'Let it be known that Allah's people always do good deeds' (qasida 62:11)

This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about the the people of Allah who are the people who are constantly preoccupied with Allah

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The love of Power

Money and Power are the pillars of the worldly life. Money possesses of the useful properties, whereas power possesses the hearts and make them willing to obey and glorify. The one who entertains power possesses people’s hearts, so he is able to make use of these people. He is able to turn people willingly and happily into slaves. The more submissive those hearts are, the more powerful he gets over them, and the more power he exercises, the more happy he gets. This is simply what power is. 

It has been said that when sayiddina Umar ibn Abdel-Aziz became the Muslim khalifa, he summoned Salem ibn Abdullah, Mohamed ibn Kaab Al-Qurzy and Raja’ ibn Hayua. He said to them “I have been bestowed in a test. Give me your advice!” 

Salem said “If you want to be safe from Allah’s hell, renounce in this worldly life until death!”

Mohamed said “If you like to be safe from Allah’s torture, consider the eldest Muslim a father, the middle-aged a brother and the youngest a son! Respect your father, be generous to your brother and be tender to your son!”

Raja’ said “To be saved tomorrow from Allah’s hell, love for all Muslims what you love for yourself and hate for them what you hate for yourself! Then, you can die peacefully”.

Prophet Mohamed’s uncle, Al-Abbas, once asked him to rule over a state. Prophet Mohammad replied (O, uncle, ruling-over a state is a regret and sorrow in the day of judgement. So if you can avoid being a ruler, then do!)

Prophet Mohamed says (I am so much worried about my people from hypocrisy and the hidden desire which is as hidden as the footsteps of a black ant on a massive rock in a dark night). 

Scholars and worshipers, who seek the afterlife and work hard for it, are tested for their love of power. As hard as they try to defeat their selves, sustain from desires, and push themselves to worship, their selves fail to crave for a clear sin related to organs, so they start seeking a relief in pretending goodness and alleging work and knowledge.  They find a refugee from the hardship of self-Jihad in the pleasure of being accepted and admired by people. So they tend to show people their good deeds, not satisfied with it being known to Allah. They are happy with people’s appraisal, not just with Allah’s. Usually, when people know that someone abandons desires and struggles in worship, they praise him generously, look up to him, ask for his blessings and prayers, follow his advice and consultation, greet and serve him, be generous to him in all places and assemblies, excuse him in selling and dealings, prefer him to themselves in food and cloth, and humbly submit to all his intentions with respect. In all of these, the self finds a pleasure which the greatest of all pleasures and a desire which the greatest of all desires. This results in one’s rewards for obeying and good deeds being lost. The seeker or the scholar will be considered by Allah as a hypocrite, while he thinks that he is close to Him. This is a trap for the self. The true believers are the only ones saved from it.  Therefore, it has been said that the last thing that comes out of the true believers’ heads or hearts is the love of power. 

The scholars, who said that, did not say it according to the understanding of the common people rather they said it according to the intention of the high ranked of the people of Allah. They want to show us that Allah has hidden many things in the self and He is the one [Who bringeth forth the hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knoweth what ye hide and what ye proclaim] al-Naml 27:25, i.e. what shows out from you and what is hidden in you, that you do not even know about. So Allah will keep showing His worshiper what he does not about himself that Allah has hidden in it. So people of Allah say that the last defect to come out of the self is the love of power and when it come out they see it and start to love it just as much as Allah want them to. The best power is the power coming from Allah.

The power originates from one’s being famous. Fame is not recommended, unless Allah makes someone famous for the sake of religion.

Anas said that prophet Mohammad [PPBUH] said (The most evil thing that can happen to anyone, except for some one who is protected by Allah from bad things, is people’s admiration of his religion and worldly life. Allah only looks at your hearts and deeds, never to your looks).

Sayiddina Ali [AHHF] said “Degrade yourself, do not be famous, do not promote yourself to be remembered, learn in hid, and keep silent to be safe. This way he will please the saints and disappoint the dissolute and bad people”.

Allah condemned those who love power, when he said [This is the Home of the Hereafter! We give it to those who desire not self-exaltation or corruption in the earth ] Al-Qasas 28: 83.

He also says [Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter; to them We shall repay in full  their deeds therein, and they will have no diminution therein. * They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire; and vain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which they used to do] Hud 11: 16,17.

This verse also applies for the love of power, for it is the greatest of all pleasures. Prophet Mohammad [PPBUH] said (Like beans that grow because of water, hypocrisy grows in heart because of the love of power and money). He also said (Like who fast can two wild wolves ruin a sheep barn, so can  the love of power and money corrupt a Muslim’s religion). 

The reason why people love money and gold is the same as why they love power; they both are means for all lovable self-desires. Because they share the same reason, they are both loved the same way and power is superior to money in three things:

1) Obtaining money through fame is easier than obtaining fame through money. If a famous scholar or worshiper wants money, he can easily get it from those whose hearts are captived to him. However, if a mean person finds a treasure and tries to reach fame through his fortune, he won’t be able to do so. Power is a means to attain money, so it is more preferable. 

2) Money can get lost or be stolen, and thus, it needs guarding and protection. Power, however, is safe and protected by those submissive hearts which are kept safe in themselves. 

3) Power grows and increases easily with no work or exhaustion. When a heart believes in someone’s perfection in worship or knowledge, the tongue will exaggerate in praising and defending him so that others start believing in him and so on with no certain stopping. On the other hand, if one has money, he can not increase it unless he works hard for it. 

Now you know that although power is controlling the hearts, it is still part of the worldly life and is left with death.

As some money is essential for food, drink and clothing, some power is necessary for man to live among people. As man needs food and money that purchases it, he also needs a servant, a friend, a teacher or a guardian who protects him. Man’s love for someplace in the heart of his servant to serve him well, his companion to keep him good company and help him, his teacher to guide and take care of him, and someone with power to protect him is not resented. You should know that the love of power which leads to the fulfillment of physical duties is not condemned. But the love of power which exceeds the physical needs is the one condemned. However, the one who loves power will not be described as a disobedient or dissolute, unless his love makes him fall into sin. Reaching fame and money through worship is unfair to religion, so it is prohibited and that is what is what makes the meaning of hypocrisy. 

You should also know that if the love of power possesses someone, he will be obsessed with pleasing people. He will watch every word and every action in order to have more prestige among them. One has to cure his heart from the love of power by thinking of the dangers that people with power are exposed to in this worldly life. Usually, they are envied by others, intended to be harmed, and always afraid of losing his power. All of these spoil the pleasure of power. Therefore, the cure from point of view of knowledge is in paying no attention to the worldly life.

However, the cure from point of view of work is in renouncing the power over people's hearts by doing actions, which one will be blamed for, to fall from their eyes and lose the pleasure of their approval. Then, solitude starts to become preferable. You also have to know that the love of power can not be abandoned unless one abandons greediness. One can also have help in the words of the righteous people and their biography.

One very important note is that the brotherly love between all brothers and sisters in Allah is not part of love of power, because is has to be just for Allah with no other reason, neither worldly nor afterlife one.

Edited by Nadim

Translated by Nahed

Whoever wants to get more about this, can browse the pages of Sufism in the official site of tariqa Burhaniya.

The Editors Team