How to protect the eyes from unlawful?

A sincere individual requested advice of our pious elders on how to protect the eyes who have become used to seeing the unlawful.

Following information was compiled,

MashaAllah, you are aware of the problem. That is the most important step towards its elimination. Do not despair.

Ask advice from your Shaykh also. Follow it thoroughly. If you can not be consistent with his recommendation and God-forbid slip, tell that also to the Shaykh. InshaAllah, eventually you will succeed.

Effective things in protecting the eyes that come from our akabir are,
1. Firm determination not to indulge in unlawful.
2. Abstaining from the sources where it may come. Mixed gathering, magazines,
internet.
3. Making repentance immediately if you slip.
4. Making it essential on yourself to pray at least 8 units (ra’akat) of nafil as penalty (jurmanah) for each episode.
5. Making lot of suplication. Ask, beg and plead, O Allah! I want to abstain, I am weak, please, give strength in my determination and help me.
6. Asking your Shaykh and other pious Muslims for prayers (dua).
7. Never give up.
8. Effectively managing your time, so there is no waste of it in useless or sinful. For this a practical daily time table is essential.
9. Being consistent with your daily wird as prescribed by the Shaykh.

May Allah give me and you the tawfiq of abstaining from all that is sinful and make us His true slave . Ameen

Clearfying baseless assumptions

A spiritual aspirant wrote,

“A very close relative of mine is upset with me based on his assumptions that in private I have a grudge against him. In fact this is not the case. Is it essential for me to clear this up and ensure friendly relations with him?”

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

“If your conscience is clear then it will be inappropriate to actively pursue and clarify these baseless assumptions.”

Islahi khutoot

What to do?

In regards to the present depressing condition of the Ummah, Hadhrat Mawlana Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) said,

“It is grossly inappropriate to waste time discussing the current situation the Muslim Ummah is in these days. The best thing is to turn towards Allah and ask for forgiveness and guidance in this regards.

Our pious elders have stated that if in a difficult situation a person’s attention towards Allah is increased then it means that these hard times are there to atone his misgivings and elevate his status in here-after. However, if he turns away from Allah then it is feared to be a punishment. May Allah save us all from it.”

Waaz 22 July 2007, Darul Uloom Karachi, after asr islahi bayan

وہ

وہ اتنے تھے قریب کے دل ہی میں مل گۓ

میں جا رہا تھا دور کا ساماں کیۓ ہوۓ

خواجہ عزیزالحسن مجذوب رح

Ignore

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

“It is not beneficial to confront and repudiate everything that is eccentric. Somethings have to be just ignored. This ignoring them is their solution.”

Islahi majalis, volume 4, page 242

Actions are by belief

Hadhrat Mawlana Wasiullah sahib (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

“Actions are done due to the believe (eman) and are not executed on understanding the logic behind them.”

Talefat e Wasiul Umma, volume 1, page 

We have to evaluate our practices on Sunna and recommended (mustahebat) acts based on this principle.

Late night discussions

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

“I feel like shooting those individuals who I observe are engaged in discussions after isha salah (evening prayers).”

This is to emphasize the importance of taking means to ensure waking up for tahajjud salah, which is essential for those traveling the path.

حضوری

تو سمجھتا اسے کیوں حضوری نہیں

جب کہ دوری میں احساس دوری نہیں

(حضرت محمد احمد رح)

Shaykh’s karama

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

“A sincere seeker (talib) at all times witness’s in himself the real miracles (karama) of his Shaykh. That is, by contemplating about his progress over a period of time from darkness into light.”

Waaz: al’abd ur rabbani,Huqooq o faraiz, Khutbaat volume 4, page 105

Reason for delay in effective islah

Masih al-quloob Hadhrat Mawlana Masihullah Khan (may Allah have mercy on him) said,

“These days effective reformation (islah) is taking longer duration to be accomplished. The reasons for it are, firstly, the the seeker acts on his own suggestions instead of the Shaykh’s instructions. And secondly, the seeker holds his effort in high standing (and is looking forwards to their reward).”

Majalis e masih al-Umma, volume 1, page 126

Call of the heart

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

“In regards to obeying or not following the call of the heart (taqaza e qalb) there is further elaboration.

For a traveler on the path (salik) who has not as yet attained the annihilation of his base desires (fana e nafs) he should act against the calling of his heart.

For him who has been blessed by Allah (that is, he has achieved fana e nafs) he should do as per the call of his heart.”

Ifadatul yomiya, volume 10, page 70

Solitude/Khalwat

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

“Even if a person is not able to perform other works (for his spiritual progress), he should at least appoint some time daily and sit silently in solitude. Doing this, inshaAllah, will direct him to the path.”

Rehmat al Qudoos translation & commentary of Allama Ibn Abi Jumra ra’s Bahjatun nafoos, page 23

Avoiding useless

Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) instructed a spiritual aspirant,

“Avoid all useless activities. Everything that is permissible but does not have any benefit in this life or the life to come is useless. Contemplate before indulging in any activity whether this is useful for me or not. Be vigilant. Involvement in useless is a big obstacle in traversing the path (sulook).”