Recently, a video has emerged showing Ramzan Kadyrov the Chechen leader, and his delegation getting a VIP treatment from the Saudi authorities in Madinah Al Munawarah. What is striking is not the treatment Ramzan Kadyrov received but the honour they were bestowed on by allowing them to enter in the sacred chamber of the Messenger of Allah sallahu alihi wsallam. (If you have not seen the video watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8mDKyIcdmI )
The video is remarkable for a number of reasons but the main one is footage of the inside of the luminous chamber can be seen for the first time something never been done before in this way, people from all over the world can finally see what is behind the centuries old golden gate mesh known as the Rawdah, and how it is like to actually be this close proximity physically to the greatest being Sallahu alihi wasallam, Secondly, purely from a physical point of view the video is the closest a person can get to the Messenger of Allah sallahu alihi wasallam and his two noble companions, Syyiduna Abu Bakr Radhi Allahu anhu and Syyiduna Umar Radhi Allahu anhu.
That being said, it brings into question some interesting points, the leading one being: believers all over the world yearn and wish to see at least once in their lifetime, a glimpse of the glorious one Sallahu alihi wasallam, his companions or any of earlier Prophets in their dreams, spiritual experiences or visions. The hope is in doing so they will undoubtedly become a better practising Muslim, a devotee of the religion like none other as the conviction they were looking for to practice their faith completely, will finally be settled. As admirable as the wish maybe, this does not happen to majority of people. It does not materialise into reality and continues to stay out of arms reach, it is often the case,
“If I see another miracle, experience another spiritual experience, get to see holy relics, I will definitely change, just one more”.
In this way the want to actually use the special spiritual experience to change is always out of reach, something never really able to grab hold of. The above video of the Chechen delegation entering the sacred chamber is proof enough to confirm this point. For example, whether it is Ramzan Kadyrov and his delegation entering the heavenly place or not, the point is still the same which is, if it was you or I being given this honour to enter the sacred chamber we would have seen the same things as the Chechen delegation and be closest to the Messenger of Allah sallahu alihi wasallam “physically” as possible in this world. After this experience, even of watching someone getting this close to the greatest being sallhu alihi wasallam, what more would a man or woman need to get conviction in his faith to adhere to it completely?
In other occasions we go to places of religious significance, of virtue, history and hold esteemed holy relics of the pious predecessors in our presence. Our senses are in awe of the size of what we see and experience, but this for most does not translate into anything more than a moment of religious vigour, a trance like euphoria, a feeling of total vindication for being a Muslim, a case of “Alhamdulillah I am a Muslim”, nothing else afterwards. Similarly, if someone was to continually have insights into the spiritual world not only will the novelty will wear out soon, if they do not wish to change, then these experiences like we experience in the “physical” world, when seeing the opening of the sacred chamber which gives us the sensation of feeling the physical closeness to the messenger of Allah Sallahu alihi wasallam, will not materialise into anything more than just an experience. How many times have people not seen the blessed hairs of the Prophet Sallahu alihi wasallam, the turban, the swords of the companions that were used in the legendary battles of Islam, but has it gone on to actually impact our lives in any meaningful way other that it was a moment of “wow and awe”? Instead after seeing the holy relics time and again a person simply slips back into the slumber of his life he or she was leading, even the “WOW!” factor no longer remains.
The conclusion to this is being a person who desires, yearns, longs to be with the greatest generation will change his entire life around from one spiritual or physical experience in his life. He will not need to go on yearning to see or experience more into order to keep up his conviction in the Islāmic principles, its teachings and the Sunnah as he knows the rest of the pleasures will come to him in the hereafter permanently. For him a few words, a simple adherence to the revealed teachings of Islam is enough to keep up the momentum to carry on, and if a good dream occurs then it’s a bonus, if not, then it is still the same; carry on until the end.
