Category Archives: A. Reality of Tasawwuf

The nature, definition, goals and principles of Tasawwuf

Being Steadfast in Following the Rulings of Shariah

Being steadfast (Istiqamah) in observing the injunctions of Shariah is superior to performing miracles (karamah).

It leads to the creation of the ta’aluq ma’Allah/Love of Allah swt and also, makes it stronger.

It is easy to observe the sharia injunctions when conditions are favorable; person is satisfied, healthy, and wealthy and has excess leisure time. But the real test comes when the situation becomes tight. There is illness, scarcity and not enough time. Being steadfast under such condition is a sign of love of Alllah swt. Following the sharia under such circumstances leads to further development of this love.

Also, every individual passes through phases in his daily life when he sometimes feels elated, energetic and enthusiastic (bast). He enjoys following the commands of sharia. At other times he feels depressed, desolate and lazy (qabdh). Following the sharia becomes a chore to him. Being steadfast in both of these situations is necessary. This shows that he is sincere in his worship and not a slave to his mood and desires. This also strengthen the Love of Allah swt.

In summary, the commands of shariah, either exoteric or esoteric are to be fulfilled under all circumstances. In pratical life this may be difficulty to do. But after consultation with the Sheikh these difficulties can be tackled easily.

“And those who strive in Our (cause) We will certainly guide them to Our paths, for verily Allah swt is with those who do right” 29:69

http://ashrafiya.blogspot.com/2004/11/asking-allah-swt-dua-lot.html

Being thankful for the bounties of Allah swt.

At the same time reflecting on our attitude in regards to them

Hakeemul-Ummat qaddas sirrahu says that reasons for loving someone are four;
Beauty (jamal)
Perfections (kamal)
Generosity (nawal)
Wealth (maal)
They are present to their maximum in Allah swt.

Here we are focusing on His generosity.
A cursory glance on the bounties that He is showering on us is a proof of this generosity.
Let’s take a look;
1. Being a living creature
2. Being a human
3. Having complete anatomical and physiological functioning of this human body that is, being free of all diseases. Healthy.
4. Life.
5. Time. Hours, minutes and seconds.
6. Being a Muslim
7. Being in the Ummah of our Master Prophet Mohammed salallaho alehey wa a’lihi wasalam
8. Association with Ulama-e-Haqq (Ahle Sunnah wal Jammah, Deoband)
9. Having the importance of following the religion
10. Aspiration of improving our self
11. Traversing the Path (sulook)
12. Being under the guidance of a perfect Sheikh (sheikh-e-kamil)
13. Education. Both religious and professional.
14. Job. Source of halal income.
15. Loving relatives; parents, spouse, children and others.
16. Well being of ourselves and these relatives
17. Housing & shelter
18. Means of transportation
19. Being free of worries
20. Opportunities of good actions
21. Being ashamed of our short comings and repenting
22. Basic necessities of living and moreover lots of luxuries
23. Wealth and savings
The list goes on and on.

What did we do to deserve these bounties in the first place?
By His infinite mercy Allah swt gave us these gifts. We did not deserve them at all. There are many individuals far better then us who are deprived of these bounties.

What is our attitude in regards to them?
Most of us do not reflect on being the elite and gifted. We take these bounties for granted. We are usually not thankful & appreciative for them. And on the contrary we complain for minor deficits and worries. Majority of us in our ignorance are using these bounties to disobey Allah swt.

We have to allot few minutes each day for reflection (muraqaba).
Sit down after fajir or eisha and enumerate the blessings we have, one by one. Thanking Allah swt for each of them, (allahuma lakal hamd wa lakash shukkar). At the same time reflecting that we were unworthy of such gifts and it’s by His generosity and kindness that He bestowed them. And He has the power to take them away any time. This is the fist step towards real thankfulness.

The real thankfulness (shukkar) is not to use any of the bounties in disobeying Allah swt, as confirmed by Hazrat Junaid ra.

Har mooay badan bihi jo zaban ban kay karay shukkar
Kum hay bakhuda unki einayat say kum hay
( Mufti Sha’fi ra)

Next:

http://http://ashrafiya.blogspot.com/2004/11/being-steadfast-in-following-rulings.html

Company of the Pious 2

Our busy daily schedule and complicated lifestyle does not seem to accommodate company of the pious!

It is all about our priorities. Things which we consider important are somehow adjusted in the same busy schedule.

Those who are serious regarding the tareeq have to make this their number one priority.

However, the tareeq is not rigid and inadaptable. When genuine reasons for not being physically present exist, there are other means to get some similar benefit if not exactly the same.

They are:

1. Reading books of the past Mashaykh of the tareeq.
Most important are the sermons (mawa’iz, 30 volumes, 500 pages each) and utterance (malfoozat, 25 voulmes, 250 pages each) of Hakeemulummat Hazrat Thanvi ra. Also books by A’rifbillah Dr. Abdul Hayy ra (especially Basair Hakeemulumma). And finally books by Sidi wa Sanadi Moulana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib dbt (specifically, Islahi Khutbat 14 volumes, & Islahi Majalis 5 voulmes, 300 page each).

2. Listening to the spiritual discourses of the Sheikh. Alhumdulillah, more than five hundred such discourses delivered by Sidi wa Sanadi Moulana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib dbt are available both in audio cassettes and MP3 CDs. Some of them have been posted on worldwide web also.

Continuous effort and trying one’s best to be in the company of the Sheikh whenever possible, even for brief duration will, inshaAllah, lead to the development of this ta’aluq ma’Allah/Love.

Course to lafz hi sekhatay hain
Adami adami banatey hain
Justujo ham ko adami ki hay
Who kitabain abus magatey hain (Akbar Allahbadi ra)

  • Being thankful for the bounties of Allah swt.

    • Company of the Pious 1

    It is the third thing in our list of actions leading to creation of ta’luq ma’Allah/Love of Allah swt.

    Most probably this is the most effective means of achieving it.

    Here, pious are those who already posses this ta’luq/Love. First most in them is the Sheikh himself or whom ever he suggests and approves.

    The benefits of this companionship are to felt and lived. The words can not describe them in the fullest sense. Here we will mention a few.

    Once a person asked Hazrat Thanvi qaddas sirrahu, that the famous verse;
    Yak zamana suhbat ba awliya
    Behter az sed sala ta’et e bay-riya
    (Momentary companionship of Friends of Allah swt is better than hundred years of sincere worship) seems to be an exaggeration. How can this be possible?
    Hazrat Thanvi ra replied that, “It was no exaggeration at all. Moreover, the message was still not completely conveyed. If the poet had said;
    Yak zamana suhbat ba awliya
    behter az sed lekh sala ta’et e bay-riya
    (Momentary company of Friends of Allah swt is better than million years of sincere worship), it would not have been an exaggeration.”

    This is because in the company of pious/awliya you get more than the sincerity. You get this ta’uluq ma’Allah/love of Allah swt. This is the master key for all further good actions.

    Another benefit is that in the company of the pious one repeatedly hears useful knowledge and tips for putting this to practice in every day life. This will motivate the clumsiest of the mureed to action.

    Additionally, there is the benefit of dua (prayers) of the pious. Seeing a sincere aspirant working diligently they make prayer for him. InshaAllah, there is conviction that their prayer are accepted.

    Also by keeping their company, one starts to admire them and imitate them. This hastens the spiritual progress.

    Essential to acknowledge is that this company needs to be for considerable duration of time (months/years), with sincerity and total obedience to bear its fruit.

    Being physically present in the company of the Sheikh as much as possible in different settings is needed. Corresponding with him often via mail, e-mail and telephone can be a substitute if physical presence is not possible.

    In the tareeq of Hazrat Hakeem ul Ummat ra regular correspondence between the Sheikh and mureed is a must cornerstone of spiritual improvement effort.

    Masti kay leyay boay maay tund hay kafi
    Maakhanay ka mehroom bhi mehroom nahi hay

    According to Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat ra company of the pious is a compulsory obligation (fardh a’yn) in this era for each and every Muslim. It is the vital means of saving ones faith.

  • Company of the Pious 2

    • Following the Sunnah of Prophet 2

    sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam

    A’rifbillah Dr. Abdul Hayy quddus sirrahu used to tell his mureed how he did this;

    “I practiced this for a very long period of time. That is, whatever I wanted to do, I did not do it instantaneously. I paused for a moment. Brought to my mind this knowledge that observing Sunnah is of utmost importance. Then I made an intention of following the method of Allah swt’s beloved sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam and did the act appropriately.

    For example, when I entered my house, I found one of my children playing. Feeling a rush of fatherly love and affection, I thought of picking her up and kissing her. However, I did not do it right away. I stopped myself for a moment. Brought to my mind the Sunnah of Allah swt’s beloved prophet sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam, that he used to love children and showed affection to them. I then made an intention (niyyah) of following him and proceeded to pick her up and kiss her.

    Similarly, while on dinner table, I did not start eating immediately. I brought this fact to mind that it was Sunnah of prophet sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam to eat. Then intending to do so, I began eating using my right hand, after reciting Bismillah and observed the Sunnah table manners throughout the dinner.”

    Jigar pani keya hay mudatoon, aay A’rifi, gam ki kasha kash mein
    Koiy aasan hay keya khogar e aazar ho jana
    (Arifi ra)

    However, it is important to point out that this is not a play of words. That is, in fact I am eating because I am hungry or a very tasty platter of food is in front of me. I just recite that I eat because it is Sunnah and fulfill my own desire. This is not the message. One has to contemplate the importance of observing Sunnah at that moment and proceed with the intention to do so. Doing it in the correct Sunnah manner. This is the correct sequence of events to make it a true following of prophet sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam.

    Teray habib ki ya Rabb shabahat lay key aya houn
    Haqiqat is ko tu kardey mein sorat ley kay aya houn

  • Excessive/Company of the Pious 1

    • Following the Sunnah of Prophet 1

    sallalaho alehey wa a’lehi wasalam

    Hazrat Thanwi quddus sirrahu said that in our tareeq (path) the goal is achieved comparatively quickly. The reason being the extraordinary emphasis laid on following the Sunnah of Allah’s beloved prophet sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam. This makes the achievement of goal by jazb (Divine attraction/pull) rather than sulook (personal effort and toil).
    As it is said in the holy Quran;
    (O Prophet!) Tell (them) that if you want to love Allah (swt), then you should follow me. (By this) Allah swt will love you and forgive all your sins. Indeed! Allah swt is all forgiving and merciful. (3:31)

    It is therefore, very important to follow Sunnah in all daily activities. The whole life of Allah’s beloved sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam is in front of us. His personal appearance, attire and hygiene, activities from morning to dust, relationship with wives, way of worship, social interactions, manners, economic and governmental matters, and every imaginable daily activity is included in this. It is preserved in texts like “Shamail” by Imam Tirmizi ra (Arabic, Urdu) and “Uswa-e-Rasool e Akram” by Arifbillah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi ra (Urdu, English) and “A’laikum bisunnati” by Mufti Abdul Hakeem Sukharwi ra (father of Mufti AbdurRaouf Sukharwi dbt) (Urdu).

    By following these intentionally all daily activities become an act of worship. Thus a means of getting closer to Allah swt. It is the same personal, family, social and work life but adopting the Sunnah method changes dust to gold. Alchemy!

    Nothing is easy. Every thing needs initiative and may be difficult in the beginning. But with constant practice it becomes easy and a routine. Such is the case here. After acquiring the knowledge of the Sunnah it has to be practiced in every day life thoroughly. If one faces difficulties in doing so, Sheikh needs to be consulted. He with his insight and experience will define a mode of achieving it.

    Sab thay kay dehkha keyay unka kharam-e-naz
    Hum thay kay unka naqsh-e-qadam choom tay rahay
    (Arifi ra)

  • Following the Sunnah 2

    • Excessive Remembrance/Dhikr 2

    C. Prophet’s prayers:
    Third mode of dhikr is the recitation of the Prophetic prayers (iediya-e-musnoonah) for the specific occasions. They cover all the aspects of an individual’s life from waking up, going to bathroom, coming out, wudhu, entering and leaving home, walking to mosque, in the mosque, before and after praying, greeting a friend, seeing something undesirable, sneezing, before and after conjugal relations, illness & visiting the sick, weather changes & calamities, etc., etc. There is no occasion in a Muslims life which can not be made into remembrance of Allah swt by reciting them thoughtfully at that moment.

    My Sheikh dbt often says that these prayers are explicit proof of our Master’s prophethood (dalail-un-Nabowat). No ordinary man could have recited such meaningful prayers at these occasions.

    In our tareeq special emphasis is laid on memorizing them and reciting them contemplating their meanings.

    Hazrat Sheikh Moulana Mohammad Taqi Usmani dbt has complied them in a handbook “Radiant Prayers” (Purnoor duaiy).

    Also, daily recitation of a section (hizb) of “Munajat e Maqbool” is a usual practice for all mureeds. Hakeem ul ummat Hazrat Thanvi ra rearranged Mulla Ali Qari ra’s compilation of Prophet salallaho alehey wasalam’s prayers “Hizb il A’zam” into seven approximately equal length sections as “Munajat e Maqbool”. Making it convenient to be read daily.

    D. The Four Marvelous Gems:

    Another form of remembrance of Allah swt is to practice the four praise-worthy acts appropriately.

    Arif billah Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi ra pointed out that any given moment in a salik’s (person traversing the path) life only four states can exist. They are;
    1. Either, he is happy and content from his present situation, or
    2. He is unhappy and distressed by things happening against his wishes, or
    3. He is guilty of a mistake or a sin committed, or
    4. He is worried about anticipated future mishaps or disasters

    For each of these if he develops the habit of practicing the following, he will be in a perpetual state of remembrance.
    1. For first state, he thanks Allah swt for these bounties. Bearing in mind that he did not deserved them and it was only the mercy of Allah swt to grant them. And Allah swt is capable of taking them away at any time. This is thankfulness (shukkur).
    2. For the second, he is patient. He understands that Allah swt knows what’s best for him and He decides accordingly. I with my limited knowledge, insight and experience can not decide this. This is Patience (sabr).
    3. For the mistake, he repents. Fulfilling the three criteria for repentance. That are, he is remorseful, he leaves the sin immediately and finally he pledges never to commit it again. This is Repentance (taubah).
    4. Finally for the future worries he takes refuge in Allah swt. Asking His help and protection from such calamity. This is taking refuge (istiaza).

    One who develops the routine of practicing these praise worthy actions appropriately, he is in constant contact with Allah swt.

    This eventually will result in the development of ta’aluq ma’Allah/love.

    Mauhabat duno alam mein yehi ja kar pukar aiy
    Jesey khud yar ney chaha, uosy ko yad-e-yar aiy!

  • Following the Sunnah of Prophet 1

    • Creating Ta’aluq ma’Allah/Love of Allah swt

    Love is a spontaneous condition.
    It is an unintentional state.
    You have no voluntary control over its origin.

    However, there are some voluntary acts that may lead to the creation of a strong relationship with Allah swt. It is well established by the experience of masters of Tasawwuf that when practiced appropriately they do lead to creation of Allah swt’s love (muhabbat).

    These actions are:

    · Excessive remembrance of Allah swt

    · Observance of Sunnah, in all matters

    · Keeping company with pious.
    Those who already have this strong relationship with Allah swt (Ahlil-Allah)

    · Being thankful for the bounties of Allah swt.
    At the same time reflecting about our attitude in regards to them

    · Being steadfast in following the rulings of Shariah

    · Asking Allah swt (dua) a lot.

    All these are to be carried out simultaneously.

    This will, inshaAllah, create a strong bond between the slave (abd) and his Master (Allah swt).

    This bond/relationship/love is the objective of our path.
    It is the driving soul for true observance of Shariah.

    It is, however, important to clear a misconception:
    We may set an imaginary expected standard for this love.
    For example, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani or Khawajah Moinuddin Chisti ra’s state of love for Allah swt. And when this not happens within our expected short time frame, we feel at loss. This is inappropriate. This is the path (tareeq) of slave hood (abdiyat). Our under par desires and immature wishes have no standing in this path. They have to be annihilated (fana).
    After implementing these acts correctly, a strong relationship with Allah swt will certainly develop, accordingly to our state. It will inshaAllah develop over time and become ingrained in us.

    We will, inshaAllah, discuss each of these actions separately in detail.

    Wa ma taufiqi ila billah

  • Excessive Remembrance/Dhikr 1

    • Sheikh-Mureed Relationship: Practicality

    This effort of self-reformation appears to be long, tedious, and exhausting. It seems to require real motivation and determination.

    This is very true in ordinary situations.

    How many of us have felt frustrated by our failed hard work in following the injunctions of Shariah, repeatedly?

    However, this is not the case for those involved in Tasawwuf.

    Once the Mureed starts the sincere effort of this self reformation Sheikh instructs and tries to develop love of Allah swt (mauhabbat/ta’aluq ma’aAllah) in him.

    Love of Allah swt becomes the driving force in all this seemingly strenuous effort. It makes it easy and pleasurable.

    Following example may make this more understandable:

    Imagine I have to travel from Mycity to Makkah e mukkarramah. The distance between these two cities is 2000 miles. This is a long journey. It requires extraordinary effort. May be months of travel. In addition to this imagine the hostile weather and unfamiliar geography. This will be certainly true if I travel by foot or on a donkey, horse, camel, car or even bus. However, if I board a jet airliner, being flown by an expert pilot, I can traverse this distance in 2-4 hours.

    Amazing!

    The point of origin and destination remains the same, the distance between the two cities remains the same, the only thing that has changed is the transport.

    By creating and nurturing the love of Allah swt, Tasawwuf does the same.

    Just to remind: The goal is the attainment of Allah swt’s pleasure. Its means (distance) are by rectifying the external actions and inner moral states, i.e. by following Shariah completely. Love of Allah swt developed by Tasawwuf adds momentum to it.

    Beware! This love has to be acquired and developed under the close supervision of the Sheikh. Excess of it is sometimes equally detrimental as is the lack of it.

    Love alone without the guidance of a perfect Sheikh is like a stray jet which may crash anywhere and lead to destruction.

    While excess of it may cause such an overwhelming state that the individual looses his corporeal senses and is permanently adsorbed in spiritual realm ( becomes a majzoub). This will lead to abandoning of physical worship and neglect of family/dependent rights. Eventually leading to Allah swt’s displeasure. Allah huma hafizna.

    But True Love, is as Moalana Rumi ra says;
    Az muhabat talakh ha shereen shawad

    The love is the elixir, which makes unpalatable things sweet & tasty

    May Allah swt gives us all some tiny fraction of His true love. Ameen

    Sheikh-Mureed Relationship

    As mentioned earlier, this is a physician-patient relationship.

    The mureed tells/writes about his spiritual ailments seeking remedy. He has to be explicit and candid about his condition. Hiding vital information leads to nowhere and eventually mureed himself is the looser.

    The Sheikh reviews mureed’s condition, taking into account his spiritual ailments/deficiencies, physical and working requirements and environment. He then prescribes a treatment plan. There may be multiple components of this plan.

    The mureed has to follow this plan unconditionally.
    If he faces difficulties in doing so he has to inform the Sheikh. And then follow the next advice.

    The doctor may be the best in the whole world.
    His diagnosis may be 100% accurate.
    The treatment prescribed and made available may be the finest.
    With all this in place,
    if Mr. Mureed decides not to use it or use it partially, (using his brains)
    how can a cure be imagined, less achieved?

    A sincere mureed’s duty is to inform the Sheikh of his present condition.
    That is, he reviews his daily activities, dealings and intentional thoughts. He analyzes them. He looks for any blame worthy traits that may be active in his intentions and actions or any praise worthy states that are deficient. He describes the actual case scenarios and asks assistance from Sheikh for diagnosis and treatment. He follows the recommendations of Sheikh and reports back. Adjustment may be made, treatment fined tuned and tailored accordingly. This process continues for a considerable period of time till a healthy spiritual state is reached, that is, achievement of nisbat-e-batini(a sustainable mutual relationship with Allah swt).

    As every patient’s condition is different so is the treatment plan.

    It is this individual attention and instruction which gives Tasawwuf a unique effectiveness in bringing about a permanent, durable and wholesome change for a complete Islamic life in its fullest sense.

    Benefiting from one Sheikh ONLY

    Tauheed e Matlab:
    That is, benefiting from one Sheikh ONLY.

    This is one of the fundamental principles of Tasawwuf.

    The Sheikh-Mureed relationship is like that between a physician and a patient.

    Imagine a sick person consulting two or more doctors for an illness. Even with the best doctors, there will be a difference of opinion in the diagnosis, severity of illness, method of treatment, management, follow up and prevention of recurrence. This is human nature.

    This multiple consultations will create confusion in mureed’s mind and he will pick and choose from these varied remedies what’s most convenient for him. The choice being based on his under par desires. This can never result is cure of his blame worthy or acquisition of praise worthy inner moral states.

    For this reason it is a must to consult only one sheikh.

    All the sheikh-jumping, surfing and searching is before the selection. Once a Sheikh is selected this is not allowed. Moreover it will be detrimental for one’s progress, especially if the shuyukh come to know about this unhealthy habit.

    Therefore, for peace of mind and maximum benefit it is highly recommended to have the trust that my Sheikh is the best sheikh in the whole world. There may be others but within my reach and accessibility he is the most excellent. Without this trust mureed will be always be on the outlook for any other “seemingly better” source of benefit and will not be able to focus & concentrate on his own work/progress.

    Yak dar geer muhkam geer

    The Sheikh: Revisited

    The selection of the sheikh is the most important event in practicing tasawwuf.

    Due to this importance some concepts needed further discussion;

    1. Haste in selecting the sheikh, is a fundamental mistake in Tasawwuf.

    2. The sheikh should be visited repeatedly both in private and public to assess the above mentioned characteristics.

    3. Taking an oath of allegiance (ba’yaih/ahd) is not essential to confirm the selection of sheikh (at this point in time). After the selection informing him, asking his guidance and following the advice is quite enough. (InshaAllah, we will discuss the concept of ba’yaih/ahd later in detail.)

    4. It is more beneficial that even if the sheikh fulfils all of the above mentioned criteria, there exists a natural mutual congeniality (bahemi munasbet) between the mureed and sheikh. This can be described as having a intuitive general acceptance of, and no significant doubts about, the sheikh’s personality, words and deeds.

    5. The facts regarding accessibility, language/barrier, ethnic background and madhahib(fiqh) differences should be genuinely considered.

    6. It best to avoid the sheikh who places extraordinary importance to customary rituals, like mawlid, hawl, dhikr halaqas in comparison to the obligatory (salah, abstaining from sins and avoiding hurting others, etc). Considering these rituals to be an essential component of Tasawwuf is wrong.

    7. It is inappropriate to compare present shuyukh with Sayyedna Junaid or Sayyedna Shibli rehmatulllah alehey. There is hidden arrogance(kibr) in this. That is, I am of such a stature that only someone like Sayyedna Junaid rehmatulllah alehey can be my sheikh. There are shuyukh present at all times that can take care of individuals like us.

    8. One should be very cautious of familial sheikhs (customary father-son inheritance of being a sheikh), customary sajjada nasheins (person in charge of mausoleums/khanqah ) and wandering marabouts/spiritually overwhelmed (majzoubs).

    9. Importance of consultation with pious elders (istishara) and praying repeatedly for Allah swt’s guidance (istikhara) can not be over emphasized.

    10. If by mistake, one gets attached to an unqualified sheikh, it is obligatory to abandon him. Allah swt’s pleasure is the goal; it can not be attained with this sort of sheikh. However, proper Islamic adab (etiquette) should be observed even in this case. A more cautious search should be restarted again.

    Allah swt guide us all. Ameen!

    Next: Some Contemporary Shuyukh

    The Sheikh

    A person starting on the path of Tasawwuf is like ill person seeking treatment.

    His spirit is afflicted with the diseases of blame worthy internal moral states and is deficient of the healthy praise worthy moral traits.

    This requires the services of a qualified physician. A physician who can diagnose, treat and follow the course of these spiritual illnesses/deficiencies to prevent relapse and ensure perfect health.

    This spiritual physician is the SHEIKH. He can be called a pir, mentor or spiritual advisor.

    He is indispensable.

    There is agreement between all the various schools of tasawwuf regarding this reality.

    P.S. No sick person who takes his illness seriously will ever dare to treat himself, especially by just reading books.

    How does one find a Sheikh?

    Islam is the religion of Allah swt till the end of time. Means and methods of keeping this religion till that time will always persist.
    The changes in our socioeconomic & moral conditions, perception of piety and the influence of the worldly environment may make recognition of a true sheikh difficult. But he is here. You just have to look for him. And most importantly ask Allah swt’s guidance in this feat.

    Scholars have described certain characteristics to look for, in facilitating this search. They are:

    1. He should possess the necessary knowledge of the religion (fiqh).

    2. His believes (aqaid) must be that of Ahle Sunnah & the demeanor of his actions and habits must be reflective of Sunnah.

    3. He must be God-fearing (muttaqi), conscientious and pious in following shariah in his every day life. It is essential that he abstains from all major sins (kabair) and does not persist on any minor sin (saghair).

    4. He must have traversed the path of tasawwuf under the guidance of a sheikh himself and have received explicit permission (verbal or written) to teach and treat others.

    5. He must be attached to an authentic Silsilah (chain of authority). Their lineage tracing back to Holy Prophet sallalaho alehey wa alehey wasalam without gaps and omissions.

    6. The contemporary scholars and unprejudiced sheikhs should hold a good opinion about him and encourage people to benefit from him.

    7. The effect of his companionship (suhba) must be a decrease in love of the worldly & an increase in the Love of Allah swt. This is evident by performing good deeds, abstaining from sins and preparing for hereafter.

    8. He must be more venerated by intellectual religious folks than by common lay public.

    9. The majority of his pupils (mureed) must be following Shariah. Their outward condition conforms to the demands of the Shariah and their behavior is reflective of the inward progress of getting rid of blame worthy traits, especially love of the worldly.

    10. He must be sincere in training his disciples (mureed). Working for their spiritual improvement & progress. Not leaving them on their own but correcting them in timely fashion, by words and deeds. Reprimanding them when the need arises.

    11. He must not consider himself to be perfect and be satisfied with his present state. He must engage in extra-worship, dhikr, fikr and other devotional practices to keep progressing.

    12. He must not be boastful of his piety and faultlessness. For making such declaration is a sign of the blame worthy state: Love of fame and authority.

    Following qualities are not essential to be present in a Sheikh;

    1. Performance of supernatural acts (karamat).
    2. Telling in advance about the hidden and upcoming matters.
    3. Immediate acceptance of all his prayers (dua).
    4. Performing extraordinary actions by his spiritual powers, for example, mind reading, creating an overwhelming emotional condition in mureed, etc.
    5. Abandonment of means of earning.

    If one keeps looking hard enough, he will, inshaAllah, finds such a Sheikh with Allah swt’s guidance and help.

    Until then, he must make it a habit to pray(dua) after each salah:

    “O Allah! I want to live by Shariah.
    My nafs and satan have overtaken me.
    Please, remove these obstacles
    and make it easy for me to do so.
    Give me the determination & strength for this and
    provide me with a Sheikh who can help me in this effort.”
    Ameen.

    Next: The Sheikh: Revisited
    http://ashrafiya.blogspot.com/2004/12/bayitahed.html

    Methodology of Tasawwuf

    Having acknowledged the significance of Tasawwuf in Islam, the endeavor is to practice and live it in our every day life.

    At this stage two things are essential;

    A. Repentance (taubah)

    B. Need of the sheikh/guide/spiritual mentor.

    A. Repentance:

    It has 2 components;

    1. General Repentance:
    Here the individual acknowleges all his past sins, mistakes & shortcomings and repents. He leaves these transgressions all together, feels ashamed of disobeying his Lord and makes a solemn determination of not committing them ever again.

    2. Comprehensive Repentance:
    In here he takes account of his life in details.
    If he has missed any salah, fasts, zakah or hajj, he starts remaking them.
    If he has financial dues pending, loans, material or money he was not legally entitled to recieve, he repays them. Or acknowleges his mistake and ask forgiveness from the concerned authority.
    If he had hurt others by his speech or actions he ask their forgiveness.

    This repentance is very, very essential to gain Allah swt’s pleasure and acceptance.
    If it is not completed thoroughly all other future efforts are wasted.

    One needs the determination for this repentance.
    It requires having the resolution to bear all the difficulties (physical or financial) or worldly loss or public disregard that may come in doing so. If he does not have this determination it is evident that he is not looking for Allah swt’s pleasure. Hence, he is not a genuine Seeker.
    Allahuma hafizna (we seek Allah swt’s refuge from this).

    Next:

  • The Sheikh

    • Example: How the internal moral states form the basis of our bodily worship?

    As mentioned earlier the purpose of Tasawwuf is to develop and cultivate the praise worthy(PWMS) and remove the blame worthy internal moral states(BWMS) (iklaq e batini).

    Why is this important?
    Isn’t practicing shariah commands itself sufficient?

    This is a very intelligent question and if one understands the answer he will not have any doubts regarding the necessity of Tasawwuf.

    Try to understand this by means of an example;

    Shariah commands that each and every Muslim should pray five times daily on appropriate time, with the method according to Sunnah.

    A Muslim, who is unaware of the importance of rectifying the internal moral states and has not worked to develop and refine them in his every day life, may fall into following traps;

    1. Some times he may skip the prayer all together, maybe out of laziness or being busy in worldly affairs. This is reflective that he does not have the love of Allah swt (PWMS) and instead has love of this world (hubb e dunya)(BWMS).
    2. Sometimes he prays to show his fellow Muslims that he is regular in his prayer or a pious person. At other times he thinks that his praying will make him outstand in his community. These are showing off (riya) (BWMS) and mark the absence of sincerity(ikhlas) (PWMS) .
    3. Even if he prays, he does so hastily, without the proper demeanor. This is reflective of absence of love of Allah swt (PWMS) and occupation in worldly affairs (BWMS) .
    4. Sometimes the demeanor of his prayer changes if he notices that someone is watching him. This is show off (riya)(BWMS) .
    5. And when he prays on time and in proper manner, his inner self is absent from that prayer. He is busy thinking about some worldly affair. This is reflective of absence of khashoo (awe/internal quiteness) (PWMS).
    6. At other times he demeanor does not reflect humility before his Lord. This is arrogance (kibir)(BWMS).
    7. Sometimes when he prays he feels he is superior to the other fellow mussalis. This is self praise (ujub)(BWMS) .
    8. At other times he is thinking of his own superiority plus the inferiority of others which is arrogance (kibr)(BWMS).
    9. At times when he see someone better than himself, he thinks that he himself was more deserving of this better trait and whishes that this may go away from that person. This is envy (hasad) (BWMS) .
    10. During his prayer he can not comtemplate that he is standing before his Lord and He is watching him. This is absence of slavehood (ihsan & uboodiyah).
    11. After praying he may boast to others that he prayed or feel superior to them. This is a arogance (kibr)(BWMS) .
    12. Or he may feel dejected by the poor concenteration he had during salah and become disappointed. This is disappointment (yaas)(BWMS) .

    This is just a quick list of deficiencies.

    We should take a moment and think, where do we stand?

    If we do not have these qualities, then is our worship up to the mark of being accepted by Shariah’s standards?

    Indeed, these internal moral states are the very soul of bodily or physical form of worship making it capable of being accepted and rewarded.

    Two units of an A’rif (a Muslim who has realized and mastered these internal moral states) is better than 100,000 units of an ordinary Muslim.

    wa ma taufiqi ilabillah

    Next: Methodology of Tasawwuf