This was delivered by Habib Kazim al-Saqqaf and translated by Shaykh Haroon Hanif in Peterborough on 28th December 2009.

In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate

All praise to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. And salutations and greetings upon our master Muhammad and upon his family and companions.
I intend to study and teach, take and give a reminder, take and give benefit, take and give advantage, to encourage the holding fast to the book of Allah and the way of his messenger, and calling to guidance and directing towards good hoping for the countenance of Allah and His pleasure, proximity and reward, transcendent is He.

 If the believer is not reinforced with the understanding of this life, he will be mistaken with both. This light comes from Allah ta’aala but lights from the believer. If you do not acquire this light you will be mistaken. Allah ta’aala has made deception a test for the believer. In many ayahs (verses) of the Qur’an, Allah ta’aala has repeated that this world is full of deceptions. And he comprehends this life that it is manifest. The light of Shariah law percept’s that this world if a field and we work for the next life. The best of us is who lives a long life and excels in actions. The righteous and pious love to have a long life as their rank will increase. Allah ta’aala has placed many beautiful things as a test. It’s for the world itself not the people. Allah ta’aala has beautified this world and the next but these things shouldn’t act as a veil to getting closer to Allah ta’aala. Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa salam) told us supplications to remind us of the next world. That is why He (salallahu alayhi wa salam) told us to read a supplication when we experience divine favours. By these dhikr we have been taught we won’t be engrossed to this dunya due to its blessings, but we’ll be close but won’t forget our goal. Allah ta’aala loves those who are persistent in supplication.

Compare all of the acts of worship in the same manner. When we eat food we should seek blessings and seek for something greater than this. This is the food of Jannah. Others say that better than this is the food of the heart and soul. We should do this by worshipping Allah ta’aala. Others interpret it literally as more of the same thing like MILK. Those who take the literal interpretation take it as a reference to milk. You’re asking for sustenance to the soul. There is no comparison between the food of the two worlds. Construction and taste of the food is different. One taste of the sweetness of the food of Jannah will flow through and last for 1000 years. Every pleasure of Jannah is better than the pleasure of this world. Only the name is similar. There is nothing in Jannah that human/man can conceive. Anything that you reflect over is going to be different. Anything you can conceive of Jannah is going to be completely different. In this world fruits grow by cultivating with water. Rivers are Rivers that is the only comparison –by name. When we compare the pleasures and we see the generosities then we see that, “The world is a prison for the believer and paradise for the non-Muslims.’ (Hadith). We will then realise.  Everything that the Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa salam) said about Jannah is a reminder regarding the tastes of Jannah.

When a believer looks at death it is not fearful emotion but seen as a retirement from this world. And he moves onto a greater world. Through this light we can have the comprehension on life after death.  This existence is filled with opposites. Allah ta’aala has populated this world with divine attributes and placed wisdom that He can understands. Maybe we will be able to comprehend it; because of this a believer looks at things with benefit. The believer has an illuminated light which shows goodness. The believer sees it as a path full of light and a path leading to the akhirah. The believer doesn’t look at it with the eye of the body but with the eye of the heart. Through this light in the heart a believer begins to realise the existence of reality. In the womb we went through states but we have forgotten about it. This life is longer than 9 months depending on the lifespan. The immediate life in the grave will be the same, but longer in length. If we are in a state of happiness and worship in this world, it will determine our next life. This third stage is the most important stage of our life. It depends on everything.

Verses talk about this life of deceptions and others as reflections. For a believer this life is a benefit existence. He becomes acquainted with RasulAllah (salallahu alayhi wa salam). He uses this life so he can taste the favours and love of the next world. This existence requires a light in the heart of the believer to pass through this existence safely. The believer who sees with the inner light sees this as a passage and prepares for the next life.  This world is just a taster. With this light the believers will see the reality and see what Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wa salam) saw of this world. In the aspects of breathing and drinking and eating, a non-Muslim and a Muslim are no different but the states of worship change – the closeness to Allah ta’aala is the difference. The true difference is the state of worship. If a human being is occupied with worship he will see the reality and deceptions. Belief has to be sound.

Any mistakes, errors or misinterpretations of words are from me. Please correct me when you spot any mistakes.