PATIENCE

 PATIENCE IS REQUIRED IN SEEKING SPIRITUAL PROVISIONS

                     "إستعينو بالصبر والصلاة"

The Great Reformer said: 

  

"Just think over this matter. To acquire the physical provision, without which a man can live at least for some days, a period of no less than six months is required, whereas the life for which this physical provision is required is not everlasting; it is mortal. How can, then, a man acquire the spiritual provision for the spiritual life which is everlasting and eternal, within two to four days (a short time). Although, it is quite true that God can make this provision available in a moment, if He so desires - and I have strong faith in the fact that there is nothing that God cannot do. The concept of God in Islam is not like that of the Aryas - their concept of God is that He cannot create any soul or matter, nor can He grant salvation to His Truthful servants and those who are seekers after Him. The concept of God that Islam presents is that He is Unique in His powers and has no partners. But, of course, the law that He has promulgated demands that things should take shape gradually. That is why if one does not exercise patience and does not think good of Him (i.e. has no confidence in Him) the success will be hard to achieve.

I remember, a certain person came to me and said that the spiritual leader with whom he had been before, could push up a man to the heavens by just blowing on him. I told him that he was mistaken. This is not the law of God. "If you want to have a floor in a room, you have to repair the part of it that needs to be repaired, and you have to clean the place if the dirt is there; you may have even to use detergent. Then and then alone the floor will be laid there. Same is the case with the heart of the man. Until it becomes good enough for God to live in it, it is the throne of the Satan and it is a subject of the kingdom of the Satan. In order to change the rulership of this kingdom, this satanic rulership will have to be brought to an end.

The person who is engaged in pursuit of the Truth will prove himself to be very unfortunate if he does not proceed with his work with a clear conscience, having no misgivings. Look at the potter; he has to take a lot of trouble in making the pots. Look at the washerman; when he begins to cleanse dirty clothes he has to do a number of things; sometimes he warms them and rubs them with the soap; sometimes he has to use other technique to remove the dirt. At long last, the dirt is removed and the clothes become white and clean. If even for ordinary things one has to take a lot of trouble and to exercise great patience, how foolish will be the person who wishes to reform his life and to remove the dirt of his heart and yet he likes all this to be done by just blowing on him.

You should remember that patience has to be exercised for the reformation of one's life".

(Malfuzat Vol. ii pp. 228-229)