New post are not planned for the blessed month of Ramadan.
There are, alhumdulillah, already more than 1500 posts on this site to benefit from.
Please, use the search option and read the posts regarding Ramadan.
muhtaj e dua
‘abd
Following supplications has been reported from the Prophetic sayings,
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِعَفْوِكَ مِنْ عِقَابِكَ , وَأَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ , وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ , لا أُحْصِي ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ أَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ
The following supplication has been recited by the pious elders on this occasion. Surah Yaseen (chapter 36) is recited three times. Each time it is followed by this supplication.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him) wrote the following regarding the worship in the night of 15th of Sha’ban,
“This night is meant for worshiping Allah in solitude.
It is the time to enjoy the direct contact with the Lord of the Universe, and to devote one’s attention to Him and Him alone.
These are the precious hours of the night in which nobody should intervene between one and his Lord, and one should turn to Allah with total concentration, not disturbed or interrupted by any one else.”
On the death of Mawlana Shah Abrarul Haq (Allah have mercy on him) (died May 17th, 2005), the last surviving khalifa of Hakim al Umma, an individual inquired sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani sahib ( Allah preserve him and allow us to benefit from him a lot. Ameen!) regarding the attitude to be adopted by a murid on the death of his/her Shaikh.
Shaikh replied,
“Regarding this murideen fall into two categories.
First are those who are mojaz (have permission to initiate and guide others). For them it is not essential to take another Shaikh. However, it is very beneficial and advisable to take one and not leave one’s self independent.
Second category is the rest of murideen (disciples). It is absolutely essential for them to take another Shaikh as soon as possible.
In both the cases it is wise to select the next Shaikh from the same silsila (spiritual lineage) with the similar disposition and style (hum mazaq) in approach to Tasawwuf/islah as the recently deceased Shaikh, for uninterrupted spiritual progress.”
Jeddah, 18th May, 2005
All of the spiritual seekers aspire to do good and abstain from sinful actions.
However, most of us harbor a misconception regarding the means to achieve this goal.
We wish for a overpowering and overwhelming state that facilitates this for us by itself. Automatically. A kind of fairy tale magic spell.
Moreover, we assume that making supplications or reciting a particular litany (wadhifa) or associating with a pious individual or a group or reading classical spiritual text or visiting a holy site (like the revered Makkah and radiant Medinah) or worshiping in the blessed times (like the night of power) will create this ‘state’ for us.
This will never happen!
Hakim al Ummah Mujaddid Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) has repeatedly made this very clear in his works.
Self determination, self restraint and earnest hard work is needed to do good and abstain from sinful actions.
There is no other way around.
It is not easy.
Initially it is tough. This is the spiritual struggle (mujahida ). It brings the reward and its blessings in the here-after.
This is the norm in all the things we aspire to achieve. No school or work project is successfully completed just by supplicating, reading or associating with the experts. One has to toil and labor sincerely and put up his best effort in an organized manner to do it.
Therefore, praying the salah on time with the congregation, especially Fajr or having khushoo in salah or controlling anger or quit listening to music or watching the obscene on internet or ending free intermingling with opposite sex , etc. will never ever be achieved until we make a firm resolve to do so and use the self determination and restraint powers, bestowed to us by Allah, earnestly.
May Allah make this clear to us. Amin!
An individual (blind, physically weak and financially challenged) complained about the (lustful) attraction towards women and young men that was driving him crazy. He elaborated that this engrossment is to the extent that I am negligent of food consumption. I pray but sometimes I’m unaware of what was recited in prayers. I am very much afraid of this condition. I request a remedy for it.
Hakim al Ummah Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) replied,
There are two levels of being attracted towards something.
One is mere attention towards it and the second is love that is attention accompanied with a desire.
The first level is a natural thing. Allah has placed (sexual) attraction in men (for women). It can neither be eliminated by any means nor it is required from us to do so.
The second level is within one’s control (ikhteyar). It means that one has control to some extent in keeping it or annihilating it. An individual can increase his involvement in a thing to such an extent that that he is engrossed in it completely all the time. On the other hand he can avoid a thing to the extent that he no more desires it. Hence being volitional it is binding (to be acquired).
First treatment is use of determination (himmat). Allah has placed the performance of volitional acts on the determination of an individual. He has promised assistance after determination.
The second treatment is diverting thoughts. The attention has to be diverted away when there are overwhelming thoughts (of this nature). It is an axiom that lower-self (nafs) can not be attentive towards two things at one time. Therefore, at times of excessive desires be busy with something else. This may be religious activity like offering prayers, making remembrance or reciting Holy Quran, or it may be worldly activity like visiting someone, etc, etc..
The third treatment is to ignore these overwhelming desires completely. This is with the understanding that these feelings are not going to harm me at all. This is the most effective treatment.
The individual said that how was it possible to ignore these thoughts. They have spoiled my prayers, dhikr and shugul. Not for a moment these thoughts leave me.
Hakim al Ummah replied,
These thoughts are from the first level. They are not sinful. You are responsible for your actions. You are responsible for implementing these thoughts into action. Until then it is neither sinful nor are you accountable for them. These thoughts are not going to harm you even if they continue for your whole life.
The fourth treatment is to make supplication.
The individual requested for some special prayer formula recitation (wazdhifa) to ward away this calamity.
Hakim al Ummah replied,
Wazdhifa can not do this. The treatment is as mentioned above. Instead to wazdhifa make supplications (dua).
(In summary) use your determination, become busy in something else, cry and make heartfelt supplications showing extreme neediness that O Allah! Save me from these calamities.
Indeed supplication is effective and leads to facilitation in difficulties.
Malfuzat e Hakimul Ummat, volume 29, page 131
Tasawwuf is all about this!
Observing the prevalent Muslim attitude of not being wise and intelligent, Shaikh Shah Wasiullah Allahabadi repeatedly quoted this advice of Shah Ahlullah brother of Shah Waliullah muhadith Dehlavi (Allah have mercy on them all) from his book Chahar Bab,
‘Although, Intelligence, wisdom, understanding acumen and intellectual foresight are innate capabilities, but they can be improved further with acquiring vast experiential knowledge, keeping company of the wise, readings intellectual texts, listening to the beneficial advices and biographies of the (successful) predecessors.
Therefore, it imperative that everyday we try to improve our intellectual abilities.
We should be vigilant in making conscious and extra effort to be in the category of intelligent and not in that of stupid people. ‘
Halaat e Muslih al Ummat ra, volume 4, page 338
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani (Allah preserve him with ‘afiyet) said in discussion regarding the permissibility of praying two rakah prior to the fardh salah of maghrib,
The correct and just thing is that there is no proof (daleel) of two rakah prior to maghrib being disliked (karahiyet). And there are many proofs of its permissibility.
However, it must be taken into account that at places where there is time interval prior to congregational salah (jamah), like in the blessed Haramain, then being stubborn that I am a Hanafi and whatever happens I am not going to pray is not the proper attitude. In these situation it should be offered.
One thing that has to be always avoided is: creating fitnah.
Praying these two rakah are permissible and wherever there is time available (between adhan and jama’h) they should be offered. However, it should not be offered at places where none has even heard about this issue. Initiating these prayer in this situation will create a fitnah resulting in useless discussions.
However, mention the permissibility of this issue at an appropriate opportunity.
Inman al Bari, volume 3, pages383-5
Imam al Qurtubi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
Understand it very clearly that following things soften the worst hardened hearts,
1. Visiting the graves
2. Listening to the discourses of pious scholars
3. Reading about the past obedient ascetics and scholars
4. Remembrance of that which will uproot all pleasures, ward off all desires, separate one from others, make existence detestable, and orphan the children who were adored by their parents. That is, death.’
Ebrat ka saman, page 27-8, Urdu translation of Imam Sha’rani (Allah have mercy on him)’s Mukhtaser Tazkirah al Qurtubi,
Shaikh Mohammed al Daqqaq (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘A person who reminds himself of death often is honored with three gifts,
1. Early facilitation of repentance
2. Being content with one’s provision
3. Having the desire to and delight in worship’
Ebrat ka saman, page 25, Urdu translation of Imam Sha’rani (Allah have mercy on him)’s Mukhtaser Tazkirah al Qurtubi,
Sayyidi wa sanadi Shaikh Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘In summary the steadfastness (isteqamet) on Deen consists of,
1. Performing all the essential (faraidh) and recommended (wajibaat) actions
2. Following the Sunna
3. Abstaining from all that is sinful
4. Repenting immediately if a sinful act is committed.
Waaz 15th Feb 1991
Shaikh al Hadith Mawlana Mohammed Zakariya Kandehlawi mohajir Madani (Allah have mercy on him) instructed a seeker,
‘Persistence in daily routine of good works (wird) is the way to spiritual progress.
Be vigilant in completing the daily wird!
Do not pay attention (to the thoughts) that my condition is not changing with remembrance (dhikr).
It is an established principle according to the pious preceding masters of this path that blessed remembrance of Allah even if done with extreme heedfulness does not remain without a (spiritual) affect.’
Monthly Ihsan o sulook, Safar 1410, page 63
