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

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 [...]

The permissible mawlid

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah ahve mercy on him) said regarding this,
The first type of gathering is that which does not contain any of the prevalent and customary restrictions (quyud). Neither [does it contain] mubah (permissible) restrictions nor makruh (prohibitively disliked) ones, i.e., it is free from all [sorts of] restrictions. For instance, [...]

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 [...]

Fast of ‘Ashura

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah presrve him) writes,
Abdullah ibn Musa, (Allah be pleased with him), reports that the Holy Prophet, (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), preferred the fast of ‘Ashura’ (10th Muharram) on the fasts of other days and preferred the fasts of Ramadhaan on the fast of ‘Ashura’. (Bukhari [...]

بدعت

حضرت مولانا مفتی محمود اشرف عثمانی مدظلہ فرماتے ہیں
 

البلاغ 12/1430

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 [...]

The Reality of Jihad

Hakeem ul Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) tells an anecdote in one of his discourses:
A sufi aspirant busy with his islah (reformation) was overwhelmed with a thought of abandoning his spiritual struggle and to enlist in the Muslim Army engaged in Jihad. Being sincere he consulted his Shaykh before embarking on this holy journey.
Sheikh admonished [...]

Principles of tareeq

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 [...]

Major sins (kabair)

Shaykh Abu Taleb Makki (Allah have mercy on him) said that I complied the Prophetic sayings related to major sins and found out that there are 17 mentioned explicitly. They include,
Four related to heart,
1. Associating partners with Allah (shirk)
2. Intention of persisting on a sin
3. Being hopeless of Allah’s mercy
4. Being heedless of Allah’s wrath
Four related to tongue,
1. Bearing false [...]

Treatment of skepticism

An aspirant wrote,
Respected Sir,
I have certain degree of skepticism in my personality. Listening to the criticism of the opponents greatly perturbs me. For this reason I only read your books. All praise is to Allah, whenever this kind of skepticism arises there is no effect on my acts of worship. However, the interest in worship [...]

Preparing for Ramadhan

 
1. Ask Allah for tawfeeq to benefit from the blessings of Ramadan daily, from now onwards.
2. Make a firm determination to abstain from all sins. Especially those committed by the eyes, ears and tongue.
3. Try to free as much time as possible from work and other commitments for pure worship (ibadah).
4. Reschedule non essential appointments [...]

Acquiring Religious Knowledge

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Moulana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah SWT preserve him and allow us to benefit from him abundantly. Ameen!) said:
“After professing faith (emaan) the foremost duty and obligation that befalls an individual is to acquire religious knowledge. This is because until he knows what is required essentials (faraiz & wajibat)) to do and from [...]

Dua for the deceased

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,
‘As per the Prophetic saying (hadith) Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) considers that making supplications (dua) for the deceased are more superior and beneficial then doing esal e thawab (forwarding the reward of good actions).’
Waaz: surah wash Shamah ki [...]

غیرسودی بینكاری

سیدی و سندی حضرت مولانا محمد تقی عثمانی صاحب مدظلہم العالی
کی مفصل تحریر
غیر سودی بینكکاری

Filed under:K. Fiqh, L. Books