Shaykh al-Islam Mawlana Zafar Ahmed Usmani (may Allah have mercy on him) instructed his murid,
“Set aside a specific time daily for seclusion (khalwa). In it your heart should have nothing except the reflection of the Beloved in it.”
Hayyat e Trimizi ra
Remember that taunts, allegations and name calling in the path of Allah are our ‘medals’ and certificates of honor.
The best of creation, our blessed Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was taunted and called a magician, possessed, mentally ill and misguided. Similarly his noble Companions were humiliated and teased.
So be at ease for sharing this prize with very noble individuals.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mohammad Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) has repeatedly instructed spirtual seekers that,
‘Small persistent actions, wird and recitations are much more beneficial then large inconsistent and haphazard ones.’
Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Shah Ashraf Ali Thanwi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“Always remember this tip.
Never ever provide any occasion or means for your inner-self (nafs) to misbehave.
This is a an essential thing that is being told.
This inner-self (nafs) is the enemy that has ruined the zuhud (asceticism), taqwa( God-fearing) and piety of high-ranking individuals in few moments.
Never consider it to be dead. Sometimes due to unavailability of resources it is hidden (acting dead). But it is lurking for an occasion or a means to act (and attack).”
Sawanih wa ta’lemat e Hazrat Arifi ra pg 382
“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”
– Zig Ziglar quotes (American motivational Speaker and Author. )
Source: Ibn Ayyub
For motivation (hal)in the path of Allah company of pious is essentially required.
This may be either their physical companionship or by reading their sayings, works and biographies.
A sincere seeker will obviously note the difference of doing and missing this in his daily activities.
چوں دلت بود نسبت چشتیہ
ہست در خاک تو قوت برقیہ
برمزارش فیض ربانی بود
نسبت آں شیخ نورانی بود
چونکہ نسبت چشتیہ دارد ز نور
بوۓ عشق از مرقدش آمد ظہور
(حضرت اقدس حکیم اختر صاحب مدظلہ)
Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Siharanpuri/Madani (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘The aim and objective of spiritual path (sulook) is to make the heart of the seeker yearn for Allah’s pleasure similar to the body’s demand for food. That is, the desire to worship becomes similar to the craving for food and water.
This can only happen when the his heart is,
– filled to the brim by the majesty and love of Allah and
– empty from the desires of all that is other-than-Allah (ma-siwa Allah)
Until this love of other-than Allah exists, to the extent that it resists the love and awe of Allah, one can not be true in his search for the Divine pleasure and be able to abstain from all sinful activities thoroughly.
In summary, two things are essential. Firstly, cleansing the heart (takhliya) from all that is ‘other’ (-than-Allah) and finally adorning (tajeliya) it with the love and awe of Allah.
Successful accomplishment of these two things results in bestowment of (spiritual) illuminations and other honors from Allah. This is known as taheliya.
Tadhikara tul Khalil, as quoted in Akes e Jamil, page 188
Understanding these principles thoroughly will remove all the confusion, doubts and abstruseness regarding the spiritual path.
1. The demands of the religion should be given preference over worldly benefits.
2. The intellect should always remain subservient to the Divine Law (Shariah).
3. Do not to be negligent in volitional (ikhteyari) actions (that is, within one’s determination and control)[e.g. essential daily worship, recitations, wird, etc.]. Similarly, do not be in pursuit of things that are beyond one’s control (ghair-ikhteyari)[e.g. spiritual states, dreams, uneveiling, etc.].
4. Abandon all your own planning and schemes (tajwiz), delegate (tafwidh) all this to Allah.
5. Keep focused on the goals of Shariah and not to be distracted by other things.
6. Consider spiritual states (kayfiyat-e-batiniyah) to be a good and desired phenomenon but do not regard them as the primary goal and objective of the path.
7. Do not to be overwhelmed by emotional factors and desires. Act as per the verdict of intellect and remember to keep it subservient to Shariah at all the times.
Ma-asir e Hakim al-Umma ra, page 166
Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said commenting on the state of a senior murid,
“Desire of death is a sign of Allah’s friendship (walayet).”
Ashraf us-Sawanih, volume 1, page 739
Baba Fariduddin Masood Ganj Shakar (may Allah have mercy on him)(d. 5th Muharram 611H/1262CE) said,
“A spiritual aspirant must do the following four things,
1. Become blind from seeing anyones’ mistakes.
2. Become deaf from hearing anything useless and petty.
3. Become mute, so there is no idle talking and his speech remains pure.
4. Paralyze his legs, so that he does not walk towards anything that is impermissible.
Only if these qualities are found in an individual then he is eligible to be called an aspirant otherwise he is a liar and a boastful charlatan. ”
Baba Farid ra ka roznamcha, page 11-12
Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“The quarters of the heart should not be left vacant.
If they are not occupied with Allah’s remembrance(dhikr) fill them with something else that is permissible (mubah).
Otherwise, seeing them vacant Satan will move into them and take hold (of the heart).”
Waaz: Arza al-Haqq, Khutbat e Hakim al-Ummat, volume 15, page95
دل میرود ز دستم! صاحب دلاں خدارا!
دردا کہ راز پنہاں خواہد شد آشکارا!
حافظ رح
Hadhrat Mawlana Wasiullah (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“The worst lethal thing (for a seeker) is the companionship (suhba) of an individual who is deficient (spiritually).
I define this deficient person as someone who has no grief on lacking perfection (kamal) and is not remorseful for his debilitated state (hal) of affairs.
The person who is aware of his imperfections (and is working on removing them), although not qualified completely as yet, is however, headed towards the right direction. His companionship is not harmful.”
Tohfa-tu-shuyukh, page 55
Hakim al-Umma Hadhrat Mawlana Shah Ashraf Ali Thanawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“It is in “Fawaidul fawad” (malfuzatof Hazrat Mehboob e Ilahi Khawajah Nizamuddin Awliya Chishti ra) that, salik is he who travels on the path (of sulook). Waqef واقف is the one who is stuck in the middle
If a salik is negligent in his worship but quickly repents, ask (Allah’s) forgiveness and resumes his duties actively he becomes a salik again. However, God-forbid, if he continues to be negligent chance are that he may be turned off راجع
There are seven levels of negligence in this path (sulook).
First is اعراض dodging Allah’s commands
If one does not repent humbly he proceeds to حجاب the creation of a barrier between him & Allah
If he persists this leads to تفاصل increasing separation between him & Allah
If he does not repent even now, the additional state of enthusiasm ذوق و شوق)) in acts of devotion is taken away. This is سلب مزید removal of additional states
If he continues in his foolish ways the comfort and pleasure that were present even before the additional state of enthusiasm are also taken away. This is called سلب قدیم removal of original states
Not repenting and correcting his behavior at this stages leads to an agreement of heart on separation (from Allah). This is called تسلی agreement on separation between him & Allah
If the same negligence continues the love (of Allah) is replaced by عداوت hatred
We seek Allah’s refuge from them all.”
Taleem ud Deen, page 113-4, Taj Co. edition. (An essential reading in Nisab e Tasawwuf)
ایک اجازت یافتہ کا خط
الحمدللہ سردست طریق سلوک میں کچھ شبہات نہیں معلوم ہوتے۔
جو کچھ انتہاء اس طریق کی بطفیل آنحضرت اپنی ناقص فہم میں آئی ہے بغرض اصلاح بے تکلف عرض کرتا ہوں، امید ہے کہ تکلیف فرما کر اصلاح فرمادی جاوے ۔
وہ یہ کہ،
– یقین کالمشاہدہ کا حاصل ہونا
– اپنا اور اغیار کا وجود چشم باطن میں فناء کالعدم ہوجانا،
– بالکل یکسو ہو کر قلب کا ذکر و مذکور کی طرف متوجہ و مائل ہوجانا اور
– جمیع تعلقات و جملہ حالات و خیالات کا باطن سے غائب و فناء ہوجانا،
– مدام باہوش و صاحب فکر رہنا،
– اپنے اور اغیار کی ذات بلکہ ہر دو جہاں اور جملہ ماسوا سے قلب کا بالکل آزاد و فارغ ہوجانا،
– رضا و تسلیم کا عادی و خوگر بن جانا: جملہ حالات و جمیع معاملات میں مشیت و مرضی مولا پر بدل و جاں راضی و خوش رہنا،
بس اپنے فہم ناقص کا خلاصہ عرض کر چکا۔
حکیم الامت رحمۃ اللہ علیہ کا جواب،
ماشآ اللہ لیھئنک العلم،
خوب سمجھ گئے۔
اللہم ادم و اقم۔
تربیت السالک، جلد1، ص772
