STUDY GUIDE 6
READING MATERIAL
Holy Qur'an
Surah 70 "The Ways of Ascent"
Surah 90 "The City"
Self-Improvement
Pages 10 and 11
Page 12 (to end of Par. 2)
The Will of God (Part I)
Pages 4-7
Page 8 (to end of Par. 6)
FACT (S)
The Bible says, when you speak, say "I will do thus and so, if it be the will of God." The Holy Qur'an says, when you speak, say, 'I will do thus and so,
Insh Allah (if it be the Will of Allah).' Holy Qur'an 18:23. Because between today and tomorrow, there are forces that you know nothing of, that can interfere with all of our plans. So our plans must be contingent upon whether God will permit it, or whether Allah will permit it, or Grandfather (Native American expression of the One God) will permit it, so we must acknowledge Him, lest we make a serious mistake and abort our own progressive development and improvement in character. SELF-IMPROVEMENT - Page
DISCUSSION
1) First, let us review some key words and their definitions. Please look at the GLOSSARY (Also continue to refer to the GLOSSARY for STUDY SESSION 5). SPECIAL NOTE: Begin to incorporate the terms from the study guides into your conversation, so that as they are woven into the pattern of language we use, the intellectual and spiritual level of our communication will rise.
2) Please read Surah 70, verses 22-35. Desire is the food source of the Will (See, STUDY SESSION 5). In addition to nourishment, the Will needs direction and support. What are the principles of action which direct and support our Will in the Way of Allah (God)?
3) Why is Allah (God) called, in Surah 70, verse 3, "Lord of the ways of Ascent"?
4) In Session 5, we discussed the exercise of the Will by overcoming resistance. We studied examples of external opposition that we must face and overcome.
Please read Surah 70, verses 17-21. What internal resistance (opposition) must or Will overcome in order to attain the goal of meeting with Allah (God)?
5) Please read Surah 90, verses 4-11. What insight does this give us into the relationship between hard struggle and our personal spiritual advancement?
Please read verses 12-18. What actions are we to take which will support and direct our Will in the way of Allah (God)?
6) Please read pages 4-6 of The Will of God (Part 1). What are some of the emotional forces that adversely affect the Will?
Please discuss a personal experience where you desired something vain and/or destructive and you used the power of your Will to obtain it. What were the results? How did you feel afterwards? Discuss an experience where you used the power of your Will to obtain something positive. How did you feel afterwards.
PRACTICAL ASSIGNMENT
At the end of Session 5 last week, you were asked to break a habit which was destructive to your Will. This is a continuing assignment. Please report on your progress tonight.
Tonight, please resolve to develop a habit which is constructive to your Will. Come to next week's class prepared to discuss your experience in your effort to be consistent in performing a positive action.
May Allah (God) bless us all with success!
SUPPLEMENT
1 See GLOSSARY (Session 5 and 6)
2) Five (5) "pillars" support the Will of one who desires to completely submit his or her Will to the Will of Allah (God). When we consciously desire to do His Will, we are acting in accordance with the nature in which we were created, therefore, He has provided the means by which we may attain nearness to Him until we reach the goal of becoming one with Him.
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These principles of action which direct and support the essence of our being are: Prayer; Zakat (Charity); Fasting; Hajj (Pilgrimage); Jihad (using one's utmost efforts in contending with an object of disapprobation).
While each of these pillars is necessary to our balance, it is Prayer that is given the greatest prominence in the Holy Qur'an, followed closely by Charity, which is often mentioned together with Prayer.
This course, SELF-IMPROVEMENT, is centered around the action of Prayer as the root of our success or failure in fulfilling our purpose in life. Prayer is the most humble and the most exalted state of man at the same time.
We are engaged in the development of SELF; we will each attain what we individually strive for. Allah (God) has given us a man from among ourselves as a Guide, to show us the way; but in the end, our personal success will depend upon our personal effort.
"And that man can have nothing but what he strives for; and that his striving will soon be seen. Then he will be rewarded for it with the fullest reward: And to thy Lord is the goal." (Holy Qur'an 53:39-42)
Allah (God) has given the place of Prayer such prominence in the self improvement of man and woman, that in the Call to Prayer, the words, "Hayya ala-salah" (Come to Prayer), are immediately followed by the words, "Hayya ala-l-falah" (Come to Success)
Please reflect upon the divine relationship between Prayer and Success.
In Prayer lies the root of that which leads a man or woman to give his or her life in the Cause of Allah (God). The realization of His Essence within our hearts makes us think as He thinks; feel what He feels.
But there is an emotional force that gives direction to the Will. And the emotional force -- which is the Creative Force upon which the entire Universe is constructed -- is Love. And it is out of this awesome power of Love that the Will springs up; it springs up out of this emotion and it is directed and guided by this emotion..." [The Will of God (Part 1) Page 7]
Note carefully the fact that Prayer is mentioned first and last in verses 22-35 of Surah 70, for it is Prayer which generates the Desire to perform the other principles of action, out of Love and Adoration for the Creator.
For example, the second principle of action. after Prayer is Charity. The Arabic word for Charity is "Zakat", which originally means "Purity"; "li-l-zakat" means "for the sake of purity", or "to attain purity". So constant Prayer feeds, directs and elevates Desire so that our, Desire is to do the Will of Allah (God), the
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Beneficent. Thus, we become one "in whose wealth there is a known right for the beggar and the destitute."
Acceptance of the Truth; Fear of Chastisement of our Lord; Restraint of our sexual passions outside of the sanctity of marriage; Keeping our Word and making good on our Promises (Covenant); Uprightness in our Testimony; these attributes are generated by Prayer; thus, verse 35 tells us to keep a Guard on our Prayer.
There is no such thing as personal success without Prayer, if our conscious Desire is to build our Will that we may do His Will. In previous study guides, you were asked to read Surah 23, "The Believers", where, in verses 1,2 it reads: "Successful indeed are the believers, who are humble in their prayers." The Arabic word used for successful is "alfaha", which signified the achievement of complete development; "faliheen", which means "farmer", or "one who cultivates", signifies the divine method of achieving success: we must cultivate our own souls as the farmer cultivates land. And, even as we cultivate self, we must remember that in the study of the prophets, in the study of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, in witnessing the life experiences of Minister Farrakhan, we know that without exception, they relied (rely) upon Allah (God) for guidance, direction and power to overcome the opposition. They submitted (submit) their Will to His Will.
Since we gave it (power of our being) to you and you say, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away", then if Allah (God) has given you a bit of His own Power, which is His Will, then He asks you will you give it back in surrender, what should our word to Almighty God be? Of course, we should say "yes". "I submit my Will to do Your Will. Not by force, but willingly." [The Will of God (Part 1) Page 7]
On February 26, 1957, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad published a small book entitled, "Muslim Daily Prayers". If you do not have a copy of this booklet, you will receive one in the near future. He says: "The knowledge and practice of these prayers will earn you great reward with Allah and bring about great spiritual advancement in you."
Please study pages 135-160 (PRAYER SERVICE) in MESSAGE TO THE BLACKMAN.
3) "Lord" means nourisher unto perfection". It signifies "the fostering of a thing in such a manner as to make it attain one condition after another until it reaches its goal of completion."
Lord of the ways of Ascent indicates that Allah (God), the Author of all existence, has given to the whole creation its means of nourishment and has even ordained for every single one of us, a sphere of capacity. Within that
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sphere, He has already provided us the means or ways by which each of us attains to our goal of perfection in that which He has given us.
Every human being has a unique combination of sublime qualities which he or she is capable of becoming absolutely perfect in manifesting. There is a precise way in which that divinity is to be developed in order to be brought into the perfected state; Allah (God) is the Lord over that way. He is Lord over every way of ascent.
Look up the word "WAY" in the GLOSSARY (Study Guide 5).
4) Discuss verse 17-21 of Surah 70. These are forces which battle us from within. We must overcome the force from within that would cause us to retreat and turn our backs on the difficulties we must overcome; we must resist the internal force that causes us to hoard and withhold; we are created impatient, that is, we are fretful when under stress and niggardly when we receive the benefits of life (from the Beneficent). The Holy Qur'an tells us plainly, that we possess these traits, whether we admit it or not, and we will continue to walk under the weight of them, "EXCEPT THOSE WHO PRAY ... WHO ARE CONSTANT AT THEIR PRAYER..." and proceeds to list the qualities of the Believer.
5) Study footnote 2736. Review Study Session 3, "Overcoming Difficulty". Our personal advancement, not only spiritually, but physically, lies along a path of hard struggle. We have never made a serious conquest of any obstacle without overcoming difficulty.
We are told in verse 11, that we "attempt (s) not the uphill road." Thus, we must overcome that within us which causes us to seek the path of least resistance, that we may be successful in our journey to meet with Allah (God).
The path of least resistance will lead us away from the goal of meeting Allah (God). He is not tie Lord of the ways of Descent. We cannot get to Him without going up. This is an uphill climb; it is not an overnight experience. This is the effort to save our souls.
"...The Scripture is right in teaching, 'What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?' What would it profit us to build magnificent structures, beautiful buildings, magnificent bridges, built with magnificent technology and the soul of those human beings are wretched and deprived and underdeveloped and rottening from within? How does one lose one's soul? What is so important about the soul, or the essence of our being, that if we lose it, we lose everything?..."
Prayer is necessary, but Prayer alone will not improve us. We must engage in acts of kindness and work in the Cause of Allah (God). Verses 12-16 tell us that to free a slave; to feed the hungry; to care for the orphan and the poor man; these are actions which will cause us to actually understand the struggle, not just be intellectually aware of it. Comprehension is understanding and understanding only comes through trials.
6) Please conduct discussion of personal experiences with the forces described in the selected reading material.
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PILLAR A long, slender, vertical structure used to support a superstructure; a support in form and function.
GUARD To keep from harm; watch over and protect; defend; shield; to hold in check; keep from escape or trouble.
CHASTISEMENT (CHASTISE) To discipline, especially by corporal punishment. To inflict suffering upon for purposes of moral improvement.
PASSION strong amorous feeling or desire; extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, desire for anything; violent anger; any emotion or feeling, as love, anger, hate, fear, grief, joy, hope, etc., when of a powerful or compelling nature.
PATIENCE The bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, pain, etc. without complaint, loss of temper, irritation or the like; an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance in waiting; quiet perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence; composure; stability; self-possession; submissiveness. Denotes the ability to bear exertion, hardship or suffering without implication of moral qualities required or shown.
GUARD To accumulate for preservation, future use, etc., in a hidden
(verb) or carefully guarded place.
NIGGARDLY Reluctant to give or spend; stingy; meanly small or scanty; miserly.
SUNDRY Various or diverse. Akin to "sunder", which means "to separate".
CITY A large or important town. Collective of citizens. (a "citizen" is a native or naturalized member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection).
CIRCUMVENT To avoid by artfulness or deception.
REPOSITORY A person to whom something is entrusted or confided; that in which something is placed.
COMPREHEND (COMPREHENSION) To catch hold of; seize. (The act of grasping with the mind.)
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