Ansaari
Manifest
Chapter 4
The Rights of Neighbors
Discussion
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‘Ayesha, may Allah be pleased
with her, narrated the Prophet peace be upon him saying, “The
Archangel Gabriel Peace Be Upon used to
constantly admonish me about the neighbor (nice treatment of the
neighbors) to
the point that I suspected they would inherit (from me)”.
In another Hadith (Narration)
Abu-Said quotes from Abi
Shorayh who narrated from the Prophet, “By Allah believes not and by Allah
believes not and by Allah believes not”, and people asked, “And who is that O!
Prophet?” and Prophet replied, “The
person whose neighbor is not safe from his
harm”.
Ishārat
(Paradigm)
It is amazing how someone
hears this Hadith (Narration) and
lowers his voice within his own home avoiding disturbance for his
neighbor
though he was saying “I should not stress out my neighbor”, in spite of
his
voice sounding of a good statement he feared violating the thresholds
of this
Hadith (Narration).
And again how amazing it is
for a person who might be unfair
at times, but when it comes to the well being of his neighbor he seeks
the
utmost of justice to avoid any mistaken harm to his neighbor. Bravo!
When a man
builds a home either in high mountains or midst the harsh sorrows of
the rocks
in order to avoid any violation of the neighbor’s rights, fearing the
retributions caused by the ramifications of this Hadith (Narration).
Accepts the loss of this world
with affright of this Hadith
(Narration) and it is no shock to find the person not residing within
any
social setting (to avoid harm to prospect neighbors).
And again in another Hadith
(Narration) Abu Hurairah quotes
the Prophet, “Whomsoever believes in
Allah and the Day of Judgment ought attempt
to annoy his neighbor”.
And in another Hadith
(Narration), “Honor and cherish the
neighbor if you truly believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment (upon
honoring
the neighbor) shall reach Imān
(Faith). Do offer the neighbor your
benevolence
and guard him against your evil”. (Did not have the original
Arabic text so
this translation may not be accurate)
And in the remaining of the
Abu Horairah’s Hadith
(Narration) Prophet said, “Whomsoever
believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment
honors the guest”.
In another Hadith (Narration)
the Prophet implied that: If
the guest stays for 3 days that is a Prize (Jāyizah)
and upon more
days it is
likened to Charity (Sadaqa).
(Continuation of the Abu
Horairah’s Hadith (Narration)) And
whomsoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment either speaks the
good or
stays silent.
Ishārat
(Paradigm)
O! Sālek
(Traveler)
upon the
path of religion either speak
the good or stay silent in order to be saved from the evil of the
speech. You
observe the rights of the one who resides adjacent to you, what about
the
rights of the one who loves you? What about the rights of the one who
prays for
you, wishes well for you? (Your neighbor in heart i.e. loves you and
neighbor
in tongue i.e. prays for you) Appreciate him and offer gratitude to the
Lord
for such a person so you will benefit from him in your heart, manners
and
religion. Know that a good
friend is better than a good deed! Because a
good
friend excuses you (forgives your faults but you become aware of them)
but good
deeds may make you pompous or self-congratulatory.
If you have a good friend be
frolic, else seek one
seriously. Be a true friend do not be a burden. Be a flower not a
thorn. A good
friend in your Din (religion) is precious and if you already befriended
one
such a person endear him.
No matter what the faults (of
your friend), do not drop the
friendship with a good friend. Help the friend to remove the faults but
do not
remove his friendship (due to his faults). Think: You wash the faeces
from the
intestines of animals and make wholesome eatable food out of such
horrifically
dirty object, but cannot do the same for a friend? First sign of a
fault you
are disgusted with him? Indeed you appreciate not the value of a true
friend,
you found him easy thus with ease you let him go!
Lo! Originate not the mention
of a fault from a true good
friend since a true friend has no eyes gazing upon any faults. You put
much
effort to wash the intestines to bring out the good but you put no
effort to
cleanse a friend from faults!? And you boast: I am intelligent, I
appreciate
the value of all things, I have sense separating man from beast… And
when it
comes to the whims and wishes of this world he buys a monkey and cleans
intestines! And once facing a true believer in Oneness of Allah denies
him a
little seed and exchanges his righteous friend in return for a seed of
hay and
barks at him for every little thing. Finally throws upon the gales his
most
endeared possession i.e. a true friends and boasts that I am from the
specie of
Human Beings and boasts that I appreciate the value of a man.
This day, soul-search within
this Hadith (Narration) so that
you will not reach the gates of death without faith. Based upon the
words of
the Messenger of Allah, seek righteousness and truth within your Self
before
your death so you will leave this world in peace and not sinking within
this
ocean (of loveless-ness).
Have no sorrow for this world,
save your sorrow for the Din
(religion). Worry not about the bread instead melancholy for your faith
since
there are much perils upon this path. Be smart since the final judgment
is
quite stiff and the path quite narrow. Be alert since the grave is
tight and
horrific.
O! Lord save us from three
plagues: Whispers of Satan, lusts
of Self and deception of ignorance.
Hekāyat
(Story)
Abul-Hasan Banān,
May Allah
have mercy upon his soul, was
one of the spiritual giants of Egypt. He has said:
“Any Sufi who constantly
worries about his provisions
perhaps is better off seeking daily sustenance (rather than Sufism).
His repose
and calm is his trust upon that which is residing with Allah (his needs
and
wishes). He is more trusting upon that which is promised (hidden) with
Allah
than that which in his own hands! The foundation of this relationship
is upon
the trust. If he is melancholy about daily provisions, then that is
being a well-disguised
beggar, and beggars have no trust (upon Allah). (Because beggars ask
from other
than Allah)
Furthermore he advised to be
away from the lowly behavior,
the same way avoiding the forbidden sins.
Ramz (Secret)
The Sālek
(Traveler)
of this
path (Sufi Divine Love) and the
inner circles of this courtyard (Dargāh),
nurture the jewels of their
innate
essence by means of good wholesome behavior whilst performing good
deeds. The
Sultan of their deeds is the Shariah (Divine Law), Tariqat (Path
towards Allah)
Sultan of their behavior, completing to perfection the benevolent
behavior via
Islamic Attitude and propensity towards faith administrated by Shariah
(Divine
Law). Therefore saved from the whirlpool of Self, tasting the passion
of
Nonbeing and seeing through the “Alternator of the Hearts” (Muqal-libul
Qulub
i.e. Allah) so you can view what your mind was humiliated unable to
comprehend.
There is not but one deity worthy of worship and no deity exists except
Hu (IT).
End.
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Background: Photo by Jacob Holtz.
©
2004-2002, Dara O. Shayda
