Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘This is known from experience that the companionship of pious is the root cause of all religiosity.
The company of the pious is most superior from all the sources of achieving the reality, the sweet savoring and the majesty of religion.’
Hayyatul Muslimeen, via Uswa-e-Rasool-e-akram (صلى الله عليه و اله وسلم), page 207-8
اللهم صل على حبيبك خير الخلق كلهم دائما” ابد
Shaykh Shah Wasiullah (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“People yearn for vision of the Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) in their dream. However, this is not within our volitional achievements. Therefore, I am telling you a method by which perpetual spiritual vision of the Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) can be achieved.
That method is, to be vigilant in keeping in mind and putting into action the Sunna of each occasion and activity. By doing so the impression and reflection of Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him) will dominate your thoughts. And this is a magnanimous blessing!’
It is easy to say this.
In reality, in spite of being easy, recalling them (at the appropriate time) and acting on them is solely depended on facilitation (tawfiq) from Allah, Most High. In practical life usually we forget and action on Sunna is missed. Therefore, we should (make it a habit to) supplicate, ‘O Allah! By Your mercy facilitate for us thorough following of the Sunna of Your Beloved Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him)’.ذالك فضل الله يوتيه من يشا
Tazkira Musleh al-Ummat ra, page 99 – 100
Stepping out of Masjid al-Haram, Makkah sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) replied to an individual’s (ancient murid & mojaz) question regarding the daily wird,
‘Keep the amount of the daily wird at the level which you can complete easily. However, if on some day you have extra time and desire then go ahead and do more. ‘
He further instructed,
‘Read the book ‘Uswa e Rasool e Akram’ conscientiously and check which Sunna actions you are missing and then include them in your life.’
After esha, Monday 8 Feb 2010
Bab Abdul-Aziz, Masjid al-Haraam, Makkah e mukarramah
Shaikh Ahmad Kabir al-Rifa’i (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Giving money in charity is superior to physical worship and other supererogatory acts of devotion.’
Hakim al-Umma Shaikh Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) commented that this superiority is because charity benefits many individuals (whereas physical worship is beneficial to the doer alone) and also giving money is vexatious for nafs.
Aqwal e Sufiya, page 83
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Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,
‘Focusing on the defects of others makes an individual incognizant of his own deficiencies.
All are ready to criticize others and find the faults. But never ever pay any attention to their own defects.
Today we should analyze this attitude of ours. That is, when we are criticizing others does a feeling of self appraisal arise in us. Do we ponder about our deficiencies?
If we do then why don’t we try to get rid of them.’
Mojudah halaat aur hamari zimaydari
Arif billah Shaikh Dr. Abdul-Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Special effort should be made to keep a beautiful attitude towards one’s wife.
She has adopted your companionship leaving her parents, siblings and other close relatives. You have to compensate her for all these caring relationships by loving her dearly.
If you are patient on anything hurtful from her you will be rewarded (by Allah). Her inappropriate attitude can not be corrected by your anger and wrath. But the best way to achieve that is to control your anger completely at that moment. And some time later (at an appropriate occasion) gently and with compassion let her know the mistake she made. (With this approach) even if she has a grain of aptitude for correction, she will accept your counsel and reform herself.”
Sukoon-e-qalb 46 (Repost)
Shaikh Abdul Qudoos Gangohi [d. 944 Hijri/1537 CE] (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Qutub e ‘Alam Sultan al-Mashaikh Khawaja Nizamuddin Awliya came to know that Shaikh Naseer uddin Chirag Dehlavi (Allah have mercy on them) is reading a book authored by Shaikh Dhunun Misri (Allah have mercy on him). He called him and informed him that this had come to his knowledge and it was his instruction not to do so. The reason being that when you read about the pious predecessors and do not find some of their attributes in your Shaikh the Satan finds a way to sow the seed of contention. Moreover, he creates doubts about your Shaikh in your heart (and mind). This dissipates the effort (of islah & sulook).
The point to pay attention attention in this incident is that he forbade reading such text for Qutub e ‘Alam Shaikh Naseer uddin Chirag Dehlavi (Allah have mercy on them) in spite the fact that he was perfect (kamil) and truthful (sadiq), and truthful can not be misguided by Satan. This forbidding was an admonition for the others.’
Maktubat e Qudusiya, # 89, page 331
Shaykh al-Mashaikh Hazrat Mawlana Shah Hakim Akhter sahib damet-barkatehum
The Prophet of Allah (blessing and peace of Allah be upon him) said,
‘An individual who is on untruth but abandons argumentation and squabbling (by accepting the truth) for him a house will be constructed in the periphery of the Paradise. Whereas, for the individual who is on truth but abandons confrontation and argumentation (He acknowledges that the opponent is not accepting, the time is being wasted and he is fears possibility of blameworthy morals to be be stirred in his nafs) a house will be constructed in the center of the Paradise. (That is certainly superior to the one located in the periphery.) And for the individual who has the best morals a house will be constructed in superior most part of the Paradise.
This is reported in (Sunan e) Tirmizi.
It has been observed that most of the pious in spite of being on truth circumvent the contentious issues and prefer to remain silent when someone squabbles or confronts them. The rationale for this is referred in the Prophetic saying (hadith) translated above.
This attitude (of leaving all argumentation) appears to be desired (characteristic ) as per this hadith.’
Basair e Hakimul Ummat ra, page 577-8
Sayyadi wa sanadi Mawlana Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,
‘Previously it was well known that two individuals seldom slept at night. One is the newlywed. The other is a new disciple (murid). However, the situation has changed for the murid with a very few exceptions.
Apathy is common. Yearning and desire to progress is totally lacking. Completing the daily basic wird is a humongous unsuccessful challenge even after years of relationship with the mentor. This is a common complaint in their islahi letters. What can be done in this regards? No one can do what you have to do yourself. There are no magic potions, amulets or invocations to facilitate this.
Even senior aspirants are stuck on the very basic wird. Aspiration for doing more remembrance (dhikr) and communicating this desire to the mentor is absent. Remember the Shaykh is not going to advance you to the next level until you verbalize your interest and show progress.’
Ramadhan 1429
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Hakim al-Umma mujadid Shaykh Mawlana Shah Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘None of us can surpass the ranks of the Holy Companions (sahaba). They were also afflicted with such worrisome random thoughts (waswasa) that they approached the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and said that they felt it was easier to burn and turn to char then to utter them. However, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) replied;
ذاك صریح الایمان
It is very obvious that there can be no worst random thoughts than that of unbelief (kufr). However, this ruling applies even to it.
If there are such overwhelming random thoughts then one should use the prescription of diverting one’s thoughts towards something else. This something else could even be a worldly matter, like carrot halwa or turnip pickle. Thoroughly occupying one’s thoughts with (the list of) their ingredients, amounts and recipe. Diverting the thoughts in this manner will indeed require effort initially. However, inshaAllah, eventually the power to ward off these worrisome random thoughts will be achieved.’
Basair e Hakim ul-Ummat ra, page 254-5
Hakim al-Umma mujadid Shaykh Mawlana Shah Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘There two kinds of people.
Those individuals who are not traveling on this path (sulook) and characteristics of yearning and desire (of Allah’s pleasure) have not even developed in them. Their condition is that whenever their hearts are pure and uncluttered they make remembrance of Allah. The awareness of being involved in sinful activities does not stop them from doing good works. This is because they do not care about it (the involvement in sinful).
Then there is the other kind, ones who are traveling on this path and have developed some tastefulness (dhauq). Their state of heart is such, because of their relationship with Allah (ta’luq maAllah), that any tiny bit of change in it due to negligence and involvement in sinful activity causes them extreme grief. This is to the extent that they become disheartened of being involved in remembrance and good works and do not find the courage to do so in the future. This is not because of being heedless of their Lord, most High. It is due to the acknowledgment that now (with this involvement in sinful) how can I face my Lord and make His remembrance. At the outlook this does not seem to be a good state because it is suspending remembrance (of Allah). However, in some instances even this state is a blessing. This is because, in these instances it will result in that sinful activity not to be carried out ever again.
Hence, having this state is a blessing. However, it is essential to point out that one should not act on the calling of this state. That is, not to stop the remembrance at all. Moreover, it is essential for this individual not to be negligent of remembrance for a second and be despaired. This remembrance (dhikr) should continue irrespective of being involved in millions of sinful activities. This is because the spiritual darkness that leads to suspension of remembrance (by being involved in sinful) will only be lifted by the remembrance (of Allah) alone. There is no other cleanser to do this. If this is done with consistency then, inshaAllah, one day (eventually) escape from the dreadful condition (of involvement in sinful activity) will be achieved.’
Basair e Hakim ul-Ummat ra, page 528
‘A cardinal defect in translation: the intrusion of the translator’s presence and preconceived ideas. ‘
Speech of the birds, (Mantiqu’t-Tair), Preface by Peter Avery (translator), page xi
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Shaykh Jalaluddin Thanesari (Allah have mercy on him d.989 Hijra) said,
‘The seeker of truth suffices in the spiritual involvement (shugal e batini, i.e. methods of developing remembrance, concentration and awareness) after fulfilling the essential (faraidh) and Sunna actions. He does not stress on physical worship and supererogatory (nawafil) actions like the ascetics.’
Irshad ut Talibeen, page 11
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Shaykh Jalaluddin Thanesari (Allah have mercy on him d.989 Hijra) instructs,
‘Understand that the beginning of this path is Shariah. Therefore, all essential (fardh), recommended (wajib), Sunna, praiseworthy (mustehib) and etiquette (adab) actions are to be performed. Moreover, avoiding in food, residence and personal being all that is impermissible, suspicious, and of minor or major impurity. This is called purity of physical being. This is all Shariah.
Then comes the path of tariqat. This is to keep one’s heart free of the blame-worthy morals, such as love of the worldly, lust, envy, hatred, arrogance, greed, misery,etc. In addition adorning it with praise-worthy morals, like truthfulness, purity, humility, philanthropy, chivalry, trust, sincerity, best manners and trustworthiness in dealing with fellow human beings (etc.). This is called revolution (gardesh) and changing of morals. Acknowledge that this is a magnanimous feat. This is because without it the real wealth of deen is not achieved and traveling on the path of truth is impossible. Moreover, this feat requires keeping the lowest profile and maintaining seclusion, so that these actions become well established without failures.
سخن باكس مگو الا بضرورت
خلل تا در نيفتند در حضورت
After this comes the path of reality (haqiqah) and realization (marifa).’
Irshad ut Talibeen, page 9
2nd AfME Pneumococcal Summit
Dubai, UAE 12-13 April 2011