IF SOME CALAMITY OR MISFORTUNE BEFALLS US WE SHOULD NOT BE WORRIED BECAUSE IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT, ALLAH TA’ALA GRANTS MUCH GREATER BOUNTY.
Hakeem Muhammad Akhtar Saheb رحمه الله Commentary of the MATHNAWI Of Hazrat Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi رحمه الله
My Shaikh, Maulana Phulpuri (Rahmatullah Alaihe)
once told me a story about a certain saintly man. His
maidservant, having seen him for quite some time eating
chicken and dressed in splendid clothes, began wondering:
“What kind of Holy man is this who at all times lives a life of
comfort and never experiences any difficulties?”
The maid servant informed the Shaikh about her doubts, “Sir, I
have heard that the friends of Allah Ta’ala are made to bear
great difficulties and calamities while on His path. Thereafter,
they are blessed with the great bounty of His friendship. But I
see you at all times eating chicken and dressed in splendid
clothes”. The Saint on hearing these words uttered one sigh and
replied, “Remove the clothes from my back”. When she lifted
the clothes from his back, she saw a huge running sore on his
back which was continuously discharging pus. This sore was a
constant source of great pain and trouble for the Shaikh. Seeing
this, the servant became quite ashamed and asked for pardon
for her misconception.
Thus, we see that there are times when the saintly ones
will joke and laugh. They will sometimes wear splendid
clothes, eat splendid food, accept the invitations from friends
and people will press and kiss their hands and feet but ask their
hearts what passes through them:
“On my lips there is always a smile and my eyes too are not
wet with tears,
But, the continuous tears of my heart, no one knows.”
Lesson
From this story, we learn that if involuntarily some
calamity or misfortune befalls us we should not be worried
because in exchange for that misfortune and sorrow, Allah
Ta’ala grants much greater bounty. Sometimes, a small calamity
saves from a major calamity.
However, one should not seek misfortunes or wish for
calamities but should at all times pray for well-being: “O Allah
Ta’ala, we are weak and do not possess the strength to bear
misfortunes. I beg You for general well being.”
When we pray we should always pray for Aafiyah (well-being)
but should also remember that whatever conditions Allah
Ta’ala sends over us we should be satisfied therewith and
should also at all times pray that Allah Ta’ala keep calamities
far away from us.
Ma’aarif- e -Mathnawi
