Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Hazrat Shaikh Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned the following in a letter he wrote to a certain Aalim who would refer to him for his islaah (self-reformation):
Cautioning someone about refraining from certain sins does not mean that the one who is cautioning him feels that the sin is found in him. Rather, the purpose for cautioning is to warn him against the plots of Shaitaan who is the enemy of man. Hence, it is vitally important to alert people about the sinister plots of Shaitaan and make them aware of it.
The famous saying of the Mashaayikh (the elders of Tasawwuf) is:
آخر ما يخرج من قلب السالك حب الجاه
“The last spiritual sickness to leave the heart of the saalik (one traversing the path of self-reformation) is the sickness of love for fame and position.”
As for people like us, who are referred to as the people of knowledge (the Ulama), then it is extremely necessary for us to refrain from this spiritual malady, because when this malady enters the hearts and takes root, then to remove it can be extremely difficult.
You wrote to me mentioning that you do not have this sickness in you at all. This is excellent, and may Allah Ta‘ala save you and save this worthless servant from this sickness, and may Allah Ta‘ala save this worthless servant from bad character and all evil qualities as well.
(Qutbul Aqtaab Hazrat Sheikhul Hadith Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 434)
