Thursday 7 June 2007

Sufi Principles Revisited - No. 2 Eat Less

Rain, isn't it so pure and beautiful? Yet, in some of the places it falls, it yields flowers and fruits and in others - nothing but weeds and thorny grass. Likewise is the effect of blessings and favours showered by Allah upon his servants. If a person is decent and upright, even after drinking a simple glass of cold water, he will fall to the ground in gratitude and humility, and he will think that despite so many sins I am favoured so much -water, ice, refreshment - even though I am deserving of ruin for my deeds.


In reality, blessings should have precisely this effect, but if someone is a lowlife anyway then what can be done of that? When this cretin receives favours, he is not thankful and instead gets more arrogant and sure of his wrong ways. These are his antics when he actually receives food and provision, imagine what will happen when he goes hungry! He'll probably lose his faith.

You have probably noticed that it is the poor and downtrodden who usually turn apostate whereas this is very rare amongst the well-off and well-fed. For this reason, I think ordering the masses to restrict their food and drink is not a good remedy any more. The times are different and less charged with fervour, and so one should not deprive themselves of food. Instead, eat and contemplate Allah's favour, and in this way your love for him will increase far more then if you kept yourself hungry.

(taken from Taqleel-Ta'am baSurat as Siyaam, pg 79-80, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

asalaamu alaykum. i see you're a fan of Hazrat Thanvi rahimahullah ta'ala. That says a lot about you; we all share such a bond that knowing just this much about you would allow my heart to feel content in trusting you with my wealth, my secrets and what not. khair - i get emotional : )
i thought you would find www.khanqah.com useful. You find very few masha'ikh still conducting islah as did Hazrat Hakeemul Ummah rahimahullah. Enjoy! and feel free to comment.