LIFE AND RELATIONSHIP

Pietermartizburg

The Discover Yourself Workshop was held in Pietermartizburg, South Africa on 9,10 and 11 March 2012 at Eddel’s Social Club. Some of the participants share their experiences after the Workshop.

SURIYA: I have learned to accept my life as it is, to stop resisting my reality and questioning Allah. I have also learned that I have to create my own happiness; nobody is responsible for my happiness except myself. My relationship with my six year old son changed. I learned to accept him and enjoy my life with him. My family members have benefitted because I am at peace with myself, the world and my Creator. Today I am grateful to Allah for all the blessings.
AYESHA: I have realized that I am responsible for my feelings and thoughts. I have become conscious of the continuous whisperings going on in my mind that prevented me from focusing on the present. By being conscious of this, I have started to feel calmness and peace within me and due to this, there is harmony at home. Before the workshop, I was angry, frustrated and moody. Doing the house hold work, preparing food, looking to the needs of the children and husband was monotonous and a burden, but now I learned that being in the present and fulfilling the needs of others is worship, I do not feel the way I used too. I am grateful for the opportunity of attending this workshop. I learnt to live and not just survive and exist.

Discover Yourself Workshop in Lady Smith, South Africa on March 2, 3 and 4, 2012, held at Islamic School.

AISHA: I heard about the workshop many years ago and I always wanted to come, but as it was always out of my town, I could not make it, and went on with my life, just existing and putting all the problems and issues into suitcases which I kept carrying behind me. I blamed others, blamed myself and I even blamed Allah. It got to a point where I even believed somebody did jadu (magic) on me and I went to see a lady for it and she said yes, and I needed a reason, so I believed her. Relationships were not working out, my job was not secure and in my mind I was spiraling out of control. Ultimately, I had made a conscious decision that enough was enough!! I had to change my life or I would go mad and then I started looking for help on the net. I also decided to go and see a psychiatrist! Before that, I saw the poster advertising your workshop in my town!! So I came to know my time has come. This was going to be my change. So I came in with the intention of helping and mending myself. I realized that it is only the beginning of my journey. I never realized that I was my own enemy, preventing Allah’s bounties and gifts. Now I know my purpose. I have a clear vision now. I take Allah as my path, I will walk His path. The journey has begun and there will be trials and falls, but I will not give up. Thank you for removing my veils, the blinders and the darkness. Thank you so much for being a beacon of light in my sail of life.

Klerksdrop, South Africa, on February 24, 25 and 26, 2012, held at Al-Huda Muslim School, Minty Street, Manzil Park.

FARZANA: Before the workshop, I was much closed. I was hard headed, selfish, unforgiving, living in my own world and not socializing. Yes, I did have a world around me and was trying to survive in it. But now I see a clearer picture of everything in my life, marriage, kids and people around me. I feel completely empty within myself.
IMRAN: There was a huge shift in my perception and view point. I have removed my veils and I can see clearly. I have opened up and cleansed. My soul has been excavated, pumped; the soil has been fertilized with hope and love, watered with forgiveness, seeded with kindness and empathy and germinated with patience. I know I will flower, blossom and grow. I will make myself available to support my family and the community at large with love, empathy and selflessly.

In February 2012, I attended Sadathullah Khan’s, Discover Yourself Workshop in my hometown of Klerksdorp, in the North West Province of South Africa. What followed was for me, the most spiritually enriching inward journey that I had ever taken. It was Khalil Gibran I believe who said, “the teacher is indeed wise who bids you NOT into the house of His wisdom, but leads you to the threshold of your own mind”
In his unique and inimitable style, Sadathullah Khan makes it clear to us that all human beings are born pure, but that the inherent goodness in each of us lies buried under the debris of negative feedback that we get from our parents, care-givers, teachers and the like, .and when we submit to the evil suggestions of the nafs and shaytaan, we are at further risk of losing our worth and value in the sight of Allah.
I learnt that we each create our own realities. Our take on life, the lens through which we see the world, the prejudices and judgement calls we make, the meaning and interpretations we attach to the events in our lives; all these become our reality. We are taught that there is another SUPERLATIVE REALITY, one that surpasses our own in its perfection and that, is Allah the Absolute Reality. The soul’s purpose is to KNOW ALLAH, TO KNOW ALLAH ‘S PURPOSE and to SUBMIT and ALLIGN ourselves to ALLAH’s PURPOSE’s.
Thus, being in a state of submission means not only fulfilling the laws of Allah such as salaat, haj, zakaat etc, but submitting to His decree at every moment of our lives.. the small seemingly annoying inconveniences, misplaced items, the slow driver in the fast lane ,the burned supper, the bad weather. Any of these or all of life’s other challenges are not in our control, and knowing that life is about navigating these obstacles with a sense of calm acceptance, and responding to them by seeking Allah’s help, we are in a state of submission to respond to any decree of Allah, whether it be minor inconveniences or larger, life altering events.
As we are taught in the hadith of Allah’s beloved Messenger Muhammad (Pbuh), every action is judged according to its intention and so to be assured of Allah’s good pleasure, we must be certain that we do no action, decide no small or big matter, utter no word, except with the intention to draw nearer to and attract His good pleasure. When we realise that nothing will benefit us on the Day of Accountability, except to return to Allah with a sound heart, we have to expend all our energies into this effort.
The three-day “ Discover Yourself “ workshop has the potential to change lives and to bring deep inner peace. As someone said, ‘when you go digging for gold, you have to shift tons of dirt, but when you go digging, you don’t go looking for the dirt ,you go looking for gold.’ We have to dig deep to look for the treasures that lie buried within us. When we confront the enemy/villain especially, when we discover that the villain is us, it requires courage to accept it. It is disturbing, often uncomfortable, but necessary. I echo the sentiments of many of my fellow participants when I say that taking this workshop has added immeasurable value to my life as the world holds far more promise for, I, with the help of Allah , have struck gold. I pray that Allah blesses the wise man from Bangalore with a just recompense and that his efforts are approved by Allah and granted wide acceptance.
(The writer lives in Klerksdorp, South Africa)