Remembrance of Allah — Page 57
Precautions & Proper Times for Dhikr 57 is the true objective, and worship is accepted only when it is per- formed with that understanding. Then, some people say that with regard to engaging in the , some days they feel costive and on other days they feel much inclined to doing it. Such people should not be troubled. This inhibition happens to every kind of peo- ple. Once a Companion came to the Holy Prophet s as and said, ‘ H u du r, I am a hypocrite. ’ The Holy Prophet responded, ‘No, you are indeed a Muslim. ’ The Companion submitted, ‘When I come in your presence, I behold Heaven and Hell before my very eyes, but when I go home, that condition dissipates. ’ The Holy Prophet said, ‘If you remain in that same condi- tion all the time, you will die’ ( S a hīh Muslim, Kitābut-Taubah, Bāb Fadli Dawāmidh-Dhikri wal-Fikri fil Umūril-Ākhirati wal-Murāqabati wa Jawāzi Tarki Dhālika fī Ba‘dil-Auqāti wal- Ishtighāli bid-Dunyā; Hadith 2750). 13 The fact of the matter is that if one remains at all times in the same condition, then the capacity to advance and make progress would be impaired. It is for this reason that, at times, God Almighty lowers a person from his true status to make him advance beyond his previous station by leaping ahead; and simi- larly, He sometimes raises him to a higher station. One particular thing should, however, be remembered regard- ing costiveness, and that is that one kind of it is good and another kind is bad. The difference between the two can be recognized by setting a standard of deriving pleasure. For example, there is a stage one and above it are stages two, three, four, and five. Now, if some person is at stage two, and diffidence takes him to stage