Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“The root cause of unity and accord is to accept an individual as the leader and others agree to follow him. In a group where everyone claims to be equal to others, without any distinction of leader and followers there can never be unity at all.”
Tohfa zojain, page 46
This rule also applies to marital relationship.
Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah ahve mercy on him) said,
“As a rule, a person displays anger only at those who are equal or lower to him/herself. For a person with higher status than him/herself the anger can not be displayed.”
Tofah e izwaj
Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) advised a muridah who complained regarding her husband’s anti-social attitude,
“In these days and times it is not advisable to have lot of social contacts. You must be selective and discreet in socializing only with those people who share the same values, thoughts and life style as yourself.”
ہو فنا ذات میں کہ تو نہ رہے
A murid who was extremely disturbed by serious marital issues consulted Shaykh Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) and told in detail about his problems and asked what should he do to avoid similar mistakes in future. Shaykh adviced him,
“Hand over all your issues to Allah.
Have faith in Him.
Bury the past and make a fresh start from today.”
By mercy of Allah Shaykh Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) will be performing hajj this year.
May Allah facilitate each and every step, making it easy in accordance with Sunna and sincerity and accept it completely. Ameen!
اے غائب از نظر کہ شدی ہمنشینِ دل
Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“A dervish adviced me to be careful and not to lose my own belongings in the effort to save others stuff. Meaning that in endeavor to guide others I should not fall in to a clamity myself.”
Kaleed e masnavi, volume 21, page 118
Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“The spiritual progress is dependent on being steadfast in works of worship (‘amal) and striving (mujahidah) (to abstain from sins). [That is, both exoteric and esoteric works and sins].
Irfan e Hafiz, At-Takashuf, page 252
In the exegesis of the verse,
نحن اقرب اليه من حبل الوريد 50-29
Shaykh Mufti Mohammad Shafi’ (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“According to the Honorable Sufis, here the term qurb (closeness) goes beyond the concept of nearness in terms of knowledge. It is a special type of ittisal (contact or bond or relationship between Allah and His creation, including man who is placed at the center of this wonderful universe), the reality and nature of which is not known to anyone but it does necessarily exists bila kaif, ‘without how’ or ‘indescribably’.
Various Quranic verses and authentic Prophetic Traditions bear ample testimony to this fact. For example, Quran commands, وسجدو اقترب (bow down in sijdah and come closer…Al-‘Alaq:18). This is just like what Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is reported to have said: “The closest that a servat can be to his Lord is when he in prostration. Therefore, make abundant supplication (i.e. while in prostration).” Another Tradition reports the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “When My servant performs supererogatory prayers, he attains proximity to Me.” On the occassion of migration to Madinah, the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) told Sayyidina Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him),ان الله معنا, “Allah is with us.” (9:40) Holy Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) told the children of Israel, ان معى ربى, “My Lord is with me”. (26:62)
This qurb (nearness or proximity to Allah), which a man attains though the observance of obligatory and supererogatory works and through his effort is reserved exclusively for a believer. Such believer are called awliya’ullah (the friends of Allah: they are those whom Allah has chosen to be His friends). This special bond with Allah is different from general relationship with Allah and man,whether believer or non-believer.
In brief ,the above verses and narrations bear testimony to the fact that man has a special type of proximity to his Creator and Master though its reality and nature cannot be perceived. Maulana Rumi (may Allah have mercy on him) has versified this concept thus,
اتصالے بے مثال و بے قیاس
ہست رب الناس را با جان ناس
The Lord of the people has a special contact with the people,
which is beyond one’s perception and has no other example.
This nearness and proximity can not be perceived by the ordinay sensation of physical sight but is recognized through farasah of iman (perspicacity through faith).”
Ma’arif ul Quran (English), volume 8, page 157
میل من سوے وصال و قصد او سوے فراق
Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“True extreme love (ishq) [of Allah, Most High] does not go away once it has been established.”
‘Irfan e Hafiz, At-Takashuf, page 137
Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “It is an obstacle in this path (tareeq) to pay attention to and be engrossed in answering any criticism.”
‘Irfan e Hafiz, At-Takashuf, page 129
