Category Archives: Q. Akabir

Suhba to avoid

Shaykh Sayyid Raziuddin Ahmad Fakhri (may Allah have mercy on him) instructed the travelers on the path (salikeen),

” The four imperatives for treating a medical illness are,

1. Correct diagnosis

2. Appropriate consultation and treatment

3. Healthy diet

4. Avoidance of harmful things

Similarly in treatment of the diseases of the soul (batin) these all are essential. However, most crucial in them is the fourth item. That is, avoidance of harmful things. This means to avoid inappropriate companionship (suhba).

What is inappropriate suhba?

Anything, be it an individual person, a thought, a voice, a visual scene, a speech, a written material, a sign, a statement, in summary any entity that is not compatible with the actions, thoughts, mode and method of the traveler on this path is deleterious companionship that has to be avoided.”

Ahl e sulook per achi buri sohbet kay aseraat, page 6 &14

Akabir’s tabarrukat

relics.jpg

1.Part of waist-coat of Hadhrat Haji Imdadullah mohajir Makki (may Allah have mercy on him)

2. Cap of Hadhrat Shaykh al-Hind Mawlana Mehmood Hassan Deobandi (may Allah have mercy on him)

3 & 4.  Cap and staff of Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him)

Hadhrat Hashmat Ali رحمة الله عليه

It is sad to know that a Hadhrat Hashmat Ali passed away tonight in Karachi, Pakistan.

Hadhrat was a murid of Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi, who placed him under the supervision of Hadhrat Khawaja Aziz al-Hassan majzoob (may Allah have mercy on them) for his spiritual training (islah).

Hadhrat Hashmat ‘Ali migrated to the blessed city of Medinah in 1960s and stayed there till few years back when due to extreme old age and wife’s illness he had to return to Karachi for her treatment. In Prophet’s mosque it was remarkable to see Hadhrat sitting directly in front of blessed rawdha (mawajah sharif) amidst the crowd of pilgrims. Guards, known for their rudeness, seldom bothered him.

It is interesting to note that after Hakim al-Umma’s death in order to complete his sulook he had reaffirmed his pledge (baya) with Hadhrat Mawlana Abdul-Ghafur Madani Naqshbandi-mujaddidi (may Allah have mercy on him).  Most probably he was given permission to initiate others also but seldom did so.

It is fascinating to know that Hadhrat’s initial pledge was also with a Naqshbandi shaykh in India. However, when it was evident that this was not the perfect selection he left him immediately. On a question regarding this he told that Mawlana Essa Illahabadi (may Allah have mercy on him, author of Infas e Essa), a senior khalifa of Hakim al-Umma was his teacher. He was aware of his extreme yearning and search for a Shaykh, when he found out that I have already selected one, he very gently told me in private that the person I selected was a pious man indeed but he lacked the essentials needed to be a Shaykh and guide others. To be pious is different from being a guide.

Answering to a question that why did he change his tariqa (that is, from being a Chishti he became a Naqshbandi) he said that the goal in this journey (tareeq and sulook) was to attain Allah’s pleasure by whatever established way (tariqa) it was within one’s means. Placing undue importance on a particular tariqa wass grossly inappropriate.

Passing away of pious elders like Hadhrat Hashmat Ali is a reminder to all of us to benefit from similar sources as soon as possible.

May Allah shower His special mercy, kindness and blessings on the departed soul and give exemplary patience to the family and friends. Ameen!

Please try to make some esal e thawab. JazakAllah! 

‘Ashura incident

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) told us,

“Once I was visiting the blessed city of Makkah. It was a very brief and private trip. No one was informed that I was here. It was the day of ‘ashura (10th Moharram)  and after dhur salah as I was leaving the haram shareef a person approached me and said that his Shaykh (a famous hadith scholar originally from Jawa, Indonesia, who had settled in haram) had sent him to bring me along to his residence. Being surprised at this unusual call I accompanied him to the Shaykh’s house. I already knew him and had recieved the permission (ijaza) to narrate hadith from him previously.

Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) greeted me with his usual affection and humbleness. After the introductory salutations I inquired that how did he come to know that I was visiting Makkah. He similed and told me that it was unnecessary to know this, however, more important was the reason he had called me.  He wanted to give me ijaza of a specific hadith, musalsal bil-‘ashura. A hadith whose permission is traditionally given by the scholars to their students on the day of the ‘ashura, as our master Prophet of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) told his companion this thing on the day of ‘ashura.

I was overjoyed to recieve this precious gift.” 

Shaykh’s wird

Alhumdulillah, few weeks back I was blessed to be in the company of sayyidi wa sanadi Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him). We were driving from Jeddah to Makkah e mukarramah. Shaykh planned to pray fajr salah in haram shareef and perform tawaf afterwards. During the entire trip except for the essential talking Shaykh was busy with his wird. The continuous motion of tasbih in his hand gave us the clue.

Similarly, once on such a journey in friday night Shaykh was heard reciting the surah Kahaf, Mulk and Alif lam mim sijadah. 

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Incidents like these are an eye-opener for us. They should make us aware that practicing what we study, learn and preach is very important, however, busy we may be. Also, it should motivate us to plan and manage our time appropriately.

Signs of being ‘sahib e nisbet’

“Nisbet” or ta’aluq ma’Allah (a strong, agreeable and perpetual relationship with Allah, Most High) is the goal of every salik.

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said regarding the signs of a person having this blessing,

“In company of such an individual there should be an effect of being drawn towards the Hereafter (akhira) and a displeasure for the wordly (dunya).  And, more religious minded people should be attracted to him than those immersed in worldly issues.

However, it is uncommon to perceive these signs.  Particularly the first one is infrequent to be felt by the common heedless individuals, whereas its recognition is easier for those traversing the path.”

Ma’asir e Hakim al-Umma ra, page 280

Observing the law

Last week Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) visited Jeddah for one day to attend an Islamic finance seminar.

He was on a business visa which expilictly forbade performance of Umrah and Haj. Giving due respect to this absurd restriction he did not perform Umrah and only visited the Haram Shareef to pray fajr salah and make tawaf.

Shaykh is quite particular about these kinds of laws and restrictions. He considers them to be a part of religious injunction to fulfill the rules and regulations made by the authorities in-charge. He takes them very seriously and expects that the murids also do the same.

Shaykh is also particular about the five year rule for Hajj and tasrih. That is, a person should not perform another Haj before a five years interval. This applies to all Mulisms, both living in Saudi Arabia and abroad. In addition, those living in Saudi Arabia have to get an authentic Haj permission certificate (tasrih) from the concerned authorities prior to Haj.  

For seekers in Jeddah

Responding to a disciple’s inquiry regarding which Shaykh’s weekly gathering (majlis) to attend in Jeddah, Hadhrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,

“Shaykh Mansur Ali Khan is the most appropriate person for this.

He used to visit my father Hadhrat Mufti Mohammad Shafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him) very regularly in his youth. Afterwards he had a formal relationship for spiritual self-improvement (islah) with Shaykh Dr. Abdul-Hayy ‘Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) for a very long duration.

Eventually he recieved permission (khilafah) to instruct spiritual aspirants from Shaykh Abrarul Haq (may Allah have mercy on him).”

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Shaykh Mansur has been residing in Jeddah for more than 25 years. His humility, gentleness and simplicity is amazing and truly reflective of Ashrafiya shuyukh. He has two weekly gatherings at his residence in Rehab district. One is on friday after juma’h salah regarding the blessed Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Recitation of khatam e khawjagan is also done in it. The other is on sundays after isha prayers, the main topic of discussion is self-reformation (islah).

Some Contemporary Shuyukh (updated Nov’07)

To facilitate the search for the sheikh, few names are being listed below.

All of them are from Ashrafiya-silsila.

It is vital to remember all that has been said before in this regards and visit/revisit/correspond with these individuals, do istikhara & istishara (consultation with the Allah SWT & wise men) before making the final desicion.

Mutual munasbet is a must!

1. Sheikhul Hadith Hazrat Moulana Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib, damet barkatehum,
ContactAddress: Vice-president, Darul Uloom Karachi, 75180, Pakistan .

2. Sheikh Moulana Mufti Mohammad Rafi’ Usmani sahib db,
Contact Address: President, Darul Uloom Karachi 75180, Pakistan

3. Hazrat Nawab Eshrat Ali Khan Qaisar sahib db, Islamabad/Karachi, Pakistan (Usually does not take new murid)

4. Mufti Abdur Rauf Sukkharvi sahib db,
Contact Address: Darul Ifta, Darul Uloom Karachi 75180, Pakistan

5. Moulana Mehmood Ashraf Usmani sahib, db,
Contact address: Darul Ifta, Darul Uloom Karachi 75180, Karachi, Pakistan .

6. Sheikhul Hadith Sufi Sarwar sahib, db, Jamai Ashrafia, Lahore, Pakistan

7. Hazrat Kalim sahib db, Darul Uloom Karachi, Pakistan

8. Hazrat Dr. Naeemullah sahib, db, (Eye specialist) Lahore, Pakistan

9. Hazrat Haji Abdus Sattar sahib db, Sukhar, Pakistan

10. Hazrat Moulana Ayub Surrati sahib, dbt, Batley, United Kingdom

11. Moulana Mohammad Metir sahib, dbt, California, USA

12. Hazrat Mansoor Ali Khan sahib db, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

13. Hazrat Dr. Abdul Wahid sahib db, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

14. Hazrat Mawlana Abdul Qadir sahib db, Medinah e munawwarah, Saudi Arabia

15. Hazrat Mawlana Musharaf Ali Thanawi db, Darul Uloom Islamia, Lahore

And many others.

May Allah SWT give them healthy and long life,

&

And make it possible for us to benefit from them abundantly.

Ameen.

Next: Tauheed-e-Matlab/Benefiting from one Sheikh ONLY!

Previous: The Sheikh & The Sheikh: revisited

An example of love of Shaykh

After the passing away (wisal) of Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) his close disciples (murideen) and representatives (khulafa) had gathered at khanqah in Thana-bhawan.  Hadhrat’s widow, Choti pirani sahiba (may Allah have mercy on her) was distributing items from Hakim al-Umma’s personal use, like caps (kufi), turban (‘amamah), shirts, etc. amongest them. 

Hadhrat Nawab Jamshid Ali Khan of Baghpat (may Allah have mercy on him) was also present. In spite of being a person of wealth and prominence (nawab) and former member of Indian Legislative Assembly, he was a very pious, close and devoted murid of Hahdrat Hakim al-Umma.

It was inquired if he wanted anything special form these blessed relics. He requested for woolen socks that had been in use of Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma.

After acquiring the blessed gift, he had them un-knitted and used the wool extracted to make a cap (kufi). He wore this special cap at tahajjud prayers every day.

Halat e Eshrat: biography of Hadhrat Nawab Eshrat ‘Ali Khan Qaiser (may Allah preserve him), page 33.

Joy of Eid!

On our eid visit to Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) we always found him to be extremely happy and cheerful, repeatedly telling us that Arifbillah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) used to say regarding Eid al-fitr,

“We are excessively blessed individuals today!

All our sins have been forgiven.  All praise is for Allah, He exchanged them for good deeds. we are completely clean and tidy today.”

Leaving the tariqa

It is quite a task to get baya in Ashrafiya tariqa.

Until and unless the Shaykh is sure that there exists a mutual congeniality (munasbet) between him and the potential murid, baya is postponed.

Why?

Baya is not something trivial. It is an immense responsibility. Some compare it to marriage. So until one is absolutely sure to the best of his abilities that this is the right Shaykh and he himself is ready to take the responsibility it is best to maintain a relationship with a Shaykh for one’s religious betterment (islahi ta’luq) and wait on the baya.

This is a principle of Ashrafiya tariqa.

Violating principles always results in problems.

It is for this purpose Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) used to tell his disciples,

“Here we spray a repellent to cast away the pests. Only the sincere can remain here.

Whats the use of gathering a crowd? Do I need to enlist an army?

Few able murids are better than hundreds of inept ones.”

Hadhrat Mufti Rasheed Ahmad Ludhyanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) had announced that,

“If a person is able to break away any of my murids’ I will award him fifty rupees and if that murid is a scholar (‘alim) the reward will be five hundred.”

Similarly, Qutub e ‘Alam Hadhrat Mawlana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi (may Allah have mercy on him) had made a similar statement.

Shaykh is in no need of the murid’s devotion. To him Allah who is Besought of all, needing none is enough. It is the murid who is completely dependent on the Shaykh for his religious betterment.

It must be clear to the murid who secedes that in reality it is not him but the maShaykh of the tariqa who have turned away from him. This may be because of his callousness to Shariah rulings, involvement in innovations (bida) or unhealthy company of pseudo-sufis/anti-sufi individuals.

May Allah save us from this!

Blessings and three kinds of sufis

The nikah ceremony in Masjid al-Haram’s coutyard behind the rukn e yamani conducted by Hadhrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani ( may Allah preserve him) was simple.

In addition to numerous pilgrims and guests, Pir Zufiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi and Hadhrat Mansoor Ali Khan (may Allah preserve them) were among the audience.

Afterwards there was a reception in one of the five star hotel ballroom in front of the holy Haram. The arrangements were lavish. The food was delicious, plentiful and in variety.

Seeing this arrangement Hadhrat Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,

“It is in these settings the difference between a novice sufi, a sufi who has attained ma’rifah and a sufi who is deficient can be seen.

The novice (mubtadi) sufi devours the food and enjoys the luxuries for the pleasure of his own self (nafs).

Whereas, the one who is realized (muntahi) sufi considers these luxuries to be a blessings and benevolence of the real Provider (جلا جلاله). He partakes of them feeling obliged and thanks his Lord abundantly.

The sufi who is deficient considers these to be blame-worthy extravagance and indulgence in worldly luxuries and tries to spoil them before consuming. For example adding water to dilute the most delicious curry, etc. His sight is still on the material things themselves and not on their Creator and Provider (جلا جلاله). ”

(Makkah e mukarramah, 26th Sha’ban 1428/8thSeptember 2007, After ‘esha)

Silence is golden

Hadhrat Mujaddid Alif Thani Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated the saying of the pious (sufiya),

“The one who does not benefit from our silence how can our speech be helpful to him.”

Durr e lasani, Intekhabaat e maktubaat e Imam Rabbani, p 99