Dafa-e-Khatarat
Removing Distracting Thoughts
(Eradication of Dangers)
How can one eliminate harmful thoughts? An important principle in this regard is
نظر بر قدم، خلوت در انجمن
Watch your step, remain silent in worldly company
Always lower your gaze. Human beings are very attractive, do not look around. You will imprint the face of the person you look at, in your heart. If you keep looking all around, it will create confusion in your heart and you will not experience a collective mind.
The human face is a reflection of Al-Rahman, It has seven Divine attributes. Hayat (Life), Irada (intention), Kalam (Speech), Samah (Hearing) and Basr (Vision), Ilm (Knowledge) and above all Love is in the face.
The eyes hunt with their red veins.
لال ڈورے ہیں بند پاۓ نظر صید کرتی ہیں یار کی آنکھیں
In this Urdu couplet, Hasrat says,
“The Red veins in the eyes ensue amaurosis
Eyes of the Beloved imprison the Lover”
Guard your gaze for a few days and avoid the gaze of others. When your heart establishes a focus, you will recognize the truth. Then nothing will bother you. If you are not separate from the Beloved, and see everything with the same glasses.
سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ ۗ أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this “Quran” is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things? (41:53)
Do not eat different types of foods. Different colors of foods bring ill-effects in your thoughts. If you eat compounded foods, how will you find Tawheed (Oneness)? Pilaf is a compound itself. If you add Sheermal, Qorma, Aromatic meat, Fried chicken, Fried fish, Samosa, Kebab, Mirch curry, Eggplant, Egg dishes, Vermicelli, Milk pudding, Khubani sweet, what will happen?
How much will you eat? Leave some space for breathing.
One man of God always broke his fast with boiled Golars. One of his friends added some salt once while preparing his food. He vomited out as soon as he tasted and walked away stating that if one’s tongue is so used to taste, how it would remember God. Action is the key!
باتوں سے کیا ہوتا ہے عمل سے ساری عزت ہے
عمل ہو کیونکر قیمت یار عمل کےساتھ عنایت ہے
Empty words mean no value
one earns respect with action
Why is action so precious?
Action brings along all blessings
One time- tested prescription in eliminating bad thoughts is that when you have an unnecessary thought at an odd time, no matter how trivial, deliberately bring a good thought to your mind. Make a prayer to shun the bad thought. Verily Allah says in the Holy Quran,
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
And your Lord says: Call on Me; I will answer your Prayer (40:60)
الدُّعَاءُ مُخُّ الْعِبَادَةِ
The Prophet said: “The supplication is the essence of worship”. (Jāmiʹ al-Tirmidhī 3371)
Our beloved friend (Jamal ullah) had made a contract of remembrance with his companions. Our elders would sit together and do their chores. One of the elders would say “Allah”, out loud. Those with the presence of their hearts would say “Alhamdulillah”. Those who were negligent would say “Astaghfirullah”.
Through this contract of “Yaad Faramosh”, one not only gets help with “Dawam -e-Huzoor”, constant presence, but also has to admit their negligence. It is an easy practice to achieve God’s pleasure.
Other methods for eradication of harmful thoughts are as follows:
If you have a lot of thoughts, change your position. If you are sitting, you can stand up and if you are already standing, start walking. The key principle here is motion.
If you notice that a harmful thought is present, in your imagination, try to run away from it. Or try to imagine that the harmful thought is running away from you.
When you have a harmful thought, say, “If you bother me, where can I go?”.
By breathing with full exhalations, making a humming sound, divert your attention.
When a harmful thought comes to you, address it as , “Have you come? I recognize you even if you change a thousand faces and come to me.”
Reciting the following ayat of The Holy Quran, also decreases the harmful thoughts (Khatarat).
إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍوَمَا ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ
If He Willed, He would eliminate you and produce a new creation.
And that is not difficult for Allah at all
(35:16-17)
If this verse is recited in the salat; one will not have disturbing thoughts in the Salah.
قُلۡ كُلّٞ مِّنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّه
Say, O’ Prophet, All [things] are from Allah (4:78)
Reciting this portion of the Quranic Verse will eliminate the bad thoughts.
Recite the following verse of the Holy Quran and strike your heart with the word “Allah”, “Allah”
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
Those who believe and whose hearts find comfort in the remembrance of Allah. Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort (13:28)
If one recites the name of Allah (SWT), Ya-Qahharu ( یا قھار ), it burns all the bad thoughts. However, one should recite it with the permission (from their Sheikh), otherwise, it can cause agitation.
The author recited this name of Allah (SWT) more than 10 million times.
Reciting, Ya Khallaqu, Ya Faalu, Ya Musawiru, Ya Qahharu
Some educated people are lost in their thoughts all the time. One should prepare a schedule for their next couple of days in their mind. Once a thought about a resolved issue arises, one should curb it because it has already been decided. Why waste time on it again?
When you get a thought about it, you should try to convert it into a prayer. Ask God to guide you or bless you with it. This simple step will convert your thoughts into a supplication. A supplication is the essence of worship. How can Satan intervene in a supplication? Therefore, all thoughts will vanish. Satan desires to stop us from God’s remembrance and waste our life and time. He will divert and start devising other strategies.
The best method has been advised by God and that is Istiaza (seeking God’s) protection.
Istiaza is a supplication and supplication is the essence of worship. One must rely on their will and power , always seeking protection from Allah (SWT).
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللهِ
There is no might nor power except with Allah
He alone is responder to supplications and sufficient in expeditions. If you stop revolting and disobeying him, and seek protection in His Mercy, who can bother you?
فَفِرُّوٓاْ إِلَى ٱللَّهِۖ
So flee to Allah (51:50)
Then, who will misguide you?
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا
And for those who struggle in Our cause, We will surely guide them along Our Way (29:69).