Certainly certainty

Bismillah.

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah. It's been a very enlightening weekend. As we witness and reflect on our surroundings, we can appreciate life better and become more mature in our thinking and disposition.

I learned something important at the majlis ta'lim with Shaykh Fahmi Zamzam al-Maliki tonight. He expounded on a couple of aphorisms from Al-Hikam. I'm not sure how to share all the details because it was pretty deep. Maybe next time. For now, this is one key message from the majlis hosted by KL Ba'alawi.

We all know the virtues of seeking knowledge from an 'aleem. We are told to go out and seek knowledge as much as possible. But Shaykh Fahmi said we should also "go take certainty from people of certainty." 

We think we have heard it all, we have read it all, we know so much, but the truth is that we still don't have certainty (yaqin). If we were certain about our faith, we would have acted differently, it would have translated into actions. But nay! We're just talking, reading and listening, more talking, reading and listening and not acting enough. And we go about our daily business thinking akhirat is still far away. It is near said Shaykh Fahmi.

We may have iman (belief) but we may not necessarily have yaqin. Yaqin is iman that which brings forth actions.

We know and believe the virtues of praying 2 rakaah fajar that it's worth more than this world and its contents. But we don't have enough yaqin, that's why we are still reluctant to do it.

If we had the certainty that each word we say and write will be taken into account by Allah, we would be more careful. We would be more wary of each word we utter and write but because we don't have that certainty about Allah watching and listening, we don't really care, do we?

Once again, this is the key message from Shaykh Fahmi Zamzam al-Maliki.

For now, I am certain I'd like to go on a hiatus for a week, maybe more. Until then. Bi-iznillah.