Abstaining from Sins

Sidi wa sanadi Hazrat Moulana Mufti Taqi Usmani sahib db has repeatedly told us that;
“Abstaining from all sins is of paramount importance for those in sulook. If you perform extra (nafil) worship but you do not abstain from sins it is useless.
Giving up and trying ones best to avoid all sins is essential.
How can one cool the room when all the doors and windows are wide open? Even the most powerful airconditioner will fail to do so.”

Islahi/Self-improvement correspondence!

Sheikh for self-improvement is a corner stone in Ashrafi path(tareeq).

Islahi Makatebat/ correspondence with the

Letters (emails) should be written at regular intervals (usually once a month).

They should include details regarding ones spiritual condition.
That is,
– If all the faraiz, wajibat and sunnah are being carried out as prescribed by Shariah. For example, is one unable to perform Fajer salah at time with jam’ah?
– Are the acts pending for completion of taubah (repentance) being fulfilled accordingly, e.g. qaza salah/zikat/saum being done.
– Is one performing the zikr & tasbehats prescribed
– Most importantly details regarding the m’amlats/social interaction. Especially where one notices that a blame worthy moral traits was a driving force or one lacked the praise worthy moral trait. For example, being envy (having hasad) when seeing brother-in-laws new Lexus car.
– Informing about one’s over-whelming or troublesome thoughts
– Requesting dua.
– Informing about any extra ordinary dream (seldom done).

This is the rabitah-e-Sheikh/Getting connected with Sheikh. Without it taking ba’iyet & traversing the sulook is just a dream.

This is the Ashrafi Khanqah/Zawiya!

wa taufiqi ilabillah!

Real Kindness for Fellow Brothers

Sheikh Akber Sultanul Awliya Muhiuddin Ibn Arabi ra said:

“ The meaning of being kind and merciful to your fellow brethren is nothing except saving them from hell, guiding them to paradise,
leading them out of ignorance towards knowledge,
from being guilty towards devotion and
from loss towards perfection.
This is so, because no individual can complete his faith (eman) until he wishes the same for his fellow brethren what he desires for himself.”

Aadabul Sheikh wal Mureed
(Urdu Translation by Mufti Mohammad Shafi’i ra under supervision of Hakeemul Ummat ra. Page 3,4)

What will the People Say!

Hakeemul Ummat Moulana Shah Ashraf Thanwi ra siad

“As the relationship with Allah swt (t’aluq ma’Allah) increases the greed and fear from creation (mukhluq) decreases.
However, sometimes intrinsic weakness may be an exception for the fear from people.”

Sawanih wa ta’lemat e Hazrat Arifi ra pg 382

Acquiring Real Knowledge

Hakeemul Ummat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi ra said;

“The real knowledge (‘ilm) is perceiving the reality which makes you restless until you act according to it. This knowledge (‘ilm) is acquired via an inspirational state (haal). This inspirational state (haal) is acquired by the company of Pious (ahlel-Allah).”

Ahsan us Sawanih page 42

End Result & Conclusion of Tareeq

Hazrat Allama Syed Suliman Nadvi ra khalifa of Hakeemul Ummmat ra said;

“Yearning to achieve Allah swt’s pleasure in each and every action is the end result of this tareeq (path).
And when this relationship is firmly established between Allah swt and His slave, it is known as the ‘nisbet’ in sufi parlance.”

Tazkeraeya-e-Suliman ra pg 412

Thankfulness: Shuker

Sidi wa sanadi Hazrat Moulana Mohammad Taqi Usmani db said:

“What is the meaning of shuker (being thankful to Allah swt)?
It means that these bounties of Allah swt which I possess, I did not deserve them and I have no right over them. But Allah swt by His kindness and as a favour gave them to me. Therefore, I should be thankful and feel obliged to Him.”

Islahi Majalis 1/265

Ruining the Heart via Tongue & Eyes

Hakeemul Ummat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi ra said

“Two things completely ruin the heart and destroy its luminosity. One is backbiting (ghiba) the other is seeing the unlawful (bad-nigahi). But both of them have become widespread these days.”

Sawanih wa ta’lemat e Hazrat Arifi ra pg 382

Our Sins

Mufti e azam Pakistan Mufti Mohammad Shafi’i ra khalifa of Hazrat Hakeeul 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

Establishing the Goal

In response to a question by a spiritual aspirant Arifbillah Dr. Abdul Hayy ra said;

“First find out of what is this yearning of yours for and how will? your thirst? be quenched.
Also, find out what deen (religion) is and why do you want it?

Establishing the goal is essential.
If the goal is attainment of pleasure (ridha) of Allah swt then understanding what is meant by it is necessary. May be the aspirant might have a different understanding of attainment of pleasure of Allah swt. He may consider it to be the recitation of special formulas and litanies (award o wazaif), renouncing the worldly (tark-e-dunya), abandoning the pleasures (tark-e-lazaat), or unveiling (kashef) & performing supernatural acts(karamat).

Life has many up and downs and no one knows which major hurdles (crises) one may pass through. What are you going to do if at any point in this life’s course you are unable to ascertain whether Allah swt is pleased with you or not?

The safest way is to consider obeying the commands of Allah swt as the goal.

Once you know this is the goal then persist on performing actions as per Shariah.

Ya bum aw ra ya na yabum aarzooay mekuniem
Hasil aayad ya na aayad justoojoay mekuniem

Sawanih wa ta’lemat e Hazrat Arifi ra pg 529

Sidi wa Sanadi db

Sidi wa sanadi Hazrat Moulana Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani sahib db is one of the leading Islamic scholars living today.

He is an expert in the fields of Islamic Jurisprudence(fiqh), Economics, Hadith and Tasawwuf.

Born in Deoband in 1362H(1943 CE), he graduated par excellence form Dars e Nizami at Darul Uloom, Karachi, Pakistan. Then he specialized in Islamic Jurisprudence under the guidance of his eminent father, Hazrat Moulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi sahib ra, the late Grand Mufti of Pakistan. Since then, he has been teaching hadith and Fiqh at the Darul-Uloom, Karachi.
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He has authority to teach hadith from his father Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Maulana Idrees Khandhelawi, Qari Mohammed Tayyeb, Maulana Saleemullah Khan, Mufti Rasheed, Moulana Sehban Mahmood, Allama Zafar Ahmed Usmani, Sheikhul Hadith Moulana Zakariya Khandelawi, Sheikh Hassan Meshat (ra) and others.
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In tradition to the scholars of Deoband, recognizing the importance of Tasawwuf, he traversed the path under the guidance of Sheikh Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi and Moulana Maseehullah Khan both khulafa of Hakeemul Ummat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (rahmetullah ajmaeen). And is authorized by both of his mentors in Silsila e Ashrafia: Chistiyyah, Naqshbandiyah, Qadiriyah and Suharwardiyah. In addition to his busy schedule he is himself a mentor to numerous spiritual aspirants all over the world.
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He also holds a degree in law and was a Judge at the Sharia Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan till recently.
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He is a consultant to several international Islamic financial institutions and has played a key part in the move toward interest free banking and the establishment of Islamic financial institutions. He is considered to be an authority on this subject.
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He is the deputy chairman of the Jeddah based Islamic Fiqh Council of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).
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He has been writing on various Islamic topics and is author of more than 60 books and numerous articles.
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Presently he is the Vice-president of Darul-Uloom, Karachi, Pakistan, where he teaches Sahih Bukhari, Fiqh and Islamic economics.
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He also conducts a weekly session for the public interested in spiritual improvement.

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List of publications.

Here is a partial list of publications authored by Justice Taqi Usmani. (Updated May 2004)
English Books:
1. The Authority of Sunnah
2. The Rules of I’tikaf
3. What is Christianity?
4. Easy Good Deeds
5. Perform Salah Correctly
6. An Introduction to Islamic Finance
7. Historic Judgment on Interest
8. The Language of Friday Khutbah
9. Discourse on Islamic way of Life
10. Sayings of Prophet Muhammad sallalaho alehey wasalam
11. The Legal Status of Following a Madhab
12. Spiritual Discourses
13. Islamic Months
14. Radiant Prayers
15. Quranic Sciences
16. Islam and Modernism
17. Contemporary Fatawa
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Arabic Books:
1. Takmala Fathul Mulhim (An encyclopedic work of interpretation of Sahih Muslim in six volumes).
2. Ma Hea An-Nasraniyah? (What is Christianity?)
3. Nathrat ‘Abarah Houl At-Ta’limi Al-Islamiyah (About Islamic Education).
4. Ahkamu Al-Auraq An-Naqdiyah (Rulings regarding paper money).
5. Bahouth Fee Qadaya Fiqheyah Ma’asirah (Fiqh discussions on some important contemporary issues).
6. Ahkam uz Zibai’h (Islamic rulings for slaughtering animals)
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Urdu Books:
1. Ina’mul Bari (Explanation of famous hadith collection Sahih Bukhari) (9 volumes, 3 published as yet)
2. Asan Nakian (Easy Good Deeds)
3. Undulus Mei Chand Rooz (A Few Days in Andalus/Spain)
4. Islam aur Seasate Hazra ( Islam and Contemporary Politics)
5. Islam aur Jidat Pasandi (Islam and Modernism)
6. Islahe Ma’ashara (Perfecting society)
7. Islahi mawa’iz (Discourses for spiritual perfection) (3 volumes)
8. Islahi Majalis (Discourses on Tasawwuf) (5 volumes)
9. Islahi Khutubat (Discourses on individual spiritual perfection) (13 volumes)
10. Ihkam-e-I’tikaf (The Rules of I’tikaf)
11. Islam aur Jadeed Ma’eeshat wa Tijarat (Islam and Modern Economics & Commerce)
12. Akabir Deoband Kea They? (The Significant Character of Scholars of Deoband)
13. Bible sey Quran Tak (3 volumes)
14. Bible Kea Heh? (What is the Bible?)
15. Pur noor Duain (Radiant Prayers) (Collection of Prayers for all occasions)
16. Tarashey (Excerpts from Islamic works)
17. Taqleed Ki Shari’i Hasiat (The Legal Status of Following a Madhab)
18. Jahaney Deda (Travelogue I)
19. Dunya meray aa’gay (Travelogue II)
21. Hazrat Mu’awiyah (Radi-Allahu anhu) aur Tarikhi Haqa`iq (Hazrat Mu’awiyah Radi-Allahu anhu and the Historical Facts)
22. Hujjiat Hadith (Authority of hadith)
23. Hudhur (Salla-Allahu alayhi wa Sallam) ney Farmaya (Sayings of Prophet Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam)
24. Hakeemul Ummat Kay Siasi Afkar (Political Thoughts of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi ra)
25. Durse Tirmidhi (Explanation of famous hadith collection Sunan e Tirmizi)
26. Deeny Madaris ka Nisab wa Nitham
27. Zikr o Fikr (Collection of articles written for Daily newspaper Jang)
28. Zabet-e-weladat (Birth Control: Islamic rulings)
29. ‘Iesayat kea hey? (What is Christianity?)
30. ‘Uloom ul-Quran (Quranic Sciences)
31. ‘Idalatey Faiseley (Court Rulings)
32. Fard key Islah (Individual Reform)
33. Fiqhi Maqalat (Collection of articles on Islamic Jurisprudence)
34. Maasir Hazrat Arifi (Sayings and memories of Dr Adbul Hayy Arifi ra)
35. Meray Walid Meray Sheikh (My Father, My Sheikh)
36. Milkiate Zamion aur us key tahdid (Land ownership and its limitation)
37. Nashri Taqreerain (Speeches aired on Radio Pakistan)
38. Nuqooshe Raftigan (Obituaries of Islamic Scholars and other dignitaries)
39. Nifaze Shariat aur us key masail (Establishment of Sharia: Problems)
40. Namazein Sunnat key Mutabiq Parhey (Pray Salah according to Sunnah)
41. Hamarey ‘A`eli Masa`il (Our Family Issues)
42. Hamara Ta’lemi Nizam (Our Educational System)
43. Hamara Ma’ashi Nizam (Our Economic Sysytem)
44. Dastoorul amal baeraey talibeen e islah (Instructions for aspirants of spiritual improvement)

May Allah SWT preserve him and grants us the tawfiq to benefit from him.
Ameen, bi-jah-e-Sayyidul Mursaleen.

Contact address: Darul Uloom Karachi
Karachi 75180
Pakistan
Office Tele # : 92 21 35123100
(Between 12 noon and 1 PM only. Pakistan Standard Time)

Accompanying the Pious

Means;

1. To visit them often. And if they are far away to correspond with them via mail.
3. Asking them about religious information and act accordingly.
4. Telling them one’s spiritual deficiencies and acting on the treatment they prescribe.
5. Asking them to make prayers (dua) for you, in all circumstances.
6. Asking them (especially) how to get rid of the unlawful (non-shariah) items in your daily activities and acting on their advice with special consideration

(Malfoozat e Arifi Page 167-8)

Tastefulness of “Ilm

Arif-billah Hazrat Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi ra said;

The physical form(surat) of knowledge (‘ilm) is found in books,
its reality in practicing it and
its tastefulness is experienced by accompanying the pious (awliya).”
(Malfoozat e Arifi 108)