Flirting with the Rahmat and Maghfirat (Mercy and Forgiveness) of Allah Ta’ala

PLEASURE AND COMFORT
Some people do not make taubah flirting with the Rahmat and Maghfirat (Mercy and Forgiveness) of Allah Ta’ala, whereas the Ahadeeth on Allah Ta’ala’s Rahmat and Maghfirat are for the prospective repentant not to become despondent. Hence it has been said: “Revert, revert, whatever you are, revert! If you are an infidel, fire-worshipper, idol-worshipper then too, revert! This Portal of Ours is not a portal of despondency. Even if you have broken your taubah a hundred times, then too, revert!”
The narrations of Allah Ta’ala’s Rahmat and Maghfirat are not for one to become audacious and shameless; for one to become further emboldened to commit sin. On the contrary, being apprised of the kindness and mercy of Allah demands that one becomes touched and one turns to even more Taa’at and obedience, not that one becomes audacious, blasphemous and disobedient.
In this regard we see that in this world when one person does something good to another then greater love and obedience is shown to the benefactor, not opposition and rebellion.
The thought may creep into some minds that, “really the demand should be as outlined above, but another demand – the pleasure of the sin – dominates the other demand. Thus we find much enjoyment and pleasure in sins. The difficulty in leaving sins is for this reason.” However, if anyone has sound perception he
will understand the fallacy of this notion. The pleasure in sinning is similar to the pleasure one who has scabies gets when itching. There is really no pleasure in this itching; the perceived pleasure is on account of a skin disorder. The slight pleasure is transformed into a burning and painful sensation.

So this is a sickness, like a person bitten by a snake finds even bitter things to be sweet. So no intelligent person will submit to such treatment to make everything sweet for his taste. True pleasure, however, is in Taa’at. Since these sinners have not yet tasted the sweetness of Deeds of the Aakhirat, of abstinence from the dunya and of Taa’at, therefore sin and carnal pleasures seem appealing to them.
Ask Hazrat Ibraheem Bin Adham about the pleasure in the Deeds of the Aakhirat and in abstinence from this world. How did he forsake the pleasure of his kingdom craving instead for the pleasure of the Aakhirat?
Hazrat Umar Bin Abdul Azeez discarded royal garments and sufficed with a poor man’s garments out of that pleasure.

The Sultaan of Sanjar wished to grant Shaikh Abdul Qaadir Jeelaani the Land of Neemroz as a gift. In response Shaikh Abdul Qaadir wrote these verses:
Like the flags of Sanjar let my face be gloomy
If for the Land of Sanjar I have craving any
Since I learned of the Kingdom of the Nightly
I do not desire to purchase the Land of Neemroz for even a grain of barley
To look at the Beloved in peace for a moment only
Is better than the day long surveillance of the kingly
The prince experienced after years thirty
That being occupied with Allah for a moment is better than Sulaimaan’s Monarchy

The reason for this is that these luxuries and comforts are in fact athaab on the self. Thus Allah Ta’ala declares:
“Do not let their wealth and their offspring enamour you. Allah wishes to inflict athaab on them with these in this world.” (Surah Taubah, 55, 85)
Firstly, it is not within one’s power to obtain these things (money and large family) according to one’s wishes. And even if these are obtained then being occupied and tied to these things is another athaab.
In fact, comfort is only in connecting oneself to Allah Ta’ala. “Listen! Only with the Zikr of Allah Ta’ala do hearts find comfort.” (Surah Ra’d, 28)

THE ROAD TO ALLAH
Selected Discourses of Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi
(May Allah illuminate his resting place)