Recognizing Allah: The Essence of True Intelligence
Hazrat Qari Ismail Desai Saheb
Hijri date
27 Muharram 1436
Date
Duration
1:00:07
Summary
Allah has blessed humans with diverse learning and memory abilities; some learn fast but forget quickly, others learn slowly but retain well, and some learn quickly and retain well.
One should not become proud of their intellect or memory, as these are blessings from Allah; He can remove them.
One should seek knowledge from those more knowledgeable and remain humble, recognizing that there is always someone with greater understanding.
The speaker shares the story of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, who memorized 15 juz (sections) of the Quran in just four days, highlighting extraordinary divine blessings and intellectual capacity.
Khwaja Fareeduddin Ganj Shakar (a disciple of Khwaja Qutbuddin) embarked on a quest for knowledge, seeking answers to four questions from 600 different Awliya Allah (saints/scholars) across various places and times.
The first question posed to all 600 scholars was: "Who is an intelligent person (Aqil)?"
All 600 scholars, independently, gave the same answer: An intelligent person is an 'Arif' – one who recognizes their Creator, Allah.
To recognize Allah means to know His qualities, attributes (like the 99 names), and what He demands from us.
Just as a slave must know their master to understand what pleases or displeases them, we must recognize Allah to truly live a life pleasing to Him. Without this recognition, our actions, though seemingly good, might invite Allah's displeasure.
The ultimate goal is to become an 'Arif Billah' (one who recognizes Allah), gaining closeness and ma'rifat (intimate knowledge) of Him.