Maseehul quloob Hazrat Mawlana Maseehullah Khan ra said;
“Increased quantity of good actions is not essential (in this tareeq). It is the finest quality of actions that is required.”
Suhbat e salih, Albalagh (urdu), page 117
Category Archives: D. Acts of Worship
Benefit of being present at the grave and making dua
Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said commenting on the verse 84 of surah Tawbah (:nor stand by his grave), said;
“This standing at the grave is beneficial for the deceased…….. This benefit of being present at the grave and making dua, etc. is in addition to the benefit made by dua when not being present there.”
Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 237
Please take note that for us visiting the graves is for making esal e thawab, remembrance of death and this benefit. It should not be for any innovative practices.
As far as the issue of benefiting from the deceased is concerned, it is true, but only when certain specific criteria are met. Most important of them is that the person in attendance and dead both must be sahib e nisbet. Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat ra’s teachings are very clear regarding this.
Hajj without تصريح
An individual inquired regarding performing nafil hajj without a tasreh (a permit issued by Saudi government to expatriates performing hajj. This is to keep a track of individuals arriving for hajj, make sure they have transport and residence arrangements pre-planned, etc. to avoid confusion, stampede and other safety hazards. )
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db advised him not to perform nafil hajj without a genuine tasreh. Trespassing government regulations is grossly inappropriate and sinful.
Remembrance of the Past is a Veil
Commenting on the saying of Masters of Tasawwuf that looking back at the past sins (intentionally) is a veil from remembrance of Allah SWT, Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said:
“This saying is in regards to those individuals who have eliminated their gaflah (forgetfulness) and are engrossed in Allah SWT(‘s path).”
Masail us sulook min kalam Malik ul mulook, page 307
Sincerity & Durood
Maseehul-quloob Hazrat Mawlana Maseehullah Khan sahib ra adviced his mureedeen:
“For growth, development and permanence of niyyah (intention that everything being done is solely for Allah SWT’s pleasure via Sunnah method) holdfast to recitation of blessed durood (salawat).
My routine in zikir-e-lisani (remembrance via tongue) is to recite durood all the time.”
Islah afroze bayyanat, page 199
Lessons from al-Kahaf
Hakim al Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) has mentioned the following lessons that can be learned from the story of our masters Prophet Musa and Khidhir (Allah’s peace be upon them):
1. Desirability of travel for a student (to pursue his learning).
2. To have respect (adab) when dealing with scholars and shuyuk.
3. To abandon criticism of scholars and shuyuk
4. To find an excuse for their apparently unclear actions, dealings and speech.
5. To fulfill the pact (ahed) made with them.
6. To apologize for any thing committed against them.
7. To keep provision for the way while traveling. It is not against tawakul (reliance on
Allah)to do so.
8. To ascribe forgetfulness and other disliked things to Shaytan. It is from adab not to
attribute them to Allah.
9. For a scholar to refuse teaching a subject to a student whom he thinks is incapable of
understanding it.
10. To give preference to Allah’s command in every thing.
11. For a guide to put some essential criteria to be fulfilled, for his followers.
12. To condone forgetfulness.
13. Three attempts to be sufficient enough to be counted as repetition.
14. Boat ride to be permissible.
15. The ruling to be on the evident matters. Until one comes to know the reality.
16. Asking for food to be permissible, in case of absolute necessity.
17. Not to give up chivalry. Even if it is for those who do not deserve it.
18. To take monetary retribution for worldly tasks done.
19. The condition for being in need to persist even if tools for earning or possession of
insufficient funds exist.
20. Being angry (that is displaying it) is impermissible (haraam).
21. Hiding wealth by burying it in the ground (for protection) to be permissible
And many more lessons can be learned.
Hakim al Umma adds; this incident proves that the best way for islah (reformation) is through physical demonstration (actions) not merely by (admonition via) speech.
Masail us sulook, pages 328-9
Who is Pious?
“Hazrat Fudail bin ‘Ayadh ra said that if someone did all the good deeds but did not fulfill the rights of his single pet chicken, he would not be considered to be a pious person.”
Commenting on the verse 21 of Surah al-Ra’ad, Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra wrote this in Masail us Sulook min kalam Malik-ul-mulook, page 281.
Excessive Advice
Maseeh-ul-quloob Hazrat Mawlana Maseehullah Khan sahib ra said:
“Excessive repetition of an advice leads to loss of its importance for the audience. The spirituality in it dies. Moreover, any effectiveness in it fades out. (Making it useless).”
Islah afroze bayanat, page 187
Etiquette of Advice:No Heartbreaking!
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db said while explaining the hadith of Sahih Bukhari, volume 1, chapter 37, number 104,
“Irrespective of the degree of corruptness of an individual and the severity of the mistake he may be committing when it comes to rendering advice or calling him towards the religion, the attitude adopted must not be heartbreaking. Moreover it should take into consideration the status of that person.”
Inamul Bari, volume 2, page 149
Salatul Hajjat
An individual told about his current misfortunes and requested for someting to recite. That is, a prayer by the barakah of which the hardships will be resolved.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani saheb db replied;
“Dearest brother! I do not know any wazaif (litanies) to dispel hardships.
My sincere advice is to offer salatul hajjat and supplicate.
Allah SWT’s help will come by the barakah of this Sunnah method.”
Darul Uloom Karachi, 29th July 2006, returning from zuhar salah
——————————————
Salatul hajjat: Pray two rak’at salah and recite the following dua and supplicate for your needs.
لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
أَسْأَلُكَ مُوجِبَاتِ رَحْمَتِكَ
وَعَزَائِمَ مَغْفِرَتِكَ
وَالْغَنِيمَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ بِرٍّ وَالسَّلامَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ إِثْم
لا تَدَعْ لِي ذَنْبًا إِلا غَفَرْتَهُ وَلا هَمًّا إِلا فَرَّجْتَهُ
حَاجَةً هِيَ لَكَ رِضًا إِلا قَضَيْتَهَا يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمي
There no god but Allah the Gentle and Generous.
Glory is to Allah, Lord of the Tremendous Throne.
All praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
I ask you (O Allah) everything that leads to your mercy,
and your tremendous forgiveness,
enrichment in all good and freedom from all sin.
Do not leave a sin of mine (O Allah), except that you forgive it,
nor any apprehension except that you create for it an opening,
nor any need in which there is your good pleasure except that you fulfill it,
O Most Merciful!”
Sohbet e Sheikh
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db advised an individual staying in his blessed company for few days;
Utilize this precious time of stay here for:
1. Completing your daily ma’moolat (wird) thoroughly, as per your previous routine.
2. Doing zikir (remembrance of Allah SWT) and fikir (thinking about Allah SWT’s actions, blessing, etc) with yaksooiy (serenity) of heart.
3. Reading mawaiz (spiritual discourses) of Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra in spare time. Also, continue the nisab e tasawwuf & Tarbiyatus salik you are already reading. Visit the library and read similar things.
4. Being with me when I am in my office/class/etc.
Acceptance of dua
Explaining the meanings and forms of acceptance of dua Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Shah Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said;
“Sheikh Ibn e Arabi ra has written that the meaning of acceptance of dua is that when an individual calls on Allah SWT, immediately he receives a response
لیبک عبدی
I am here (all attentive), O! My slave.
This is the fulfillment of the promise of acceptance stated in this ayah
ادعونی استجب لکم
For a lover this response is an immense reward itself. He is revived by such reply from the Beloved.”
Erza e Haqq, Khutbat e Hakeemul Ummat ra, volume 15:Tasleem o raza, page 27
Importance of Daily Wird
Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said;
“Routine daily ma’moolat (wird), though it may be nawafil (extra/noncompulsory worship) should not be skipped at all, as much as possible.
If they can not be executed at their scheduled time, they must be done later.
Harms of skipping them all together is evident from this saying:
من لا ورد لہ لا وارد لہ
(That is, an individual without a wird is at loss and does not recieve Divinely guiding thoughts.)
At-Takashuf, page 295
Parents’ Approval for Tabligh
A mureed wrote:
The tablighi jammat people are insisting that I should join them for a tabligh trip. However, my parents are against it, especially under the present (disturbed law and order) condition is the country.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db replied;
“Obeying parents’ orders is ‘faraz e ayn’ (absolutely essential).
It should be given priority.
You should not go without their approval at all.”
Islahi khutoot
When to repent & start good actions?
Right now.
At this moment.
At once.
Right away.
This minute.
Without delay.
Straightaway.
As soon as possible.
Immediately.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani db said:
“Do not procrastinate.
Putting off repentance and good actions for future is the deadliest weapon in the armamentarium of Nafs & Shaytan.
Do not let them deceive you!”