Category Archives: A. Reality of Tasawwuf
Allah’s mercy in His displeaure!
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Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Hasan (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘By committing sinful activities an individual harms himself alone. This is the reason for Allah being displeased with these transgression.
There is mercy in Allah’s displeasure for what is harmful for an individual.
Acknowledgment and contemplation of Allah’s mercy creates His love. This love facilitates activities that please Him. This leads to the blessings of His pleasure and proximity.’
Al-qawl al-Aziz, page 25
Jeddah
Khanqah at Darul Uloom Karachi
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Staying in the company of the Shaikh is essential component of the spiritual training and development (tarbiyah) of a seeker.
Special lodgings called khanqah (zawiya) are used for this purpose. Here the seekers (murideen) stay to be in company of their Shaikh. This is their private time in seclusion from all that is worldly. They attend the daily discourses, keep themselves vigilant in worship and make excessive remembrance of Allah as instructed by their Shaikh .
In addition, this provided an opportunity to see the Shaikh closely, learn from his attitude and behavior and absorb his spiritual states. It also gives the Shaikh a chance to analyze each and every murid individually and closely.
In short, staying in khanqah is extremely beneficial for spiritual growth.
During the blessed month of Ramadan a lot of seekers spare time to do so.
Alhumdulillah, at Darul Uloom Karachi there are arrangements for this. Permission has to be obtained from the Shaikh. This year there were approximately 300 mutakifeen in the mosque. There were other seekers living in the guest house, guest rooms and students’ hostel. Few had come from other countries such as USA, Saudi Arabia, Iran and UAE. There were regular sessions for their spiritual training.
During the last 10 ten days the daily schedule was like this; after fajr prayers, tafsir of Holy Quran was done by Shaikh Mufti Mehmood Ashraf Usmani (Allah preserve him). Around 10 AM there was a session by Shaikh Mufti Abdur Raouf Sukkharavi (Allah preserve him). It included reading from the essential text and its explanation. After dohur sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) spoke. This was about tazkiyah & tarbiyah. It was the crux of all the activities. After ‘asr and ‘esha Shaikh Mufti Abdur Raouf Sukkharavi (Allah preserve him) had sessions.
In addition the Shaikh provided opportunity to the seekers for private meetings.
Overall, the blessed moments of Ramadan, the gathering of sincere seekers and company of pious Shuyukh was extremely conducive to awareness of spiritual betterment.
مستی كے لیے بوے مے تند ھے كافی
مے خانہ كا محروم بھی محروم نھیں ھے
Room # 141, Darul Usman ra, Darul Uloom, Karachi, 20th- 23rd & 26th – 29th Ramadan 1432, 21st – 24th & 27th – 30th August 2011
Tasawwuf is totally subservient to Quran and Sunna
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Shaikh Mawlana Shah Wasiullah Allahabadi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘I have made it essential to include in my speech and writings (about the path) the sayings of the scholars of the Divine law and Prophetic traditions ( that is, fuqaha and muhaditheen). This is in order to save Tasawwuf from becoming an independent discipline in itself and to keep it totally subservient to al Quran and al Sunna.
I am observing that in this era people want to make it an independent discipline. I consider this to be the source of (religious) calamities.
Therefore, in addition to my writings I start my speeches with quotations from Quran and Sunna. Then to support them further I mention the stories of pious precedent saints and their sayings. And this is the way Hakim al Umma (Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi, Allah have mercy on him) did in his book ‘Masail e Sulook’.
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This approach has benefited me a lot and I hope that it will be beneficial for others to. The first benefit will be the awareness of knowledge of Quran and Sunna. Also, when it will be firmly established in minds that the real obedience is is that of the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) the desire to traverse the path in accordance with Sunna will develop. The blessings (barakah) of this mode will be axiomatic. Finally, knowledge of those things that are against Sunna and have crept into Tasawwuf will be acquired. This will save the masses from massive misguidance.’
Halaat e Muslih al-ummat ra, volume 3, page 319
Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) has this same style. In his weekly discourses for the seekers of islah he has given dars of Prophetic traditions from Riyadh us Saliheen of Imam Nawawi, Adabul Mufrad of Imam Bukhari, Kitab uz Zuhd of Imam Ibn al-Mubarak, Tasharuf of Hakim al Umma (Allah have mercy on all of them). MashaAllah!
عبدیت/Servitude-2
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Shah Mohammed Ahl al-Allah (Allah preserve him) a khalifa of Shaikh Masihullah Khan (Allah have mercy on him) explains the signs of servitude,
‘An individual having servitude diligently carries out all the esoteric and exoteric acts of worship considering that they can not be possibly done with his effort alone, unless the Divine help assists him to do so. That is, he attributes (all good works) to Allah (facilitating them for him). Whereas, for any short comings he blames himself.
He tries very diligently not to hurt any other individual, or to cause them any loss or sorrow.
An individual having servitude conscientiously carries out both the exoteric and esoteric acts of worship (especially his wird) irrespective of issues related to health, sickness, hunger, poverty, prosperity, affliction or other non-volitional conditions.
He is diligent in fulfilling the rights of others but does not keep a desire for his own rights.’
Malfozat Shah Mohammed Ahl al-Allah sahib db, page 1,2
عبدیت/Servitude-1
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The beloved Prophet Mohammed (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the absolute personification of humanly perfections. An epitome for all pious individuals (especially the sufiyah). There can be no superior action or state than that held by him (Allah bless him and give him peace). That is, his way (sunna), both in exoteric (dhahiri) and esoteric (batini) spheres of life.
This is a basic fundamental of our tasawwuf.
The most outstanding characteristic of our beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is his servitude (عبدیت).
Mentioning one of the supreme gifts bestowed on him; the heavenly journey of al-Isra wal-Me’raj Allah mentions him with this characteristic (bi-‘abdhi):
Glorious is He Who made his servant travel by night from Al-Masjid-ul-Harām to Al-Masjid-ul-AqSā whose environs We have blessed, so that We let him see some of Our signs. Surely, He is the All-Hearing, the All- Seeing. [17:1]
What are the signs and symptoms of servitude?
To be contd…
Beware before bay’ah!
In reply to an aspirant’s request to be accepted as a murid Hakim al-Umma Shaikh Mawalan Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) wrote,
‘1. In this path (tariq) the demeanor of every Shaikh is unique.
2. The essential criteria to benefit is the mutual compatibility with this demeanor (i.e. between Shaikh & murid).
3. Rushing to select a Shaikh is a (major) contraindication in this path.
4. The demeanor of an individual can only be ascertained by keeping his company for a considerable duration, (…..) or by visiting him repeatedly and corresponding with him for a long period.’
Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 1, page 37
Rusty Heart
Noble Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said,
“Listen carefully! There is a piece of flesh in man’s body, if it is healthy then the whole being is healthy and if it is corrupted then the whole being is corrupted. Beware! That piece of flesh is the heart (qalb).” (Bukhari)
He also said,
“Just as iron catches rust on contact with water, so are the hearts rusted.”
People asked, “How to remove the rust of the heart?”
The Noble Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said, “By remembering death and by reciting the Qur’an.” (Baihaqi)
Living a heedless life in an un-Islamic environment makes our heart rusty. Parts of the machinery inside clank, crank and move grudgingly. Acting on Shariah laws seems extremely difficult. The heart mechanic (Shaikh) using the Prophetic medicines removes this rust by prescribing contemplation of death and here-after (muraqaba e maut) and oils it with the of remembrance of Allah. (This is in a systematic and individualized manner. The daily compliance is an essential component for the aspirant’s success.) Once this rust is removed and the parts well lubricated the machinery of the qalb starts to function properly. Then there are no hardships in observing the laws of Shariah. Actually it becomes an innate calling.
May Allah facilitate this for us. Amin!
Archetype: Our akabir
Hafiz Mohammad Iqbal writes about his Shaikh Mawlana Manzur Nomani (Allah have mercy on him),
‘An overwhelming condition of negating his own self (i.e. good qualities and perfections) and veiling his states permeated his demeanor and spiritual tone. Till the very end of his life he firmly acknowledged himself to be from the juniors and completely deficient. It was for this reason that his spiritual grandeur was recognized by very few individuals.
However, ordinary people like us observed during his whole life the levels of servant-hood (abdiyet) and slavery (bandegi) that engulfed him.’
Shajraat e Nomaniya, page 5
A good state
A spiritual aspirant wrote his condition to Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him),
‘These days this lowly individual recites ten thousand times ‘istegfar‘ and 24,000 times ‘ism e dhat’ daily. Occasionally there is deficiency or excess in these amounts secondary to impromptu demanding circumstances.
However, my condition is that after any virtuous deed I feel extreme degree of shame, similar to that felt on committing sins. The reason for this is that in all the virtuous deed performed I recognise many shortcomings and deficiencies. Moreover, I am cognizant of the multitude of blessings of Allah showering on myself all the time.
If a mistake is committed then the only respite is to cry, repent and beg. Additionally, it leads to extreme humiliation in front of Allah.
From few days I feel this condition of aloofness from all that is worldly in my heart. …………….
Hakim al-Umma replied,
‘It extremely delighted my heart. May Allah give multiple folds increase in blessings and progress. Moreover, by the grace of pious associates (like yourself) may He grant a pleasant end to this invalid writer. I expect this supplication from my friends also.’
Tarbiyat us Salik, volume 1, page 761-3
An important advice: How to be tolerant?
Shaikh Hafiz Hakim Fakhruddin Allahabadi (Allah have mercy on him) instructed his disciples,
‘Be steadfast on Religion (ad-Deen).
Do not create dissensions.
Hold fast to the principles (usool) and do not denigrate each other for the peripheral disagreements.
Consider this disagreement amongst the truthful scholars to be a mercy.
In regards to those who consider themselves to be mujtahid and disagree with the precedent Imams, scholars, pious saints and concoct meanings of the Holy Quran in a manner that was never done by the blessed Companions, their associates (taba’i & tab’ taba’i), well established scholars and Imams : consider them to be astray. It is essential to stay away from them. However, do not quarrel with them or call bad names. To answer and argue with them is the duty of the pious scholars. Not any or everyone can do this job.
It is essential for an individual to be always cognizant of his actions. Stay away from sins and transgressing your Lord. If by chance a sin is committed immediately repent in front of Allah. This will wipe away the sin.’
Majmua’h award wa wazaif, page 4
Ingredients of success
Shaikh Shah Wasiullah Allahabadi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘To perform any endeavor (successfully) three things are essential,
– Sincerity (ikhlas)
– Good morlas (ikhlaq) and
– Discipline (nazam).’
Halaat e Muslih al-Ummat ra, volume 3, page 287
Fikr: Self-improvement
Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) said,
‘The foremost objective in this path is the concern (fikr) for self-improvement.
How can an individual who has no concern for self improvement, considers himself to be living a perfect life, does not have a desire to progress any further or correct his affairs, and is content with the regular routine of daily life traverse this path (tareeq)?’
Waaz: Rah e Sulook, May 15th, 2011
