Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Attributing a statement or an action to any individual, especially a believer (momin) without an explicit proof as per the ruling of Shariah is the clear sin of false allegation (buhtan) . This is especially so if this is in relation to a an esoteric issue, like intention (niyyah), etc.’
Risala shiq al-gain an Ali wa Hussain (Allah be pleased with them), page 8
Karachi
Masih al-quloob Mawlana Masihullah Khan (Allah have mercy on him) said,
Stay among people, but remain aloof.
Your body should be among creation, but your heart with the Creator. This will ensure that negligence does not overtake you. Beware of such negligence lest you conform with people in a way which entails opposition to Allah and His displeasure.
The Path to Perfection, page 130
Arif billah Dr. Abdul Hayy (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Whenever, I make prayer for forgiveness and send reward of meritorious deeds I start with my parents. Then I include my forefathers from both paternal and maternal side. After them for my teachers and Shuyukh. Then for my household members and relatives. And finally for my juniors.’
He then instructed his disciples to do similarly.
Khubaat e Arifi, ‘Amal e hasna, page 391
Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Perfection (kamal) is that an individual can successfully overcome a state (hal) without the state causing any change in him.
Great insight (baseerah) is needed to recognize such an individual. His condition is similar to that of the novice aspirant. Common people can not differentiate between them.
To recognize a spiritual-graduate (muntahi) is not an easy thing. It is for this reason that people recognized those who were still traversing the path(mutawassit) but failed to recognized the perfect awilya and Prophets.’
Waaz e Meerut, Khutbat e Hakim al-Ummat, volume 8, page 394
Sayyidi wa sanadiMawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him and allow us to benefit from him a lot. Ameen!) said:
“If someone drank alcohol, he can repent by asking forgiveness from Allah.
If he commits zina (adultery), he can repent by asking forgiveness from Allah.
If he were to eat pork, he can repent by asking Allah’s forgiveness.
BUT,
if he is rude,
arrogant,
hurts some-one’s feeling,
does ghibah (backbiting) or
inflicts material loss on an individual
then the scenario for repentance is different.
He can not repent by asking forgiveness from Allah alone.
He has to ask forgiveness from the person he has wronged first.
Apologise for the mistake committed.
Compensate for the material loss, if any.
Only then he can fulfill the criteria for tawabah (true repentance).
(And remember Tawbah is the first step of tareeq!)
So be very, very careful with the rights of others!”
Allah SWT give me the taufeeq.
Ameen bi haq e Sayyidul mursaleen.
Hakeem ul Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) tells an anecdote in one of his discourses:
A sufi aspirant busy with his islah (reformation) was overwhelmed with a thought of abandoning his spiritual struggle and to enlist in the Muslim Army engaged in Jihad. Being sincere he consulted his Shaykh before embarking on this holy journey.
Sheikh admonished him saying that this was the conspiracy of his nafs (lower self) to escape.
The nafs was tired of the daily jihad (struggle). That is, struggle of withholding it self from all the haram (forbidden) activities and engaging in extra (nafil) worship. For example, avoiding lustful glances, backbiting, anger, self-pride etc. and being humble, patient, pious, etc.. Tired of this daily struggle it wanted to escape by dying fighting in Jihad.
This might be the reason of calling the daily struggle of self-reformation (islah) Jihad e Akbar (The greater struggle) as compared to the holy war, Jihad e Asghar (The lesser struggle) in one of the Prophetic narrations (dha’eef).
At this point it is most appropriate to clear any misconception about Jihad in our days.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib (Allah preserve him) explains:
“Jihad is, no doubt one of the intuitions enshrined by Islam. But it does not mean a war to compel people to accept Islam, as the Holy Quran has declared that there is no compulsion in religion. Nor does it mean to occupy lands and extend territory of a Muslim state without a just cause.
Jihad is in fact means a well disciplined struggle against aggression and oppression. The struggle of jihad may be with or without arms. Armed struggle is allowed only when peaceful means have totally failed.
Apart from a just and rightful cause it is necessary that it is carried out under a competent Amir or leader in strict compliance with dictates of Shariah.
This armed struggle can never target innocent persons.
It is always a legitimate struggle against an oppressor or a tyrant and his warriors.
It has, therefore, nothing to do with terrorist activities which target innocent people and have been termed by the Quran as ‘Fasad fil-ard’ (spreading disorder in the land).”
Source:Usmani M T, Albalagh International: Vol 16 No. 8/September 2005 “Islamic vision on interfaith cooperation for peace”
Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Keep up with the custom of exchanging gifts.
This practice cleanses the hearts (from misunderstandings and suspicions) and increases mutual love.
Do not consider any gift to be unworthy of being a present. Exchange whatever is available without any formalities.
Taleem ud deen, quoted via Zad us Salikeen, page 359
Karachi
Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,
‘Once a person asked Hakim al-Umma (Allah have mercy on him), that the famous verse;
Yak zamana suhbat ba awliya
Behter az sed sala ta’et e bay-riya
(Momentary companionship of Friends of Allah is better than hundred years of sincere worship) seems to be an exaggeration. How can this be possible?
Hakim al-Umma replied,
‘It was no exaggeration at all. Moreover, the message was still not completely conveyed. If the poet had said;
Yak zamana suhbat ba awliya
behter az sed lekh sala ta’et e bay-riya
(Momentary company of Friends of Allah is better than million years of sincere worship), it would not have been an exaggeration.”
This is because in the company of pious/awliya you get more than the sincerity. You get the ta’uluq ma’Allah/love of Allah swt. This is the master key for all the further good actions.’
Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,
The first ten days of Zulhijjah are among the most magnificent days in Islamic calendar.
The Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said,
“One fast during these days is equal to the fasting of one complete year, and the worship of one night during this period is equal to the worship in the “Lailatul-Qadr“.
Every Muslim should avail of this wonderful opportunity by performing during this period as much Iba’dah (acts of worship) to Allah as he or she can.
Islamic months
حضرت خالد اقبال تائب مدظلہ
Shaykh Abu Taleb Makki (Allah have mercy on him) reported this in Quwwat al-Quloob,
A seeker approached a Gnostic of Allah (‘arif billah) and said,
‘ I am heedless of Allah’s remembrance, usually procrastinating good deeds and extremely lazy. Please, advice me on how can I overcome these things.
The Gnostic replied,
‘O brother!
If it is possible for you to love the friends of Allah (awliya) and keep their close company then immediately do so.
Perhaps they will keep you in their heart. And remember every day seventy times Allah’s special mercy is focused on these hearts. Maybe someday because of the love you have for them this mercy of Allah will be focused on you to. This will indeed take care of all your problems of this world and here-after.’
Ahl-e-sulook par achi buri Sohbet kay asaraat, page10
The blessed Companion Abu Huraira(Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: Allah created His creation and when He finished it, the womb said: This is the place for him who seeks Your refuge from severing blood relationship.
He said: Yes. Are you not satisfied that I should keep relationship with one who joins your ties (of relationship) and sever it with one who sever your ties.
It said: Yes, O my Lord!
He said: That is done for you.
Allah’s Messenger (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) said: Recite, if you wish, this verse:
”Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land and sever your ties of kinship? Those it is whom Allah has cursed, so He has made them deaf and blinded their eyes. Do they not reflect on the Qur’an? Or, are there locks on their hearts?”.” (47:22)
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Our Mother A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported Allah’s Messenger (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) as saying: The tie of kinship is suspended to the Throne and says: He who unites me Allah would unite him and he who severed me Allah would sever him.
(Sahih Muslim)
Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Ilm (knowledge) without suhba (company of the pious) is not beneficial.
The islah (reformation) of a person with suhba and‘ ilm is easier compared to the person with ‘ilm but without suhba.
All the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were not scholars. Whatever they achieved they achieved through suhba. The people of Allah (Ahl Allah) have always taken care with regard to suhba. They concentrated more on suhba than ‘ilm.’
Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said commenting on the verse 4 of surah al-Mumtahana:
There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people: “We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides Allah. We have rejected you, and there has arisen, between us and you, enmity and hatred for ever, unless ye believe in Allah and Him alone”: But not when Abraham said to his father: “I will pray for forgiveness for thee, though I have no power (to get) aught on thy behalf from Allah.” (They prayed): “Our Lord! in Thee do we trust, and to Thee do we turn in repentance: to Thee is (our) Final Goal.
‘There is explicit evidence in this that the hatred that is for the sake of Allah (bugz fil Allah) does not lead to abandoning of kindness and consideration (for that individual), as compared to the hatred that is due to one’s self (nafs).’
Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 508
47th IDSA, Philadelphia, PA
