Monthly Archives: October 2006

Nearness to Allah SWT

Qutube ‘alam Hazrat Mawlana Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi ra said;

“A person’s nearness to Allah SWT is propotional to his distance from his ego and self (nafs)”

That is, from acting on the selfish and sinful desires of one’s ego.

Source: Advice for the Seeker, Sayings of Shaykh Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi ra by Mr. Altaf Mian sahib

Dreaming of Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Thanawi ra narrates that an individual approached Sheikhul arab wal ‘ajam Hazrat Haji Imdadullah mohajir makki ra seeking a wird to have a vision of Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in dream.

Hazrat Haji shaib ra told him,

“Brother, you are courageous!

I feel incompetent even to fix my gaze at the gumbed-e-kizra (the green dome situated above Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم’s blessed grave). “

صل ياربّ

صل ياربّ على روح ريئس الرّسل

نقتدى نحن على ارجله بالرّاس

رحمت بھیج اے پروردگار رئیس الرسل کی روح پر

جن کے قدموں پر ہم چلتے ہیں سر کے بل

مناجات مقبول215

Sheikh’s adab & respect

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said commenting on the verse 63 of surah Noor: Make not the calling of the messenger among you as your calling one of another……..

“A mureed must have special adab and respect with the Sheikh. His dealings with him should be outstanding as compared to other individuals.”

Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 381

Being away from Sheikh’s company is deleterious

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra commenting on the verse 62 of surah Noor: “Only those are believers, who believe in Allah and His Messenger: when they are with him on a matter requiring collective action, they do not depart until they have asked for his leave; those who ask for thy leave are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger; so when they ask for thy leave, for some business of theirs, give leave to those of them whom thou wilt, and ask Allah for their forgiveness: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”, said

“Being away from Sheikh’s company, even with permission, is somewhat detrimental.”

Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 381

Lowering one’s gaze

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said commenting on the verse 30 of surah Noor: (Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! Allah is aware of what they do.) :

“Lowering one’s gaze is a major component of the teachings of sulook.

(That is, not seeing anything that Shariah commands impermissible to be seen).”

Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 375

My Stay at Darul Uloom

Ramadhan ul mubarak is the special season to strengthen our relationship with Allah SWT.

To achieve this goal salikeen (spiritual aspirants) visit and stay in the company of their Shuyukh. There they receive direct nasiha (advice) and tarbiyah (training) regarding the diagnosis and treatment of spiritual maladies. And most importantly they develop munasbet (congeniality) with the Sheikh.

MashaAllah, MRK, (the computer expert incharge for Asharafiya site), is a dear and sincere brother-in-tareeq, he recently stayed in Darul Uloom to be in the company of Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammed Taqi Usmani shaib db. He has kindly shared his experience with me. InshaAllah, it will be beneficial for others also.

(PS. He is writing this in steps. I will, inshaAllah, keep it updated and translate the Urdu portions later.)

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My saty at Darul Uloom

Part 1

I reached darululoom at zuhar on 20th ramadhan. After prayer I met Hazrat db and then we (some other people too came to stay with Hazrat db) went to his office. Hazrat db talked with an ustad and arranged for our stay. Hazrat db used to sit in his office from zuhar to asr (hanafi timming). After asr Hazrat db used to walk and do tilawat till around maghrib time. Hazrat db’s son Molana Hassan saheb was leading taraveeh and Hazrat db used to pray taraveeh in the mosque.

On first day’s nashiset ikhtitam when Hazrat db was going for asr prayer, I asked Hazrat db what should I do while being there?Hazrat db told me do

  1. frequent tilawat,
  2. pray tahajud and
  3. do dowazdah tasbeeh (zikir of tareeqa).

After asr I asked Hazrat db as I was told that our dinner/sehri would be from Hazrat db. I asked to confirm about that and he said “jo merey dost yahan atey hain tu un key khaney ka intizam meree taraf say hota hai.”

Part 2

After zuhar on saturday (20th Ramadhan 1427):

1- Hazrat db told us (while replying to the letters) that some one wants to write PHD thesis on Mufti Mohammad Shafi ra and I have told him that there has been some work done in this regard but that person continuously wrote to me that I want to write a PHD thesis on Hazrat ra and now in his latest letter that person said that he has completed his thesis. He also wrote that I once visited darululoom to meet you but couldn’t meet you and was complaining about it. Hazrat db told us “arey bhai, agar waqat pehley say nahee lia tu yaqeeni mulakat kesey ho?”.

2- Hazrat db told us (while replying to the letters) “aik shakhs nai likha hai kay mamulaat porey nahee hotey ya pabandi say nahee hotey?
tu main nay un ko likha kay jis jiz kee ahmiat dil mein na ho woh kesy ho?”

3- Hazrat db told us (while replying to the letters) “aik shakhs nai likha key main bachon ko Quran shareef parhata hon. kutch arsa pehley bhaion nay meree shadi karwadi. Aab chownkey merey akhrajat kutch bhar ghai hain tu bhai keh rahen hai key tum Quran shareef parhana chor do aur koi duniavi kam karo jis mein thorey say ziada pesey hon. Tu mein Quran shareef parhana kisey kisee dunyavi kam kelie chordon.”

Hazrat db said I replied to him “bhaion par boj banney say behter hai key koi aur kam kia jai, aur apne biwi bachon aur ghar walon key rizq key lei kia janey wala jayz kam duyavi kam nahee hoga balkey woh bee aik ibadat hogee.”

That day while we were sitting with Hazrat db, a khadim came and started doing malish (massage) of Hazrat db’s sar mubarak.

Part 3

After asr on saturday (20th Ramadhan 1427):

While Hazrat db was walking I asked Hazrat db that being my first time in the khidmat of shaikh, what should I mostly focus in the suhbat of my shaikh. Hazrat db stopped walking and said:
“bhai, pehley merey jo dost yahan par darululoom mein tehreny ko kehtey thay, tu may un ko mana kardeta tha. kion key khayal tha kay masrofiat bahut hai aur un ko twaja say time nahee dey pata. laiken phir dil mein yeh khayal aya key deney wala mein kon ? deney walee zaat tu Allah swt keey hai tu jo bee talb-e-sadiq lay ker ayega InshAllah us ko Allah swt den gey.”

Hazrat db started walking and continued:
“Apney hazrat kee suhbat mein agar woh baat kar raha ho tu us ko ghor say sunain. aur agar woh khamosh ho tu phir yeh taswaur karein key hazrat key dil say aik noor nikal raha hai jo merey dil mein dakhil ho raha hai”.
Hazrat db also added:
“is key ilawa islahee majalis aur khutbaat ka mutala rakhein. aur jab woh parh chuken to dekh lain key agar hazrat thanvi ra kee mawaiz samjh mein atey hain to wo parhana shoru karden.”

I told Hazrat db that I have read ‘Islahee majalis”‘aur “Isllahi khutbaat “ thrice should I now read Hazrat Thanvi ra mawaiz?
Hazrad db said:
“zaroor. hazrat thanvi ra key mawaiz mein aik jild hay ‘tasswauf kee haqeeqat aur taqwa’, woh yahan maktabey say laiker parhana shoru karden, jo baat samjh mein na aye tu mujh say poch lain. koshish karen key kam say kam hazrat thanvi ra key 40 mawaiz parh lain, InshAllah is say bahut fayda hoga.”

Part 4

After zuhar on sunday (21th Ramadhan 1427):

1- Hazrat db delivered a speech in mosque. On people’s request Hazrat db agreed to have a daily short majlis (this year Hazrat db was not delivering lectures on daily basis as in previous Ramadhans).

2- After zuhar Hazrat db visited his house and then came back to his office. We were in his office. We spent that time there till asr prayer.

After isha on sunday (21th Ramadhan 1427):

I asked Hazrat db that InshAllah tomorrow after ishraq I will leave for office. I requested for dua (especially for my istqamat on deen, my family and friends) and Hazrat db gave me such duas that if I remember now it gives me a great pleasure. I also requested Hazrat db if there is any naseehat? hazrat db told me “jo kutch islahee majalis aur islahee khutbaat mein, wahee naseeat hai.”.

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JazakAllah