What Makes Special people. What makes heros.
With the name of Allah most Beneficient ever Merciful
Whenever the word freedom is mentioned in South Africa the name of Nelson Mandela comes to mind. He heroically sacrificed the best part of his life for the freedom of his people. Instead of having a few minority white people ruling our country, the indigenous and majority blacks now rightfully rule.
Mahatma Ghandi, another great freedom fighter of recent times, made great personal sacrifices and rightly strived for economic and political freedom by encouraging his people to weave their own cloth and by marching across India so as to make the cheapest of items, salt, so that these necessary items could not be used by others to oppress his people. His passive struggle gained the freedom of his country.
Surprisingly both Mandela and Ghandi’s greatest achievements are not what they are known for. Their greatest achievement was not what they did for the people but it was what they were able to achieve within themselves. (Will come back to this later)
Both were humble people that did not care for material things and both selflessly strived for the benefit of others. They were truly free whether they were in jail or in the presidential chamber. Sadly, few if any, follow and practise what they held dearly.
The prophets and the saints are just like these icons with the exception that they go a step further. Apart from caring little for the world and tirelessly striving for the betterment of others, they teach people to achieve what they achieved, which is to obtain that inner freedom or peace and to make sacrifices for the good of others.
Instead of bringing about large scale social change they strive to change individuals so that when society is made up of fair, honest, just people then automatically there is that true freedom in society.
Such a free society existed in the early years of Islam where almost every Muslim displayed such selfless noble qualities. When the people of Mecca sought refuge in Medina, then each person of Medina adopted a refugee from Mecca and gave him half his wealth. This is being selfless.
Muhammad ﷺ inspired thousands of people to be selfless in his lifetime and still inspires people to be selfless long after he had passed on.
Muhammad’s ﷺ quest for freedom was not just a political one or an economic one but it was a holistic approach that ranged through every aspect of life right from how we are inside to how we behave with our neighbours and finally, how a state should be run.
He even humanised the battlefield. Just as he conquered Mecca without bloodshed so too did Sallahudeen Ayoubi (RA) conquer Jerusalem many years later.
Just as Muhammad ﷺ ruled with justice so too did the four righteous Caliphs after him. With time, humanity always slides into corruption but the teachings of Muhammad ﷺ always inspire some people (saints) towards returning to greatness. These people in turn will inspire others to good and in this way they revive all that is good. Throughout the world and throughout time, these saintly people of his revive the religion.
One such example is that of Hazrath Khwaja Nizamudeen Aulia Allah (RA) who was born about five hundred years later. His “kankah” was more popular than the king’s palace and he distributed food daily. On a daily basis he trained and sent out groups of people to serve humanity. He spread the message of goodwill and caring throughout India and we today still feel the impact of his work.
Our founder and pir o murshid, Dr Hakim Hazrath Khwaja Sayed Shareef Ahmed Ali Shah (RA), fondly known as Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib (RA) is a more recent example.
He gave up his well-paid, secure job as an accountant in the British military to serve humanity. He travelled throughout India and South Africa to teach people the deeper aspects of Islam and train them to serve humanity. He practically showed people the greatness that humanity could achieve and taught them precisely how to do it. Most of the information in this website is derived from his teachings and this is just a small part. The full impact of his work is yet to be realised.
The more important benefits of the work of the Prophets and the saints is not so easily realised because they transform people internally to become God conscious and to achieve self-contentment.
So this inner aspect is about us overcoming our passions and greed to fully liberate ourselves to become the epitome of creation.
This is far more important because this has a bearing on our relationship with our Creator. It is only on the Day of Judgement that their true worth would be seen.
End
Peace and blessings be upon Muhammad Sallallahu Allayhi Wasallam.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi.
The Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi was founded by Dr/Hakim Hazrath Khwaja Sayed Shareef Ahmed Ali Shah RA (fondly known as Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saab RA).
Author: Mohamed Hassan Gaffoor WhatsApp; +27 84 910 1486