Supplicating for the philanthropist

An individual reported that he read that a pious precedent Shaikh use to recite the name of the grand Shaikh of his tariqa eleven times each day in the morning. Most likely this was in a form of supplication which the narrator accidentally omitted to mention. Since then that individual made a routine to supplicate every day mentioning the name of sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) eleven times. It was like this,

1. O Allah! Protect Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani db.

2. O Allah! Give Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Usmani db a long, healthy and productive life.

3. O Allah! Give barakah in Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani db’s time, work and effort.

4. O Allah! Safe guard Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani db and his family, especially from terrorism.

5. O Allah! Forgive the parents of Mufti Mohammad Usmani db and raise their status in hereafter.

6. O Allah! Forgive the Shuyukh and teachers of Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani db and raise their status in hereafter.

7. O Allah! Under the guidance of Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani safeguard Darul Uloom Karachi from all internal and external strifes and let it flourish abundantly.

8. O Allah! Protect and help the relatives, disciples and admirers of Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani db.

9. O Allah! Give me absolute congeniality (munasbet), reverence and love of Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani db both intelectually (aqli) and emotionally (taba’i).

10. O Allah! You have made Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani db to be the manifestation of Your attribute ‘The Guide’ (al-Hadi) for me. Please, facilitate for me benefiting from him spiritually to the maximum.

11. O Allah! Please, lift me up to the standards of an ideal & perfect murid of Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani db.

Amin!

Sayyidi wa sandi Shaikh Mufti Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) replied,

‘May Allah reward you for making these precious supplications routinely for this lowly person. Please, add to it that Allah facilitates with ‘afiyet the completion of my esoteric and exoteric reformation (islah).’

Islahi khutoot (qalmi)

Dover, New Hampshire

Educating self & others

Shaikh Sari Saqati (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘He who is incapable of educating himself is even more incapable of educating others.’

Jawami’ Adab al-Sufiya, page 32

Educating here means to act on the knowledge acquired not mere awareness of the text and information alone.

North Crawford Notch, New Hampshire

Adab

 

An individual inquired what was the reason that fajr adhan was delayed till approximately fifteen minutes after the appearance of astronomical twilight (end of sehri) in Darul Uloom Karachi’s mosque.

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) replied,

‘Our respected teacher and past chief mufti at Darul Uloom Karachi Mufti Rasheed Ahmad (Allah have mercy on him) considered fajr timing to start when sun was 15 degrees below the horizon. However, the authentic ruling is that it starts when it is 18 degrees below and praying after that is permissible. It is only in respect of him that the adhan is said at the this later timings.’

Ramadan 1432/August 2011

Mount Washington, NH

Keenness in performing good deeds

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) visited the blessed Haram in Makkah for couple of hours after ‘esha prayers. The Hajj season had started. The mataf (the area around Ka’aba) was full of enthusiastic hajjis. Performing tawaf was a challenging task. The local individuals accompanying Sayyidi were reluctant to do so. However, Sayyidi performed three tawafs with agility and enthusiasm in this short duration. He was completely absorbed in making supplications during them. It was difficult to keep pace with him.

It was indeed an example for lazy individuals like us to be keen in performing virtuous acts of worship, especially in sanctified places and times.

October 4th, 2011 Makkah al-mukarramah

North Conway, NH

Intention of islah

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,

‘It is essential to have the intention of islah while visiting the pious to benefit spiritually.

My respected teacher Mufti Rasheed Ludhyanawi (Allah have mercy on him) one day instructed me that your father is a very pious individual (Shaikh) however to benefit from him spiritually  make an intention of islah while visiting him instead of keeping the usual son-father relationship.

All praise is for Allah. After this He gave me the tawfiq to do this and the results were amazing.’

Waaz: Sunday 25th September 2011

Khushu: Presence of mind in salah

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh  Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said, i

It is recommendable that while reciting sura al-Fatiha in salah to stop at each verse for few seconds and bring to mind the response Allah gives to the the praying individuals as it has been reported in the text Sahih al-Muslim. l

Allah the Exalted had said: I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks.i

When the servant says: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe, Allah the Most High says: My servant has praised Me.i

And when he (the servant) says: The Most Compassionate, the Merciful, Allah the Most High says: My servant has lauded Me.o

And when he (the servant) says: Master of the Day of judgment, He remarks: My servant has glorified Me. and sometimes He would say: My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me.u

And when he (the worshiper) says: Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help, He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for.i

Then, when he (the worshiper) says: Guide us to the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou hast been Gracious not of those who have incurred Thy displeasure, nor of those who have gone astray, He (Allah) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks for.i

قال رسول الله صلى الله علیه وسلم :قال الله تعالى : قسمت الصلاة بینی وبین عبدی نصفین ، ولعبدی ما سأل ،

فإذا قال العبد:{الحمد لله رب العالمین}، قال الله:حمدنی عبدی .

فإذا قال:{الرحمن الرحیم}، قال:اثنى علی عبدی.

فإذا قال:{مالک یوم الدین}،قال :مجدنی عبدی.

وإذا قال:{إیاک نعبد وإیاک نستعین}، قال:هذا بینی وبین عبدی ، ولعبدی ما سأل.

فإذا قال :{اهدنا الصراط المستقیم.صراط الذین أنعمت علیهم غیر المغضوب علیهم ولا الضالین}، قال:هذا لعبدی .ولعبدی ما سأل.

حدیث صحیح امام مسلم

Dars Tafseer -e-Quran, (Being recorded at al-Hira School audio room, Darul Uloom Karachi) Ramadan 1432/August 2011. Please, make dua that this mega project is completed with ‘afiyet. JazakAllah.e

Encouragement for bayah

 

Hakim al-Ummah Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘Encouraging others for bayah (by a Shaikh himself) is against the way of our pious elders.

The acceptance and repudiation is from Allah. Means and effort (to acquire or remove them) do not play an active role in this regards.’

Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 3, page 27

Tarbiyah with affection

A seeker from Iran visited sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) in Ramadan. After office hours at ‘asr salah he informed the Shaikh that he intended to stay in Darul Uloom for few days to be in his company.

The Shaikh was obviously displeased by this casual attitude. He was severely reprimanded for not providing this vital information during the working hours so that the arrangements for his stay and food could be made accordingly with ease. Now after-hours this was a difficult task to perform. He was sternly counseled for this inappropriate behavior.

Shaikh’s personal assistant went out of the way and made these arrangements. JazakAllah.

Next day in office Shaikh sat beside this seeker on the chairs reserved for visitors and explained to him gently and affectionately the importance of proper timely communications to avoid discomfort to other individuals. Shaikh made sure he understood his mistake. The love, affection and sincerity in Shaikh’s demeanor was striking to all those present.

Moreover for heartening the seeker’s spirit the Shaikh presented him a gift and made arrangements for his journey back home to be with his family at Eid in a timely manner.

28th Ramadan 1432/29th August 2011, Office, Darul Uloom Karachi.

 

رمضان المبارك ١٤٣٢ بیان :١

سیدی و سندی حضرت مولانا مفتی محمد تقی عثمانی صاحب مدظلھم العالی

وعظ

رمضان المبارك ١٤٣٢ بیان :١