In his biweekly progress report a seeker reported missing fajr salah multiple times.
Ashrafiya replied,
More effort needs to be done for this.
However, do not be disappointed.
InshaAllah, there is some Divine wisdom in our mistakes. They up root the self admiration (ujub), arrogance (kibr) and show us our true face.
May Allah SWT make them a learning lesson for us. Amin!
Islahi emails:TA
Imam Hasan al Basri (Allah have mercy on him) used to instruct his companions,
‘Make lots of Muslim friends.
Because, they will plead on your behalf to Allah (for mercy).’
Imam Hasan Basri: Ahwal o Aasar, p62
Imam Hasan al Basri (Allah have mercy on him) said,
It will be preferable for me to know that I’m free of hypocrisy (nifaq) then to have the heaven and earth filled with gold given to me.
Imam Hasan Basri : Ahwal o Aasar, p56
Imam Hasan al Basri (Allah have mercy on him) said,
Some people consider humility to be in the types of clothes (they wear), whereas their hearts are full of pride and arrogance.
From them a patched cloaked one takes more pride on his clothes over another wearing silken ones.
Imam Hasan Basri: Ahwal o Aasar, by p54
The leader of Sufis, Imam Hasan al Basri (Allah have mercy on him) said,
‘Excessive laughing leads to the death of the (spiritual) heart.’
Imam Hasan Basri:Ahwal o Aasar, p53
A seeker inquired,
This question is regarding the spiritual ailments for which a course of action and consequentially a penalty has been precribed e.g. Offering a number of nafl salat. Should I be informing the spiritual mentor (Hazrat) 1) if unfortunately an action was done so that a penalty was applicable and 2) If the penalty was offered.
Ashrafiya replied,
Not all the time.
Inform only if after a considerable period of time there is no change in frequency of these incident. It is a sign that present treatment in not working something else has to be used.
Islahi emails:TA
A seeker wrote, I wish to get more detail on one of the reasons “making explanations for one’s mistakes”. Does this refer to explanation in islahi makatib? e.g. if the salik explains why he thinks a certain shortcoming is occurring.
Please explain.
Ashrafiya replied,
Blame worthy thing is to create an excuse for one’s mistake. The mistakes should be acknowledged and full responsibilty taken. If there are genuine circumstance that led to it they can be mentioned as a matter of fact. The same is true for islahi corrspondence also.
Islahi emails:TA
A seeker wrote
One area that is going weak lately is making up the missed salats. Perhaps any goal in this regard would be helpful inshaAllah. Please make special dua for me in this regard.
Ashrafiya replied,
Yes. It is essential to complete the missed salah as soon as possible. Try to pray one qaza salah with each daily salah.
Substitute ishraq, awabeen and tahajud (four rakah between sunna and witr at esha) with qaza salah.
InshaAllah, it will be facilitated by Allah’s mercy.
Islahi emails:TA
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)
A seeker wrote,
The last 2 weeks were very busy with guests staying at our place, increased responsibility at home and working on my Masters.
Ashrafiya replied,
Being busy is good. It provides lesser opportunities for the nafs and shaytan to involve us in sins.
Islahi emails:TA
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)
As seeker wrote,
The book (Imam Ghazali’s Tabligh e Deen/Arbain) has criticised saving money too. The point against is very weighty that if a calamity is destined to come, it will come. Saving money can’t change destiny. And that we should expect the best from Allah SWT. So should we not save anything at all?
Ashrafiya replied,
This has also changed a little bit since Imam sahib ra’s times. As was the eating issue.
In these days and times it is necessary to have some savings after paying the zakah and some voluntary charity (nafli sadqa).
Otherwise, in face of a clamity the first thing a person will let go is his deen.
Islahi emails:TA
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)
A seeker inquired,
Once you have earned a livelihood the next step is how to spend it. A portion is basic necessities. One should definitely make sure that no portion is spent on any outright haram activity.What portion of the leftover (after necessities and the not so necessary expenditures like better clothes, A/C, trip to Pakistan) should one donate? (Besides Zakat)
Ashrafiya replied,
Depends on your financial condition. 1/10th or 1/20th of the income should be allocated for good word (masaref e khair) and kept aside. Whenever there is an opportunity for good it can be spend.
Presents for the family, relatives, donations. etc. can be made from it.
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)
A seeker wrote,
One thought that comes to my mind is that when you have more money you can give more too for the betterment of humanity and muslims in particular. Please comment.
Ashrafiya replied,
Not necessarily. Many become more miserly and some waste their money on haram.
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)
A seeker wrote,
Some questions that come to my mind are as follows: How should it translate into the effort that I put into my job. One behaviour that I see people adopting is that they become workaholics, put extra hours, sacrifice their life, family etc. just to go up the ladder. The conclusion that I came to is to work with due diligence from 9 to 5 (because I am atleast accountable in the herafter for this time that I am getting paid for). Please suggest the correct behaviour here.
Ashrafiya replied,
This is correct.
Going out of the way to earn more money or status by comprising one’s deen (taking care of family is wajib) will be blameworthy love of the worldly wealth and status (hubb e maal/jah).
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)
A seeker wrote,
I feel that I have envy against the religious groups that are flourishing but are not correct according to our ideology. I have discussed this earlier but since I read the topic on Hasad I realized that its perhaps hasad (so I thought I should mention it again). e.g. If I hear about a certain group having a big conference in which many poeple showed up. I will have a feeling wishing that these people don’t show up in such numbers.
Ashrafiya replied,
Make excessive dua for them after each salah and admonish yourself for having these thoughts.
Islahi emails:TA
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)
I wish to understand the limits of anger. I, like typical people find myself angry at wife and friends, at times. I have noticed that you need some degree of anger to keep the order intact. I will try to explain with an example. Before my wife and I used to be routinely late. If we had told someone that we will get there by 2pm, we would be like 2 hours late. Many times we couldn’t get things done because of being late. I had to display anger at my wife many times to tell her that this is something unacceptable and Alhamdulillah things improved a lot. There is one thing though, I used to (may Allah SWT have mercy on me and my wife) shout at my wife before. Overtime Allah SWT gave me the
realization that there are other more civilized ways of demonstrating anger. Now I just try to state my purpose in a firm (not loud) tone and try to appear upset. Please suggest the right behaviour with respect to anger. Is it just
for establishing deen. How about establishing an order in your life.
e.g. I was listening our Hazrat db’s lecture in which he mentioned an incident where Hakeem ul ummah RA got upset at someone using the toilet’s slipper to get into the masjid. Now this act is perhaps not sinful in Islamic terms but Hazrat RA wanted to maintain an order in his khanqah. Please help me understand the purpose and bounds of halal anger.
Ashrafiya replied,
No anger is halal for inept like us.
Anger is a sign of kibr for us.
It should be avoided all together.
For maintaining order be firm and clear but polite. Do not be angry. Recite auzobillah, drink cold water and think about Allah’s hilm on one’s self in spite of all the misbehavios. Condone others short coming. Remind yourself that you are not there to do islah of others.
Islahi emails:TA
Reviewed and approved by sanadi wa sanadi Mufti Mohammed Taqi Usmani (Allah protect & preserve him)