حضرت علامہ ظفر احمد عثمانی صاحب(خلیفہ حضرت مولانا خلیل احمد سہارنپوری و حکیم الامت مولانا اشرف علی تھانوی رحمۃ اللہ علیہم اجمعین) نے فرمایا،
رسالہ انکشاف الحقیقہ عن استخلاف الطریقہ، مقالات عثمانی، جلد 2 ص384
Category Archives: A. Reality of Tasawwuf
Imperative characteristics
The three imperative characteristics the Shuyukh of Ashrafiya spiritual path (tareeq) try to cultivate in their disciples (murid) are,
1. Absolute following of the Shariah in all situations and under all circumstances
2. Always trying to rectify the lower-self (islah e nafs)
3. A profound conviction that this worldly life is transient and the real and permanent destination is the here-after.
Malfozat e ‘asr e hazera, page 11
Sunna = Spiritual realisation
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Buzaydi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“In fact, the Prophetic practice (sunna) is total spiritual realisation (ma’rifah) itself, nothing more and nothing less, for those who know its value.”
The Adab of Perfect Seeker, page 90.
Signs of annihilation
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Buzaydi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“There are three signs that indicate that a person is of those who are annihilated in the Divine Entity (fani fil-Allah).
First, there is complete shunning of this world. inwardly and outwardly.
Second, there is quietude in humiliation by choice.
Third, there is withstanding of all people’s harm with a good disposition of the soul.”
The Adab of Perfect Seeker, page 88.
Company of ignorant sufi
Shaykh ‘Ali al-Jamal (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“Keeping the company of an ignorant (sufi) novice is like swallowing a deadly poison.
The ignorant novice, who is pleased with himself, is farther from Allah than all the common people. The common person is like a new pot: it accepts whatever is poured into it. The ignorant novice, on the other hand, is like a pot filled with tar: it is unwashable and unusable for wholesome things.”
The adab of the true seeker, page 84
Changing tariqa sequel: adab
A very important thing to observe in this regard is the perfect propriety (adab) towards the ex-Shaykh. One should continue the same extreme humility and politeness, with no backbiting or hard feelings (kinah) at all. These are the rights due for each and every Muslim.
This holds even if he is a false (ghair kamil) or innovator (bida’ti).
It was his company that kept you practicing the essentials of the religion in that period and eventually guided you to the truth.
You owe him some respect for this, at the least!
Related:
Reasons for changing tariqa
These are from the teachings of Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him).
It is important to remember that these rules are only valid for genuine (kamil) Shaykh. If by mistake someone has affiliated to a false or imperfect (ghair kamil) or innovative (bida’ti) Shaykh it is essential for him to forsake this relationship immediately and seek a real Shaykh.
They include the following,
1. Death of the Shaykh before completion of spiritual journey (sulook).
2. Shaykh can not be located, either he he has moved or murid has travelled somewhere and no communication is possible at all.
3. God-forbid, the Shaykh has been struck by a spiritual calamity, physical or mental illness and is no more capable of directing others.
4. Shaykh himself instructs the spiritual aspirant to seek another Shaykh.
5. In spite of sincerely following the Shaykh for a considerable period of time no spiritual benefit is acquired.
(Iin # 3 & 5 murid’s has to consult other masters or senior disciples or scholars to guide him through.)
Related:
Changing tariqa
A sincere brother, who is already affiliated to a genuine Shaykh, inquired regarding his desires to change his tariqa.
By the barakah of sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) following reply was sent,
“It is highly discouraged to change one’s tariqa without a genuine reason.
Changing tariqa will just reinforce your lower self (nafs). Your nafs wants to derail you by whatever means possible. For some it does so by making them do sins and for others it is by involving them in less important or lower level permissible activities.
You always have to remain suspicious about your own nafs. Today it is creating doubts about this tariqa, tomorrow it will raise suspicions regarding Ashrafiya tariq.
So beware!”
Related:
Concealing from Shaykh
Mawlana Masihullah Khan (may Allah have mercy on him) instructed,
“A murid should not conceal any thing from his Shaykh. If he hides even the slightest of his condition (states or actions) from his Shaykh, then indeed, he has neglected the right of companionship (suhba).”
The Path to Perfection
Trace the footsteps of elders!
Shaykh Mansur ‘Ali Khan (khalifa of Shah Abrarul Haqqرحمه الله تعالى ) instructed a young mujaz of our silsilah,
“We have to retrace the footsteps of our mashykh, like Arif billah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi and Mawlana Shah Abrarul Haqq (may Allah have mercy on them). Remeber, how simple was their life-style. There were no signs of pretentiousness for being a pious person (buzurg). They openly told whoever came to them that if you want to become a buzurg go somewhere esle, stay here only if you want to become a decent Muslim.”
Jeddah, MC-1,11/8, 6th June 2008
حقیقت اجازت بیعت
حکیم الامت مجدد الملت حضرت مولانا شاہ اشرف علی تھانوی رحمہ اللہ فرماتے تھے کہ،
اس اجازت کی نظیر ایسی ہے جیسے علوم درسیہ میں جو سند دی جاتی ہے۔
اسی طرح جو کسی کو بیعت کی اجازت دی جاتی ہے اس کا یہ مطلب نہیں ہوتا کہ فی الحال ہی اس کو ان اوصاف میں کمال کا درجہ حاصل ہوگیا ہے۔
The Shaykh:Tawheed e matlub
Shaykh Buzaydi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote,
“When a seeker takes a perfect Shaykh, it is proper manner (adab) not to turn to any other Shaykh, no matter who he may be. If he does turn to someone else then he will never benefit, nor will he ever gain anything even if he takes on a thousand perfected Shaykh, due to his lack of sincerity and trueness.”
The adab of the true seeker, page 64
This is the reason why Ashrafiya stresses so much on being 100% sure before you commit and make baya’.
This is not to be taken lightly.
Before you commit,
Do research.
Visit many Shuykuh.
Communicate with them both in public and private.
Make lot of supplication.
Consult the spiritually mature and more knowledgeable.
Make istikhara.
Then only commit.
Related posts
Tasawwuf: Akabir vs us!
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,
I t remains unclear what innovations, absurdities and presumptions people have put into the understanding and practice of Tasawwuf. The reality is that going to a friend of Allah (Ahlullah/Shaykh) is to get one’s heart, ego and internal morals rectified.
From Hadhrat (Mawlana Qasim) Nanotwi رحمه الله تعالى till Hadhrat (Mawlana Husain Ahmed) Madni رحمه الله تعالى and Hadhrat (Shabbir Ahmed) Usmani رحمه الله تعالى there was not a single individual (from amongst the scholars of Deoband) who after graduation did not approach a Shaykh (Ahlullah) for his moral reformation (islah).
In our atmosphere these things have become strange. Nowadays if anyone is practicing this (the akabirs’ way), he is said to have become a sufi (in some degrading sense). The result of this lack of self-reformation (islah) is that the hearts are completely filled with love of worldly/materialistic (dunya) issues, especially love for fame (hubb e jah) and love for wealth (hubb e maal).This is reason that the preacher’s (da’ee) call is ineffective.
In conclusion, a very big reason for the failure of all our struggles and efforts is the abandoning of this concern (fikr) of self-reformation (islah).
[“Islahi Mawaiz: ‘Ilm Par Amal Karen” ]
From: at-Tazkirah (edited to make it easier to understand)