Value of a Tear in the Love of Allah Ta’ala or Fear of Allah Ta’ala
Transcribed from the Islaahi Majlis conducted on 15/12/2022
We discussed the Hadith with regard to how a person may attain salvation. Any person desiring salvation should do three things. The first advice of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam was:
“Control your tongue.”
The second advice was, “Your home should suffice you.”
And lastly, “Cry over your sins!”
The discussion on the second point centered around eating out at restaurants and takeaways, and remaining within the confines of the home.
An elderly woman asked if she could visit the “Souk” – a market held in Durban every December, as it was where she mainly did her clothes shopping. The Souk is hosted mainly for entertainment, with the aspect of shopping being secondary. Also, the stalls at the Souk are actual shops that can be found in various parts of the country, or purchases may even be done online, which is now a more convenient way of purchasing various items.
Hadrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb Rahimahullah many years ago commented on the Souk being a crowded place where one couldn’t walk without bumping into either, Ghair mahram males, or females. Hadrat Maulana questioned the permissibility of attending such a gathering, thereby indicating this should be a deterrent for us from frequenting such places.
On one occasion, Hajee Bhai Padia visited Darul Uloom Azaadville and stayed overnight. The next morning he asked who had stayed in that room before him, as he found it to be full of Anwaaraat and Barakaat (spirituality and blessings).
On one of his visits to South Africa, Allamah Khalid Mahmood Saheb Rahimahullah did not find Hadrat Maulana Abdul Hamid Saheb present for the Fajr Salaah in the Darul Uloom Masjid in Azaadville. He enquired regarding the whereabouts of Maulana, and was told that Maulana was in the Jamea Masjid where he conducts Tafseer after the Fajr Salaah. On this, Allamah Khalid Mahmood Saheb commented that, where lessons of Quraan Sharif takes place, where knowledge of Deen is imparted, a column of Noor extends from there up to the Arsh of Allah Ta’ala. He further mentioned that, from that column, the Noor spreads all over the locality and the Rahmah of Allah Ta’ala descends on that place.
When Maulana Abdur Rauf Saheb (a senior Alim in Pietermaritzburg) visited the Masjid recently (Carbis Road Masjid), he made Dua in the Darul Ifta. On exiting the building, a friend commented on the Sukoon (peace and tranquillity) in the area. Maulana then mentioned that, wherever the name of Allah Ta’ala is taken (indicating towards the Zikr Majlis held in the Masjid daily), there will always be peace and tranquility.
For some time, Hadrat Maulana Abdul Hamid Saheb has been speaking against visiting the Kruger National Park. Perhaps we had failed to comprehend the reason for Maulana’s prohibition, but a recent trip to that area brought some understanding to light. A brother who lived nearby the Park related to us that he had some guests over who wanted to visit the Park and invited him to go along. He refused but they persuaded him, explaining that it is just to marvel at the creation of Allah Ta’ala. He reluctantly agreed to join them and recounts that, just on entering the Park to pay the fee, they were met with the inappropriate attire of non-Muslim females. Just one glance is enough to strip us of our Roohaniyyat (spirituality). The brother mentioned further of both the Janaazahs of a senior Alim and a senior Jamaat Saathi that left from one of the resorts there. May Allah Ta’ala bless us all with death in a place that He is pleased with. Ameen!
A very senior Alim, also living in the vicinity, told us of a group of Ulama who visited the Park for a period of three days, and ended up spending a total of R60 000. The Aalim was grieved over this extravagance and wastage. It is the duty of the Ulama to be examples of simplicity.
Coming to the third form of salvation mentioned in the Hadith, “Cry over your sins!”, Hadrat Hakeem Saheb used to say that we learnt the action of crying from Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam. He says that his Sheikh, Hadhrat Shah Abdul Ghani Saheb Poolpuri Rahimahullah used to cry, and thereafter, rub his palms over his face. Hadrat Shah Saheb then told Hadrat Hakeem Saheb that he used to see his Sheikh, Maulana Thanwi Rahimahullah, rubbing his face with his palms after crying. Hadrat Hakeem Saheb commented by saying that this practice was sufficient for him (to act upon) as it was the practice of two generations before him.
Further, Hadrat Hakeem Saheb mentioned that at the time of Tahajjud, Hadrat Shah Abdul Ghani Saheb Pulpoori could be heard crying from a distance. He described Hadrat’s crying to be like that of a child who holds onto its mother in desperation. Hadrat Shah Abdul Ghani Saheb Rahimahullah says that he later came across a Riwayat which stated that, when a person cries and wipes his palms over his face, then the fire of Jahannam becomes Haraam upon those areas touched by the tears. It is recorded in another narration, that when the Fire of Jahannam becomes Haraam to touch a certain part of the body, then Jannah becomes Waajib on that portion of the body.
On this note, Maulana Thanwi explained an incident that took place with a Hindu Rajah who died. He left behind a young son. The family members, on seeing such a young heir to a great estate, planned to take advantage of him. The ministers of the Rajah however, became unhappy when they heard of this, and decided to take the boy to the King Alamgheer who was in Delhi. Whilst travelling to Delhi, they taught the boy many etiquettes in meeting with the King. On their arrival at the Royal court, the boy asked them as to how he should conduct himself if the King, perchance, asks him something that they failed to teach him. They understood that he was an intelligent boy who could speak for himself. The boy approached the King who was in a swimming pool at the time and explained his situation with his family trying to usurp his father’s estate. King Alamgheer grabbed him by his arms and pulled him in the water, threatening to drown him. The boy began laughing. This made Alamgheer think that the boy was foolish and incapable of managing his father’s estate. The boy pressed the King to ask his reason for laughing. Being a great Faqeeh (jurist), Alamgheer immediately understood that this was an intelligent, young boy. The boy then explained that if just the finger of the King was on him, then he would be safe from harm, so if the King is holding his arms, how can harm ever reach him? From this, Maulana Thanwi Rahimahullah drew the analogy that if a King is so merciful, then what can be said of our Merciful Allah Ta’ala whose Rahmah is far greater? Maulana further explained that, if the the face is saved from the fire of Jahannam, do you then think that the rest of the body will enter Jahannam? Definitely not! Allah Ta’ala is Most Merciful to save the whole body from Jahannam!
In Surah Maryam, Allah Ta’ala mentions the incidents of various Ambiya Alaihimus Salaam. Allah Ta’ala says that Hidayat was given to these Ambiya Alaihimus Salaam and they were chosen by Allah Ta’ala. Allah Ta’ala says that when the verses of Allah are recited before them, they do two things:
1) They fall into Sajdah
2) In Sajdah, they cry before their Creator
From here, we learn that the condition of a believer is such that, when he engages in Dua or Ibaadaat, then the tears flow. If the stomach is always full; or if a person talks too much; or one engages in excessive laughter, then he is deprived of crying.
Great Sahaaba like Hadrat Umar Radiallahu Anhu, had lines etched in his face due to crying. It is mentioned that when Hasan Basri used to cry, his tears would flow on the ground. The area where the tears of Rabiya Basriyya fell caused grass to grow.
A Hadith mentions: There is nothing more beloved to Allah Ta’ala than two drops of tears and two drops of blood. The teardrop shed in the fear of Allah and the blood shed in the Path of Allah.
On the Day of Qiyaamah, a person will be filled with regret and worry over his condition. It is said that a single eyelash will bear testimony on behalf of this person for his crying in Dunya in the fear of Allah Ta’ala. The moment this eyelash speaks, Allah Ta’ala will order the forgiveness of this person. A caller will call out that this person obtained salvation through a single eyelash. This is the benefit of shedding tears in the fear of Allah Ta’ala. May Allah Ta’ala grant us all the ability to shed tears and sincerely repent for our sins so that we may be cleansed before the day of Qiyaamah. Ameen!