He is amongst the Sayyid family, the family of Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, the noblest family on the surface of the earth. When he went to the Mubarak city of Madina, in front of the Qabr Mubarak he said, “ Peace be upon you Oh my grandfather, I come from Rifaa a place in Egypt and I will be returning soon, what should I say to my people?”
The Mubarak hand of Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam came out of the Qabr and he kissed the Mubarak hand. Many people witnessed this event. Immediately thereafter he laid at the door of Masjidun Nabawi and said, “Ahmed Rifaai is fit for the feet of people, so walk over me, this is what I am worth.” What is this? Humility and modesty.
Somebody asked Sayyid Ahmed, “How did you get close to ALLAH?” He replied, “I knocked on the door of Haj. There were thousands queuing there to use Haj to get closer to ALLAH, I knocked at the door of Salaatul-Layl there were thousands queuing there using that door to get closer to ALLAH. When I came to the door of humbleness and humility, it was empty so, I entered through this door.”
This means that if we want to get close to ALLAH, or we want to change the stepping stone to getting close to ALLAH than we must reduce ourselves to absolutely nothing. Therefore, for a Saalik (one who wants to get close to ALLAH) the first step in his life is that he must regard himself to be the worst of ALLAH’S creation, even worse than a swine. So if anybody insults or swears him, what does he say? I am worse than even a swine, so what you are saying is still mild. I am not even deserving or worthy of your insult. O ALLAH, you know what I am worth, you have concealed my sins, if you had to expose it O ALLAH, people would not sit next to me. So this is the fruit and result of this Taqwa.
One of the secrets taught to us by our Mashaaikh is that whenever ALLAH gives us any command or any work to do, in order for us to experience ease in that work we have to be obedient unto ALLAH, then only we can experience ease. Today being the twelfth fast through the grace and mercy of ALLAH, all of us will agree that ALLAH has made fasting incumbent upon us and ALLAH has assisted us. As human beings it is impossible for us to fast, it is only ALLAH’S assistance and aid. We can actually experience that aid. Therefore, the secret of any Ibadat is to be obedient then you will find that Ibadat becomes very easy.
So we said that the garments of Taqwa are the best garments. If a person, for example, wears a Kurta or any garment that is soiled, creased and untidy then there is no attraction to it, but when he washes, cleans and irons that garment and applies perfume to it and then wears it, that person looks handsome and attractive. So in a like manner the garments we have are soiled and dirty. What causes the soil and dirt? It is the elements of hatred, malice, jealousy, greed, pride etc. which have caused the garments to become soiled and dirty. Now when you wear that garment, in the eyes of ALLAH they are not really attractive, so we have to remove, wash, clean and iron them. Therefore the Zikr we make is like the perfume we apply which gives off a good fragrance, and the cleanliness of the garments is that we must remove bad qualities and replace it with good. For example, if I have greed in me then I replace it with Qana’at, meaning to be satisfied with what ALLAH has given me. If I have hatred in me then I replace it with Muhabbat and love, and so forth.