Etiquettes of being Civilized #1

1. You visit someone or want to ask a question from someone, but you observe that he is busy in some activity. For example, he is reading Quran, or his wird, or purposely sitting in solitude writing, or getting ready to go to sleep,etc.. In summary any activity that your intervention will distract him from and be a source of encumbrance and discomfort, then it will be best to avoid any talk with him at that time. Wait till he is free.

However, if it is regarding something absolutely essential then ask his permission before proceeding.

2. While waiting to meet someone. Do not sit in place or adopt a posture that shows the person you are waiting for him. It will unnecessarily distract him and cause spiritual inattentiveness. You should wait for him at a distant place away from his sight.

3. Do not shake hands with someone whose hands are occupied, and freeing them will be an unpleasant task. Suffice on greeting him with salaam only.

4. Similarly, when visiting a person who is very busy do not wait to be told to be seated. Find an appropriate place and sit.

5. While talking be direct, concise and clear. Do not use slang, elusive or effusive language.

Aadab ul Ma’ashrat page 9-10

Etiquettes of being a Civilized Individual

The rulings of Shariah have been broadly classified into five categories. They are:
1. those related to the beliefs (‘aqaid)
2. those pertaining to the forms of worship (‘ibadaat)
3. those related to the mutual financial transactions (ma’amlaat)
4. those associated with manners of civilized living (ma’ashrat) and
5. finally, those dealing with the inner morals (ikhlaq)

It is sad to see that most of us, Muslims, only consider a’qaid and ‘ibadaat to be the components of deen and are completely ignorant of the rest.

Few select practicing ones include ma’amlaat to be deen also.

Ikhlaq, all praise to Allah SWT is practiced by those involved in tasawwuf.

The Shariah ruling regarding how to live a civilized life is abandoned by most of us.
However, it is ironic that we brothers/sister who are involved in discussions of higher & lofty realities of Tasawwuf are disregarding the rights of fellow individuals. The fact remains true that the rights of fellow human beings (haqqul ‘abd) can not be forgiven by repentance alone. It require asking forgiveness from the aggrieved individual. Most of us are totally unaware of the rulings of Shariah pertaining to the etiquettes of civilized living. The extent of this ignorance is so great that enemies of Muslims regard Islam to be incompatible with the civilized world life. Post 9/11 western strategy is to modify Islam to make it civilized.Hakeem ul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra being the mujaddid high lighted the importance of these rulings in most of his discourses and writings. The most beneficial of these is a concise treatise “Aadab ul Ma’ashrat” (Etiquettes of Civilized living).
The importance of this book is evident by the fact that it is the first reading in the nisab e Tasawwuf (curriculum for salikeen) recommended by Hakeemul Ummat ra.
The basic principle underlying the rulings of civilized living is,
“My words, actions and attitude should not be the source of any discomfort or annoyance for fellow human beings at all.”
InshaAllah, quotes from this book regarding some important and common lapses in our every day (uncivilized) life will be posted here.
Allah SWT give us the tawfeeq. Ameen!

نصاب تصوف

نصاب تصوف

عارف باللہ ڈاکثرعبدالحئ عارفی قدس سرہ فرما تے ہیں:

حضرت والا رح (حکیم الامت) نے اہل تصوف اور سالکین کے لیے بھی چند کتابوں کا نصاب مقرر فرمایا ہے۔

جس کا پڑھنا اور سمجھنا اور اس کے مطابق عمل کرنا نہایت ضروری ہے۔

انشاءاللہ اس کے مطالعہ سے سالکین کو نفس و شیطان کے مکائد معلوم ہونگے اور ہر طرح کی بدعات و ضلالت باطنیہ کی ضروری اور تفصیلی معلومات حاصل ہوگی۔

اگر کسی عالم سے سمجھ کر پڑھ لیا جاۓ تو ذیادہ مناسب ہے۔

جس طرح کتابوں کی نمبروار ترتیب دی گئ ہے اسی طرح پڑھنے کی ہدایت ہے۔

1۔ آداب المعاشرت حضرت تھانوی رح

2۔ معمولات خانقاہ

3۔ رحمۃ المتعلمین حصہ اول

4۔ تعلیم الدین باب اول و دوم حضرت تھانوی رح

5۔ التکشف حصہ اول حضرت تھانوی رح

6۔ فروع الایمان حضرت تھانوی رح

7۔ نزہۃ البساتین امام یافعی رح

8۔ وعظ: راحت القلوب حضرت تھانوی رح

9۔ تبلیغ الدین: امام غزالی رح

10۔ جہاد اکبر سیدالطائفہ حضرت حاجی امداداللہ صاحب مہاجرمکی رح

11۔ قصد السبیل حضرت تھانوی رح

12۔ تعلیم الدین بقیہ حضرت تھانوی رح

13۔ التکشف حصہ دوم و سوم حضرت تھانوی رح

14۔ مسائل السلوک حضرت تھانوی رح

15۔ کلید مثنوی دفتر ششم حضرت تھانوی رح

16۔ تربیت السالک حضرت تھانوی رح

17۔عوارف المعارف شیخ سہروردی رح

18۔ الدرالمنضود علامہ شعرانی رح

19۔ آداب العبودیۃ علامہ شعرانی رح

20۔ تنبیہ المفترین

21۔ اکمال الشیم شرح الحکم شیخ عطا اللہ اسکندری رح

22۔ رفع الضیق

23۔ اصول الوصول مولانا عبدالغنی پھولپوری رح

24۔ الابتلاء لاہل الصطفاء

مآثر حکیم الامت رح 328

Involvement in Useless & Neglecting Essentails

Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra told the following incident in one of his discourses: 

“An individual approached a religious scholar (‘alim) with the question regarding the status of emaan (faith/belief) of our master Prophet sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam’s parents. That is if they were Muslim or not?

The alim saheb asked the inquirer do you know the faraiz (essentials) of namaz (salah)?
He replied that he did not know them.
Disapproving of this attitude, the scholar rebuked him. Salah will be the first thing to be evaluated on the Day of Judgment. It is grossly erroneous not to be aware of the faraiz of namaz, which one has to perform five times daily. There is a great chance that by not having knowledge of them one will ruin his salah.
However, (being so neglectful of essentails) one is doing research regarding the emaan of our master Prophet sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam’s parents. This is for sure a matter neither will we be questioned on the Day of Judgment about nor any of our worldly affairs depends on.”
(Ar rafiq fi sawa etareeq 22)

As has be reported by the truthful & trustworthy our master Prophet sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam’s : The beauty of one’s Islam is to leave what does not concern him.

For us, who are on tareeq and trying to develop a relationship with our Lord SWT, daily reading from Bashiti Zewar and mawaiz/malfoozat of Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra is necessary to develop the essental understanding of our deen.
Wa ma taufiqi ila billah

درود تنجينا

اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه
صلاة تنجينا بها من جميع الأهوال والآفات
-وتقضي بها جميع الحاجات
وتطهرنا بها من جميع السيئات
وترفعنا بها عندك أعلى الدرجات
وتبلغنا بها أقصى الغايات من جميع الخيرات
في الحياة وبعد الممات
انك على كل شى قدير

It was a routine of Hazrat Arifbillah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi ra to recite this durood 3 times every day with his ma’moolat (wird) at fajar.

When will the Qiyamah (Apocalypse) be?

Grand Mufti of Pakistan, senior khalifa of Hakeemul Ummat ra, Mufti Mohammad Shafi’i ra wrote:

Wise men have said:

مَنْ مَاتَ فَقَدْ قَامَتْ قَََيَامَتُه‘

meaning that the individual who dies his Qiyamah happens at that very moment.
(That is, so because the opportunity for virtuous action ends and some glimpses from the reward (or punishment) of the hereafter start from the grave).

(M ‘aariful Quran volume 3 page 500)

It is not fardh or wajib!

A common statement we hear every day when discussing Islamic rulings regarding an issue.

However, without any doubt and difference between the fuqha (shariah jurist) the matter may be a confirmed Sunnah.

Belittling a Sunnah is not a simple thing.
Ignoring it causes loss of great barakah & blessing. Whereas denying its importance or makeing fun of it may be equivalent to disbelief!

Mufti e azam Pakistan Mufti Mohammad Shafi’i ra khalifa of Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat ra said;
“There are numerous minor (sagerah) sins. All actions performed against the Sunnah method are minor (sagerah) sins.For example, one drinks water without reciting ‘bismillah’, this is a minor sin. Also, if one eats or drinks using the left hand, this is a minor sin.”(Majalis Mufti-e-azam Albalagh J1,1410 pg 294)

It is even more astonishing to hear such arguments from ‘traditional sunni’ spiritual aspirants. Especially from Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat ra silsila’s affiliates.

Hazrat Thanwi quddus sirrahu said that in our tareeq (path) the goal is achieved comparatively quickly. The reason being the extraordinary emphasis laid on following the Sunnah of Allah’s beloved prophet sallalaho alehey wa alehi wasalam. This makes the achievement of goal by jazb (Divine attraction/pull) rather than sulook (personal effort and toil).

As it is said in the holy Quran;
(O Prophet!) Tell (them) that if you want to love Allah (swt), then you should follow me. (By this) Allah swt will love you and forgive all your sins. Indeed! Allah swt is all forgiving and merciful. (3:31)

Our understanding of these terms: fardh, wajib, sunnah & mustaheb needs to be re-evaluated.

Most of us sort out actions according to these categories and stick to the faradh & wajib only.
We consider sunnah & mustaheb to be optional choice reserved for the committed elite.

This is totally against the Ahl-us-Sunnah methodology.
The classification of actions by the fuqaha as Faradh, Wajib, Sunnah and mustaheb is a late development in the Islamic fiqh history. These terms were not used during the period of Sahaba and the ta’baeen. They just copied the actions as done by the Prophet salalaho alehey wa alehei wasalam (that is the way of Sunnah).

Kisi ko dekhtey rehna namaz thi meri

However, with passage of time a system evolved to assess the acceptability of actions tainted by omission or negligence. That is, to ascertain if these deficient actions are valid or they have to be repeated. It is then that the fuqaha developed this nomenclature. They never meant to propagate the bare essential compulsory acts, disregarding & discarding the Sunnah.

We need to correct this concept and correct our actions accordingly.

A sunni can never belittle any Sunnah.

Faith & Sin

Hakeemul Ummat ra writes under the section of ‘Aqaid/Beliefs in Bashiti Zewar

General Beliefs #3.

By regarding a sin to be permissible, one’s Imaan (faith) goes away.

(Allah SWT protect us all from this. Ameen!)

General Belief s # 4.

No matter how serious a sin may be, as long as it is regarded as a sin, Imaan will remain. However, it (Imaan) does get weaker ([luster] diminishes).

Sidiq more important than Ikhlas

Sayyidi wa sanadi Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani db said the following explaining the difference between the stations (maqam) of sidiq (thruthfulness) and ikhlas (sincerity) ;

“Understand by this example.
A person wants to travel to Lahore from Karachi.
He makes a firm determination that he really has to go there.
He makes the proper arrangements, schedules a day for departure and gets the tickets for the trip.
On the appointed day he picks his belonging and boards the bus.
However, once he is few hundred miles on the road, he finds out this bus is going to Quetta Not Lahore.
If he continues on this bus he will never reach Lahore?
Never!

Why?

Was there any doubt about his firm determination to travel to Lahore?
Had he not prepare well?
Did he not buy the tickets, reach the station on correct time and board the bus?

Yes, indeed.
In other words he had total ikhlas (sincerity) in determination and action.
But he boarded the wrong bus! The one travelling in the other direction.

This correct direction thing is the sidiq of Sufiya.

See Sidiq counts even more than ikhlas.
Sometimes a infidel commits kufur with extreme ikhlas.
Similarly all bida’ats (innovations in matter of religion) are done with total ikhlas. But they completely lack sidiq.

The correct direction/method/way (that is sidiq) is the following of Sunnah in all matters.

May Allah SWT give us the true understanding and following of deen.
Ameen.

The Real Humility

Hakeemul Ummat Hazrat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra,
a Hafiz e Quran, a scholar ( ‘alim, mufassir, muhaddith & mufti)
the author of 1079 publications,
Sheikh to thousands of seekers,
said while addressing a gathering of mureedeen during the month of Ramadhan:

“Believe me!
I am in the state of fasting (i.e to stress the truth of my words).
And I swear to it ( to emphasize my point).
I consider myself neither to be superior to any fellow Muslim right now and as a matter of fact, (i.e. because superiority is for those who are close to Allah SWT. And this is a secret matter.)
nor to any infidel eventually and as an assumption (as he may accept Islam, excel in good deeds and leaving me behind. Whereas I due to my wrong doings fall in to disbelief).”

Where do I stand?

صدقے احمد صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم

صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم

 

یا الہی!

 

صدقے احمد کے یہ ہے امید تیری ذات سے

کہ بدل کر دے مرے عصیان کو حسنات سے

 

صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم

 

منظوم شجرہ سلسلہ چشتیہ امدادیہ اشرفیہ/مناجات مقبول