8.1 Important Reminders

We are getting close to the gates of perfection.

These 100 stations have been divided into 10 stages and each stage contains 10 stations.

It is right about the time that we make sure that our seat belts are fastened. Whether you are young or old – make sure that you not only collect the medicine. The key is to put it into practice.

In practical Irfan the more time we have the better it is

Usually all these stations concern the beginners (al-mooreed), intermediate (as-salik) and those in the advanced levels (al-wasaleen):

Imagine a triangle with three different shapes – it applies to the beginner as much as it does to someone that is in the intermediate and then the advanced level. For example, the repentance of Ahlul-Bayt is different to the repentance that we normal people make.

8.2 Introduction To This Station

Reference for this station is in Surah Al-Zariyat: [Pickthal 51:50] Therefor flee unto Allah; lo! I am a plain warner unto you from him.

This station in particular is only mentioned by Khary Abdullah Ansari,

Also in Surah Jam’eh

Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Lo! the death from which ye shrink will surely meet you, and afterward ye will be returned unto the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible, and He will tell you what ye used to do. (Quran, 62:8)

For example:

In a war situation whenever the sirens go off your main priority is to find a safe place to hide, regardless of whatever you are doing.

This is like the situations where one is fleeing from a dangerous creature or situation to a safer place. Quran keeps advising us that Shaytan is your clear enemy and had sworn that eh wants to put your down. Seeing that he has made you an enemy, you also have made him an enemy. This Farr is a command from Allah (SWT). You are to run away from Shaytan to Allah (SWT).

8.3 Two (2) Types Of Jurisprudence In Islam

8.3.1 Lower Jurisprudence

Lower Jurisprudence – Islamic law, the focus is how to offer my prayer in a correct manner.

8.3.2 Greater Jurisprudence

Greater Jurisprudence – there are certain commands which are present in the Quran, and the Arif would know and apply them through practical Irfan. For example, – when you hear the call of prayer leave all trading before. An Arif teaches us how to offer our prayer in a manner that is accepted by Allah (SWT).

Both the Faqeh and the Arif looks at the Quran, but they take from it different things. For example, – wherever there is a command given by Allah (SWT) in the Quran the Arif takes it as an obligatory act just as praying five (5) times a day.

8.4 Best Meaning Of Al-Farar

The best meaning of Al-Farar:

To flee from what doesn’t exist to whatever always exists An Arif believes that everything other than Allah (SWT) does not exist. So anything other than Allah (SWT) is not a place of refuge because in reality it doesn’t exist. There is no reality in these non-existent items. If you want to flee the only place you can go is Allah (SWT) it is the only safe place you can go.

8.5 Three (3) Stages For Al-Farar

8.5.1 Fleeing From Ignorance To Knowledge

Flee from ignorance to knowledge, you have faith in what you are doing – you need to seek refuge from knowledge. Hadith quoted from Ahlul-Bayt from Prophet Jesus (‘a):

Flee from these types of people (person whom is not intellectual) as much as you would flee from a wild lion attacking you.

Quran tells us that there are some people that are the opposite – they flee from knowledge.

Their situation is like wild donkeys flee from the hunter Not only do they flee from the invitation of good – but they are offended

8.5.2 Fleeing From Laziness To Readiness

Flee from laziness to readiness (enthusiastic): - if you want to get close to God you always need to be motivated Imam Ali (‘a):

There is a virus for success and that is laziness

This virus also applies to the declination of the civilizations and communities. When they lose their things and projects is because you lose your motivation and enthusiasm. If you are always motivated then you should always be prosperous. Prophet Muhammad (S) in a hadith informs us that the lazy person is introduced in four attitudes and signs:

a. He delays until he neglects

b. He neglects until he misses

c. He misses until he commits a sin

d. He is fed up

This is the plot of Shaytan, he gets us to miss things – be aware of this.

Khar Abdul says that you have to flee from laziness to being enthusiastic to get to the second level of Fleeing to Allah (SWT). There are three practical ways to do this:

a. There is no such thing to be upset and depressed when others get upset and depressed. Also, in the most stressful situation you can make yourself very happy. How you react can convince yourself that you are the happiest person in the most in the most stressful situation. You are just put in a situation – enjoy it! We need to re-wire our brain for reaction. For example, there was a man whom got a lift in an open van in the back on a very cold middle of the winter and snowy. The man sat there gave himself a hug and kept telling himself that it is so hot outside. The physically situation can be such that you rewire your brain to change your reaction to external environment.

b. There is a part of the brain called – reticular activation system (RAS), it is the centre of attention and motivation. It determines whether the person is highly motivated or a bored person. Have you ever experienced this – that you purchased a car, from the day that you started driving the car you noticed how many similar cars there are in the community. Do you know why? The reason is because of the RAS part of the brain. In our day to day life there are numerous signals to the brain and the RAS filters this and picks up the points that are relevant and that it is interested in. The reason why the brain picked up that there are other similar cars out there to the one that was bought is that that RAS part of the brain picked it up. In the commercial world the way things are marketed is such that when we think of drinks, we think of fizzy drinks like Coca Cola. If you are very lazy for example like Jammat (congregational prayers). In your journey towards perfection you want to flee from this towards Allah (SWT). To do this you need to come across signals and send them to the RAS part of the brain for motivation.

Hadith (very authentic and no doubt) from Imam Al-Sadiq (‘a):

“Every prayer offered by yourself in comparison with the same prayer in congregation, the later prayer is 24 degrees higher and takes you the level 25.”

On the Day of Judgement do you want to go to level 1 or go up to level 25? For someone whom is serious for their journey they should take this into consideration. Actually, they should get this hadith and take them into the RAS component of the brain. That way the boredom could be killed.

c. There is one Dua – one of the characteristics of Islamic Irfan is that you need to ask Allah (SWT) to help you out all the time through supplication and Dua:

Allahoma inni a’outho bika minal hammi walhozn wal a’jze walkasel

Pray to Allah (SWT) to take the laziness from me

8.5.3 Be Generous

Put into your day to day agenda to be generous. When you are giving the charity out you are helping yourself spiritually before anyone else. Zakaat means that there is a tree and that you are cutting the tree such that the tree grows more. For a salek it is key to flee from being stingy to being generous.