Monthly Archives: January 2009

Photographs of our akabir

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A brother inquired about the availability of photographs of  our pious predecessors (akabir), especially Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him).

The response,
Our akabir do not approve of photography of living creatures.
They acknowledge the fiqhi dispensation for essential governmental requirements.  But without a genuine reason they consider it impermissible.

However, it can not be denied that their photographs do exist . 
These were taken without their knowledge and permission.
If they would have known they would have vehemently disapproved of it and urged the perpetrator to destroy these pictures.

The following incident is an example for us,
A person brought a rare picture of Hakim al-Umma Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) to Mawlana Hakim Akhter sahib (may Allah preserve him) expecting some reward and appreciation.  Immediately after listening to his introduction and prior to having a glimpse of the picture Hakim sahib tore it into pieces . He commented that Hazrat Thanawi would have never approved of it.

How can we claim to follow our akabir when we practice against what they taught?

Muraqaba e ehsan

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الإحسان :

أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه ،

فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراك

Shaykh Shah Mohammad Asadullah (may Allah have mercy on him) instructed his senior murid,

‘After every salah perform the muraqaba that Allah is watching me (and is aware of  all my outer and inner thoughts and activities).

Do this for one minute.

Try to bring this to mind at other times also.’

Akes e Jamil, page 218, (220)

The adab of the path

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A young brother requested to be initiated in the path.

Shaykh Mawalana Abdul Hafeez al-Makki (may Allah preserve him) one of the senior khulafa of Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Zakariyah (may Allah have mercy on him) inquired,

‘Have you ever previously entered the path via any of the living genuine Shuyukh?’

The aspirant hesitantly replied in negative.

Shaykh repeated his question again.

This time the seeker answered more confidently and only then Shaykh proceeded to initiate him.

It was a lesson to all present in the Makkah mukaramah khanqah.

‘Do not consider this initiation (baiyah) to be a trivial thing.’

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Related:

1. Leaving the tariqa

2. Leaving a Shaykh for another one!

The fundamental principles

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pillars

 

Understanding these principles thoroughly will remove all the confusion, doubts and abstruseness regarding the spiritual path.

1.  The demands of the religion should be given preference over worldly benefits.

2. The intellect should always remain subservient to the Divine Law (Shariah).

3.  Do not to be negligent in volitional (ikhteyari) actions (that is, within one’s determination and control)[e.g. essential daily worship, recitations, wird, etc.]. Similarly, do not be in pursuit of things that are beyond one’s control (ghair-ikhteyari)[e.g. spiritual states, dreams, uneveiling, etc.].

4.  Abandon all your own planning and schemes (tajwiz), delegate (tafwidh) all this to Allah.

5.  Keep focused on the goals of Shariah and not to be distracted by other things.

6. Consider spiritual states (kayfiyat-e-batiniyah) to be a good and desired phenomenon but do not regard them as the primary goal and objective  of the path.

7.  Do not to be overwhelmed by emotional factors and desires. Act as per the verdict of intellect and remember to keep it subservient to Shariah at all the times.

Ma-asir e Hakim al-Umma ra, page 166

Chishti, Qadri, Naqshabandi & Suharwardy!

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چشتیہ = قادریہ = نقشبندیہ = سہروردیہ

 

‘Following the usual practice of his Shaykh Haji (Imdadullah mohajir Makki) sahib, Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on them) used to initiate the seekers in the four major Sufi lineages (that is, Chishtiya, Qadiriya, Naqshbandiya and Suharwardiya).

This was to establish a connection with all the pious predecessors and gain their spiritual blessings.

Moreover, this was also to maintain an equivalent reverence for all pious predecessors and not to give preference to a saint over another. The latter is not allowed because it usually results in denigration of other saints. This is impermissible and very dangerous. Holding a bad opinion (su-e-dhan) about the pious sometimes results in a bad ending (of life, su-e-khatama, i.e. without faith), whereas it surely results in being bereft of their spiritual blessings.

Ashraf us-Sawanaih, part 3, page 185

Become blind, deaf, mute and paralyzed!

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Baba Fariduddin Masood Ganj Shakar (may Allah have mercy on him)(d. 5th Muharram 611H/1262CE) said,

“A spiritual aspirant must do the following four things,

1. Become blind from seeing anyones’ mistakes.

2. Become deaf from hearing anything useless and petty.

3. Become mute, so there is no idle talking and his speech remains pure.

4. Paralyze his legs, so that he does not walk towards anything that is impermissible.

Only if these qualities are found in an individual then he is eligible to be called an aspirant otherwise he is a liar and a boastful charlatan. ”

Baba Farid ra ka roznamcha, page 11-12

Sin or Rebellion?

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Baba Najam Ahsan khalifa of HakeemulUmmat (may Allah have mercy on them) said;

“The definition of a sin is that; if one commits it he feels remorseful and questions himself, ‘why did I do it?’
If one does not feel any regret after performing this action then it is not a sin but it becomes a rebellion (against Allah).”

Zikr-e-Ahsan 183