Khanqah Akhtari

My respected mothers and sisters, Allah (SWT) has blessed the believers with various forms of Ibaadat (worship) and in this way Allah (SWT) has made it extremely easy for us to be engaged in Ibaadat of Allah (SWT) at all times. We normally regard Namaaz, Roza (fasting) and Zakaat as great forms of Ibaadat and undoubtedly they are. Imaan itself is a very great Ibaadat . As long as a person is with Imaan and is a believer, Allah (SWT) keep us with Imaan all the time so that we are in Ibaadat all the time as long as we have got Imaan .

We can very clearly understand that if a person is unfortunately in Kufr , is in Shirk , he is in grave sin. The curses of Allah (SWT) are descending on him all the time because of his great sin of disbelief. Therefore, it is quite clear that if a person has got Imaan , he is also in Ibaadat all the time. So, as long as a person is with Imaan he is in Ibaadat . We can understand this from the Aayat (verse) of the Qur,aan Shareef wherein Allah (SWT) says,

“Allah is the friend of those who have brought Imaan.”

The friendship, the Wilaayat , this being a Wali (friend) of Allah (SWT) starts from the point where a person brings Imaan . Normally and technically we call that person a Wali . A friend of Allah (SWT) who has reached a very high stage of Imaan , his Wilaayat , his friendship with Allah (SWT) is also very great and he is very close to Him.

As is normally the case with us, one is just an ordinary acquiantance while another is a person whom we know quite closely and one, is one whom we call a true friend of ours. Similarly, w hen a person becomes closer to Allah (SWT), he is now technically known as a friend, as a Wali of Allah (SWT). Otherwise every person who has brought Imaan has passed through the doors and entered the realm of friendship of Allah (SWT). From this too, it is quite clear that when a person has brought Imaan he is very close to Allah (SWT), he is in great Ibaadat and is in close proximity to Allah (SWT)