NAZIR JAHANGIR
Long ago, I heard about a Buzarg (an ally of Allah), lived near Delhi, that whenever someone would greet him, he wouldn’t respond. One of his devoted disciples, who noticed that many people greet this noble person during his walk but he doesn’t reply anyone except a few. This peculiar behavior of his mentor surprised and concerned this disciple. Observing numerous people extending their greetings to his revered mentor but receiving no reply from him so this disciple couldn’t help but wonder why this Buzarg didn’t respond to everyone’s Salam (Islamic greeting)? He started thinking that while it is Sunnah (practice of prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), to greet, but is an obligation and compulsory (Wajib) to respond, so why doesn’t his revered mentor reply to people’s greetings?
(It will be in place to mention here that there is a difference between Sunnah and Wajin. ‘Wajin’ is something which is obligatory or compulsory; and Sunnah means, the way and practice of the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Wajib are duties or commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws) which are obligatory on the believers. If these ‘Wajib’ duties are done, there is a huge reward for doing them from Allah Subhanah; and if not done, there will be a punishment. Sunnah are the ‘nafl’ works which were done by the Prophet (saws). If one does these ‘nafl’ works, he will receive a reward from Allah, and if not done, there will be no punishment. Yes, there are some kinds of Sunnah but here I am talking about Salam). To greet another Muslim brother is Sunnah and to reply the greetings is Wajib).
One day, when this disciple found the Buzarg visibly in a delightful mood, he gathered the courage to ask, “Hazrat, when you go out, many people greet you on the way, and you only respond to some while remaining silent for others. Is there a specific reason behind this?”
This Buzarg was a saint, endowed with supernatural powers, a noble man with insight and profound wisdom. He gently touched his disciple’s eyes, removing the veil from his sight and illuminating the real state of affairs. This spiritual teacher asked his disciple, “go and explore the marketplace”.
The disciple obeyed, venturing outside. Along the way, if he encountered anyone, be it a shopkeeper or someone engaged in some task, he would spit in scorn. He simply disregarded them and continued on with disdain. He saw none in human form. People appeared to him in the forms of cats, dogs, pigs, snakes, scorpions, bulls. Shopkeepers appeared to him like monkeys and donkeys sitting atop shops.
Overwhelmed with anxiety, the disciple ran back to his mentor, fell at his feet, and implored, “Master, I beseech you to restore the veil over my eyes.”
The Buzarg compassionately restored the veil of his disciple’s eyes and asked, “do you want me to respond the greetings of these monkeys, dogs, pigs, rats, and cheetahs?” Deeply remorseful, the disciple apologized to his master.
The era of that Buzarg has gone. Now it is the time when we witness not only do beasts roam the marketplaces and paths, but even houses are infested with scorpions and donkeys. It is an era where any face we encounter, any interaction we have, reveals a monkey, bear, or owl. These creatures have stirred humanity. While some animals exhibit traces of shame, humans have surpassed them in shamelessness. Though some animals display a semblance of understanding, humans have become so ignorant that they avoid wisdom’s counsel.
As for others, speaking the truth would lead even my own boots to turn against me. These animals have already scratched every part of my being. Yes, I admit, I too sail in the same boat. I confess that my own worship, too, is hypocritical, my love is deceptive, my claims are theatrical, my words are false, my heart is tainted, and my eyes are impure. However, despite all this, I find no strangeness or detachment from myself. I am well aware that I, too, am an animal. If I were to come across a human, I would simply inquire about my species, my kind, and my identity as to what kind of animal I look like?
To be frank, when someone praises my writing or commends my words, I can’t help but burst into laughter. The notion that my composition was good leaves me in uncontrollable fits of laughter! When someone praises my writing, when my words are acclaimed, it elicits nothing but laughter from within me.
Nazir Jahangir is a noted journalist and columnist
