The Definition of Guidance

The following is the transcript of His Holiness Younus AlGohar's speech (video above).

Guidance comes from the root word, 'guide' and to guide means to instruct somebody, and that somebody follows your instructions under your auspicious supervision and arrives at the destination. For example, you insert into the satellite navigation your address and then it calculates the route. Having calculated the route, it will tell you what to do, where to go. You keep following the instructions and you will arrive at your destination. To guide is to instruct and monitor somebody until they arrive at their destination. It is not simply telling them do this or do that - that is instruction; it is advice. It will not be called guidance until you instruct and monitor [them] until they arrive at their destination.

Every word has more than one meaning: hypothetical meaning and metaphorical meaning. Metaphorical - like in the Quran, metaphors are used as examples. So the hypothetical meaning is the meaning of the word according to the language; however there is another meaning which doesn't translate the word, but it indicates the established thought of people who use this word. For example, in an airplane, you have economy class and business class. Business class doesn't mean only businessmen will travel in that class, however, it is said 'business class'.

Guidance in spirituality includes theosophical understanding. Theosophy is the art of knowing God.

The theosophical meaning of this word 'guidance' has two points. In order to find guidance, number one, a Spiritual Guide implants God's name in the beating system of your heart. Like your tongue pronounces God's word, like your tongue utters God's name, in a similar way, when God's name is implanted in the beating system of your heart, then your heartbeats will do the talking. Once God's name has been implanted in your beating system, then your heartbeats will do the same thing that your tongue does. You speak with your tongue, but you do not know how to speak with your heart.

His Divine Eminence Ra Riaz Gohar Shahi explained that when you are learning to pronounce words, you start off by joining two syllables together, then three, then four, and so on. In a similar way, when God's name enters the heart, it synchronises with the heartbeats. First, just the name of God is synchronised with the heartbeats. The heartbeats then pronounce the word, 'Allah Hu'. When it is successfully synchronised with the heartbeats, a time comes when the entire Kalima (Declaration of Faith) enters the heart. Then those who used to recite the Quran verbally, their hearts also began to recite the Quran.

When God's name is implanted in your heart, what will be the result of this implantation of God's name and how will you know whether or not God's name has been implanted in your heartbeats? Your heart is free and the only function of your heart is to beat. Whether you are talking, whether you are walking, whether you are sleeping, whatever you are doing, your heart is carefree of the function of your physical body. Even when you are sleeping, your heart doesn't sleep. Your heart doesn't go to the toilet, your heart doesn't take shower, your heart doesn't have a wife or kids. The heart is free from all.

The heart is only designed to remember your Lord, your God. So as a result of the implantation of God's name in your heartbeats, your heart will make mention of Gods name. This is the first step towards guidance. However it's not finished yet.

What is the second step? Your heart is now able to say God's name. What is the benefit of having the heart say God's name? When God's name is said repeatedly in your heartbeats, it will produce Divine Energy. And number two, Dhikr (remembrance of God) which is taking place in your heart should reach God. God should hear it. How will God hear it?

A Spiritual Guide will do two things in order to guide you. One, he will implant God's name in your heart, in the beats, and enable your heart to say God's name. Number two, the Spiritual Guide will connect your heart to God. When your heart is connected to God, the voice of your heart will reach God because now it is connected. God will hear what you are doing. If there is no connection, your heart may continue to say 'Allah Hu', but Allah is not aware of what is going on in the heart. So your heart must be connected to God. This is guidance.

This is the first degree of guidance. Nothing lesser than this can qualify to be known as guidance. If you read the Bible, go to the church every Sunday, you understand everything, but your heart is not connected to God, then you are not a guided one. If you are a Muslim, you read the Quran, you offer Salat, you fast, you go on Hajj, you do everything but your heart is not connected to God, then you are not guided.

Now when your heart is connected, the voice of your heart will reach God and the moment the voice of your heart reaches God, God will take pride in it. God will summon all the angels before him. 'Come hither, come hither. Were you not the ones who were objecting to the creation of Adam Safi Allah? Come and see for yourself: my servant is sleeping in his cosy bed. Not him, not his voice, but the voice of his heart is reaching me. Can you do this kind of worship?' He takes pride.

Therefore, guidance consists of two points. Number one: the Spiritual Guide invigorates your heart, implants God's name in your heart and enables your heart to say God's name with the help of the heartbeats. Number two: The voice of your heart reaches God. For the voice of your heart to be heard by God, he connects your heart to God. Any amount of Dhikr in your heart will directly reach God. Whatever you are doing on Earth is reaching God; you are now connected. This is guidance and this is what God was asking for human beings to achieve when he said:

اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيم صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ

[Quran 1:6]

'Oh God, guide us the Straight Path, The path of those who have become successful.'

Successful in doing what? In sending the voice of their heart to God; successful in being connected to God so that God is aware of what you are doing and you are aware whether or not God is pleased with you.

For example, God said,

فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ

[Quran 2:152]

'When you remember me, I will remember you.'

You are remembering God, but God is not remembering you. Your remembrance is not reaching God. You must send this remembrance to God. How will God know you are remembering him? In order for God to understand and become aware of you remembering him, God must be able to hear you. If he doesn't know you are remembering him, how will he respond? The purpose of God remembering you, first your remembrance of God must reach God.

When the voice of your heart reaches God, this is primary guidance; however, this is not the ultimate guidance. Primary guidance is that the voice of your heart reaches God; ultimate guidance is that your souls reach God and you will see God.