I had seen a dream a few nights ago in which I had seen a friend of mine with a baby in his hand. The friend complained that the baby cries a lot. He is of a senior age where people do not generally have babies but Allah Ta'ala grants children to whomsoever he wishes at whatever age he wishes.

1. Nevertheless, there are many lessons to take from a baby. We should learn from the baby to cry before Allah Ta'ala just as the baby cries. The baby teaches us how to cry.

2. The second lesson is that babies stand up when they are perhaps eight or nine months old but then fall. They stand up for the second time, take a step and then fall down. They then stand up for the third time take two steps and fall. This indicates towards their motivation and positivity. They finally reach a stage where not only do they walk but they are able to run and jump. They carry out such tricks on their bicycles that we are left terrified. In the path of Sulook we should never give up, rather be strong and motivated, even though we fall in error. Shah Wasiyullah Saheb R.A. had beautifully said,

ہم نے اسطرح سے طے کی منزلیں

اٹھے گرے چلے پھر گرےاٹھے چلے

We treaded the path in this manner

We stood up, fell, walked, then we fell stood up and walked

This is yet another lesson to be taken from babies. There isn’t a single baby that didn’t learn to walk. Each one had learnt and was successful in their ambition. In a similar manner we should all attempt to be successful in Sulook.

Each one of us were babies at some stage in our life. If we cannot remember, then we have babies of our own that will remind us. If we do not have a baby, there are plenty of babies amongst our family members and amongst society.

3. Another lesson from babies is that they always flatter their parents when they require something. The lesson we take from this is that we should always praise Allah Ta'ala first when begging for our needs before Him. Allah Ta'ala is certainly deserving of our praises. If the baby doesn’t acquire its request, it keeps asking of the mother until its request is fulfilled. This is the manner we should be with our Allah.

A pious person owed money to people. He was ill and the creditors had heard of his condition and gathered to claim their money. He told them to sit down and wait. After a while he heard a young boy shouting out that he was selling sweetmeats. He instructed his Khaadim to call the young boy and purchase the sweetmeats. The young boy was quite happy as he had sold all his sweetmeats to a single customer which allows him to be free for the rest of the day. However, he did not receive payment as well and was asked to join the queue in order to receive payment. The young boy did so but began crying as he had to go home with the money. Suddenly a person appeared with a bag of money and handed it over to the pious person who was then able to pay all his creditors including the young boy. The pious man then explained that all these people waiting were asking for their due but no one was crying to Allah Ta'ala. When the young boy had cried, the mercy of Allah Ta'ala had come to the fore and the money was then sent for the creditors.

Allah Ta'ala has made it so easy for us that if one is unable to cry then resemble a crying person. The resemble is also sufficient for Allah Ta'ala. We should therefore learn to make Dua unto Allah Ta'ala. When the Adhaab of Allah Ta'ala has been unleashed it is never withdrawn, except on one occasion and that is when children were crying.

An Alim had come to Hadrat Shah Hakim Muhammad Akhtar Saheb R.A. in Makkah Sharif and complained to Hadrat that he is unable to cry. Hadrat smiled and instructed him to proceed to the Multazam (i.e. the area between the Hajar-e-Aswad and the door of the Ka’aba.) He asked, “How will that solve my problem?” He came to Hadrat the next day and happily explained that when he had seen the people crying, he was also given the ability to cry. The environment had an effect on him.