Allah’s proximity

1555213989_6bcf6902eb_m.jpg Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes,

و قال في ايات اخر, و كان الله بكل شئ محيطا و ان ربى بما يعملون محيط و ان ربك احاط باالناس و احاط بما لديهم

All of these verses verify the truth of the statement of those scholars and sufis who said that Allah is everywhere; however, we are not aware of the exact nature (kayfiyet) of this encompassment.  These people acknowledge this encompassment in person (dhatiyah), not the encompassment by attributes (sifatiyah) only, as the people of outward knowledge (ahle dhahir) admit.

Taied al-haqiqah bil Ayat al-‘atiqah. Book on margins (hashiya) of Haqiqat at-Tariqa, At-takashuf, page 256

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.  

Advice to a seeker

1065705979_080912fe56_m.jpgHakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, 

“A seeker should never consider himself to have attained the goal (wasil). This is because in reality there is no end to this journey (sulook).”

‘Irfan e Hafiz, At-Takashuf, page 118

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).”

————-

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).

Advice to newly wed

Hadhrat Asma (may Allah be pleased with her) said to her daughter at the time of her marriage:

“You are going to spend such a life where you shall have to live long and you are going to the bed of such a person who you have no acquaintance. You are going to love one with whom you had no love before.

Make for him such a world, which will be heaven for you, prepare for him such a bed, which will be a pillar for you.

Be such a slave for him that he may become your slave.

Don’t go willingly to him, lest you become to him an object of hatred.

Don’t remain far from him, lest he may forget you. When he remains near you, be near him, when he stays distant from you save your nose, ears and eyes.

Let him not get from you except sweet smiles. Let him not hear from you except sweet words. Let him not see in you except beauty”

Ihya Uloom Din

Source: Excellent Blog: Mujahidah an Nafs

Tajweed

makhareej.gifHakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in regards to tajweed, that is, reading the holy Quran with correct pronunciation,

“It is essential (wajib) to make effort in this. Being careless and lazy in it is a sin.”

Bahishti Zewar

Reading Quran al-Karim without proper pronunciation changes the meaning of the text.

Qari Mohammad Rafiq, a senior student of Qari Shaykh Fateh Mohammad Panipati (senior instructor at Darul Uloom Karachi who migrated to and died in radiant city of Medinah) told an individual that teaching the ‘arabic language primer (qa’ida) properly is the most important step in learning recitation of Quran.

Thinking of Allah in sky?

A senior spiritual aspirant wrote,

‘Most of the time I am attentive (of Allah). However, a doubt pesters me all the time. That is, with this attention (towards Allah) spontaneouly my thoughts are directed (upwards) towards the sky.  I understand that I am exempted for such an unintentional thought, but its presence bothers me. May be it is from a (hidden) sub-section of unbelief (kufr). Please, prescribe some treatment for it if necessary.’

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

“Peace and blessing be on you.

Allah, Most High is free from been given a direction.

However, His most selected effulgences (tajeliyat) have a special relationship with His Throne (‘arsh). It is for this reason thoughts of Him direct one’s attention insticntively upwards. This is based on a reality and there is nothing of unbelief (kufr) in it.”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 2, page 1126

Permission for dhikr recommended by Sufis

2048571084_86d16a78b1_m1.jpg 

A sincere brother emailed:
“I would like to know if I could begin practicing this dowazdah tasbih without becoming a murid immediately? Does one need permission [ijaza] to start this dhikr?

As per the teachings of Shaykh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) the following response was send to him,

You do not have to be a murid to start the dowazdah tasbih.

However, you need to be sincere in the effort of your religious self-reformation (islah).

And it must be clear upfront that the dhikr recommended by the Sufis is a form of treatment strategy. This dhikr is the treatment of heedlessness (ghaflah) and other spiritual aliments. Eventually it is a prelude to the real remembrance of Allah, Most High.

The Shaykh usually recommendeds it to a seeker who has been actively trying to reform his morals & characteristics to be a better Muslim, is punctual with his regular daily tasbihat, Quranic & munajat e maqbool recitation and is informing him for atleast few months.

Whitout knowing a satisfactory answer to the following questions it is very difficult to recommend this to you. What are your daily activities? What is the extent of effort to bring deen in your life? And, finally what is your understanding of the spiritual path?

More over, sometimes these sufic dhikr result in some overwhelming thoughts and states for which a Shaykh is necessary. Otherwise, a person may go astray.

اتباع سنت

738927493_a6ff812d6c_m.jpg 

محال است سعدی کہ راہ صفا

تواں رفت جز درپئے مصطفی

 علیہ و علی الہ الصلوات و التسلیمات و براکات

Permission for dhikr recommended in hadith

1060414141_60d7eb0d6a.jpg 

A sincere seeker asked,

“I would also like to know if I can do the five tasbeehats mentioned in the “Excessive Remembrance/Dhikr 1” without a Shaykh’s permission (ijaza)?”

As per the teaching of Mawlana Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) following answer was given,

‘Certainly you can do them.
As a general principle, specific permission is not needed for acts recommended by the holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).

However, in selecting from the vast number of Prophetic dhikr recommendations, and especially their quantity advice from a Shaykh is very beneficial. The Shaykh who knows your physical & emotional health, motivation, time availability and involvement in other essential (wajib) activities will tell what suites your circumstances the best.’

Loving Allah is by having mercy on His creation

Sayyidi Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani said,

My Shaykh Dr. ‘Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) used to tell us that anyone claiming to love Allah can not be truthful is his claim unless he loves His creation also.

It is as if Allah says that how is it possible for you to love Me? If you really do so then love my creation. Be merciful, caring and kind to them. This will declare that you love Me.

You heard Mr. President (of Darul Uloom, Mufti Rafi’i Usmani )[may Allah preserve him] last week at the commencement of Hadith study session narrating the hadith – also known as musalsal bil awaliya, that is the first hadith conveyed by a scholar to their students. The Prophet (Allah bless and give him peace) said, “The merciful are shown mercy by the All-Merciful, تبارك و تعالى. Be merciful to those on earth and the Lord of the Heavens will be merciful to you.”

This was the very first lesson given to a student of religion. The lesson of mercy, kindness and care to all the creation.

ِAnd remember (if you can not be of benefit to them then)the most miniscule display of this mercy, kindness and care is by not harming them in any form.”

Weekly bayan, 3rd November 2007

Rule #1كل حقيقة ردتهاالشريعة فهى زندقة

Hadhrat Hakim a-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes that according to the legal verdict (fatwa)of the people of this path (tareeq)
كل حقيقة ردتهاالشريعة فهى زندقة
That is, any ‘reality’:esoteric information (haqiqa) that contravenes the Shariah is a misguidance.

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 2, page 1127

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