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Category Archives: B. Praise worthy morals
I want to change for better but…………
All of the spiritual seekers aspire to do good and abstain from sinful actions.
However, most of us harbor a misconception regarding the means to achieve this goal.
We wish for a overpowering and overwhelming state that facilitates this for us by itself. Automatically. A kind of fairy tale magic spell.
Moreover, we assume that making supplications or reciting a particular litany (wadhifa) or associating with a pious individual or a group or reading classical spiritual text or visiting a holy site (like the revered Makkah and radiant Medinah) or worshiping in the blessed times (like the night of power) will create this ‘state’ for us.
This will never happen!
Hakim al Ummah Mujaddid Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) has repeatedly made this very clear in his works.
Self determination, self restraint and earnest hard work is needed to do good and abstain from sinful actions.
There is no other way around.
It is not easy.
Initially it is tough. This is the spiritual struggle (mujahida ). It brings the reward and its blessings in the here-after.
This is the norm in all the things we aspire to achieve. No school or work project is successfully completed just by supplicating, reading or associating with the experts. One has to toil and labor sincerely and put up his best effort in an organized manner to do it.
Therefore, praying the salah on time with the congregation, especially Fajr or having khushoo in salah or controlling anger or quit listening to music or watching the obscene on internet or ending free intermingling with opposite sex , etc. will never ever be achieved until we make a firm resolve to do so and use the self determination and restraint powers, bestowed to us by Allah, earnestly.
May Allah make this clear to us. Amin!
The purpose of Tasawwuf
Shaikh Shah Wasiullah Allahabadi (Allah have mercy on him) quotes many predecessor masters of the path (of Tasawwuf). In conclusion he writes,
‘It is evident from these quotes that the goals of these masters were reformation of the lower-self (islah e nafs), performance of the commandments of Shariah with sincerity and abstention from the prohibited.’
Tarbiyet us Salik, The Introduction, volume 1, page
اعتراف ذنوب
Making implicit knowledge explicit practice
Tasawwuf is all about this!
Become intelligent!
Observing the prevalent Muslim attitude of not being wise and intelligent, Shaikh Shah Wasiullah Allahabadi repeatedly quoted this advice of Shah Ahlullah brother of Shah Waliullah muhadith Dehlavi (Allah have mercy on them all) from his book Chahar Bab,
‘Although, Intelligence, wisdom, understanding acumen and intellectual foresight are innate capabilities, but they can be improved further with acquiring vast experiential knowledge, keeping company of the wise, readings intellectual texts, listening to the beneficial advices and biographies of the (successful) predecessors.
Therefore, it imperative that everyday we try to improve our intellectual abilities.
We should be vigilant in making conscious and extra effort to be in the category of intelligent and not in that of stupid people. ‘
Halaat e Muslih al Ummat ra, volume 4, page 338
Admit the wrong and ask forgiveness
Shaikh Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Allah preserve him) the Ameer, Darul Iftaa said,
“When you have done something wrong, be ready to admit it and ask for forgiveness”
Click the above link to the new website.
Signs of sincerity
‘There are three signs of sincerity (ikhlas),
1. The praise and censuring of people becomes immaterial.
2. The action being done is not looked upon (as something extraordinary).
3. Becoming oblivious of the reward of this action in hereafter.’
Ahzab tahzeeb un nafus, page2
Things that soften the hard-heart
Imam al Qurtubi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
Understand it very clearly that following things soften the worst hardened hearts,
1. Visiting the graves
2. Listening to the discourses of pious scholars
3. Reading about the past obedient ascetics and scholars
4. Remembrance of that which will uproot all pleasures, ward off all desires, separate one from others, make existence detestable, and orphan the children who were adored by their parents. That is, death.’
Ebrat ka saman, page 27-8, Urdu translation of Imam Sha’rani (Allah have mercy on him)’s Mukhtaser Tazkirah al Qurtubi,
Remembrance of death
Shaikh Mohammed al Daqqaq (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘A person who reminds himself of death often is honored with three gifts,
1. Early facilitation of repentance
2. Being content with one’s provision
3. Having the desire to and delight in worship’
Ebrat ka saman, page 25, Urdu translation of Imam Sha’rani (Allah have mercy on him)’s Mukhtaser Tazkirah al Qurtubi,
Tip: Repentance from disobedience
Shaikh Muhammad ibn Ahmed al Mawahib al Tunisi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘The prerequisite for repentance according to the masters of this path (sulook) is to break from the company of the disobedient.’
‘Warning: Take care not to return to the place you deserted and to the spot where you parted (with disobedience), for there you might immediately suffer a relapse.’
Qawanin Hikam al Ishraq, page 38
This company, place or spot may include individuals, specific venues and materials that are heard, read or seen. This is, especially so for the indiscriminate use of Internet in our days.
The real thankfulness
Shaikh Sari Saqti asked Shaikh Junaid (Allah have mercy on them),
‘What is the reality of thankfulness (shukr)?’
He replied,
‘The real thankfulness (for the blessings of Allah) is not to use them in disobeying Allah.’
Jahan e dedah, page 30
The stages of the nafs: Nafs al ammara part 1
.
Shaikh Abdul Ghani at Tarablusi al Khalwati (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘It is your lower self (nafs) that veils you from Allah.
The scholars of Reality (al haqiqa) have mentioned seven stages of the nafs according to its changing states, the ammara, lawamah, mulhema, mutmainah, radhiya, mardhiya and kamilah.’
Following is a summary of Shaikh’s discussion.
1. The inciting nafs (nafs-i-ammara)
إِنَّ النَّفْسَ لأَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلاَّ مَا رَحِمَ رَبِّيَ
Surely, man’s inner self often incites to evil, unless my Lord shows mercy.”[12:53]
In its primitive stage the nafs incites us to commit evil: this is the corrupt nafs as the lower self, the base instincts. Its characteristics include; stinginess, greed, envy, ignorance, arrogance, lust, anger, heedlessness, coveting, mad manners, involvement in useless, making others’ fun, having malice for them and harming them with speech or hand.
It becomes the instrument of Satan’s seduction (to sin). It the most lethal enemy. Therefore extreme caution is needed in not listening to its insolent commands. In Prophetic saying the struggle against it has been mentioned as highest level of righteous effort (jihad al akbar).
Being steadfast on the commandments of Shariah is essential. Keeping constant vigilance (muhasba) is required. It is imperative to have extreme humility and engagement in supererogatory deeds. This is facilitated by giving up (after consultation with Shaikh) the excessive permissible pleasures and all useless activities. By routinely crying in front of Allah asking for help and making remembrance of Allah as instructed by the Shaikh.
‘Never leave supplication because of being depressed and frustrated (by frequent slips) or lose hope by considering the goal to be unrealistic. This will severe the determination altogether.’
If one persists then Allah will spiritually enlighten the heart of the seeker that will make it possible to see the diseases that inflicts the nafs.
The comes the second stage.
continued.
Recitation vs supplication
A seeker requested permission to recite a famous litany of a pious sufi master as a regular wird.
The Shaykh replied, ‘The litany is superb. It can be recited if your daily schedule allows.
In addition, supplicate to Allah asking for the sincerity (ikhlas), truthfulness (sidiq) and humility (tawadhu) that the pious Shaykh (Allah have mercy on him) had in his heart that made these words of supplication so effective.’
Waridaat, page 7
Abdiyet
Imam Abdul Wahab al Sha’rani (Allah have mercy on him) quoted,
‘No level of servant hood (abdiyet) can be applied to an individual who does not consider all his good deeds to be ostentatious and all his states and conditions to be pretentious.’
Adurar al mandhood, (Hum say ‘ahd liyay giya) page 58