It is not interesting!

Referring to the common complaint by spiritual aspirants, “I do not feel it to be interesting”, when instructed to do the essentials of tareeq (wird, informing their condition regularly to the Sheikh, reading the prescribed texts, etc.) routinely, Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani shaib db said:

“Till when will you remain a slave of your feelings?

Irrespective of it being interesting to you, it is essential.

It is like the medicine for the sick. It may taste awful but it has the cure.

Be determined and overcome these feelings!”

Ramadhan 1426, after zuhar majlis

Why zikir?

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said;

“In order to develop within the nafs (inner self) capability of improvement and to facilitate and strengthen the treatment methods prescribed (to rectify one’s morals/behavior), the Sheikh instructs recitation of certain azkar (plu.zikir) & involvement in ashgal (special zikir exercises).”

Tarbiyatus Salik, volume 1, page7

This should make clear the status of sufic zikir.

It is an auxiliary to the real work & effort of rectifying one’s morals.

Reading habit

Sayyid wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db told an individual:

“Make it a daily routine to read from the mawaiz (lectures), malfoozat (discourses) and other books of Hazrat Hakemmul Ummat (Mawlana Ashrafi Ali Thanawi) qadas sirrahu.

Do not be negligent. Reading even a single page daily is beneficial.

They are indispensable for those travelling the tareeq (spiritual path).”

Entertainment for purdah observing

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db adviced an individual:

“You should take special care and arrange for sources of permissible entertainment for your wife, who observes purdha“.

PF:Mataar Jeddah, al-fursan lounge 31/1/07, to Dubai, MENA-Prevnar Conference

Spiritual reformation

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said:

“Spiritual development and training is related to acquisition of maqamat (spiritual stations), ahwal (spiritual states), acts of worship and their subtle affects, recieving waridat (divinely intutions) and warding off evil whispherings (khatirat).

It has been exprienced that without these essential components islah e batin (reformation of inner self) can not occur.”

Tarbiyat us salik, page 5

Message of Masnavi

مثنوى در شش مجلد يك نوا ست

حاصل آن غوطه در بحر فنا ست

خاتمه مثنوى از مولوى الهى بخش رح كليد مثنوى جلد 24, ص 598

The six volumes of masnavi say in one voice,

Our essence is to dive deep into the ocean of annihilation!

صحبت

صحبت عا شق تراعاشق كند

صحبت فاسق ترا فاسق كند

خاتمه مثنوى از مولوى الهى بخش رح

كليد مثنوى جلد 24, ص587

The company of a lover will make you a lover,

and the company of a sinner will make you a sinner!

Things to do lifelong

A salik complained of his poor spiritual state?

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db advised him:

“Be thankful for what you have.

Repent for the omissions.

Make dua (for future apprehensions).

These are the actions to be done lifelong (to achieve & maintain a spiritual state).”

Islahi khutoot

عشق

عشق آں شعلہ است کہ چوں بر فروخت

ہر چہ جز معشوق باقی جملہ سوخت

Eshiq (intense love) is a fire, when ingnited

It engulfs & destroys everything except the Beloved!

Treatment of unintentional thoughts

A salik wrote: While I am reciting my daily wird, thought comes to my mind that if someone saw me doing this what would he think. Is this riya (ostentation)?

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db replied:

“If you abandon your wird, acting on this thought then this will be riya.

However, if you continue the recitation then there is no sin (riya) in these unintentional thoughts.

This is the treatment for these unintentional thoughts. That is, not to pay any attention to them. Ignore them and renew your concentration towards the wird.”

Islahi khutoot

پندار

خواجہ پندارد کہ مرد واصل است

حاصلے خواجہ بجز پندارد نیست

The gentleman brags that I have achieved the goal,

The only thing that this gentleman has achieved is bragging!

Separate living after marriage

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said;

“In this day and age it is most appropriate that soon after marriage adult children live separate from their parents. This is blissful for both of them.”

Tuhfa e zowjain, page 2

“This separate residence is an essential (wajib) right of the wife (when she demands it). Even if parents oppose (moving out), they are not to be obeyed.”

Imdadul fatawa, page 525, via: Tohfa e zowjain, page 22

Supporting son/brother-in-law

Hazrat Mawlana Yusuf Ludhiyanawi shaheed ra (khalifa of Sheikhul Hadith Mawlana Zakariya ra & Hazrat Arifi ra) said;

“It is reported from Hazrat Hatim ‘Asim ra that if there is disagreement either between your sister and brother-in law or your daughter and son-in-law you should be taking sides with your in-laws.

By doing this you will safe guard the piety of you sister and daughter. Whereas if you support your sister and daughter against their husbands you will harm their piety.”

Jang Karachi, Iqra, 7/12/1990

‘Abd

Mufti e ‘azam Pakistan, Hazrat Mufti Mohammad Shafii sahib ra writes:

“The translation of word ‘abd’ is slave (bandah). The one who is owned by his master. His body, all his decisions and activities are bound to the authority and approval of his master.

Only that person is worthy of being called a slave (bandah) of Allah SWT who’s beliefs, thoughts, aspirations, desires and all positive and negative activities are as per the orders and approval of his master (Allah SWT). He is always remains attentive to act as oredered.”

Ma’ariful Quran, (Urdu), volume 6, page 502

Allah SWT make us a real ‘abd. Ameen!