Allah said to Hazret Ibrahim, alayhi salaam [peace be upon him], “Enjoy Allah.” Do not get me wrong and enjoy yourself (your nafs [ego]). Enjoy Allah. Every moment is a special moment. This moment is the moment that is yours. You do not know what is going to happen the next moment. Why worry about the moment that is already gone? You need to evaluate, value this moment. And to be happy, try to enjoy Allah now. Find something to enjoy Allah now, no matter how desperate the situation looks like for the world, how agonizing it is to watch this and that, and no money, despair, still you can find something to enjoy Allah and the minimum is breathing.
And for each person We have tied what they are supposed to do on their neck as a sign for them, and on the Yawm al Qiyamah [Day of Resurrection] We will bring out a book, which they will find openly shows everything (they have done). (Al Isra:13)
Watch out for your breathing. When you are breathing, find out the zikr [repeated remembrance with contemplation], how you are saying when you are breathing in: “Al-lah”, when you are breathing out: “Hu”.
Now enjoy the covenant that you have made, because that is the great achievement! (Al Tawba:111)
Now, once you establish this, you do not have to keep saying “Allah-Hu”. You know it is Allah-Hu but enjoy that breath. Especially in the summer, a cool breath, isn’t it wonderful?
Isn’t it wonderful to be able to breathe? Isn’t it wonderful to be able to see? Isn’t it wonderful to be able to walk, to move? Isn’t it wonderful to be able to eat, even if it is a piece of bread? When you are very hungry, that piece of bread is like baklava to you.
He spread out the earth, and He brought forth its water and its pastures, and He made the mountains as anchors, to furnish enjoyment for you and for your cattle. (Al Nazi’at:30-33)
Ahh, nice tea, it is Allah’s Grace. I enjoy Allah when I am drinking this tea.
He will cause you to enjoy a good state for an appointed term. He gives His bounty to those who are themselves bountiful (and thus deserve it). (Hud:3)
So find something. I just gave you the minimum. Enjoy your breath. Enjoy your taste. Enjoy your taste. Enjoy your taste. Enjoy your peace. Enjoy your work. How can I enjoy my work when I have to work hard and deal with the customers and this, that? This is what I do. I say, “Here comes Allah in this person and they want a sandwich this way, this particular way Allah likes. He gave them taste buds so they can like this food this way.” Okay, so I give them that. And then, when I am working hard, I am always with Allah because if Allah did not give me the power to work hard, how could I work hard?
Then, on that Day, you will surely be questioned concerning the blessings you enjoyed. (Al Takathur:8)
This is an excerpt of the Online Saturday Sohbet given on June 14, 2008 by Murshid Shaykh Taner Vargonen Ansari and edited for this article on 16 November 2020. The translation of the Qur’an verses are also from Murshid Shaykh Taner Vargonen Ansari.
This is part 5 of a special series on how to live with Allah. Did you miss the previous parts? Please click below to read the previous one:
Experiencing Allah
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