How Past Deeds Will Come to Life – Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullah alayh)

Do not entertain the doubt that, how are we going to rectify the Namaazes which we have already executed? Take note that when soul comes to it then it will come to all. The reason for this is that we see the effects of Tawajjuh Ilallah [turning to Allah Ta’ala] in even former actions.

اُولئِكَ يَ بَُدِِّلُ اَللهُ سََيَِِّئََاتِِمْ حََسَنَا تَ

“These are the people whose evil deeds Allah Ta’ala converts to virtuous deeds.”

The former vice changes to virtue.

In the Hadeeth Shareef it appears:

اَلإسْلمُ يَ هَْدِمُ مََاكََانَ قََ بْ لَه

“Islam effaces all sins previously committed.”

Just see, the current practice asserts its effect on former actions.

When soul and essence come into your current actions they will spread to your past actions as well. The mystery in this is that actions in so far as their effects are concerned are inextricably tied to the agent [the person who carries out the deeds]. The agent is the location of the actions [i.e. the actions stem from him] and the location is found in the present time. Therefore, the actions/deeds are also present in the present time. Where are they in the past, for one to become sceptical?

Although, the deeds have left, their effects still remain. And, in reality deeds are these effects because the verbal sense is merely something subjective and extracted. Thus, the conclusion of the infinitive is the actual action which is an effect. And, this effect lasts. It is for this reason that the Ahl-e-Kashf [those to whom Allah Ta’ala reveals certain transcendental realities] see external forms of deeds. A person came to the Majlis [gathering] of Hazrat Uthmaan (Radhiyallahu anhu) having gazed at a na-mahram woman. Hazrat Uthmaan said: “What is wrong with people; they come to our gathering with their eyes dripping with zina [fornication]!”

Similarly, when a person carries out an act of Taa’at [obedience unto Allah Ta’ala] an impression which the Ahl-e-Kashf recognise, is left in him. The Farishtas [Angels] learn of the past deeds by looking at the Book of Deeds, whereas for the Ahl-e-Kashf the   person himself is a Book of Deeds. Hazrat Ali (Radhiyallahu Ta’ala anhu) echoes this in the following quatrain:

دَوَائُكَ فَِيْكَ وََمَا تََشْعُرََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََ

وَدَائُكَ مَِنْكَ وَََمَا تَ بُْصِرَََََََََََََ

(Your remedy is within you, yet you do not realise.

 Your malady comes from you, yet you have no eyes.)

وَتََْسَبُ اََنَّكََ جَِرْمٌ صََغِيَََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََْْ

وََفِيْكَ اَنْطَوَى اَلْعَالََُ اَلأكْبَََََََََْ

(You think of yourself to be a small mass,

whereas in you unfolds a huge universe.)

وَاََنْتَ اَلَْكَِتَابُ اَلْمُبِيُْْ اَلَّذِىَََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََْ

بََِحْرُفِه يََظْهَرُ اَلْمُضْمَرََََََََََ

(You are the manifest book,

from whose words are revealed mysteries.)

فَلَ حََاجَةً لَََّكَ فَِِْ خََارِجََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََََ

يَُُبُِِّْ عََنْكَ بََِِا سَُطِِّرَََََََََََََ

(You have no need therefore for any outside apparatus,

to disseminate information about you of what is recorded.)

Thus, it is as if you are a manifest book yourself. It appears in the Qur’aan Majeed:

وَوَجَدَُوْا مََا عََمِلُوْا حََاضِرًا

“They will find the deeds they carried out present.”

Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ya’qoob Saheb (Rahmatullahi alaih) [the Ustaad of Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi] also gave a Tafseer for it. The popular Tafseer is: مَكْتُ وْبٌَ فََِِ اَلصََّحِيْ فَة (written in the Book of Deeds). However, Moulana would say: “The very actions carried out will be present,” as the words denote. Thus, on the Day of Qiyaamat [Resurrection] people will find all their deeds present.

A question arises here: How will such deeds return that have terminated? Muhaqqiq Dawwaani responded by contending in his treatise ‘Zowraa’ that deeds in reality are substances. Hazrat sent the treatise to me. Perhaps the intent was that Hazrat approved of his [Muhaqqiq Dawwaani’s] research. Wallahu A’lam! I cannot

say for sure because Hazrat did not state anything. I perused the treatise. I cannot comprehend how deeds are in reality substances. Yes, this much I do understand that in Qiyaamat there won’t be the verbal sense. On the contrary, according to the statement of Moulana Muhammad Ya’qoob Saheb the effects of those deeds will assume external forms and appear before the people gathered on the Plains of Qiyaamat. Allah Ta’ala has created its similitude here, viz. the cinema. Just as past events are screened at a cinema, similarly, on the Day of Qiyaamat these [actions and deeds of ours] will be screened. For instance, a thief will be seen there in the act of theft; a fornicator will be seen in the act of fornication. In short, whatever effects of deeds are accumulated in a person all will be seen in the form of external actions there. A person’s hands and feet will speak and reveal whatever he did like how a gramophone speaks [and how the speakers of the host of modern gadgets speak].

There is a story of a zaani [fornicator]. He committed zina and was having a ghusl [bath]. The water was flowing out into the street-gutter. A Buzrug [Saintly person] happened to be passing by. He looked at the water and commented: “Zina is flowing in this.” Someone asked: “Hazrat! How do you know that a zaani is having a bath?” He replied: “I see a picture of zina in every drop of water.” So Hazrat! The effects of all deeds are produced in one. Thus, all forms of Salaat previously performed are present in a person. Thus, by virtue of this Salaat in which soul is breathed, soul spreads to all.

Look! When light is reflected on one mirror, then this mirror illuminates all the mirrors in front of it, provided that there is no obstacle. The picture that comes on one mirror is reproduced on all. Similarly, if there is potential in the previous Namaazes then too Rooh will reach them, as echoed in this verse:

“One sun shines on a thousand glasses.”

It if for this reason that I say there is an essential need to preserve the external form. However, don’t be contented with only the appearance. Make an effort to bring Rooh to it as well. And what is that Rooh?

اَقِمِ اَلصَّلوة لَِذِكْرِيَْ

“Establish Namaaz for the sake of My remembrance.”

It is the Zikr of Allah Ta’ala. Now, each person should see if there is Zikr in his/her respective Namaaz.

Extracted from:
THE ESSENCE OF TARAAWEEH (condensed)
Hakeemul Ummat Mujaddidul Millat Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi
(Quddisa Sirruhul Azeez)

Translated and Published by:
Jamiatul Ulama Gauteng