the disease of sins. It is a way of reforming the internal and external. It is a means of freshening up the soul. It is a means which brings one closer to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. This is the very reason our pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ would remain busy in worshipping Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ according to the demands of knowledge and rulings of Shari’ah and would strive to perform optional deeds in abundance alongside acting upon the Faraid and Wajibaat. Let’s listen to some stories related to the worship carried out by our pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ:

The acts of worship by Ghaus-e-Pak رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه

The Ghaus of humans and Jinns, Shaykh ‘Abdul Qaadir Jilaani رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه consistently offered Fajr Salah for 40 years with the ablution of ‘Isha Salah. He completed the recitation of the entire Holy Quran every night for 15 years. (Bahjat-ul-Asraar, pp. 118) He would offer 1000 Rak’aat [units] of Nafl Salah every day. (Tafreeh-ul-Khaatir, pp. 36)(Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 2, pp. 414)

The acts of worship by Sufyan Sawri رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه

When Hadrat Sufyan Sawri رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه passed away, someone saw him in his dream and asked: مَا فَعَلَ اللّٰهُ بِکَ i.e. how did Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ treat you? He replied: I saw my merciful Creator and He said to me: O Ibn-e-Sa’eed! Congratulations to you. I am happy with you because when night would fall, you would worship Me with tears and softness in your heart. Paradise is in front of you. Take whichever palace you like and you continue to behold Me because I am not far from you. (Hilyat-ul-Awliya, vol. 7, pp. 77)

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب                 صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى مُحَمَّد

Dear Islamic sisters! You heard how much our pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ would strive to attain the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Whether it was day or night, they would only have one aim in their life and that was to please Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. When these blessed people worship Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ in such a manner that has been prescribed, then Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ indeed grants them the glad tidings of His pleasure. But alas! In the current era, we strive to go ahead of one another in worldly matters. For example, we express our desire to husband, father or