WHO SHOULD ONE LISTEN TO? HAZRAT MOULANA MASEEHULLAH (رحمة الله)
WHO SHOULD ONE LISTEN TO – Majlis held by Hadhratjee (رحمة الله) in Lahore, Pakistan, in October 1986
Who is the person speaking, and what should he be like? Also, what should be the condition of those who are listening?
To listen to all and sundry [i.e. every Tom, Dick an Harry], and for such persons to deliver lectures, is contrary to the rules and principles in the Quran shareef. The principle in the Quran shareef is as follows: That person who has in him two qualities, can be listened to without putting forward any whys? and wherefores?, any ifs and buts. Proof of this is in the Quran shareef. In Surah Yaseen, in the second ruku, Allah Taala has related a qissah, which, briefly, is as follows: Zate Bari Taala sent two Rasuls to Antioch for the hidayet (guidance) of the people. As on previous occasions in the past, the habit of the people was to oppose any Rasul sent to them, and to harass such a Rasul, to such an extent that a Rasul would be killed as well. The people were not prepared to listen to the haq (truth). When batil (falsehood) becomes so forcefully ingrained, then the ears and the heart cease to place any importance to the words of Haq Taala.
So, this community also opposed these two Rasuls, and were on the point of killing them. At this point Zate Bari Taala sent to them a third Rasul, in order to support and assist these two. However, the community behaved in the same manner to this third Rasul as well. A youth, Habeeb Najar, a carpenter, had brought iman on the guidance of these Rasuls. He lived some distance from the town. When he came to hear that this is the manner in which his community was behaving towards these Rasuls, the poor fellow, overcome with dread, came running to their aid and protection. He said,
He said, 0 my people! Follow those who have been sent! Follow those who ask of you no fee, and who are rightly guided.” S.36 A.20-21
As if to say, 0 my people! What has happened to you that you are opposing these Rasuls? There is absolutely no reason for opposing them, but, on the contrary, the opposite should be the case. That is to say, looking at it from the worldly point of view, there are two qualities, hubbe mal (love of wealth) and hubbe jah (love of fame/ prestige), where a representative may do a certain piece of work for these objectives. Both these qualities are based on selfish and personal motives. And these Rasuls do not have these selfish motives. Their shan (dignified and noble status) is this that they desire no remuneration. They are not asking for any compensation. They desire no material return for their service. They are inviting you purely for the cause of Lillahiyet, for your own welfare. They are calling you to what is a protection and safeguard against danger, and is a means of attaining benefit. And they do not ask for any material reward or compensation, which would be obstacles to listening to such individuals.
Individuals expecting material benefits may be suspected of doing so for personal gain. As we see these days that there is a flood of fund-raisers. If the villagers come to know that this person has primarily come to raise funds, and the waz (lecture), etc. are merely incidental events, then they may even sit and listen to the talk as an act of politeness, but nobody is prepared to listen with the heart. Some, who are free in their speech, will finally even voice this thought, Maulana! When this was your purpose, then why did you make us sit so long, and vex us unnecessarily? You should have said that you have come to collect funds for such-and-such a madrasah, and we would have given you whatever. So you see! Where did they listen? Everything gone to waste! The monetary motive was detected!
The youth argued further, That is the first point. The second point is that they are muhtada. These are such that they are on the correct Path. They are sahebe-siratam-mustaqeem and sahebe-ihtida. So, they do not possess one quality (i.e. ulterior motives) and they do possess the noble quality of ihtidayet (i.e. being rightly guided), and when the obstacles do not exist, then what prevents you from listening to their message?
We can see that what this youth is saying is absolutely correct, because this is being related by Zate Bari Taala, in that He is saying that one should look at the person to see if he has selfish or ulterior motives or not, whether he is desirous of mal (wealth) or jah (name and prestige). These are two qualities which are obstacles in listening to, and accepting, what a person has to say. When these two qualities have been negated, and they are on correct hidayet (guidance) themselves, then there are no reasons for not listening to them. Also, for greater reassurance, look at their characters and conduct, their dealings, their social lifestyles, etc. In other words, look at them from the aspects of ibadat, muamalat, muasharat, and akhlaq. These are the criteria on which to assess and judge people. And, after being scrutinised, if these qualities are present in the manner they should be, then there is no reason for not listening to them. The presence of these qualities within them will a proof of their taqwa, that they have an extreme level of taqwa. And a muttaqi is one who has solicitude for others in this world and also in the hereafter.
Source: For Friends
