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Towards the Inner Vision of the Truth

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"He it is Who sendeth down clear revelations unto His slave, that He may bring you forth from darkness unto light; and lo! for you, Allah is Full of Pity, Merciful." — Holy Qur'an 57:9

 

Candle Posts :: Motivational Gems for Higher Spiritual Enlightenment

:: Candle Post #62 :: Precious Guidance About Livelihood ::

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Ya Ali Madad! Ramadan Mubarak! On this fourteenth night of Holy Ramadan which started on Thursday evening, September 3, 2009, let us reflect deeply on the following sayings of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) which have been extracted from a book entitled 'Peak of Eloquence NAHJUL BALAGHA'?Sermons, Letters and Sayings of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Sixth U.S. Edition 1996. In today's post, let us examine the following gems of wisdom on the topic of livelihood:

Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, was asked about destiny, when he said:
'It is a dark path—do not tread upon it, it is a deep ocean—do not dive in it, and it is the secret of Allah—do not take trouble about (knowing) it.'
(Source: Quotation number 297, p. 640)
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
'Know with full conviction that Allah has not fixed for any person more livelihood than what has been ordained in the Book of Destiny, even though his means (of seeking it) may be great, his craving for it intense and his efforts for it acute; nor does the weakness of a person or the paucity (lack) of his means stand in the way between what is ordained in the Book of Destiny and himself. He who realizes it and acts upon it is the best of them all in point of comfort and benefit; while he who disregards it and doubts it exceeds all men in disadvantages. Very often a favoured person is being slowly driven (towards punishment) through those favours; and very often an afflicted person is being done good through his affliction. Therefore, O listener, increase your gratefulness, lessen your haste and stay within the bounds of your livelihood.'
(Source: Quotation number 283, p. 638)
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
'O son of Adam, livelihood is of two kinds: the livelihood which you seek and the livelihood which seeks you; if you don't reach it, it will come to you. Therefore, do not turn your one day's worry into a year's worry. Whatever you get every day should be enough for you for the day. If you have a whole year of your life even then Allah, the Sublime, will give you every next day what He has destined as your share. If you do not have a year in your life then why should you worry for what is not for you. No seeker will reach your livelihood. Similarly, whatever has been destined as your share will not be delayed to you.'
(Source: Quotation number 389, p. 659)
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
'Livelihood is of two kinds: the seeker and the sought. Therefore, he who hankers after this world death traces him till it turns him out of it; but he who hankers after the next world, worldly ease itself seeks him till he receives his livelihood from it.'
(Source: Quotation number 126, p. 596)

In this month of reflection, let us put these wisdoms in context of teachings of NOOR Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah Al-Husayni (a.s.):

'Allah the Merciful shall give abundance to those who are virtuous. All prosperity cometh not in a day but gradually and slowly. God makes such people prosperous in their properties and progeny. For a day shall come when they shall rise high.'
(Source: Zanzibar, September 5, 1905)
 
'To achieve worldly prosperity is necessary but it is more essential to excel in spiritual progress. To attend to the worldly business is incumbent but the affairs of the next world are important than this. This should never be forgotten.'
(Source: Nairobi, March 30, 1945)

Key Insights:

  1. Please note that Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.) has emphasized that the affairs of next world are more important than those of this world. Therefore, as we have to balance din and duniya, din needs to be addressed first so that duniya finds its appropriate place. If we give duniya a first priority then it takes over and virtually eliminates the din.
     
  2. Ordinary people go after duniya for material comforts while mumins toil in this world to gain the next world. However there is a great secret and blessing in the activities of the mumins. According to the sayings of Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.), ease of the world is given to these mumins because they are staunch in seeking the next world through their submission of dasond, and regularity in the practice of dua and bandagi.
     
  3. The most astonishing aspect of these quotations is the teaching that livelihood is of two kinds: the livelihood that we seek and the livelihood which seeks us. Those people who focus on the spiritual dimension of our religion are blessed because livelihood seeks them and comforts also reach them.
     
  4. The material prosperity of the Jamat is barakat of the Holy Imam which gets activiated through dasond, dua and bandagi of mumins. Their continual activity turns the wheel of the cycle of well wishing for the whole Jamat. Therefore, it is incumbent for all us to join in this effort in order to bring peace, happiness and prosperity the global jamat, the ummah and humanity at large! This is an integral part of the Ismaili ethos!
     

Related Links:
Resources for Holy Ramadan & Idd-ul Fitr
SalmanSpiritual.com

Ardent Supplications:

Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!

Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.

Haizinda — Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)

Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only),
Noorallah Juma
SalmanSpiritual.com
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009

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