THE HEART BECOMING INCLINED (TO GOOD DEEDS) ON ITS OWN OR INCLINING IT DELIBERATELY
Hadhrat Maseehul Ummat Rahmatullaahi Alayh said:
Is it necessary that the heart becomes inclined or necessary that it be made to incline?
The self (nafs) became inclined and the person eats food, it never became inclined (to eat) so he takes medicine. Are both beneficial or not? In the same manner, when the self is inclined (towards Ibaadat) and the person practices then it is like food for the soul. On the other hand, if a person is not inclined but still practices then it will be like the medicine, and in both cases the objective is attained.
A person will consume extremely bitter and pungent medicine for his physical health but for his spiritual health if he has to endure some difficulty temporarily (because he is forcing himself to do good actions) then he causes a scene! Do not bother about becoming inclined, just remain ready and prepared to fulfil the commands. When a person gets involved in business then he endures so many difficulties; doesn’t eat, doesn’t sleep but just focuses on the work. Here they do not consider whether the self is inclined or not.
This is the business of the hereafter and this is substantiated in Qur’aan:
يَا أَيُّـهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تـِجَارَةٍ تُنْجِيكُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ ،
O THOSE WHO BELIEVE, SHALL I TELL YOU ABOUT A TRADE THAT SAVES YOU FROM A PAINFUL PUNISHMENT?[1]
Similarly, there is great effort in farming and cultivation. The farmer makes so much effort merely based on hopes. It is said:
اِنَّ الدُّنيا مَزْرَعَةُ الآخِرَة
The world is a place of tillage (and reaping) for the hereafter.
So why does a person become frustrated with this business and farming (spiritual) and why does he complain that the heart is not inclined? (He does not complain when it is related to worldly business and farming but complains when it comes to making effort for his spiritual development and benefit in the hereafter).
