One of the mistakes that many of us have made in the past was to drop work in the Cause of Islam, for one or other reason. Of course, we never thought these things through and never realised that when we committed ourselves to Allah Almighty with regard to His Work, it is, in a sense, a permanent commitment. However, our lack of understanding of our relationship with our Creator made us drop His Work for other things. One day I met an imam, I think it was tn Mitchell’s Plain somewhere, and he told me that he was going to give up doing the imam work because he wanted to further his studies. I remarked to him: “Do not leave the work of the Akhirah for the work of the Dunya”. I think he took my advice. But this is not the only kind of mistake I am talking

I have always wondered what the true meaning of Islam is. I’ve read so many definitions, but I’ve never been satisfied. Today, after long years in Tariqah, I have come to understand that Islam are those Divine Teachings that Allah Almighty sent to this planet, for us, to open our hearts for His Presence. Today I come to see it like that. When Allah Almighty says in a Holy Tradition that what is between the heavens and the earth cannot contain Him, but the heart of His believing servant can; this shows us that the teachings that came through the Messengers (a.s.), came to open and to prepare our hearts for His Presence. What else? What else? I think that perhaps the highest spiritual honour that persons can have, is the Presence of their Lord in their hearts after all other presences have been removed, and the hearts purified by

الَّذِيْنَ ءَامَنُوا وَ هَاجَرُوا وَ جَاهَدُوا فِى سَبِيْلِ اللهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَ أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِنْدَ اللهِ وَ اُوْلآئِكَ هُمُ الْفَائِزُوْنَ Those who believe, and suffer exile and strive with might and main, in Allah’s Cause, with their goods and their persons, have the highest rank in the sight of Allah: they are the people who will achieve (salvation) (ix: 20). The concept of indecency being associated with exposure of certain parts of the human body to others, goes far back to the time when Nabi Adam (a.s.) and his wife, Sayyidatuna Hawa (r.a.) were in Paradise. When they had transgressed by eating of the fruit of the tree against their Lord’s wishes, they became aware of each other’s nakedness and ran to cover up parts of their bodies with some of the leaves of Paradise. In other words, they had become aware of each other’s awrah, although as man and

On the 18th of April 2012, a lady from Blikkiesdorp visited me. She told me that somebody had referred to the people of Blikkiesdorp as being of the underprivileged. She objected to the term because she asked: “How can people with whom Allah (ﷻ) is be under privileged?” I could not believe the words that she spoke. She is very poor, lives in a dysfunctional home and community and is heavily socially deprived. She sees none of these things. She only sees her connection with her Lord, and that, is a major privilege for her in a world in which disbelief dominates. In fact, the reason for her visit was because she wanted to work to be a pious person despite her domestic and community circumstances. You see, I have read so many times in the Qur’an that Allah (ﷻ) guides whom He wishes. Although I’ve read this and I

I suppose that all of you are aware of the fact that groups of murids are going to certain of the country areas. Their major task has been to establish a congregational dhikr in the towns in these areas and also in adjacent poor areas. The first trips about a month ago [2012], were mainly of a fact-finding nature. We had sent out five groups to six areas and they were very successful with their work. They have now started to go out for their second trips. These people are following in the footsteps of a number of murids who have been engaged in this type of work for the last few years. Of course, you all understand that almost all the murids are going to be called on at some time during the next few months to do this work. How I envy all of them. It is very

Certain matters have to be repeated; sometimes, because people have forgotten what I wrote many months ago or they might not have received those letters and so it becomes necessary for me to repeat certain matters so that all of us are always “up to date” with regard to our attitudes and our overall religious behaviour. One matter, which cannot be over-stressed is the importance of obeying the Shari’ah. When we talk of the Divine Law we are referring to all the rules and regulations which Allah Almighty sent down to us, either as Qur’an or as the Practice of Nabi Muhammad (ﷺ) (this is referred to as the Sunnah). Some scholars are of the opinion that the term Shari’ah refers to all our activities with regard to ibadat and our relationships with others, which include matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and other such matters. This is the one

One of the most important principles that many of us have learnt over the years is that our Lord knows best, and that His Decisions for all of us are the best of Decisions. I suppose that during our previous period of jahiliyyah we had believed that we made our own personal histories. We did not even consider the large numbers of external factors within our families and communities that impinge on what we did and the direction in which we walked. Today when we think about that period in our lives we wonder how we could have been so naïve to believe that our personal decisions directed our life. This was an illusion that was encouraged in many of us. When we look back we see how events not in our hands pushed us in certain directions. But how did these events come about? Were they just accidental? Were

As people in Tariqah, we have to keep our noses out of other people’s business, lives and the conditions of their homes. These matters are not matters for our concern. They are other people’s matters, and other people’s matters are the matters of other people. If one wants to regress spiritually or not progress at all, then one should get involved in the affairs, especially the unsavoury affairs, as we think, of other people. What are the matters of our concern? Allah Almighty, as I’ve always said, has favoured us by placing us on a Tariqah path which leads to certain spiritual stations. What He has granted us, and also many others, is a very special honour in spirituality. Few people walk this path, and few people are engaged in the different religious activities on this path. We always say that our goal is Allah (ﷻ). We do not understand

Sometimes, because of circumstances, many individuals are pushed into positions of religious leadership. Occasionally this is the wish of their parents, and at other times, it is their own doings. It appears, just from a very casual assessment of many of the products of Islamic educational institutions, here and elsewhere, that these individuals have no idea of the massive responsibility that they place on their shoulders. They speak on behalf of Islam, or so they say, and large numbers of people are swayed by what they preach. If I have my facts right correct, I remember reading somewhere, that when Sayyiduna Ali (r.a.) came to Iraq, he stopped most of the clerics from delivering public talks. One of those he allowed to talk was Hasan al Basri (r.a.) one of the greatest spiritual figures of Islam of all time. I do not know what Sayyiduna Ali (r.a.) would have done

When I read the newspapers, which I do on a regular basis, I cringe at the reports on the abuse of women especially in “Muslim” countries. Many of them suffer so much pain and so much trauma, because of their gender. Every time this is highlighted in the press, for whatever the reasons might be. The reasons do not interest me, the abuse does. Just recently I read about a young woman who committed suicide because her face was disfigured by hot water for something she had done, and another who was disfigured by acid for something she had done. Our humanity should scream out against this but we do not say anything. I do not wish to comment on our silence; it is so disgraceful. All this abuse of women is supposed to be in the name of Islam. What does Islam teach us? There is an opinion amongst