Category Archives: H. Whispering & random thoughts

wasawis and khatrat

Shogal e unhad/شغل انحد

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INFINITY

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) instructed,

‘If after a considerable period of time consolidation of thoughts (yak suiy) during remembrance of Allah (dhikr) does not develop then it is appropriate to do a shogal (spiritual exercise for developing concentration).

There are many of them but in my opinion the most beneficial and straightforward is shogal e unhad. The best time to do it is late night after dowazdah tasbeeh. However, do not hold the breath in it. These days doing this leads to weakening of heart and mind. Only close the eyes and plug both the ears tightly with the index fingers. This will create a noise in the ears that feels limitless and incessant. That is the reason for calling shogal unhad so, In Hindi (language) un means without and had means limit. Thus unhad means limitless.

One should concentrate on this noise and recite ‘Allah’ ‘Allah’ with tongue or in heart/mind as to make sure that this time is not spend in heedlessness. Mere concentration on this noise is not a form of dhikr. This is because this noise in neither an attribute (siffet) of Allah as many have been deceived nor is it from any creature from the unseen world (alem e ghayb). It is only the trapping of air in the skull (auditory canals) that creates it. In spite of this, concentration towards it is done because it is from the perceived senses (hearing) and it is pleasant to listen to. Sometimes in this activity such noises are heard that one is spiritually overwhelmed and passes into (spiritual) ecstasy.

It is logical that a thing that is perceivable by senses like ears, eyes etc., is pleasing to do and involvement in it removes other (unnecessary) thoughts, establishes the habit of consolidation of thoughts in one direction.  Once this habit is firmly rooted this shogal is abandoned and instructions are given to concentrate towards Allah.’

Tahseel qasdus sabeel (Shah Lutuf Rasool rehmatullah aleh), page 24

Differentiate between the sinner and the sinful

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A spiritual aspirant wrote,

Nowadays my condition is that unintentionally I feel a repugnance in sinful involvement.

Moreover, when I see someone involved in sinful I feel that this individual is headed towards Hell fire  and I must try gently to persuade him to not to do so.  I try my best and with the barakah of your supplications my efforts are not wasted.

It is humbly request that whatever is best for me (in this regards) may please, be instructed.  Duas are requested.

Hakeem al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) replied,

‘The development of repugnance from sinful involvement is a superior state (hal).

However, feel repugnance for the sinner is dangerous thing for a novice (mubtadi) aspirant. This is because most of the time reason for this is arrogance (kibr), feeling self superiority and presumption of self piety.

(Therefore) Till the attainment of a steady spiritual state (tamkeen) consider that this individual (sinner) is superior to me. Nevertheless, his involvement in sinful is repugnant (in itself). His condition is similar to soot smeared on the face of a beautiful person.  This consideration combines the notion that the person is beautiful and the soot is black (and disfiguring). Similar consideration should be done for the sinner and sinful involvement.

Moreover, a novice aspirant should not be involved in forbidding others.

However, giving a lecture in general to the public (about prohibition of sinful involvement) is okay. This is so provided that no other preacher is available to do so. Proceeding beyond this is dangerous.

It is perplexing that in spite of staying here (khanqah, Thana Bhawan) you are unaware of these details.’

Tarbiyet us Salik, Volume 1, page 422-3

Sins: How to give up?

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A sincere reader wrote the following asking for advice,

I came back to China and I don’t know what has happened. I try to lower my gaze and I do but I still get to see faces and half naked bodies. I swear that I have never felt such attraction in my life. I cannot understand why. 

I am seen as a pious person who has a lot of control on nafs. And that was exactly what I also used to think (may Allah swt forgive my insolence). I often used to joke about that I cannot be attracted to Chinese girls. (May Allah swt forgive me). But now what I suffer from is “yellow fever”. Haram fantasizing is pretty common. Then recently, something really unfortunate has happened I am not porn addict ( May Allah swt preserve me) but somehow from one click to another click I ended up watching some explicit (faahash) videos featuring Asian/Chinese looking models. This went on for 3 days. Infact I even forgot that I was fasting and had to make qadha for  that later. (Edited)

…………….

The following response was sent. May Allah make it beneficial for me and all others,

Bismillah 

As Salamu alaykum wrwb 

JazakAllah 

Please, be reminded that the only way to stop from sinful activities  is himmat, firm determination and using self control. 

Three things help in developing this himmat. 

1. Company of the pious. If that is not possible then reading about their life, malfuzaat etc is of help. 

2. Dua. Asking Allah for help. Crying and telling Him one’s bad state and showing extreme humility and begging. Repeatedly. 

3. Setting up a penalty for involvement in sinful. Four rakat nafil salah for repentance and skipping a meal altogether and/or making charity contribution (sadaqa). 

Following steps will assist further inshaAllah, 

Be wise and stop using Internet completely in private. Use it only for essential things and that even in public or when others are around. 

Also, stay in state of wudhu all the time. 

If you have a Shaykh inform him. 

InshaAllah with these measures things will improve. 

However if you take it lightly and do not realize then remember that this sinful activity is spiritually fatal. 

Take care. 

Muhtaj e dua

(Edited)

Refuge from calamities 

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Shaykh MansurAli Khansb Ali Khan (Allah protect & preserve him) said,

‘In this day and age where there are colossal calamities even in religious affairs around us we should ask Allah excessively for refuge. 

Now I appreciate Arif billah Dr Abdul Hayy’s (Allah have mercy on him) inclusion of asking refuge (istea’za) in the four priceless spiritual actions (char beshbaha mahasen) he so often recommended. This is something outstanding. 

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) included a section of Prophetic supplications of asking refuge in every day recitation of Munajat e Maqbool. 

Once Mufti Mohammed Shafi (Allah have mercy on him) instructed me that if you are unable to ask Allah by reciting all the supplications in Munajat e Maqbool in lail al-qadr (the night of Power) then select the sections of asking Allah’s refuge. ‘

Jeddah 28 Sha’baan 1437/4 June 2016

Ijazet & khilafet aren’t permanent

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Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) use to update and publish the list of his khulafa (appointed representatives) almost every year. This was to facilitate the search for spiritual mentors by seekers. 
Many new names were included for those who accomplished the required criteria to be a Shaikh. 

Few names were deleted. They included the dead and those who did not follow up regularly to ensure that they continued to stay and progress on the path. Some exclusions were for those who became distracted and fell into the traps of nafs and Shaytan. These points were explicitly mentioned in the updated list. 

Ma’asir e Hakeemul Ummat ra, 

Therefore, mere certificate of ijazet or khilafet is not enough. Continuous steadfastness on Shariah and spiritual progress is required. 

Spiritual progress is not by listening & reading about Tasawwuf

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It is very common phenomenon these days that many of us are ravenously in search of material about Tasawwuf, both audio lectures and written information. We devour whatever we find. However, this is not accompanied by initiation or substantial increase in actions (a’amaal), both physical (zahiri) and internal morals (ikhlaq e batini).

The path to progress in Tasawwuf is performance of actions (a’amaal). 

Knowledge (ilm) alone is not sufficient for salvation. Acting on the knowledge with sincerity in accordance with the Sunnah in persistent manner is required. 

This is not possible practically without selecting an individual spiritual mentor.  Seeking advice from him in all religious matters, trying to act on it and if there is difficulty in doing so letting him know is essential for islah. 

May Allah facilitate this for us. Amin!

Medinah al munawwarah 

Truthfulness & sincerity

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“Do not be very strict on yourselves for then Allah will be strict upon you. Verily, a group of people were strict upon themselves so Allah was strict upon them. Their remnants are the (ascetic) people living in the hermitages and monasteries. [Then he quoted the verse,] ‘But the monasticism which they invented for themselves, We did not prescribe for them.”‘ Abu Dawud

In explaining this Prophetic saying Shaykh Abdul Haqq Muhadith Dehlawi (Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that Shaykh Ahmed bin Abilhawari approached his teacher Shaykh Suleman Darani (Allah have mercy on them) and inquired that the people of Bani Israel strived with such (physical) endeavors and struggles that their skin became like old worn out leather whereas we eat, drink, clothe ourselves and live with comforts and luxuries. My heart is burdened by this luxurious lifestyle and I worry what will be its end result. 

Shaykh Suleman Darani (Allah have mercy on him) replied,

‘O Ahmed! What is demanded from us (by Allah) is truthfulness (sidiq) and sincerity (ikhlas) (in our intentions and actions)

Burning and melting (with strenuous endeavors and struggles) is not demanded from us. 

Good deeds performed with sincerity for ten days are better than 10 years of (physical) struggle that burns and melts (the skin). 

The real objective and goal is the pleasure of and acceptance by (radha) Allah. (This can only be achieved with sidiq and ikhlaas.)

As the poet says

من لم یکن للوصال اہلا فکل احسانہ ذنوب ‘

Ashaat alelmaat volume 1, page 473 via Basariyet ki rah say taraqqi 

Ijazet: Who is worthy of it?

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Murideen used to come to Shaykh al Hadith Maulana Zakariyah (Allah have mercy on him) during Ramadan. During his initial years he used to send them to Hazrat Abdul Qadirahmer Raipuri (Allah have mercy on him)(for them to stay in his blessed company). Regarding this Shaykh al Hadith writes:

“The condition of some of them improved greatly and with the spiritual blessings (tawajjuhaat) of Hazrat Raipuri (Allah have mercy on him) it became even better but some of the residents there said to my guests (i.e. Murideen): “Why hasn’t Shaykh given you permission (of Ba’yat) until now?” This thing became a poison for them as they began to consider themselves something. 

It is a well-established principle in this field (of Tasawwuf) that as long as one considers himself to be incompetent and unworthy then he is successful; but as soon as he considers himself as competent and worthy then he becomes unsuccessful.I have experienced this in many of the friends and close senior murideen (khuddam) of my pious elders.

This incompetent writer was given permission (of Ba’yat) by my Shaykh (Allah have mercy on him) in Dhi Qa’dah 1345H in Madinah Munawwarh. This incompetent writer remembers it clearly that without any exaggeration I held the feet of Hazrat Raipuri (Allah have mercy on him) that please don’t mention it to anyone in India. But Hazrat insisted that he would definitely inform them and began writing to people in India from there (i.e. Madinah Munawwarah).

After coming back to india I did not get the courage to accept anyone’s Ba’yat for a long time. Perhaps it is mentioned somewhere in Aap Beeti that I started accepting for Ba’yat after being scolded by my Uncle (Maulana Ilyas May Allah have mercy on him). Thereafter I went to Hazrat Shaykhul Islam (Hussan Ahamd Madni)and Hazrat Raipuri (May Allah have mercy on them both) several times that if they take consideration of my inability and thus order me to stop accepting anyone for Ba’yat then I will get a way out. But each time they in return scolded me. I remember a saying of Shaykhul Islam (Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madni, Allah have mercy on him) that on my request he angrily replied “Who accepts anyone for Ba’yat considering himself to be worthy and competent? The one who does that is himself unworthy and incompetent. The successful one is he who considers himself incompetent at all times”.

Source: Aap Beeti of Hazrat Shaykh-ul-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyyah Kandhlawi, Volume 2, Page 441-442

Intekhab e Kaiseri

 

Sexual desires: control them

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Musleh al Umma Maulana Wasiullah Allahabadi (Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that these days we are shy to mention the topic of sexual desires. It is thought to be something vulgar and beyond the limits of religious decorum. Whereas, our Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) explicitly mentions this topic high lighting the importance of controlling these desires, availing them within the permissible means and warning us about the destruction if they are left unchecked.

Moreover, as quoted above there are many Prophetic supplications asking Allah for assistance in this regards. In spite of being the best of mankind and infallible Prophet  (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) he asked Allah for help. Most likely  he did this to instruct us to be vigilant in this regards and  not to take these desires lightly. Many have fallen into destruction due to them.

Also, we learn from these Prophetic instructions that these desires are powerful, persuasive and difficult to remove with our efforts alone. Divine assistance is required to control them effectively.  For this reason we should make it a habit to ask Allah for help in this regards.

The tip to remember is that Divine assistance comes only to those who keep on trying their best to control these desires.

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi was aware of the importance of instructing his associates (mureedeen) regarding this topic. He would often recite the following verses,

Save your semen! Don’t let it flow to waste

For it is the (precious) water that creates life when poured in the right place

Majalis e Musleh al Ummat Ra, volume 5, second majlis paraphrased

We have to tackle this issue with more vigilance. The opportunities for fulfilling sexual desires are plentiful and readily available. The newer technologies are developed to guarantee confidentiality and secrecy. The exposure to immoral sexual imagery is abundant. Especially affected are the naïve, curious and immature adolescents. Their developing minds are corrupted and it becomes a lifelong struggle to remove these thoughts or succumb to them.

The only cure for this is by sincere persistent effort and asking Allah for help. These two components result in a vigilant awareness of accountability in front of Allah and this stops an individual from all that is immoral.

May Allah facilitate this for us. Amin!

Suhba: One of the benefits 

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An individual wrote, As per your respected perspective (maslak) I don’t consider feelings or overwhelming states (kayfiyaat) to be the goal. However, sometimes this random thought (waswasa) comes that my deeds and the way I do them is indeed deficient and it would not be rectified without being in the company of my mentor (murshid).

Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) replied,

‘This thought (of actions being deficient) is most desired. That day will be inauspicious (na-mubarak) when we assume that our deeds are free of deficiencies.

Therefore, do not aspire for suhba for this purpose (that is, to get rid of it).

However, there are many other benefits of suhba including the immense benefit of this thought of being deficient becoming more stronger and quite obvious.’

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 439