Summary of discourse by Shaykh Abdul Mueed Saheb (Hafizahullah) of Sukkur – Pakistan
Saturday, 28 March 2020 – Khanqah Maseehiyyah, Sukkur, Pakistan
Life is now restricted to the walls of our homes. The roads to the Haramayn Sharifayn are closed and Masjids around the world have suspended the congregational Salah. In the past, whenever a calamity, illness or difficulty would befall a person he would turn his attention to the Masjid or travel to the Haram Sharif and through sincere repentance would rekindle his spiritual link with his Creator. Through this he was able to overcome the difficulty with the grace of Allah Ta’ala.
Today the very places where we seek our solutions and respite have been closed upon us. Know that the closure of the Masjid is due to our ingratitude, disregard, disrespect and dishonour for the house of Allah Ta’ala.
Everyone in the same boat
Now that everyone is in the same position, as the entire world is facing the same crisis, we have only one road to go forward and that is to return to our Creator in sincere repentance, make amends and repair this broken relationship. Whilst the doors of the Masjid are closed, Allah Ta’ala is ever-present and is not contained to any space or time. He is All Hearing and All Knowing and indeed He listens and He responds. Allah Ta’ala is closer to us than our own souls.
The door of Taubah is always open
The doors of Allah’s mercy and repentance remain open. As we have seen, it is possible for the doors of the Masjid to be closed, but the road to repentance remains wide open. The Masjid serves as a spiritual powerhouse where people congregate for Salah. Apart from this each person enjoys a personal relationship with his Creator, and the opportunity to repair that relationship exists even now, despite the circumstances.
The reason we have been spared
We know Allah Ta’ala destroyed many nations in the past because of their disobedience. Today we are safe by virtue of the Dua of our beloved Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. We should not be emboldened to be disobedient because of this.
Sin depletes our protection
The more we sin the less we are protected from difficulties. Take the example of a little child, as long as the child remains close to his mother he feels safe and secure, but the moment he drifts away from his mother’s protection the child will feel insecure. Even a little child who doesn’t have much understanding can perceive this fear. He understands his safety lies in remaining close to his mother. Similarly a believer feels insecure when he drifts from the obedience of Allah Ta’ala. The more we drift away from Allah Ta’ala, the more insecure we will be.
We have the key to reopen the doors
The keys to reopen the doors of the Masjid and the Haram Sharif are in our hands and that key is sincere repentance. The condition is that this repentance must be honest, genuine and truthful – not temporary and farcical. Without honesty and truthfulness this repentance will not be complete.
Sincere repentance means many things
Repentance means I am seeking sincere forgiveness for my wrongs, it means I will leave all sin, it means I will not deliberately sin in the future, it means I will fulfil all obligations to Allah Ta’ala and to people. Have these realities entered the heart with our taubah ? If this reality has permeated our hearts, then this is sincere repentance, otherwise it is lip service and we remain where we are. If a person inadvertently slips despite sincere repentance, then he repents again, like we continue washing our hands when dirty.
Door open till death and sun rising from the west
Once a person reaches that point of life where the veil of the hereafter is lifted and he sees reality, repentance is not accepted. Also, we learn from Hadith that when the sun rises from the west no taubah will be accepted.
This virus is nothing
The size of this virus is one thousandth of a spec, it has absolutely no power or ability. It is a creation of Allah Ta’ala and can be muted by Allah Ta’ala in a moment. So let us sit in seclusion, recount the favors of Allah upon us, become obedient to the Giver of these bounties and do not rebel against the Giver. Reflect deeply over the purpose of our creation and relook at our goals and objectives.
To please Allah is very easy
When the regret of disobedience overcomes the heart of a believer, whilst he is still processing his remorse, and has not yet verbally expressed his regret and repentance to Allah Ta’ala, Allah Ta’ala being fully aware of his inner feelings forgives him by virtue of the state of heart alone. Such is the mercy and compassion of Allah Ta’ala.
May Allah make us from those who turn to him sincerely.
Source: https://muslimsfirst.wordpress.com/2020/03/31/coronavirus-the-door-that-always-remains-open/
