1.
God has given you everything that He had.
He has already given everything to you
except the one attribute that remains within Him.
If you understand everything
that has been given to you,
then you will realize
that God alone is your wealth.
And when you understand this,
you will realize
that there is nothing more you can ask for.
Then you will turn your qalb,
your innermost heart, towards Him.
And as soon as you turn towards Him
you will say,
“You, God, are my wealth.
You are my treasure.
You alone.”
As soon as you turn your heart towards Him,
your very breath,
your speech,
your blood,
your thoughts,
everything shrinks to insignificance,
and you will be in direct communion with God.
That state is ‘ilm - divine knowledge.
‘Ilm is the most excellent
and most valuable treasure
that comes of His grace.
We have to reflect on and understand this.
- Shaykh Bawa Muhaiyaddeen -
2.
kallaa! innal insana la yatgha
arraa hu ustaghna.
inna ila Rabbika ruzaa.
arraa hu ustaghna.
inna ila Rabbika ruzaa.
No! Indeed, man transgresses
Because he sees himself self-sufficient.
Indeed, to your Lord is the return.
One of the greatest transgression on part of man is to think himself as self-sufficient, which stems from forgetting that true wealth and true treasure is God alone. Man transgress by considering the sources of other than God as his, her sources of wealth. This is the exactly what the pervasive characteristics of materialism.
The above mentioned three verses of Surah 'Alaq, traditionally considered the first Chapter to be revealed to Prophet Muhammad is quite remarkable and compresses ocean of meaning. The teachings of Bawa Muhaiyaddden as shared in first part of the post can be understood as an explanation as well of the three verses.
Thus considering our self and our life self-sufficient or independent of God, whereas in reality they are fully immersed in everything from God - is what in Quranic language is called, 'zalamtu nafsi' or "transgression against the self."
May God bestow us the knowledge necessary to realize that we are nothing, we have nothing, only God alone is the Source of Treasure and Wealth. So be it, amen.
wa Allahul Ghaniyun, wa antum fuqara
…God is the Independent One, while you are the needy… (The Qur'an, Muhammad, 47:38)
God has given you everything that He had. He has already given everything to you except the one attribute that remains within Him.
If you understand everything that has been given to you, then you will realize that God alone is your wealth. And when you understand this, you will realize that there is nothing more you can ask for.
Thus considering our self and our life self-sufficient or independent of God, whereas in reality they are fully immersed in everything from God - is what in Quranic language is called, 'zalamtu nafsi' or "transgression against the self."
May God bestow us the knowledge necessary to realize that we are nothing, we have nothing, only God alone is the Source of Treasure and Wealth. So be it, amen.
wa Allahul Ghaniyun, wa antum fuqara
…God is the Independent One, while you are the needy… (The Qur'an, Muhammad, 47:38)
O humankind! You are the ones who are indigent to God. And God, He is the Independent, the Praised. (The Qur'an, Fatir, 35:15)
3.
Post Script: All I Have is All You Gave
Only You I chooseamong the entire world.
Is it fair of You
letting me be unhappy?
My heart is a pen in Your hand.
It is all up to You
to write me happy or sad.
I see only what You reveal
and live as You say.
All my feelings have the color
You desire to paint.
From the beginning to the end,
no one, but
You.
Please make my future
better than the past.
When You hide,
I change to a Godless person;
and when You appear,
I find my faith.
Don't expect to find
any more in me
than what You give.
Don't search for
hidden pockets, because
I've shown You that.
All I have
is
all You gave.
- Rumi, translated by: Nader Khalili
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