تغرب عن الأوطان في طلب العلى * وسافر ففي الأسفار خمس فوائـد
Leave your domicile in the search for high status, and take up the journey as there are 5 advantages of travelling.
تفرّج هـم واكتسـاب معيشـةٍ * وعلـمٍ وآدابٍ وصحبـة مـاجـد
Relief from sorrow, acquiring livelihood, education, good manners and the company of glorious people are the 5 advantages of travel.
It is often said that “travelling is the best education”. The experiences and firsthand knowledge gained while travelling can never be replicated in classrooms or boardrooms. Travelling helps in uplifting our spirits and build new relationships.
“Relief from sorrow” is the first benefit of undertaking a journey. Holidays and health related travelling are well known ways of relieving sorrow and ill health. “Hawa pani badlega” is an oft repeated advice for people who are under the weather in India.
Rasulullahsaw travelled from Mecca to Medina to seek relief from the atrocities of the non-believers. It also helped Rasulullah in establishing a new base from where the mission of Islam could continue and he also found devote followers in the Ansar of Medina.
Aqa MaulaTUS often travels to hill stations like Matheran and Khandala to enjoy the picturesque landscapes and the pure air.
“Acquiring livelihood” is another reason for which people embark on elaborate journeys. Rasulullahsaw and his tribe “The Quraish” were famous for their trade related travels. The Quran narrates this in Surah Quraish:
لِإِيلَافِ قُرَيْشٍ * إِيلَافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاء وَالصَّيْفِ
“For the covenants (of security and safeguard enjoyed) by the Quraish, Their covenants (covering) journeys by winter and summer.”
From the biggest business tycoon to the humblest hawker each will vouch for the benefits of travelling for a business to flourish. Where big businesses send high ranking officials around the world to expand their business and build better trade relations, a humble hawker will travel miles to caterer to newer customers or acquire cheaper goods.
A traveler will always gain knowledge and experience regardless of the reasons for his journey. A traveler will always return with bounties of acquaintances and varieties of cultural treasures. Even Allah has granted a travelling muslim the gift of qasr namaz. A muslim who is on a journey should pray two raka’at where he would normally pray four.
Aba Basir and his journey to the hazrat of Imam is a case in point. His hardships and destitution was rewarded when he was granted an audience with Imam. Imam was so moved by this show of love and affection that his eyes brimmed with tears. Imam accepted him as his follower and assured him with the bounty of jannat.
The old lady whose fervor for the ziyarat of Imam Husain was so great that the lack of a ride and the exorbitant taxes couldn’t stop her from undertaking the journey to Karbala. She became a paradigm for every mumin, every shia who longs for the ziyarat of Imam Husain.
RasulullahSAW has stated that when a muslim travels in search of knowledge his every step is awarded with hasanat. Then when he meets a scholar and discusses what they have learned from Allah, they are surrounded by angels and a call from above them proclaims “I have cleansed all their sins!”
When we, as mumeneen, travel towards the hazrat of our Dai Syedna Mohammed BurhanuddinTUS we are rewarded with all the bounties and hasanaat mentioned here. This is the place where we are relieved of our sorrows. Here we acquire the livelihood that will benefit us in the hereafter. This is the source of the knowledge of Rasulullah and Aimmat Tahereen. This is where we learn the adaab(manners) of deen in the company of the our glorious Aqa MaulaTUS. Thus, travelling to this hazrat is the true validation of Maulana Ali’sAS verse.
