Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned the following:
Hazrat Moulana Thaanwi (rahimahullah) carried out a very great work (by explaining the teachings of deen and how people should lead their lives in accordance to the sunnah). It is my heart’s desire that the work of dawat and tableegh that I am involved in should be done in a way that the teachings of Moulana Thaanwi (rahimahullah) be taught in it. In this way, the teachings of Moulana Thaanwi (rahimahullah) should spread far and wide in the world (as his teachings conform to the sunnah).
Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) thereafter said:
When delivering a lecture to the public, one should not go into explaining the wisdom behind the various laws and injunctions of the Shari’ah. Rather, one should ensure that he teaches people the various laws and injunctions of Shari’ah in a way that he impresses three points upon them:
The first point which people should be taught is that when they are carrying out any good action, then their intention should be solely to acquire the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala.
The second point which people should be taught is that when carrying out any good action, then they should have firm conviction in the rewards of Allah Ta‘ala promised to be granted to them in the Hereafter.
Any good action that is carried out for the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala, and with firm conviction in the Hereafter, will certainly benefit one in the Hereafter. The good action will either be a means of one receiving reward in the Hereafter, or it will be the means of punishment being averted.
The third point which people should be taught is that together with this, when carrying out any good action, one should not do the action with the intention of acquiring any worldly benefit which one will enjoy in this world before passing away.
Such worldly benefits (which are mentioned in the Qur’aan and Hadith) will definitely come on their own and be acquired, however they are not the goal and objective of carrying out the good actions. Even though acquiring such benefits is certain, and having firm belief in these benefits is necessary (as they are mentioned in the Qur’aan and Hadith), however at the time when carrying out these good actions, one’s intention should not be for the purpose of acquiring these benefits, rather one should carry out these good actions solely to earn the pleasure of Allah Ta‘ala.
Thereafter, Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) said:
Nevertheless, in a certain place, if there is a need for one to explain some wisdom of Shari’ah for carrying out a certain good action, then there will be no harm in explaining the secret wisdom and hidden benefits behind the laws and injunctions of Shari’ah (which the fuqaha and ulama have mentioned). However, these things should not be explained in every place.
(Malfoozaat Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 46-47)
