Qutube ‘alam Hazrat Mawlana Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi ra said;
“A person’s nearness to Allah SWT is propotional to his distance from his ego and self (nafs)”
That is, from acting on the selfish and sinful desires of one’s ego.
Source: Advice for the Seeker, Sayings of Shaykh Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi ra by Mr. Altaf Mian sahib
Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said commenting on the verse 63 of surah Noor: Make not the calling of the messenger among you as your calling one of another……..
“A mureed must have special adab and respect with the Sheikh. His dealings with him should be outstanding as compared to other individuals.”
Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 381
Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra commenting on the verse 62 of surah Noor: “Only those are believers, who believe in Allah and His Messenger: when they are with him on a matter requiring collective action, they do not depart until they have asked for his leave; those who ask for thy leave are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger; so when they ask for thy leave, for some business of theirs, give leave to those of them whom thou wilt, and ask Allah for their forgiveness: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”, said
“Being away from Sheikh’s company, even with permission, is somewhat detrimental.”
Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 381
Discussing the ayah:
و جاهدو فى الله حق جهاده :الحج 78
Hakim al Umma Mawlana Asharf Ali Thanwi (Allah have mercy on him) enumerates the different types of stuggles (mujahida) encountered in tasawwuf.
“Jihad bin Nafas. That is, to purify it by fulfilling the rights of one’s own self and abandoning the (extravagant & sinful) pleasures.
Jihad e qalb. That is to cleanse the qalb/heart (of all impurities and whatever that is other than Him] and detach it form all the attachments of both the worlds (i.e. here & hereafter).
Jihad e ruh. That is, to achieve fana (annihilation) of the self (desires, suggestions, planning, expectations, etc).”
Masail us sulook min kalam Malik ul mulook, page 364
حکیم الامت حضرت مولانا اشرف علی تھانوی رحمۃ اللہ نے فرمای
نسبت کے لغوی معنی تعلق اور لگاؤ کے ہیں، اور
اصطلاحی معنی میں بندہ کا حق تعالی سے خاص قسم کا تعلق یعنی قبول و رضا کا، جیسا عاشق مطیع اور وفادار معشوق میں ہوتا ہے۔
جب ذکر اللہ کی مواظبت اور ریاضت و مجاہدات کی کثرت سے ظلمت نفسانیہ و کدورات طبعیہ کا ازالہ ہو جاتا ہے تو قلب و روح کو حق تعالی کے ساتھ ایک خاص تعلق پیدا ہو جاتا ہے، اس کو نسبت سے تعبیر کرتے ہیں۔
نسبت تعلق طرفین کا نام ہے۔
یک طرفہ تعلق کو نسبت نہیں کہا کرتے۔
پس بہت سے لوگ ایسے ہیں کہ ان کو خدا تعالی کے ساتھ محض یاد کا تعلق ہوتا ہے اور یہ تعلق یک طرفہ ہے۔
تعلق دو طرفہ عمل و اطاعت سے ہوتا ہے۔ جب انسان عمل و اطاعت کا اہتمام کرتا ہے اسوقت حق تعالی کو بھی اس سے تعلق ہو جاتا ہے۔
اور اس کا القاء ایک دم نہیں ہوتا بلکہ رفتہ رفتہ ہوتا ہے کہ دیکھنے والوں کو پتہ بھی نہیں چلتا۔
البتہ اس کی ظاہری علامت یہ ہے کہ حضور اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ و سلم کے ساتھ تمام افعال، اقوال، و حرکات میں زیادہ تشبہ ہو۔
ہر بات میں حضور اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ و سلم کی اتباع کی کوشش کی جاۓ اور یہ اتباع عادت ہو جاۓ کہ بے تکلف سنّت کے موافق افعال صادر ہونے لگیں۔
شریعت و طریقت ص 369 بحوالہ مسائل السلوک ص 503
Hazrat Haji Mohammad Farooq sahib ra said;
“Some individuals say that nothing comes to our mind when we are informing the Sheikh (directly or via mail) about our condition.
Abba-ji (Hazrat Mawlana Maseehullah Khan sahib ra) used to say that this may be due to two reasons. That are;
Either, the person has completed all the muqamats (stations), (that is, understood and practically removed all blame worthy moral traits from and acquired all praise worthy traits in one’s self.) and is in no need (of further instructions regarding changing states).
Or, he is not punctual with his mamoolat (wird). That is, he does not do the zikir (prescribed). If he was engaged in the zikir he would have received ahwal (states/thoughts regarding these praise/blame worthy moral traits). (These require reassuring or reconstructive instructions from the Sheikh.) ”
Islah afroze bayanat, page 484
Maseehul-quloob Hazrat Mawlana Shah Maseehulllah Khan sahib ra said:
“Not every khalifa (licensed/deputy) is a Sheikh. Though he may have been appointed by the ahl-e-haqq.” page 500
“Those who are expert in this field (of tasawwuf) they are the Shuyukh, (plural for Sheikh). Those who do not have this expertise they are the pir (khalifa).” page
“The expert in a field is the one whose mentor (Sheikh) has transmitted that skill from his own heart to him.” page 500 (That is, by prolonged suhba (company), excessive consultation, and both spiritual & physical tarbiyyah in all aspects of life. This leads to the absorbtion of all the states of the Sheikh by the mureed [i.e. the future Sheikh].)
Islah afroze bayanat
Hazrat Shah Wasihullah sahib ra read the following;
انما حرمو الوصول لتضييعهم الاصول (رساله قشيريه)
Abandoning the principles makes it is impossible to reach the goal
And tell us
“Tasawwuf is an extremely systematic and structured discipline. It is not what the people consider it to be these days.
یہ وہ جامہ ہے نہیں جس کا سیدہا الٹا
That is, like a garment that does not have an exterior or an interior surface (meaning that it is totally chaotic).
The traveller on the path of Allah SWT has to be very organized and sharp-witted.”
Halaat e Musleh e Ummat ra, page 279
Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said:
“A seeker should not be offended or feel ashamed by any one’s rejection or criticism in the path of his taleb (true desire).”
Irfan e Hafiz, At-Takshuf, page 141
Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra writes:
“Few people want to have their objective (i.e. ta’luq ma’Allah) achieved solely by dua (prayers) and wishful desires. They should understand that the methods for achieving an objective which are a norm for it, they are generally required to attain it.
However, dua puts barakah (blessing) and effectiveness in the means adopted.”
Irfan e Hafiz, At-Takshuf, page 139
Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Shah Ashraf Ali Thanawi rasaid commenting on the verse 30 of sura al-Hud:
“An individual who is turning his attention towards Allah SWT (i.e. the aspirant/mureed/seeker) must not be ignored.
This is because Allah SWT is also attentive towards him.
Ignoring him will be ignoring Allah SWT.”
Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 259
Hazrat Shah Wasiullah saheb ra wrote to a person who requested to establish islahi ta’luq (self-reformation relationship);
“All praise is to Allah SWT.
You have developed this thought and feeling (of self improvement). This is what they call taleb (true desire).
Sir! In tareeq the real thing is that this thinking and feeling (of self deficency that needs to be improved) develops.”
Halaat e Muslehul Ummat, page 15
Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Shah Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said commenting on the verse 141 of sura al-nisa:
“It is disastrous to sit in the company of those who are against the tareeq (Tasawwuf). This is especially so when they are expressing their antagonism.
Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 141
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db said:
“People do not understand the meaning of Tasawwuf. They consider recitation of litanies, muraqa and mukashafa to be Tasawwuf.
Whereas, Tasawwuf is to aim for Allah SWT’s pleasure in all things.
And to deal compassionately with Allah SWT’s creation.
(To such an extent that) one avoids diligently becoming the source of minutest harm to anyone else.”
Inamul Bari, volume 1, page 259
Hazrat Mawlana Wasiullah sahib ra adviced a senior mureed: “It is essential that a true seeker (talib e sadiq) considers himself to be deficient in the reverence required (for the Sheikh). This is most beneficial for him.”
Halaat Muslehul Ummat, page 118