Muadh bin Jabal (Allah be pleased with them) related that our Master Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
“Whoever sits in his home, with the people safe from him and him safe from the people shall enjoy the guarantee of Allah.”
Al-Tabarani, Abu-Dawood (partial phrase selected)
The Coronavirus pandemic is here.
We have to do the following
Turn to Allah by repenting from all sinful activities, leaving them immediately and making a firm determination of not committing them ever again.
Continuing the good devotional activities.
Taking expert medical advice seriously. It is a religious obligation to maintain health.
Remember all gatherings have to be avoided.
It is the time for seclusion (uzlah).
May Allah facilitate all for us and stop this pandemic with afiyet. Ameen!
To develop in a seeker the concern for establishment of Deen (in one’s life) and regard of permissible & impermissible is the real karamah of the Shaykh and explicit proof of his spiritual blessings and benefits.
Ashraf-us-Sawanih, v2,p28
Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Allah have mercy on him) once mentioned:
Greed is the root cause of all problems. It is such an evil trait and spiritual malady that it should be regarded as the mother of all spiritual maladies. It is on account of greed that disputes and fights occur, and it is on account of greed that most of the court cases take place. If it was not for the greed of wealth, then no person would have trampled the rights of the next.
Theft and zina also stem from greed for wealth and greed for haraam passions. Evil character also originates from the same root, as the friends of Allah say that evil character stems from pride, which is the greed for recognition. Hence, even pride stems from greed.
(Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 23/146)
A very close student, relative, Mufti and scholar enquired that an individual who has benefited from him wants to establish an islahi ta’luq (relationship for self reformation) with him.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) replied,
‘The individual with whom an islahi ta’luq is made must himself have had a proper islahi ta’luq with someone (Shaikh) and had received (explicit) permission (ijazet) to do so.
(As this is not possible here) You can continue to benefit him as a scholar-friend without any formal Shaikh-talib setting.’
Office, Darul Uloom Karachi, Jan 2020
Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) once mentioned:
The Deen of Islam places great emphasis on assisting those in need and those undergoing difficulties. However, it is unfortunate that in today’s times, many people are totally unconcerned about assisting those in difficulty.
Some people are so miserly and self-centred that they make every arrangement for their own comfort – shoes, food, clothing, etc. – yet they have no worry or concern for whether others are dying or undergoing distress.
Some people argue and say, “How many people must we help? There are thousands of people in need and difficulty!” The answer to such people is, “Very well, you are right in saying that there are thousands of people in need and difficulty. However, if you are unable to assist all, it does not mean that you should not assist the few people you are able to assist! At least assist ten people among them!”
Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) then mentioned, “Generally, these types of excuses are made by people who do not wish to do anything.”
(Malfoozaat Hakeemul Ummat 23/163-164)
Via Ihyaauddeen-Deen
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) instructed a physician who returned from abroad,
‘MashaAllah!
You have returned back home leaving a good salary. Here work with the intention of helping others (khidmet e khalq). (That is, earning money should not be the primary objective). May Allah facilitate it for you. Ameen!’
Darul Uloom Karachi, 4th October 2019
An individual mentioned about a job offer abroad.
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) inquired regarding his present job. On coming to know that he was satisfied in the current situation he said,
Our master Ali (Allah be pleased him) said, ‘It is a blessing for an individual to find his livelihood in his hometown. ‘
Darul Uloom Karachi, after zohar, walking towards home, January 18, 2020
A senior mureed (khalifa of another senior late Shaykh) complained about difficulty in completing the daily wird (recitations, tasbihat, etc.)
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) instructed,
‘One has to force him/herself to do these.
There is no other way.
This is the Sulook!
(Traveling the path to attain Allah’s pleasure.)
Initially make sure that you set the amount of daily recitations (wird) according to the time available in your schedule. Then stick to it. ‘
Darul Uloom Karachi, after zohar,walking towards home, December 2019
A sincere student inquired,
What does giving bayah to a shaykh include?
Following answer was given,
Baiyet or bayah or Ahed is a solemn pledge. It hallmarks an agreement between the Sheikh and a spiritual aspirant. That is, in order to gain Allah swt’spleasure the aspirant agrees to receive and obey the guidance and instruction from the Sheikh. And the Sheikh kindly accepts to direct him accordingly.
This is the reality of ba’iyet.
Outwardly it takes the form of holding the hand of the Sheikh, who recites some Quranic verses, hadithand ask the mureed to repent for all previous sins and make a solemn affirmation of not committing them ever again. Also he announces that the aspirant is now a member of xyzSufi order. Then he instructs him accordingly.
Indeed, this outwardly form of baiyet is filled with barakah. Being a Sunnah (ghair muakkidah) and the practice of saintly elders it has its own benefits. It is not an ordinary thing.
However, without the above mentioned reality it is a form devoid of soul.
History of religions is evident of the fact that with passage of time and spiritual decline means become goals by themselves and realities are ignored. Rituals and ceremonies eclipse the real meaning intended.
Same has happened with Tasawwuf. Ba’yit has become a ceremony. It is considered to be a goal by itself. This is not the correct teaching of Tasawwuf. Essential thing is continuously receiving instructions and acting on them as guided.
For this reason, in our tariq, ba’yit is deferred initially. The instruction and guidance starts immediately. However, the ba’yit is as a principle is delayed till the Sheikh is satisfied that the individual is sincere to follow the path and is doing so to the best of his ability. And, moreover, the potential mureed understands and agrees with the methodology of the Sheikh and himself acknowledges increasing benefit from these instructions.
This time period may be days or years.
The best deal is: Try before you buy.
Once the potential mureed sees himself grow spiritually, the real importance of ba’yit will become evident to him. However, if such is not the case, he will be free to try his luck somewhere else.
Ashrafiya Qs &As
In his exegesis of ‘Risala-e-Makkiyah’ Shaikh Saad ud Deen (Allah have mercy on him) said,
If due to one’s unawareness one becomes a mureed or pledges spiritual convent (biayah) at the evil hands of an ignorant innovator (Shaykh) or accepts his khilafet then it is (essential) to (break these connections) and go to a true Shaykh and renew the biayah to avoid going astray.
Ta’leem ud Deen, p202
O Dog, Son of a Dog!
“Do not insult one another by (offensive) nicknames” (Qurʾān, 49: 11)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
The great Shāfiʿī scholar Shaykh Tāj al-Dīn al-Subkī (d. 771/1370) writes in al-Tarshīḥ[1]:
“One day, I was with a group of people in the courtyard of our house. A dog passed us with water dripping from him which was about to touch our clothes. So I rebuked him and said, “O dog, the son of a dog.” The Shaykh Imam [referring to his father Shaykh al-Islam Taqī al-Dīn al-Subkī, d. 756/1355] was listening to us from the inside. When he came out, he said: “Why did you humiliate him?” So I said, “I did not say but the truth. Is he not a dog the son of a dog?” He replied, “He is for sure, except that you uttered the words as an insult and to humiliate, and this is not appropriate.” So I said, herein is a beneficial point: Any creation [of Allah] should not be addressed by their inherent characteristics, unless the words are uttered in a non-demeaning manner.
From: Islamic Portal
Hakim al Ummah Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Allah have mercy on him) instructed,
The biayah (spiritual convent or pact) with the women must not be done by holding their hands in one’s hand.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) never ever touched a woman while taking biayah.
It is impermissible (haram) to touch a non-mehram female.
The author of ‘Mehboob us Salikeen’ writes, ‘the biayah of female is as follows, if they are not (physically) present there then they should be inducted via a (mehram) relative and the instructions regarding the biayah conveyed to them by this representative. Moreover, the Shaykh may gift them a piece of his clothing (as reminder). However, if the woman is present then their biayah must be from behind a veil, and not by holding their hands.
Taleem ud Deen p192-3
Sayyidi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him) instructed the attendees at a female burial,
‘The na–mehram should, please, step aside. This a Shariah ruling. ‘
This was in addition to veiling of the grave from all the sides with makeshift curtains.
Darul Uloom Karachi, Old Graveyard, Saturday 2 November 2019. After zohar.
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.