“In reality, a Companion is he who enters Paradise with the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Thus, I do not know if I am a Companion or not.”

سُبْحٰنَ اللہ! Look at Sayyidunā Salmān Fārsi رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ and his worry for the Hereafter! Look how these luminous personalities hid their qualities with the shawl of humility. Even upon receiving the greatest of virtues, they would never fall prey to self-conceit. From this we learn that in reality, true virtue is that which takes you to Paradise on the Day of Judgement. People can have a thousand qualities, they can work in respected professions, hold a high rank in society and have many titles attached to their name; but if these things do not take them to Paradise, they are flaws and not virtues.

Death is inevitable

An astrologer once came to Pīr Mehr ʿAli Shāh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه and attempted to praise him by saying, “Your horoscope tells me your destiny is exemplary and your star has risen high.” Something like this would normally cast one into vanity. For example, if someone came and began praising us like this, perhaps we would fall prey to conceit. However, the pious people of Allah have a different approach altogether, and they know about Satan’s tricks.

So upon hearing this, Pīr Mehr ʿAli Shāh رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه said, “Is death not inevitable?” The astrologer replied, “Of course. Nobody can escape it.” The shaykh then explained, “This is why our sharīʿah has declared horoscopes to be futile. As death is inevitable, happiness and grief are equal.”^[1]

سُبْحٰنَ اللہ! May Allah grant us such concern for the Hereafter too. If only we would save ourselves from self-conceit, have concern for illuminating our graves and become embodiments of humility.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صلَّی اللہ عَلَیْہِ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم