Understanding Your Purpose on Earth – Surah Ali-Imran 3:190-191

June 8, 2021 November 4, 2021

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This Article Has Been Translated

Spanish

From the Realities of Mawlana (Q) as taught by Shaykh Nurjan Mirahmadi

A’uzu Billahi Minash Shaitanir Rajeem
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the rejected one
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil ‘aalameen, was salaatu was salaamu ‘alaa Ashraful Mursaleen, Sayyidina wa Mawlana Muhammadul Mustafa ﷺ. Madad ya Sayyidi ya Rasulul Kareem, Ya Habibul ‘Azeem, unzur halana wa ishfa’lana, ‘abidona bi madadikum wa nazarekum.

Haji Shahid, surah (chapter) 3, 190 and 191. Surat Ali-Imran, 190-191, this has to do with tafakkur (contemplation).

“A’uzu Billahi Minash Shaitanir Rajeem Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.”

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ ﴿١٩٠﴾ الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَى جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ ﴿١٩١﴾

3:190-191 – “Inna fee khalqis samaawati wal ardi wakhtilaafil laili wannahaari la Aayaatil liulil albaab. (190) Alladheena yadhkurona Allaha qiyaman wa qu’odan wa ‘ala junobihim, wa yatafakkarona fee khalqis Samawati wal ardi, Rabbana ma khalaqta hadha batilan subhanaka faqina ‘adhaban nar. (191)” (Surat Ali-Imran)

“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for People of the Door/people of understanding. (190) Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and Contemplate the creation in the heavens and the earth, [saying], Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly/in vain; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (191)” (Family of Imran, 3:190)

Sadaqallahul Aliyyul ‘Azim.

People of Tafakkur Recognize Signs Around Them and Within

Sadaqallahul Aliyyul ‘Azim wa barakah Rasulul Kareem (The Most Generous Prophet). The immensity of ayatul kareem (the generous verse of Holy Qur’an), that these are the people of tafakkur (contemplation) that Allah (AJ) describing. That in Surah Ali-Imran 3:190 to 191, ‘Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alteration of night and day are signs for the people of tafakkur, Ulul Baab (Gatekeepers of the Reality).’ The people who carry the trust of the gate of knowledge. That their whole life is about all the signs upon the horizon and within themselves.

﴾سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ ۗ … ﴿٥٣

41:53 – “Sanureehim ayatina fil afaqi wa fee anfusihim hatta yatabayyana lahum annahu alhaqqu…” (Surat Al-Fussilat)

“We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth…” (Explained in Detail, 41:53)

Tazakkiroon – Those Who are Always in Divine Remembrance

And tazakkiroon, that this is the important part and Allah (AJ) now describes who these people are of the Ulul Baab. ‘Tazakkiroon, whom they remember Allah (AJ) often’ and then Allah (AJ) describes ‘They’re remembering Allah (AJ) while they’re standing while they’re sitting and even when they’re sleeping on their sides, they’re in zikr (Divine remembrance) of Allah (AJ).’

So, they’re not regular people. They’re not that guy and this guy. They have to be from the people of zikrullah (remembrance of Allah). And such a zikr, such a state in which Allah (AJ) said, ‘They stand, they sit they sleep, they’re making zikr.’ (Holy Qur’an, 3:191)

People of Contemplation Understand the Immensity of Being Heedless

So, already this is the characteristic of these people and they contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth. And they confirm within their reality, Allah (AJ) didn’t make this as a game because there lies the secret, is that Allah (AJ) is very serious about this creation. I mean, this is not a joke.

This is not Allah (AJ) playing. And that’s why then the next verse, “Subhanaka Allahumma.” ‘Ya Rabbi, Glory be to You and save me from fire and punishment.’ Why, ‘Save me. Glory be to You and save me from fire and punishment’? Because they understood the immensity of being heedless in what Allah (AJ) created, thinking, ‘Oh, this is a joke. We just play here and then we go there.’ And they understood that, ‘No, no, there’s going to be an immense punishment.’

Our Life’s Purpose is to Understand Allah’s (AJ) Immense Glory in His Creation

And the whole understanding of what Allah (AJ) has created of this creation has to be understood, has to be glorifying Allah (AJ). The immensity of what power He has put into it, the detail in which He put into it – this is our whole life’s purpose, is to stop and to see the Glory of Allah (AJ) in the immensity of what He has created from samayi wa fil ard (in the heavens and on earth). And as a result, they fear Allah (AJ) that there be a punishment upon them for not knowing what Allah (AJ) has created of the bounty of this creation. So, that has to go with the people of tafakkur, the people of zikr.

And this is the purpose of the shaykhs, to bring these people – tazakkiroon – the people of zikr, back to this understanding because this creation going to be punished. Can you imagine Allah (AJ) put all this might, all this majesty, all this beauty into all this creation and the ending is “Subhanaka faqina ‘adhaban nar”? That, ‘Glory be to You’ and protect us from any type of punishment because we didn’t recognize how much You put into this, how much beauty You put into this creation, how much immensity You put into this creation. None of it was a joke. All of it was immense realities, immense purpose. And that was the purpose of my existence, was to come and to understand what Allah (AJ) has created and what Allah (AJ) has given as a bounty upon my soul and upon my reality.

The Reality of the Bayah is Your Call to Allah (AJ)

Then, they bring you to the bayah (allegiance). That Allah (AJ) then wants those people. These people whom they should be understanding this reality, ‘Call them back.’ And the bayah then is the reality of, ‘You heard.’ You heard the call to Allah (AJ). You heard it. You feel it in the zikr. You feel it in the knowledges that you’re understanding and you’re getting and your bayah was to come back to Allah (AJ), come back to the hand of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ and understand your purpose. Understand the purpose of this creation. What’s your role in this creation?

﴾إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ اللَّـهَ يَدُ اللَّـهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ ۚ فَمَن نَّكَثَ فَإِنَّمَا يَنكُثُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِمَا عَاهَدَ عَلَيْهُ اللَّـهَ فَسَيُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا ﴿١٠

48:10 – “Innal ladheena yubayi’oonaka innama yubayi’on Allaha yadullahi fawqa aydeehim, faman nakatha fa innama yankuthu ‘ala nafsihi, wa man awfa bima ‘ahada ‘alayhu Allaha fasayu teehi ajran ‘azheema.” (Surat Al-Fath)

“Indeed, those who give Bayah (pledge allegiance) to you, [O Muhammad] – they are actually giving Bayah (pledge allegiance) to Allah. The hand of Allah is over their hands. So, he whoever breaks his pledge/oath, only breaks it to the detriment/Harm/loss of himself. And whoever fulfills their covenant (Bayah) that which he has promised Allah (AJ) – He will grant him a great reward.” (The Victory, 48:10)

And this is all the Glory of Allah (AJ). This is the reality of Islam; not that this is just a passing game. We just sort of live it, enjoy it and in the end, we have something maybe good in store for us. But was to understand the deep reality and the purpose of this existence. And this would give us the greater understanding of our eternal existence.

The Shaykhs Guide by a Curriculum Set By Allah (AJ) and Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ

So, the bayah then was to live a life like that. Then in the end, you put your hand out and confirm also to your nafs (ego), ‘This is my life.’ But you already have an inner calling. You’re following it, you’re understanding, you’re listening to the zikrs, you’re listening to the teachings.

The shaykhs are there to make it to be real. They have a curriculum set by Allah (AJ) and Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ and by their awliyaullah (saints) who are guiding them. They are not on a crash course and they’re not doing anything random. Everything is on a ship moving on a course with a curriculum, and the curriculum is to bring people to that reality, inshaAllah.

Subhana rabbika rabbal ‘izzati ‘amma yasifoon, wa salaamun ‘alal mursaleen, walhamdulillahi rabbil ‘aalameen. Bi hurmati Muhammad al-Mustafa wa bi siri Surat al-Fatiha.

Special thanks to our transcribers for their help with transcribing this suhbah.

Original Date of Suhbah: March 11, 2021

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