|
A Delayed Response of Dua
By Imam Ibn al-Jawzee
While talking to
himself Ibn Al-Jawzi was blaming his soul in a gentle way. He said: I found
myself in trouble, and so I made Du'aa (supplication) consistently, all the
while requesting relief and comfort. The response to my Du'aa seemed to be
delayed, and so my soul became disturbed and worried.
However, I rebuked it saying, "Woe unto you; look attentively at yourself, are
you the one possessed or are you the possessor? Are you the one that is
controlled or are you the controller? Are you not aware that this world is the
abode of tests for you? If you desire that your goals be fulfilled and become
impatient when they are not, then, where is your test? Is it not the ultimate
test when you get the opposite of whatever you desired?
"So, (dear restless soul) try to understand the meaning of the word 'Abd
(slave), and whatever is dear to you will become worthless, and whatever is
difficult will become easy." After it deliberated over what I said, it became a
little appeased.
I informed it that I had a second argument for it, and so I said, "Allah (subhana
wa ta'ala) is a necessary requirement in order for any of your aims to be
fulfilled; yet you do not exhort yourself to work for His pleasure. This is
ignorance, as the matter should have been opposite to what yohu desire,
primarily because you are the one possessed. (You should note) that the mindful
'Abd should make sure that he fulfills the rights due to the Master, and that it
is not necessary that He (SWT) gives to Al-'Abd whatever he desires or loves."
It made it quieter yet I then mentioned that I had a third argument for it, and
so I said, "You are under the impression that the response to your Du'aa has
been slow; yet you were responsible for this because you closed the door of
response (to your Du'aa) because of your constant sinning. If, however, you open
the door [by developing Taqwa (piety) for Allah (SWT)], then the response (to
your Du'aa) would arrive quicker, because having Taqwa for Allah is the cause of
all comfort."
Allah (SWT) said: "...And whoever fears Allah and keeps his
duty to Him (Taqwa), He will make a way for him, to get out (from every
difficulty), and will provide for him from sources that he never could imagine…"
[At-Talaaq:2-3]
Therefore, understand that if you do not develop this Taqwa for Him (SWT), the
result will be different from what you expect. Woe is me from the drunkenness of
mindlessness which became stronger than any other drunkenness in confronting the
soul's aims to prevent them from reaching its hopes. It (the soul) knew that
this was the truth, and so it became more tranquil still.
I said to it, "I have a forth argument for you, and it is that you seek a
particular answer (to your Du'aa); yet you are not aware of the consequences
that would result (if you were granted what you desire) because what you seek
might be to your detriment. In this state you are like a feverish child asking
for candy.
"(0 soul) be conscious that your Master is more aware about
your well-being than you are." As He (SWT) said: "... And maybe you will dislike
something that is good for you…" [Al- Baqarah:216]
When this became clear to the soul, it became more tranquil still. I then said
to it, "I have a fifth argument for you, and it is that your demands would
lessen your rewards and would reduce your status (with Allah). However, if you
would request that which is good for your eternal abode (the hereafter), it
would be better for you. (O soul) it is crucial that you understand what I have
explained."
It said, "I meandered in the garden of your explanation, and as such I wandered
when I understood!"
Back
|
