Rememberance

Today in evening, as I returned from Gujranwala, a city in Punjab, from the marriage ceremony of a pious and scholarly friend, Allah gave me opportunity of attending a conference of ulema commemorating the life and efforts of Hazrat Khawaja Khan Muhammad, who recently passed out. One observation struck me, for it exactly matched with an intuition/feeling of my own that i personally felt about Hazrat Jee whenever i reflected over his death.

One scholar compared the time of Hazrat Jee's birth and death. "When he came into this world, he was crying in pain, and everyone around him laughed and smiled in joy, or even ecstasy. People were distributing sweets in streets and homes. It was a moment of celebration. Why it wouldn't be, as it clearly was a blessing for this ummah, his birth!

"And when he died - he left this world smiling towards his Rabb, Creator and Sustainer, leaving everyone behind him crying in sorrow!" I feel deprived these days of a shelter and of spiritual support, and it only increases as i hear or read more about what he did for the defense of Finality of Prophet of Muhammad... May Allah give Hazrat Jee highest rank in paradise, forgive him totally... Aameen!

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Later this day, i visited the grand Lahore fort, a place where Mughal emperors (e.g., Shah Jehan) lived, if that's a right designation, excuse me if not. I saw Sheesh Mehal, its extravagantly decorated buildings, swimming pools, courts and gifts for musicians and lady dancers. Actually, i saw the worship of passions of one's self seemed to be at its height in those days in those wretched and dismantled buildings which seem to be haunted by evil spirits (that's the general environment for any sensitive eye)... And now the fools are after safeguarding every detail of it, every painting of lady dancers and those drunken parties, painted on the walls...

Nonetheless. i thought: What comparison between the two histories that I have just mentioned...! Dictionaries would end up if we start describing these two histories - one of taqwa and the other of pangs of power corruption, lustful self-indulgence and what not - yet what would live for eternity would definitely live for eternity. May we have a strong, inner sense of what's useful and what's useless. May it also be reflected in what we think, speak and act upon... May we love Allah "with all our heart, with our mind..."