counsels from al-firdous: wise sayings
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Words of WisdomTRANSCRIPT
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بسم ہللا الرحمن الرحیم
COUNSELS FROM AL-FIRDOUS
Compiled by Professor Akbar Dad
Translated by Muhammad Muzamil Khan
Jami’a Masjid Sharif al-Firdous
Gulhar Sharif Kotli, Azad Kashmir
Articles originally selected by Janab Hadrat Sahib ہعلت هللا ہرحمت
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الرحیم الرحمن ہللا بسم
THE FIRDOUS COUNSELS, 2012
Compiled by Professor Akbar Dad
Translated by Muhammad Muzamil Khan
Published on the Occasion of Hadrat Sahib’s 4th
Urs
Sharif, 31st December 2012
Jami’a al-Firdous
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PREFACE
The purpose of Rasul Allah’s coming to earth
was, to connect the individual with his Lord, enlighten
his heart with the awareness of Allah, achieve the
highest level of moral characteristics, acknowledge
Allah’s favours and spread the unity of Allah all over the
world. Through Rasul Allah , Allah granted us his great
book the Holy Qur’an so that human beings could obtain
knowledge from it, and search for the hidden treasures in
the universe thus gaining an understanding of their
Creator and ultimately fulfilling the purpose of their
existence.
Rasul Allah provided a personal example of
how to implement the Qura’nic teachings in one’s life.
Through individual and collective training, he formed an
exemplary society. He created a group of loyal and
dedicated Companions, whose equal cannot be found in
history. After him , his Companions (may Allah be
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pleased with them all) set a beautiful example of love
and obedience to him , immersed themselves in his
love and followed his blessed Sunnah (way). The
Companions spread his teachings with utmost love,
devotion, sincerity and sacrifice. Consequently they were
able to defeat the superpowers of the time: the Roman
and Persian Empires.
The Holy Qur’an states: “Invite (all) to the Way
of thy Lord with wisdom,” (16:125). Therefore the silent
transformation in the din (religion), takes place through
the proper adherence to the Shari’ah. The Shari’ah
consists of three pillars: a) knowledge b) action and c)
sincerity. Dawah (calling people to Islam) by knowledge
alone has always been insufficient, and it is through
wisdom that it becomes effective. Real change never
takes place by mere speech or slogans. However for a
silent transformation to succeed, it is essential that it is
based upon knowledge, action and sincerity. In addition,
it is vital that people share a common goal. It is the
People of the Heart who can give a (common purpose),
and transform talented individuals in society, thereby
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effectively creating a lasting change. The People of the
Heart consider this task of guiding people as an
important obligation, whilst utilising their noble
characteristics: patience, steadfastness, humility and
sincerity to achieve the objective. It is through wisdom,
coupled with clear evidence, that they guide people;
dispelling all their doubt and uncertainty. When dealing
with people, the employment of sincerity, kindness and
wisdom leads to them paying heed to the advice offered
to them thus considering it essential to follow it for the
rest of their lives. As the saying goes:
Gufte uh gufte allah bawad,
garche ze halqum-e abdallah bawad.
His speech is from Allah,
Although it comes from the servant’s throat.
Regarding the way the Awliya Allah call people
to Islam, the Sufi masters state, “Ordinary Muslims
preach; forbidding bad and promoting good, the scholars
use the pen, the warriors use the sword, the Sultans use
power but the People of the Heart and foresight (Awliya
Allah), use their gaze (spiritual attention) to call people
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to Islam. Whilst the teachings of others reach the ear and
mind, the teachings of the Awliya reach the heart. The
association with flowers changes the colour of the heap,
but the company of the prophets and saints changes
people’s hearts.”
The foundation of Islam is based on observance
of Shari’ah; complete love and adherence to the Bringer
of the Law . Adab (good conduct) is the first step,
without it all else is futile. Even if an individual
endeavours numerous efforts, (without adab) he shall
remain unsuccessful. It was by adhering to the Sunnah
of the Prophet , that Hadrat Mujaddid Alf Thani Rahmatullah
Alayhi wrote letters to his deputies and followers, to rise up
against the tyrant. He formed a common goal for his
followers thus succeeded in bringing about a spiritual
revolution, which defeated the tyrant. The results that
emerged from that movement are well known to the
student of (Indian Muslim) history.
After the Prophet , the work done by Hadrat
Abu Bakr Siddiq and his descendents to stabilise and
assist the din, is worthy of note. His tenth descendent
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Hadrat Shaykh Kamal al-Din Rahmatullah Alayhi left his rule in
Yemen, and taught Hadith Sharif in the vicinity of Rasul
Allah for fifty years. He then migrated to Sistan,
where his family served the din for many centuries. His
descendent Hadrat Qadi Qiwam al-Din Rahmatullah Alayhi
migrated from Sistan (Iran) to India, where he settled in
Haryana. His family kept the flame of knowledge and
spirituality burning for many centuries.
His descendent Hadrat Qadi Fath Allah Rahmatullah
Alayhi left Rohtak (India), and came to seek knowledge
from the master of Shari’ah and Tariqah, Hadrat Sayyid
Mubarak Shah Rahmatullah Alayhi at the famous Madrasa of the
time- in Alipur Sayyidain, near Behra District, Sargodha.
Apart from knowledge, Hadrat Qadi Fath Allah Rahmatullah
Alayhi also sought a spiritual master. The learned teacher
saw the potential in the student and guided him to ‘The
Treasurer of the Divine Trusts’, the complete master,
Hadrat Khwaja Muhammad Hasan Rohtasi Rahmatullah Alayhi. If
there is genuine desire in the seeker, then it does not take
long for things to happen accordingly.
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According to the Divine plan, Hadrat Khwaja
Muhammad Hasan Rahmatullah Alayhi came to Alipur, and in his
first meeting he saw that Hadrat Qadi Fath Allah Rahmatullah
Alayhi was capable of carrying the treasures of the ‘Divine
Trust’. He brought him along to Rohtas in District
Jhelum. Hadrat Qadi Fath Allah Rahmatullah Alayhi spent many
years in the company of his Master, and was granted
khilafat by him and instructed to go to the state of
Jammu and Kashmir, where he was appointed to the high
rank of Chief Justice. In order to guide people he built a
mosque, and in his spare time he would retire to the
basement of the mosque, where he would occupy
himself with the remembrance of Allah.
From Mirpur, the descendants of Hadrat Qadi
Fath Allah Rahmatullah Alayhi moved to a village called
Checheyan Sharif, in Fathpur. The enlightened members
of his family changed people’s destinies, corrected the
misguided, removed the un-Islamic customs, and guided
people to Islam. They reminded the people of the
temporal nature of the world and guided them towards
the hereafter; encouraging them to speak the truth, give
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up backbiting and to follow the Shari’ah. The mosque
was the source of their guidance and wherever they
lived, they made sure to build a mosque there. Hadrat
Khwaja Muhammad Rukn Alam Rahmatullah Alayhi once went
to Kaini, near Panjera Tehsil Kotli. After reciting his
wazifa, he would go to the nearby spring and carry
stones on his head. After amassing them in the village he
said, “We shall build a mosque here.”
Hadrat Khwaja Muhammad Sultan Alam Rahmatullah
Alayhi also built a mosque outside the village of Checheyan
Sharif, and had living quarters built next to it. Indeed this
family inherited love for mosques from one generation to
another. Our Hadrat Sahib Rahmatullah Alayhi also inherited a
mosque; the same mosque where sincere people would
gather around Qibla Alam Rahmatullah Alayhi and scholars and
Sufis would come from afar, to gain benefit from him.
Although the walls of the mosque were made of mud, its
pillars uneven, the people who went there were sincere
people of firm resolve, and due to their visits, bad traits
would be removed from them. Seeing these people
visiting this mosque, a person joked, “These days either
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German forces are gathering or the followers of Qadi
Sahib in the Underhill area.”
The spark lit from this blessed mosque is now
spreading light everywhere. Having inherited only one
mosque, he (Hadrat Sahib Rahmatullah Alayhi) took good care of
it. And due to his efforts, today magnificent mosques are
to be found everywhere. Subsequently, the knowledge of
the Qur’an has become widespread, and the financial
needs of seekers of knowledge are met by the Spiritual
Centre.
Nowadays, thousands of huffaz (memorisers of
the Qur’an) and hundreds of scholars are linked with this
movement and are serving the din day and night. May
Allah grant them courage, aspiration and sincerity so that
they continue to serve the din with sincere intentions.
And from this spiritual centre, the light of gnosis rains
down upon those people who have great willpower and
determination. Consequently the people’s lives are being
transformed, as they are trained and gain increased
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passion for the din. May Allah turn this blossom into an
everlasting spring.
For a while, the customary way of calling and
advising people to din has been suspended in this
mosque. Even Friday prayers are offered without a
sermon. Nonetheless, all members of the family are
practically involved in guiding and instructing people.
The first and main centre of this movement is Khanqah-e
Sultaniyya in Kaladeo, Jhelum. Most members of the
family serve the din there. There is no difference
between what they preach and practice. Whatever they
do is according to the Sunnah. This is the effect of
spreading the din. In old age everyone turns to God but,
here, thousands of young men and women are busy
trying to achieve their salvation. The true seekers are
discreetly told some words of wisdom, which they hold
onto firmly for the remainder of their lives and no further
preaching or encouragement is necessary.
Since 27th
September 1985, for the purpose of
communal guidance, every week, once or twice or in
times of need, some necessary words are written on the
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blackboard and placed in a prominent position. The
Sangis listen to these words and remember them, and
some people note them in their diaries and try to follow
them with their heart and soul. The subjects of the
writings on the blackboard cover all aspects of life:
prayers, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, virtues of the
Qur’an, blessed Traditions, matters of fiqh, piety, dhikr,
repentance, supplications, salutations on the Prophet ,
Islamic etiquette, humility, reflection, diseases of the
heart and their cures, trials and tribulations and their
solutions, tenth of Muharram, Birthday of the Prophet ,
the Night of Ascension, the Night of Power, the
company of the pious people, focusing on the master,
connection with the master, the benefits of connection
with the Spiritual Centre, the benefits of taking bay’a
and its evidence, sayings of pious people, quotes, words
of wisdom, advice and consul and many other topics are
highlighted. All of these writings have been preserved,
and have now been compiled and duly published under
the title al-Balagh al-Mubin (The Clear Message, 2007),
so that the Sangis and their descendents may take benefit
from it. In the effort to collect, write and preserve all the
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writings, I was assisted by Master Muhammad Shafiq
(Kurti) more than anyone else, other Sangis also,
sometimes, helped me. I thank all of them from the
bottom of my heart, may Allah accept their efforts.
Professor Akbar Dad
TRANSLATOR’S NOTE
In the Urdu book al-Balagh al-Mubin (2007),
Professor Akbar Dad Sahib compiled these anecdotes on
the instruction of Hadrat Sahib Rahmatullah Alayhi. Sometimes it
is a direct quote, and at other times it is paraphrased by
him. The anecdotes were arranged in the order they were
written on the board. I have taken the liberty to rearrange
the anecdotes and add sub-headings, for the benefit of
non-literate Urdu Sangis. I have not translated the whole
book, and instead have compiled a selection from it.
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QURA’NIC COUNSELS: DON’T BE NEGLECTFUL
ها الذين آمنوا ل تلهكم أموالكم ول أولدكم عن ذكر للا يا أي
ن قبل أن يأتي أحدكم الموت فيقول رب لول ا رزقناكم م وأنفقوا من م
الحين ن الص ق وأكن م د رتني إلى أجل قريب فأص أخ
خبير ب نفسا إذا جاء أجلها وللا ر للا ما تعملون ولن يؤخ
O you, who have believed, let not your wealth
and your children divert you from remembrance of
Allah. And whoever does that-then those are the losers.
And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have
provided you before death approaches one of you and he
says, “My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief
term so I would give charity and be among the
righteous.” But never will Allah delay a soul when its
time has come. And Allah is acquainted with what you
do. (63:8-11)
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SAYINGS OF THE HOLY PROPHET
The Five Pillars
سمعت رسول : عبد للا بن عـمر بـن الخطاب رضي للا عـنهما ، قـال
شـهـادة : بـني اإلسـالم على خـمـس : للا صلى للا عليه وسـلم يقـول
أن ل إلـه إل للا وأن محمد رسول للا ، وإقامة الصالة ، وإيـتـاء الـزكـاة
وحـج البيت ، وصـوم رمضان
( رواه البخاري ومسلم)
On the authority of Abd Allah, ibn `Umar ibn
al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with both) who said, I
heard Rasul Allah say, “Islam has been built on five
pillars: testifying that there is no God worthy of worship
except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah, establishing the salah (prayer), paying the zakah
(obligatory charity), making the Hajj (pilgrimage) to the
House, and fasting in Ramadan.” (Narrated by Bukhari
and Muslim)
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The Lucky Seven
عن النبي صلى للا عليه وسلم قال سبعة يظلهم للا يوم القيامة في ظله
يوم ل ظل إل ظله إمام عادل وشاب نشأ في عبادة للا ورجل ذكر للا في
خالء ففاضت عيناه ورجل قلبه معلق في المسجد ورجالن تحابا في للا
ورجل دعته امرأة ذات منصب وجمال إلى نفسها قال إني أخاف للا
ورجل تصدق بصدقة فأخفاها حتى ل تعلم شماله ما صنعت يمينه
(رواه البخاري ومسلم)
There are seven whom Allah will shade in His
Shade on the Day when there is no shade except His
Shade:
A just ruler.
A youth who grew up in the worship of Allah,
the Mighty and Majestic.
A man who remembered Allah in private and so
his eyes shed tears.
A man whose heart is attached to the mosque.
Two men who love each other for Allah’s sake,
meeting for that and parting upon that.
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A man who is called by a woman of beauty and
position [for illegal intercourse], but he says, “I
fear Allah.”
A man who gives in charity and hides it, such
that his left hand does not know what his right
hand gives in charity.
(Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).
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SAYINGS OF HADRAT ABU BAKR SIDDIQ
Hadrat Junayd Rahmatullah Alayhi states that the best
definition of tawhid is by Hadrat Abu Bakr
Siddiq , “Glory be to Allah who has not shown
the path of His ma’rifah (knowledge of God) to
men, except through their confession of their
inability to know him.”
If for some reason you fail to do the good deeds
then try to attain it and if you achieve that then
move forward.
If advice has no effect on a person, he should
know that his heart is dead.
When the power of knowledge goes beyond its
limit, it causes corruption and too much talk, and
when it is defective then it leads to foolishness
and stupidity.
Keep your speech short.
Speech is only beneficial if it can be heard with
ease.
Long speech effectively make one lose some
parts of it.
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The heart is dead and its life is knowledge.
Knowledge is also dead and its life is in seeking
(more knowledge).
It is shameful if the cockerel rises at dawn before
you.
Knowledge is the legacy of the prophets whilst
wealth is the inheritance of the Pharaoh and
Qarun.
When a noble person studies knowledge, he
becomes humble and when a bad person learns
the same knowledge, it makes him arrogant.
Charity is a good act for a wealthy person, but it
is even better for a poor person.
Repentance is a good act for an old person, but it
is even better for a young person.
Humility is a good act for a poor person, but it is
even better for a wealthy person.
Justice is a good act for everyone, but it is even
better for a king.
Laziness towards Allah’s worship is bad in
ordinary people, but is even worse amongst the
learned people.
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Pride is a bad act for the rich people, and it is
even worse in the poor people.
Whatever incidents takes place is near, but nearer
still is death.
Sin from a young person is bad, but it is even
worse from an old person.
Seclusion is better than the company of a coward,
and the company of the good people is better
than being alone.
The ways of the world are strange but even
stranger is to be heedless.
Sincerity means that one should not seek any
reward for ones good deeds. Leave the world for
the Hereafter and leave the Hereafter for Allah’s
sake.
The pupil of the eye is the door to the heart, and
all desire enters the heart through it and it creates
lust and passion. If a person keeps his eyes closed
he is protected.
A human is weak yet it is strange that he
disobeys Allah, who is Almighty.
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Cry upon that day in which you did not perform
any good deeds.
When he used to visit anyone to express his
condolence he would say, “There is no affliction
in patience, and there is no benefit in crying.”
Just remember the death of Rasul Allah and
then your problem will seem insignificant.
Unfortunate is he that he dies but his sins live on:
for example he began some bad thing, or made a
false coin, started some bad game or published a
harmful book and so forth.
When a person becomes proud because of some
worldly thing, then Allah becomes angry with
him and takes that thing away from him.
The one who cannot cry should show mercy
towards those who do cry.
He who occupies himself in Allah’s work, Allah
occupies Himself in his work.
Control your tongue from complaints and you
shall have a blissful life.
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You are busy gathering provision to live in the
world, and the world is busy trying to get rid of
you.
Offer charity to a poor person with humility and
respect, as to give charity happily is a sign of its
acceptance.
The redness of Gold and the yellowness of
Saffron have destroyed women.
Worship is a trade, the shop is its seclusion, its
wealth is piety and its profit is Paradise.
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HOLY MONTHS: MUHARRAM
Muharram al-Haram: The 10th
of Muharram is a
blessed day and it is known as ashura, as 10 thousand
prophets were born on this day, and according to another
narration 10 thousand prophets were granted prophet
hood on this very day. It is written in Khalasatul Akhbar
that Rasul Allah said, “Allah Almighty has chosen
ashura, and Allah created my light on this day and also
the spirits of the prophets.” Also according to another
tradition, ten things were created on ashura: the Throne
and the Stool, the Pen and the Tablet, Hadrat Adam,
Hadrat Hawa, the Spirits, the Earth, and the Skies. Some
state that Heaven was also created on ashura.
Ten things are sunnah on ashura, and anyone
who acts upon them shall be forgiven: 1) to stroke the
head of an orphan 2) To provide abundant food for one’s
family 3) To keep a fast 4) To offer voluntary prayers
5) To bathe 6) To put kohl in your eyes 7) To visit the
ill 8) To visit a learned person 9) To reconcile people
10) To make supplications
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It is written in Shariq that Rasul Allah said that
the day of ashura atones for one year’s sins. It is related
in Riyahin, that if anyone spends as much as a
mosquitoes’ wings, he shall gain as much sawab as if he
had given the mountain of Qaf in charity, and this is due
to the blessing of ashura. Know that it is good to
supplicate to Allah, but it is even better on ashura. On
the morning of ashura the gates of mercy are opened. A
person should pray to Allah for Heaven and His vision,
as prayer on this day is not rejected.
The Virtue of the Fast on Ashura
Anyone who fasts on ashura, for him the eight
gates of heaven shall be opened and he can enter from
any gate he wishes. Rasul Allah has said that,
“Anyone who keeps a fast on ashura, for every moment,
700 hundred angels shall pray for his forgiveness until
the day of Judgement.”
Rasul Allah has said that anyone who keeps a
fast on ashura, shall attain the blessing as if he had
performed one thousand hajj and umrah, and equal to the
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inhabitants of the Heaven and the seven earths and seven
skies.”
Hadrat Rabi’a Rahmatullah Alayhi states that in the period
of Rasul Allah , the sahaba used to keep this fast of
ashura so that the later generation in the ummah would
also keep this fast. Indeed this fast was fard upon Adam.
Hadrat Shub’i Rahmatullah Alayhi writes in Kifaya that it is an
obligation upon the parents to order their children to
keep the fast of ashura.
It is mentioned in a hadith sharif that Rasul Allah
instructed Sayyida Fatima, not to feed Imam Husayn
on the day of ashura as, on this day, even the animals
and birds do not give milk or eat grass.
Nafal on Ashura
It is related in a hadith sharif that, anyone who
prays four units of nafal, in which he recites ayatul kursi
once and sura Ikhlas three times after sura Fatiha, in
each unit, and after whatever he asks of Allah, it shall be
granted to him.
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Rasul Allah said that anyone who offers 100
units of nafal on the night of ashura, in which he recites
sura Ikhlas three times after Fatiha and on completion
reads the third kalima 70 times, Allah shall forgive all
his sins and grant him good deeds throughout the year.
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COUNSEL OF HADRAT IMAM JAFAR SADIQ Rahmatullah Alayhi
Avoid the company of five people:
1) The liar, as one is ultimately humiliated by
associating with him.
2) A foolish person, as the more he tries to help you
the more damage he causes.
3) A miser, as he shall waste your precious time.
4) A coward, as he cannot be trusted and might
abandon you at the most critical period.
5) The hypocrite, as he shall leave you in order to
gain one morsel.
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HARAM IS HARMFUL
According to the teachings of Allah and His
Messenger , anyone who is nourished with haram food
shall not enter Paradise. Therefore save your children
from Hellfire by providing them with lawful
nourishment.
He who eats haram shall be inclined towards
forbidden things. Consequently his grave shall become a
pit of Hell. Those who are inwardly blind enjoy eating
haram. But if a person is influenced by the holy Qur’an,
then he will not accept haram even when it is offered to
him.
It is necessary to keep forbidden or doubtful food
from your stomach, and obligatory to seek lawful
livelihood. It is recommended that one only eats what is
necessary from the lawful food, as overeating hardens
the heart and creates discord in the mind. Additionally
overeating weakens the memory and one becomes lazy
towards worship and pursuit of knowledge;
strengthening the evil forces. If overeating halal food
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leads to this much damage, then what kind of harm
would haram food bring? To seek halal livelihood is an
obligation upon every Muslim. To offer worship or to
seek knowledge whilst eating haram food is akin to
building a beautiful structure on a rubbish heap. When
you can manage a full year with a cotton shirt, and
survive on two chapattis every day, then you shall have
abundant halal earnings to spend on yourself.
Hadrat Khwaja Baqi Billah Rahmatullah Alayhi states,
“Remember that the heart cannot experience
contentment, focus and presence unless one eats lawful
and pure food according to ones need. Even if you
worship for one thousand years, you shall not gain the
purity of the soul and will not reach your high aim,
unless your food is lawful. It not enough that your food
is lawful but the wood, water and utensils must also be
from lawful income. Whilst cooking, one’s heart should
be focused on Allah, and the one eating the food should
reflect on his life and upon Allah’s favours; as to eat a
morsel without focus takes away the blessing of food.”
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ETIQUETTE OF SPEECH
It is better not to talk too much as it indicates
lack of intellect and leads to loss of status. Hadrat
Aishah narrates, “That Rasul Allah was moderate in
his speech and when he spoke one could count the
words.” The philosopher Barzjamer states, “That too
much talk makes one crazy.” Hadrat Ibrahim Nakhi
Rahmatullah Alayhi narrates that Rasul Allah stated that, “The
previous nations were destroyed because of excess in
three things: talking, eating and sleeping.”
Always talk less and listen more. Once, people
asked a wise man, “Why do you speak less and listen
more?” He replied, “Because I have been granted two
ears and one tongue.”
Hadrat Umar states, “I have never had a better
friend than controlling my tongue.”
Think carefully before you speak, the wise ones
have said, “First ponder then talk, pehlay toulo phir
bolo.” Talk only when it is necessary and do not repeat
the same thing lest people get bored of you. If someone
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mentions something in private, then do not try to hear
their conversation. When addressing elders do not talk
with gestures and speak in a mild manner. Keep your
speech short and precise, do not talk nonsense. Do not
talk about difficult matters to someone who cannot
comprehend it, talk to people according to their ability.
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HOW TO WALK
Do not walk too fast as it is a sign of anger and
do not walk too slowly as that indicates illness. Do not
sway your body like a woman and walk at a moderate
pace. Do not look back again and again as it is the
practice of idiots and do not always lower your head as it
is a sign of depression.
SOLITUDE
As he said farewell, a person requested Hadrat
Abi Warraq Rahmatullah Alayhi for advice, he replied, “Based on
my personal experience, goodness of both worlds is
based on two things: Seclusion and minimum dealings
with people, if you can do this then goodness stays with
you.”
ETIQUETTE OF SLEEP
When you intend to sleep then face the Qibla and
lie on your right side. Reflect on the fact that sleep is
similar to death.
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VIRTUES OF NAFILA WORSHIP
Some nafila (voluntary) worship gives a person
an extra merit (sawab) and with a little effort one attains
a great reward. The following nafila prayers are highly
recommended.
Tayyatul Wudu
When a person performs ablution and then offers
two cycle of prayer it is called tayyatul wudu and this act
carries a great reward according to hadith sharif.
However one must not offer this prayer at forbidden
times: midday, after fajr and after asr.
Ishraq
It is related in a hadith sharif that any person who
performs fajr with jama’at and then occupies himself
with the remembrance of Allah until 21 minutes after
sunrise, then offers 2 or 4 cycles of prayer then he
receives as much reward as if he has performed hajj or
umrah.
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Awwabin
Six nafals should be offered after the two sunnat
of maghrib.
Tahajjud
When a person gets up to pray after midnight it is
called tahajjud and one attains great reward. This prayer
is very dear to Allah Almighty and there is great merit in
it. A minimum of four units or a maximum of twelve
units should be read. If time is short then two units will
suffice. If a person does not have the ability to read it
late at night then it can be read after isha but the reward
is not the same. Perform tahajjud prayer regularly as to
stay awake in the early part of the night and to fall asleep
at tahajjud time is a sign of misfortune.
Salatul Tasbih
Rasul Allah said to his uncle Hadrat Abbas: “O
Abbas, my uncle! Shall I not give you a gift? Shall I not
show you something by means of which Allah will
forgive your sins: the past and the present, the intentional
and unintentional, the major and the minor, the hidden
35
and the manifest? Rasul Allah then taught him the
salatul tasbih, and said at the end: “If you can pray it
daily, do so. If not, then once every week. If you are
unable to do that, then pray it once every month. If you
cannot do that, then offer it once every year. And if you
cannot do that, then at least read it once in your
lifetime.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud)
The Tasbih:
Subhan Allahi wal-hamdulillahi wa-la ilaha
ilallahu wallahu Akbar (Glory be to Allah, all praise
belongs to Allah, and there is no god but Allah, and
Allah is the Greatest).
The Method
The tasbih is read 75 times in each cycle (rakah),
totalling 300 at the end of a 4 cycle prayer, as follows:
After beginning the prayer by raising your hands and
saying Allahu Akbar, recite (subhankallah) and recite the
above tasbih 15 times. Then recite bismillah, sura al-
Fatiha and another sura followed by the above tasbih10
times. Then go into the kneeling position (ruku) and after
36
reciting the usual tasbih recite the above tasbih 10 times.
After standing up from that position recite rabbana lakal
hamd and thereafter recite the above tasbih 10 times.
Then go into prostration and after reciting the usual
tasbih recite the above tasbih 10 times. Then sit up from
the prostration and recite the tasbih 10 times. Thereafter
go into prostration again and after reciting the usual
tasbih recite the above tasbih 10 times. Get up for the
second cycle and start with the tasbih 15 times, then
follow the same pattern. At the end of the second
prostration for the second cycle you will remain seated
for the tashahud (attahayatu lillahi...). Complete as
normal then rise for the third cycle and start with the
tasbih 15 times and follow the above pattern again in the
fourth cycle, (Narrated by Abu Dawud).
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WISE COUNSELS
Do not hide your genealogy and do not claim
descent from other families as it is forbidden
in Islam.
To label a Muslim a disbeliever (kafir) is
worse than murder. There is a severe warning
in the Shari’ah for such an act: Rasul Allah
stated that, “Anyone who calls his brother
kafir, this word shall return to one of them
(make him a kafir).” It is also a grave sin to
curse a Muslim.
Do not sit alone with a strange woman. The
Devil is your eternal enemy and he might
destroy you by making you commit a major
sin.
Do not consider something that has been
forbidden by Allah Almighty as lawful
otherwise you shall commit disbelief.
Therefore stay away from forbidden matters.
Every matter that a novice on the spiritual
path sees in a dream, vision, inspiration and
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meditation should be tested with the Book
and the Sunnah and if it in accordance then
believe it, otherwise consider it as a
whispering of the Devil.
To consider any sin whether major or minor
lawful or to treat it lightly and to make fun of
the Shari’ah amounts to disbelief. To tell
jokes using words of disbelief, to believe the
predictions of the astrologers and to lose hope
in Allah’s mercy also amounts to disbelief.
The miracles of the saints are true but no
matter how high ranking the saint is he can
never equal a prophet.
Do not praise a Muslim brother to his face as
it might cause his ego to rebel and he might
become obsessed with self pride and glory.
Be kind to your neighbours so that your Lord
becomes happy with you. Try to safeguard
the rights of your neighbours as much as
possible.
Do not solely act upon the advice of women
as they are not necessarily wise.
39
If you become angry then try to control
yourself as anger is from the Devil. However
to be angry for the sake of your Faith is
commendable.
In every situation fear Allah and obey His
commands.
To conceal someone’s faults is a virtuous act.
Do not break ties of kinship with your
relatives even if they cause you problems.
The perfection of a Darwish is that he should
be independent of all else but Allah and have
no desire in his heart for support from anyone
else.
Do not seek anything from Allah, except
Allah.
Keep your gaze on your feet and remember
Allah as you walk.
The day which is spent in neglect shall be a
source of regret on the Day of Judgement.
Durud Sharif is a great gift for the Believers
and superior to all other litanies.
40
He is superior who does not consider himself
superior. When one thinks highly of himself
than his greatness departs. The real saints are
those who do not view their sainthood and he
who considers himself a saint than his
sainthood departs. Spiritual poverty (faqr) is
a trust from Allah and as long as the person
hides it, he keeps the trust. But when he
discloses this trust it leaves him as does
spiritual poverty.
If one accepts the Divine will happily then he
is patience otherwise one is far from the rank
of patience.
A saint (wali) can never be a polytheist
(mushrik) and a mushrik can never be a wali.
It is difficult to find pearls and even more
difficult to find the Friends of Allah.
The one who hurts his parents his prayers,
fasting, charity and pilgrimage shall not save
him from Hellfire.
To deny Hadith is to deny the Qur’an and one
who denies the Qur’an loses his faith.
41
Illness is a warning for a person.
Sufism from beginning to end is nothing but
good manners.
When asr time begins then read four units of
Sunnat, the Prophet has mentioned the
virtues of these four Sunnat.
A person visited Shu’yab ibn Harb Rahmatullah Alayhi
and expressed his desire to stay with him. He
replied, “My friend, servant hood requires
unity and anyone who does enjoy intimacy
with Allah in solitude than he shall never
have enjoyment in anything of the world.
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COUNSELS OF SHAYKH DHUNUN AL-MISIRI Rahmatullah Alayhi
He states that six things corrupt people’s deeds:
1) Weak intention for the actions for the
hereafter.
2) Slavery to the Ego.
3) Delusions.
4) Preferring people’s pleasure above Allah’s
pleasure.
5) Observance of one’s own opinion above
the teachings of the Prophet .
6) To cite the mistakes of earlier people as
examples to justify one’s bad actions.
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THREE DANGEROUS TRAITS
1) Arrogance (takabbar)
2) Envy (hassad)
3) Pride (u’jab)
U’jab means to be proud. Hassad means to wish
evil for others so they suffer loss and takabbar means to
be arrogant. Indeed, Allah likes to see the trait in His
servants that He does not have which is humility and
pride is the cloak of Allah which does not befit a human
being. One can remove these three harmful things by
acts of kindness and good deeds. Takabbar is known as
‘the mother of all illnesses’ and has defeated many
renowned people indeed. Many spiritual people have
fallen prey to this dangerous illness. May Allah protect
us from pride, amin.
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DHIKR
The seeker on the spiritual path should perform
abundant dhikr and sit in seclusion and make dhikr with
the rosary. Nothing can be achieved by just day
dreaming. Action requires passion. Make abundant dhikr
on the heart so that you awaken from your slumber. A
follower asked his master, “Make my heart perform
dhikr.” The Master replied, “This matter is not like a
grain that I can fill your lap. Indeed, this requires effort;
from thought to the heart and from the heart to the
Throne of Allah, focus on the point that outpourings are
coming from the Throne to your heart.” Make dhikr as
long as you are alive.
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DISEASE OF THE HEART
The disease of the heart is a very dangerous
illness and numerous people suffer from it. The ratio of
healthy and unhealthy might be one out of a thousand
but the ratio of those people who suffer from the disease
of the heart is 99.9%. Remember only he who has a
healthy heart shall be saved. The sign of ill health is loss
of appetite and the sign of illness of the heart is lack of
passion for the remembrance of Allah. As one cannot
survive without food similarly the heart cannot remain
healthy without the passion and remembrance for Allah.
Contentment comes from Allah’s remembrance and
through remembrance the heart gains strength. Anyone
who does not spend his life in Allah’s remembrance, his
heart is dead.
A healthy heart leads to a healthy body and increases
desire for sincere and pious deeds. The best method of
curing the heart is to make abundant dhikr of Allah.
There are certain cures for specific ailments of the heart,
try to understand and implement these rules and attain
benefit.
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OVEREATING AND ITS CURE
Overeating leads to many sins. One must be
mindful of these traps, one must not get used to eating
tasty dishes. However having a tasty meal occasionally
is fine. Avoid haram (unlawful food) as any person that
is fed on haram shall not enter paradise. If a person is
fed haram during his/her childhood then the sin is upon
the parents. However in adulthood a person is
responsible for one’s own actions. Do not overeat and
leave some room in your stomach, there are many
benefits in this act.
The heart stays healthy and is able to thank
Allah for His favours.
It increases love for Allah.
The heart softens which leads to enjoyment in
both supplications and dhikr.
It pains the carnal soul and reminds it of
Allah’s punishment and thus it avoids sins.
It decreases the passion for sin.
A person feels light, less sleepy and is able to
perform Tahajjud and other prayers.
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One shows mercy to the hungry and the
destitute and feels compassion for other
people.
CURE FOR THE HEART
Hadrat Ibrahim Khawass Rahmatullah Alayhi was a great
Awliya and he stated that five things can cure the heart:
1) To read the Holy Qur’an with contemplation.
2) To stay hungry.
3) To read tahajjud at night.
4) To weep before Allah at early dawn.
5) To adopt the company of the pious.
THREE DON’TS
It is imperative for you to avoid three things:
1) Lying
2) Deceit
3) Backbiting
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CONSULS OF HADRAT MUJADDID ALF THANI Rahmatullah Alayhi
Letter
Dear son (daughter), free time is a great
opportunity and it should not be wasted in pursuit of
useless activities. Indeed, all free time should be spent in
acts that please Allah, the Glorious, and the most High.
Perform all five prayers in congregation with devotion
and serenity, and offer tahajjud (early dawn prayer) as
well. Do not forget to seek forgiveness at early dawn,
and do not oversleep or over indulge in the pleasures of
the flesh. Make remembrance of death and matters
relating to it your objective. In short, turn away from the
world and towards the Hereafter. Reduce worldly affairs
to the minimum. Spend all your time in preparation for
the Hereafter. In summary, your heart should be free
from all else except Allah and your outer appearance
should be adorned with the Shari’ah.
کار این ھست و غیر از این ھمہ ھیچ
Kar in hast wa ghyar az in hame hech,
This is what really matters all else is futile.
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(Maktubat Sharif, Letter Number 31, Volume
Two)
‘Free Time’
Today when you have free time and possess the
things that your heart desires, don’t delay things for
tomorrow. The best age is the age of youth, and one
should stay busy with the best acts: worship and
obedience to Allah. One should avoid things which are
either forbidden or doubtful in the Shari’ah, and must
offer the five prayers in congregation. And pay the zakah
(poor due), if one has the means to do so, as it is a
necessity in Islam. One should pay (zakah) gladly,
indeed one should be grateful to Allah for such an
opportunity. The ulama (scholars) state that to insist on
small sins, leads one to big sins, and to insist on major
sins can lead to disbelief, may Allah Almighty protect us
from this, (Maktubat Sharif, Number 96, Volume One).
Youth
What wonderful gift it is from Allah that one is
granted the chance to repent in youth, and then is made
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steadfast. All the gifts in the world cannot compare with
this one grant. It is correct to compare this one gift to
morning dew, and the rest to river water as this one gift
leads to Allah’s pleasure. Of all the gifts in this world or
the next, the pleasure of Allah is the highest and greatest
gift.
Sow Now, Reap Later
Allah has made this world as the planting field
for the Hereafter. That person is indeed unfortunate who
eats all the seed and plants nothing in the fertile earth;
failing to turn one seed into hundreds of seeds. And
saves nothing for the day when, a brother shall run from
a brother, and a mother shall forsake her son. Such a
person is a loser in both worlds, and shall have nothing
but remorse and regret.
Dear Beloved, time is a sword that cuts. Who
knows whether one shall see tomorrow or not? One
should carry out the necessary work today, and leave the
unnecessary work for tomorrow. Such is the view of the
intellect which focuses on the Hereafter, but the intellect
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which merely focuses on the material world thinks
otherwise.
Be With Allah, Always
All deeds depend on the heart, and if the heart is
entangled with other than Allah, then it is ruined and
destroyed. Merely carrying out practices as a custom, is
of no benefit. It is necessary to protect your heart from
other than Allah, and perform good deeds. Without
physically performing pious deeds, it is foolish to claim
that the heart is sound. As it is not possible in the world
to think of a body without a spirit, similarly it is
impossible to protect the heart without pious deeds.
Many heretics in this time claim such, may Allah save us
from such false beliefs by the grace of His Beloved .
(Maktubat Sharif, Letter Number 39, Volume One).
Keep Away From the Fat Cats
Association with the people of the world is a
poison, and anyone who drinks this poison falls into an
everlasting slumber. For an intelligent person, a hint is
sufficient, let alone constant reminder and overstatement
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of the fact. The tasty morsel from the king’s court
increases the disease of the heart. Run away from them
more than the lion. As a lion only takes your life and
does not destroy your Hereafter, but association with
kings and rulers can cause an everlasting damage.
Therefore avoid their company, shun their tasty dishes
and even avoid seeing them.
Real Illness
When a noble and fortunate person suffers from
some physical ailments, and if any of his limbs are in
pain, then every effort is made to cure the illness. Yet no
effort is made to cure the illness of the heart (which
means to be attached to other than Allah), despite the
fact that it has reached a critical stage and it is possible
that it might put one to an everlasting sleep; condemning
one to eternal punishment. Indeed, very little effort is
made to remove the illness. If a person is unaware of the
illness, then he is a complete fool and if he is aware and
does nothing to cure it, then he is a stupid person.
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Importance of the Sunnah
An important advice is to make the Sunnah of the
Prophet an obligation upon oneself, as without it
salvation is impossible. Don’t give any thought to the
world; its adornments and decorations. As in Allah’s
sight, this world is despised and detested. Before Allah,
this world has no value. The people of Allah should be
more pleased at the lack of it, as its temporal nature and
betrayal is well observed and documented. One should
learn a lesson from the lives of previous people who
loved the world. May Allah grant us and you the ability
to follow the path of the Prophet .
Three Aspects of Islamic Law
The Shari’ah has three parts: a) knowledge, b)
action, c) sincerity. Unless all three elements are in
place, the Shari’ah cannot be considered complete. And
when the Shari’ah is attained, then Allah’s pleasure is
obtained; the greatest blessing in the both worlds.
Always occupy yourself in dhikr, and every action which
is done in the light of the Shari’ah is dhikr, even buying
54
and selling. Hence one must be mindful to perform all
movements in line with the Shari’ah; turning every
action into dhikr. One must be careful that what one eats
is legal, and it is not proper to eat food from an unlawful
source; paying heed to what is permissible and what is
forbidden in the Shari’ah.
The best of all good deeds is to spread the
Shari’ah. To implement one act of Shari’ah when its
signs are being demolished, is more praiseworthy in the
sight of Allah than spending millions of rupees. As
spreading the teachings of the Shari’ah is the work of the
prophets, peace be upon them. And it is evident, that the
ability to do great deeds is granted to the prophets,
whereas the ability to spend wealth is given to ordinary
people.
In the Naqshbandiyya Tariqat spiritual progress
is dependent on the observance of the Shari’ah.
Although Hadrat Mujaddid Rahmatullah Alayhi used to give
initiation in the Qadiriyya and Chishtiyya, his main
influence came from the Naqshbandiyya. He took utmost
care in following the Shari’ah, and advised his
55
companions to strictly follow the Sunnah and study
matters of fiqh with great care. Even though he was an
expert in matters of fiqh he always carried the leading
books of fiqh with him, whether at home or travelling. If
the Jurists disagreed about a matter, whether it was
permissible or not, he would avoid such an act; thus
completely leaving what is ambiguous. He would say
there is no greater excellence than following the Sunnah
of the Prophet . He would state that, “whatever little I
have achieved has been through following of the
Sunnah.”
Virtue of Namaz
O Beloved, the world is a place of action and the
Hereafter is a place of reward. Therefore one must keep
busy in doing good acts. The best act is to establish
namaz, as it is the pillar of the din and the ascension of
the Believer. Therefore one must take utmost care in its
performance; keeping its conditions and etiquette.
Repeatedly I have overstated the need to perform it with
contentment and concentration. Fulfil these
requirements, as many warnings have been made to
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people regarding this. If the namaz is sound then there is
hope for salvation, as the din has been established and
the ascent to ascension has reached its peak.
‘Special Time’
That ‘special’ time that the Prophet enjoyed,
referred to as ‘I have a time with Allah’, was during the
namaz, according to this faqir. . It is namaz which wipes
away sins; it is namaz which prevents one from obscene
and forbidden things. It is namaz in which the Prophet
used to seek solace, as he stated: “O Bilal, bring me
comfort.” Namaz is the pillar of the din and the thing
which separates Islam and disbelief.
Real Progress
Progress and development is dependent upon piety,
the details of this summary is as follows:
a) To fulfil the commands
b) To avoid what it forbidden
The Angels accompany a person in matters of
commands. If success was dependent on merely
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following commands, then the angels would progress but
is not possible for them to avoid the forbidden matters.
As they are sinless by nature and so they cannot disobey,
therefore there is no need to stop them from forbidden
matters. Hence it is necessary that progress is linked with
the second part, and this avoidance is nothing but going
against your ego’s desires. Indeed the Shari’ah has come
to remove obedience to the ego and following wrong
customs. It is the ego which leads one to commit what is
forbidden, or indulge in useless activity, which
ultimately leads to forbidden things. Therefore to
avoiding both the forbidden and useless things, is in
reality opposing the ego.
Problems!
Do not be disturbed due to worldly problems or
other complications. These situations are not such that a
person need lose hope. This world is temporary and shall
end; one must occupy one’s self in this world with
actions that are pleasing to Allah, whether it is a life of
hardship or ease. No one but Allah is worthy of being
desired.
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Your daily provision is fixed. Consider that
sufficient and focus on the real work. Do not use it as
means of gaining more wealth. That way it leads to a
never ending spiral, and to have endless desire whilst
being a Darwish amounts to disbelief.
The Blessing of Ramadan
The month of Ramadan is a very blessed month.
The nafila prayers that are offered in this month are
equal to fard of other months. And performing fard in
this month is equal to seventy fard in other months. If a
person has the ability to give charity and perform pious
deeds in this month, then this ability shall last throughout
the year. It is Sunnah to break the fast straightaway and
to delay the Sehri. To complete a Qur’an and read the
taraw’ih is an established Sunnah. In the Hadith Sharif it
is narrated that when one of you opens a fast, he should
open it with a date as this is more blessed.
Stay Close to the Awliya
Know that sweeping the quarters of the Awliya, is
far better than attaining high position amongst the
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wealthy people. Whether you understand this today or
not, you certainly will in the Hereafter, but then it will be
too late. The desire for lavish clothes and tasty food has
misled you. It is still not too late, concentrate on your
real purpose and do things which are pleasing to Allah;
avoid things that become an obstacle on His path.
O Brother, you have become disillusioned with
the company of the Awliya, and have become an
acquaintance of the wealthy. This is a very bad thing that
you have done. If you lack insight today then tomorrow
it shall not be the case, but then there is nothing but
remorse and regret. It was my obligation to inform you.
Good Manners with the Master
One must reflect that in order to gain this
despicable world, so many etiquettes are required, then
what about things that lead to Allah, how much more
care is needed in that. Therefore as much as possible, the
murid (disciple) should not stand where his shadow
would fall on his murshid (master) or his clothes. He
should not step on the prayer mat of his murshid, and or
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perform wudu where he (master) performs wudu. He
(murid) should not use his (murshid) particular utensils,
he should not eat in his company or converse with
anyone in his presence, and indeed he should not pay
any attention to anyone else. In the absence of the
murshid, he should not spread his feet or spit in that
direction. He should consider what the murshid does as
correct, even if it seems contrary. As whatever the
murshid does is based on inspiration therefore one
cannot object.
Khatam Sharif
It is a source of great blessing to read the Khatam
Sharif of Hadrat Mujaddid Alf Thani Rahmatullah Alayhi and
send him the merit, the Khatam is as follows:
Durud Sharif 100 times
La hawla wala quwata illah billah 500
times
Durud Sharif 100 times
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THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTION WITH THE SHAYKH AND THE
SPIRITUAL CENTRE
The murid (novice) has two very dangerous
enemies; firstly the Ego, and secondly the Devil. In order
to protect oneself from the trickery and deception of
these two enemies, two things are essential; a) abundant
dhikr and b) connection with the Shaykh which acts as
the Red Sulphur. The role of the Shaykh is akin to a
shelter that provides coolness and refuge, for the murid.
The pious people state, “The shade of the Master is part
of dhikr of Allah.”
The role of the Shaykh is like a magnet
whilst the position of the murid is like a piece of metal.
The piece of metal kept near a magnet attains magnetic
properties and acts as a magnet for other pieces of metal.
Similarly when a murid spends time with the Shaykh, his
heart becomes magnetic with Divine love and hence it
becomes easier to save oneself from the Ego and the
Devil.
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When the sun rises it burns and dries the filth
from the earth. According to the Jurists the piece of earth
on which rays of the sun have fallen, and as long as no
filth is visible, that area is classified as clean. In a similar
manner, when the heart of the murid is full of filth of
sins and lust then the Shaykh’s heart sends rays to his
heart and removes the filth. The flowers and plants take
the rays from the sun for their development. The heart of
the murid is like a flower and the Shaykh’s heart sends
light to it and helps it grow.
The plant which sprouts by itself is often ugly
and crooked, but the plant which is monitored by a
gardener is both straight and beautiful. Likewise, the
murid who spends time in the association with the
Shaykh, has his crookedness straightened. The training
by the Shaykh creates good characteristics in the murid.
Subsequently, the murid becomes polite and considerate,
and develops into a good individual in the society.
Faith is nothing but good manners
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The person who sells colour is termed a colour
seller, and the one who dyes clothes is called a Dyer.
The Qur’an and the Sunnah are the colour and the
religious scholars are sellers, and the Shayukh are the
dyers. When a murid stays in the company and service of
the Shayukh, then he is dyed in Allah’s colour. “(We
take our) colour from Allah, and who is better than Allah
at colouring,” (2:138).
Stop being hypocritical and become sincere,
Either totally become wax or be a stone.
If the murid leaves the company of the heedless
and joins the company of the Shaykh, then it is as if he
has become friends with a perfume seller. Either he shall
obtain perfume or at least have the nice smell. But the
example of bad company is like friendship with a
Blacksmith, even if you are not burnt, you shall still
smell of black smoke.
If you go with the smell of perfume,
Then one day you shall come drenched in perfume.
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However if you go towards the fire,
Then one day you shall burn your clothes.
I accept that you kept your clothes safe,
But you still felt the heat of the fire.
Some trees produce fruit that is small and
tasteless. But evidence suggests that if you graft this tree
with another tree, then it grows much bigger and tastier
fruit. In the same manner the murid is a like fruitless
tree, and when he is spiritually grafted with the Shaykh,
then he produces the fruits of abundant good deeds.
In good company flowers fell into my lap,
But the opposite happened in bad company.
Imam-e Rabbani Hadrat Mujaddid Alf Thani Rahmatullah Alayhi
writes,
“There is little time and one must spend that time
in worthy pursuits. That is to be in the presence of the
Pious People, as there is nothing better than good
association. Do you not see that the Companions of the
Prophet are superior to all others except the prophets,
due to association, even if those people were Awais al-
65
Qarni and Umar Marwani (Hadrat Umar ibn Abd al-
Aziz); although these two individuals reached perfection
on each stage, with the exception of association with the
Prophet . It is for this reason, that due to the blessing of
the association with the Prophet , Hadrat Amir
Mu’awiya’s fault is better than the good deeds of these
two. And the mistake of Umar ibn al-As, is better than
the mistakes and good deeds of these two. As the
Companion’s faith was based on witnessing Rasul Allah
, arrival of the angels, revelation and miracles
therefore no other person except the Companions has a
share in this perfection. And if Awais al-Qarni knew the
benefit of this association, then he would have not let
any obstacle come in its way. “But Allah will choose for
His special Mercy whom He will- for Allah is the Lord of
grace abounding,” (2:105). Thus the association with a
Shaykh has hundred cures for the murid. Fortunate are
those murids who had complete association with the
Shaykh and gained numerous benefits from it. ” (Letter,
Number 120, Volume One)
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One day Shaykh Sa’di went to the Turkish baths
and saw a nice piece of clay, and then this conversation
transpired, “I said to it, are you musk or ambergris as I
am intoxicated by your smell.” It said to me, “I was
worthless clay but I spent some time with the Rose. That
association with the Rose has transformed me; otherwise
I should have remained a piece of dust.”
One holy person used to state, “Not only should
the murid keep a close contact with the Shaykh, but also
his spiritual centre. He maintained, “When we used to
visit our Shaykh’s spiritual centre in his absence, we
would gain blessing from the walls.” A murid should
have such deep devotion for his Shaykh, that he loves
the Master’s residence.
I encircle the street of Leyla,
Sometimes I kiss this wall and then the other.
I do this not out of love for the walls,
But due to my love for its inhabitant.
When the grindstone grinds, all the grains are
crushed, except for those few grains which are nearest to
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the axis.. Similarly the grindstone of dunya is turning,
and will crush everyone except for those few people who
are closely linked with the spiritual centres. Some holy
people have said, “When trials and tribulations occur,
then only the Awliya Allah and those who are linked with
them shall remain safe.”
When an ordinary person stands at the
crossroads, then no one gives him any respect. However,
if that person wore a soldiers’ uniform than he would be
shown respect. He who makes trouble with the soldier,
invites trouble from the whole army. Likewise if a
person has strong connection with the Awliya Allah, then
their support is with him. Therefore the Devil is afraid to
mess with such a person. That connected person is not
alone, as he has the support of the Awliya behind him. It
is for this reason that some people have said, “Our
Elders’ supplication has safeguarded us.”
Two bricks are made from the same factory. One
is placed in the toilet, and no one likes to step on the
brick with naked feet, even if there no visible filth. But
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the brick that is used in the mosque, people shall happily
rub their forehead upon it. What is the difference? One
brick is associated with the toilet and the other with the
mosque, and it is this link that makes one superior to the
other.
When white paper and cardboard are bound
together to make the holy Qur’an, then the Jurists state
that, “None touch it except the purified,”(56:79).This not
only means that do not touch the white sheets on which
it is written, but also the binding cover, as it cannot be
touched without ablution. See the link to the holy Qur’an
gave honour to the cardboard. Likewise when a murid
has a strong link with the Awliya, he becomes dear to
Allah. Every murid should try to strengthen his link with
his spiritual centre.
With the gaze of the perfect Shaykh, one achieves love for the
Prophet ,
The love of the spiritual centre leads to Allah’s nearness.
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