Progress in Accordance to One’s Effort

Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned the following:

When inviting people to come out in the path of Allah Ta‘ala for Da’wat and Tableegh, then don’t tell people, “Give us three days, or give us five days, or give us seven days.” Rather, tell them, “This is the path of deen. How much time you are able to give, you should give, and according to how much you strive, that is how much you will benefit.”

The reason is that there is no beginning point or end point in this effort of deen (rather, throughout one’s life, one should continue striving for deen). This effort of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) surpassed the effort of all the Ambiyaa (‘alaihimus salaam) (as Allah Ta‘ala caused the deen of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), the kitaab of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and everything that is connected to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and his effort to be the greatest in the world).

Therefore, the one night and one day of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) (which was directly connected with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)) was such that Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) felt that his entire life’s good deeds could not reach it. Hence, what limit can there be to the benefit and progress that one can make through connecting himself with this effort of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)?

This effort can be compared to a gold and silver mine. The more you will dig and go deeper in it, the more gold and silver you will take out (i.e. the more you strive, the more benefit you will acquire).” (Malfoozaat Hazrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) pg. 92)

Note:

The night of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) which Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) regarded greater than his entire life’s good deeds was the night when Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) remained with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in the cave of Thawr during the hijrah. It was during that night that he served Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) alone with honour and tried his level best to protect him against the kuffaar. It was also on that night that Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was bitten by a snake while remaining in the cave trying to protect Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).

The day of Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) which Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) regarded greater than his entire life’s actions was the day when Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) fulfilled the command of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) to send the army of Hazrat Usaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) out in the path of Allah Ta‘ala in jihaad against the Romans. After Rasulullah’s (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) demise, the Muslims faced many challenges (of certain people turning apostate, others not wishing to pay zakaat, etc.).

On account of these challenges, the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), including Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), did not wish to send the army of Hazrat Usaamah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) immediately, but rather wished to send it later on. It was only Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) who stood firm and fulfilled the command of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) immediately. Thereafter, when Hazrat Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and the other Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) saw that Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was on the haq, they all followed him.