Question:
As Salam sayyidi.. sorry for asking such a stupid question.. but i hope to have a clear answer.. what should a commoner(me) do when i already know mahdi is going out in this short time? i mean should i wait in hometown or go into search too? should i start saving money?
again, sorry for this stupid question… and thanks for putting time and effort for us.. may Allah grant you all more then you all had given.. aminn..
Answer:
wa `alaykum salam,
Live, as our shaykhs teach us, according to the maxim of Sayyidina Ali (as) where he said:
اعمل لدنياك كانك تغيش ابدا وعمل لاخرتك كانك تموت غدا
“Work for this life as if you were going to live forever, but work for the afterlife as if you were going to die tomorrow.”
Look at the eloquence in the words. Do for dunya as if you are living forever, but remember you might die tomorrow. So which one you want to look for? So he is trying to say in an indirect way “don’t build your roof with no structure.”Your structure is the `amal you do for akhira in order to build a roof there. ” So that is the balance of Sayyidina `Ali he is giving us a hint.
When you balance you things, it means you are in Allah’s Divine Presence. You will be with that group that is safe on the other side. Al-ma`siyya wujood an-nafs.
“Forbiddens come because of the existences of the self.” Without the existence of the self there are no forbiddens. Because you gave an existence to your ego you gave a strength to sins. If you lose your ego, if you don’t give a chance for the ego. You end up in obedience.
That is why he said, “Al-ma`siyya wujood an-nafs. Wa ta` at fukhdaniha, – “Sin is to give existence to yourself, whereas obedience is to lose yourself.” When you are in obedience you have lost the ego. Awliyaullah want to lose their ego and throw it from their body and soul. As long as you are committing sin, then you have ego. But no one can stop committing sin, except the Prophet (s). we know we are doing sins, but let us try to cut them down as much as possible. Let us struggle. Keep struggling.
Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani
[from suhbat 26 September 2008]
