'The Barriers from Al-Mohaimen are four' (qasida 5:16)

This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about the barriers that cuts off the Moslems' relations with Allah [Al-Mohaimen which is a name of Allah that means the Dominant who controls everything]. We need to know these barriers in order for us to be able to avoid or rectify them in our path to Allah.

This section started with a question from one of our viewers, which he sent to the Discussion page. We then found out that it is a big issue that needs more extensive discussion. We found a book made out of a research conducted by a group of brothers which took them 2 years to complete. This book discusses this subject extensively from the point of view of sayyidi Fakhreddin because it was made with the help of some of his older companions. The book's title is "al-Morshid al-Wagis" which means [the summarized guide].

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What would you do, if you were in my shoes? 4

I went out to the street and I was distracted… what do I do? Should I go to my friend and admit to him what happened? or stay with my pride and arrogance. I was trying to cross the street, waiting for the cars to pass and looking for an opportunity to cross the street. As our streets need an acrobat to cross it, and the cars do not wait for the pedestrian crossing. I looked right and left waiting to cross, then I saw an old man leaning on his cane and desperately trying to find an opportunity to cross the street, but the cars did not slow down for pedestrians. I went up to him and asked him if he needed help crossing the street, and he said “Yes, my son… may Allah protects you and enlightens you way”. I held his hand and waived with my other hand for cars to slow down, but some stopped to let us cross, others insisted on passing before us. I got very angry and started to scream at them with curses and insults. But the old man pressed on my hand. I swallowed my insults and looked at him. He said to me “calm down”. I said “don’t you see how disrespectful those drivers are!”. And he said with a smile “it is because they have no good driver to drive them” I surprisingly said “Drive them, in what way?” he said “every one of us, humans, has a driver, some are driven by a respectful one, some are driven by the devil, and some are driven by their own heads. Thank you my son for helping me crossing the road, Salamu Alikom”. I answered his Salam while I was still amazed with what he told me, and as soon as I got back my attention and looked around me, he was completely gone as if he disappeared.

I kept walking and his words were still in my ears: of those who are driven by a devil, a respectful person, or by their heads. I said to myself “Oh my, oh my, oh my, this man came especially for me. Undeniably, I am one of those who are driven by both, the Satan and my evil inclined self. They are riding me and controlling my life and my afterlife. They drive me to any direction they want and I am blindly following them”. I, unconsciously, started cursing both of myself and the Satan loudly, until I finally noticed that people were looking at me as if I was crazy. I guess they were right, because what is happening to me is an absolute craziness.

I called my friend and asked to meet him, so he invited me to his house. When I arrived, I timidly entered and sat down for a long period of time without saying a word. He noticed my stress and tension and asked me “what’s wrong?” I was impatiently waiting for his question to tell him everything had happened in details since the last time I left his house until today. I felt a big relief and all of my anxiety and distress were removed. I said to him “Firstly, I want you to forgive me for what I said about you, and secondly, I need to understand what happened?” he looked at me and said “let’s begin with reading al-Fateha for blessing and may Allah help us understand”.

After we read the Fateha he said:

When Allah, Almighty, created us, He, Almighty, made us two paths to choose from, the first one is a safe path [straight path] and the second one is a remorseful path [the path of hell].

We learned through Allah’s prophets and messengers that what is mostly wanted from humans is to follow the straight path that leads to paradise. Satan is doing a great work to seduce and attract people to the other path, remorseful path, by beautifying it and making it easy. Moreover, Satan is working to draw away those who chose to follow the straight path.  [He said: Now, since you have sent me astray, I will assuredly lurk in wait for them on Your straight path] al-A'raf 7:17. His job here is unlike his job there, for those who are following the straight path he is trying to make them hate going this way and direct them to the path of regret by praising it and illustrating the non-existed advantages that may fool them. We always recite in al-Fateha [Guide us in the right path. The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your blessings, those who have not incurred You displeasure, and those who have not gone astray] Amen. al- Fateha 1:6-7.

Now, who are those whom Allah has blessed? Allah says in His Holly Book [And whoso obeys Allah and the Messenger are among those on whom Allah has bestowed His blessings, namely, the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. And excellent companions are these] an-Nisa' 4:69.

So those who obey Allah and His Messenger. They are the ones who were blessed, and whose path is surely the straight path. They call people to the straight path. Whoever believes in them and follows them, they will teach him how to walk the straight path and stay onto it. They will teach you how to challenge any obstacles of worldly life, subjectivity, self, and Satan. You will find that they follow the same path, although they may be different, themselves, using different methods, living in different eras, and have different messages. They are still having the same approach which is [there is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is his Messenger].

Those are the respectful drivers that the old man, the one you helped cross the street, has referred to.

He asked me: Are you following me? I said “Please be patient with me … I think I now know why my life was turned upside down, and it is because I was following my head, and not a respectful leader. But can you explain more, please!”

He said to me “there is a famous saying that says: If you do not know Allah, then know those who know Allah, and if you do not know those who know Allah, then know those who know them”.

I asked him “I now need to know who I should follow? You are saying that there is only one path to Allah, but there are so many religious people appear on TV, and many others in mosques and they all say different things. I have nothing else to say except … what would you do if you were in my shoes?

Written by Ahmed Abbas

Translated by Shayma Bassyouni