Salik’s social relationships

Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) instructed an individual who complained of very few social relationships:

“This is a good thing. In the initial phase (of traversing the path) social relationships should be few. Abundance of such acquaintances results in involvement in futile activities.”

Islahi khutoot

Committing A Sin Doesn’t Decrease Desire for It

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

“Committing a sin thinking it will decrease [or eliminate] the desire for that sin [in the future] is a deception of Satan.

Yes, the desire will decrease temporarily, but the faculty and power of committing sin will be strengthened [in the long term], resulting in the eradication of sin becoming (difficult) beyond one’s power and strength.”

 

Source: An excellent new blog;
at-Talib
Resources for the Seeker of Knowledge

Avoid causing inconvenience to others

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

The sum total of good character is to avoid causing inconvenience to anyone.

The Messenger of Allah sallahu ‘alayhi wasallam forbade anyone from lifting (hiding) the stick (such as a walking stick) of his Muslim brother even if it is out of jest, for this would cause him distress.

Making people laugh at the expense of others is also prohibited due to the embarrassment and inconvenience it may cause.

Source:

Pearls of the Elders:an excellent blog. Excerpts from the biographies, sayings and writings of the ‘Ulama of Deoband

 

Informing Sheikh regularly is essential

Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) confirmed a senior seeker’s comment that, it is true in most of the cases that if a seeker does not report his spiritual condition to his mentor regularly all further progress is impeded and moreover things already accomplished become obscure.

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 98

Seeker’s tasks

Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in response to an irrelevant question of a spiritual aspirant;

“To ask such question is against the etiquette (adab).

Seeker (talib) has two commitments to fulfill (in regards to self reformation (islahi) correspondence with the Sheikh).

First, is to inform (the Sheikh) of his spiritual condition.

The other is to inquire about the actions to be performed.”

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 99

Repent immediately

Haji Imdadullah Muhajir Makki (may Allah have mercy on him) said;

“If you commit a sin, repent immediately and compensate the action with good works and penitence. Never should you delay repentance.”

Hadhrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) adds that you should repent immediately at the same location where you committed this wretched act. This is to ensure that when on the Day of Judgment (qiyamah) this area of Earth testifies against you it will bear witness that you repented on it also.

Come leaving the arrogance, prepared for humiliation

An individual wrote a letter requesting permission for visiting Hadhrat Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) for self reformation (tazkiya).

Granting permission Hadhrat told him (this will be achievable) only if he comes leaving behind all arrogance and prepared to receive all kinds of humiliation.

Tarbiyat us Slaik, volume 1, page 91

How to perform good deeds and stop committing sins?

An aspirant requested something for recitation (wird) that will assist in performance of good deeds and stop one from committing sins.

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

“Performance of good deeds and giving up sins are both volitional things. Recitations have nothing to do with them.

The method to adopt in implementation of volitional things is to use one’s determination and will power. In order to facilitate the use of determination one needs to do spiritual struggle (mujahida). This is by opposing and resisting the desires of one’s lower self (nafs). Doing this regularly will over time eventually result in facilitation (of effective use of determination).

I have summarized the whole art (of tasawwuf in this answer).”

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 93

Prayers for nisbet

An aspirant inquired: “Is it inappropriate to make dua for nisbet (strong, perpetual, mutually agreeable relationship with Allah SWT)?

Hakeemul Umma Hazrat Thanawi ra replied: “It is most desired (to make such dua).”

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 420

Strategy and goal of tareeq

After describing the reality of tareeqat in detail, Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra summarizes it,

“Thus, salik has to do two things.

One is essential (faraz). That is observance of the commands of Shariah, both exoteric and esoteric. The other is mustaheb (commendable). That is excessive remembrance of Allah SWT.

By observance of the commands of Shariah Allah SWT’s acceptance and by (His) excessive remembrance (His) extra-pleasure and proximity is achieved.

This summarizes the strategy and goal of tareeq.”

Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 8

Obligations on taking the tareeq

Listing the obligations for those who take the (Ashrafiya) tareeq Hakeemul Ummah Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra mentions,

Firstly, one has to read all the eleven parts of Behishti zewar (Heavenly ornaments, essential text of Hanafi fiqh) cover-to-cover, word-by-word. (In case if one cannot read, he/she has to have it read to him, listening attentively.)

Secondly, one has to keep all his/her states as per (the Shari’a rulings described in) Behishti zewar.

Tarbiyat us salik, volume 1, page 8