Monthly Archives: June 2007

Karachi: Heat, rain and no electricity

All are complaining about the excessive heat, the torrential rains and no electricity in Karachi these days. No doubt the conditions are very tough and depressing.

The most important question for us is, how should a salik act in these condition?

The simple answer is, by turning to Allah.

Asking Him for help in removing these difficulties.

Acknowledging our lack of gratitude when the conditions were smooth.

Being patient. That is, recognizing that these calamities are from Allah and He is al-Hakim and al-Hakeem. It has for sure many benefits in it for us, we may not be aware of them. However, to gain His pleasure in accordance with His commands and the Sunna of His beloved (may Allah bless him and give him peace) we are being patient.

Acknowledging our feeble, weak condition and sole reliance on Allah in getting rid of them.

Asking Allah to make these difficulties an atonement for our wrongdoings and sins.

Reminding ourselves of the numerous other bounties of Allah that we possess even now.

Not to discuss these issues in a tone or style that may give the impression of complaining that Allah has been unjust at causing suffering to me.

These are the teachings of Hadhrat Mawlana Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) and high-light how Tasawwuf is practiced in everyday life of a person.

Allah alone gives success.

Things to do when angry

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) advised the following to a spiritual aspirant for facilitating control over actions done in anger,

“1. To remove one’s self from that site

2. Recite اعوذبالله من شيطان الرجيم

3. Drink water

4. Immediately get involved in some work

5. Forgive the perpetrator reminding yourself of Allah’ power (Qadir), your own sins, fear of punishment and desirability of forgiving.”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 346

Am I a salik?

A spiritual aspirant inquired, ‘I question whether am I a traveler (salik) on the path or not?’

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana  Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) replied,

” This question is from the sub-sections of arrogance (kibr). It is arrogant to consider one’s self to be outstanding. Similarly, holding an assumption of be being from the outstanding is also arrogance, which is the basis of asking this question. You should repent and continue with your work. (Leave it for Allah’s decision) to make you a traveler on the path or keep you a non-salik.”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 360

Reading books

A spiritual aspirant wrote about his enthusiasm reading the books written by Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) day and night.

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma replied,

“The percentage of time spend in daily recitations (wird) and good actions (a’mal) should be greater than that spend in reading the books.

Your enthusiasm in this reading is from the pleasure of the subjects discussed and not the love of remembrance (dhikr).”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 476

Sunna 32

Sunna related to food:To be content with quantity and quality of food available and consider it to be a blessing of Allah. (Muwatta Imam Malik ra)

Embarrassment infront of Shaykh

Many seekers feel embarrassed discussing their sinful conditions with their Shaykh. This should not be the case. Shaykh-disciple relationship is similar to the physician-patient liaison. In both of them it is essential that the disciple or the patient is open, truthful and precise. This an absolute requisite for obtaining any benefit from these relationships.

Hadhrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) says,
“This Shaykh-disciple relationship is not an ordinary ritualistic practice. One should have firm conviction and trust in the Shaykh that he is the best person to make the correct diagnosis of my spiritual ailments and considerately prescribe the best treatment for my circumstances.” (Dastoor al-‘amal, 1)

It is arrogant and deceitful to hide one’s real condition from Shaykh.

Reality of Tasawwuf

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, 

“To us, the reality of Tasawwuf is knowledge accompanied by practice. 

The acceptable practices are those that are from the teachings of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace), and are within the ability (ikhtiyaar) of the aspirant.

Apart from this, everything else is supplemantary.

If  they are granted and the Shaikh validates them, then they are an additional bounty worthy of gratitude.

If they are not granted, or are granted and then taken away, then to try to regain them and to worry after them, or to feel restless due to their loss, all of these are inappropriate in the Tareeq and are extremely harmful for one’s self (baatin). This is regardless of what the nature of these extra bounties might have been.”

Basair e Hakim al-Umma ra, page 56

حقیقت تصوف

حکیم الامت حضرت مولانا اشرف علی تھانوی رحمۃ اللہ علیہ نے فرمایا،
ہمارے نزدیک حقیقت تصوف صرف علم با عمل ہے۔اور عمل وہی جو رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے تعلیم فرمایا ہے اور جو سالک کے اختیار میں ہے۔اس کے علاوہ سب چیزیں زائد ہیں اگر عطا ہو جائیں اور شیخ ان کو بتلا دے تو نعمت ہے اور قابل شکر اور عطا نہ ہوں یا عطا ہو کر زائل ہو جائیں تو ان کی تحصیل کی فکر یا ان کے زوال پر قلق طریق میں ناجائز اور باطن کے لئے سخت مضر ہے خواہ کچھ ہی ہو
بصائرحکیم الامت رح، ص 56

Turn to Allah

Hadhrat Mawlana Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,

“Our city (Karachi) is going through difficult times these days. Every one is worried and restless. Almost every house faces a problem either directly or indirectly. In spite of that our condition is that we only discuss the situation and comment on it. But, are there any among us who are really concerned and who turn to Allah and pray to Him to correct the situation? “O Allah! We are faced with difficulty. The consequences of our sins have overwhelmed us. O Allah! Be merciful to us and remove the worrying condition from us”

Discourses on Islamic Way of Life (Vol:10)
From at-Tazkirah

Dreams

An aspirant wrote one of his dreams in detail and its possible interpretation.

Hakim al-umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) replied,

“I do not consider dreams to be an authoritative thing in this path (tariq).”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 311

Cleansing the heart

An individual requested for a recitation (wadhifa) to purify the heart (from all that is sinful).

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) replied,

“The recitations are not adopted for cleansing the heart. The heart is purified by rectifying the actions done, both the outward physical (dhahiri) acts and the inner (batini) thoughts and acts. Recitations provide an auxiliary support in execution of these actions.”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 407

Leaving the Shaykh for another one!

It has been excessively emphasized that one should be very cautious and particular about selecting the Shaykh. However, once this has been done it is essential to stick to him until something grossly inappropriate is established.

In this regards Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says,

“One should not abandon murshid’s doorsteps and approach another Shaykh. This is because none of the realized Shuyukh (ahle-nisbet) will appreciate such an aspirant knowingly (i.e. his previous affiliation to a genuine Shaykh and abandoning it). And if a (Shaykh) does accept him, then it is a sign of his spiritual immaturity and there will be no significant benefit achieved from him. Also, concealing this information from the new Shaykh is a proof of insincerity, that is, in itself an obstacle in achieving any benefit.”

at-Takashshuf, page 225

عشق

چوٹ پہ چوٹ کھا کے جی، زخم پہ زخم کھا کے پی

آہ نہ کر لبوں کو سی، عشق ہے دل لگی نہیں