Our Responsibilities as a Muslim – Akhlaq – Part 4
A Muslim must display Akhlaq
The Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَم himself has stated:
I have been sent to complete Ikhlaq or the scale of Ikhlaq.
(Kanzul Ummaal; Mu’atta Imam Malik)
Hadrat Sayyiduna Nizaamudeen Awliyah – may Allah be pleased with him – has stated that, “To read a lot of Salaah and spend much time in Wazifah, to read the Qur’an a lot, none of these things are difficult. All those who are strong can perform this duty. In fact, even an old person can do all, of these things and can even continue to fast. To spend time in Tahajjud and read a few paras of the Qur’an, this can be done by an ordinary person. However, the work of the true believers is something else.”
(Sayr Al Awliyah)
In the treatise, “Waafi yaat Al ‘ayaan” by ibn Khalakaan there is a statement of Hadrat Sayyiduna Fudail bin Ayyaz – may Allah be pleased with him – which reads, “For a person to be kind to a gathering and to display Ikhlaq is better than spending the night in Ibadah and the day in fasting”.
When we look at the blessed life of the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – we will see that this is how he spent his life. When we look at the incident of when he received the first Revelation, we will realize that this indeed was a most momentous occasion in his life. And it is obvious that a person would feel immense awe and fear. After all, this is a message which is being sent to him from the Divine Creator. However, when he reached home his blessed wife of fifteen years of marriage said to him with the intention of putting his mind at ease that, “There is absolutely no way that your Lord will dishonour you. You are someone who creates good relationship (with your family). You carry the burden of those who have no one to support them. You feed the needy with your own earnings. You honour a guest and you are able to deliver justice to those for whom justice has become necessary due to an act of injustice.”
(Sahih Bukhari Shareef)
Following the path of the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – and how the Awliya acted, Janab Khaleeq Ahmed Nizaami explains, “There is no doubt that the Mashaa’ikh indeed strove to teach those who succeeded the true Ikhlaq. They wanted their followers and those who succeeded them to be a symbol of love, humility, simplicity, care and Ikhlas.”
When a poor and needy person looks at them, their hearts should become happy and joyous. When they speak, it must be like pearls are coming from their mouths. However, when they speak to the misled and oppressor, these same people must become like solid and strong mountains which never shakes and that no power on earth must create fear in them. In other words, their inner sense and Ikhlas was displayed in their actual behaviour. Day and night when these successors of the Awliya saw their spiritual masters, they gained immense benefit from them.
It is reported that on the 15th of Muharram 710 A.H. a person approached Hadrat Nizaamudeen Awliyah – may Allah be pleased with him – and began to insult the great Saint. The great Saint remained silent throughout this and gave the person whatever he needed. The Mureeds of Hadrat Nizaamudeen Awliyah – may Allah be pleased with him – said that someone like this had also once appeared in front of Hadrat Baba Fareed – may Allah be pleased with him – and acted in the same manner and was also treated in the same manner.
This also proves the immense example which the Awliyah silently presented to their Mureeds.
Despite this humble behaviour which they displayed for the poor and simple, they displayed no fear for those in power. It is mentioned that one day, someone attacked Hadrat Sayyiduna Naseerudeen Chiragh Dehlwi – may Allah be pleased with him – with a knife and he remained silent. However, when the Sultan of the country Muhammad Tughlaq displayed anger in front of him, he bravely said to the King to stop acting like an animal.
When we look at the great and immense status of Hadrat Ghous Paas – may Allah be pleased with him – we will be surprised to know that he did not feel embarrassed standing next to the poor and weak and helping them in their work.
(Tabqaat Al Kubra)
Khwaja Moudud Chisht – may Allah be pleased with him – was someone who displayed such immense Ikhlaq that whoever came to see him, and the person was a needy person, he used to satisfy this person no matter what inconvenience it created for him. Whether it was young or old, Khwaja Moudud Chisht – may Allah be pleased with him – was always the first to make Salaam. He used to also rise for the person. He used to behave in the same manner for his servants or even a female slave. Some people objected to this and felt that this was not proper but Khwaja Moudud Chisht – may Allah be pleased with him – said to them that this was a Sunnah. None had ever beaten the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – to make Salaam. He was always the first to make Salaam to anyone. Therefore, why should he not do this as well.
(Sayr Al Aqtaab)
There is no doubt that among the giants of the Awliya, the name of Hadrat Sayyiduna Sheikh Ahmed Rifaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – also stands out. Eminent Saints and scholars used to sit in front of him with utmost respect and humility so that they could be blessed by his immense greatness. Even though this was his status, Hadrat Sayyiduna Sheikh Ahmed Rifaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – used to walk around his neighbourhood which was called “Umme Ubaidah” and search for those who were paralysed or disabled. He used to wash their clothes, prepare their beds, and also feed them. He used to also sit with them for long hours and keep them company and make Du’a for them. He used to say that to visit such people is not Mustahab but in fact it is Waajib.
It is mentioned that one day, while Hadrat Sayyiduna Sheikh Ahmed Rifaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – was walking on one of the streets, there were some children who were playing on the street and when they saw him, they ran away. However, Hadrat Sayyiduna Sheikh Ahmed Rifaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – ran after these children and sought their forgiveness for disturbing their play. If he heard that there was a sick person in the area, he would make sure that he visited them.
Hadrat Sayyiduna Sheikh Ahmed Rifaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – used to wait for any blind person on the road and when he saw someone, he used to help this person and also made sure that he accompanied them to their destination. If he saw any old person or someone with a white beard, Hadrat Sayyiduna Sheikh Ahmed Rifaa’i – may Allah be pleased with him – used to visit this person and used to advice the people in that house to respect the old person. When he returned from any journey, he had a rope and used to collect firewood for the poor and needy. Those who were on the journey with him also did the same. This firewood was given to all the disabled, the blind and the poor and needy and the widows. He never returned evil with evil.
(Tabqaat Al Kubra)
As we have said, these Awliya had immense respect and Ikhlaq for the downtrodden and those less fortunate. However, when it came to the enemies of Islam and enemies of religion, their behaviour was completely different. There are certain Jaahils who take these examples and say we should also be kind to the disbelievers and the Munaafiqs. This is a complete misinterpretation of the message of the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. The Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – fought against the Kaafirs and told the Munaafiqs to get out of the Masjid.
