Category Archives: L. Books

Reading books

A spiritual aspirant wrote about his enthusiasm reading the books written by Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) day and night.

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma replied,

“The percentage of time spend in daily recitations (wird) and good actions (a’mal) should be greater than that spend in reading the books.

Your enthusiasm in this reading is from the pleasure of the subjects discussed and not the love of remembrance (dhikr).”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 476

When reading the Spiritual discourse

An individual inquired what points should he pay most attention to when reading Shaykh’s spiritual discourses (mawaiz) to achieve maximum benefit.

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) replied,

“When reading these discourses paying attention to two things are beneficial. Firstly, the blame worthy things mentioned in them which are present in me and then working to remove them. And similarly, the praise worthy attributes mentioned that I do not posses and trying to achieve them.”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 429

Studying Quranic tafsir

A spirtiual aspirant wrote,

‘I have placed an order for the Quranic  exegesis (tafsir) ‘Bayanul Quran’ at Dehli (bookshop). Would it be appropriate for me to read from it a quater chapter (juz) daily in a manner such that my wife listens to it also?’

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) replied,

‘Yes indeed, it will be most appropriate. However, do not make up personal explanation of the text you do not understand.(You should ask a scholar for its clarification.)’

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 403

Book: Recommended reading

huzoor-nay-farmaya.jpg

In Masjid al-Haraam, Makkah e mukarramah, a pious individual informed that a person in Okara visited the local religious gathering. He reviewed some of the books displayed at the bookstalls outside. He picked up this book, read  few pages but placed it back in the shelf and returned back to his home.

That night he was blessed with vision of our master Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in his dream. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم ) had few books in his noble hand. They included, ‘Seerat e Ayesha رضى الله عنها ‘ by Allama Syed Suliman Nadwi (may Allah have mercy on him), ‘Uloom e Quran’ and this book ‘Huzoor صلى الله عليه وسلم nay farmaya’ (both) by Hadhrat Mawlana Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him). The blessed Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) then addressed this individual inquiring why didn’t he buy this book.

This individual travelled all the way from Okara, NWFP to Karachi and personally narrated this dream to Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him). 

Hadhrat regarded it as a mubasharah (glad tidings) and a state of increased thankfulness (shukur) and humility (tawadu) overcame him. 

Book: The Ways of the Holy Prophet

“ Certainly There Is For You In The Messenger Of Allah An Excellent Example.” [Holy Quran, 33:21]

“And We Have Not Sent Thee Except As A Mercy Unto The Worlds.” [Holy Quran, 21:107]

Say thou: if ye are want to love ALLAH, then follow me, and ALLAH shall love you and forgive you your sins: And ALLAH is Forgiving and Merciful. [Holy Quran, 3:31]

This book sheds light on the habits and teachings of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) which have been extracted from the most authentic books of Ahadiths (traditions). These teachings practically cover all aspects of life and are a perfect example for all muslims to follow.

“This is in a way the complete extract of the teachings of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). “

Mufti e Azam Pakistan Muhammad Shafee (Allah bless him and give him peace)

“This book can serve as a guiding light and mentor to the (right) path in the matters of faith, worship, dealings, social relations, moral values, norms and routine of the Prophet’s (Allah bless him and give him peace) blessed life, matrimonial and social life and the various natural and physical stages of life. Allah has blessed this book with such popularity that few books of our present times can boast of.” Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi

“It is a very useful book written in a very lucid style, about the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). God willing, it will be very beneficial. Beside its hidden virtues it has been published in a befitting and attractive style. I pray to Allah to make it beneficial for people and also make it an act of continuous charity for the author.”

Sheikh ul Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakaria Kandhalavi (Allah bless him and give him peace)

Click on the image to download the book (pdf format).

Book:حق السماع

از
حكيم الامت مولانا اشرف على تهانوى رحمة الله عليه

اردو

All praise is to Allah.

This out-of-print book is now available online.

It can be downloaded from here:
1.scanned: http://www.divshare.com/download/342273-611

2.pdf :http://www.divshare.com/download/349997-13e

This book is an essential reading for all those into Tasawwuf, especially in these days when serious confusion exists in the name of traditional, spiritual and sufi music.

Source: Basair

Prophet said, Follow my Sunna

 

An essential handbook by Hadhrat Mufti Abdul-Hakeem khalifa of Mufti Mohammad Shafi (may Allah have mercy on them) listing the Sunna to be followed in our daily life.

A must reading for all salikeen.

May Allah, the most merciful, make it easy for us to follow the Sunna in all aspects of our life. Ameen!

Obligations on taking the tareeq

Listing the obligations for those who take the (Ashrafiya) tareeq Hakeemul Ummah Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra mentions,

Firstly, one has to read all the eleven parts of Behishti zewar (Heavenly ornaments, essential text of Hanafi fiqh) cover-to-cover, word-by-word. (In case if one cannot read, he/she has to have it read to him, listening attentively.)

Secondly, one has to keep all his/her states as per (the Shari’a rulings described in) Behishti zewar.

Tarbiyat us salik, volume 1, page 8

 

Reading habit

Sayyid wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db told an individual:

“Make it a daily routine to read from the mawaiz (lectures), malfoozat (discourses) and other books of Hazrat Hakemmul Ummat (Mawlana Ashrafi Ali Thanawi) qadas sirrahu.

Do not be negligent. Reading even a single page daily is beneficial.

They are indispensable for those travelling the tareeq (spiritual path).”

The Noble Qur’an

The meanings of the Noble Quran (2 Vol) with explanatory notes by Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Taqi Usmani sahib db

First English translation of the meanings of the Qur’an done by a traditional alim, muhadith and ‘arifbillah.

Indispensable for the English speaking seekers of knowledge.

MashaAllah, currently Hazrat db is working on a new Urdu translation that will be more readable, understandable and appealing to the contemporary Urdu speaking community.

JazakAllah ta’ala ahsanal jaza.

Objective of Masnavi

گر شدی عطشان بحر معنوی

فرجئہ کن در جزیرہ مثنوی

فرجہ کن چندانکہ اندر ہر نفس

مثنوی را معنوی بینی و بس

Explaining the above verses Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said;

“In Masnavi, after contemplation it becomes obvious that the objective is to describe the issues related to ‘maiyat e illahiya’ ( معیت الہیہi.e. Allah SWT’s intimacy/proximity with us).”

Kaleed e masnavi, volume 21, page 19

Kaleed e Masnavi

Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra included his commentary on sixth (last) volume of Masnavi of Hazrat Mawlana Jalalud din Rumi ra in the curriculum (nisab e tasawwuf) he recommended for the salikeen under his tarbiyah.

He provided the following reason for this choice;

“It is because I heard from Sayyidi murshidi (Hazrat Haji Imdadullah mohajir Makki ra) that there are more esoteric and deeper meanings in it. A couplet in the very beginning of this volume also points towards this. Some commentators (of masnavi) have reported this explicitly from Hazrat Mawlana Rumi ra that each forthcoming volume is superior in the deeper meanings conveyed from its preceding volume.”

Kaleed e masnavi, volume 21, page 1, Idara e talifat e Ashrafia, Multan, Pakistan.

Kaleed e Masnavi is complete commentary of Masnavi of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi ra. It is Urdu language. Published in 24 volumes by Idara e talefat e Ashrafiya, Multan, Pakistan. Each voulume has between 300 to 500 pages.

Book “Mamoolat e Yomiya” Most Essential!

Lessons of Ashrafiya tareeq

A mureed inquired that a Naqshbandi Sheikh asked me regarding the asbaqs (lessons) prescribed in our silsila. I have no idea regarding them. Are there any specific asbaqs to be completed by the salik?

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah SWT preserve him and allow us to benefit from him abundantly. Ameen!), replied: “No. However, you can inform him about those action prescribed in the book “Mamoolat e yomiya”.  (That is, because they form the basic lessons of our tareeq.)

The Accepted Whispers/Munajat-e-Maqbul

Du’a (supplication) is the essence of worship. It is the weapon of the believer. With it we can never fail; without it we can never succeed. It is a whispering conversation with Allah, the most uplifting, liberating, empowering, and transforming conversation one can ever have.

This book contains more than 200 du’as from the Qur’an and Hadith in Arabic for daily reading, along with their transliteration, translation, and commentary in English. The commentary explains historic background, meanings, merits, and special significance of the du’a in question.

This selection was originally compiled by Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi under the title Munajaat-e-Maqbul. Like his Bihishti Zewar (Heavenly Ornaments), it has been very popular in the countries of the Indian subcontinent, where it has become a household name. This edition aims at making it accessible to the English-speaking world.

The Compiler

Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (1280-1362 AH/1863-1943 CE), commonly referred to as Hakim al-Ummat (“Sage of the Ummah”), was a giant among the Islamic scholars of the twentieth century. He was a master in all branches of Islamic scholarship including Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh and Tasawwuf. A prolific writer, he had more than a thousand publications to his credit. He wrote for the minimally literate as effectively as he did for scholars. Nearly a century later some of his books remain as popular as they were when originally published. Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani writes, “The likeness of his accomplishments is not found in many preceding centuries.”

The Translator

Khalid Baig is a writer on Islam and contemporary issues.

Albalagh

Excellent, indeed!