Renew the Self Course - Week 4

Asad Jafri

Online Class

Dec. 13, 2021

From Tragedy to Triumph

• To travel from tragedy to triumph a level of khushoo’ خشوع (humility) is required.

  • Jamaal (beauty) of Allah (swt)

    • To be humbled through the contemplation of the Beauty, Love, Mercy, and Compassion of Allah (swt)

    • Love oriented

  • Jalaal (power) of Allah (swt)

    • To be humbled through the contemplation of the Majesty, Power, Authority of Allah (swt)

    • Fear-oriented (you don’t fear because of oppression, but out of respect + not to disappoint)

When you elevate to a high level of spirituality - they are manifested at the same time - one is apparent, and the other is not.

The beauty gets so deep that the jalaal of power is felt through the jamaal of beauty.

• “…for in every beauty there is a hidden glory, and in every glory there is a covered beauty…” Adabus Salaat, ch. 7

• Surah Yusuf:31 (when the ladies cut their hand when they saw Prophet Yusuf (as)’s beauty.

  When she heard their gossiping, she invited them to her house for a banquet and gave a knife to each of them. Then she told Joseph to appear before them. When they saw Joseph, they were so amazed that they cut their hands and said, "Goodness gracious! He is not a mortal but is a charming angel!"

• “…I saw nothing but beauty.” -Syeda Zainab (sa) about the day of Ashura (even though they were tragedies, she saw God’s actions as nothing but beauty).

• 94:6 With difficulty comes ease. إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

• Imam Baqir (as), Mishkatul Anwar, section 7, hadith 1702

  • “For one hoping for a very high + noble position near God, God will make them go through calamities to reach that.”

  • What looks like tragedy to some, may be triumph to Allah (swt). What looks like success may be the downfall in the Hereafter.

How do we work towards achieving this status of seeing the jamaal in an apparent jalaali experience?

1. Dhikr Yunusi (Yunus’s Dua/Supplication)

   1. Laa ilaha illa ant, subhanaka inni kunti minadhaalimeen

   2. لا إِلهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحانَک إِنِّی کنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِینَ

   3. “There is no God except You! You are immaculate! I have indeed ben among the wrongdoers!”

      1. Prophet Yunus experienced 3 levels of darkness. There’s a difference between praising God in the good times vs in the bad times (this time, in the whale)

         1. When you’re riddled by darkness, go back to this dhikr - it’s powerful (read in Salatul Ghufayla)

            1. Side note: The nighttime is when Shaitan tries to take advantage of us the most. The lowest time for us is night (best time: before dawn), which is why night prayer is recommended. Pray Salatul Ghufayla to help improve.

2. The Power of Repentance

   1. The Prophet (s) says: Had you not committed sins and sought the forgiveness of Allah, He would have created others who commit sins and then seek His forgiveness so that He will forgive them. A believer commits sins frequently but repents to Allah very frequently. Listen to Allah’s saying: “Allah loves those who repent and those who purify themselves.” (2:222)

      1. Ethical Role Models, Mahdi Sadr

         1. Allah (swt)’s nature is to forgive. He knows we will sin; what’s important is what comes after.

         2. Sinning should not make you lose hope.

   2. Another hadith from Imam Baqir (as): (from Muhammad bin Muslim)

      1. …Every sin of a Mu’min for which they have repented is forgiven. After repentance & forgiveness, they must continue good deeds. By Allah no one has this merit except the faithful.

         1. What if someone does Tawba and Istighfar and then commits a sin again and again repents?

            1. Imam said: Even then their Tawba will be accepted. Allah (swt) will pardon their sins because He is very kind. He will surely accept repentance and overlook our misdeeds… know that Allah does not make the believer disheartened!

   3. Greater Sins, Ayatullah Dastaghaib Shirazi

3. The Effects of Gratitude

   1. Even though Allah (swt) forgave the Prophet for any past and future sins, the Prophet (s) still prays at night and says (in response to A’ishah), “…shouldn’t I be a grateful servant?”

   2. Surah Taha verse 20:1-2 “Taha. we have not sent down the Quran upon you to cause you hardship.”

   3. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives.

   4. People usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, being grateful also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals.

   5. Gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, have good experiences, deal with adversity.

   6. You can be grateful and uncomfortable at the same time.

   7. Being grateful for what is absent as well as what is present.