Category Archives: N. Advice

How to read the spiritual discourses?

Instructing a senior scholar from Rangoon, Myanmar, who is staying in Darul Uloom to be in sayyidi wa sanadi’s company for the month of Ramadhan, Hadhrat said,

“Read the spiritual discourses (mawaiz) of Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) as much as possible during your stay here. Make an effort to read at least forty of these.

However, while reading them keep an intention for your own self reformation (islah). It is a common ailment of scholars that when they read something beneficial they make a mental note of it to mention it in their next public speech. This is not beneficial. One’s own reformation (islah) should be the primary concern to gain maximum benefit.”

7th Ramadhan 1429, Darul Uloom

How to do esal e thawab?

Hadhrat Haji Mohammad Sharif khalifa of Hakim al-Umma (may Allah have mercy on them) wrote in his wasiyet (will),

“Never arrange a gathering for my esal e thawab, neither purposefully nor on ad hoc basis. Every person who desires to do so can do it individually by supplications, giving charity or performing supererogatory (nafil) worship. At the least recite sura ikhlas thrice and forward its reward. InshaAllah, this action will be very beneficial to their own selves also.”

Musaferan e akhirat, page 27

Advice on condolence 5

 

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) consoled the widow of his departed murid/khalifa and said,

“Do not worry excessively. Be assured that when Allah, Most High, takes away any means of our worldly sustenance then it is His way (sunna) to directly provide for those things, without any intermediaries.”

 

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

Advice on condolence 4

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) advised the family of his departed murid/khalifa,

“To lessen the sorrow of this loss and achieve patience (sabr) recite the Quranic verse abundantly,

انا للہ و انا الیہ راجعون”

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

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

How to recite the daily tasbihat? Part 2

tasbih21.jpg

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

tasbih13.jpg

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

maqdoomsrkar.jpg 

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.

Give charity!

coins1.jpg 

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!

beast.jpg

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

“Tongue is like a wild beast.

If you were to leave it unrestrained it will rip open all around.”

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

A Curriculum of Study for every Muslim

u0133.jpgu0219.jpgu0168.jpg0037.jpg0719.jpgbwm48-lg.jpg

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Mufti Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) recommends the following books to gain essential knowledge,  sound understanding and practical application of Islam for every Muslim.

“Section 1: Necessary Beginners Knowledge

“…without which living a life like a true Muslim is not possible.”

  • Hayat al-Muslimin (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)
  • Furu` al-Iman (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)
  • Ta`lim al-Din (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)
  • Behishti Gohar [for men] (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)
  • Behishti Zewar [for women] (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)
  • Jaza’ al-A`maal (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)
  • Sirat Khatim al-Anbiya’ (Mufti Shafi`)
  • Hakayat Sahaba (Mawlana Zakariyya Kandihlawi)
  • Tarikh Islam (Mawlana Muhammad Mian)
  • Usway Rasule Akram (Mawlana `Abd al-Hayy)

Section 2: Broadening the Core

“…by which such vastness and firmness is produced in religious aspects that a person will not be misguided by those who misguide.”

  • Ma`arif al-Quran (Mufti Shafi`) or Tafsir Usmani (Mawlana Shabbir Ahmed)
  • Ma`arif al-Hadith (Mawlana Manzur Nu`mani)
  • Behishti Zewar ke Masa’il (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)
  • `Ilm al-Fiqah (Mawlana `Abd al-Shakkur Lakhnawi)
  • Aqa’id al-Islam (Mawlana Idris Kandihlawi)
  • Shari`at wa Tariqat (Mawlana Ashraf `Ali)

(Fatawa Usmani, volume 1,  pg. 181-182 ed. Maktaba Ma`arif al-Quran: 2005)

Appreciate the present Shuyukh

 9_mazaherololoom3.jpg

Qutub al-aqtab Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Zakariya Kandhelawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

“…there is one very important fact to which I wish to draw attention.

When the Elder Shaykh passes away many people desire to see their special qualities in those who succeed them. But it is a fact that all those who follow the Elders will be less gifted.  Except in a very few cases, as Allah may desire.

The people who do not see the qualities of the Elder in his successor and as a result turn away from their path of Tasawwuf, are only doing themselves a great harm.

I began to see this very clearly since the time of Hazrat (Rasheed Ahmad) Gangohi (may Allah have mercy on him). During the era of the most his prominent depuites of, I saw many of their contemporaries who were also attached to Hazrat through bay’ah, but they saw that some of the special qualities which Hazrat had were no longer present in these deputies so they did not approach them for spiritual guidance. This caused me a great pain and sorrow because these deputies (khulafa) were near to Allah and possessed ‘nisbet‘ (the perpetual, close and mutually favorable relationship with Allah). If indeed these people had become connected to one of these depuites (khalifa), they would have progressed greatly.

(………continued at Aap beeti)

It is usually hidden and complex arrogance (kibr) that makes an individual consider his fellow brother (appointed by the Shaykh to lead)  to be deficient and unsuitable for following.

Related: پیر بھائ