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The Blessed Teachings of Hazrat Ahmad Zarruq
[Rahimahullah]
Hazrat Ahmad
Zarruq (rhu) was a great scholar from Morocco who died in
Masaat, Libya. He said that the fragrance of his teachings
would disseminate in this world long after his bones were
laid to rest and so its one of his karamaat or saintly
miracles that his teachings is still affecting us and
influencing us . He said (rhu), “Know, that may Allah give
you and us success and rectify our worldly and other worldly
lives and grant us adherence to the way of the truth in our
journeys and our sojourns, that repentance is a key and
taqwa is vast and up righteousness is the source of
reflection. Furthermore a servant is never free of either
blunders or shortcomings or lassitude, therefore, never be
neglectful of tawbah (repentance) and never turn away from
the act of returning to Allah (swt) and never neglect acts
that bring you closer to Allah (swt). Indeed every time one
of these three occurs, repent and return. Every time you
make a mistake, listen and obey. Anytime you display
shortcomings or show lack of enthusiasm, don’t desist in
your efforts.
Let your
main concern be to remove from your outer state anything
that is displeasing and then maintain its outward state
through continuous counsel. Continue doing this until you
find that you are fleeing from anything outwardly
displeasing your second nature and that your avoidance of
the boundaries of prohibited things is as it acts like a
protective net that is placed before you. At this point it
is time to turn inward, toward your hearts presence, and to
its reality with both reflection and remembrance.
Don’t hasten
the end result before you have completed the beginning but
likewise don’t begin without looking towards the end
result. This is so, because the one who seeks the outset at
the end loses its providential care and the one who seeks
the end at the outset loses providential guidance.
Act in
accordance with principles and appropriate legal rulings and
not in accordance with stories and fantasies. Don’t even
consider stories of how things went with others, except as a
tonic to strengthen your resolve, certainly not as a
reference based upon their outward forms or what they seem
to be telling us. In all of this depend upon a clear path
you can refer to and a foundation you can depend upon in all
of your states. The best of these is the path of Ibn Ata-allah
(rhu) given that in it is a clear direction to Allah. Don’t
take from others words unless it’s in accordance with your
path but submit to their implication if you desire
realisation.
Avoid all
forms of vain and foul speech to your absolute utmost. Put
aside anything you cannot discern its benefit immediately.
Beware of being extremely hard on yourself before you have
obtained mastery over it, but also beware of being too lax
with it in anything that concerns sacred rulings. This is
because it is constantly fleeing from moderation in
everything and it inclines towards extremism in both matters
of deviance and guidance.
[“To
repeat ‘this is because it is constantly fleeing from
moderation in everything and it inclines towards extremism
in both matters of deviance and guidance.’ So just to stop
and look, this is extremely important because what the
sheikh is telling us is that the nature of the self is
extremism and he is telling us to be aware of this in both
good deeds and bad deeds, in both obedience to Allah (swt)
and disobedience to Allah (swt). So he is telling us,
beware of being extremely hard on yourself before you have
obtained mastery over it but also beware of being too lax
with it in anything that concerns sacred rulings.”]
Seek out a
companion to help you out in your affairs and take his
counsel concerning matters that occurs from both your inward
state and outward affairs. If you do indeed take his
companionship then treat him in a manner commensurate with
his state and give of your counsel based upon his
inabilities and abilities, because the perfected friend is
no longer to be found. Indeed in these times even a
suitable companion who is agreeable rarely lasts. And
beware of the majority of people in matters that concern
your religious and worldly states unless you have
ascertained he has some sound relationship with your Lord
based upon knowledge that he is free of his caprice or love
of leadership and a sound intellect, free of pit falls of
hidden agendas.
Do not be
heedless of the machinations of others or their hidden
states, consider those two from both their origins and
actions and a person of character and family distinction
rarely affects you other than good. And yet a person of low
origin roots usually causes him to disregard you when times
get tough. Be extremely vigilant of the dominant qualities
of given people in any given land and don’t be heedless of
the Devine wisdom in the creation and notice gatheredness
and separations.
Organise
your time in a matte appropriate to time specific needs
using gentleness and toleration and be very wary of either
harshness or laxity. This is so, because too much laxity
concerning permissible matters pulls the heart backwards in
its journey until even a man of resolve ends up looking like
a foolish boy. Work for this world as if you will live
forever but work for your next life as if you die tomorrow.
Thus do not neglect the externals of your worldly needs. In
the meantime, do not be heedless of your end and final
resting place.
Be extremely
vigilant about avoiding positions of leadership but should
you be tried with such matters at least know your own
limitations. Be absolutely sincere to Allah with the
sincerity of one who knows full well who is placing demands
upon Him. Surrender completely to His decree with the
submission of the one who knows he can never overcome Him.
Have firm
foundations for all of your affairs and you will be saved
from their pit falls. Organise your devotional practices
and you will find your time is being extended due to the
barakat or blessings in it. Never be fanatical about
anything whether it is the truth or whether it is false for
your heart will then remain in a state of soundness towards
others. Never claim anything that you are entitled to not
to mention what you are not entitled to and you will be safe
from tricks and treachery. This is so, because if anyone
who claims some rank above his own will fall in humiliation;
where as the one who claim a rank they weren’t will have it
stripped from them; while those who claim a state less than
their true rank will be elevated to even higher levels then
they actually deserve. Never give your companion anything
of your state other than what his own state wants. This is
so, because if you go down to his level, he will show
contempt whereas if you attempt to raise him to your level,
he will abandon you.
Never demand
a right from anyone whether an intimate or a stranger. The
reason for this is a stranger in reality owes you nothing
and someone close to you is too precious to direct your
blame to him. Never assume that anyone in this world can
really understand your circumstances other then from the
perspective of his circumstances. This is so, because in
reality everyone sees things in accordance with their forms
of reference and their personal path. However, when aims
purpose and aspirations are similar people tend to work
together toward a common goal. Never belittle any talk that
involves absent people even if there is no harm init due to
the possibility of harm coming into it. Guard your secrets
even if you feel safe with someone because the one you
divulge your secrets to, is not a safer place then your own
heart from once it emanated.
Never leave
an atoms weight of your regular practices, never be lenient
with yourself in either lax times or times of high resolve.
Indeed should you miss some of your practice in a given
time, redress it in another time. If you’re not able to do
your usual practice, at least occupy yourself with something
similar. Never obey your ego even for a moment, nor believe
any of its claims no matter what it tells you. Be vigilant
about your resolve in all of your affairs to your utmost.
In fact should you resolve to do something then do it
immediately before the resolve wanes. Examine your soul
constantly in matters that you are obliged to do or are
needed to be done. Anything you are in no need of doing,
leave it, even if it is something that is recommended. That
means not involving yourself in anything other than
absolutely necessary things and real discernable needs.
Treat others
just as you would want to be treated and fulfil to them what
is due to them. All of this is epitomised in words of the
poet when he said, ‘If you desire to live such that your
religion is safe and your portion is full and your honour is
sound’. Guard your tongue and never mention another’s
faults remembering that your self have faults of others have
tongue. What your eye, should it ever reveal to you the
faults of others, say to it, “Oh my eye, other people have
eyes too”. Treating others well and avoid aggression and
should others aggress against you leave them but in the best
way.
The source
of these words is in fact nothing other than the words of
the traditions of the Prophet (saw) when he said, “Be
vigilant of Allah wherever you are and follow a misdeed with
a good deed and it will remove it. And treat others with
the most excellent character.”
In another
He (saw) said, “Every child of Adam makes mistakes, and the
best of those who make mistake are those who seek to redress
them. Again the Holy Spirit inspired my hearts core that no
soul will die until it fulfils it decreed portion of this
world and its appointed time here. So be conscious of Allah
and make your request with dignity.”
In
summation, repentance, awareness of Allah and up
righteousness are the foundations of all that is
beneficial. The truth is clear and it detail are weighty
and significant, the affair belongs only to Allah, success
is in His Hands. Assalamualeikum, Peace.
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