Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
Hazrat Hanzalah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) says:
Once, we were seated in the gathering of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) when he delivered some advices. Our hearts became soft, our eyes were flowing with tears, and the reality of our condition (in deen) dawned upon us.
Thereafter, when the gathering was over, I left and returned home. I sat with my wife and children and we began to speak about things of the dunya. I joked with my children and wife, and suddenly I realized that the effect of Rasulullah’s (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) advices had completely vanished from my heart.
I thought to myself that my condition was no longer what it had been while I was seated in the gathering of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and I said to myself, “O, Hanzalah! You are a munaafiq (hypocrite – one who claims to be a Muslim outwardly but conceals disbelief in his heart). The reason is that when you are with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), then your condition is different, and when you come home, then this is your condition!” I was extremely worried and I left my house repeating these words in sorrow, “Hanzalah has become a Munaafiq!”
I saw Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) coming towards me and I told him, “Hanzalah has become a Munaafiq!’ He said, “Subhaanallah! What are you saying? Hanzalah can never be a Munaafiq!”
I explained to him, “When we are with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and listen to his talks about Jannah and Jahannum, we feel as if both are in front of us, but when we return home and are busy at home with our wives, children, farms and other worldly occupations, then we forget all about the Aakhirah”. Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said, “My condition is exactly the same!”
We both went to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and I said, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! I have turned Munaafiq!” He asked what I meant, and I said, “When we are seated in your gathering, and you speak about Jannah and Jahannum, then we feel as though they are right in front of us. However, when we leave you, return home and get involved with our wives, children, and worldly occupations, then we forget about the Aakhirah.”
Thereupon, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “I take an oath by Him who controls my life! If your condition remained at all times, exactly as it is when you are seated with me, then the Malaa’ikah (angels) would greet you while you are in your beds and walking on the road. However, O Hanzalah, a person’s condition will fluctuate, and at times one will feel more spiritually motivated compared to other times (in other words, there will be times when your heart will be spiritually motivated, but do not lose hope when you find your motivation waning).”
Note:
A person will have human needs, and he will need to fulfil these needs as well. Eating, drinking, and looking after one’s wife and children are also part of the essential needs and responsibilities of life. For this reason, the state of spiritual elevation occurs sometimes, and cannot be maintained all the time. One should not hope for this spiritual elevation to be maintained all the time, because it is only the angels who can do this, since they have no human needs to attend to. The angels have neither wives, nor children, nor any concerns for earning a livelihood, nor for anything else to do with this world.
As for the human being, then since he always has human needs to fulfil, his condition fluctuates and he cannot remain upon one condition at all times.
Nevertheless, the point for us to ponder over is that the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) were so concerned about the change in their condition when away from Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), that they actually thought that they had turned hypocrite.
The poet says:
عشق است وہزار بد گماني
When a person is overcome with love, he tends to have a thousand doubts and worries (when dealing with their beloved – Allah Ta‘ala)
When a beloved son is away, the loving parent will be perpetually concerned about his safety and wellbeing. If the parents have to learn that the area where their son has travelled to has been afflicted by a plague or some other problem, then only Allah Ta‘ala knows how many letters and calls they will make (to ascertain the condition of their beloved son).
(Fazaa’il-e-A’maal [English] pg. 53-54 [Urdu] pg. 40-42)
