Monthly Archives: October 2009

Differentiation between hatred for the sake of Allah SWT vs hatred for nafs

BleedingHeart

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said commenting on the verse 4 of surah al-Mumtahana:

There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people: “We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides Allah. We have rejected you, and there has arisen, between us and you, enmity and hatred for ever, unless ye believe in Allah and Him alone”: But not when Abraham said to his father: “I will pray for forgiveness for thee, though I have no power (to get) aught on thy behalf from Allah.” (They prayed): “Our Lord! in Thee do we trust, and to Thee do we turn in repentance: to Thee is (our) Final Goal.

‘There is explicit evidence in this that the hatred that is for the sake of Allah (bugz fil Allah) does not lead to abandoning of kindness and consideration (for that individual), as compared to the hatred that is due to one’s self (nafs).’

Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 508

47th IDSA, Philadelphia, PA

The gold standard!

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Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘Perfect (kamil) and fully qualified (mukamal) individual is the one who is exactly following the footsteps of Allah’s approved Messenger (Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace). His exterior appearance should be like the exterior appearance of the Messenger. And his inner condition (batin) must be like that of the inner condition of the Messenger to.

That is, he should be following the Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace) in every command and state (hal).’

Waaz: Tariq e qalander, Mawaiz e Hakim al-Ummat ra, page 246

Rockville, MD

Our benefactor: Nafs & Shaytan?

Arif-billah Dr. Abdul Hayy ‘Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

“My respected Shaykh (Hakim al-Umma) used to say with much amusement,

‘Don’t always quibble about the inner-self (nafs) and Shaytan.

In a sense they are also our benefactor. That is, if there was no sinful ideation by them how could we progress spiritually?

See it for yourself. They instigate us to sin but with firm determination we avoid it. This leads to registering of reward for not sinning in our records.

God forbid, if we slip and commit sin, then immediately we feel remorse and repent making supplication for forgiveness. The feeling of inadequacy and incompetence arises. The pride of sanctimony and self-righteousness vanishes. Moreover in the heart the feeling of spiritual collapse and humility is born. This is the servitude (abdiyet) that Allah likes the most.

Now deduce from all of this how our innerself (nafs) and Shaytan are becoming a source of bringing us close to Allah, Most High.

The only essential condition (to achieve this benefit) is that one should not be negligent of their tricks.”

Ta’lemat e “Arifi, page 62

Washington DC

پاكستان كے حالات كے بارے میں خصوصی بیان

سیدی و سندی حضرت مولانا محمد تقی عثمانی صاحب مدظلہ كا

پاكستان كے حالات كے بارے میں خصوصی بیان

موجودہ حالات میں ھم كیا كریں! ۔

تلوین

حكیم الامت مجدد الملت مولانا اشرف علی تھانوی رحمة اللہ علیہ نے فرمایا

سالك كے قلب كے حالات كا مختلف ھونا كبھی قبض ھونا،كبھی بسط ، كبھی سُكر، كبھی صحو، بالخصوص مبتدی كہ اس كو بھت تغیر پیش آتا ھے۔ اس كو تلوین كھتے ھیں۔

یہ لوازم سلوك میں سے ھے۔ مضر نھیں۔ اس سے پریشان نہ ھونا چاھیے كہ وہ پریشانی البتہ مضر ھے۔

التكشف ص ٣٢١ْ

Most Superior form of Worship!

Arifbillah Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi relates that in the last years of his life Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on them) used to say,

‘At 80 years of age I have come to the conclusion that dua (supplication) is the most superior form of worship (i’badah).”

Explaining it further Hazrat Arifi ra said this because in dua one has a sincere concentrated attention(tawajuh ilal Allah) and turning towards Allah SWT(ruju’ ilal Allah).

Also it is a manifestation of one’s slavehood(a’bdiyat) and total dependence (muhtaj ).’

Jawahir Hakim al-Umma ra

صحبت شیخ

فرمایا کہ اس طریق میں اصل چیز صحبت شیخ او رمحبت شیخ ہے ۔

تعلیم وتلقین اس کے بغیر کا رگر نہیں ہوتی اور صحبت بلا تعلیم وتلقین کے بھی مفید ہوتی ہے.

پہلے بزرگوں کی عام عادت زیادہ تعلیم وتلقین کی نہ تھی، ان کی صحبت کی برکت ہی سے اصلاح ہو جاتی تھی ۔

غالباً حضرت مولانا محمد اسماعیل شہید نے منصب امامت میں لکھا ہے کہ بزرگوں کا فیض صحبت آفتاب کے مشابہ ہوتا ہے کہ اس کا فائدہ سب کو پہنچتا ہے، خواہ استفادہ کرنے والے کو اس کی خبر بھی نہ ہو اور قصد استفادہ کرے یا نہ کرے آفتاب کا فائدہ سب کو برابر ملتا ہے، اسی طرح خاص خاص بزرگوں کا فیض صحبت بھی ایسا ہی عام ہوتا ہے اور علامت ایسے بزرگوں کی یہ ہوتی ہے کہ ان کی وفات کے وقت عام قلوب میں ایک ظلمت وکدورت محسوس ہونے لگتی ہے۔

حضرت نے فرمایا کہ اس کی تائید اس جملہ سے ہوتی ہے، جو صحابہ کرام نے رسول الله صلی الله علیہ وسلم کی وفات پر فرمایا تھا :” والله ما انفضنا ایدینا من التراب حتی انکرنا قلوبنا“

یعنی خدا کی قسم ! ہم نے رسول الله صلی الله علیہ وسلم کو دفن کرنے کے بعد اپنے ہاتھ بھی مٹھی سے نہیں جھاڑے تھے کہ ہمارے قلوب میں تغیرمحسوس ہونے لگا۔

فرمایا مشائخ کی صحبت میں رہنے والا ہر وقت اُس سے نفع حاصل کرتا رہتا ہے، خواہ اس کو نفع کا احساس اور استحضار ہو یا نہ ہو۔

مجالس حکیم الامت رح

Teaching of the Awliya!

Sultan ra mazar

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) narrates the following incident in one of his discourses:

Khawaja Bakhtiyar Kaki quddus sirahu’s janazah was ready for the salah. The khadim-e-khas came forward and announced that according to the will of Khawaja the funeral prayer (salat-ul-janazah) is to be led by the person who fulfills these 3 requirements:

1. He should have never laid eyes on any unrelated women (non-mehram) after reaching puberty.

2. He should have never missed the 4 rakat of sunnah-prayer (ghair-muakkidah) before asr salah.

3. Because of the fear and awe of Allah, he never looked upwards towards heavens.

The huge crowd stood still. All the awliya of Dehli and Shaykh’s senior khulafa were there. No one came forward. Khadim repeatedly announced the requirements. But there was no response. A sense of impatience was being felt.

Finally, Sultan Shamusddin Altamash (Allah have mercy on him) stepped forwards. He remarked, “No one knew my secret, the respected Khawaja disclosed it. All praise is for Allah, I fullfil these criteria”. He then led the prayers.

Even after his demise Khawaja Bakhtiyar Kaki (Allah have mercy on him) taught a tremendous message:

To his khulafa and mureedeen he taught the lesson of humility (tawadhu’) and saved them from self admiration (u’jub). He motivated them to perform and be consistent with the supererogatory (mustehibat) acts of worship. Also, he taught them to never under estimate others and have a high opinion for them.

To the public who always complain that they are too busily involved in acquiring means for survival and can not spare time for essential worship lest for nawafil, he showed them the example of the king. Their ruler who had a huge responsibity, numerous tasks and varied commitments to attend to, but still he was steadfast even in praying the pre-asr ghair-muakkidah sunna. His modesty did not allow him to look at the unlawful. His fear of accountability to Allah was so pervasive that he did not dare look towards the heaven. Leaving us pondering:If a monarch can be like this why can not it be us?

ہرگز نہ میرد آنکہ دلش زندہ شد زعشق
ثبت ازبر جریدہء عالم دوام ما

میں نے تمہیں دیکھا ہے

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ماثور دعاؤں میں

منثور ثناؤں میں

مامور ہواؤں میں

مسحور فضاؤں میں

میں نے تمہیں دیکھا ہے

خورشید کے تاروں مین

راتوں کے ستاروں میں

آنکھوں کے خماروں میں

یاروں کے نظاروں میں

میں نے تمہیں دیکھا ہے

برکھا کی پہواروں میں

ساون کی بہاروں میں

پودوں کی قطاروں میں

کوئل کی پکاروں میں

میں نے تمہیں دیکھا ہے

ہر قطرہ باراں میں

ہر ذرّہ تاباں میں

ہر برگ گلستاں میں

ہر روۓ درخشاں میں

میں نے تمہیں دیکھا ہے

گلزار میں، خاروں میں

کہسار میں غاروں میں

گنبد میں، میناروں میں

خلوت میں، ہزاروں میں

میں نے تمہیں دیکھا ہے

(حضرت مفتی محمود حسن گنگوہی رحمۃ اللہ علیہ)

Harms of being involved in non volitional issues!

no-harm

In regards to the effort of acquisition and elimination of non volitional things (umur e ghair ikhtiyariyah) Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘Failure by the aspirants to achieve this produces progressive frustration. The potential consequences of this frustration are:

1. Physical illness may develop as a result of constant worry. This in turn results in the omission of many devotional practices.

2. Frustration sometimes results in ill-temper. Others are then inconvenienced by one’s display of ill-manners.

3. Overwhelming worry and frustration at times causes one to neglect the rights of one’s family as well as those of others. Such neglect becomes sinful.

4. Sometimes this frustration reaches to such a level that the aspirant becomes hopeless and commits suicide. Thus, both his dunya and his here-after (aakhirah) are destroyed.

5. Sometimes the frustration causes him to lose all hope and he starts considering acts of obedience and righteousness to be useless. In consequence he ends all his righteous activities and his spiritual affairs reaches an abrupt halt.

6. Sometimes he becomes disillusioned with his Shaikh, losing confidence in him. He then labors under the notion that his Shaikh is not aware of the Path of Sulook.

7. Sometimes the frustration becomes so extreme that one becomes displeased with Allah that I am trying so hard and still I remain unsuccessful. There is no mercy and attention on me. He then doubts and denies Allah’s promises (of guiding whoever so wishes to be guided, etc.)

Al-Usool al-wusool, page 22

May Allah Ta’ala protect us from such a disastrous end. Amin!

جامع دعا

mazahidHuwalGhaniBig

عارف باللہ ڈاکٹر عبدالحئی عارفی رحمۃ اللہ علیہ نے فرمایا

بہتر یہ ہے کے صبح کے معمولات کے بعد اس طرح دعا بھی کرلیا کریں

یا اللہ

اپنا فضل و کرم فرمایئے

مجھے اور میرے متعلقین کو ہر طرح کی ظاہری و باطنی پریشانیوں سے محفوظ رکھیۓ،

ہر طرح کی فواحش و منکرات سے، نفس و شیطان کے مکائد سے،

ارضی و سماوی آفات و سانحات سے، ہر طرح کے سنگین حالات اور بیماریوں سے

اور لوگوں کی ہر طرح کی ایذا رسانی سے بچا کر اپنی حفاظت عطا فرمایئے، آمین

معمولات یومیہ، ص 23

Most frequent impediments in the path

mudslide

Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) wrote,

‘From the impediments of the path two are specially so prevalent that it is rare if any of the travelers has escaped not being involved in them. Even the learned scholars are involved in them.

One of them is striving to acquire some non volitional (ghair ikhtiyari) things. That are, things like engrossment, enthusiasm, intense & deep concentration, ecstasy, serenity, blocking of disturbing thoughts, burning desire, overwhelming attraction, emotional love, etc. It is assumed that these are the results of remembrance (dhikr), concentration exercises (shugal) and spiritual struggle (mujahidah). Moreover they consider themselves to be at loss when these things are not achieved.

The other impediment is striving to remove some non volitional (ghair ikhtiyari) thing. For example, spiritual constriction (qabd), overwhelming thoughts, not developing interest, love of an individual, innate love of wealth, sexual desires, excessive natural anger, not having softness of heart, not being able to cry, overwhelming worldly sorrow or fear, etc. It is assumed that theses things are detrimental for the path and are an impediment in achievement of the goal.’

Al-Usool al-wusool, page 20

Do Not Despise The Sinners

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Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “That person who taunts and ridicules his Muslim brother over a sin from which he has repented, will not die until he himself commits that same sin.” For example, you come to know that a certain person committed or was involved in a particular sin and you also know that this person has repented from it. To think low of him or to taunt or ridicule him because of that sin, by saying something like: “You are the one who was involved in certain evil actions”, is in itself a sin.

Through repentance a person has corrected his relationship with Allah Most High. Through repentance not only has the sin been forgiven, it has also been erased from his book of deeds! Allah Most High has erased it from his book of deeds but you, because of that sin, are thinking low of him and treating him with contempt. You are taunting and ridiculing him. This action is extremely despised by Allah Most High.

The adab

romanticred

Sahykh Abdul Ghani Nablusi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘The perfect etiquette (adab) with Allah is to worship Him as though you see Him.

And with all the creation the best etiquette is to give them in abundance whatever you want from them.’

Takhlees Tarsi al-Jawahir al-Makkiya, via Ma’arif e Sufiya, page 236

Principles of tareeq

bleeding-heart

Shaykh Wasiullah Allahabadi (Allah have mercy on him) quotes from the book ‘Minhej al-A’amal’, that from the principles of the people of Tasawwuf are,

1. Eating the lawful (halal)

2. Having the beautiful manners (husun e khulq), and

3. Avoiding the company of those who do not share the same goal as the salik (azdad/najins).

Tasawwuf wa nisbet o ihsan, via Ma’arif e Sufiya, page 301-3