Category Archives: D. Acts of Worship

Various acts of devotion to show our servitude

Reading Dalail al Khayrat

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

“People request permission (ijaza) for reciting ‘Dalail al Khayrat’ from the piously elders (shuyukh). There is faulty intention in doing so. They beleive that reciting it without permission will be without any blessings (baraka). Most likely, the system of acquiring permission was initially developed to make sure that the wordings of the text were correctly transmitted. While giving the permission the Shaykh used to listen to the recitation and made any corrections needed.

In fact, the text that is worthy of being recited from the pulpit what has it to do with this intimate secrecy (of considering it essential to acquire an individual permission for its recitation).

If someone ask’s me regarding the recitation of ‘Dalail al Khayrat’, I tell him to (recite, but) leave the recitation of the statements that say, The Prophet said (قال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم). This is because few of the Prophetic sayings (hadith) in it are fabricated (موضوع). Apart from this, its subject matter is completely accurate.”

Majmua e malfuzat: al-Kalam al-Hasan, 106

Errors to Avoid in Dua!

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Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote in the preface of the book Munajat-e-maqbool,

“In case of dua (supplication) few errors are taking place. That are;

1. To supplicate (dua) only when faced by an adversity.

2. And on these occasions instead of using the supplications told to us by Allah and holy Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him), we go for new and innovative litanies (wazaaif).

3. To supplicate without true yearning, devotion and concentration.

4. To lack the conviction and aspiration that the supplication will be accepted for sure.

5. To make haste and expect immediate response.

If there is delay in its acceptance to be disheartened and abandon making dua.”

Munajat-e-maqbool, page 3-4

Kissimmee, FL

Two Steps to Success

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Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said:

Two things are always to be done actively in every endeavor.

Firstly take the initiative and start working and secondly beseech Allah for its successful completion.

These two things are to be done for all things during your whole life and inshaAllah, you will succeed.

My Shaykh (Arifbillah Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi ra) used to tell us, “Talk to Allah”.

Tell Him, “O Allah! I was involved in all these bad deeds, now I have taken the step to reform. Some of the sins I gave up but giving up the rest of them is becoming difficult for me due to the overpowering by my lower-self (nafs), shaytan, environment and my circumstances.

You alone can remove these overwhelming factors. It is not within my capability to do so. O Allah! Please, remove these crushing obstacles or else do not reprimand me in hereafter regarding them.”

Talk to Allah like this. Then you will find out how things work up for the best and how you are saved from the sins by Allah.

(Help comes after initiating the action: Islahi Khutbat 139-141/volume 11)

Kissimmee, FL

Intention in religious discussion

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My respected father Cdr. Shaukat Kamal (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote,

‘Every friday I gather my family after asr salah and discuss religious matters with them. I am using your books and (Hakim al-Umma’s) Bahishti zewar for assistance. I feel that this activity is most beneficial for myself.

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) replied,

‘The real intention (in these sort of activities) should be self benefit, indeed.’

Walid sahib kay Islahi khutoot, page 10

Sins: Dreadful

Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah ahve mercy on him) said:

Committing a sin is a very wretched, ghastly and fatal thing.
It is essential to abstain from it completely.
That very moment when a slave in acting against his Lord’s command, is a very ominous and detesting. If he had the capabilities for differentiating between various feelings, he could have felt the darkening effect of sin.

Some wrong actions have the effect of causing the capability of performing good works in future to be taken away. This is a thing to be dreaded.

Another effect of sin is that the individuals under your command start disobeying your instructions.

The worst effect of committing sin is that due to the casual and careless attitude (of a sinner) a minor (saghirah) sin leads to a major (kabirah) sin and eventually to rejecting the truth (kufr).

Thus an individual should never become carefree after committing a sin. He should repent and make amendments.

Basa’ir-e-Hakeemul Ummat 532

Committing a sin thinking

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

Committing a sin thinking it will decrease (or eliminate) the desire for that sin (in the future) is a deception of Shaytan. Yes, the desire will be decreased temporarily but the faculty and power of committing sin will be strengthened (long term) resulting in the eradication of sin becoming beyond ones power and strength.

From: Advices of Hakim al-Umma: Part One

Calling onto others beside Allah for help

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Shaykh Mawlana Qadi Hamid-ud-deen Nagori al-Chishti [d:673H] was one of the foremost khalifas of Gharib Nawaz Khawaja Muin al-Deen al-Chishti [may Allah have mercy on them], founder of Chishti silsila. He was first Chishti shaykh to write a book and one of his book was on the usools of Chishti tariqah. It is mentioned in Gulzaar-e-Abrar p.47 that he reached the status of ijtihad in traditional sciences. He writes regarding calling onto others beside Allah for help:

ومنهم الذين يدعون الأنبياء والأولياء عند الحوائج والمصائب
باعتقاد ان أرواحهم حاضرة تسمع النداء وتعلم
الحوائج وذلك شرك قبيح وجهل صريح

“And there are those who call upon the Prophets and awliya for help in the time of distress with the belief that their souls are ever present, listening [hadhir nadhir] and aware of our needs. This is from the worst type of shirk and clear ignorance.”

[Tafheem al-Masail ba-hawala Tausheeh from Jawahir al-Tauheed, p.272. Courtesy Khanbaba. JazakAllah]

Recitation of Quran in salah!

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Shah Abrar ul-Haq (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘Some individuals follow all the rules and regulations of reading Quran in prayers (salah) that are read aloud (jahari), whereas, in prayers that are read silently they do not follow any of the regulations.

Why?

Are these regulations only for the prayers read aloud?

If the following of these regulations is due to the respect and right of the Holy Quran then in all situation they must be followed.

Hayat e Abrar ra, page 255

Daily wird & Time constraints

Sands of Time

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah SWT preserve him and allow us to benefit from him abundantly. Ameen!) said,

‘If due to genuine reasons limited time is available the components of the wird may be decreased in quantity.

For example instead of reciting the tasbeehat 100 times each do it 33 times or 11 times or even 3 times if the restraints are such great.

Do not abandon the wird all together.

Abandoning it will cause loss of great barakah (blessings).’

Allah give us the tawfeeq. Ameen

The Real Objective & Goal

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Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Moulana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said;

‘The real objective is to gain Allah swt’s pleasure.

This is achieved via being steadfast on the good works (ta’at) and abstaining from all sins.

For the one who is doing these, there is no reason to be worried.

If there are short comings in these, then effort is needed to correct them and to make repentance.

Islahi maktoobat

Supplications

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Shaykh Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘In Prophetic tradition (hadith) supplication has been called مخ العبادة (soul of worship).

When Allah, Most High wants to bestow someone (with His special favors) He inspires in him the art of supplication (dua).

This supplication is from the depth of his heart and intellect. Moreover, it  seems to emanate from each and every cell of his body.

This supplication gives him the courage to face the hardships of this worldly life.

It instills in him new hope and aspiration.

It increases his trust in Allah.

And (most importantly) it stirs awake his determination to act appropriately.”

Muqadamah:Tasali ka saman, page 9

Progress: explained

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An individual inquired that after becoming aware of this progress issue I feel at loss. My religious activities in worship, wird, recitations, etc. have been at a static level for a considerable period of time.  I feel guilty.

Sayyidi wa sanadi SHaykh Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) answered as he walked towards the mataf to perform tawaf,

‘It must be remembered that there are two components involved in this advancement one is quantity and the other is quality.

There is room that the quantity remains static, but for a seeker  it is essential that the quality of his actions increases every day.

He must try to develop more sincerity, precision and concentration in his actions following and imitating the Sunna. Moreover he must be in constant contact with Allah via remembrance (dhikr) and supplications.

This progress is an imperative requirement for the seeker.’

Makkah al mukarramah, Saturday, 7th February 2009/12 Safar 1430, after esha salah