not return with empty hands but will certainly attain something desirable.
Once upon a time, during the life of Moses (pbuh) ( who was one of the five highest ranking prophets, referred to in the Quran as "The possessors of determination", and who put up with so much from the sons of Israel ) there was a poor family who lived in the neighbourhood of a tyrannical person who used to inflict endless trouble and harm upon them. One day the man of that family saw Moses heading towards Mount Sinai and ran towards him, saying; "Oh Moses, Oh Prophet of Allah, please ask the Lord how long this tyrannical bully has to live." Moses replied that he would ask his Lord this question and continued on his way. Before he had gone very far he met that poor man's wife, who, like her husband, requested of Moses to ask the Lord how much remained of the life of the tyrant . Then he also encountered the man's son, who likewise besought Moses to ask this question of his Lord.
Why would the members of this believing family want to ask such a question? If someone knows that there is a limit to his trial and his suffering, then it is easier for him to be patient and he may comfort himself by saying: "Well, only so-and-so many years left until I am free of this burden." In this way one may count down until the day one is relieved, thus it is much easier to be patient. For this reason, in the hope that it would strengthen their patience, they asked this question. They didn't complain or ask their Lord to kill the tyrant. No! To ask for such things is not a good manner for believers. They asked only to strengthen their endurance.
When he reached the peak of Mount Sinai, Moses asked his Lord this question, and the reply of the Almighty was, " That tyrant shall live on for three hundred years." Then, when Moses descended the mountain he was confronted first by the poor man, who enquired; "Did you ask my question of your Lord?" "Yes I did." "What was the reply?" "The Lord says that he shall live on for three hundred years." The man only said "La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah." ( There is no change possible, nor power enough to do anything except with Allah The Most High, The Most Great.")Then Moses saw the wife, waiting for the Lord's reply. He told her, "Three hundred years." She said, "La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah." and, as Moses passed in front of the home of the family and told the news to the son, he also said humbly, "La hawla wa la quwatta il bi'llah."
No sooner had the son uttered these words than there came a shout and a great commotion from the house of the tyrant. People came running and asked what had happened. The tyrant's servants replied: "Our master has just died. He was sitting right here, and then, all of a sudden, he was dead."Now while all this was going on, Moses stood talking to the son whom he had just told that the the tyrant who had just died would live another three hundred years! Moses looked at the young man and the young man looked at Moses.
Among all the Prophets, Moses was one of the quickest to anger (not like English people!), and, in this case he even became a bit annoyed with the Lord, saying; "Oh my Lord what have you done? You are making people deny my prophethood by telling me one thing and then bringing another into effect. You said three hundred years, so, what is this?" In this way Moses was quarrelling with his Lord.
Then Allah spoke to him saying; "Oh Moses, silence! Be calm,keep quiet, don't shout - remember your manners with Me Almighty. I am Allah Almighty and may do and change anything. yes, My Word, the answer I gave to you on the mountain was correct - he indeed had three hundred years of his lifetime ahead of him, but when my servant heard my answer to his question and said "Oh my Lord , we can't change or do anything. We are going to try to be patient with Your decree," I was pleased that he took refuge in Me and transferred the matter to My Will, preparing himself to be patient in the face of My trials. For this, and for the baraka ( blessing power ) of that holy word "La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah." I took one hundred years off that tyrant's life. Then when his wife also surrendered to My Will and said those words I struck another hundred years off his lifespan. And finally when the young man also spoke those words "La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah." and said, "Lord give me patience." Then I took the last hundred years off that person's life and said to Azrail the angel of death, "Quick, go like lightening, to take away the life of that tyrant." I am right, and I do as I like.
Therefore, as we were saying, men are of two kinds now: one group of people think that they can change or do something. Even when one of them becomes President of the United States, The Soviet Union or the Prime Minister of Britain, and all the world's population calls them "Superpowers" he can do nothing except what his Lord wills.The second part of mankind knows that no one can change or do anything but what the Lord wills. They are certain in their belief and that certainty makes every difficulty flee from them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I may have mentioned before that I have been getting very upset about all the happenings in Iraq and Bush's foreign policy generally, and then I spoke to a follower of my Sheikh who reminded me.
"But the Sheikh advises us not to get upset and angry about it because it is the Will of Allah and we shouldn't go against His Will...and anyway, the Sheikh also says that Bush will go into another ten countries, not necessarily with military power."
It made me think and calm down, not only in the light of the above wisdom, but also in the light of the Sheikh's teaching that we will not get another Khalifa for all Muslims until Mahdi comes.. that nothing will get better in this world until Mahdi comes and that he comes when that horrific WW3 is in progress.
When the believers are asking for Mahdi, it is not that they want that WW3, but they firmly believe that nothing can get better 'til he comes and that WW3 is an integral and inevitable part of the future before things improve and we go into that New Spiritual Age.
I think in the light of this teaching,one would have to be blind not to see that Bush is the one who is paving the way for that inevitable confrontation of what were Communist and Capitalist countries, but, which will really be, the non-believing group against the believing group.
Well, even though the pattern is the same, yet, I think that the following is applicable to people from BL and Sufistuff, Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
In this way perhaps, I am really "killing two birds with one stone" or feeding two audiences with one post as I had hoped to with previous ones.
Totally accepting The Will of Allah is the only way to change it!
The other day, after reading Debbe's post "Dreaming of a Better World." (3rd August) I left a comment which perhaps needed expanding on. I said I would put up a talk of Sheikh Nazim's on the subject and try to pass on a bit of his wisdom.This morning I found the talk and laboriously typed it out.
The general wisdom is that, if one looks with the eye of real knowledge or wisdom, the world will be seen to be absolutely perfect just as it is.(Wether we like it that way or not, is another thing.)People with some knowledge of Zen Buddhism will have heard of "The Perfection of Imperfection." This is great and lovely while telling tales of smashed tea pots lovingly glued back together with golden glue and the finished result being more beautiful than the original, but, when it comes to the war in Iraq and the sufferings of men and families on both sides.. then, of course, it is much harder to swallow.
At one point in the Koran the Prophet (saws) is told by Allah.. "Look at my Creation, and then, look again.Your sight will come back to you amazed. Do you see any crack or fissure in it?"
I think, at one level, (the Koran has so many thousands of levels of wisdom in every "ayat", [verse or sign].) Allah is talking about this point.We must look, and then look again.The Truth is not apparent at the first peremptory glance influenced by our own predelictions.. we must look again, with the eye of wisdom, to really see and understand.
Here then is the story illustrating not only this point, but, the further wisdom that, if we can accept the Will of Allah as being the perfect one, and that all is just as it should be, because He willed it that way .. then .. that is the key to changing it!
NO ONE CAN CHANGE OR ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING SAVE BY THE HELP OF ALLAH ALMIGHTY.( LA HAWLA WA LA QUWATTA ILA BI'LLAH )
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) taught his companions that no one can change anything, nor is anyone capable of initiating any action except by Allah Almighty's power. If He is with you, you can change whatever needs to be changed ( yourself, those around you, the world ) and you may initiate actions that will be effective.
In this teaching of the Prophet we find huge and profound realities. It shows us the real position of mankind and indicates the high station that steadfast servants of their Lord hold. In reality mankind can change nothing and do nothing - only by the order of the Almighty and through His Will is anything changed and done at all. In fact this reality dominates the life of man. Nowadays all of mankind is divided into two parties, according to their recognition or heedlessness of this very teaching. One large group consists of those who deny that Allah's Will dominates us all: they think that they can change things and act on their own. These people are the heedless, as they deny the fact that they are constantly faced with difficulties from every side in trying to accomplish what they set out to do.The second group of people believe ( and in comparison to the first one, it is but a very small group ), and they believe with certainty, that it is really Allah Almighty who has the power to do and to change whatever He likes, and that servants can only change or do anything through their Lord Almighty's Will and Power. This group of people, those who have absolute faith in their Lord's Power, are never overwhelmed by the difficulties facing them in life, as their faith and their certainty of belief makes every difficulty easy. For them every difficulty is solved by their saying: "There is no change possible, nor any power great enough to do anything except with Allah, The Most High, The Most Great ( La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah )."
Because of the great power of this phrase, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said that it was a treasure from among the treasures of Paradise. He who has this heavenly treasure may change and may do - for saying this phrase gives authority to the servants of Allah Almighty. Therefore whoever speaks that holy word will not return with empty hands but will certainly attain something desirable.
Once upon a time, during the life of Moses (pbuh) ( who was one of the five highest ranking prophets, referred to in the Quran as "The possessors of determination", and who put up with so much from the sons of Israel ) there was a poor family who lived in the neighbourhood of a tyrannical person who used to inflict endless trouble and harm upon them. One day the man of that family saw Moses heading towards Mount Sinai and ran towards him, saying; "Oh Moses, Oh Prophet of Allah, please ask the Lord how long this tyrannical bully has to live." Moses replied that he would ask his Lord this question and continued on his way. Before he had gone very far he met that poor man's wife, who, like her husband, requested of Moses to ask the Lord how much remained of the life of the tyrant . Then he also encountered the man's son, who likewise besought Moses to ask this question of his Lord.
Why would the members of this believing family want to ask such a question? If someone knows that there is a limit to his trial and his suffering, then it is easier for him to be patient and he may comfort himself by saying: "Well, only so-and-so many years left until I am free of this burden." In this way one may count down until the day one is relieved, thus it is much easier to be patient. For this reason, in the hope that it would strengthen their patience, they asked this question. They didn't complain or ask their Lord to kill the tyrant. No! To ask for such things is not a good manner for believers. They asked only to strengthen their endurance.
When he reached the peak of Mount Sinai, Moses asked his Lord this question, and the reply of the Almighty was, " That tyrant shall live on for three hundred years." Then, when Moses descended the mountain he was confronted first by the poor man, who enquired; "Did you ask my question of your Lord?" "Yes I did." "What was the reply?" "The Lord says that he shall live on for three hundred years." The man only said "La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah." ( There is no change possible, nor power enough to do anything except with Allah The Most High, The Most Great.")Then Moses saw the wife, waiting for the Lord's reply. He told her, "Three hundred years." She said, "La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah." and, as Moses passed in front of the home of the family and told the news to the son, he also said humbly, "La hawla wa la quwatta il bi'llah."
No sooner had the son uttered these words than there came a shout and a great commotion from the house of the tyrant. People came running and asked what had happened. The tyrant's servants replied: "Our master has just died. He was sitting right here, and then, all of a sudden, he was dead."Now while all this was going on, Moses stood talking to the son whom he had just told that the the tyrant who had just died would live another three hundred years! Moses looked at the young man and the young man looked at Moses.
Among all the Prophets, Moses was one of the quickest to anger (not like English people!), and, in this case he even became a bit annoyed with the Lord, saying; "Oh my Lord what have you done? You are making people deny my prophethood by telling me one thing and then bringing another into effect. You said three hundred years, so, what is this?" In this way Moses was quarrelling with his Lord.
Then Allah spoke to him saying; "Oh Moses, silence! Be calm,keep quiet, don't shout - remember your manners with Me Almighty. I am Allah Almighty and may do and change anything. yes, My Word, the answer I gave to you on the mountain was correct - he indeed had three hundred years of his lifetime ahead of him, but when my servant heard my answer to his question and said "Oh my Lord , we can't change or do anything. We are going to try to be patient with Your decree," I was pleased that he took refuge in Me and transferred the matter to My Will, preparing himself to be patient in the face of My trials. For this, and for the baraka ( blessing power ) of that holy word "La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah." I took one hundred years off that tyrant's life. Then when his wife also surrendered to My Will and said those words I struck another hundred years off his lifespan. And finally when the young man also spoke those words "La hawla wa la quwatta ila bi'llah." and said, "Lord give me patience." Then I took the last hundred years off that person's life and said to Azrail the angel of death, "Quick, go like lightening, to take away the life of that tyrant." I am right, and I do as I like.
Therefore, as we were saying, men are of two kinds now: one group of people think that they can change or do something. Even when one of them becomes President of the United States, The Soviet Union or the Prime Minister of Britain, and all the world's population calls them "Superpowers" he can do nothing except what his Lord wills.The second part of mankind knows that no one can change or do anything but what the Lord wills. They are certain in their belief and that certainty makes every difficulty flee from them.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I may have mentioned before that I have been getting very upset about all the happenings in Iraq and Bush's foreign policy generally, and then I spoke to a follower of my Sheikh who reminded me.
"But the Sheikh advises us not to get upset and angry about it because it is the Will of Allah and we shouldn't go against His Will...and anyway, the Sheikh also says that Bush will go into another ten countries, not necessarily with military power."
It made me think and calm down, not only in the light of the above wisdom, but also in the light of the Sheikh's teaching that we will not get another Khalifa for all Muslims until Mahdi comes.. that nothing will get better in this world until Mahdi comes and that he comes when that horrific WW3 is in progress.
When the believers are asking for Mahdi, it is not that they want that WW3, but they firmly believe that nothing can get better 'til he comes and that WW3 is an integral and inevitable part of the future before things improve and we go into that New Spiritual Age.
I think in the light of this teaching,one would have to be blind not to see that Bush is the one who is paving the way for that inevitable confrontation of what were Communist and Capitalist countries, but, which will really be, the non-believing group against the believing group.
posted by longgone1 at 8/06/2005 02:26:00 PM
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