Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) advised a seeker,
“Keep busy (in what has been instructed to you). A person who is walking on the correct path for sure reaches the destination.”
Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 2, page 1116
A spiritual aspirant wrote that,
“I wish I do not miss my wird any day. However, sometimes due to unavoidable circumstance it is missed.”
Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Than (may Allah have mercy on him) replied,
“Do not worry. There is Divine wisdom in this also. It shows one’s limitation. And is a blockade for prideful claims and cure of self praise. However, try your best not to be lazy and make up for the missed wird. If not complete, incomplete will suffice.”
Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 2, page 929
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said in regards to the ihsan, while explaining the the hadith e Jibrael (Allah’s peace be on him),
“Vigilance that Allah, exalted is He, is watching me is more effective, easy and practical for a seeker than trying to contmeplate that I am watching Allah.”
حکیم الامت حضرت مولانا اشرف علی تھانوی قدس سرہ نے فرمایا،
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,
“Develop this habit of talking to Allah.
My shaykh Arif-billah Hadhrat Dr Abdul-Hayy ‘Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) told this to us repeatedly.
Sit in solitude and contemplate that I am infront of Allah. Tell Him everything that is on your mind and bothering you. Your past mistakes, the present difficulties and future apprehensions . Tell Him in detail and ask for guidance and help.
InshaAllah, in addition, to relieving your anxiety it will lead to the creation of a bond between you and your Lord, Allah (ta’luq ma Allah).”
Arif-billah Hadhrat Dr. Muhammad `Abd al-Hayy `Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“When the abundance of rememberance (Dhikr) and persistence in righteous actions start producing stability and fortitude in deeds and their surrounding conditions, one is blessed with an inward connection (with Allah) proportionate to one’s capability, knowledge and comprehension. This tunes one to obey Allah and to worship Him in a natural way. The result of which is that he finds himself doing so out of love, while at the same time, there emerges a parallel hatred for disbelief and sin in his heart.”
Ma`mulaat Yawmiyyah
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,
“For any issue if you get an opportunity to make supplications (dua) in detail, then be content. Whatever happens next will be the best thing for you. You may call this tawakul or tafweez.”
Tuesday, 15th April 1991, Eid al-Fitr 1411. Hadhrat’s residence. Meeting with Drs. Sayyid Abdul Qadir Ahmer and Sayyid Usman Abdul-Nasir Moin( may Allah preserve them).
Arif-billah Hadhrat Dr. Muhammad `Abd al-Hayy `Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“The real touchstone of acceptance with Allah is the fulfilment of the injunctions of the Shari`ah and the abstinence from sins.”
Ma`mulaat Yawmiyyah
Sayyid wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,
“The real task is to abstain from all sins!
“Most of the people select and perform the easy stuff. They initiate a relationship with a Shaykh, develop a routine of praying predawn prayers (tahajjud), perform excessive remembrance (dhikr), and recite Quran daily. However, they do not leave the sinful activities.
Remember this clearly, abundance of supererogatory (nafil) actions is of no advantage without abstaining from sinful activities. Whereas, persistence on the obligatory (fardh) and necessary (wajib) actions are quite enough without any extra (nafil) thing if one stays away from sins completely.”
Waaz, post ‘Asr, Masjid Baitul Mukkaram, Jummah, 30 November ’90, 11 Jamadi us sani 1411
Regarding the practice of reciting the spiritual lineage (shajara) Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“The reality of reading the shajara is making supplication (dua) through a means (tawassul). And supplication is a form of remembrance (dhikr). (Hence, reading the shajara will also be included in dhikr).
The meaning of tawassul is, O Allah! Have mercy on us due to (the status of) XYZ-pious person.”
waaz: Akbar al-‘amaal, page 5-8
Hadhrat Mawlana Mufti Mohammad Shafii’ (may Allah have mercy on him) writes,
“The immediate reward for a good deed is the subsequent good action that its doer is blessed with. Similarly, one of the penalties of a bad action is the facilitation of the next sin.”
Ma’arif ul Quran (Urdu), volume 2, page 210
Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah bless him) said,
In our path (tareeq) the goal is achieved comparatively quickly. The reason being the extraordinary emphasis laid on following the Sunna of Allah’s beloved prophet (may Allah bless and grant him peace). This makes the achievement of goal by Divine attraction (jazb) rather than personal effort and toil (sulook).
And this is as per holy Quran; (O Prophet!) Tell (them) that if you want to love Allah, then you should follow me. (By this) Allah will love you and forgive all your sins. Indeed! Allah is all forgiving and merciful. (3:31)
Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“Under certain circumstances instructing and advising others is merely a praiseworthy action (mustahib, not an absolute essential). However, if this indulgence interferes in one’s essential (wajib) activities than this praiseworthy action becomes impermissible (ghair mubah).”
Irfan e Hafiz: At-Takshshuf, page 184