Teachings of Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf 'Ali Thanawi & his spiritual successors, particularly 'Arifbillah Dr 'Abdul Hayy 'Arifi (may Allah bless them) and Sayyidi Mawlana Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) regarding Tasawwuf

How to develop determination?

An individual asked that the pious usually instruct their disciples to develop determination (himmat) for doing good deeds and abstaining from sinful acts. What is the method to develop this determination?
Hakim al-Umma’s khalifa Shaykh Mawlana Khair Mohammad Jalandhari (Allah have mercy on them) replied,
‘The heartfelt acknowledgment of the significance and the importance of a matter [...]

تصوف : محبت الھی کا چشمہ

………….
مولانا سید ابوالحسن علی ندوی رحمة اللہ علیہ نے فرمایا
اگر تصوف اپنی صحیح روح اور سلوک راہ نبوت کے مطابق ھو اور
یقین ومحبت پیدا ھونے کا باعث ھو
اس سے قوت عمل، جذبہ جھاد ، عالی ھمتی ، جفاکشی
اور شوق شہادت پیدا ھونا لازمی ھے
جب محبت الھی کا چشمہ دل سے ابلے گا
تو روئیں روئیں سے [...]

Seeker’s affliction

Sidi Ahmad Zarruq al-Barnusi al-Fasi (Allah have mercy on him) [1442 – 1493 CE] said,
I have also seen that the seekers of this age are afflicted with five things:
1.The preference of ignorance over knowledge
2. Being deluded by every spiritual impostor
3. The inability to prioritize important matters
4. Using the spiritual path as a means to inflate [...]

Allah’s love

Sayyidi wa sanadiShaykh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,
‘The people living in the vicinity of the House of Allah (Ka’ba) have a greater responsibility of following the Shariah commandments. To do so they must develop a strong relationship with Allah.
As per the teachings of my Shaykh Hadrat ‘Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) [...]

Companionship to be avoided

Shaykh-e-kamil Arifbillah Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said;
“The companionships (suhba) that do not make one remember Allah or His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), reflect on one’s own debilitated condition and perceive one’s filthy inner-self and lead to increased involvement in dispensable (ghair-maqsood) and increasing desire of [...]

Precious advice

Shaykh Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (Allah have mercy on him) said the following addressing the students of Medina (al-munawwarah) University,
‘A scholar should be more pious and congnizant (of Allah).
Being excessively involved in contraversial issues makes one negligent of his/her own personal improvement.
Focus more on practice of issues that are  held unanimous. For example, khushu in salah. Do [...]

Advice to reader of Sufi works!

Sayyidi wa sanadi Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him and allow us to benefit from him a lot. Ameen!) gives the following invaluable advice to those interested in classic Sufi works:
“A point never to be forgotten when reading the books of venerable Sufi masters is that the things to acquire from them are;
- the [...]

فنائیت

عارف باللہ حضرت ڈاکٹر عبدالحئی عارفی رحمۃ اللہ علیہ نے فرمایا کہ
فنائیت کا مطلب ہے ترک اعتراض۔
یعنی کسی پر اعتراض نہ کرو۔
ناگوار امر پر صبر کرو اور ضبط سے کام لو۔
اس ترک اعتراض کا آخری مقام یہ ہوگا کہ ہر ناگوار امر کو مشیت ایزدی پر محمول کرتے ہوۓ ناگواری نہیں ہوگی۔
جو کام بھی ہوگا [...]

Humility

Shaykh Mohammad Abdullah Gangohi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
A humble man is not a person who regards himself above the act of humility he is displaying. A humble man is a person who considers himself below the act of humility he is doing.
at-Talib

حاصل و منتہاۓ طریق

علامہ سید سیلمان ندوی رحمۃ اللہ علیہ نے فرمایا 
ہر عمل میں طلب رضا کا شعور پیدا ہونا یہی اس طریق کا حاصل ہے۔
اور جب خدا اوربندہ کے درمیان یہ علاقہ استوار ہو جاتا ہے تو صوفیہ کی اصطلاح میں اس کو ‘نسبت’ کہتے ہیں۔ 
تذکرہ سلیمان رح، ص412

Perfection

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Perfection (kamal) is that an individual can successfully overcome a state (hal) without the  state causing any change in him.
Great insight (baseerah) is needed to recognize such an individual. His condition is similar to that of the novice aspirant. Common people can not differentiate between [...]

Rights of Fellow human beings!

Sayyidi wa sanadiMawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him and allow us to benefit from him a lot. Ameen!) said:
“If someone drank alcohol, he can repent by asking forgiveness from Allah.
If he commits zina (adultery), he can repent by asking forgiveness from Allah.
If he were to eat pork, he can repent by asking Allah’s forgiveness.
BUT,
if [...]

Giving gifts!

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Keep up with the custom of exchanging gifts.
This practice cleanses the hearts (from misunderstandings and suspicions) and increases mutual love.
Do not consider any gift to be unworthy of being a present. Exchange whatever is available without any formalities.
Taleem ud deen, quoted via Zad us [...]

Company of awliya

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,
‘Once a person asked Hakim al-Umma (Allah have mercy on him), that the famous verse;
Yak zamana suhbat ba awliya
Behter az sed sala ta’et e bay-riya
(Momentary companionship of Friends of Allah is better than hundred years of sincere worship) seems to be an exaggeration. How can this be [...]

Cognizant sinner

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said  something smilar to the following in one of his discourses,
The minimum  benefits of maintaining regular correspondence with  a Shaykh ( in form of islahi-ta’luq) is that it makes an individual a cognizant sinner (baydar gunahgar).
That is, if God-forbid he commits a sin he will [...]