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Category Archives: F. Zikir & fikr
Detrimental connections
It is an essential for the seeker to curtail his/her social connections in order to establish and develop a real, strong and ever-growing relationship with Allah.
Hakim al Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Solitude (khalwa) protects from involvement in sinful activities. Provided this solitude is accompanied with the safeguard of eyes, ears and heart (from seeing, hearing or thinking about anything impermissible).
(In solitude) Purposefully one should not think about anything other than Allah. If random thoughts come then busy yourself in remembrance of Allah and cast them away. This type of solitude will indeed save one from involvement in sinful activities.’
“Individuals who do not have (daily) scheduled time for solitude gradually lose the spiritual luminosity of their hearts.’
On how to achieve this in one’s daily life practically, he added,
‘Do everything on its scheduled time.
The (permissible) worldly affairs on their time and the daily spiritual recitations and activities (wird) on the time allotted for them.
Even occasionally involve yourself in appropriate and succinct humor to entertain and please a fellow Muslim’s heart.
In this way all things will move together, otherwise, in complete solitude sometimes the enthusiasm and aspiration becomes weak. And without them it is difficult to proceed.’
Shariat wa tariqat, page 257
نسخه سعادت
سفر حيات كا أصول
Fear of death
A spiritual seeker (mureed) wrote,
I become very anxious when I remember death. I don’t feel that I’m ready to die yet. How can I develop more hope in Allah’s mercy? What do you feel about your old age and closeness to death?
Sheikh Sayyid Muhammad Abdul-Wahid (Allah have mercy on him) replied,
Death is a natural process like the rising and setting of the sun is. Fear of death is normal and almost everyone has it. You can pray for your longevity and end with faith. In order to invoke Allah’s mercy, you should say countless times during the day “ya reHman, ya reHiym”.
February 12, 2012
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Nashru-Teyb
Shaikh Mansur Ali Khan (Allah preserve him) said,
‘All praise is for Allah.
Some of the things that my Shaikh Arif billah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) instructed me to do have become an essential part of my every day routine (that is for more than 35 or 40 years now).
This includes reading from the book Nashru-Teyb.
Shaikh Arifi instructed me that after the daily recitation of Holy Quran read a page or two from this book.’
Ar-Rehab district, Jeddah, 11/1/2013, after asr
This book is about our master Prophet Mohammed (Allah bless him and grant him peace). Hakim al Ummah Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) compiled it in special state of Prophet’s love and yearning. A sincere reader benefits immensely from it spiritually.
Taqwa and remembrance of Allah
Shaikh Abdul Ghani Tarablusi al Khalwati (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘It is imperative to ward off Shaytan from one’s heart (qalb) with simultaneous use of weapons of determined awareness of Allah (taqwa) and His remembrance (dhikr).
It must be clear that remembrance alone without taqwa is not effective at all in this effort.’
Tarsih al Jawahir al Makkiyah fi Tazkiya tul Aklaq al mardhiyah, (Urdu), page 00
Remembrance of Allah
A spiritual seeker wrote,
‘My heart now desires that no moment should pass without the remembrance of Allah. After the governmental office work and while traveling on the road I continue to recite something like istegfar or the blessed durood without keeping a count. However, once at home with children this preoccupation is lost.
Hakim al Umma Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) replied,
‘If at that time you maintain this thought that these are a blessings bestowed by Allah then this activity will be included in the remembrance and contemplation (of Allah).’
Tarbiyet us Salik, volume 3, page 139-40
Treatment of extreme grief
A mureed wrote to Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra,
“My mawlana and murshid, as salam o ‘alik,
A great misfortune has struck me now. My heart can not bear its severity. My beloved son, who was 19 years old, died being afflicted with cholera. He had completed high school by virtue of his own capabilities. Now was the time for him to flourish and progress further. He was my only son, so with his death my share in the future of this world ended.
انا للہ واناالیہ راجعون
زمیں چمن گل کھلاتی ہے کیا کیا
بدلتا ہےرنگ آسمان کیسے کیسے
Please, for the sake of Allah SWT, make dua regarding patience for me. I am about to have extreme despair. Tell me something to recite (if it may be beneficial in gaining patience).
Hazrat Hakeemul Ummat Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi ra replied:
Epitome of good morals and gentleness, may your calmness prevail,
as salam o alaikum wa rehmatullah,
I was aggrieved by passing away of your son. Allah SWT make his magfirah and give you saber e jameel (outstanding patience).
You should read the chapter of patience in (Imam Ghazali ra’s) Kemiya e Sa’adet repeatedly.
Recite لا حول و لا قوۃ الا باللہ excessively all the time.
Keep excessively the image of the living person with whom you have excessive ‘aqidet (reverence) in your thoughts.*
InshaAllah, with these measures tranquility will be achieved. I am also making dua for the best for you.
However, since you have a relationship with me for the betterment of your religious state and this can not withstand any formalities, it is essential to mention with all sincerity that I was aggrieved more by the reasons of your grief than the actual incident of his passing away. You overstepped the natural grief by mentioning the intellectual reasons for it, such as, he had completed high school, now was the time for him to flourish and progress, my share in this world ended.
This means that the major grief is on loss of these worldly pleasures. All of this concludes that one’s primary goal and objective is this dunya (world).
Utterance of such things from mouth or pen of seeker of truth is like proclamation of shirk (associating partners with Allah SWT) from a monotheist.
This is a bigger calamity than the other tragedy. That is, why one’s qalb (heart) is like this, with such desire? This definitely needs amendment.
Jamadi aula, 1322 H
At-Takashuf an muhimatit tasawwuf, page 22-3/Tarbiyatus Salik,
*This is most probably to distract the afflicted from being engrossed in imagination of the deceased, resulting in more sorrow. Allah SWT knows best!
Bayan and majlis
Shaikh Mohammad Kaleem (Allah preserve him) a
senior khalifa of Arif billah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘I do not give lectures (bayan).
I just talk extempore (to the seekers who gather to benefit). Whatever is felt to be important or is asked is discussed.
I feel that these types of discussions (majalis) are more beneficial than the lectures.’
Shaikh Mohammad Kaleem sahib db’s residence. Darul Uloom Karachi, Sunday, noon, 16th December 2012
This distinction has to be appreciated and applied, especially by the non-scholar and young shuyukh.
Reward of affliction
Narrated by our master Jabir ibn Abdullah (Allah be pleased with him),
Allah’s Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said,
“On the Day of Resurrection, when people who have suffered affliction are given their reward, those who are healthy will wish their skins had been cut to pieces with scissors when they were in the world.”
Tirmidhi Hadith #1570
The Divine prescription for loss
Shaikh Mansur Ali Khan (Allah preserve him) said.
Once I was in the company of Arif billah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him). There was no one else. Hazrat Dr Arifi read aloud a letter send to him for spiritual advice.
It was from a young girl. She had been on vacation with her father in the northern areas of Pakistan. One day while traveling by bus it was fajar time and his father requested the bus driver to stop for salah. He agreed. Her father while disembarking the bus was run over by the speeding car coming from behind. The family rushed to help him. However, he was badly injured and died in front of them. They were devastated.
The daughter was now requesting for dua and words of consolation.
Dr Arifi looked at me and asked,
What should I write her?
I had no clue at all.
Dr Arifi closed his eyes and contemplated for few seconds. Then he said,
أنا لله و أنا اليه راجعون
Recitation of this is the soothing treatment for a bereaved heart. It is prescribed by Allah and established by practice of our master Prophet Mohammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Recite this repeatedly in abundance.’
Turning to this lowly writer Shaikh Mansur said,
‘Please, convey this to your brother. I am making dua that Allah makes magfirah of his son and give sabr e jameel to the parents.’
Amin!
Masjid Nabawawi (ala sahibeha alf alf salawat o Salam) close to extreme right front corner of the original masjid.
After fajar 26/12/2012CE 13/2/1434H
The house of praise
Our master AbuMusa al-Ash’ari (Allah be pleased with him) narrates,
Allah’s Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said,
When a man’s child dies,
Allah Most High asks His angels whether they have taken His servant’s child and they reply that they have.
He then asks whether they have taken the fruit of his heart, and when they reply that they have, He asks what His servant said.
On their replying that he praised Allah and said,
“We belong to Allah and to Him do we return,”
Allah says, “Build a house in Paradise for my servant and call it the house of praise.”
Ahmad and Tirmidhi (#1736)
Dangers of excessive grief
Shaikh Mohammad Kaleem (Allah preserve him) a senior khalifa of Arif billah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said to a brother who lost his twenty three year old son suddenly,
‘Excessive intentional discussion of the deceased is to be avoided. This is because of the remote possibility of development of a thought questioning the Divine decree. That is, why did this happen?
This will be against the patience required.
Therefore, be careful.
Every time his discussion comes up recite,
أنا لله و أنا اليه راجعون
contemplating the meanings discussed earlier.’
Shaikh Mohammad Kaleem sahib db’s residence. Darul Uloom Karachi, Sunday, noon, 18th December 2012.
Perimeters of grief
Shaikh Mohammad Kaleem (Allah preserve him) a senior khalifa of Arif billah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said to a brother who lost his twenty three year old son suddenly,
‘Your crying and grief on this loss is all right. Actually it is right of the departed relative(‘s love).
In spite of the right of Allah to do whatsoever in His creation He knew that they are weak and wavering human beings so three days of mourning was allowed. During these three days observe mourning, accept and acknowledge condolence.
After these three days do not mourn more on purpose and intention.
However, it is quite fine if his thoughts come to you unintentionally or he is discussed in usual everyday conversation. Each time this happens recite with contemplation (as mentioned earlier)
أنا لله و أنا اليه راجعون
This will bring the same immense reward for patience done initially. Doing this repeatedly will create a vicious cycle of patience and its reward. A continuous and immense reward indeed.’
Shaikh Mohammad Kaleem sahib db’s residence. Darul Uloom Karachi, Sunday, noon, 18th December 2012.