Category Archives: J. Rights

Advice at condolence 3

On their way to mosque for magrib salah one of the sons of Hadhrat Shaukat Kamal (may Allah have mercy on him) told sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him), “After the demise of my respected father I have this feeling that I did not appreciate him enough during his life. I was negligent in fulfilling his rights.”

Hadhrat acknowledged this and said,

“This feeling is nothing inappropriate. ‘Qader e ni’mat ba’d az zawal’ (One truly appreciates a blessing only when it is gone forever) is a well known axiom.

However, all praise is for Allah, that even now you can be of assistance to him in his after-life by doing esal e thawab and making supplication (dua) for him as much as possible.”

26th Sha’ban 1429/29th August 2008

Advice at condolence 2

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) instructed the widow of his very close deceased murid/khalifa Hadhrat Shaukat Kamal (may Allah have mercy on him) from behind a partition,

“No doubt the loss is great but you must be patient. Remember that being sad, hearbroken and even crying is not in opposition to the patience (sabr) required by Shariah. Moreover, it is the right of the beloved deceased to miss him and grieve. The only thing that has to be avoided is to criticize and oppose the decree of Allah, Most High.”

JazakAllah!

DHA, residence, 26th Sha’ban 1429/29th August 2008, after maghrib

Advice at condolence 1

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) instructed the sons of his very close deceased murid/khalifa Hadhrat Shaukat Kamal (may Allah have mercy on him),

“Take special care of your mother. Acknowledge how precious her existence is now. Make sure to keep her content and comfortable.

This is especially so that with time the sorrow of other relatives of the deceased wanes away but that of the spouse does not. In contrary it increases with age and time.

Also, he encouraged them to do esal e thawab as much as possible for the deceased by praying, reading Holy Quran, giving charity, etc.”

JazakAllah!

DHA, residence, 26th Sha’ban 1429/29th August 2008, around maghrib

Esal-e-thawab

Forwarding Reward of Good Acts to Deceased:

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Shah Asharaf Ali Thanawi ra said;

“Making isla-e-sawab (forwarding the reward of good deeds to the deceased) according to the preferential (mustahib) method is a later thing.

The first and most important thing to do is to find out if the deceased had any outstanding debts/loans. If there are any loan/debts pending, it is obligatory (fardh) to settle them foremost.

If there are no loans/debts or after paying them some things remain of the heritage, find out if the deceased made some will (waseyat).

After settling all this, when the (remaining) heritage becomes the legal property of inheritors then instead of the ceremonial and prevalent modes of good acts and customs it is most beneficial to find out if the deceased had any outstanding (qadha) prayers (salah), fasts (seyam), zakah, etc. If there are any of these outstanding, then pay compensation (fidya) for them. This amount should be distributed amongst the needy poor, orphans and widows in the local neighborhood.

This from of isal-e-sawab is superior to other (nafil) modes.”

(Al-Ifadhatul-yomia Volume 7 pg 40)

Request for esal e thawab

My respected father Hadhrat Cdr. (R) Shaukat Kamal, khalifa mujaz of sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) passed away on Friday 19 Sha’ban 1429/22 August 2008 (1145Hrs) after a brief severe illness.

He was 78 years old. The funeral prayers was done after asr salah at Masjid Bait-us-Salam, DHA, Karachi. Hadhrat Hasan Imam khalifa of Hadhrat Nawab Eshrat Ali Khan (may Allah preserve them) and Dr Hafeezullah (may Allah have mercy on him) did the imamet. Burial was at Paposhnagar graveyard besides his father’s grave.

May Allah forgive his mistakes, shower His special mercies on him and raise his stations manifolds in proximity of our master the blessed Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) and his noble family members, companions and awliya. Amin!

انا لله و انا اليه راجعون

Request for dua!

Respected readers are requested to make dua for my father.

He is admitted in cardiac care unit (CCU) with chest infection and other complications.

JazakAllaah!

Current affairs!

In light of the present uncertain conditions, especially in Pakistan, sayyidi was sanadi Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) encourages all Muslims to turn towards Allah by repentance, supplications, recitation of the verse (ayat) shown above abundantly and by being more careful of the presence of heart (khushu’) in daily prayers (salah).

May Allah give us the tawfeeq. Amin!

How to recite the daily tasbihat? Part 2

Mawlana Abdur-Rauf Sukkharvi (may Allah preserve him) continues,

Then proceed to the recitation of blessings and salutation (darood) on the Holy Prophet.

Refresh your intention,
O Allah! I am the most lowly individual in the followers (Ummah) of the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).

Prophet’s favors on me are innumerable.

It is essential (wajib) for me to love him.

Hence, in order to fulfill the obligations of this love and to further increase it in my heart I recite these salutations.

Then with full concentration recite the durood,

اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد ن النبى الامى

و على اله و اصحابه و بارك و سلم

Rozana kay ma’moolat, page 7-8

How to recite the daily tasbihat? Part 1

Senior khalifa of Mufti Mohammad Shafi and Shaykh Dr Hafeezullah Madni (may Allah have mercy on them) and sayyidi wa sanadi’s outsatnding student Mawlana Abdur-Rauf Sukkharvi (may Allah preserve him) instructs the muridin,

Start with the repentance (isteghfar) with the intention,

O Allah! I am Your sinful and disobedient slave.

There is none except You who can forgive me and grant me salvation.

Therefore, in order to ask forgiveness for all of my shortcomings I repent.

Then with full concentration recite;

استغفرالله ربى من كل ذنب و اتوب اليه

Rozana kay ma’moolat, page 7

Abandon innovation but don’t quarrel with innovator

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

From the general lay public when I accept someone’s request for allegiance (baya’), I instruct him to abandon innovations (bida’) but at the same time I tell him not to quarrel with those who indulge in these sort of activities. Allah is not going to ask you why did those people indulged in them.”

Mufti Jamil Ahmad Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) adds in a footnote,
“However, the knowledgeable (scholars) have the permission do so if there is a need.”

Al-rafiq fi sawa et-tareeq, Malfuzat e Hakim al Ummat, volume 27, page 205

It is important for the novice seeker (salik) to understand this upfront.

Indulgence in these sorts of argumentation is a waste of quality time and destroys spiritual serenity. Moreover, without having the blame worthy moral characteristics under control it leads to sinful activities, like anger, arrogance, ostentation, looking down on others, etc.

May Allah save us all from these! Amin.

Most ignorant!

Shaykh Shihabuddin Surharwardy (may Allah Have mercy on him) narrated that,

“The most ignorant individual among the mankind is the one who abandons action on an issue despite its definite knowledge.”

Awarif al-Maw’arif, page 172

Ramadhan and ta’aluq ma’Allah

A murid requested sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) to consider a programme for the ‘itekaf (seclusion) in the last 10 days of Ramadhan. He elaborated that it will be of utmost benifit for the murideen. They will be in the company of their Shaykh and pious fellow seekers, able to better utilize their time in worship and listen to spiritual discourses gaining the essential understanding of religion and learning the arts of its application in personal life.

Hadhrat listened to it attentively and then commented,
“It is a very good idea. However, eventually people involved in this will lose focus and it will take a form of a religious carnival. This has happened a lot in our history. Things start simply but over time they are elevated to be akin to essential and compulsory actions (faraidh, wajibat).

The blessed moments of Ramadhan are not for communal activities. They are to establish and reinforce one’s relationship directly with Allah, Most High. This is best achieved in seclusion. That is the reason it is best to perform all the supererogatory (nafil) worship in private. Where the slave (abd) is in front of his Lord alone, acknowledging his short comings, asking for forgiveness, thanking for the bounties, seeking protection from all that is discomforting and begging for the burning desire of his heart. That is, Allah’s pleasure in the exact foot steps of His Beloved Prophet!”

Jeddah International airport, May 2005

Give charity!

Imam al-Awliya Amir al-Momineen Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abi Taleb (may Allah be pleased with him) said,

“Do not be shy to give small amounts in charity.

Sending away a destitute empty handed is far more degrading.”

Al-Bayyinat-Karachi, 11/1409, page 54

Beaware of Tongue!