“LEARN FIRST THEN RETREAT”…You Have not heard of it!- Saying of Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir Jeelaani

“LEARN FIRST THEN
RETREAT”…You Have not heard of it!

An excerpt from
an address by Shaiekh Abdul Qaadir Jilaani,

رحمة الله عليه

from the book

THE
ENDOWMENT OF DIVINE GRACE AND SPREAD OF DIVINE MERCY

[Al-Fathu Rabbani]

A true Seeker/Gnostic [Saalik] who practices
what he knows solely for God’s [Allaah Kareem’s] pleasure can be likened to the
anvil of a blacksmith. You hammer [away] on it, but it does not say a word. He
is like the ground on which you walk, a farm which turns upside down and
rotates its crop, yet it remains silent.

Such true believers see no-one besides God
Almighty. They hearken to no-one other than Him. They have souls but no tongues
with which to speak. They are concealed from themselves as well as from others.
They thrive in secret. Only if God wills does he unfold them, like the pages of
a book, and reveals them to others and make their souls tongues that speak.

As though they were intoxicated or numbed, the
King carries them unto His Divine Presence with the hand of His Mercy and Compassion,
reclaims them, restores them, and recreates them for Himself, and no-one else.
He reshapes them again to be His servants, just [as] He refashioned [Prophet]
Moses [Alaiehis Salaam], when he said unto him:

“I MADE THEE FOR MYSELF
(TO SERVE). THERE IS NOTHING LIKE UNTO HIM, AND HE IS THE ALL-HEARING, THE
ALL-SEEING LORD.“

He will be reborn into tranquility without
effort, peace without hindrance, blessings without wrath, joy without hate,
sweetness without bitterness, a king without destruction.

To one who reaches that state, comfort will
hasten towards him.

However, in your current condition you cannot
experience such tranquility because this world is the abode of distress and
plague.

Therefore, it is imperative that you walk away
and let your heart be free from it. Should your hand not be able to let go of
it, then keep holding it, but get it out of your heart.

Once you become stronger, then release it from
your hand and give to the poor, the needy, and the indigent ones. Make it a
gift to all the dependents of God Almighty.

Despite that, your share will still come to
you. It has to come by Divine Decree, whether you be rich or poor, renunciative
[ascetic self-denial] or desirous. What matters is the correct attitude of your
heart and innermost being and their charity. They become pure and clear as you
become more knowledgeable, practice what you learn, become sincere in what you
do, and become a truthful seeker of God Almighty.

Child, have you not heard the saying:

“LEARN FIRST THEN
RETREAT.”

First learn the outer jurisprudence, then
retire to contemplate it’s inner meaning. Practice the prescribed law so that
your deeds may bring you to comprehend a knowledge of that you were unaware and
have not practiced. 

This outer knowledge is the light of that which is
manifest, and inner knowledge is the effulgent light of the innermost reality.
It is a light linking you and your Lord and Cherisher. The more you put your
knowledge into practice, the shorter your path to your Lord, and the gate becomes
more open between you and Him. Your personal door will become wide open and the
bar will be removed for you.

“OUR LORD, GRANT US THE
BENEFITS OF A GOOD DEED IN THIS WORLD, THE REWARD OF A GOOD DEED IN THE
HEREAFTER, AND PROTECT US EXTERNALLY FROM THE SUFFERINGS OF HELL-FIRE.”

AAMEEN!