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Category Archives: H. Whispering & random thoughts
Keeping track of time & company
Khawaja Mohammed Ma’soom Sirhindi (Allah have mercy on him) instructed a senior disciple,
‘Be vigilant in keeping track of your time. Spend it in actions that are important. Do not waste it.
Save yourself from excessive mingling with other people. This is because (excessive mingling without a need) ruins the beauty of ‘nisbet e batin’.
Excessive interactions with people without a righteous intention becomes a source of disconnection with Allah.
There is saying of a pious predecessor,
‘Abstain from the bad company and keep good company to the extent that it does not disconnect you from Allah.’
Maktubaat Hazrat Khawaja Mohammed Ma’soom Sirhindi rehmatullah, talkhees wa tar juma, Maktub 13, page 23-4
اے خیال دوست
Maintain severe level alert against nafs
Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Always remember this.
Do not provide an opportunity or the means to the lower self (nafs) to misbehave.
This is extremely important information that is being provided.
Nafs is the devil that destroyed the asceticism (zuhd), God-conscientiousness (taqwa) and sanctity of highly pious individuals in few moments.
Never consider it to be dead.
Sometimes due to unavailability of means (to disobey) it acts subdued. However, it is waiting for the opportunity and means (lurching to strike). ‘
Al Ifadet al Yoomia, volume 4, page 23
Tip to avoid burnout
Many novice seekers remove all that is not explicitly Islamic from their life. Like permissible hobbies of reading fiction or poetry, keeping collectible items, meeting friends and relatives, interest in cars, gadgets, jewelry or clothes, traveling, dinning out, etc.
This is usually due to a burning desire to be closer to Allah.
However, the spare time they get becomes a source of boredom. This is especially so when the initial phase of overwhelming passion wanes (which is a inevitable normal phenomenon).
This boredom is dangerous and may engulf the religious activities leading to a burnout.
One has to be cautious and take advice from his/her spiritual mentor prior to removing things that are permissible.
As a principle. until a strong, overwhelming and perpetual relationship is developed with Allah one should continue with all his permissible activities. Once nisbet is established all the unnecessary or detrimental involvements will automatically cease.
مبكية العابدين
Jathiya : 21
Do those who have committed evils assume that We will make them like those who believe and do righteous deeds, so as their life and death becomes equal? Evil is what they judge.
نہایت اھم مضمون
Daily poor quality ma’molaat
A seeker wrote,
All praise is for Allah, the daily virtuous activities (ma’molaat) are being carried out punctually, however, their quality remains poor.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Taqi Usmani (Allah keep him safe, healthy and in ‘afiyah) replied,
‘Carrying them out punctually is a great blessing in itself. Be thankful (to Allah) for it.
Moreover, the feeling of them being of poor quality is another blessing. Be thankful for it also. And ask forgiveness (from Allah for all the deficiencies).’
Islahi khutoot, qalmi
Desire, deception and ignorance
Shaikh Ma’ruf al Karkhi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Desiring Paradise without performing good deeds is from sinful actions.
And to expect intercession without means is a form of deception.
Moreover, without performance of virtuous deed expecting mercy (of Allah) is ignorance and stupidity.’
Eqaz al Himam, page 300 (Urdu)
وعظ: تفكر أور الله كى معرفت
سيدى و سندى مفتى محمد تقى عثماني مدظله
وعظ
تفكر أور الله كى معرفت
An important reminder
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) usually instructs a novice traveller (salik) on this path to read the published lecture series ‘Islahi Khutbaat’ and ‘Islahi majalis’. After reading a substantial amount from them he should focus on the discourses and malfuzat of Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) for the rest of his life.
It is essential to pay attention to this advice.
Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) is the mujaddid of the path we follow. The Ashrafiya path. Reading his works in original is imperative to gain the insight for the experiential knowledge of Allah ( al marifah) sought by those on this path.
We are from the third or fourth generation after Hakim al Umma. Our Shuyukh have kindly paraphrased and simplified those teachings according to our understanding. However, these are the initial stepping stones to the original text.
Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) has himself mentioned the benefit of the original text in his malfuzat. Acknowledging them as a gift from Allah, he said that these are Divinely inspired words and therefore most beneficial is one’s islah.
The most common excuse we have is that our comprehension skills for Urdu reading are poor. This is an area we need to improve. Moreover, present day Mashaikh are requested to read to their audience from the original texts of Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) and explain or translate if necessary.
This is important to inherit from the spiritual legacy of Ashrafiya path.
May Allah facilitate this for all of us. Amin!
Excessive desire & preserving the serenity
Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah mercy on him) said,
‘Permissible sexual desire in excess is detrimental. This is because with this excess the normal composed state vanishes (as one is over aroused sexually). The pious have advised against going to extremes in this regards.
Respected Haji (Imdaullah mohajir Makki) (Allah have mercy on him use to say,
‘As far as possible try not to let go of one’s serenity.
-Even if some one has a small amount of money he should keep it safe and not waste it. This is for the peace of mind.
– Do not succumb to diseases because of negligence (in food or medicine).
– Do not be such audacious and straightforward in speech that others become your enemy and entangle your thoughts (qalb).
In short, in the teachings of respected Haji (Imdadullah mohajir Makki, Allah have mercy on him) there was much emphasis on (preserving) the serenity (jamia’t). He repeatedly instructed that serenity is an immense thing (so preserve it).
‘Imam Ghazali (Allah have mercy on him) has written that the similitude of an individual who is not sick (with an ailment making him sexually impotent) and has stable strength (to maintain such relationship) and then uses aphrodisiac food and medicine to further enhance his sexual powers is like poking asleep snakes and scorpions inviting them to come and bite him.
If someone has a illness than it is a different issue.
Rich individuals are most interested in this.
I have warned about this issue because even permissible excessive sexual desire has a detrimental effect on one’s spirituality (batin).’
Husn al Aziz, Malfuz 442, volume 1, page 55
Tasawwuf
Shaikh Zarruq (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Tasawwuf has been defined and explained in multiple ways. They number approximately two thousand.
(However) All of them refer to a single objective.
(That is,)
True, sincere and absolute attention towards Allah.
This is the objective in all the paths (turuq).
And Allah knows best.’
Eqaz al Himam, Urdu, page 29
Sign of acceptance
It was inquired from an ‘arif–billah (gnostic),
‘What is the sign of acceptance of a deed?’
He replied, ‘Consigning it to oblivion from your memory and turning an absolute blind eye to that deed.’
Eqaz al himam (Urdu), page 254
Welcome Ramadan
Hadhrat Ubaadah bin Saamit (Radi Allahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) used to teach the Sahaabah (Radi Allahu Anhum) the following Dua at the approach of the Month of Ramadhaan:
اَللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْنِيْ لِرَمَضَانَ وَسَلِّمْ رَمَضَانَ لِيْ وَسَلِّمْهُ لِيْ مُتَقَبَّلاً
Allahumma Sallimnee Liramadaana Wa Sallim Ramadaana Lee Wa Sallimhu li Mutaqabbila
“O Allah! Safeguard me for the Month of Ramadhaan (by making me see the Month of Ramadhaan healthy and fit so that I can take maximum benefit from it), and safeguard the Month of Ramadhaan for me (by making the conditions in it such that I can take maximum benefit from it) and accept it from me.” (Kanz-ul-ummal, Vol.8, Pg. 584 Hadith 24277)
Every Muslim should endeavor to memorize this dua and recite it in abundance in these few days before Ramadhaan.
Darul Ifta