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Category Archives: Z. Mustahebbat
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
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
Who is a sufi?
Shaikh Abdul Ghani Tarablusi al Khalwati (Allah have mercy on him) writes in the initial instruction for a seeker,
‘There are various categories of good deeds. They include the essentials (faraidh), the highly recommended (wajib), Sunna and desirable (mustahib). It is a must for the seeker to start with what is most important. That is, to follow the hierarchy of these actions.
The one who does not follow this hierarchy is ignorant and misguided.
For example, if an individual has fardh salah that has to be expiated and instead of doing that he is involved in offering supererogatory (nafil) salah. Similarly, an individual has to pay back his loan or fardh zakah but he is donating in supererogatory charity. Also, an individual’s parents are in need of his service but he abandons them for a desirable (mustahib) action. All of these are examples of misguided and sinful activities. They darken the heart (qalb).
However, following this hierarchy of deeds is not possible effectively without the guidance of a qualified (kamil) Shaikh or acquisition of knowledge of Shariah laws (fiqh).
It is for this reasons it is said ‘a sufi is a scholar who acts on his knowledge’.
Tarsih al Jawahir al Makkiyah fi Tazkiya tul Aklaq al mardhiyah, (Urdu), page 98-9
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.
The extreme loss of Ummah
Our master Abdullah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) narrates,
Allah’s Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “If any member of my people has two children who die before him, Allah will cause him to enter Paradise on their account.”
(Our mother) Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) asked, “Does it apply to a member of your people who has one child who dies before him?” He replied, “It does, you who have been helped by Allah to ask this.”
She then asked, “What about a member of your people who has no children who die before him?” He replied, “I am the one who dies before my people, and they will never suffer any loss to compare with the loss of me.”
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith # 1735
Way to islah
Hakim al-Ummah Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) instructed,
‘Pray two rakah salah with intention of making repentance and then supplicate as follows;
O Allah! I am Your obstinate disobedient servant.
I want to become obedient but nothing happens with my desires. However, everything is possible only with You.
I want to reform myself but I lack the determination to do so. Only You can reform me.
O Allah! I am extremely inapt, severely corrupt and very sinful. I am failing. Please, help me!
I have a weak determination to resist temptations of sinful activities. Please, give me the power to do so.
I do not have anything for salvation. Please, provide me with the means of salvation from Your hidden treasures.’
For ten or twelve minutes make repentance arduously. Then say;
‘O Allah! Kindly forgive all the sins that I have committed till now. Though I do not say that I will not commit them again. I am aware that I will do them again. However, I will ask for forgiveness again.’
In this manner daily ask for forgiveness, acknowledge your weakness, supplicate for betterment (islah) and verbally recount your ineptness, corruption and evilness. In short, debase yourself explicitly in front of Allah daily for ten minutes.
O brothers! Neither take the medicine nor abstain from the harmful, only use small quantity of this elixir daily prior to sleep.
In few days you will observe that from Divine sources your determination will become strong without facing humility and hardships. Overall, things will happen from Divine which you can not even imagine now.’
Waaz: Milat e Ibrahim, Volume 31, page 390, quoted from Majalis e Hazrat Eshrat ra, page 13-4
Signs of love of Allah
Hakim al-Umma Shaikh Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanawi (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘The signs of genuine (perfect/kamil) love of Allah are,
1. Facilitation of obedience of Allah
2. Excessive remembrance of Allah
In absence of either of these two signs, the claim of loving Allah is a pretension.’
Waaz Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Taqi Usmani (Allah preseve him)
Being attentive of Allah 2
Shaikh Haji Shakeel Ahmad (Allah preserve him) said,
‘Try to keep your attention towards the recitation of the dhikr you are doing. That is, focusing on what is being recited and contemplating its meanings. At the same time being aware that my Allah is watching me and listening to my recital. I am in front of Him. Keep reminding yourself about these things continuously throughout the day.
This is a lesson for all of us.
We have to repeat it and be reminded about it.
Thanks to your visit we revised it today.’
Medinah al Munawwarah, 3 Muharram 1434/17 November 2012
Reminding myself constantly!
Controlling sight and tongue
Shaikh Haji Shakeel Ahmad (Allah preserve him) said,
‘Be totally silent. Develop this habit (of keeping the heart attentive towards Allah), especially here in illuminated Medinah. Remain mute, deaf and blind here. Keep your sight focused to ground. Do not look at anything except for the essential, like way towards the door of blessed mosque.
The sight and speech should not be used without an active intention. If this control is achieved one is bestowed with many blessings from Allah. Our sight and speech are irresponsibly out of control. The sight wanders here and there without any restrictions.
Be vigilant about safeguarding the sight especially in the blessed city of Medinah. This is the least that should be done here. By the evening time there should not be a single image of non-mehram in our mind. This can only be achieved if one actively lowers his gaze. If accidentally something inappropriate is seen then turn to Allah immediately, asking for protection and removal of its bad effects.’
Madinah e munawarrah, 3rd Muharram 1434/17th November 2012, after asr