A Sinner Enters a Masjid – Hazrat Maseehullah رحمه الله

By Hazrat Maseehullah Khan Sahib رحمه الله

It comes in the Hadith sharif that when a mu’min bandah sets out to perform his namaz and he reaches the door of the masjid then the mala’ikah attempt to stop him from entering. The reason being that he had committed some sins previous to this. And sins constitute filth and pollution. Now, how can the mala’ikah allow such a person to enter the masjid, the Royal chamber of Allah Ta’ala, in this condition? He thus asks Allah Ta’ala…

To digress a bit: The communication between Allah Ta’ala and the mala’ikah is instantaneous. An instant also is a time period, but here there is not even a time period. To illustrate this let us take the wireless (radio). These modern inventions make it easier to explain and understand. How much time does it take to communicate by radio? It is virtually instantaneous. Very early on I was in Pakistan. I had not as yet travelled by plane. Somebody took me to see a plane. When we were there I asked one of the officers, “I have heard that when a plane is flying a person can speak to another person flying in another plane. How does this work?” He said, “Quite right. Wait, I’ll show you.” He informed somebody of what he was going to do and then placed the earphone set on my head. He reassured me, “Do not worry, Hadratji!” There were four or five others standing there. A conversation then took place between the other party and myself. Not even a second’s delay. Do you understand? Here there may still be fractions of seconds involved, but communication between Zate Bari Ta’ala and the mala’ikah does not even involve that much of a delay. This illustration of a wireless has been given merely to make one understand.

To continue: The mala’ikah says, “How can I allow him to present himself in Your Royal chamber in this condition, contaminated with filth as he is?” One is prone to commit some sin or other, a “big” sin or a “small” sin and become besmeared with “big” filth or “small” filth. One’s inner condition is known to the mala’ikah. If somebody were to be summoned by the wazir for a social meeting would he go wearing clothes which have stains and blotches? Obviously not. The wazir will see only the external, but Zate Bari Ta’ala and the mala’ikah know the inner condition as well.

That is why it is written about a person intending entering the toilet: There are mala’ikah with him – these are the Kiramin-katibin, one on the right side and one on the left side. The one on the right side writes down the nékis (good deeds) and the one on the left writes down the sins. These are the C.I.D.’s, the detectives, who watch over all his actions. If only one can have this awareness all the time it is also an achievement. Subhanallah! That these two mala’ikah are performing the work of C.I.D.’s is referred to in the Qur’an Sharif in the following ayat:

”When the two Receivers (guardian angels) receive (him), seated on the right hand and on the left, He uttereth no word but there is with him an observer ready.” (S.50. A. 17-18)

Therefore, on the day of Qiyamat every atom of good deed and every atom of evil that has not been washed off with the waters of taubah, will be presented in one’s Book of Deeds (Namah A’mal), as Allah Ta’ala states at another place:

“And whoso doeth good an atom’s weight will see it then And whoso doeth ill an atom’s weight will see it then.” (S.99.A.7-8.)

Allah Ta’ala is reminding us, warning us.

In The Toilet

To continue: It is written that this person now enters the toilet. He thinks that he is now alone in the toilet and that there is nobody else there, because the mala’ikah Kiramin-katibin do not enter – they remain waiting outside. He now thinks of Allah Ta’ala just in his heart. Because it is not permissible to make the zikr of Allah Ta’ala in the toilet with one’s tongue, he thought of Allah Ta’ala, he remembered Him and he made His zikr just in his heart. On the other hand, if he did not do this, but he thought to himself that there is nobody present. Even the Kiramin-katibin are not present, so he indulges in some self-enjoyment, playing and stimulating himself. He then comes out thinking that nobody is aware of his self-indulgence. Now, we find there are experts at physiognomy – those who claim to assess a person’s character merely by looking at his face – this being so, then how can the Kiramin-katibin not know what he did while he was in the toilet?

So, when he leaves the toilet, and he had remained in the toilet with nékies, as in the first instance, then the mala’ikah on the right will write down nékies for him, even though he may not have said anything with his tongue, the zikr of Allah Ta’ala having been made in his heart. The nékies of the heart are written down. If, on the other hand, he performed some unbecoming and indecent act while in the toilet, the person having the misconception that he is alone and that nobody knows about it, then the mala’ikah on the left will write it down. Do you understand? If this awareness exists that nothing can be concealed, then jalwat and khalwat are equal. Then being in seclusion or being amongst others would have the same significance! Is my voice reaching you? Jalwat and khalwat will be the same. Who is there present in the toilet with him? Even though the Kiramin-katibin are not present in the toilet yet they write down one’s activities. They are such.

To continue: This person is proceeding to the Royal chamber of Allah Ta’ala i.e. the masjid, when he is stopped from entering by the mala’ikah.

The mala’ikah says, “How can I allow him to present himself in Your Royal chamber in this condition, contaminated with filth as he is?”

Immediately the order of Allah Ta’ala is given, “O mala’ikah! Lift up the sins that this person is laden with! Remove the filth that is in him and on top of him!” Do you see the bounty of Rabbul-alamin, of that Being Who is our Sustainer and our Nourisher?

The mala’ikah immediately removes his sins. The person now enters the Royal parlour of Allah Ta’ala, the masjid, in a pure (pak) condition. This is something to ponder over. The moment the filth of his evil actions has been lifted from him, he enters and he performs his namaz, in whatever manner. He then departs from the masjid, but the mala’ikah is waiting for him on the outside. He has no option.

He then asks Allah Ta’ala, – this is from Hadith sharif – “The impurity (na-paki) which I had lifted from him, shall I settle it on him again?”

Haq Ta’ala replies. “When you have lifted off from him his sins, why burden him again? Throw them away!”

Do you see? Allah Ta’ala has stated…… Allah Ta’ala has made it compulsory on Himself to show mercy. Can you see the application of this incumbency? Is this not an act of love and affection? Does it not behove us to sacrifice ourselves on His orders?

Source: For Friends