AL-ISLAAH PUBLICATIONS
The Excellence and Virtue of the Kalima
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THE EXCELLENCE AND VIRTUE
OF THE KALIMAH "LAA-ILAHA -ILALLAAH"
(AN EXTRACT FROM THE DISCOURSE OF HADHRAT MOULANA HAKEEM
MUHAMMAD AKHTAR SAHEB (DAAMAT-BARAKAATUHUM), AS RELAYED BY
HADHRAT MOULANA ABDUL HAMID ISHA'AQ SAHEB (DAAMAT-BARAKATUHUM))
Allah Ta'ala manifestly declares in the Holy Qur'aan: " Verily, the hearts only find contentment in the Zikr
(remembrance) of Allah."
In another verse Allah Ta'ala says "Remember Me, I will remember you...
It is mentioned in a Hadeeth that everything has a cleanser, and the cleanser for the heart is Zikr. Haaji
lmdaaduuah Muhaajir Makki (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) explains, that a person who recites " Laa-ilaaha-illallah "
regularly, Allah Ta'ala will wash his heart with rose water, thereby making it pure and clean. Thereafter,
Allah Ta'aala will inscribe His Blessed Name, in silver, on that heart. Then that heart will be imbued with
all the knowledge and Marifat (Recognition) of Allah.
It is also stated in a Hadeeth that a person who recites "Laa-ilaaha-illallah " a I 00 times daily, his face
will shine like the (14th) full moon on the Day of Qiyaamah.
It has been explained in a Hadeeth that nothing stops this Zikr from reaching the "Arsh" (Throne) of Allah.
When this Kalimah reaches the Arsh, then a column of "Nooi-" (Divine Light) descends directly from the
Arsh into the heart of the reciter.
It has been recorded in a Hadeeth that Hadhrat Moosa A.S. once asked Allah Ta'aala to prescribe to him
a Zikr whereby he could remember Allah. Allah Ta'ala said to him:
"Oh Moosa, recite "Laa-ilaaha-illailah" ", Moosa A.S. replied, " All Your creation recite this Zikr, I desire
something special ". Allah Ta'ala then said:
" Oh Moosa, if the seven earths and the seven skies (including the Angels and all living beings) is placed
on one pan of a scale and this Kalimah is placed on the other pan of the scale, this Kalimah (because it
contains the name of Allah) will outweigh everything".
Mullah Ali Qaari (Rahmatutiahi-Alayhi) explains how this is possible : The seven earths and the seven skies
contain all the creation of Allah. Subsequently a day will come when all the creation will be destroyed,
but the Oneness (Being) of Allah will remain eternally and can never be destroyed. Thus, the Oneness
of Allah is weightier than everything.
It has also been narrated in a Hadeeth that there is a Pillar in front of the Arsh of Allah, which begins
vibrating heavily when a person recites "Laa-ilaa-ha-illallah". Allah commands it thus: "Stop! be at ease".
The Pillar replies, " How can I be at ease when the reciter of "Laa- ilaaha-illallah" has not been forgiven".
Then Allah says to it : "Stop! I have forgiven the reciter of "Laa-ilaaha-iliallah".
In a Hadeeth it is mentioned that when a person recites "Iaa-ilaaha-illallah" 70 000 times, he is granted
salvation from the Fire (Jahannam).
Hadhrat Moulana Hakeem Akhtar Sabeb (Daamat-Barakaatuhum) says that the person who reads it and
even the person for whom it was recited, all are granted immunity from the Fire. If a person recites 70 000
times "Laa-laaha-illailah' and confers it's rewards to any particular deceased person, the deceased will
also be granted.salvation from Jahannam.
Mullah Ali Qaari (Rahmatullahi-Alayhi) relates an incident in his book "Mirqaat " (The commentary of
Mishkaat Shareef). Sheikh Muhinudeen ibn Al-'Arabee says:' This Hadeeth has reached me from
Nabi (sallallaahu-alayhi-wasallam), where it is mentioned': " The person who recites 70 000 (times)
"Laa-ilaaha-illallah" will be forgiven and the person for whom it is read will also be forgiven".
Sheikh Mubinudeen says that he used to recite the 70 000 "Laa-ilaaha-illallah' several times,
as his usual Zikr, without the intention of conferring the reward to any person.
He says : 'Once, I was invited for meals by someone and among the guests there was a young boy,
who was renown for his " Kashf " (Divine inspiration). Suddenly, whilst eating, this youth began wailing
loudly. I asked " Why are you crying ", he replied : " I can see my mother being punished ".
The Sheikh continues, " I conferred one amount of 70 000 "Laa-ilaaha-illallah". in my heart, without moving
MY lips and tongue, to the youth's mother ".
The youth now began laughing and happily exclaimed : " Now I see my mother in a very good condition
(in Jannah)". The Sheikh explains that I- realised the authenticity of the Hadeeth by this youth's Kashf "
and also thereby proved the veracity of his " Kashf " by this Hadeeth.
A simple method of completing the 70 000 "Laa-ilaaha-illallah"
Recite at least 500 times "Laa-ilaaha-illallah" daily, i.e. 100 times after each salaah. Over five months this
will amount to 75 000 times. Thereafter confer 70 000 "Iaa-ilaaha-illallah" to any deceased person and
make a record of who you have conferred it to. In this manner, two deceased people will benefit every
ten months, without diminishing your reward in the least. The remaining 5000, every month, may be
recorded separately and within fourteen months a further 70 000 will accrue to one's credit, which would
benefit yet another person.
