The gift of mi’raj

Arif-billah Shaykh Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

“No conjecture is possible regarding the degree of extreme nearness to Allah achieved by our Master, Liege-lord and the Leader of both the worlds, The Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) at the night of ascension (al–isra wal-mi’raj). It is beyond the comprehension of all creation’s intellect and imagination.

اللہ! اللہ ! قرب معراج رسول

دو کماں سے فرق ادنی’ رہ گیا

اٹھ گئے مابین سے سارے حجاب

اک فقط آنکھوں کا پردہ رہ گیا

On arriving at this special proximate station in the Divine presence Allah presented His beloved the royal gift of the five daily prayers (salah).”

Khutbat e Arifi, Idarae Talefat e Ashrafiya, Multan, page 55-6

Commemoration of the Isra-wal mi’raj requires that we take good care of this gift and make sure that our salah is as per Sunna, both in physical and spiritual form, to the best of our capabilities.

May Allah facilitate this for us. Amin!

The real karama

Arif billah Shaykh Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi (may Allah ahve mercy on him) said,

“Once I inquired a pious person that these days we do not see saints similar to those who performed extra-ordinary feats (karama) anymore.

He replied that saints who had this blessing had always been very few in each era. Most likely you have read a book that compiled many such incidents of pious individuals. And now you are misled to believe that all Shaykhs must have this capability.

Remember in previous days the karama was in matter (maadi) and hence, it was visible to others. Nowadays it is in essence (manawi).

These days any company (suhba) that leads one to do good deeds, cleanse inner self (batin from moral corruption) and make rememberance of Allah is a karama.

A company like this is achieved by true yearning (talub). If you sincerely desire this, than be reassured that individuals like this are always present in each era.”

Khutbat e Arifi, Idarae Talefat e Ashrafiya, Multan, page 164

کلید کامیابی

مجھے پھرغم ہی کیا ہے انکے منہ سے جب یہ سنتا ہوں

کلید کامیابی ہیں یہی ناکامیاں میری

حضرت عارفی رح

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!

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

ساقیا ! دے شراب ایسی

دے شراب ایسی مجھے اب جلد تر

مست ہوں پینے سے جس کے اس قدر

جس طرف دیکھوں اٹھا کر نظر

کچھ نہ آوے غیر دلبرکے نظر

غذاۓ روح: حضرت حاجی صاحب رح

Sin or rebellion

Baba Najam Ahsan (may Allah have mercy on him) said;

A sin can be defined as an action leading to remorse. The perpetrator regrets doing it.

If there is no remorse then it is not a sin but a rebellion.”

Zikr e Ahsan, page 183

مواعظ اشرفیہ

Some sections of Tasawwuf are dangerous!

Having a clear perspective of Tasawwuf’s reality is essential from the very start of the spiritual journey.

That is, what is the goal and means to reach it?

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) made this vividly clear upfront to every seeker who approached him for spiritual reformation (islah).

People with their creative imagination, knowledge of partially correct or interpreted information and especially readers of Sufi hagiographies and difficult classic texts make assumptions and set unrealistic goals.

To dispel these sorts of myths Hakim al-Umma wrote exegesis of some of the Sufi texts that are commonly misinterpreted. They include explanation of Mathnawi of Mawlana Rumi (in 24 volumes), poetry of Hafiz Shirazi and Fusoos of Ibn Arabi (may Allah have mercy on them).

A very beneficial point he makes in the introduction to one of the text is as follows,

“From the teachings of Tasawwuf, I always had intellectual interest in the instructive section (uloom e ma’amla) because this deals with the commands and prohibitions and acting on them leads to the proximity of Allah, Most High.

In comparison, the section of unveiling (uloom e makashafa) was instinctively attractive but not appealing intellectually. This is because they play no role in gaining Allah’s nearness and have a great inherent danger that some mistakes in them (interpretation and application) may lead to loss of faith (eman) itself.

(May Allah save us all from this calamity.)”

Al-tanbih al-tarabi fi tanzih ibn al-Arabi ra, page 6

Signs of marifah:humility and servitude

An individual told sayyid wa sanadi Shaykh Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) that the most striking thing he felt after reading the biographies of Hakim al-Umma, Mufti Mohammad Shafi and Dr. Adbul Hayy Arifi (may Allah have mercy on them) was their utmost humility (tawadhu) and self-annihilation or effacement (abdiyet, fana).

Hadhrat agreed with the this intelligent observation and said,

“This is a sign of gnosis (marifah) of Allah.

The Urdu proverb says that a camel considers none taller than himself until he arrives at the foothill of a giant mountain. After observing the real height all his claims and doubts of self-praise vanish.

Similarly, the people who actually become aware of the Allah’s grandeur consider themselves to be nothing at all. The most worthless, insignificant and humble creatures ready to serve as commanded. “

(Hadhrat’s residence, 1991, after asr.)

Moreover, this is also in perfect harmony to the Sunna: The Prophetic state.

It can be said very confidently that the most outstanding characteristics and highest stations of our Master Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) are his humility (tawadhu) and servitude (abdiyet).

Some senior seekers report that this can be felt by those (having a spiritually ‘alive’ heart) who visit him even today in the radiant city of Medina. (That is, an overwhelming rapture of humility and servitude enters their heart. And Allah knows the best!)

13 Rajab 1429, 16th July 2008.

Real remembrance of death!

Prior to lecturing at a conference, the great Shaykh al-Hadith MawlanaMuhammad Zakariyah (may Allah ahve mercy on him) was performing ablution (wudhu) when he heard the conference co-ordinator praising him as part of the introduction.The respected Shaykh began to shed tears and said,