Category Archives: D. Acts of Worship

Various acts of devotion to show our servitude

Categories of love

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

‘There are two categories of love,

1. The intellectual and

2. The emotional

Of these it is essential to acquire the intellectual one. That is, being obedient in following the commands of the beloved by annihilating one’s desires and determinations by giving priority to none except them.

Whereas the emotional love, that is being attracted, having fascination and yearning is beyond one’s volition and control and therefore, not an essential requirement to be accquired.

The one that we are required to have is the intellectual love that is within our control.’

Ardha e Haqq, Mawaiz Ashrafiya, volume 15, page 62

P.S. It is essential to understand that, Hakim al-Umma is not downgrading the category of emotional love. The message is to take control and acquire what is within one’s reach. InshaAllah, eventually the blessings of obedience will bring the (true) emotional component along. Also, it is reminder to us that only emotional love without obedience is deficient and unflattering.

Things that benefit the dead

Sayyidina Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be please with him) says, our Master the Holy Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said,

“A dead person in the grave is like a drowning person expecting (help in the form of) supplications (du‘aa) from his father, or mother, or son, or friend. When it (du‘aa) reaches him it will be more beloved to him than the world and what it contains. Allah transmits the du‘aas of the people of the world (in the form of rewards) that is equivalent of mountains.

The gift of the living to the dead is to seek forgiveness (maghfirah) for them.”

– Bayhaqii in Shi‘abul Imaan.

Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says, our Master the Holy Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said,

“When a human passes away, his deeds come to an end, except from three things:

1. Charity that continues (sadaqah jaariyah) (like a waqf etc.); or

2.  Knowldge (‘ilm) from which benefit continues to be derived (like teaching, writing books etc.); or

3. A pious son who makes supplication (du‘aa) for him.”

– Bukhaari, Muslim, quoted in Sharhus Sudur. 

 Shouq e watan.

Safeguarding dunya & deen!

In the instructions posted for those living in his khanqah, Hadhrat Mawlana Wasiullah (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote,

“Everyone is responsible for the protection of his belongings.

If something is stolen, then both the individual who’s stuff it is and the thief will be expelled from the khanqah.

The expulsion of the aggrieved is because a person who is incapable of protecting his personal effects how is he expected to safeguard his religion.”

Hayyat e Musleh al-Umma ra, 129

والدین کے حقوق اورایصال ثواب

عارف باللہ حضرت ڈاکٹر عبدالحئی عارفی رحمۃ اللہ علیہ نے فرمایا،

‘ہم پر اللہ تعالی نے اپنے حقوق کے بعد والدین کے حقوق واجب فرماۓ ہیں۔ انہوں نے پالا پرورش کی، دعائیں کیں، راحت پہنچائی اور جب تک تم بالغ نہیں ہۓ تمہارے کفیل رہے۔

اور جب تم بالغ ہوۓ تو تم نے ان کی کیا خدمت کی ہوگی؟

دیکھو جتنا سرمایا ہے اپنے زندگی بھر کے اعمال حسنہ کا اور طاعات نافلہ کا سب نذر کر دو اپنے والدین کو، ان کا بہت بڑا حق ہے، کیونکہ والدین کو اللہ تعالی نے مظہر ربوبیت بنایا ہے۔ اس عمل خیر کا ثواب تمہیں بھی اتنا ملے گا جتنا دے رہے ہو، بلکہ اس سے بھی زیادہ کیونکہ یہ تمہارا ایثار ہے اور اس کا بہت بڑا ثواب ہے۔

میں تو اپنی ساری عمر کی تمام عبادات و طاعات نافلہ اور اعمال خیر اپنے والدین کی روح پر بخش دیتا ہوں اور سمجھتا ہوں کہ اب بھی حق ادا نہیں ہوا۔ اللہ تعالی اپنی رحمت واسعہ سے قبول فرمالیں۔

(رمضان المبارک کے انوار و برکات، ص 14)

Focus on sincerity

Instructing a former student who is now responsible for a darul uloom in NWFP, sayyidi wa sanadiHadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,

“Keep in mind that the real objective is to gain Allah’s pleasure.  Absolute sincerity is required for this.

Refrain from asking donations individually.

In our institute there is no mechanism to advertise, send representatives or contact wealthy individuals for donations. All praise is to Allah, even then all the matters are being carried out effectively.”

Ramadhan 1429

The two most prevalent sins!

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah grant him a long, healthy and fruitful life) said,

“To preserve the benefits gained in Ramadhan abstain from sins. The two most common sins in which most of the people are involved in these days are,

1. Inappropriate use of eyes. That is, seeing unlawful things.

2. Backbiting. That is speaking of others in such a manner that if they came to know about it they will be upset. Even if the content is truth.

Make a concious effort to control yourself.”

Ramadhan bayan 1429, Darul Uloom Karachi

Darul Uloom is a khanqah these days!

All praise is for Allah, Most High.
These days Dar ul Uloom, Karachi is a spiritual lodge (khanqah/zawiya).
Spiritual aspirants from various places around the world have flocked together to avail the blessings of Ramadhan in the blissful company of their Shaykh.

Almost two hundred individuals are performing the sunna seclusion (e’itikaf) in Dar ul Uloom’s mosque.

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) holds a daily session after zuhar prayers for the spiritual aspirants. These discourses are providing the essential knowledge of tasawwuf for the seekers. The reality of sincerity (ikhlas), presence of mind/heart in worship(khushu’), and the method of tazikiya are some of the topics that have been discussed so far.

Thereafter, muridin gather in his office to be in his blessed company till the asr prayers. There they listen to the advise, observe the attitude and absorb the spiritual states of their Shaykh. MashaAllah!

May Allah make this beneficial for all of us. And, inshaAllah, this supplication be accepted

Amin!

سلامت تیرا میخانہ، سلامت تیرے مستانے

رہے گا رنگ عالم میں یہی تا یوم دیں ساقی

مجذوب رح

How to do esal e thawab?

Hadhrat Haji Mohammad Sharif khalifa of Hakim al-Umma (may Allah have mercy on them) wrote in his wasiyet (will),

“Never arrange a gathering for my esal e thawab, neither purposefully nor on ad hoc basis. Every person who desires to do so can do it individually by supplications, giving charity or performing supererogatory (nafil) worship. At the least recite sura ikhlas thrice and forward its reward. InshaAllah, this action will be very beneficial to their own selves also.”

Musaferan e akhirat, page 27

Advice on condolence 4

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) advised the family of his departed murid/khalifa,

“To lessen the sorrow of this loss and achieve patience (sabr) recite the Quranic verse abundantly,

انا للہ و انا الیہ راجعون”

DHA, residence, 26th Sha’ban 1429/29th August 2008, around maghrib

Missing Father’s dua

Hadhrat Mansoor Ali Khan sahib db, a senior murid of Hadhrat Arif-billah Dr. Abdul Hayy and khalifa of Hadhrat Shah Abrarul Haqq sahib (may Allah have mercy on them) adviced an individual;

“Take good care of your father.

His dua (prayers) is accepted for sure. This is stated in sayings of Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم

In masjid-e-nabawi this Ramadhan, I heard a Syrian Shaykh telling the young aspirants around him that a father’s dua (prayer) for his son is superior to the dua of 70 awliya (friends of Allah SWT) for that individual. This is the case even if the father is not a salih (pious) person.”

Allah SWT give us the tawfeeq. Ameen!

Advice at condolence 3

On their way to mosque for magrib salah one of the sons of Hadhrat Shaukat Kamal (may Allah have mercy on him) told sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him), “After the demise of my respected father I have this feeling that I did not appreciate him enough during his life. I was negligent in fulfilling his rights.”

Hadhrat acknowledged this and said,

“This feeling is nothing inappropriate. ‘Qader e ni’mat ba’d az zawal’ (One truly appreciates a blessing only when it is gone forever) is a well known axiom.

However, all praise is for Allah, that even now you can be of assistance to him in his after-life by doing esal e thawab and making supplication (dua) for him as much as possible.”

26th Sha’ban 1429/29th August 2008

Advice at condolence 2

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) instructed the widow of his very close deceased murid/khalifa Hadhrat Shaukat Kamal (may Allah have mercy on him) from behind a partition,

“No doubt the loss is great but you must be patient. Remember that being sad, hearbroken and even crying is not in opposition to the patience (sabr) required by Shariah. Moreover, it is the right of the beloved deceased to miss him and grieve. The only thing that has to be avoided is to criticize and oppose the decree of Allah, Most High.”

JazakAllah!

DHA, residence, 26th Sha’ban 1429/29th August 2008, after maghrib

Advice at condolence 1

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) instructed the sons of his very close deceased murid/khalifa Hadhrat Shaukat Kamal (may Allah have mercy on him),

“Take special care of your mother. Acknowledge how precious her existence is now. Make sure to keep her content and comfortable.

This is especially so that with time the sorrow of other relatives of the deceased wanes away but that of the spouse does not. In contrary it increases with age and time.

Also, he encouraged them to do esal e thawab as much as possible for the deceased by praying, reading Holy Quran, giving charity, etc.”

JazakAllah!

DHA, residence, 26th Sha’ban 1429/29th August 2008, around maghrib

Conditions for esal e thawab

In the earlier part of his life Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) used to teach at the Islamic seminary (darul uloom) in Kanpur.

One day students entered the class to find him sitting there obliviously very sad. The signs of melancholy and sorrow were clearly evident on his face. The students were concerned and respectfully inquired what was the reason for this unusual demeanor. Hakim al-Umma informed them that he had just received the news of demise of his eldest sister. Students felt sad and requested him to postpone teaching session for that day. Hakim al Umma told them that he had come to teach as usual. However, seeing the sadness of their teacher students insisted and requested that instead of the usual daily class they wanted to recite the Holy Quran and forward its reward to the deceased muslimah. After much insistence Hakim al-Umma accepted their plea on three conditions,

Firstly, they would not recite the Holy Quran sitting together. It will be done individually and in private.

Secondly, every participant was to recite whatever amount was possible for him with ease. Half or quarter juz (section) or even sura iklas (chapter112) three time would be fine.

 Thirdly, after recitation no one should inform how much he recited.

Hakim al-Umma enforced these conditions to ensure absolute sincerity in the recitation. It is well established that the reward of good deed is based on the sincerity (ikhlas) with which it is done. Actions devoid of sincerity are worthless and there is no benefit in forwarding its reward to others.

Issue like social coercing, show-off and undue hardship on those involved essentially destroys the sincerity altogether.

Request for esal e thawab

 surat_al_fatiha.gif

My respected father Hadhrat Cdr. (R) Shaukat Kamal, khalifa mujaz of sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) passed away on Friday 19 Sha’ban 1429/22 August 2008 (1145Hrs) after a brief severe illness.

He was 78 years old. The funeral prayers was done after asr salah at Masjid Bait-us-Salam, DHA, Karachi. Hadhrat Hasan Imam khalifa of Hadhrat Nawab Eshrat Ali Khan (may Allah preserve them) and Dr Hafeezullah (may Allah have mercy on him) did the imamet. Burial was at Paposhnagar graveyard besides his father’s grave.

May Allah forgive his mistakes, shower His special mercies on him and raise his stations manifolds in proximity of our master the blessed Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) and his noble family members, companions and awliya. Amin!