Quality, not quantity

Maseehul quloob Hazrat Mawlana Maseehullah Khan ra said;

“Increased quantity of good actions is not essential (in this tareeq). It is the finest quality of actions that is required.” 

 Suhbat e salih, Albalagh (urdu), page 117

Not having kashaf is fortunate

Hazrat Mawlana Shah Abdul Qadir sahib Raipuri ra said:

“Those people are very fortunate who do not see anything (in kashaf/unveiling) and arrive at the goal. This is because for these people chances of being led stray are none.”

Sawanih Hazrat Mawlana Shah Abdul Qadir sahib Raipuri ra, by Hazrat Mawlana Abul Hasan Ali Nadvi ra, page 335

Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat db emphasizes on this point repeatedly in his discourses.

Fana is extreme form of love!

Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said;

“In conclusion what is known as fana (annihilation) is an extremely lofty from of love.

That is, all other-than Allah SWT realtionships are so much suppressed that nothing remains to share being worthy of worship. This is the end result of لا اله الاالله .

Neither there exists any thing worthy of being an objective or goal. That is;فليعمل عملا صالحا ولا يشرك بعباده ربه امدا

Nor there exists in the eyes of the salik (seeker) any one besides Him. That is; كل شئى هالك الا وجه”

Waaz: Tareeq e qalander, page 313

The Noble Qur’an

The meanings of the Noble Quran (2 Vol) with explanatory notes by Sayyidi wa sanadi Hazrat Mufti Taqi Usmani sahib db

First English translation of the meanings of the Qur’an done by a traditional alim, muhadith and ‘arifbillah.

Indispensable for the English speaking seekers of knowledge.

MashaAllah, currently Hazrat db is working on a new Urdu translation that will be more readable, understandable and appealing to the contemporary Urdu speaking community.

JazakAllah ta’ala ahsanal jaza.

Religious arguments

A mureed wrote;

“One of my colleagues often talks to me regarding the futility of taqleed, dishonesty of scholars, etc. He wants to argue. I usually listen to him silently, without replying.

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

“This is most appropriate attitude. One should abstain from arguing as much as possible.”

The mureed continued;

“However, if his speech crosses the limit, I reply.”

Sayyidi wa sanadi db replied;

“This should also be very brief.

However, if at any time you feel that he wants to know the truth genuinely then going into details won’t be detrimental.”

Islahi khutoot

Objective of Masnavi

گر شدی عطشان بحر معنوی

فرجئہ کن در جزیرہ مثنوی

فرجہ کن چندانکہ اندر ہر نفس

مثنوی را معنوی بینی و بس

Explaining the above verses Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said;

“In Masnavi, after contemplation it becomes obvious that the objective is to describe the issues related to ‘maiyat e illahiya’ ( معیت الہیہi.e. Allah SWT’s intimacy/proximity with us).”

Kaleed e masnavi, volume 21, page 19

Kaleed e Masnavi

Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra included his commentary on sixth (last) volume of Masnavi of Hazrat Mawlana Jalalud din Rumi ra in the curriculum (nisab e tasawwuf) he recommended for the salikeen under his tarbiyah.

He provided the following reason for this choice;

“It is because I heard from Sayyidi murshidi (Hazrat Haji Imdadullah mohajir Makki ra) that there are more esoteric and deeper meanings in it. A couplet in the very beginning of this volume also points towards this. Some commentators (of masnavi) have reported this explicitly from Hazrat Mawlana Rumi ra that each forthcoming volume is superior in the deeper meanings conveyed from its preceding volume.”

Kaleed e masnavi, volume 21, page 1, Idara e talifat e Ashrafia, Multan, Pakistan.

Kaleed e Masnavi is complete commentary of Masnavi of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi ra. It is Urdu language. Published in 24 volumes by Idara e talefat e Ashrafiya, Multan, Pakistan. Each voulume has between 300 to 500 pages.

A good dream

The real things for a salik are his actions in the wakeful state. However, exceptional dreams are to be reported to the Sheikh only. They provide a window to the subconscious thoughts preoccupying one’s mind. Also, good dreams by those engaged in their islah are source of contentment leading to more good actions.

A mureed wrote;
“Recently I saw Hazrat Haji Imdadullah mohajir Makki ra in my dream. He was tall. Very simple. Wearing a tahmud (izar). Standing silently.”

Sayydid wa sanadi Hazrat Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib db replied;

“May this be a blessing for you. InshaAllah, it seems to be the glad tidings of receiving spiritual benefit (faiz) from him.”

Islahi khutoot

Benefit of being present at the grave and making dua

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said commenting on the verse 84 of surah Tawbah (:nor stand by his grave), said;

“This standing at the grave is beneficial for the deceased…….. This benefit of being present at the grave and making dua, etc. is in addition to the benefit made by dua when not being present there.”

Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Mulook, page 237

Please take note that for us visiting the graves is for making esal e thawab, remembrance of death and this benefit. It should not be for any innovative practices.

As far as the issue of benefiting from the deceased is concerned, it is true, but only when certain specific criteria are met. Most important of them is that the person in attendance and dead both must be sahib e nisbet. Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat ra’s teachings are very clear regarding this.

The worldly that is not blame-worthy!

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra said while commenting on the verse 13 of surah as-saff [:And (He will give you) another (blessing) which ye love: help from Allah and present victory. Give good tidings (O Muhammad) to believers], said;

“Seeking those wordly things by which one gets assistance in his religion is not blame worthy”.

Masail us Sulook min Kalam Malik ul Muluk, page 510, Idarae Islamiyat, Lahore

Friendship of Awliya

Hazrat Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi ra (mujaddid alif thani) said;

“It is an immense blessing that friends of Allah SWT (awliya) consider someone to be their friend.”

(Durr e lasani, Intekhab e maktoobat e Imam Rabbani ra, page 51)