Category Archives: T. Tarbiyet

Contains principle and guidelines on training and disciplining of the morals (ikhlaq) of murid

Permission

ijazah

A brother inquired about the need of ‘ijazah‘ (permission) to recite from ‘Hisn-haseen’ (a collection of Sunna azkar).

As per the teachings of sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) following reply was given.

There is some detail to this ‘ijazah’ issue.

For the azkar mentioned in Quran and hadith no specific permission is required. The mentioning of it by Allah and His messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) is enough ijazah for all to recite.

However, if a person has a Shaykh who is doing his spiritual tarbiyah then it is essential etiquette (adab) to get his permission for all recitations one is going to include in his daily routine. This brings blessings (barakah) in this recitation.

The reasons for this barakah are,
1. There may be some other higher priority things pending (like completing his many years of qaza salah, earning a halal living, etc.) and the Shaykh will redirect his focus on these essential things.
2. Breaking the habit of doing whatever comes to mind
3. Developing the Sunna habit of consultation.
4. Keeping the Shaykh informed of one’s condition. For advanced murid this calling may be a sign of spiritual progress
5. Informing the Shaykh will also enforce persistence in daily recitation. That is, after getting the permission it is extremely bad to not do it. Also Shaykh will inquire about the previous recitations if in future another similar request is made.

It is a misconception that the barakah of ‘ijazah’ is somewhat similar to a nur or an electric current that passes on from the Shaykh to whom the ijazah is given. It is assumed that without this the recitation will be invalid or less effective or even spiritually or mentally detrimental. This is incorrect.

May Allah guide us all. Amin!

(P.S. All this discussion is in regards to awrad and azkar and do not apply to a’maliyat)

Related:

1. Ijaza for masnoon azkar

2.  Ijaza for Sufi dhikr

Right of the Shaykh

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Imam Qushairy (Allah have mercy on him) said,

“It is essential (wajib) for the murid to conceal his private affairs with utmost vigilance.  He should not disclose them to his closest friend.

However, this concealment should not be done when dealing with the Shaykh.

If an individuals hides even a single breath from his Shaykh then indeed he has committed a great breach of trust in the rights of the Shaykh.”

Nasihah-lil-mustarshadin translation of last chapter of ‘Risala Qushairia: al-wasiay lil-murideen‘, via Ma’arif e Sufiya, page 310

اصل مقصود و تبلیغ

 

احمد تو عاشقی بمشیخیت ترا چہ کار

دیوانہ باش سلسلہ شد شد نشد نشد

 

(مجمع بڑھانے کی کوشش) فضول تو اسی درجہ میں ہے جب کہ

 اس سےضروریات و معمولات میں خلل نہ ہو، اگر اس کی بھی نوبت

آنے لگے تو پھر سدراہ ہے۔

 

لوگ کہتے ہیں کہ ہماری نیت تو مخلوق کی ہدایت ہے،

سو یاد رکھو کہ

 اصل مقصود اپنا وصول الی اللہ ہے،

 دوسروں کا ایصال بھی اسی لئے مطلوب ہے کہ

 اس کے ذریعہ سے ہم کو بھی وصول تام ہو جاۓ،

حق تعالی راضی ہوجائیں۔

 ورنہ ایصال خلق خود بالذات مطلوب نہیں، خصوص جبکہ

مخل وصول ہونے لگے۔

 پس اصلی کوشش اپنے وصول کے لئے کرنا۔

 

البتہ بدون کاوش اور گھیر گھار کے کوئی طالب آجاۓ اور

اس کی طلب بھی محقق ہوجاۓ

 تو اس کی خدمت کردینے کا بھی مضائقہ نہیں، بلکہ طاعت ہے۔

 

باقی یہ کیا واہیات ہے کہ ساری کوشش سلسلہ بڑھانے ہی

کے لئے کی جاتی ہے اور

 اپنے وصول کی فکر نہیں۔

 

وعظ: الوصل وہلفصل، خطبات حکیم الامت رح، جلد 15/ص 192

یہ گناہ صغیرہ ہے یا کبیرہ ؟

 fire

سیدی و سندی حضرت مولانا محمد تقی عثمانی صاحب مدظلہم العالی نے فرمایا ،

 

(گناہ) صغیرہ اس وقت تک صغیرہ ہے جب تک آدمی اتفاقا” کبھی ایسا کام کرلے اور اگر اس کو عادت بنالے اور اس پر اصرار کرے تو پھر وہ صغیرہ بھی کبیرہ ہوگا، نیز اگر گناہ کو معمولی سمجھ کر کرے تو بھی کبیرہ کہا ہے، اس لئے کہ اللہ جل شانہ کی نافرمانی چاہے چھوٹی چیز میں ہو یا بڑی چیز میں ہو، ہے تو نافرمانی۔ اب اگر کوئی اس نافرمانی کو معمولی سمجھ کر نظرانداز کرے تو یہ استھانت اور استخفاف ہے اس لئے گناہ کبیرہ ہے۔

 

 لہذا اس چکر میں مت پڑنا کہ بھائی یہ صغیرہ ہے چلو کرگزرو۔

 

حضرت حکیم الامت حضرت تھانوی رحمۃ اللہ علیہ صغیرہ و کبیرہ کی مثال دیتے ہیں کہ جیسے چنگاری اور بڑا شعلہ، دونوں آگ ہیں، کیا کوئی شخص یہ سمجھ کر کہ یہ چھوٹی سی چنگاری ہے اپنی الماری میں رکھ لے گا، ایسا کوئی نہیں کرے گا، اس لئے کہ اگر رکھے گا تو جلادے گی۔

 

اس لئے جو کہا گیا ہے کہ روزہ، نماز، صغیرہ (گناہ) کے لئے کفارہ بن جاتے ہیں، اس سے کبھی یہ مت سمجھنا کہ یہ معمولی چیز ہے، لہذا کر گزرو۔ یہ کفارہ اس وقت بنتے ہیں جبکہ اتفاقا” بھول چوک سے سرزد ہوجاۓ، لیکن باقاعدہ مقصد بنا کر، ارادہ کر کے، اسے معمولی سمجھ کر کرتا ہے تو یہ کبیرہ ہی کہ حکم میں ہے۔

 

اللہ تعالی اپنی مدد اور نصرت سے محفوظ فرماۓ۔ آمین!

 

انعام الباری، جلد 3، ص 277

Why dhikr alone isn’t sufficient to give up sins?

mawajjah-sharif1

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,

‘Recently a person inquired that is it beyond the capacity and effects of remembrance of Allah (dhikr) that sins are abandoned automatically and no additional determination and effort be required to do so?

I told him that my Shaykh (Arif-billah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi, Allah have mercy on him) used to tell us that the remembrance (dhikr) and tasbihat (wird) provides a form of energy that makes it easy to give up sins and creates a desire to do good actions.  It facilitates these two provided one uses his determination to act accordingly.

Understand this by an  example.  Suppose there is a student suffering from mental debility. A physician prescribes a tonic for him and instructs him to drink it daily to energize his brain. Now if this student assumes that after taking this medicine he does not have to study the textbooks and only taking the tonic will be sufficient to pass the exam then this is an explicit proof of his stupidity. This is because the medicine was prescribed to cure the mental weakness and lead to facilitation of studying and remembering the course material.

Similar is the condition of these dhikr, tasbihat and other awrad.  One has to use his determination to abandon sins even after doing these activities.’

Bait al-mukkaram masjid, Karachi, Friday waaz 30th November 1990

Fana fi Rasool

maratibefana1

Shaykh Shah Wasiullah (Allah have mercy on him) said,

“Commonly people state that after achieving annihilation in Shaykh (fana fi Shaykh) the status of annihilation in Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is attained and after this annihilation in Allah (fana fil Allah) can be obtained.

However, at practical level it is observed that they are content at annihilation in Shaykh (fana fi Shaykh) and do not progress further.

I do not approve of this.

Moreover, I consider a Shaykh to be negligent in fulfilling the obligation of the path (tariq) and of his status by not guiding the disciple to the realization (ma’arifa ) of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). ‘

Tazkirah Muslih al-Ummat ra, page 105

At another place Shaykh elucidates that by ma’arifa of Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) it is meant recognizing the significance of following his example (Sunna). ( page 104)

At another place Shaykh repeats,

‘Moreover, the only feat for Shaykh is to ensure that the disciple reaches Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). If he does not do this then he has not fulfilled his obligations and not done the essential job entrusted to him.’ (103)

The absolute following of the Shaykh

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The issue of complete and unquestionable following of the Shaykh is usually described in such a dreadful manner that makes most of the listeners wary of Tasawwuf in general. This is very detrimental especially in this era of religious ignorance and arrogance. Below is an extract explaining the reality of this following.

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

“This following is neither in beliefs (aqaid) nor in unveiling (kashafiyat), other collective issues (masail) and economic matters. It is only in methods of approach, diagnosis, instructions and treatment of spiritual diseases and issues related to spiritual reformation. Moreover,this following is further restricted to the mutual agreement of murid and the Shaykh on the permissibility of the issue. If there is a difference of opinion then it is against the way of people of the path (tareeq) to indulge in a debate with the Shaykh, when following his advice will be against the Shariah ruling. In this situation the best etiquette (adab) between the two proprieties (adab of Shariah and Shaykh) is to consult the scholars or do research of his own (if he is capable of it) and establish a ruling. He should then inform the Shaykh that I do not consider this particular action to be permissible and it is from the teaching of our path (silsila), what should I do? If the Shaykh still instructs him to do the same then it is best to abandon this Shaykh. However, if he gives the permission to forgo this action then this is also following his instruction in proxy.

This is the meaning of absolute following (itiba’ e kamil).

That is, complete following (of the Shaykh) must be done in whatever diseases of the lower self (nafs) he has diagnosed, the prescription he has provided and the permissible actions he has instructed to carry out, the permissibility of which Shaykh and murid agree mutually upon. Murid should not interfere in these issues at all with his opinions. It does not entail following in matters beside these issues.

Mawlana Abdul Majid Dayabadi ra’s book, Hakim al-Umma ra, page 304, quote taken from Al-‘Itedal fi matba’t ar-Rijal

Daily Routine: A must!

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Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Mawlana Shah Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) used to repeatedly emphasize that one must complete his daily ma’moolat (wird) regularly.

In case of a genuine excuse this may be even without wudhu’ (ablution) or while doing the daily chores . This is because that being absent after fixing a ma’mool (wird) causes loss of barakah (Divinely blessings) excessively.

Maasir e Hakeemul Ummat 233

Concern for others

alaikum

An individual wrote:

Now the only source of misery at home is the condition of younger brother.  It is the same as it was previously.  I pray for him daily, asking Allah that he gives up the habit of lying and embezzlement. These two problems are usually the cause of most of the suffering.  He is destroying both, his religion and worldly life. I request you to pray (make dua) for him and advice any practical solution to achieve this.

Hakim al-UmmatMawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi(Allah have mercy on him)  replied:

‘I have no hesitation in making dua for him.

However, as far as the request for practical solution is concerned, for inept like us it is best to be concerned with our self rather than for others.

That is,
“فکر خود کن، فکر بیگانہ مکن “
(Be worried about yourself; do not be anxious regarding others’ condition.)

Moreover, there comes a time when even for the best and perfect individuals (kamileen) it is advisable:

عليكم انفسكم لا يضركم من ضل اذا اهتديتم

And that happens when even after substantial efforts other do not pay heed.”

Tarbiyatus Salik, volume 3 page 190

Repentance

repentance11

Shaykh Abd al-Ghani al-Rifai’ (Allah have mercy on him) instructed the novice disciples,

‘The rights of other that are due must be fulfilled or forgiveness sought for them.

If one finds himself  unable to do this now, then he should make a firm determination to do so whenever it is possible for him.

In the mean time he should continuously make supplications for the aggrieved individual and ask forgiveness for himself.

For example, he should says hundred times daily, ‘O Allah! I seek forgiveness in matters related to rights of other individuals (huqooq al-ibad).’  This recitation should continue till he fulfills these obligations as outlined above.

This is because repentance (tawbah) is the reality and foundation of this path (tareeq). In fact it is the very first station of the path.

Takhlees Tarsi’ al-Jawahir al-Makkiyah fi tazkiya tal-ikhlaq al-mardhiyah, page 78

Related: Clearing financial matters first!

Tahajjud prayers

tahajjudplaceold

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) instructed a seeker who complained of missing the tahajjud salah,

‘Pray four units (rakah) of optional (nafl) prayers (salah) between the sunna and witr of esha with the intention of tahajjud. If you are able to wake up in the last part of the night pray tahajjud again.’

On another occasion he instructed,

‘Special effort should be made to wake up for tahajjud in the last part of the night.  It will be completely fine to make up for the lost sleep after fajr prayers. However, until this habit is established make a routine of offering four units of nafl salah between the sunna and witr of esha.’

Islahi khutoot

Saliks involved in completing their missed (qaza) prayers should also act accordingly. However, they should keep nafil to the minimum (2 rakah) and focus more on their qaza at this time also.

The thing to take from The Sheikh

tasbih

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Moulana Mohammad Taqi Usmani  (Allah preserve him & allow us to benefit from him abundantly. Ameen) said:

“The thing to acquire from the Sheikh is the fanayiat (self-annihilation).

People consider taking wird, azkar, ashagals and litanies etc. from him, all of which can be acquired from books. The essential thing to take from him is this fanayiat. That is total effacement of self suggestions, opinions, planning, expectations and complete submission to the commands of Shariah.

This is acquired ONLY by accompanying the Sheikh for considerable duration of time.
His suhba is essential:
To observe him practicing Shariah in different settings.
To learn from his attitude & behavior. Where is he firm and when lenient.
To correct yourself by his upright way of practice and implementing Shariah.
To happily bear his chastisement, in hope for self-reformation.
To be ready for his trials and testing, in order to check your sincerity.
To submit to all of his instructions wholeheartedly.
To do each and every major action in your life with his consultation and approval. And,
Finally, to copy, imitate and absorb his all esoteric & exoteric states enthusiastically.

And if this suhba is not readily available then it is essential to correspond with him via letters, mail, phone etc. to acquire this. (As explained in earlier posts.)

Also, important and perhaps most beneficial for this is the detail and extensive study of the malfoozat (suhba talks/utterances) of Hakim al-Umma Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanvi quddus sirrahu. Reading them regularly will allow you to absorb the style/disposition of Hakim al-Umma, who had absolute fanayiat!

Equally significant is the study of the biography of our pious elders. Books like: Ashraf us sawanih (Hakeemul Ummat ra’s biography), Tazkirat ur Rasheed (Moulana Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi ra’s bio), Tazkiratul Khalil (Moulana Khalil Ahmed ra’s bio), etc..

If all of these are done sincerely and seriously, inshaAllah, gradually this fanayiat will eventually develop and grow to the optimum level required.”

Helsinki, ECCMID, 2009

Islah by Tawajjuh, Wazifah & T’aweez?

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

“I observe that lot of people are expecting that their self-reformation (islah) will happen by the spiritual attention (tawajjuh) of a pious person. They also expect that by reciting special litanies (wazifah) or by using an amulet (t’aweez) their lower self (nafs) will be fixed to act on Shariah, and they will not have to do anything (that is, use self determination, courage and act appropriately).

Remember! This is a very big mistake.

Your nafs and Satan are misleading you!

The islah-e-nafs (reformation) does not happen without struggling and striving (using self determination, courage and acting appropriately against one’s desires and wishes).

The spiritual attention (tawajjuh) and litanies (wazaif) are for increasing the luminosity of a reformed nafs. They open the path in forward direction. “

Mawaiz-e-Ashrafiya vol. 11: Taqwa wa Tasawwuf

Using Time appropriately

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Yesterday a former student asked sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) for some advice (nasiha). 

The Shaykh told him:

“Recognize the importance of time.  That it is an invaluable wealth.  Spend it very wisely and precisely in virtuous actions.”

Next day while the Shaykh was sitting in Masjid al-Haraam facing the holy Kab’a (‘s Rukun-e-Yamani) an individual requested some elaboration on this advice. That is, as how to practically incorporate it in to one’s daily life.

Obviously pleased on the question, Shaykh replied;

“Firstly one has to recognize the importance of time per se.

Secondly, one has to organize one’s schedule to fully maximize the benefit of available time, such that not a single moment is wasted. Being wasted meaning that it is not utilized appropriately even for a worldly purpose, may it be sleeping or moderate lawful entertainment or being busy in helping another fulfill his essential obligations, etc.

Wasting time includes indulging in activities having no benefit for this life or here-after (akhira).”

The Shaykh continued:

“Develop the habit of planning.

That is, plan for the future.

If I was to get 5 or 10 minutes break between my tasks how will I spend it?

For example, while commuting to work.

Think and decide in advance.

How I am going to spend these 15 minutes besides doing the driving?

Only if one has thought of these in advance he will be able to utilize this time appropriately.

My father (Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Hazrat Mawala Mohammad Shafi’i ra) used to inform us that, “Even the time I spent in toilet I try to make use of it. If there is nothing else I scrub and clean the water jug (lota) kept in there.”

All praise to Allah, due to his training I also try to enact on this advice. When I come home from my classes I know there will be at least a 5 minute interval before the lunch is served. I have planned in advance the use of this time. Such as, to return someone’s telephone call, etc.

When a person develops this habit of utilizing the time precisely, Allah facilitates immense actions for him and also puts blessing (barakh) in time. (That is, in short duration a lot is achieved.)

Remember, heedlessness (gaflah) is a bane!”

Makkah e mukarramah, November, 7th 2005