Category Archives: W. Wird & wazaif

Ashrafiya precisian: The daily wird

Points to bear in mind for the daily routine (wird) of a novice seeker.

Go slow and easy initially.
Do not exhaust yourself by fixing a routine that is beyond your limits. (Inform the Shaykh upfront of your limitations).
Make lot of prayers (dua) for ease, guidance and acceptance from Allah in this regards.

Also, it must be remembered that all these things are supererogatory (nafil). They provide assistance in fulfilling the essential actions (wajibat) to gain Allah’s pleasure. The most important of which is to abstain from all that is impermissible (sins).

Also, your duties as a sonْ/daughter, brother/sister, spouse, parent, employee at work, or student in college have priority over all these nafil activities. This means that when there is a clash between these two kind of activities precedence in given to the wajib. If there is no clash then it is highly recommended to do them diligently.

Min ifadat e murshidi

Tip to avoid a burnout!

Hakim al-Umma Mawlana Ashraf ‘Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,

‘My respected teacher Mawlana Yaqub Nanotawi (Allah have mercy on him) used to advice the seekers that they should end their routine activities (wird, tilawat, tasbihat, readings, etc.)  before they loose complete interest  in them. Leaving a desire to still do more. If they do not do this they will have a burnout (experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest) eventually.

Allah save us all form this.

To make it easier to understand he gave the example of yo-yo (Urdu:chakai/chukdor). The tip for successful play is to pull the string before it unwinds completely. If it were to unwind totally the yo-yo spool will never return and just dangle there aimlessly.

Similar is the tip for a salik (and the instructing murshid) to keep the flame of interest and desire burning.

Undertaking too much, too quickly with drastic lifestyle changes over a short period of time  is usually spiritually unhealthy.

The natural spiritual growth is slow, continuous and imperceptible process. Just like the physical development. Years and decades are required to reach and manifest the signs of spiritual puberty and maturity.

A perfect murshid (Shaykh-e-kamil) is needed for this reason.

(Paraphrased. Malfuz reported in Majalis e Hakim al-Ummat ra, and repeated many times by sayyidi wa sanadi wa murshidi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) in his discourses.)

Bidah

lmam Ghazali has reported from our master Hasan Basri (Allah have mercy on them) a narrative that Satan said:

“I presented sinful deeds in an attactive form to the Muslims, but they nullified my efforts through repentance (istighfar). Then I presented before them vices in the garb of virtues, thus leaving no initiative for repentance.”

Instances of such vices are self-made innovations (bidah) in religious practices.

Vitues of Zikr, page 133

How to spend vacations?

A murid living abroad inquired;

“I have returned  home for my annual vacations. All the time is free. Please, guide me in spending it appropriately.”

Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaykh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani  (Allah preserve him) replied;

“Spend this free time in reading (the recommended material), zikir (remembrance of Allah, as instructed earlier) and appropriate (permissible) entertainment to relax and refresh your mind.”

Islahi khatoot

How to deal with a difficulty?

–

Arif-billah Dr. Abdul-Hayy ‘Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) said:
–
“When faced with a difficulty which seems to be either unavoidable or irresolvable, our Hadhrat (Hakim al-Umma) used to advice us not to think and ruminate about it. Start making dua in your heart regarding it. And repeatedly recite اياك نعبد و اياك نستعين.
–
By doing so, inshaAllah, the anxiety will vanish, peacefulness will be achieved and the difficult task will be settled with ease.”
–
Ma’moolat-e-yoomia 25-6

What is Tasawwuf?

Following is a summary of a talk by ‘Arif-billah Dr Abdul Hayy ‘Arifi (Allah have mercy on him) ,

Keep your understanding of Tasawwuf clear.

Do not be misled by those who consider it to be limited to the recitation of litanies and excessive remembrance (dhikr).

Practical application of Tasawwuf in everyday life boils down to paying close attention to the rights of the others. Make sure that you do not become a source of any discomfort for them, however, minute it may be.

And remember, the most immediate, important and best evaluation of your  success in this endeavor will be your dealings, attitude and behavior with your spouse .

(Audio waaz)

Dhikr

The reward of remembrance of Allah (dhikr) is the facilitation (tawfiq) of dhikr itself.  And Allah, most High, acknowledges this action of of His slave.

Dhikr removes heedlessness.

The method of dhikr for the novice seeker is the vocal repetition of the Holy-name (ism-e-dhat). For the moderately advanced (mutawassit) it is the contemplation (tasawwur) of this by heart (qalb). And for the graduate (muntahi) seeker it is the perpetual following of the commands of Shariah as though they are his instinctive nature.

Ahzab tahzib un nafus,  Munajat e maqbool, ((zamimajat, Saeedi)) page 308

Qabdh: Spiritual contraction

ieterafezunub1

An individual complained that from many days I feel as though the special relationship with Allah (nisbet) has been lifted from me. There remains no interest in the daily wird and worship.

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

‘This is not the removal of nisbet. This state is called the spiritual contraction (qabdh).

The nisbet is removed by committing infidelity (kufr), associating partners with Allah (shirk), involvement in innovations (bida’) and major sins (kabair).

Whereas, the state of qabdh afflicts all including the novice and the advanced spiritual traveler. When it occurs the individual considers that this might be due to indulgence in sinful acts and therefore repents. In fact the repentance done in this state is much more sincere  than done in the state of spiritual expansion (bast).

Whenever afflicted by qabd one should increase in repentance, recite la hawla wa la quwwata illa biallah in abundance and continue with the daily wird and worship with extra effort. There should be no absence from these daily activities, even accomplishing a portion of them will suffice.’

Mahnama Tamir e ifkar, eshaet khas bayad Shaykh Syed Zawwar Hussain Shah (Allah have mercy on him), page 606-7