Collective dhikr

An aspirant asked permission do join one of the senior murid in doing the dhikr at tahajjud.

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

“There is nothing wrong if you join him in doing the dhikr. But no third person should join. Otherwise, this will become a customary practice ( to convene for collective dhikr).”

To another similar question Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma replied,

“There is nothing wrong in collective dhikr if done without considering it to be essential or making announcement (for inviting others). Except for Hafidh sahib (and you) there should not be any third person (joining this dhikr).”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 2, page 925

Do not leave wird totally!

An individual wrote,

I recite one section (manzil) of Dalail al-Khayrat and Munajat e Maqbul daily. However, some days I miss these recitations as a retribution of my deeds. 

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

“The section of Munajat e Maqbul are quite concise. There is no reason they should be missed. However, this is possible in the recitation of Dalail al-Khayrat. Recite individual sections over 3 or 4 days, completing the whole recitation of Dalail al-Khayrat in a month.”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 2, page 913-4 

یا رسول اللہ

‎غریبم بے نوائیم خاکسارم یا رسول اللہ
ذرحمت کن نظر بر حال زارم یا رسول اللہ

صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم

Sunna 34

Sunna related to food: 

Recite بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم (With the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very-Merciful) when starting to eat. (Abu Dawood)

If one forgets this recitation at the start and remembers this lapse later, he should recite, بسم الله اوله و آخره . (Tirmizi)

محبت

محبت ہے دور از سکون و مقام

مراتب کا ارماں ہے اس میں حرام

تڑپنا !  تڑپنا  !  تڑپنا  سدا

یہی کام ہے بس یہی ایک کام

 

حضرت بابا نجم احسن رح

Spiritual progress

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

“Do not assume that we are devoid of inner states (kaifiyat e batinah) and spiritual stations (muqamat e ruhaniya). The praise is for Allah, all of these entities, like unveiling (kashaf), miracles (karamah) and spiritual interventions (tasarrufat) are manifested at their appropriate place. However, (the thing to understand is that) in fact all these are still material entities.

Allah has gifted the people of truth (ahl e haq) with something better and more potent. That is, spirituality (ruhaniyat). (It belongs to the non-material world.) It has various degrees in excellence and magnitude. But its progress is totally contingent on following the teachings of Shariah. The inner states and unveilings have no role whatsoever in this (progress).

The ultimate secret of all Tassawuf (tariqat) and spiritual path (sulook) is incorporated in the following verse,

اياك نعبد و اياك نستعين

اهدنا الصراط المستقيم

صراط الذين انعت عليهم

[1:5]
You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help.

[1:6]
Take us on the straight path.

[1:7]
the path of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace”

(Maasir Hakim al-Umma, page 151)

Arif billah Hadhrat Dr. Abdul Hayy ‘Arifi (may Allah have mercy on him) use to tell us that it is very difficult trying to appreciate and experience a non-material, spiritual entity with our material senses, intellect and mind.

ہوش

محو تسبیح تو سب ہیں مگر ادراک کہاں

زندگی خود ہی عبادت ہے مگر ہوش نہیں

جگر رح

Rights & We Muslims

Hadhrat Mawlana Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,

“One should clearly distinguish between the Islamic teachings and the general practice of the Muslims. Unfortunately, we are living in an age where the vast majority of the Muslims are not aware of the noble teachings of Islam nor do they practice them in their day-to-day lives. Instead, they are mostly influenced by the different cultures in which they are/have been living. Therefore, everything the Muslims practice cannot be attributed to Islam. When one evaluates the virtues of Islam, he should not refer to the practice of the Muslims of today; rather he should turn to the principles laid down in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah. Obviously, if the Muslims have abandoned the guidance of the Shari’ah, it cannot be seen as a defect in the Shari’ah itself. It is a defect in those who have deprived themselves of this Divine Guidance.”

From: Pearls of Elders 

Disregarding Shaykh’s advice

An aspirant wrote,

“I can not wake up for tahajjud salah at all. This causes me a lot of distress and remorse.

By the way you had previously advised me to pray (tahajjud salah ) after ‘isha prior to witr, however, my mind does not accept this method.”

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

“This is regrettable.

Is this saying that my mind does not accept the instruction given the level of trust on and following of someone considered to be knowledgeable and considerate?

In this situation Shaykh will always have doubts regarding the instructions given that probably the respectable mind of Mr. Mureed will not accepts them. In this case how will he feel motivated to instruct this mureed.

(Hence) It is best to abandon this heedless Shaykh and select another Shaykh. This new Shaykh can be your lower-self (nafs) or some other individual.”

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 651

Tajweed

Two young medical students who were receiving religious instructions from Hadhrat Mawlana  Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah  preserve him) came to live at Darul Uloom, Karachi in December 1991 to be in the blessed company of their Shaykh.

In their first meeting with the Shaykh, in addition to other important issues, Hadhrat instructed them to set up an appointment with Qari Abdul Malik sahib, the qirat expert at Darul Uloom, to have their recitation of Quran e kareem be evaluated.

Confusing state and the reality

An individual wrote, “In Bombay I informed you that I had pledged (bay’a) to late Shah……..Madrasi. After bay’a, even without starting any wird my emotions were ecstatic. In salah I felt so much pleasure that I can not tell.

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Thanwi (may Allah have mercy on him) replied, “This emotional condition is from the category of states (ahwal). These are neither the objective (of bay’a) nor are they permanent. To consider them the goal results in nothing but despair and misery.”

The individual continued, “Shah sahib passed away and all those emotional states and yearning started to decrease. Now I do not find pleasure in anything. The salah is done as a routine without any pleasure.”

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma commented, “If this state of not feeling any pleasure is accompanied with steadfastness on prescribed actions (‘amal) then it is called constriction (qabd). This is from elevated states and has numerous benefits. However, if this (your) state is with abandonment of the required actions then it is veiling (hijab). It can be rectified by returning to the prescribed actions.”

The individual added, “This seems to be the bad result of my actions and sins.”

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma comforted him, “No. Rather, lack of insight in this art (of Tasawwuf) is its basis. Its remedy is very easy. That is to concentrate on the essential principles (of Tasawwuf, that is, to gain pleasure of Allah) and being steadfastness on actions required (as per Shariah).

The individual further informed, “Now whenever I hear of a Shaykh I seek him out and visit him.”

Hahdrat Hakim al-Umma advised, “These are the signs of true desire (talab). However, until you follow a thoroughly realized (muhaqiq) Shaykh and continuously keep him informed (of your condition) the objective will not be achieved. And even if (supposedly) it is achieved, due to the lack of insight (in art of Tasawwuf) contentment will not be achieved (even after arriving at the goal).”

The individual added, “These Shuykh instruct me lengthy adhkar.”

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma, “This is a sign that they are not thorough (muhaqiq).”

The individual, “My heart is dead. It does not have any desire to pray. I can not do all these remembrance (dhikr) and litanies (wadhifa).”

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma, “The real (muhaqqiq) Shaykh keeps in consideration all the conditions of the seeker and instructs him accordingly.”

The individual, “Molvi………Farangi-mahali visited us here. I heard that he is also a traveler on this path (of sulook). I met him and begged him for help. He instructed me to recite few litanies (wadhifay). I could barely comply to there recitation for a week.”

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma, “Quite contrary to my usual practice, merely due to your pure desire and seeking I disclose the truth to you that whatever you heard about him was a huge mistake of the informant. This individual is not even at the very starting point of this path.”

The individual elaborated, “Prior to the recitation of these litanies and remembrance desire and yearning has to be rekindled in my wretched heart.”

Hakim al-Umma emphasized, “There is no need to do effort for this even. Volitional (ikhteyari) actions (a’mal)are the feet of this path of sulook. Walk with them.”

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 705-6

Effectiveness of dhikrullah is contingent on…

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) instructed a spiritual aspirant,

“All praise to Allah, your condition is good. However, as yet the effects of Allah’s remembrance (dhikrullah) have not appeared in you.  These effects are contingent on talking less (talil e kalam), reduced intermingling with people (taqlil e ikhtelat ma’al inam)and decreased attention and involvement in engrossing relationships (qilat e iltifat ilal ta’aluqat).”

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 463

Vigilant dervish

Shaykh Abu Madyan al-Maghrabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

“A dervish who is not vigilant about the increase or decrease in his inner state every moment is not a (true) dervish indeed.”

Ashraf us sawanih, volume 2, page 472 (Excellent jadeed edition published in 1427H)