Our master Muʿādh ibn Jabal (God be pleased with him) said,
“An act requires four things to be safe from hypocrisy:
-knowledge before beginning it,
-proper intention at its start,
-patience during it, and
-sincerity at its conclusion.”
The Principles of Tasawwuf (A Ba’yuniah ra), p53
Following is a list of common prevalent sinful activities.
Most of us are knowingly or unknowingly involved in them.
Sadly we are neither acknowledging our mistake in this involvement, nor repenting sincerely and making concrete efforts for improvement.
The present Pandemic should be an eye-opener for us.
It is extremely dangerous to belittle a sinful activity. It is spiritually lethal. Emaan is lost by considering it to be okay and continue doing it.
May Allah protect us all. Ameen!
(The list includes the most common and serious ones. There are many others.)
1. Associating partners with Allah. This is not by worshiping idols, but by believing Divinely attributes in created beings.
2. Performing black magic.
3. Free intermingling of opposite sexes.
4. Illicit sexual relationships.
5. Homosexuality.
6. Watching pornography.
7. Masturbation.
8. Listening music.
9. Insolent behavior with parents
10. Breaking blood-relationship ties.
11. Habitual lying.
12. Back-biting.
13. Deceiving another fellow human being.
14. Demanding bribes.
15. Use of intoxicants.
16. Watching movies, dramas and other types of videos.
17. Disregarding the rules of hijab and not covering what needs to be covered.
True Repentance means that we,
1. Acknowledge our mistake and are remorseful
2. We stop doing it immediately
3. We make a firm determination never to do it again
4. In case of negligence in fulfilling the rights of other fellow human beings, we either reimburse them or ask their forgiveness
May Allah facilitate it for us to abstain from all that is sinful. Ameen!
The COVID-19 Pandemic is taking a major emotional toll on us.
The lockdown and the continuous barrage of negative news is creating uncertainty about one’s own and loved ones’ well being, future, job and financial securities.
This is draining us emotionally and is creating anticipatory grief and depression.
This is spiritually dangerous.
If not dealt appropriately it will lead to loneliness, lassitude, trouble focusing, feelings of sadness & hopelessness, loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed, irritability, restlessness, sleeping difficulties and eventually exhaustion. The daily prayers, recitations, readings and supererogatory (nafil) actions and khushu (concentration & reflection) in them will gradually fade away.
This will be a disaster indeed.
The lifelong mujahidda (struggle) wasted.
We all have to be proactive in this regards.
Following points have helped me and InshaAllah will be helpful for you as well.
1. Keep focused. Our goal is achieving Allah’s pleasure and acceptance. All sinful activities are a barrier to it. Leave them now.
2. Remind ourselves that Allah, Most High being the Sovereign authority in charge (al-Hakim) has all the right to do with us as He wants. No one can question it. We being His slaves have to accept it. However, at the same time we must remember that He is Wise (al-Hakeem) and whatever He does certainly has something beneficial for us. We may not be able to acknowledge this right away but this is for sure.
3. Disconnect with news and social media to a greater extent. Set limits. Check these twice per day just to keep updated and motivated.
4. Connect with Allah. Make dua. Ask Allah for safeguard from all our apprehensions. This can even be non-verbal in mind & heart.
5. Keep up with our daily ma’moolaat (routine). The dhikr, recitations of Holy Quran, Munajat e Maqbool, tasbihat, recommended books. Even under normal circumstances one has to force him/herself to do these. Please remember that this is not easy. This is the daily mujahidda (spiritual struggle) required.
6. Make excessive shukr (gratitude) of Allah. Remind ourselves of all the blessings we have right now, like physical & mental health, food, water, shelter, family & loved ones, accessibility to healthcare etc. and make shukr for each and every of them individually. Allah has promised that gratitude insures and increases the blessing.
7. Use our time wisely. Each moment of our life is priceless. Do not let it waste in useless activities. Do your job. Learn. Read. Write. Cook. Workout. Be busy.
May Allah protect us all and keep us steadfast in these challenging time.
بجاہ سید المرسلین حبیبک صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم
آمین!
A student complained of annoying recurrent thoughts (وساوس) regarding ritual purity۔ He added that he was spending to much time in restroom and wasting lots of water. Moreover it was giving him headaches and anxiety.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) replied,
‘Its treatment is to firmly do the opposite of these thoughts. Do not give importance to them. Otherwise they will continue to annoy.
The student requested for a recitation (wazifa) to help him.
Sayyidi instructed him to recite the Prophetic prayer
اللھم اجعل وساوس قلبی خشیتک و ذکرک
And recite surah an naas (Quran chapter 114) often and blow over himself. ‘
Darul Uloom Karachi, office. 26 October 2019. After zuhar.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve & protect him) said,
“Duʿāʾ can make the (apparently) impossible possible.”
A spiritual aspirant wrote, Sir! The conditions of wilting and constriction is ever increasing. Weeks and months pass by without experiencing any happiness. It looks like mind and heart are dead. There no solace either in being alone or in gatherings. I’m extremely disturbed by the vacuum and suspension in life. The work is merely for acquiring sustenance there is no aspect of interest in it at all. ……………
……. The wish for dying has not as yet developed, however, life is a burden……………
Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) replied,
‘This condition is called spiritual constriction (qabd). It happens to all (spiritual wayfarers:salikeen ). Outwardly it appears to be an affliction, however in reality it is a blessing.
Its causes are different. Sometimes it is disturbance in normal physiological (bodily) functioning or mixing (in unsuitable company) or seasonal affect or medicinal side effects or (consumption of inappropriate) food or psychological factors, or (excessive) thinking or (overwhelming) sadness or anger. All of these are treated by there opposites.
Sometimes it is due to sinful involvement. It’s treatment is abandoning the sinful and excessive repentance.
Sometimes it to elevate the spiritual status of the aspirant. That is, the deficiency in volitional good actions is compensated by forced spiritual struggle. This increases the spiritual status.
At other times it is to rectify one’s morals (ikhlaq). That is, by observing one’s imperfections there is development of humbleness and humility. This cures many blameworthy morals, like narcissism (ujub), arrogance (kibr) and hard-heartedness (qasawet), etc. .
Sometimes it is a test of love and reverence. That is to see if the individual works only when happy and experiencing enjoyment or continues with good actions when there is no experiencing at all. Because the later condition can only be due to overwhelming love and reverence.
At other times it is leads to attraction (jazb) to the sanctified realm (‘alam al quds) by removing the veils and obstacles.
And sometimes the causes are beyond descriptions.
After this prelude, there are some points of caution,
1. Sometimes various different causes are combined
2. When this (qabd) occurs it is futile to investigate and identify the reasons behind it. Moreover it is detrimental to do so. This is because there is no way to ascertain it definitely. And it will be a wasted effort.
3. The rights of all the possibilities should be fulfilled. That is (practice ) repentance, patience, thankfulness, assigning affairs to Allah (tafweez) , relying on Allah, humility, supplications, turning to Allah, excessive remembrance, being steadfast in good actions, decrease in useless affairs, involvement in activities that relax and strengthen the mind like meeting friends, interaction with spouse and children, consuming one’s favorite foods in moderation. All these must be combined in a efficient way.
4. All of these (above mentioned) activities should be done without the intention of treatment or expecting (a hastened) spiritual opening (bast) or blissful state. These are in themselves (necessary) to be done. One should be ready to be steadfast in fulfilling these rights even if this spiritual constriction prevails till the end of life.
5. Staying away as much as possible from all the astringent and worrisome affairs.
Use of these interventions meticulously, InshaAllah, will result most of the times in spontaneous (physical/tabaii) spiritual opening and for sure in intellectual (‘aqli) spiritual opening.
If there is suspicion of relapse then as per ان عدتم عدنا be ready. Like an individual who get a seasonal fever (every year). He doesn’t despair. He just renews the prescription again (for use).
Tarbiyet-us-salik , volume 3, p 186-8
Hakim al Umma Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘After bayiah (spiritual allegiance) the things that need to be rectified upfront include, arrogance, negligence in fulfilling the rights of others (huqooq al ‘ebad), envy, hatred, creating adversity (fitna) between people, etc. However, nowadays no restrictions are instructed for these things. Whereas, previous pious elders (Mashāyikh) used to give priority to these things from first day.
The litanies & recitations (wazaif) were instructed after many years.
Moreover, these restrictions were not merely verbal instructions, they recommended various practices to uproot these spiritual ailments from the heart.
Like, if they saw an individual afflicted with self adoration (زینت پرستی) he was instructed to sweep and tidy up the spiritual lodge (khanqah) or streets. Similarly, if they saw arrogance in an individual, he was instructed to tidy up the shoes of people coming to pray. These acts of humility have the ability to create humbleness in heart. ‘
Infas e Essa, volume 1, pg43
Narrated Ibn `Abbas (Allah be pleased with him):
When the Prophet (ﷺ) got up at night to offer the Tahajjud prayer, he used to say: Allahumma lakal-hamd.
Anta qaiyyimus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna.
Walakal-hamd, Laka mulkus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna.
Walakal-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ard.
Wa lakal-hamd, anta-l-haq wa wa’duka-lhaq, wa liqa’uka Haq, wa qauluka Haq, wal-jannatu Han wan-naru Haq wannabiyuna Haq.
Wa Muhammadun, sallal-lahu’alaihi wasallam, Haq, was-sa’atu Haq.
Allahumma aslamtu Laka wabika amantu, wa ‘Alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu wa bika khasamtu, wa ilaika hakamtu faghfir li ma qaddamtu wama akh-khartu wama as-rartu wama’a lantu, anta-l-muqaddim wa anta-l-mu akh-khir, la ilaha illa anta (or la ilaha ghairuka).
(O Allah! All the praises are for you, You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You have the possession of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. All the praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth And all the praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and the Earth; And all the praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the truth, And to meet You is true, Your Word is the truth And Paradise is true And Hell is true And all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad is true, And the Day of Resurrection is true. O Allah ! I surrender (my will) to You; I believe in You and depend on You. And repent to You, And with Your help I argue (with my opponents, the non-believers) And I take You as a judge (to judge between us). Please forgive me my previous And future sins; And whatever I concealed or revealed And You are the One who make (some people) forward And (some) backward. There is none to be worshipped but you . Sufyan said that `Abdul Karim Abu Umaiya added to the above, ‘Wala haula Wala quwata illa billah’ (There is neither might nor power except with Allah).
Sahih al-Bukhārī,1120, book19/1
5. اَنۡتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغۡفِرۡ لَـنَا وَارۡحَمۡنَا وَاَنۡتَ خَيۡرُ الۡغَافِرِيۡنَ
“You are our protector, so forgive us, and have mercy on us, and You are the best among those who forgive.”
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) explained that “wali” is one who knows the interests of someone, and safeguards those interests. Here, before making the supplication which follows, it is being said to Allah that “You are our wali”.
This is common throughout the supplications mentioned in the Quran and Hadith, that they often begin with words of praise for Allah. Why is this so? Some ignorant people think that these words of praise are akin to flattery which is done to people of power in this world. Allah has no need of this! Even if the entire world stopped mentioning His praise, it would not cause the minutest decrease in His Greatness!
Rather there are two reasons for doing this:
a) If a slave mentions his difficulties without words of praise to Allah, it is possible that ungratefulness could be involved in that supplication. To save the slave from into falling into ungratefulness, it is made Sunnah to begin the supplication with words of praise for Allah.
b) The words of praise for Allah, such as SubhanAllah (Allah is pure), Alhamdulillah (all praise is for Allah), Allahu Akbar (All is the Greatest) contain blessings, the reality of which will only be revealed in the Akhirah.Saying these words before supplications is made Sunnah so that the slave is not deprived of these blessings when making supplications to Allah.
Ramadan 1440, post zohar dars, Masjid Darul Uloom Karachi,
Intekhab e Kaiseri
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
“Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate from the right path after You have given us guidance, and bestow upon us mercy from Your own. Surely, You, and You alone, are the One who bestows in abundance.”
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) explained, among other things:
“This deviation is of two kinds:
1) Deviation in understanding of Deen
As an example, he narrated the following incident:
Once I was in America. A talk used to be conducted after Fajr prayer where people travelling from hundreds of miles away also used to attend. People asked me regarding the matter of Istiwa ‘alal ‘Arsh (Allah’s ascending/sitting on His throne), i.e. is it literal ascending/sitting or figurative. I asked them: “What gave rise to this question in your minds?” They explained that a scholar from Saudi Arabia visits us to give religious talks. He tells us that “‘Aqeedah must be corrected first. And ‘aqeedah will not be correct until and unless you believe that when Allah tells us that he sat on His throne then it is a literal sitting. You will not be a Muslim until and unless you have this belief.”
The state of the people there was that they did not know the rulings of prayer; they were not aware of several matters related to what is Halal (permissible) and what is Haram (impermissible); they were not aware of the rulings of Nikah (marriage) and Talaq (divorce); they were not aware of Islamic etiquettes and the Sunnah (Prophetic) way of doing things. While the people were lacking in knowledge of all these important matters, they were plunged them into the matter of Istiwa ‘alal Arsh.
I told them to let me meet him the next time he visited. We met after Fajr one day. I sincerely asked him: “You have stirred up the matter of Istiwa ‘alal Arsh among these people while they don’t know how to pray correctly; they are not aware about the Sunnah (Prophet) way of doing things; they are not aware about the rulings of Nikah (marriage) and Talaq(divorce); they are lacking in knowledge of Halal(permissible) and what is Haram (impermissible). Is the matter that whether Allah is sitting on His throne literally or figuratively the most important knowledge for these people?
He said this matter is part of ‘aqeedah (beliefs) and ‘aqeedah(beliefs) are more important than actions. I asked him, is this such a belief about which you will be questioned in the grave? Or on the Day of Judgment? Hearing this, he became lost for words. I told him that beliefs are of two types; one type is of those without believing in which a person cannot attain salvation in the Hereafter; another type is of those on which a person’s salvation is not dependent. What unnecessary disputes are you plunging the people into!? After explaining this to him for some time, Alhamdulillah Allah Ta’ala made him understand the point. I asked him to teach people the straight-forward practical teachings of Deen, and that if the same topic is discussed further, people will divide into groups and sects and a Fitna (dispute) will be raised up.
One means of this intellectual deviation is that one attends discourses of all and sundry; one may see that a large crowd attends the lectures of so and so, and begin attending those lectures. This mode of action has the risk that if one begins liking these lectures, e.g. due to the style of the speaker, or his beautiful language, or he mentions certain points which seem attractive, or one is entertained by the lecture, or due to the large crowd attending, then one may begin absorbing all that he says without being able to objectively judge (due to one’s lack of knowledge) whether the lectures contain something which is incorrect.
Rather one should search for a reliable source of knowledge which one trusts and which scholars trust, and they have also spent time in the company of Ahlullah, then stick to it. Our elders say یک در گیر و محکم گیر (Hold on to one door, and hold fast to it). This important principal is known as Tawheed-e-Matlab in the terminology of Tasawwuf.
Sayyidi further explained that becoming famous among the masses is not a sign of being correct and being accepted in the court of Allah. Rather, becoming famous and respected among those having knowledge and understanding of Deen, and then becoming famous among the masses is one of the signs of being correct and being accepted in the court of Allah.
2) Deviation in actions
As a treatment for this, my Shaykh Dr Abdul Hayy Arifi (May Allah’s mercy be upon him) used to say:
“Imagine it is the Day of Judgment. Your deeds are being presented to you. Allah asks you: “Why did you do this when I prohibited you from it? Why didn’t you do that when I commanded you to do it?” Imagine you reply: “Oh Allah! I was weak. I was brought up in an unreligious atmosphere. The environment around me encouraged me towards your disobedience. My nafs and Shaytan overpowered me. My friends and family also spurred me towards your disobedience.”
Now imagine Allah asks you: “Why didn’t you tell me? When I repeatedly told you in the Quran that “Allah is powerful over everything”, did you think I was powerless to help you?”
What reply can you give to Allah? ”
“Do this now while you are alive. Tell Allah all your difficulties and fears in terms of falling into His disobedience and ask His protection. Once you have taken all practical measures to obey Him and avoid His disobedience, and have told Him about your fears and asked Him for protection, then you have done your job.”
Intekhab e Kaiseri
Ramadan 1440, post zohar majlis, MasjidDarulUloomKarachi
Shaikh Ata Allah al Iskandari (Allah have mercy on him)
