Category Archives: F. Zikir & fikr

Remembrance, comtemplation and spiritual excersises

Prepare for Ramadhan

1. Ask Allah for facilitation (tawfeeq) to benefit from the blessings of Ramadan daily, from now onwards.

2. Make a firm determination to abstain from all sins. Especially those committed by the eyes, ears and tongue.

3. Try to free as much time as possible from work and other commitments for pure worship (ibadah).

4. Reschedule non essential appointments till after or before Ramadan. Finish all Ramadan and Eid shopping prior to the sighting of the crescent.

5. Make special effort to follow as many as possible Sunna in daily activities.
Learn these and memorize the adiya e masnoon (dua) for particular occasions before hand. The book “Alaikum bi sunnati”by Mawlana Abdul Hakim Sukharwi ra is a good, practical and handy resource for this.

6. Review the essential fiqh (rulings) relating to fasting, taraweeh and other Ramadan related issues from “Behishti Zewar” (Heavenly Ornaments) of Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him).

7. To get motivated and organized, read the discourses of Hakeem al -Umma regarding Ramadan (Mawaiz-e-Ashrafiya volume : Barakat e Ramadan) and listen to the talks of Sayyidi wa sandi db on how to prepare for the holy month.

8. Practice the actions of the Heart. Do not do any action without a proper intention.Abstain from all the blame worthy morals. No anger, arrogance, belittling caustic remarks, etc. It is strange to abstain from otherwise halal (lawful food) and commit an act which is always haram (forbidden). Try to do most of the praise worthy moral actions. Having patience, humility, gratitude, sincerity, etc. Keep a tight grip. Do not slip here.

9. Make a practical and doable time table for daily activities.

The point to remember is that in Ramadan acts of primary form of worships (i.e. salah, dhikr, tilawat, etc.) are to be increased. These lead to an increasing direct relationship with Allah  (i.e. ta’luq ma’Allah).

The tawfiq is from Allah!

Remembrance of Allah

Hakim al Ummah Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘This is the action that stops the random thoughts and whisperings (wasawes). It keeps the lower self (nafs) involved in something (beneficial). If it was to be left on its own it would get into something (spiritually) detrimental.

It is acknowledged that this action is the remembrance (of Allah) by heart (dhikr e qalbi).

This can be done at all the times.

Therefore, involve your nafs in this action. By doing so it will not get into detrimental things and heedlessness (gaflah).’

Jawahirat e Hakim al Ummat ra, volume 3, page 68

Involvement in sinful and feeling of hopelessness

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Our master Shaikh Ibn e Ata-Allah al Iskanderi (Allah have mercy on him) said in al Hikam,

‘Commitment of a sinful act must not make you feel hopeless in acquiring a steadfast state with your Lord. Maybe this is the last sin destined for you.’

Shaikh Mawlana Abdullah al Gangohi (Allah have mercy on him) wrote in his explanation of this;

‘This is because involvement in sinful acts due to human nature (of being weak and forgetful) is not against steadfastness on Deen. However, persisting on sinful actions, not repenting and having an intention of committing it again are against steadfastness.’

Ikmal ush Shiyam, page 55

 

Leaving what does not concern us

“The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

“From the excellence of a man’s Islam is leaving that which does not concern him.”

“That is, to leave that which is not important or befitting of him, whether in speech, actions, or thought.

Thus, ‘the excellence of a man’s Islam’ is its perfection, such that one remains steadfast in the submission to the commands and prohibitions of Allah, and surrenders to His rulings in accordance to His destiny and decree (qada wa qadr). This is the sign of the heart having been expanded by the light of its Lord, and the descent of quietude (sakina) into the heart. The reality of ‘that which does not concern him’ is that which is not needed for a worldly or next-worldly necessity, and does not aid in attaining his Lord’s good pleasure, such that it is possible to live without it…

This includes excess acts and unnecessary speech… This hadith may well be taken from Allah Most High’s saying,

“And who shun all vain things.” (Qur’an, 23: 3)

Mulla Ali al-Qari (Allah have mercy on him) mentioned this in his commentary on Mishkat al-Masabih.

Riyadh,KSA

معطر روح ومنور چشم

صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم

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یا اللہ جل جلالہ

کر معطر روح کو، بوۓ محمد سے مری

اورمنور چشم کر، روۓ محمد سے مری

_______________________

صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم

آمیں

منظوم شجرہ سلسلہ چشتیہ امدادیہ اشرفیہ/مناجات مقبول

How to gauge spitirual progress?

Imam ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad (Allah have mercy on him) said,

Should a man wish to know whether he is rising or falling in religious terms, he should look at how his state and conduct had been a month or a year ago.

If he finds that they were better than his present state and conduct, he should know that he is descending into degradation; whereas if he finds that his present state and conduct are better, he should know that he is rising and improving.

It has been handed down that “he who finds that his (present) day resembles the previous day has been cheated, and he who finds that his (present) day is worse that the previous day is accursed. Accursed here means remote from a particular and specially accorded to mercy.

He who is not increasing is diminishing.

To explain, if when thinking about previous days, you feel that you then had no desire for the world, were eager for the Hereafter, scrupulously avoided doubtful things, were quick to good actions, quick to obedience, remote from transgressions, and by comparison are now no better or are to any extent worse, then know that you are going down, deteriorating in religion, in your aspiration for God, and in striving for the Hereafter.”

Knowledge and Wisdom

Improve our salah

One of the attendees requested for a premature departure  Shaikh Haji Shakeel Ahmed (Allah preserve him) humbly asked him to wait few minutes to listen to what he had to say. Then he briefly advised,

‘It should be crystal clear that if we do not improve our salah we will not be able to improve our (spiritual) life.

On the Day of Judgment Allah will not question us about the time spent in Tableegh, or Khanqah or education (madersa). The very first question will be regarding the salah. The foremost thing we will be accountable for will be our salah.

If we are questioned about our salah now, we will be dissatisfied ourselves. Then how could this salah please Allah.’

11/8, MC1, KKNGH, Jeddah, 02 June 2012,  after esha

Ijazah

Shaikh Haji Shakeel Ahmed (Allah preserve him) very humbly acknowledged that he has ijazah from five shuyukh to accept and instruct spiritual seekers. However, initially he was very reluctant to accept this responsibility. He even held the feet of one of his Shaikh crying and begging him to be exempted from this responsibility. He was absolutely sure that he was incapable and unqualified for this position. Moreover, he was afraid that his popularity as Shaikh will only bring bad opinion of the Tasawwuf and (this specific) silsila from the public.

The shuyukh insisted and instructed him to do as he was told.

Later he admitted to his Shaikh, ‘May Allah reward you abundantly. The bestowal of ijazah has benefited me immensely.‘

The Shaikh asked for an explanation.

Haji sahib replied, ‘Acknowledgement of it acts as a deterrent for involvement in sinful activities. At those moments I address myself and ask:

‘Even now!

Are you going to be involved in these kind of activities?’

The Shaikh was very much  pleased with the reply.

11/8, MC1, KKNGH, Jeddah, 02 June 2012,  after esha

Reminder: Allah is watching me!

Shaikh Haji Shakeel Ahmed (Allah preserve him) said,

‘Develop the habit of reminding yourself every now and then that Allah is watching me.  Say in an audible voice ‘Allah! Allah! Allah!’.

It is to firmly establish and cultivate this state that Allah made it essential (wajib) for us to visit His house (masjid) five times a day and practice it in salah.

We should strife to establish this in our daily life. An easy way is to set a reminder in our mobile phone that alerts us every 15 minutes that Allah is watching me.’

Jeddah, al-Azizia 30th May 2012, bayan after maghrib

What to do in free time?

A seeker informed sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) about the extra time he had available daily and requested for advice on how to utilize it appropriately.

Sayyidi wa sanadi said,

‘Do two things in this time.

Firstly, perform excessive remembrance of Allah.

On request for further elaboration on what specific form of remembrance would be appropriate for him.  Sayyidi said,

‘Perform the ‘dowazdah tasbih‘. And if you already do this in morning (as the usual daily routine prescribed for seekers) then repeat it again in this spare time.’

The second thing to do is to read the biographies of the pious predecessors meticulously. High light and mark the beneficial passages for future review.

Start with the Sawanih e Qasimi of Shaikh Mawlana Qasim Nanotawi  written by Professor Mawalan Anwarul Hasan Sheirkoti (Allah have mercy on them) if you can get hold of it. It is difficult to keep focused in the one written by Mawlana Manazir Hasan Gillani (Allah have mercy on him).  Then read Tazkirat ur Raheed, Tazkirat ul Khalil,  Ashraf us sawanih and Arwah e salasa.’

Holiday Inn Salam, Jeddah, 15th May 2012, after esha