A novice seeker wrote,
I would like to seek for permission for Tablighi Jama’at activity.
Ashrafiya replied,
For time being postpone this for a while.
It is essential to firmly root yourself in the daily ma’moolat, reading, islah,etc. before you proceed to activities that are going to change your routine drastically.
Do assist them (nusrat) for few hours and sit in their book–reading sessions (ta’leem only. Not lectures) for the time being.
Islahi emails:TA
A seeker wrote,
My close friends and family members (whom I consult for my major decisions) are aware of my pursuing this path. I get a feeling that they expect more as if I am going to change overnight (perhaps it was a mistake to let some people know about this effort). Subsequently I get a feeling that I am trying to improve myself to show off in front of others. And it makes me really doubt the ikhlas that is a pre-requisite for all a’mal to be accepted i.e. they should be solely for pleasing Allah SWT. Please advise.
Ashrafiya replied,
1. The details of the islah are individualized. They are personal and private. It is inappropriate to share the details with others. Even if they were to ask the details answer very humbly that I have been asked not to tell others. I am doing whatever is being instructed.
2. There is no problem in informing them in general that you are trying to establish a islahi ta’luq.
3. Be aware that islah is a life long process. The change is gradual. Our akabir compare it to the growing of a child.
4. The blame-worthy moral trait of show-off or riya is a ikhteyari action. That is, you have to have an intention and then do it. It does not happen by itself without your control.
5. Also, as a established principle it is stated that the real show-off never ever doubts his own ikhlas and mukhlis is always in doubt. So do not worry. Continue what you are doing. MashaAllah, you are travelling and distance is being covered.
Islahi emails:TA
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)
A seeker wrote,
I spend some time with Tablighi Jamat for company with the pious. I try to go once a week in the weekly gusht and go out for 3 days every 2,3 months.
Ashrafiya replied,
Tablighi activity must be under the supervision of a Shaykh only. One should explicitly tell him about one’s family, job and other commitments and whom is he going to delegate these when he is off for tabligh. Otherwise, it will be detrimental for him and his family.
Islahi emails:TA
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)
The following is in response to a novice seeker’s many religious daily activities.
‘MashaAllah.
It is great to know about your activities. They are all fine.
However, I want to stress the importance of giving daily quality time to your spouse, daughter, parents and other very close relatives. This is essential and more beneficial then all other nafil activities.
Also, it must be clear that the knowledge of religion that you require for daily practice is essential and a must. Beyond this religious education is not for all. It is for scholars. For lay people like me it is more necessary to be involved in my own islah.
Also, a general advice akabir give to novice in religion is that,
“Walk slow and steady. Do not rush and run.”
Otherwise soon the enthusiasm will be over and a ‘burnt out state’ will come.
It is for this reason having a Shaykh is essential. He directs and tells how much to do
Ishai emails:TA
Abū Bakr al-Kattānī (Allah have mercy on him) said, “were it not that recollection of Him was required of me as a religious duty, I could not mention Him out of awe for Him. How can one like me recollect Him without washing out his mouth a thousand times as a required penance, so great is His recollection and so awesome His name!
The Principles of Tasawwuf, p 83
I read about the zikr of the chishti tareeqa i.e. the dowazdah tasbeeh. I have doubts in my mind regarding this. The thought comes to my mind that this is not established by sunnah. I have tried to read many books to clarify this but am not satisfied yet. Although I am ashamed to even think about the likes of Hakeem ul ummah RA or Mufti Taqi Usmani DB involved in any bidah. But I guess the very non-sufi environment that I have been in, gives me these doubts. Any clarification regarding this would be sincerely appreciated. Please forgive me if I offended with this question.
Ashrafiya replied,
There is no offence at all in asking this question.
However, there is a misunderstanding that needs to be clarified.
That is, every one acknowledges that dowazadeh tashib is not a masnun zikr, but it is a prelude or an excercise to develop interest, concentration and sincerity in the real zikr. This is by experience of the past mashaykh. Just like the physicians treating with different medicine. Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) tells us that, ‘is is medicine’, ‘you do not need a proof from Quran and hadith to use Tylenol for headche’,.
Similarly the sufic zikr is a medicine.This is clarified to each and every murid at the time of instruction of this tasbih. Not all murid or talibs are instructed to do it.
Also, the daily masnun tasbihat are in addition to this zikr.
I hope it is a bit clearer now.
Islahi emails:TA
A seeker inquired,
‘Is keeping a fist length beard an absolute requirement (I do have a beard but not fist length)?
Is keeping your pants (or shalwar) above the ankle another absolute requirement?
Following answer was given by Ashrafiya,
Tasawwuf deals with the ailments of the heart which are the root cause of all sins (actions against Sunna are sins). That is the reason most Shyukh do not instruct their disciples on fiqhi issues and direct them to muftis.
In simple words, it not a rerequirement to have these prior to becoming a murid/talib e islah. When the disease causing this will be treated there will be no resistance in doing the Sunna acts.
One of the Gnostics said,
‘(True) Remembrance drives away heedlessness.
So if your heedlessness disappears, you are remembering, even if you are silent.’
The Principles of Tasawwuf, p81
Our master Muʿādh ibn Jabal (God be pleased with him) said,
“An act requires four things to be safe from hypocrisy:
-knowledge before beginning it,
-proper intention at its start,
-patience during it, and
-sincerity at its conclusion.”
The Principles of Tasawwuf (A Ba’yuniah ra), p53
Ibrāhīm ibn Adham (Allah have mercy on him) said,
“One is not sincere in love of God if one loves fame.”
The Principles of Tasawwuf, p49
A spiritual aspirant wrote:
“I try to perform the fardh salah and mostly with jamat Allhamdullilah. However, sometime I miss the jamat or qadah salah and then I try to perform that as soon as possible. The question is in such case, I feel bad for a very short moment and then move on to other things very quickly. I believe the lose is much more than feeling bad for a very short time. Should I do something specific at such time? Please advise.”
Shaykh (Allah SWT preserve him and allow us to benefit from him abundantly. Ameen) response:
“It fine to acknowledge the mistake, make correction and move on. Holding on to a loss and grieving for long duration are distraction. Each moment has a right that needs to be fulfilled. It will be wasting another moment for a past loss. Be reassured.”
Meraj us Salikeen: Islahi Makateeb #2
Following is a list of common prevalent sinful activities.
Most of us are knowingly or unknowingly involved in them.
Sadly we are neither acknowledging our mistake in this involvement, nor repenting sincerely and making concrete efforts for improvement.
The present Pandemic should be an eye-opener for us.
It is extremely dangerous to belittle a sinful activity. It is spiritually lethal. Emaan is lost by considering it to be okay and continue doing it.
May Allah protect us all. Ameen!
(The list includes the most common and serious ones. There are many others.)
1. Associating partners with Allah. This is not by worshiping idols, but by believing Divinely attributes in created beings.
2. Performing black magic.
3. Free intermingling of opposite sexes.
4. Illicit sexual relationships.
5. Homosexuality.
6. Watching pornography.
7. Masturbation.
8. Listening music.
9. Insolent behavior with parents
10. Breaking blood-relationship ties.
11. Habitual lying.
12. Back-biting.
13. Deceiving another fellow human being.
14. Demanding bribes.
15. Use of intoxicants.
16. Watching movies, dramas and other types of videos.
17. Disregarding the rules of hijab and not covering what needs to be covered.
True Repentance means that we,
1. Acknowledge our mistake and are remorseful
2. We stop doing it immediately
3. We make a firm determination never to do it again
4. In case of negligence in fulfilling the rights of other fellow human beings, we either reimburse them or ask their forgiveness
May Allah facilitate it for us to abstain from all that is sinful. Ameen!
A spiritual aspirant who is a medical student wrote,
Lastly I wanted to inform that I also took admission in online alim course, after having mashwara with my father, he said
ضرور کرو اگر آسانی کر ساتھ کرسکتے ہو بس اپنے اوپر بوجھ نہ ڈالنا
So I will be doing darja aula for trail and if I am able to do then I will continue Inshaa Allah.
Following reply was sent
Wa alaykum as salaam wrwb
JazakAllah
MashaAllah. May Allah give isteqamet & facilitate all with afiyet. Ameen!
We have been instructed to achieve ahsaan (الاحسان) in our life. One interpretation of this is to achieve perfection in whatever we do.
It will be best to focus on your studies seriously and become an outstanding physician.
There are many mediocre doctors and many more non-practicing (bay-amal) alims.
One does not have to be a full fledged alim to be a practicing pious Muslim.
A lot of time the Devil (Shaitan) deceives by getting us involved in some nonessential good work.
Ahsaan (الاحسان) in anything requires lots of mujahidda.
Dil say dua hay.
Was salaam
A sincere brother emailed regarding the quest for a spiritual mentor (Shaykh) in United Kingdom.
Following reply was sent.
It was a pleasure to read your email. MashaAllah. Allah has granted you with balanced understanding, a true yearning (talub) And desire to progress in Deen. May Allah increase them with afiyet. Ameen!
The first thing is to not to make any hasty decisions. Make Dua a lot, mashwara (consultation) with pious repeatedly and istekhara before making any decisions in this regards.
The basic principle is to find a Shaykh you have munasbet (spiritual congeniality).
That is, on hearing Sheikh’s advice the aspirant readily accepts it and feels as though the words are pouring directly into his heart. The advice seems to be aimed directly at him. It appears to address his own spiritual ailments. Most importantly it does not stir any significant negative thoughts and criticism.
Below I’m mentioning few names of reliable and pious Shuyukh. It will be best to contact them, visit them repeatedly and comfortably detect the Munasbet.
1. Maulana Saleem Dhoraat, Leicester
2. Maulana Asif Khalifa, Bradford
3. Maulana Abdur Rauf, Dewberry
4. Mufti Musa Badaat, Dewberry
5. Maulana Mohammed Patel, London
6. Mufti Inayatullah, London
In the meantime follow the instructions ‘For the Seeker’ https://www.ashrafiya.com/instructions-for-the-seeker/ as much as possible.
Please do not hesitate to contact this lowly writer for any questions. I will try my best to answer. InshaAllah it will be mutually beneficial.
The Prophet of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
“On the day of eid (when people gather to offer eid prayers)
Allah says to the Angels,
‘Have these people fulfilled the obligation (of fasting)
and are now gathered for prayers?
I swear by My pride, magnificence, majesty, mercy and elevated status that I will fulfill their prayers.
Tell them to return,
I have forgiven them all
and furthermore
I have replaced their sins with virtuous deeds.
Hence they return completely forgiven.
(Mishkat/Bahaiqi)
On our eid visit to Sayyidi wa sanadi Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani(Allah preserve him) we always found him to be extremely happy and cheerful, repeatedly telling us that Arifbillah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi’s (Allah have mercy on him) statement regarding Eidul fitr
“We are excessively blessed individuals today.
All our sins have been forgiven.
They have been bartered with good deeds.
We are completely clean and tidy.”
An unimaginable joy!