Category Archives: F. Zikir & fikr

Remembrance, comtemplation and spiritual excersises

ذکر و لطائف کی تفصیل

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حضرت حکیم الامت مولانا اشرف علی تھانوی قدس اللہ سرہ نے فرمایا

چونکہ تصور (ذکر) کے دراجات مختلف ھیں اس لئے تقریب و تسھیل فی الجملہ و تعین دراجات کے واسطے میں ایک تمثیل میں پانچ درجے بیان کرتا ھوں

1۔ محبوب موجود و حاضر نہ ھو بلکہ غائب و غیر موجود ھو اس کو یاد کیا جاۓ ۔

2۔ وہ شخص سامنے موجود ھو لیکن مسافتہ بعیدہ پر جس سے خدوخال اچھی طرح نظر نہ آسکیں اس کا تصور کیا جاۓ۔

3۔ وہ شخص سامنے مسافت قریبہ پر موجود ھو جس سے خدوخال اچھی طرح نظر آسکیں اس کا تصور کیا جاۓ۔

4۔ وہ شخص بالکل قریب موجود ھو، اس کے تصور و دیدار میں اسقدر محویت ھو جاۓ کہ فرط عشق و محبت سے اپنی بھی خبر نہ رھے

5۔ وہ محویت یھاں تک ترقی کرے کہ بیخبری کی بھی خبر نہ رھے۔

–                           – – – – –

اب ھم ان دراجات کے اصطلاحی اور منقول نام بتلاتے ہیں۔

1۔ درجہ اول کا نام ذکر ھے کیونکہ اس میں محض یاد ھے۔

2۔ درجہ ثانی کا نام حضور ھے کیونکہ اس میں متصور و مرئی سامنے حاضر ھوتا ہے۔

3۔ درجہ ثالث کا نام مکاشفہ ھے کیونکہ مرئی کے غابت قرب کی وجہ سے حضور تام اور خال وخط کا کامل انکشاف ھوتا ھے۔

4۔ درجہ رابع کا نام شھود و مشاھدہ ھے کیونکہ اصطاحا” شھود و مشاھدہ حضور اتم و اکمل کو کھتے ہیں اور اس درجہ میں حضور اتم و اکمل سے غایت شیفتگی و فریفتگی و وفور ولولہ ھوتا ھے۔ نیز اس کا نام فناء بھی ھے کیونکہ محوبت کی وجہ سے اپنی ھستی کا علم نھیں ھوتا۔

5۔ درجہ خامسہ کا نام معائنہ ھے کیونکہ معائنہ سے مراد وہ حضور و معائنہ ھے جو شھود اصطلاحی سے زائد ھو۔ اس درجہ میں  معائنہ شھود اصطلاحی سے زائد ھوتا ھے کیونکہ لا علمی سے بھی لا علمی ھوتی ھے۔ اسی وجہ سے اس کا نام فناءالفناء بھی ھے۔

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1۔ لطیفہ قلب کا فعل ذکر ھے۔

2۔ لطیفہ روح کا فعل حضور ۔

3۔ لطیفہ سر کا فعل مکاشفہ  ۔

4۔ لطیف خفی کا فعل شھود و مشاھدہ و فناء۔۔

5۔ لطیفہ اخفی’ کا فعل  معائنہ و فناءالفناء  ھے۔

بعض حضرات مشائخ کی راۓ ھے کہ ذکر کی بطرز معھود و مخصوص اس قدر مشق کی جاۓ کہ یہ لطائف خمسہ علیحدہ ذاکر ھو جائیں یعنی یہ سب افعال صادر ھونے لگیں۔

بعض حضرات کی راۓ یہ ھے کہ صرف قلب سے ذکر کی مشق کی جاۓ جس سے ان سب افعال کا صدور ھونے لگے اور اس کی باکل ضرورت نھیں کہ یہ بتابا جاۓ کہ یہ فعل کس لطیفہ کا ھے۔ بہ حضرات لطائف کی طرف توجہ تفصیلی کو حجاب سمجھتے ھیں۔ حدیث شریف میں بھی ایسے امور میں صرف قلب ھی کہ ذکر وارد ھوا ھے۔

اور چونکہ مشغولین بالطائف کے نزدیک بھی ان لطائف خمسہ میں باھم اتصال ھے۔ اس لئے صرف ذکر قلب سے بھی بقیہ لطائف میں آثار و افعال مذکورہ سرایت کرتے جاتے ھیں، کیونکہ یہ لطائف مرایا متعاکسہ کی طرح ھیں۔

بوادر النوادر، صفحہ 565-6

A supplication

O my Lord!

By Your stature and esteemed respect!

I did not indulge in sin to rebel against You!

When I was disobeying I was neither unaware of Your position (as our Lord), nor did I deny Your retribution,  nor did I consider Your watching me to be something minor.

However, my nafs incited and assisted me in indulging in these wretched acts.

The veil of Your concealment (as Sattar) made me pretentious.

I disobeyed You because of my ignorance. I disobeyed You by my actions.

Now who is going to save me from Your punishment?

If You excise the lifeline (of mercy and forgiveness) to me then what am I to grab (for my salvation)?

al-Murshid al Amin page 493-4

‘Ujub-Self admiration

The Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said:

“And the destroyers are: desires which are followed; stinginess which is obeyed; and a man being pleased with himself, and this. (last trait) is the worse of them (of the things which spiritually wrought destruction to one).”

Ujub is to attribute one’s excellence to oneself while being oblivious of the possibility of such excellences being snatched away by Allah. Ujub is a concealed and subtle trick of the nafs which always desires to occupy a distinguished rank (above others). The nafs obtains pleasure in this desire (of ujub). Allah detests one who considers himself to he distinguished, laudable and the receptacle of excellences.

Delight over the bounties granted by Allah is not ujub. Such true delight is not unrestricted and does not produce vanity since the fear of the elimination of the bounties is ever present in the heart. One realizes that the excellence or bounty which one has gained is purely a gift from Allah Who has awarded it because of some act or knowledge (which is also the favor of Allah), and one further realizes that Allah has the full power of snatching away the bounty at any time He desires. This experience of delight is therefore not ujub.

On the other hand, a person suffering from the ailment of ujub becomes neglectful and fails to recognize that the bounty in his possession is in fact a gift from Allah. One afflicted with ujub considers himself to be entitled to the bounties.

THE REMEDY
Always regard excellences and virtues which one possesses to be the bestowal of Allah. Contemplate on the power of Allah and fear the possibility of the gifts being snatched away. Ponder about your faults, both internal and external so that the notion of perfection and holiness is annihilated.

Path to Perfection, Mawlana Masihullah Khan (Allah have mercy on him)

ورد میرا رات دن

صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم

۔

یا الھی

دے مجھے عشق محمد اور محمدیوں میں گن
ھو محمد ھی محمد ورد میرا رات دن – 

۔

صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم صلی اللہ علیہ والہ وسلم

۔
منظوم شجرہ سلسلہ چشتیہ صابریہ امدادیہ/مناجات مقبول

Muraqaba e Ihsan: Developing taqwa

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

‘Sit in solitude. Close your eyes. Contemplate (do muraqaba). Repeatedly remind yourself either by saying it or thinking that, ‘I am in front of Allah’, ‘I am in front of Allah! Allah is watching me! Allah is watching me! I am in front of Allah! Allah is watching me’

Do this daily for some (fixed) duration of time.

As a result of this activity, by the kind bestowal of Allah, this awareness will gradually and progressively increase.

This contemplation is known as muraqaba e Ihsan.

Allah provides assistance to the one who does this activity (punctually). A awareness develops in this individual prior to all actions and verbal sayings that makes him ponder about the permissibility and accountability (in front of Allah) about that actions or sayings he is going to do.

This is a recommendable state.

It changes the heedless lifestyle into a cautious and caring one.’

Sunday waaz, Sept 2nd, 2012, Daruloom Karachi mosque, after asr.

A seeker

Almost four years ago a young gentleman from North America contacted this site requesting facilitation in establishing a islahi relationship with Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him). He was directed accordingly.

Sayyidi wa sanadi instructed him to get in contact with one of his mojaz whom he knew from before and could communicate effectively via email and telephone. The sincere brother did meticluously as he was told. He wrote regularly about his religious affairs and sought counsel in improving them.

All praise is for Allah. This summer he travelled from North Americla to spend the last days of Ramadhan in the blessed company of sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) at Darul Uloom Karachi.

The stay at Darul Uloom was very beneficial. The ascetic living conditions of the hostel,  the post dhuhar discourses in mosque, the tafsir sessions at Hira Foundation’s recording room and blessed company of sayyidi wa sanadi db in his office were  invigorating spiritual elixirs.

He requested for bayiah. Sayyidi wa sanadi reviewed the Islahi correspondence he had done with the mojaz in detail.  Being satisfied the request was accepted and actualized.

Sayyidi db made sure that it was clear to the seeker that the main thing is the islah (reformation and rectification) of one’s spiritual condition. The bayiah is a blessing (Barakah) and to a limited degree an act of Sunna.

The bayiah was made into the silsila of Hakim al Ummah Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi’s Shaikh Haji Imdaullah mohajir makki via Arifbillah Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi, Mawlana Masihullah Khan and Mufti Mohammad Shafi (Allah have mercy on them all).

A detailed dua was made asking Allah for assistance in being steadfast on this allegiance and safeguard from bringing bad name to these pious elders of the silsila.

Instructions for future were given.

The main point sayyid wa sanadi stressed upon was to have this ongoing sense (fikr) of improving one’s condition by recognizing the shortcomings and trying to rectify them.

The blessed brother returns to his hometown tomorrow.

Futuhat-e-Taemoori: prior to maghrib, Friday, 31st August 2012/12th Shawwal 1433. Bait-ul-abd, DHA, Karachi

What to do when consultation with Shaikh is not possible?

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

‘When consultation with Shaikh for guidance (in islah related issue) is not possible, either due to time constraints or logistics reasons then one should consult Allah directlly.

اللهم خرلنا واخترلنا

That is, turn to Allah asking for guidance and assistance in that perplexing situation.  This should be done repeatedly and continuously.

Allah guides the individual who turns to Him for guidance as it is said in the Holy Quran,

اللَّهُ يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيب

Allah chooses (and pulls) towards Himself Anyone He wills and guide to Himself anyone who turns to him  (to seek guidance). (42:13)

Ramadhan 1433 (8/14/2012)

Recitation of Holy Quran

The first instruction for spiritual seekers in regards to the rectification of religious actions by sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) is,

A. If correct recitation of Holy Quran has not been yet been studied under a qualified Qari (teacher) then this has to be done immediately.

If this was already done then one should recite it (as a test) to another qualified Qari and ascertain the requiremnet for further improvement. If there is a need then this has to be accomplished as soon as possible.

Dastur al-Amal baray Talibeen e islah (new revised edition 2012), page 3

Things to do prior to Ramadhan

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

‘Do not pursue excessive information.

It is worthwhile to act on whatever knowledge one already has.

Our acts of worship and obedience have become ritualistic. In this era of chaotic life style with environment promoting egoistic and hedonistic characteristics our hearts  do not appreciate the reality and status (of these acts of worship) as it must be. Therefore, first of all we must supplicate to Allah, ‘O Allah! You have bestowed on us these forms of worship, please,  make us appreciate them, give us their blessings, spiritual effulgence, fruition, sound understanding, facilitation of action and a blessed lifestyle. Amin!’

Ramadhan is going to start soon. Appreciate its significance and try to gain benefit from it to the maximum.

Cleanse your exterior and interior body parts prior to its starting by repenting and asking Allah’s forgiveness (from all sinful activities) thoroughly.’

Ramadhan ul mubarak kay anwar shuru honay say pehlay