Category Archives: E. States

Haal.

Spiritual progress

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Shaykh Sayyid Zawwar Hussain Shah (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘The progress in spiritual path (sulook) is not sudden.  It is gradual and therefore, not appreciated by the spiritual traveller.

For example, if someone has hundred rupees in his pocket the addition of one more does not draw any attention and is, therefore, most of the time  not appreciated.  However, when this addition increases to two hundred then the increase is evidently appreciated.

In most of the instances the spiritual aspirant can not gauge his own progress. The Shaykh, however, assesses this by various signs and symptoms and leads him further on the path. ‘

Mahnama Tamir e ifkar, eshaet khas bayad Shaykh Syed Zawwar Hussain Shah (Allah have mercy on him), page 596

Shaykh Syed Zawwar Hussain Shah (Allah have mercy on him) was born in a Shiafamily. It was after correspondence with Hakim al-Umma Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) he became a Sunni.

Spiritual graduation and awareness of deficencies

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Shaykh Shah Wasiullah (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘For successful spiritual graduation it is essential that an individual is aware of his/her deficiencies.

Remember, for a person who has acknowledged his short comings there remains no barrier in proceeding towards success . (That is, by effectively correcting these faults).’

Shaykhain, page 36

Following Sunna:Fana fi Rasul

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Shaykh Fazlur-Rehman Ganjmuradabadi (Allah have mercy on him) replied to a question regarding this,

‘When the following of Sunna beomes an instinct then it is the condition of annihilation in the blessed Prophet (Allah’s blessing and peace be upon him), i.e. fana fi Rasul.’

Mahnama Tamir e ifkar, eshaet khas bayad Shaykh Syed Zawwar Hussain Shah (Allah have mercy on him), page 608

Allah’s love

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

‘The people living in the vicinity of the House of Allah (Ka’ba) have a greater responsibility of following the Shariah commandments. To do so they must develop a strong relationship with Allah.

As per the teachings of my Shaykh Hadrat ‘Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) following three things are helpful in developing this relationship and love of Allah,

1. Recitation of the Sunna prayers (azkar) for the different occasions in once daily life.

2. Making supplications for each and everything.

3. Being abunbdantly thankful of all the blessings Allah has bestowed on us.’

Bayan, Jeddah 16th February 2010, after ‘Asr

Teaching by example

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Sayyidi wa sanadiShaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) is in the blessed Medinah these days.

With the Saudi school mid year vacations there is a huge crowd of pilgrims.

Going for the Friday prayers an individual inquired the Shaykh where could he find him in the Haram.  The Shaykh replied that  usually he tries to be in the first row of the mosque.  To do so he left two and half hours before the juma salah time.

This apparently ‘ordinary thing’ is a teaching for all of us who are trying to improve their condition.

The excellence of praying in the first row, coming early for Friday prayers, sitting with the intention of e’itkaf, reading Holy Quran, reciting tasbih & salawat, offering salat at-tasbih, waiting for salah, etc. are things with numerous rewards mentioned in the Prophetic sayings.

Setting our priorities appropriately and useful utilization of time is the key to implementing these things in our practical life.

May Allah facilitate this for us. Amin!

Friday, 12th Feburary 2010, Medinah e munawwarah

The aim and spirit of awrād

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Imam Abdallah ibn Alawi al-Haddad (Allah have mercy on him) (d.1132 Hijri) said,

‘The aim and spirit of awrād is presence with Allah.

Aim for it; you will reach it only if you travel the road that leads to it, which is performing the external activities and striving to be present with Allah during them. When you persevere in this you become immersed in the lights of Proximity, and the sciences of gnosis emanate upon you, at which your heart becomes wholly intent on God and presence becomes its nature and well-established quality.’

Risalat ul-Mu‘awanah

Tarim, Hadramaut, Yemen

Companionship to be avoided

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Shaykh-e-kamil Arifbillah Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said;

“The companionships (suhba) that do not make one remember Allah or His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), reflect on one’s own debilitated condition and perceive one’s filthy inner-self and lead to increased involvement in dispensable (ghair-maqsood) and increasing desire of fame (hubb e jah) are to be shunned.

Otherwise, tell me what will be the advantage of such supercilious suhba?

A companionship is only useful if it has the property of changing our life for better. It cures our spiritual aliments and makes evident to us our moral deficiencies and spiritual shallowness. “

Sawanih wa ta’lemat e Hazrat Arifi ra pg 584

Salah with congregation

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Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mawlana Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) encourages us to read the biographies of our elders (akabir).

One of the benefits of doing this is to get the motivation (hal) for our own reformation (islah).

Following incident has a great lesson for all of us.

‘Shaykh Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (Allah have mercy on him) [d.1999] was very particular about performing salâh with congregation from a young age together with waking up for the night salâh (tahajjud), reciting the Qur’ân and daily remembrance of Allâh . This continued during his old age and time of weakness as well.

On one occasion (in the forties) he went on foot from Nadwatul ‘Ulamâ’ to his house in Lucknow with this in mind that he will perform the ‘ishâ salâh at the musjid near his house. When he reached there, the salâh was already over. So he went to another musjid and found that the people had completed their salâh there as well. He was most disturbed by this until someone informed him that a third musjid has the ‘ishâ congregation a bit later. He reached this musjid and joined the congregation. He experienced unexplainable joy at this.’

Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi: Al Alimul Murrabi Wa Daiyutul Hakeem

Precious advice

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Shaykh Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (Allah have mercy on him) said the following addressing the students of Medina (al-munawwarah) University,

‘A scholar should be more pious and congnizant (of Allah).

Being excessively involved in contraversial issues makes one negligent of his/her own personal improvement.

Focus more on practice of issues that are  held unanimous. For example, khushu in salah. Do not be involved in peripheral minor issues.

You are aware of the scholarly acheivements of Imam Ahmad and Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah (Allah have mercy on them). However, you are not aware of their high moral character, humility, fear of Allah and being busy in night crying.

It was the practice of Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah (Allah have mercy on him) that whenever, he faced a difficulty he would go to an isolated mosque, cry and make the following supplication repeatedly,

Ya mu’alim al Ibrahim ‘alimni, ya mufham al Suleman fahimni

The greed and desire of the worldly has made the scholars worthless.

Be an example for others.’

Tazkirah wa sawanih Mawlana Hasan Jan shaheed ra, page 43

فنائیت

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عارف باللہ حضرت ڈاکٹر عبدالحئی عارفی رحمۃ اللہ علیہ نے فرمایا کہ

فنائیت کا مطلب ہے ترک اعتراض۔

یعنی کسی پر اعتراض نہ کرو۔

ناگوار امر پر صبر کرو اور ضبط سے کام لو۔

اس ترک اعتراض کا آخری مقام یہ ہوگا کہ ہر ناگوار امر کو مشیت ایزدی پر محمول کرتے ہوۓ ناگواری نہیں ہوگی۔

جو کام بھی ہوگا اور جس طرح ہوگا اس کو منجانب اللہ تصور کرتے ہوۓ خوش طبعی کے ساتھ قبول کرلوگے۔

اور یہی مقام فنائیت ہے۔ 

اصلاح حال و سکون قلب، ص 35

Busy life!

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Arif-billah Dr. Abdul Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘People often complain that there is no free time and no tranquility in life because of the increasing commitments (at offices and businesses).

I ask them,

 If you get this free time and opportunity what are you going to do with it?  Have you ever thought about this?

If you waste this free time in inappropriate things and sink more deep into immorality then this being busy is best for you.

When this is the case then continue with your work (in present conditions).’

Islah e Hal o sukoon e qalb, page 45