Category Archives: B. Praise worthy morals

The good moral characteristics that are to be developed within one’s self

Safety from Hypcrisy

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

Doctor becoming an alim

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

Staying Spiritually Healthy

The COVID-19 Pandemic is taking a major emotional toll on us.

The lockdown and the continuous barrage of negative news is creating uncertainty about one’s own and loved ones’ well being, future, job and financial securities.

This is draining us emotionally and is creating anticipatory grief and depression.

This is spiritually dangerous.

If not dealt appropriately it will lead to loneliness, lassitude, trouble focusing, feelings of sadness & hopelessness, loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, irritability, restlessness, sleeping difficulties and eventually exhaustion. The daily prayers, recitations, readings and supererogatory (nafil) actions and khushu (concentration & reflection) in them will gradually fade away.

This will be a disaster indeed.

The lifelong mujahidda (struggle) wasted.

We all have to be proactive in this regards.

Following points have helped me and InshaAllah will be helpful for you as well.

1. Keep focused. Our goal is achieving Allah’s pleasure and acceptance. All sinful activities are a barrier to it. Leave them now.

2. Remind ourselves that Allah, Most High being the Sovereign authority in charge (al-Hakim) has all the right to do with us as He wants. No one can question it. We being His slaves have to accept it. However, at the same time we must remember that He is Wise (al-Hakeem) and whatever He does certainly has something beneficial for us. We may not be able to acknowledge this right away but this is for sure.

3. Disconnect with news and social media to a greater extent. Set limits. Check these twice per day just to keep updated and motivated.

4. Connect with Allah. Make dua. Ask Allah for safeguard from all our apprehensions. This can even be non-verbal in mind & heart.

5. Keep up with our daily ma’moolaat (routine). The dhikr, recitations of Holy Quran, Munajat e Maqbool, tasbihat, recommended books. Even under normal circumstances one has to force him/herself to do these. Please remember that this is not easy. This is the daily mujahidda (spiritual struggle) required.

6. Make excessive shukr (gratitude) of Allah. Remind ourselves of all the blessings we have right now, like physical & mental health, food, water, shelter, family & loved ones, accessibility to healthcare etc. and make shukr for each and every of them individually. Allah has promised that gratitude insures and increases the blessing.

7. Use our time wisely. Each moment of our life is priceless. Do not let it waste in useless activities. Do your job. Learn. Read. Write. Cook. Workout. Be busy.

May Allah protect us all and keep us steadfast in these challenging time.

بجاہ سید المرسلین حبیبک صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم

آمین!

Coronavirus Pandemic: What is it for me?

The global Coronavirus pandemic, unimaginable lockdown and numerous deaths makes us wonder if this is a sign of Allah’s wrath.

The ‘arifeen (gnostic) make it clear that in disasters like this a blanket statement can not be made.

Each and every individual has to reflect and see his/her own condition. And then make a judgement for him/her-self.

See,

If his devotion towards Allah has increased in form of excessive dua(supplications) shukr (thankfulness), asking refuge for the future apprehensions, repenting from all that is sinful, making up for the past misgivings, being steadfast on good actions in all circumstances and becoming a better human being then this calamity is a blessing for him in disguise, indeed.

However, if this is not the case and one continues with his/her heedlessness and sinful activities then it is a ‘calamity’ (qahr) for him/her indeed.

May Allah protect us all from falling into the second category.

May Allah protect us all from this pandemic with afiyet.

Ameen!

Coronavirus

The global Coronavirus pandemic, lockdown and numerous death makes us wonder if this is a sign of Allah’s wrath.

The ‘arifeen (gnostic) teaching is that in calamities a blanket statement can not be made.

Each and every individual has to reflect and see his/her own condition.

If his devotion towards Allah has increased, he is trying to give up the sinful activities, make up for the past misgivings and become a better human being then this calamity is a blessing for him in disguise.

Repentance

Do not suppose that a delay in judgment is a blessing while you persist in sin.

No, indeed!

It is the harshest reckoning, as God the Exalted has said, ‘We give them a respite that they may increase in sin.’

Though my sins grow great and oppressive,

Your forgiveness of sins is greater still.

Yet as Your mercy holds me here,

I will need it more at the Resurrection!

The Principles of Tasawwuf, p33

Spiritual constriction(Qabd): signs, symptoms, causes & treatment

A spiritual aspirant wrote, Sir! The conditions of wilting and constriction is ever increasing. Weeks and months pass by without experiencing any happiness. It looks like mind and heart are dead. There no solace either in being alone or in gatherings. I’m extremely disturbed by the vacuum and suspension in life. The work is merely for acquiring sustenance there is no aspect of interest in it at all. ……………

……. The wish for dying has not as yet developed, however, life is a burden……………

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) replied,

‘This condition is called spiritual constriction (qabd). It happens to all (spiritual wayfarers:salikeen ). Outwardly it appears to be an affliction, however in reality it is a blessing.

Its causes are different. Sometimes it is disturbance in normal physiological (bodily) functioning or mixing (in unsuitable company) or seasonal affect or medicinal side effects or (consumption of inappropriate) food or psychological factors, or (excessive) thinking or (overwhelming) sadness or anger. All of these are treated by there opposites.

Sometimes it is due to sinful involvement. It’s treatment is abandoning the sinful and excessive repentance.

Sometimes it to elevate the spiritual status of the aspirant. That is, the deficiency in volitional good actions is compensated by forced spiritual struggle. This increases the spiritual status.

At other times it is to rectify one’s morals (ikhlaq). That is, by observing one’s imperfections there is development of humbleness and humility. This cures many blameworthy morals, like narcissism (ujub), arrogance (kibr) and hard-heartedness (qasawet), etc. .

Sometimes it is a test of love and reverence. That is to see if the individual works only when happy and experiencing enjoyment or continues with good actions when there is no experiencing at all. Because the later condition can only be due to overwhelming love and reverence.

At other times it is leads to attraction (jazb) to the sanctified realm (‘alam al quds) by removing the veils and obstacles.

And sometimes the causes are beyond descriptions.

After this prelude, there are some points of caution,

1. Sometimes various different causes are combined

2. When this (qabd) occurs it is futile to investigate and identify the reasons behind it. Moreover it is detrimental to do so. This is because there is no way to ascertain it definitely. And it will be a wasted effort.

3. The rights of all the possibilities should be fulfilled. That is (practice ) repentance, patience, thankfulness, assigning affairs to Allah (tafweez) , relying on Allah, humility, supplications, turning to Allah, excessive remembrance, being steadfast in good actions, decrease in useless affairs, involvement in activities that relax and strengthen the mind like meeting friends, interaction with spouse and children, consuming one’s favorite foods in moderation. All these must be combined in a efficient way.

4. All of these (above mentioned) activities should be done without the intention of treatment or expecting (a hastened) spiritual opening (bast) or blissful state. These are in themselves (necessary) to be done. One should be ready to be steadfast in fulfilling these rights even if this spiritual constriction prevails till the end of life.

5. Staying away as much as possible from all the astringent and worrisome affairs.

Use of these interventions meticulously, InshaAllah, will result most of the times in spontaneous (physical/tabaii) spiritual opening and for sure in intellectual (‘aqli) spiritual opening.

If there is suspicion of relapse then as per ان عدتم عدنا be ready. Like an individual who get a seasonal fever (every year). He doesn’t despair. He just renews the prescription again (for use).

Tarbiyet-us-salik , volume 3, p 186-8

The essential instructions for mureed

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘After bayiah (spiritual allegiance) the things that need to be rectified upfront include, arrogance, negligence in fulfilling the rights of others (huqooq al ‘ebad), envy, hatred, creating adversity (fitna) between people, etc. However, nowadays no restrictions are instructed for these things. Whereas, previous pious elders (Mashāyikh) used to give priority to these things from first day.

The litanies & recitations (wazaif) were instructed after many years.

Moreover, these restrictions were not merely verbal instructions, they recommended various practices to uproot these spiritual ailments from the heart.

Like, if they saw an individual afflicted with self adoration (زینت پرستی) he was instructed to sweep and tidy up the spiritual lodge (khanqah) or streets. Similarly, if they saw arrogance in an individual, he was instructed to tidy up the shoes of people coming to pray. These acts of humility have the ability to create humbleness in heart. ‘

Infas e Essa, volume 1, pg43

Keep repenting

Shaykh Ahmed Zarruq (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘Although the traveler (salik) must be more cautious after returning to sin he must not give up and despair. After every return, even a thousand time, he must renew his intention to repent.

If the Devil argues: “What is use of a repentance following a repetition of the sin?”, he must be answered, “Just as we made the sin’s repetition a habit, we make the repetition of repentance a habit too. ‘

Ahmad Zarruq, p282

Reality of repentance

Shaykh Ahmed Zarruq (Allah have mercy on him) said,

Repentance means returning to the Truth (haqq) and abandoning whatever displeases Allah.

It is entering into the purely and saintly life by ceasing once and for all wrong actions and thoughts and making a strong resolution not to return to sin.

For this traveler (salik) should shun source of sin in place or time (or individuals that facilitate sinful activities).

Ahmad Zarruq, p280-1