Category Archives: J. Rights

Ijazet:Asking for it?

Leave a reply

 A murid wrote,

For a long duration I have been desiring to stay in your company for my spiritual betterment (islah). However, this wish has not fulfilled as yet. Concern for the household members and lack of resources have been the obstacle.

Another more important reason to write to you is that sometimes individuals request that I accept their bayiah and let them join the path (silsila). I direct them to your respected person. To this they reply that it is beyond their capacity to travel there and (even if they go) Maulana (Hakim al Ummah) doesn’t accept their request and insists that they stay (there for islah). Hence, it is easier to join the path via you. This is not possible (for me to do) without having permission (ijazet) and permission is difficult (to achieve) without spiritual capability. These days most of the people insist unduly on ritualistic bayiah. I’m afraid that (because of it) they may be entrapped by the pseudo-Sufis (who contravene Shariah) and loose their faith.

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

‘Doing effort of spiritual betterment (islah) with an intention that I will (become a Shaikh and) accept bayiah is in vain. This individual will will never ever achieve spiritual betterment. His arrogance (kibr) will flourish. Repent from this. Only then effort for spiritual betterment will be effective.

Asking for the ijazet fearing that people will be entrapped will eventually result in the same status this request was made to avoid (that is entrapment by incapable Shaikh).
And if having capability is a must criteria then let it be clear that top most sign of capability is considering one’s self unworthy of this (responsibility).

There is no possibility of getting this permission after all.

You must (strife for) develop(ment of) sincerity. ‘

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 41-2

Leaving the Shaykh: The proper way to do so

Leave a reply

walladhina

A individual from Bengal wrote a letter,

I am an illiterate sinful person. I am one of your admirers. Once I requested from you permission to see (listen) Qasd us Sabeel (Hakim al Umma’s  primer on Tasawwuf). However, I could not decide what to select for myself and do (from the instruction given in it) and consultation with you to express my desire was not possible. Due to these reasons I became a mureed of (visiting) Shaykh from Lucknow. He instructed various litanies to me. He is very sweet and soft spoken. Majority of his disciples are from the affluent class, police and security professionals. He visits them with pomp and grandeur and eats freely from their income (irrespective of it being contaminated with impermissible). He instructs the wives and household members of these people directly without any barrier (pardah) in between. He recites over them (for protection or treatment) and touches them for blessings.

In an interpretation of one of my dreams he instructed me to arrange for an individual to go for Hajj in my place as my medical condition does not permit me to do so. When I arranged for the funds he himself volunteered to go. I was happy. Few days later he wrote to me that these funds are insufficient and more money is required. I paid the excess amount. Prior to departure for Hajj he instructed me to pay for his household expenses in his absence. After a long duration (after returning from Hajj) he wrote to me that all the blessed gifts he had brought from Haramain were stolen.

Few months later he visited our town. In private he demanded significant amount of  money from me. I had a genuine excuse and postponed it by a future promise.

Later he wrote that because of travelling to the blessed Makkah for my sake he became sick on returning and had to spend a lot on treatment. He demanded that I pay that amount. After much struggle I paid a small amount. He was furious.

I shared all these details with a religious friend and he advised that I consult you. It for this reason I am dictating this letter. Please, tell me what to do.

(Letter is edited. The answer is not.)

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

‘All of this results from ignorance (of reality of this path), overconfidence in one’s own opinion (khud raiy), haste and lack of understanding.

Utmost caution is essential in developing a spiritual relationship (with a Shaykh).

As per the principles of Shariah and Tasawwuf it is obligatory (wajib) to break off relationship with this individual.

However, confronting him harshly or criticizing him in the presence of his disciples will lead to commotion and confusion. In this path (Tasawwuf) commotion and confusion are (spiritually) detrimental.

Therefore, with quietness and calm break off relationship with him in your heart. Then seek a pious and accomplished (muhaqiq) spiritual mentor (Shaykh). Do not hurry to become his disciple. You had a (bad) experience (already). Inform him of your condition and follow his instructions. If after doing this (you observe the benefit and) you wholeheartedly desire to do so then there is no objection in becoming his disciple. Though it is not necessary.

I make supplication (duaa) for you. You should also continue making supplication (in this regards).

Tarbiyet us Slaik, volume 3, page 177-80

 

Sunna: Criterion for Allah’s proximity 

Leave a reply

cg3b1

Quoting 29 verses of Holy Quran Arif-billah Dr. Abdul-Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘It is distinctly evident from these specifications of Allah that an individual who is closest to the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) (by emulating his actions and orders) will come closest to Allah and will be from His beloved servant (abd).

Evidently following the Sunna (etiba e sunnat) is the soul of worshiping and climax of absolute servant-hood (abdiyet).   

An action in opposition to Sunna is not an act of worship, but it is pure deviation.’

Uswa-e-Rasool-e-akram sallallaho alehey wa alihi wa salam, page 38

Sunna: Don’t disregard it

Leave a reply

It was a very sad occasion.

 A Veteran of Deen was informing us of his tablighi efforts. Since the previous 42 years he was  actively involved in betterment of Muslim Ummah. However, when he stood to offer his salah it was like an ordinary lay individual. There was no following of the Sunna in the actions performed (like how to raise the hands in takbeer e ihram, how and where to place them in qiyam, sujud, etc.).

Similarly, on another occasion a khalifa of a prominent Shaykh was offering salah exactly like this.

The decades of tablighi effort and all the khilafet & Ijazat are useless if an individual has not realized the importance of following the Sunna and rectified at least his own salah.

Cognizance that I am seeing Allah or I am in front of Allah and He is observing my salah is a later level where salah improves to the stage of perfection.

Each and everyone of us has to make an effort in this regards.

Urdu readers can benefit quickly with ‘Namazain Sunnat kay mutabeq parhain’ online.

Mosque property use

Leave a reply

 
An individual presented few dates in plastic cup (kept with water coolers) in the Prophet’s mosque (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him).

 Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) inquired,

‘Is this a used plastic cup?’

On receiving a negative response he picked a single date and returned the plastic cup clarifying,

‘It is impermissible to give something that is mosque property to another as a gift.’

Masjid e Nabaawi, exiting Bab Rehmah, after esha, Friday 19 February 2016

Quran recitation: Mobile vs mushaf

Leave a reply

In the Prophet’s mosque (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve & protect him) instructed a murid who was reciting the blessed Quran  from his mobile phone,
‘In a place where a mushaf (printed text of Quran) is available it is best to read from it.

Reading Quran from a mobile application is permissible. However, the blessings of reading from a mushaf are more. The Quranic picture in mobile are the reflection of the text (not the original text).

Moreover, in reading from the mushaf an individual is more cautious and observant of the proper etiquettes (adaab). He should try to do this even when he is  reading from mobile (when mushaf is not available).

Qari Rahim Baksh (Allah have mercy on him) was a great haafiz and teacher of Quranic recitations (qiraat). He tutored thousands of students. However,  in spite of memorizing the whole Quran he use to do his regular daily recitation by reading from a mushaf and placing his finger on each single word. This was to get the maximum blessings possible. ‘

Masjid e Nabaawi, behind Riyadhul jannah, after maghrib/awaabeen, Friday 19  February 2016

Hadith

Leave a reply

  

The greatest Imam our master Abu Hanifa (Allah have mercy on him) wrote in his bequest (wasiyet) to his son Hammad that I have chosen five traditions (Hadith) from all the sayings of Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). These are enough for a person to practice the religion.

Our master Prophet Muhammed (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

1. Actions are according to intentions

2. It is from the excellence of a person’s Islam to abandon what does not concern him

3. A believer is not a believer until he is pleased for his brother with what he is pleased for himself

4. The lawful is clear and the forbidden is clear, but between the two are ambiguous matters. Whoever guards himself against ambivalent matters has gone to the utmost limit in seeking to be clear in his religion and honour.

5. The Muslim is one whom others are safe from their tongue and hands.    

(Reference 1,3,4&5 are in Bukhari & Muslim, 2 is in Tirmidhi)

Suhbat e ba awliya, malfuzaat of Sheikh al Hadith ( Allah have mercy on him)

The Lost Art of Dying 

Leave a reply



All of us are living to die.

How well prepared are we for this?

How well have we prepared our spouse, children and family to handle it?

Is our state of affairs and a legal will ready ?

Have we made it clear to our physician and next of kin that no heroic measures are to be used in my care? (This is especially so for the elderly >70 years and those diagnosed with a terminal disease.)

A Westerner writes, ‘Dying used to be accompanied by a prescribed set of customs.

Reaffirming one’s faith, repenting one’s sins, and letting go of one’s worldly possessions and desires were crucial, and the guides provided families with prayers and questions for the dying in order to put them in the right frame of mind during their final hours. Last words came to hold a particular place of reverence.’

Sounds Muslim.

Muslims are to be prepared for death all the time.

Our master Prophet Mohammed (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) instructed us to remember often -the destroyer of all pleasures :death. (Tirmidhi, Ahmed, Ibn e Majah)

Most of us are not prepared and in the right frame of mind to handle death. In facing, it especially for the elderly and those diagnosed with a terminal disease, all our effort is to prolong life. This is done at at all measures, irrespective of the pain, suffering and financial burden to the afflicted and those around.

We pay no attention at all to a peaceful departure, accepting the decree of Allah wholeheartedly, a farewell as a believer (khatima bil khair), forgiving others and asking forgiveness from Allah and fellow Muslims, recitation of kalima (There is no God except Allah, Mohammed [Allah’s blessings ans peace be upon him] is His messenger) as their last words by the dying and the chapter of  Yasin from Quran by those around.

This is also a an issue we have to improve upon.

 

Respect for the ‘other side’

Leave a reply


Differences of opinion within madhahib (fiqhi schools) is well established reality.

Scholars (fiqaha)have emphatically stated that that there is no proselytizing or censoring of a follower of a different fiqh for doing whatever his fiqh permits (and is impermissible or disliked in our fiqh). These are in the category of wajib and Sunna.

Moreover, differences in peripheral issues (furu) is even more common. These are all in the category of permissible.

In dealing with differences of opinion among scholars the lay individuals do not differentiate between the hierarchy of the categories involved. In addition they start assuming that the ‘other-side’ is ignorant, arrogant or morally corrupt. This is totally wrong.

The habit of forming unsubstantiated assumptions (su-e-dhan) is a spiritual illness.

We have to respect all scholars and fellow Muslims irrespective of our differences. All of them are trying their best to please Allah. They have the best intentions and are trying to the best of their capabilities. Allah will reward them all.

However, in practice we follow the pious ones we love, trust and benefit from.

For a seeker (salik) the involvement in religious polemics is spiritually devastating. It is imperative for his success on this path to consider all others to be superior to himself. And leave all that does not concern him.

May Allah give us the tawfeeq. Amin!

Islah: Betterment

Leave a reply

  
Islah is a life long journey.

I  need to assess my condition frequently to determine how am I progressing.

Have I abandoned the sinful activities I was into previously?

Has my involvement in useless decreased?

Are the  good actions being performed according to Sunna with sincerity, concentration and humility.

If yes then, are these increasing effectively?

Are my interaction with others as per the praise worthy morals and manners (sabr, shukr, tawadhu, etc)? 

If I am not able to answer these questions positively then I need to worry. 

I have to ask Allah for assistance in this matter, solemnly reaffirm my determination of islah, chalk out a plan to do so in consultation with my spiritual mentor and effectively implementing it.

A self reminder: I can fool others by sham piety. But if I fool myself with it then I am the most stupid individual indeed.

May Allah save me from this. Amin!

Serving: The 3 conditions

1 Reply

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

‘There are three conditions for effectively serving others and gaining reward in hereafter.  They are,

1. Sincerity . That is seeking Allah’s pleasure in doing it. 

2. Having a close relationship. That is, who is being served does not feel burdened by it.

3. Knowing the task being done.’

Sayyidi wa sanadi’s Weekly dars 10 January 2016

Shaikh & murid:Perfectness

Leave a reply

arabic_calligrapher_by_fouadhoussin-d49w2ex

Shaikh Umar Birbalwi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘The perfect spiritual mentor (pir-e-kamil) is one who does not let the disciple to burnout ( tire or give up on this path due to his short comings).

Similarly, an adept disciple (kamil murid) never tires out (and gives away hope of achieving success. He is persistent in his effort to please Allah.)’

Anwar e Umar ra, malfuz 22