A mureed wrote,
“I perform dhikr of the Supreme Name (is’m dhat: Allah! Allah!) 1000 times daily after noon (dhuhur) prayers. Will it be appropriate if I increase it to 3000 times?”
Hadhrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) replied,
“It will be most appropriate to do so, if you can ensure to be steadfast.”
Islahi khutoot
A spiritual aspirant inquired how can one envision (tasawwur) Allah’s being (dhat)?
Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah sanctify his secret) replied,
“This envisioning (tasawwur) should be about the being of Allah as it may easily be possible. There is no specific method to do so. It is better to contemplate that He is watching me.
And at times when it is difficult to concentrate on this and stray thoughts are disturbing then one should be attentive towards his heart and imagine that it is reciting ‘Allah, Allah’.”
Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 143
In the Holy Mosque at Makkah, after dohur salah Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) inquired a close mureed,
“What do you recite after each salah?”
Mureed mumbled something.
Hadhrat told him,
“After each salah one should recite the following;
1. Verse of the throne (ayat al-kursi: al-baqara 255)
2. Ayah 18, 19, 26 & 27 of surah al-Imran
3. The four quls (chapter 109, 112, 113 & 114)
4. The opening chapter (al-fathiha)
5. Tasbih Fatima (SubhanAllah 33, Alhumdulillah 33 and Allahuakbar 34 time)
These are from the Sunna recitations. They can be done sitting or walking, like on returning back from salah.
In addition, my Sheikh (‘Arif-billah Dr. Abdul Hayy ‘Arifi) used to instruct us to recite the Divine name “Ya Wudood” 22 times after each salah.”
4th Safar 1428/22 February 2007
Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him)
told us (while replying to the letter of spiritual aspirants),
“A person has asked me that he is not able to complete his daily recitations (wird) regularly”,
I am replying to him that,
“Unless you have importance of a task in your heart you can not do it properly.”
Meraj us Salikeen: malfozat Ramadhan 1427
Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said;
“In order to develop within the nafs (inner self) capability of improvement and to facilitate and strengthen the treatment methods prescribed (to rectify one’s morals/behavior), the Sheikh instructs recitation of certain azkar (plu.zikir) & involvement in ashgal (special zikir exercises).”
Tarbiyatus Salik, volume 1, page7
This should make clear the status of sufic zikir.
It is an auxiliary to the real work & effort of rectifying one’s morals.
Commenting on Sheikh Abu Madyan maghrabi ra’s instruction to his mureed on muraqaba (meditation) that “Allah SWT is watching me”, Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said that this contemplation is quickest way to fana (annihilation).
Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Shafii ra adds, when this thinking that Allah SWT is watching me, is firmly established in an individual’s mind then his desires, aspirations and even his own being will be obliterated. This is station of fana (annihilation), the highest position on the path of Tasawwuf.
Rooh e Tasawwuf*, page 109.
*A compilation of sayings of sufi sages by Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra, translated into Urdu with brief commentary by Mufti Mohammed Shafii ra.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db instructed an individual to do this muraqaba,
“I am in front of Allah SWT and He is watching me”,
for 5 minutes daily when starting the wird.
Hazrat Haji Imdadullah mohajir makki ra said;
“Heart is a like a mirror so protect it from reflecting on any thing other than Allah SWT.”
That is because these useless reflections will waste your time and if you develop a habit of thinking about them all the time they will become permenant dwellers of your heart. Allah SWT save us all from this. Ameen, bijah e Sayyidul mursaleen.
رضی اللہ تعالی عنہم اجمعین
1۔ درود شریف 11 بار
2۔ لا حول و لا قوۃ الا باللہ لا ملجاء و لا منجاء من اللہ الا الیہ 360
3۔ سورۃ الشرح
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ 1 وَوَضَعْنَا عَنكَ وِزْرَك َ2 الَّذِي أَنقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ 3 وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ 4 فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا 5 إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرً ا6 فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانصَبْ 7 وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَب ْ8
360 بار
4۔ لا حول و لا قوۃ الا باللہ لا ملجاء و لا منجا من اللہ الا الیہ 360
5۔ درود شریف 11 بار
دعا
In explaining the ayah 205 of surah “al-‘araaf”, Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said:
“From this it is evident that there is a form of zikir (remembrance) that there is no gaflah (forgetfulness). This is the fikir (thinking). Although in it there are no movements of the tongue at all, neither khafi (concealed) nor jali (obvious).”
Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 213
مسیح القلوب حضرت مولانا مسیح اللہ خان صاحب رحمۃ اللہ علیہ نے فرمایا
“ذکر قلبی نام ہے فکر قلبی کا۔”
اصلاح افروز بیانات ص64
Instructing an individual regarding how to do zikir of “duwazdah tasbeeh”, Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db said;
“It is essential to remember that soundless zikir is superior.
Audible zikir (jahari) is permissible but it is neither superior nor Sunnah nor mustaheb.
The Chishti shuyukh (Allah SWT have mercy on them) have by their experience used jahar (audible voice) and zarb (stroke by movement of head & neck and voice) in zikir as a form of treatment.
This form of zikir is swift in effectiveness, as experience has shown.
Also, the jahar and zarb leads to increased concentration and interest in zikir.”
Wednesday, 14th Zil-hajj 1411/27th June 1991, Office.
Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Shah Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said;
I am particular in trying not to interrupt anyone engaged in his wazeefa (wird). This is because pious elders have said that Allah SWT is extremely resentful, if a person diverts the attention of an individual busy in His blessed remembrance.
Infas e Essa, volume 2, page 142/Malfoozat e Hakeemul Ummat ra, volume 22.
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
A mureed wrote:
“For the previous few days I am having doubts about the advantages of reading religious books recommended. For a novice (like myself) isn’t zikir and shugal more important to create strong bond with Allah SWT than reading books?
Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db replied:
“Reading religious book with correct intention is also a form of zikir (remembrance of Allah SWT).
کل مطیع للہ فھو ذاکر”
Islahi khutoot