The Expansion (Al Bast) and Constriction (Al Qabz) of Imaan

Understand that, we are here, on a business trip on which we are soon to return to our lord and present the results of our transaction upon questioning by the malaika’s (angels) in our graves. The habibul azaam (the beloved of the greatest) explained to us in a sahih hadeeth “I am but a traveller who takes shade under the tree for a while and then gets up and leaves it”.
The wise men of our Ummah give the analogies of this world as that of the business trip.  
We draw on an example to explain this further. Imagine you are working for an organisation of which its influence and power has dazzled and amazed the whole world. One day the managing director calls you in, for a meeting in which he stresses that you will be sent on a business trip. But before giving you the news he clarifies the reasons why he has chosen you, “you are an employee who has been of the mentioning of senior managements for some time now, with regards to the hard efforts you put in, in extinguishing your daily tasks”. Now on hearing all the desirable news he then informs you of his wish to send you on the trip. With the news you turn to leave the room, just as you are about to leave the room, he calls you back in and “since you are going on the trip, here, this is a gift, tickets so that you can take your family, also with the spending money of several thousand pounds. As he gives you all the blessings and shows how he has favoured you, you keep in mind of the importance of the business trip, you are to make. Keeping in mind the real reason as to your trip, the real essence why you are to undertake the trip and also at the same time show gratitude for all this.
Once the trade trip is over you are summoned to the director’s office, upon your arrival he expresses his emotions to you, which are evident from the wide smile on his face. Once the welcoming words are over he asks you the vital question “did you manage to succeed in the task you were destined to do?” your face suddenly changes as that of an animal soon to be eaten, expression which devours the pleasurable moments which you and your family had on the business trip, placing an end to all the joys of the trip, upon answering to his question “I forgot about the reasons for the trip and what I was to do”. His face drastically changes and the end is clear.
Imagine o brother in faith; imagine how it will be on the day every soul shall know its lord, the disbelievers and the believers. Imagine how it will be when we have to face the questioning, the day when no one will be our friend save those who only met and loved one another for the pleasure of the almighty. Surely our time will come to pass one day, just as it has on others, we will also follow the same trail. The name which will be mentioned in mosques that such a person has passed away and the funeral prayer will take place at this time, the world will not come to a halt at our passing away, so understand o wayfarer to Allaah, the cars, the planes will continue to run, the people will continue to laugh and joke, at our demise few will only shed tears for a day or two and then all will return back to their own ways, the people we gave our life for, children, wife, friends will continue to live on.
To clarify this, recall all the events which have occurred in your life from the time of your appearance on this world, to the present day, to the point of you reading this advice. The thirty or twenty years of life is shortened down to 10 minutes, all the events which occurred in your life is of only 10 minutes, if you yourself can not bring the mind to remember your life then forever understand that, this will be the case with others, a few days you and I will be of the mentioning on people tongues, then a month, a year where by afterwards in the distant memories of people, eventually completely to be forgotten about. Upon recalling the name of yours or mine, people who were close will find it difficult is recover the image of you as a person, as it will have been erased from their memories.
Some will stand with respect on seeing your coffin pass by in the funeral car and others will only pay few glances to it and carry on with their activity others will not even take time to spare a glance at your coffin, amongst them might be one or two people who used to know you from the world. This is the reality of the world. So remember not to pledge your allegiance to anyone other than the almighty who is the only deserving of such a friendship. At times family problems are damaging, the relationship to ones kin is slashed and several years passes by which between mothers, and daughters fathers and sons, brother and brother there is no words of kindness passed between each other, take this o brother, as a subtle message from the almighty of the temporal love which exists between people, once the son of Adam has left this world life will continue to live on. In many cases, we will not even be known as to whether we ever existed or not.
This advice you are reading, is the same with regards to it being a knowledge amongst the other knowledge which are temporarily stored in your intellect, then as time surpasses man it will also be erased from your memory, just as other advices and guidance have been, if you do not pay heed and transform it into actions.
As the almighty says:
 By Al-'Asr (the time).
Verily! Man is in loss,
Except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'ruf المعرeف)which Allah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar المنكر)which Allah has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allah's Cause during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism or Jihad, etc.).

So try to do your best before you meet the same end as those you have seen regretting the past, cursing, wishing to change it and crying.
As the saying of the great man syyidina Ali (Radhi’allaah’hu’anhu) is “die before you die”, die in the sense become the full embodiment of Qur’aan and the Sunnah submit your will to that of the almighty. Whatever he wants and ordains for you accept it, as the sultanul arifeen was sent for this very reason. To be followed and to show us the real image of the world.
O believer in the faith that the last and the best of creation preached, ask your self the question, have you really felt the yearning of your soul to change?
This will remain as it is unless; you don’t put it into practice the divine guidance with sincerity. Search for ways in which you can place the advices you hear and read, the conferences you attend, into action as well as purifying yourself, for the outcast and cursed devil was of a great worshipper, we have come to know from the Qu’raan and the Sunnah. The wise men of the Ummah say Satan formerly known as azaazil was the us’tad (teacher) of the many angels (malaika’s), teaching about the mari’fah (gnosis)of Allaah Azzawajal, know now o seeker of truth many fail to understand this point which the Almighty has shown to us. The ilm (knowledge) and the previous (I’badaah) was not a means to his salvation, when he was placed in front of his test with Adam the father of mankind, his nature was evident. This led to his downfall and being cursed forever. The crucial point is, he had not taken the steps to purification, rectification of his heart, Al tazkiyah tul nafs (purification of the heart), as to purify himself from arrogance (kibr) and jealousy (hasad)
Even so if a slave of Allaah has undergone Tazkiyah seek the mercy of Allaah to enable you to enter Jannah (paradise) not the ibaadah and ilm of your efforts. As many great men of previous nations have fallen on this notion that ones actions and ilm will enable you to have guaranteed place in paradise. Nonetheless o Muslim do not let this deceive you, you are required to perform good deeds and then relay on Allaah for your salvation, as examples on this issue is limitless such as the teachings of the most beloved of Allaah and his companions.
Follow the Tareeqah Muhammadiyah (the way of the prophet) for only he is deserving of being followed in the absolute and unconditionally. know that all other ways will be of no use to you once you have traversed the phase of this journey, when all will turn their backs and leave you in the dark, 6 foot hole, none amongst the creation will be willing to accompany you to the unavoidable place, only the one who loves you for who you are with no hidden want. Know that this is the beloved of the almighty. Once while being in the company of his companions he salla’huali’hi’wa’Salam (peace and blessings be upon him) revealed, “I wish I was able to meet my brothers” in reply, the companions said “ya rasulAllah are we not of your brothers”? The syyeddul arifeen answered “no my brothers are those who will come after me and believe in me without seeing me, you however are my companions” (Al Hadith)
Imagine! The best of creation, the one who will intercede for us on the day when our closest companion, our mothers, fathers, our children will run away from us claiming “this day I have nothing to do with you”.
No king, no man of esteem will ever exclaim such words to whom they have no relation to or of no interest.
May Allaah help you and be a means of support for you.

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