Istiqamat: Steadfastness in Seeking Allah's Pleasure and The True Maqsud
Hazrat Qari Ismail Desai Saheb
Duration
49:29
Summary
Our primary goal (Maqsud) in life is Allah alone, not any person or worldly objective. Our essence is to please and meet our Creator.
Istiqamat (steadfastness) means consistently doing what is right, even in challenging situations.
An example of Istiqamat: Hazrat Thanvi's effort to return a jug to its place after fainting, despite his weakness, to avoid inconveniencing others.
Another example: Hazrat Gangohi's deep grief over missing Takbir-e-Ula (first takbeer in congregational prayer) for the first time in over 30 years, highlighting the value of consistency.
Ramadan teaches us our capability to abstain from even permissible (halal) desires; therefore, we can certainly abstain from impermissible (haram) actions outside Ramadan.
Post-Ramadan life is the "test drive" where the spiritual "servicing" of Ramadan is applied.
True Iman (faith) causes automatic aversion to haram, acting like a spiritual auto-brake.
Happiness and inner peace come from pleasing Allah; conversely, committing evil should bring grief and restlessness, which is a sign of living faith.
We should actively create environments that encourage spiritual growth and avoid distractions.
The concept of "negative dhikr" refers to actively abstaining from sins (e.g., controlling one's gaze, avoiding backbiting, staying away from haram content on phones). This practice must continue and increase after Ramadan.