All are by Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani's oral lectures in Urdu.
Take to humbleness and self-dedication
My Shaykh, Hazrat Dr. Abdul Hai Sahib (ra) used to say that what is needed is a matter of servitude, dedication, and obedience, a matter of humbleness and submissiveness. The more man effaced his ego and the more he displayed his quality of servitude, the more acceptable he would become - God willing - in the sight of Allah. The Shaykh would then recite this Persian couplet: This means that one cannot find the straight path leading to Allah by claiming wisdom and cleverness. The King's (Allah's) mercy and favour overtake him who displays his humbleness and obedience.
Our Hazrat Dr. Abdul Hai Sahib (ra) used to say very useful and wonderful points of wisdom and knowledge. One day he (ra) said: When "Palow" (a delicious dish of rice and meat) is cooked, the rice first begins to boil with a boiling sound and it circulates in the cooking pot. All this is a sign that the cooking is not complete and the dish is not yet ready to eat. When the process of cooking nears completion, the rice settles down in the pot: it has no noise, no movement and no boiling. No sooner is the process of cooking complete, then the rice begins to give out a refreshing and appetizing fragrance. Now it has become tasteful and palatable, worthy of being served and enjoyed. The couplet contains a reference to the story of Prophet (Joseph) Yusuf (as). Here the sudden fragrance emanating from the cooking pot has been compared to the smell emanating from the garment of Prophet Yusuf (as).
Same is the example of man. He is not ripe in his conduct, character and piety, as long as he claims openly or secretly that he has such and such qualities and accomplishments in him. On the other hand when he admits before Allah his worthlessness and nothingness by renouncing his high-sounding claims, he becomes a favourite of Allah from whose personality rays of goodness and piety radiate.
On such occaisons, Dr. Hai Sahib used to recite this beautiful couplet. This means: Almighty Allah has made me an aimless wanderer in the desert of self-dedication and has taught me the lesson of self-dedication. I have, thus, been granted a world which has neither a name nor marks of location. May Almighty Allah bestow this favour upon us also. - Aameen.
Expel the idol of Ego
It should be noted that as long as the idol of Ego is present in the heart the personality is immature and unripe. It will come to maturity like the boiling broth when the idol of "ego" has been smashed to pieces; this is the quality of self-dedication or self-effacement. Dedication means that man should purge his living and all his acts and movements from the vestiges of pride and arrogance and take to humbleness and modesty. The road to success will - God willing - be opened for him the very day he adopts humbleness. Pride is the greatest hurdle in the way leading to the Truth. However great and dignified a proud man may regard himself and however depressed and disgraced does he regard the rest of humanity, in the last resort Allah grants honour and dignity to the modest and disgraces the proud and the haughty.
The example of a proud man
There is a very wise parable in the Arabic language. The example of a proud man is like one who is standing on a mountain peak and thinks that those at the foot of the mountain are very small. In the same way those at the foot of the mountain think that the man at the peak of the mountain is small. This is an optical illusion, otherwise they are all equal. In the same way the entire world regards the proud man as mean and the proud man regards the entire world as mean. The truth is that Almighty grants honour to those who efface themselves before Allah.
May Allah inculcate in us also the quality of modesty and humbleness. Aameen.[/quote]
May Allah also save us from the trials of our times where traits such as pride and meanness are considered to be desireable (as the Holy Prophet(saw) predicted in Hadith), to the point of being a part of our subconscious mind. This is purely a result of our also having been infected with pride, for the proud love the proud. We see the world as 'mean' as the proud do, but being unsuccessful we admire the proud who do meet success in the same 'mean' world and claim sole responsibility for it, and envy them. This was not the situation in the old eras though we are led into believing it was so because we view all of history through this contemporary filter. A person is on the verge of committing shirk by being proud and equating theirself to Allah in their own mind, this is why the Ego is an idol of sorts.
Mufti Muhammad Shafi (ra)
Dr. Abdul Hai Sahib (ra) used to relate an anecdote about Mufti Sahib [my father]. He said that once he was sitting in his clinic on Robinson Road, Karachi, when Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi Sahib (ra) was passing in front of the clinic all alone with some pot in his hand. Dr. Sahib asked those who were sitting with him if they knew the man who passing by. Then he himself told them that he was the Grand Mufti of Pakistan who was going with a pot in his hand. None could guess from his clothes, style, and mode of walking that he was such a great Allama.
Inferiority Complex vs. Modesty
Nowadays the science of psychology has become very popular among the people. "Inferiority Complex" is a term of this science which is regarded as something undesireable. Treatment is provided for a person who falls a victim to this malady. Some people allege that the mystic formula of "modesty" or "self-effacement" is only creating the feeling of "Inferiority Complex" among the people which is apparently not a desireable tendency.
It may be stated to clear that "Modesty" and "Inferiority Complex" are two different traits of human behaviour. Those who evolved the contemporary science of psychology were ignorant of Deen, Allah, and His Prophet (saw). They invented this term.
"Inferiority Complex" consists of accusation against Allah's creation. A man suffering from this complex thinks that he has been deprived of something which should have been given to him and that he has been pushed back. He has not been given his due share. He was born ugly, poor, sick, or crippled, etc. Such complaints necessarily create irritation and, in turn, jealousy. They create in him dependency and dejection. At any rate, "Inferiority Complex" is based on a complaint against dispensation and ordinance of Allah.
As regards "Modesty", it cannot be acquired by complaining against Allah's decree. It is acquired through rendering thanks to Allah for His grants and favours. The man practising "Modesty" thinks that he did not deserve any blessings, but Almighty Allah favoured him by His mercy and grace.
Making a show of modesty
Sometimes we make a show of modesty by using formal words like, "I am worthless, the lowest, sinful" etc. This is no Modesty; it is only a show of modesty; it is an illusion of modesty. Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (ra) has given us a very effective formula to test the modesty of anyone. When a person says that he is worthless, wrongdoer, guilty and good for nothing, etc. confirm to them their statements, saying, "yes, really you are what you are saying about yourself." Now see their reaction. If they do not take ill to what you have confirmed, then they are really sincere in their claim of modesty. On the other hand, if they feel offended then be sure they were making only a show of "modesty". They were using words of modesty with the intention that their listeners may contradict them, saying "No, you are very honourable, pious and modest, etc." This is not modesty, but a show of it.
A sign to indicate the acceptance of worship by Allah
Sometimes we make a show of modesty by using formal words like, "I am worthless, the lowest, sinful" etc. This is no Modesty; it is only a show of modesty; it is an illusion of modesty. Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (ra) has given us a very effective formula to test the modesty of anyone. When a person says that he is worthless, wrongdoer, guilty and good for nothing, etc. confirm to them their statements, saying, "yes, really you are what you are saying about yourself." Now see their reaction. If they do not take ill to what you have confirmed, then they are really sincere in their claim of modesty. On the other hand, if they feel offended then be sure they were making only a show of "modesty". They were using words of modesty with the intention that their listeners may contradict them, saying "No, you are very honourable, pious and modest, etc." This is not modesty, but a show of it.
The essence of Tasawuf (Mysticism)
Dr. Abdul Hai Sahib (ra) used to read to us a statement of Maulana Thanawi (ra) which is worth remembering. Maulana Thanawi (ra) often said:
'When you feel lethargic in obeying some command resist the lethargy and obey the command. Similarly, when you feel tempted to commit a sin, resist the temptation and refrain from that sin. This is the essence of Tasaw-wuf (mysticism). When you reach this stage nothing more is needed. This creates in the heart a 'relationship with Allah', then strengthens it and develops it.'
Tempt the Self to do right work
Dr. Abdul Hai Sahib (ra)used to say that we should tempt and induce our 'selves' to work. Thereafter, he related to us an incident of his own. He said: One day when I got up at night for the Tahajjud prayer, I felt very much depressed and lethargic. I was inclined to think that being advanced in age, indolent and tired there was no harm in missing the Tahajjud prayer one night, when it was neither obligatory nor compulsory. As against this, the Sheikh also thought: Although these excuses seem to be quite plausible, yet it is the blessed time when Allah accepts the supplications of his servants. When one-third of the night has passed, Allah's mercy descends on the earth and an announcement is made on behalf of Almighty Allah: Is there anyone to beg forgiveness that I may forgive them? I, therefore, thought that it was not proper to waste such precious hours. Then I addressed my 'self' in this way: Alright, do not offer the prayer, but get up and make some supplication, sitting on the bed, then fall asleep again. I at once got up from sleep and began to make the supplication. During supplication I again tempted my 'self' in this way: When you have disturbed your sleep, go to the latrine, clean yourself then sleep comfortably. After coming back from the latrine and cleaning myself I was disposed to perform ablution as supplication with ablution is more likely to be accepted by Allah. I, therefore, performed ablution, sat on my bedding and started du'a. Then I told my 'self': The bedding is not a fit place for Du'a there. With this argument I dragged the 'self' to the prayer-rug. Then I made 'intention' for two Rak'ats of Tahajjud.
The Sheikh told that in this way the 'self' has to be tempted to take the right course and do its work. He advised further: When the 'self' plays tricks with you, you should also play tricks with it. It is hoped that by the blessings of this strategem, Almighty Allah will assist us to take the right course.
Hey, it works for Shaitan and your Nafs, might as well try it yourself. And whatever tricks they pull on you to get you to not do good deeds, do that against them. Be lazy when it comes to committing sins. Keep putting it off if you can't resist outright, and maybe you'll have more courage next time around.
