A TREATMENT FOR A CORRUPT TEMPERAMENT

An ‛ālim from a central institute wrote: “Tribulations have rendered the hearts asunder. I am finding bitter things to be sweet and vice versa.”
The fact of the matter is that our temperaments and “taste buds” are getting spoilt. Our sense of taste is changing, so no food appears to be tasty no matter how exotic it may be. When a person falls ills, his mouth becomes bitter so he finds everything to be bitter. It is not the fault of the food but his taste buds. Once their health is restored, he will perceive sweet things to be sweet. The way to do this is for the patient to go to a doctor and have his ailment treated. Once it is treated, his sense of taste will be restored and he will get the correct taste of each thing.

In the same way, the temperaments of everyone – the masses and the elite – have become spoilt. Their hearts are totally corrupted. There is a need to rectify the internal self and the taste of the heart needs to be restored. It will be corrected when Imān becomes firmly embedded in it. This is not the work of the tongue, a talk or lecture; it is through the rectification of the heart. What is the benefit in merely writing that sweet things are tasting bitter and vice versa? You should rather worry about rectifying the internal self and embedding the heart with īmān. Then you will see how conditions will change.

It is true that this is an era of rejection. No one is prepared to pay heed to another. This is why difficulty is experienced in the task. How should the task be accomplished?

Maulānā Rūm rahimahullāh says:
If there are thousands who are seekers and just one is a non-seeker, then the Messenger too desists from the messenger-ship.

At the same time, he adds:
Mysteries are known to the knower of mysteries alone. The rejecter does not even consider them to be mysteries. In other words, he does not listen to them with value with which he ought to.
Actually, mysteries should not even be
mentioned to him.
However, (we did not take this obstacle
into consideration. Rather, we acted on
the norm of Allāh ta‛ālā). A call was made
by Allāh ta‛ālā, so there is no question of
accepting it or not accepting it.

Hadrat Nūh ‛alayhis salām invited to
Allāh ta‛ālā for 900 years but his people’s
rejection increased by the day.
Did he stop inviting towards Allāh? Did
he go into solitude in the cave of silence?
Has any caravan turned back merely
because of the noise and barking of dogs?
Did the speed of the moon drop just
because of the howling dogs?
The moon continues dispersing its light
while the dog continues howling. Each
one remains resolute on its nature.

This is because Allāh ta‛ālā decreed a
certain task for each one. Each one is
therefore put to a test according to his
personal capability.

The essence is that man must set right his īmān. He
must develop honesty and sincerity within him, and
remain devoted to his work. It is in Allāh’s hands to
make the conditions conducive and favourable. We
have to continue doing the work and conveying the
truth. The one with true ears will pay heed and make
the intention to reform his internal self. Allāh ta‛ālā
will embed īmān in his heart and reform his internal
self.
Note: By the grace of Allāh ta‛ālā, this is a very
beautiful teaching. We ought to engrave it on our
hearts. This is especially so in the present
unfavourable conditions where governments which
are antagonistic towards Islam are holding sway. It
becomes essential to practise on these teachings.
(compiler)

Hadrat Maulānā Ashraf ‛Alī Thānwī rahimahullāh
related that there was a man who was slicing
cucumbers and feeding them to his attendant. The
thought occurred to him that he should also taste
one slice. The moment he placed it in his mouth, he
found it so bitter that he spat it out immediately. He
asked his attendant: “You are eating these
cucumbers but you are not complaining that they are
bitter!?” The attendant replied: “It will be so unjust to
complain about this one occasion of feeding me bitter
cucumbers when you have been feeding me so many
sweet things for so long.”

Marif Muslihul Ummat 3 – Hadrat
Maulānā Shāh Wasīyyullāh Sāhib
rahimahullāh