Malfuzat – Volume I — Page 35
Malfuzat - Volume I 35 them. Hence, from the very outset, Allah the Exalted has given us a teaching of righteousness and bestowed upon us a book, which also provides counsel on how to develop piety. And so, let my community grieve, more than anything else, over whether they possess righteousness or not. Live a Life of Humility and Modesty It is necessary for the righteous to live a life of humility and modesty. This is an aspect of piety by which we must combat undue anger. To refrain from anger was the final and most trying stage experienced by many a great saint and the Truthful. Vanity and pride stem from anger; and in certain cases, anger itself is the result of arrogance and conceit. For anger comes about when an individual gives superiority to themselves over another. I do not desire that members of my community should consider themselves superior or inferior, behave arrogantly, or look down upon one another. God knows who is superior or inferior. This is a form of neglect that reeks of contempt. I fear that this contempt may grow like a seed and ruin such a person. Certain people meet those of high standing with immense respect, , but truly great is the one who listens to a lowly person with humility, comforts them, gives importance to their opinion and does not rebuke them in a manner that would cause them grief. God Almighty states: وَلَا تَنَابَزُوا بِالْأَلْقَابِ بِئْسَ الْاِسْمُ الْفُسُوقُ بَعْدَ الْإِيْمَانِ وَمَنْ لَّمْ يَتُبْ فَأُولَبِكَ هُمُ الظَّلِمُوْنَ Do not call one another by nicknames. Bad indeed is evil reputation after the profession of belief; and those who repent not are the wrongdoers. Do not call upon one another in a hurtful manner out of irritation. For this is the way of the sinners and the transgressors. A person who scoffs at another shall not meet death until they too are subjected to the same. Do not look down upon your brethren. When all drink from the same stream, who knows which of you are destined to drink more than the other. Worldly definitions cannot afford a person honour and greatness. In the sight of God Almighty, great is the one who is righteous. 1 al-Hujurat, 49:12