6. HIGH ENDEAVOURS
I supplicated to my Lord, ‘O Allah, let me achieve what I hope from knowledge (ilm), good deeds (‘amaI), and extend my lifetime to accomplish what I love from all that.’
However, the whispers of Iblis obstructed me saying to me, ‘Then what? Shall not death (mawf) eventually strike you? What is the benefit of a long life when death is its end?’
I responded to these devilish suggestions, ‘O foolish one, if you were able to understand what was beyond the words of my supplication you would have realised that what I ask for is not trivial. Do you not see that with every day I live, my knowledge increases and that make me plant more seeds (of good deeds); hence on the Day I reap my harvest [of deeds] it will be pleasing to me. Would I be pleased if I passed away twenty years ago? By Allah not at all.’
This is because twenty years ago I did not acquire as much knowledge as I have now about my Lord.
All this is the fruit of life (thamara al-haya’) through which I acquired the evidences of His unique and Oneness (wahdanijya) and raised above the base of taqlid to land upon gardens of insightfulness and enlightenment; acquainting with more knowledge by which my status became elevated and my own self became more precious.
In addition to my plants in the Hereafter having increased and my trade proven more successful while dealing with learners (of knowledge) interested in my merchandise [i.e. knowledge]. Allah advised the Master of Messengers,
“Say, O Lord, increase my knowledge.” [ Taha (20) :114]
Abu Hurayrah (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet said, “The life of a believer is not prolonged but for goodness (khayr).”
Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah {radiyAllahu ‘anhu) related the Messenger of Allah saving, “It is from good fortune (sa’adah) that the lifetime of servitude [of Allah] is prolonged and then Allah grants him the opportunity to return to Him [in repentance] (inabah).”
Verily, I wish that I could have the lifetime of Prophet Nuh (‘alayhi as-salam), for knowledge is numerous, the more I acquire the more I benefit and rise.
(Source: al-Hafiz Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-jawzl [d. 597AH] “CAPTURED THOUGHTS being” a translation of his masterpiece ‘Sayd al-K hatir)
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John Doe
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