Tuesday, November 30, 2010

How Are You?

Some one inquired Hazrat Maulana Muhammed Ali Mungeri (RA) who was a great Scholar and caliph of Hazrat Maulana Shah Fazl-ur-Rehman (RA), about his well being. He said brother you are asking the well being of a believer? In this world he is hanging between the fear (of Allah) and hope (from Allah) and what is the well being of a person in suspension? The real well being can be stated only after hearing the glad tidings of entrance to Jannah.

(T'amir-e-Hayat, Lucknow, August 25, 2010AC, p.26)

Monday, November 29, 2010

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings - 15

(17)  Keep a watch on your Baser Self at all times. Never be lax about it. Baser Self has strange tricks. Strengthen your connection with the People of Allah. To get an insight in this connection read Spreading the Religion (Tableegh-e-Deen). It is an important and beneficial book. Maulana Masihullah Khan (RA) said that when Allama Syed Sulaiman Nadvi (RA) came to Hazrat Thanwi (RA) and requested for recommending some book for reading then Hazrat Thanwi (RA) told him the name of the book Spreading the Religion. Also at the query of a Scholar and Faqih like Mufti Mohammad Shafi Sahab (RA) also he recommended perusal of Spreading the Religion and Qasad-us-Sabeel. Read it  - it will give great benefits to you.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

A Mysterious Benefactor

A strange thing about the book Sermons of Pain of Love (Mawaiz-e-Dard-e-Muhabbat) by Hazrat Hakim Muhammed Akhtar Sahab (DB) is that the compiler invariably is One of the Servants of the Shaikh. You see the same byline again and again in all the lectures. Strange indeed. But diamonds are difficult to hide. Khanqah Imdadia Ahrafia informs us that Hazrat Ishrat Jamil Mir Sahab is the person behind the booklets of Hazrat Hakim Akhtar Sahab (DB). Former has just returned from hospital after fighting dialysis complications. May Lord Most High grant him a speedy and complete recovery and a stable and sound health. Those who have benefited from those books will surely get the feeling that Hazrat Mir Sahab is our benefactor. May Allah Lord of Honour provide him reward for his work, his humility according to His Glory.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings - 14

(16)  People of Allah eat the same blessings and we too eat the same blessings. They also have the same means of life and we too have the same means of life. But the ecstasy, serenity and solace of heart that is avoidable to them - why is that not available to us? Why are we, having and using the same blessings, in a state of restlessness and turmoil? Its secret is that those honoured people use those blessings of Allah as slaves while we use them as rebels. If you will use them as slaves then it will lead to enlightenment and ecstasy and if you eat as rebels then you will get nothing. In fact restlessness and lack of peace will surround you.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Thank You Oh Lord

I am that ant which is trodden under foot
Not that wasp, the pain of whose sting causes lament.
How shall I give due thanks for the blessing
That I do not possess the strength of injuring mankind?

(Chapter 3, Gulistan, Shaikh Sadi (RA), Translated by Sir Edwin Arnold)

My Worth

My worth is of a weak rural student who is trying to learn a lesson. Since a rustic village student has a thick brain he has to slug it out a lot. Initially he tries to repeat his lesson in privacy-all alone, then he repeats it in from of his crops, then in front of his animals, in front of trees and when some of it is memorized then he says it in front of his friends and when it becomes a bit easy on the tongue then, for approval and authentication, he tries to say it in front of  his elders too so that he has some assessment and satisfaction that the lesson he is repeating is correct.

Maulana Muhammed Kalim Siddiqui Sahab Damatbarkatuhum

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings - 13

(15)   Hazrat-o-Aala (RA) used to instruct about avoiding useless things as well as acting upon Sunnah on a rather regular basis. He himself used to avoid useless things to the utmost. He was busy in work all the time. Even on the day of his death he instructed to avoid sins. Some guests were talking. He said, with displeasure, that what is the benefit of useless talk? One should be busy in some work at all the times.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings - 12

(14)  Today each and every person is interested in becoming a reformer. There is no concern for being reformed. In reality only that person is raised to the status of e reformer (by Allah Most High) who is worried about his own reform. Many times it is quite surprising to see when some people will introduce themselves by saying that I am a Caliph of that particular Shaikh. Some intellectuals too do such things. This is self-promotion and a sign of pride and it causes decline. Know it clearly that it has two pathologies - (i) an expression of love for fame and (ii) a desire for concession and a demand for honour from the person addressed. Both are deadly poisons, may Allah Most High provide protection from such things.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Creation of a Generation after Ceasing Prophethood

When those were coming who came for going at that time people were chosen. But when he came who came for coming only then in his honour, not a person, but a whole Generation was chosen. (Peace on them all and Peace and Blessings on him.)

(Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani (RA))

Monday, November 22, 2010

Life and Death

For seekers of Allah's pleasure matter of life and death is not a big one.

Hazrat Maulana Syed Muhammed Rabe'a Hasani Nadawi(DB)

(See previous post.)

A Woman Bearer of Purposeful Life - 2

By Hazrat Maulana Syed Muhammed Rabe'a Hasani Nadawi(DB)

(Condolence Address of Manager of Nadwat-ul-Ulama Hazrat Maulana Muhammed Rabe'a Hasani Nadawi on Passing Away of Hazrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq Haqqi Rehmatullah Alaihi's Wife)

After Praise (of Lord Most High) and Peace (on beloved Prophet) Hazrat-o-Aala said: Honourable Gentlemen and Ladies! It is a matter of obedience (to God) for me that I am present here. The work on education of the Holy Qur'an, Correction of beliefs and the work of revival of Sunnah that was started by Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah Maulana Shah Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab, may Mercy be on him, and the Seminary (Ashraf-ul-Madaris) that he established to fortify that task so that model students are prepared by that and then, by extending that work, the beginning of Majlis-e-Dawat-ul-Haq and the seminaries that he established at various places and a beneficial work of training and Correction was performed - in that he used to get special assurance because of the suggestions of his wife. She was a women of many praiseworthy traits. Perceiving the character and desire of Hazrat Maulana (RA)  she took special care of his comfort and took care of his guests and associates and looked after them. After his death she took more care of this responsibility but no one will stay here for ever. Who so ever is born he is born with his predecided age-she too completed her age. The ages that Allah Lord of Honour has fixed for people is not devoid of purpose, rather these have been fixed according to the responsibility and the task that is assigned for them. He gives them the opportunity to do that work and then he calls them back. And the real world is that world. In this world Allah only wants to know whether the person becomes a thankful one or thankless one. All concerned with wife of Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA) used to call her Ammi Jan. Whatever age she got in that she did many deeds of righteousness and lived a purposeful life and gave lots of strength to religious work. She used to be a special source of strength to Hazrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab (RA) and she left this world with the same trait of her, that is, sympathy, relaxation and affection for every body. She revived the Sunnah of the Mother of the Faithful Hazrat Khadija-tul-Kubra (RA). Whatever sympathy Hazrat Khadija (RA) had with Prophet, may Peace and Blessings be upon him, in matters of Divine Pleasure she made that her method in her life with Hazrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab (RA).

The senior elder of our family Hazrat Shah Alamallah Hasani (RA) who was a notable caliph of  Syed Adam Binnori (RA), a caliph of Hazrat Mujaddid Alf Sani (RA). When his son (Shah Alamallah(RA)'s) died in night then he did not inform anybody. At the time of morning Prayer, against the norm, he got up and came to the door and addressed a special servant that in the night Miyan Abu Hanifa has passed away, arrangements for his burial should be made. On the same day after the burial was over he said that with all Praise for Allah Miyan Abu Hanifa left this world with the wealth of faith and showed happiness on departure of his son with faith. An old woman used to spin the wheel daily. He went to her and asked as to why she is not spinning? The old woman said Hazrat such a worthy son is taken away and in that sorrow should we not even stop spinning? He said that all these are matters of destiny, no one has a right to question Allah's decisions. Life is effervescent, one should be agreeable to Lord's wish. You should continue your work.

Muhi-us-Sunnah Hazrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab (RA) too was a similar epitome of patience, endurance and acceptance of Lord's wish and the path he had put her on she remained established on that.

For seekers of Allah's pleasure matter of life and death is not a big one. Our women should try to adopt those traits on which Muhtarmah Ammi Jan lived and on which she left this world.

Those who leave this world with good deeds their inheritors benefit from them. This benefit will be received by the present members of the family. A big responsibility to the present people is that they remember their ancestors in Supplications. Everybody needs Supplications be he of very high stature and therefore we should keep that in mind.

The pain that has been caused by her demise that is natural pain. At such occasions sorrow is not forbidden, this is sorrow of separation. But this separation is temporary and brief; after that there will be favour of Allah Most High and there will be gathering together there. For a believer the pain of the world is not a big pain, separation of death is temporary.  For disbeliever the separation is permanent but for believer it is temporary and for the time being only. Then all will gather together.

The place that Allah would have granted her would be high according to her good deeds and will be of excellence but for us all her right is that we remember her in supplications.

We congratulate you that you bore this sorrow the way righteous people of Allah bear it. May Lord Most High accept it and grant a high place of Mercy and Forgiveness to the departed lady.

(T'amir-e-Hayat, Lucknow, October 10, 2009AC)

A Woman Bearer of Purposeful Life - 1

By Hazrat Maulana Syed Muhammed Rabe'a Hasani Nadawi(DB)

(Condolence Address of Manager of Nadwat-ul-Ulama Hazrat Maulana Muhammed Rabe'a Hasani Nadawi on Passing Away of Hazrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq Haqqi Rehmatullah Alaihi's Wife)

(On September 27, 2009AC Hazrat Maulana Syed Muhammed Rabe'a Hasani Nadawi Mudazillahu, Rector Nadawat-ul-Ulama and with him Maulana Syed Wazeh Rashid  Hasani Nadawi, Education In-charge, Nadawat-ul-Ulama, Maulana Syed Abdulla Hasani Nadawi, teacher Nadat-ul-Ulama went to Hardoi on condolence visit at the passing away of the wife of Muhi-us-Sunnah Hazrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab Haqqi Rehmatullah Alaihi and, on the request of the grieved people made a comprehensive and full of wisdom speech, that is being presented. Wife of Hazrat Maulana (RA) was a women of action and a bearer of high religious character. The way she supported Hazrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab, may Allah Mercy him, there are few examples of that. She was six years junior to Hazrat Maulana (RA) and left this world four years after him. Since the tragedy of her demise occurred in Mumbai therefore her burial too took place there only. She was known as Hazrat Ammi Jan to the students and teachers of the seminary (Ashraf-ul-Madaris) as well the circle of Instruction and Guidance of Hazrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq sahab (RA).This was the effect of her love and affection that she always showed on her younger people. A son of her was late Hafiz Ashraf-ul-Haq who died in his youth. The way she bore that tragedy that was her share only. Among the grieved there is only her daughter, wife of Hazrat Kalimullah Sahab Mudazillahu, the way she has born, first the tragedy of her father's death and now the death of her mother with patience and acceptance, the reward of that only Allah Most High can give her. She (the departed soul) was from Lucknow and her father Khan Bahadur Doctor Muhammed Ali Shah Sahab used to enjoy a special relationship with the Wise of the Generation Maulana Ashraf Ali Sahab Thanwi (RA) and on the basis of that Hazrat Wise of the Generation, may Mercy be on him, fixed this relation and he himself performed the marriage ceremony (nikah).

The condolence lecture of Hazrat Maulana (Rabe'a Sahab) (DB), after his second glance and some alterations, is presented to the readers. At this occasion apart from the family people Hazrat Maulana Qari Amir Hasan Sahab (DB) too was present.

-Editor)

(T'amir-e-Hayat, Lucknow, October 10, 2009AC)

Majlis in Makkah

Those readers who are already following the Path of (or) Method will testify that the moments spent away from Shaikh are rather difficult to bear. In modern times telephone is one instrument that fills up the gap to, indeed, an small extent. But that too has its limitations. That is what happened. After several missed chances (calls) it was very soothing to here a call where the voice behind the call is unmistakably of Maulvi Abdul Muqsit. Maulvi Abdul Muqsit is with Hazrat Shaikh (DB) on Haj. Soon Hazrat Shaikh (DB) is on line and all of us on Thus Spake Hazrat Shaikh get the glad tidings. Good news about Supplications done at Madinah, Makkah, Arafat, Mina, Muzdalifah and all. Supplications about Acceptable (maqbool) Haj and all.

And All Praise is for Lord Most High for all that.

The main points of today's sitting (majlis) are repeated twice over the telephone. These are abundance of Asking for Forgiveness (astaghfar) and Recitation of the Holy Qur'an.

And that is like a shower of cool sprinkling in the middle of hot summer.

And All Praise is for Lord Most High for that.

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-11

(8) Some people say that that we end up discounting our work or may be there is laxity in work. (Assertion: It just happens.) I say that be aware of four beautiful names of Allah Most High He is All-Hearer, All-Seer, All-Knowing and All-Aware. He hears all of our talks, He sees all we do, He knows all the states, conditions and all aspects and He has the information about all the actions. When you will think about this again and again and you will keep these attributes of Allah Most High in your awareness then, Lord Willing, scrupulousness and trust worthiness will materialize in the personality. This will protect from negligence, oversight and slight in the work.

(9) Nowadays, the habit of comparison and asserting superiority has become rather common. This Scholar is big that one small, that Shaikh is like this and another one is like that. This is the sign of absence of purity of intent (ikhlas). A sincere person is not like that. Sincere people neither indulge in backbiting nor do they tolerate it, leave alone criticism or degradation of others. I saw Hazrat-o-Aala Muhi-us-Sunnah for 25 years, from a distance as well as from close quarters, and closer still. In this long duration I never saw him indulging in criticizing anybody. He did not criticize anybody. This is his charisma – no criticism, no degradation. And if something really happened then at the most he will express his surprise – “How did he do that?” He will wonder in such cases – “It is surprising that he said something like that.” And that is all. He did not say anything more than this about anybody.

(10) We should show utmost respect to the Scholars. There failings must be beautifully excused. Some people are not careful about this. I am not a Scholar but if something like this happens on part of modern (English educated) people then I defend the Scholars to the full. They (the Scholars) are responsible for their mistakes. For us they are the guides. They tell us the right things. What they do they are themselves responsible for that. We will not have to give account for that. Hazrat-o-Aala (RA) used to say that our task is to communicate; we are responsible to convey only and not to impose it.

(11)  Today we are obsessed with the quantity of deeds and not their quality. Though we pay attention to the volume – I have done so many rounds but we do not worry about its health. Remember one thing, let the action be small but it must be done well – that is the real thing. We did not see excessive routines at the place of Hazrat-o-Aala (RA) but in each act an organization and solidity was visible.

(12) Keep yourself attached to the People of Allah. This is a big source to maintain your purity of intent and a safeguard against religious decline. Relationship with the people of Allah is a big blessing. The benefits that are contained in this can be judged from the lives of those people who have a true and sincere relationship with a Man of Allah. Every style of their action has a light in it.

(13) I recommend an act that will lead to a lot of progress in the relationship with Allah Most High, Lord Willing. This is as follows that at sometime, preferably after Tahajjud Prayers, supplicate like this:

Oh Most Kind Sustainer! It is you only who made me a Muslim. This is purely your Kindness and Grace. I thank you for that.
Oh Most Kind Sustainer! It is only you who made me a man of faith. This is purely your Kindness and Grace. I thank you for that.
Oh Most Kind Sustainer! It is only you who made me firm on your Unity. This is purely your Kindness and Grace. I thank you for that.
Oh Most Kind Sustainer! It is only you who gave me birth in the Generation of Muhammed (PBUH). This is purely your Kindness and Grace. I thank you a thousand times for that.
Oh Most Kind Sustainer! It is only you who joined me with Ahl-e-Sunnah-wal-Jama'a. This is purely your Kindness and Grace. I thank you for that.

 Hazrat Shaikh (DB) further added that valuing these blessings one should think that it is such a great blessing that He made us human beings. He could have made us any thing else. Then among the humans not all are Muslims. Thus making a Muslim is a further enhancement in the blessing. To be a Muslim is a great honour bestowed by Lord All-Pure. Then there are many people who are, though people of faith but lack the conviction of Unity of God. Thus Allah Most High has bestowed upon us the grand blessing of Unity. Similarly today there are so many denominations and people are scattered in all and sundry directions. It is such a big blessing that Allah, He is Exalted, has attached us to the method of the Companions (RA) by making us Ahl-e-Sunnah-wal-Jama'a. All theses blessings combined with other blessings should give us some idea about the favours of Allah Most High. Lord Willing this will lead to a lot of progress in connection with Allah Most High.

Second Friday Sermon

All Praise of all kind are for Allah, I seek help from Him only, and I seek forgiveness from Him only, and we declare faith in Him and only on Him do we rely.

And we seek His refuge from the mischief of our Baser Selves, and the bad consequences of our actions. Whom Allah Most High guides none can misguide him and whom He misguides none can guide him. And I also witness that there no one worthy of worship except Him, Who is alone and He has no partner. And I also witness that verily Muhammed (PBUH) is a servant and a Messenger of Allah. Allah Most High made Muhammed (PBUH) a bearer of Truth and a warner and a giver glad tidings and a warner of the things to appear at the doomsday. One who will follow Allah and His Messenger he, of certainty, will be successful. And one who will disobey Allah and His Messenger then indeed he will be causing loss to himself only, there shall be no loss of Lord Most High.

I seek refuge of Allah from Satan the cursed. Verily Allah and His Angels send Blessings on the Prophet(PBUH); so oh the believers send blessings upon the Prophet (PBUH) and do so in abundance. Oh Lord send Mercy on Muhammed (PBUH) who is a servant and Messenger of yours, and send your Mercy to believing men and believing women. And send abundance on Muhammed (SAW) and his pure wives and upon his progeny and lineage. And the Prophet (PBUH) said that most kind in my Generation is Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and most particular in implementing the doctrinal commands in my Generation is Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and shiest of the shy is Usman, may Allah be pleased with him, and most reliant among them is Ali, may Allah be pleased with him. And Fatima is the leader of the women of Heaven, may Allah be pleased with her. And Hassan and Hussain are the leaders of the youth in Heaven, may Allah be pleased with them. And Hamza is lion of Lord and His Messenger (PBUH), may Allah be pleased with him. Oh Lord grant forgiveness to Abbas and his son (RA), forgiveness external and internal, open and hidden till there sins cease. Fear Allah, fear Allah in the context of my Companions (RA) and after me do not make them targets of insinuation. If anyone will love them then it is as if he is loving them because of my love and the one who will have hatred for them it is as if he is doing so because of his hatred of me.

The best time of my Generation is my time and then the one after that and then the one after that.

And the Prophet (PBUH) said that bearers of Qur'an are the bearers of the flag of Islam who so ever will respect him he will be favoured by Allah Most High and who so ever will insult him on him is the curse of Allah.

Verily Allah Most High orders justice, favouring others (ihsan) and to be courteous to relatives. And stops from shamelessness, bad things and revolt. He admonishes you so that you be among the ones who accept admonitions. (Oh my slaves) remember me through your worship and I shall remember you through my benevolence and abundance and be thankful to me and be not thankless!

(Arabic to Urdu Translation : Hafiz Fahimuddin, amity be for him.)

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Sign Post -1

(Ismaeel Nakhuda)  

(1) So, it does come as a surprise when contemporary writers assume that the Deobandis have some sort of anathema towards orthodox Sufism. In an article published in the UK-based Prospect Magazine in 2005, Ehsan Masood ironically described the Deobandi Sufis as an “Indian anti-Sufi movement”, likewise the respected British historian and travel-writer William Dalrymple has penned similar views in several of his articles and books.

(2) The era we live in today is one of information -- Alhamdulillah, our Ulemah have lots of information but passing this information onto the next generation in the English-medium is the demand of this age and something we need to focus on.

Three Points

Those who have opted for email course on Arabic at Shariah Program will agree that Mohtanick Jamil has already told us three very interesting and useful things.

(1) Even the letters and positioning there of have logic and meaning behind them in Arabic language. (On the authority of Mr Syed Hasan Shahid Rizvi, who has retired as a Senior Scientific Officer from the Physics Department of the Aligarh Muslim University and who has worked on Speech Analysis and Acoustics for a long time, we can say that Arabic has least entropy of all languages. Entropy is a measure of disorder. To put it in common parlance it has the following meaning. When we learn a rule of a language then we are happy. This is because a rule gives us a whole way of doing the things. In language classes the teacher, in the next turn, will tell us about the exceptions to the rules. This creates a churning feeling in our stomach. This is because the exceptions reduce the reliability of the rules! This introduces lack of order, or disturbs the order and hence increases entropy. This is what is implied by the above remark about entropy.)

(2) Do not jump to next thing before mastering the current one.

(A very sane advice indeed. Jumping to the next thing is easiest way to spoil any chance of learning. While revising the Shining Primer Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA) wrote in the instructions to the teachers that unless the child has mastered a lesson do not go to the next one.)

(3) Do not overtly try to make learning a fun. It is work and let it be so.

(Again a very reasonable advice. Our western brothers are crying themselves hoarse in order to make learning fun. Why should every thing be fun? Can it be? If not then why be obsessed with it?

In the Method (tariqat) there is a parallel to this observation. First time Seeker very soon gets some experiences that are rather, well spiritual, enlightening and sublime. Like very pleasant dreams and feelings of ecstasy and/or premonitions. At such things the Seeker is excited and usually reports them to the Shaikh. In response he is, in fortunate cases, deflated by the Shaikh. Shaikh tells that these things are worthy of congratulations but do not concentrate on them and get busy with your routine.

Hedonism is not the object of the Method, even spiritual hedonism. Pleasure of Lord Most High is.)

How They Protected Faith - Two

(A Set of Three Excerpts on Extraordinary Efforts to Save Belief  in Recent History: Part Two)

(In the description of journey to Uzbekistan after talking or rather introducing Samarkand the author tells a story in the words of a Mufti about the communist revolution and rule in Central Asia.)

Stories of People of Obsession : Communist ruled the bodies of the people-not their hearts. Those who had the light of faith in their hearts kept their faith hidden and got the status of heart satisfied with faith (Qalbuhu Mutmainna bil iman). Russians tried every possible way to find that out. Some were caught but some they could not reach. For example, my father was a great scholar but immediately after the revolution he adopted such a getup as to show that he does not know even ABC.

            To some children they will ask whether their parents have taught them any Arabic phrase. in case he will say yes then his father was hanged. If a child knew the Arabic phrase In the name of God (bismillah) then his father would be sent to jail. It was responsibility of school teachers to report the children knowing Arabic alphabets to KGB.

            Scholars worked in such a manner that no one would know about it. Secret teaching continued in different houses and chambers. Some times we would make a big hall. Then we will furnish it with all necessary things. Then we will make different rooms around it and make the original hall so sound proof that the sound will not escape it. This hall will have a gateway to one of the rooms. The teacher will take the children inside with him and we shall close the door completely with planks and nails. We will put cabinets in front of it and then some liquor bottles and semi naked pictures will be kept in the room. while searching the house the liquor room will convince the police that these are communist people - what do they have to do with religion? They would leave happily. How would they know that just few meters away the children are reciting the Holy Qur'an in their innocent voice? Some times we would bring out the teacher and children after six months. Some children knew nothing about Arabic while going in but they come out having learned the Qur'an. It was a big sacrifice on path Muslim mothers for when their children were closed inside they themselves were there out in the courtyard - they would not see their children for six months.

            If our people were sane then they would have been emptied of their religion but these people were crazy. As a consequence Allah Most High preserved their religion.

           
They returned back, all those sane ones who ventured into it,
            The endurance to reach the destination? Reserved for the crazy!


             (Laut aye jitne farzane gaye
            Tabeh manzil sirf deewane gaye).

  Pir Zulfiqar Ahmad Naqshbandi(DM): From Lahore to the Dust of Bukhara and Samarkand

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Mere Single Page

"Yusuf  is a mere single page of this story of tabligh. Hundreds of such pages are scattered around here. Pick  up and keep reading them one after another."

Hazrat Yusuf Kandhalwi (RA) to Maulana Jamil Ahmed Qadri (RA).

The Land of Rising Sun

Japan is called the land of rising sun. Why? That is simple. The sun rises in the east. Which is the eastern most country? Japan. QED. Quod Erat Demonstrandum. That was to be proved.

Currently Japan is eighth most visiting country to Thus Spake Hazrat Shaikh. That is strange because Japan appeared rather late on Thus Spake Hazrat Shaikh. The hint is to the effect that whatever they do they do so with excellence. Even those of our brothers who have gone there.

History of Islam and Muslims in Japan is rather short one and should appear here later, Lord Most High willing, as skimmed from the travelogues of Mufti Taqi Usmani Sahab (DB). A belated welcome to those readers who reside in Nippon.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-10

(7) What is the benefit of Relationship with Elders and worrying about correcting personal condition? I shall give an example to illustrate the benefits drawn in the company of the Elders and by their admonitions. There is a professor at the Muslim university who has achieved international fame. Though not a (religious) Scholar but he is very religious and a man of scruples. He told that the periods in our place are of fifty five minutes duration. I am particular about it that, by the Grace of Allah Most High, I never taught even for fifty four minutes-I teach full fifty five minutes, this too with a fear that my earnings should not be impious. Moreover in the class room I only talk about the subject matter and not at all about the extraneous matters-for fear of dereliction of duty and contaminating my earnings.

You see. Such scrupulousness is rare even in the religious seminaries but because the blessings of the company of the People of Allah it is found in the university.

How They Protected Faith - One

( A Set of Three Excerpts on Extraordinary Efforts to Save Belief  in Recent History: Part One)

            Till the Russians conquered Samarkand in the last century (now the century before the last). After the conquest the MS (manuscript of the Holy Qur'an, supposedly one of the five or seven MSS prepared by Hazrat Usman Ghani (RA)), that was very famous, the Russian Commander-in-Chief took it from there (Samarkand) and transferred it to Saint Petersberg). Russian historian say that the MS was sold by the Chief of Samarkand to the Russian Commander for twenty or twenty five bucks - we have not stolen it but we bought it. In any case till the end of first world war that MS was in Leningrad. After that, as you know, the rule of Czar was over and Communists occupied the government. At that time many Russian citizens who did not want to live under the communist rule scattered here and there leaving Russia. One of them come to Paris - he was famous as Ali Akbar Topchibashi. I have met him and he told me the corresponding story. He said that at the time when Czar was murdered I was posted in Saint Petersberg itself as a high officer. I sent a Commando team to occupy the Royal Palace and find the MS of Holy Quran from the time of Hazrat Usman Ghani (RA) in the Royal Library and bring that to me. The Commandos went and brought the MS. As a military commander he, then, went to the railway station and asked the station master to make a railway engine available. He put the MS in the engine, under supervision of his men, and told the driver to take the engine to Turkestan with fastest speed. Thus the MS reached Turkestan. Within few hours the Communist Commanders got the news and as a consequence another engine was sent to chase the first one with military officers but the first engine was out of their reach. This is how the MS made its way to Tashkent.

Dr. Mohammad Hamidullah (of Paris) , Bahawalpur Lectures, p. 40-41, Islamic Book Foundation, New Delhi - 110 002, 1997AC (Original in Urdu)

Monday, November 15, 2010

Reality of Sacrifice

The Companions (RA) asked the beloved Prophet (PBUH) : "What is the reality of Sacrifice?"
Beloved  Prophet (PBUH) Answered : "This is a Sunnah of your father Ibraheem (AS)".

Source : Ashrafia (Khutbat-e-Hakim-ul-Ummat, Sunnah of Ibraheem, Lecture Delivered by Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) at Kairana, Muzaffar Nagar, on 24 Zi-Qadah, 1335AH and published in the Periodical Imdad, Lahore, Zi-Qadah 1421AH, February 2001AC, p.35)

Talking About Death

Lecture by Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) on 1 Jamadi-u-Aula, 1330H at Jhanjhana

Summary : Each person needs Self Correction and to this end remembrance of death should be used. When this observation is perfected then, Lord Willing, sins will not occur even unintentionally.

 (Titles and Margins : Maulana Khalil Ahmed Thanwi)


(1) The Real Cause of Disobedience is Negligence (ghaflat)
(2) Cure for Negligence
(3) It is not Difficult to Act on Religion
(4) Reality of Religion
(5) Muzaribat ( A Particular Partnership : Money by One Person and Work by Other)
(6) Object of Increasing the Money
(7) Easiness in the Injunctions of the Doctrine
(8) Law of the Doctrine is easiest of All the Laws of the World
(9) There is Unadulterated Profit and Comfort in the Doctrine
(10) The Least Amount of Dower
(11) How Will Marriage Lead to Riches
(12) Thanklessness Towards Husband
(13) Consequences of Putting the Doctrine on the Backburner
(14) Sublime Law of the Doctrine in Sorrow
(15) Calamity of Interest
(16) Two Elements for Curing Negligence
(17) Death is the Destroyer of Enjoyments
(18) Death  Destroys Every Enjoyment
(19) Two Prefaces of Death
(20) Wisdom of Short Visit at the Time of Sorrow
(21) Object of Feeding
(22) Youth Gone, Life Gone
(23) Curse on Three People
(24) Old Age is the Message of Death
(25) Reward of Remembering death Forty Times a day
(26) Plague is a Mercy from Allah
(27) Effect of Sin
(28) Effect of the Obedience of Lord Most High
(29) Anecdote of Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza Sahab Majzoob (RA)
(30) Anecdotes of Some Elders Endowed with Premonition (Kashf)
(31) Premonition (Kashf) is not a Big Charisma
(32) Fruits of Obedience in This World
(33) Seven People in the Shade of the Divine Throne
(34) Story of a King and a Fakir
(35) Hazrat Farid-ud-Deen Attar (RA) Cures the Worldly Love of His Disciple
(36) Hazrat Maroof Karkhi (RA)'s Anger on a Backbiter
(37) Signs of Remembering Death

 Source: Ashrafia 

Sacrifice is the Argument of Mercy

Thus ignorant is that person who will not do animal sacrifice considering it an act lacking mercy. Similarly the statement of some opponents, after seeing animal sacrifice, that Muslims are merciless, this is serious mistake on their part because mercy is a state of spell. Everybody knows his state and can not find the state of other person at all. Even in spite of the fact that Muslims indulge in animal sacrifice the argument for them being people of mercy is that they can not see the pain of any animal. In fact, by God, Muslims have mercy even during the very act of sacrifice. And their hearts are softened at the sight f sacrifice. Thus Hazrat Maulana Mehmood Hasan Deobandi (RA) once sacrificed an animal for which the butcher was ready to pay eighty rupees but Maulana did not sell and sacrificed it. But it is reported that Maulana was doing the sacrifice and was crying too. Now see how great this struggle is? The heart is completely watered down but still completing the sacrifice. That is the sacrifice of baser self-to act against the desires of the baser self.

Source : Ashrafia (Khutbat-e-Hakim-ul-Ummat, Sunnah of Ibraheem, Lecture Delivered by Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) at Kairana, Muzaffar Nagar, on 24 Zi-Qadah, 1335AH and published in the Periodical Imdad, Lahore, Zi-Qadah 1421AH, February 2001AC, p.64-65)

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-9

(6) Ask the teachers as well as implement your self too, before beginning the teaching of the day,  a daily two units of Prayer of Repentance, Prayer of Request to seek help from Allah Most High and after the days teaching is done pray two units of Prayer of Forgiveness for any shortcomings and failings. Everyday offer two units of Prayer of Thanking that Allah Most High has put you on such a great service. This is Mere Subtlety and Grace from Him otherwise where and how did we deserve it? This suggestion of mine was approved by Maulana Burhanuddin Sanbhali Mudazillahu and Maulana Abdul Haq Sahab Mudazillahu, Shaikh-ul-Hadis, Darul Uloom, Deoband too approved and liked it.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

What is Religion?

Religion (deen) is the combination of Islam, Iman and Ihsan.

Shaikh Khalilur Rahman Sajjad Nomani

  
Via : Audible Wisdom

Spoken in Twenty Five Countries

There is a language that is spoken in twenty five countries.
Is one of the five official languages of UN.
1.2 billion people can read its script.
300 to 400 million people actually speak it.


It has also contributed to many other languages. It has given English, for instance, the following familiar words:

admiral,
alcohol,
algebra,
algorithm,
almanac,
apricot,
arsenal,
candy,
chemistry,
coffee,
cotton,
gazelle,
giraffe,
hazard,
lemon,
lime,
magazine,
racket,
safari,
sofa,
sugar,
syrup,
zero
and many others.

And if you speak it you'll be following a Sunnah.

Source: Caravan Press

Uses of Tourism

Tourism literature is boring. It looks as if the tourist writer is having all the fun and then showing it off to you.

Not so if the same thing is handed over to the People of Allah. Here are three examples.

Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (RA)

He has described his experiences of journeys in several books. Some of them are listed below. Tourism has history as a necessary element. Ali Miyan (RA) makes it simple for us to use history to come out of  our present unenviable condition. It is also clear from these descriptions that Islam and problems of Muslims are never out of focus for him. There is no moment of lapse here. According to an authentic tradition the dwellers of the Heavens will have no regrets except for the moments spend in this world without remembrance of Lord Almighty. If we read the following travelogues or the other two sets that follow them then one thing becomes clear, apart from other things, that the writers of these lines will  be the ones, Lord Willing, with no regrets what so ever. May Lord Most High provide the same privilege to us too, useless though we are.


(A) From River Kabul to River Yermook

(1) In Afghanistan, the Land of Fighters and Conquerors
(2) The Land of Aesthetics and Grandeur of Thinking : Iran
(3) Lebanon, the Meeting of East and West
(4) Two days in Damascus
(5) Capital of Haroon Ar Rasheed : Baghdad
(6) From Baghdad to Oman

(B) Pathway to Madinah

(C) Speaking Plainly to the West

(D) From the Depth of Heart in America


Mufti Muhammed Taqi Usmani (DB)

The palpable feeling in the writings of Ali Miyan (RA) was of revival of Muslims, Islam and Islamic way of life. With a little effort it should be perceptible in the following writings that the worry here is shifted to incorporating Islam into our lives-the so called modern lives. In a sense fruits of the endeavour of Ali Miyan (RA) are already incorporated in them. In present times three significant journeys have to be covered by mankind. One religion is not the demon that it is made out to be; two-it is possible to have economy and business based on responsible religious principles and thirdly science does not make religion obsolete. Some body capable of a fraction of Ali Miyan (RA)'s gift should write a pamphlet to the effect that Islam is the only religion that is capable of taking up these formidable challenges. And all thanks are due to Lord Most High that Mufti Muhammed Taqi Usmani Sahab (DB) has been contributing to the task of implementing Islamic thought to economy and business. But that is not necessary the focus of the following journeys. There is much more there to enliven your faith with enjoyment.


(A) Glimpses of World (Jahan-e-Deedah)

(1) First Journey of America and Europe, (USA, Britain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia), July 1978AC(Shaban 1398AH)
(2) Qatar Seerat Conference, November 1979AC(Muharram 1400AH)
(3) Journey of India, (In the Context of Centanery Celebrations of Darul Uloom, Deoband), March 1980AC
(4) A Few Days in Bangladesh, August 1980AC
(5) Two Journeys of South Africa (November 1980AC, Zil Hajj 1400AH; September 1982Ac, Zil-Hajj 1401AH)
(6) The Country of Islands, (Singapore), Indonesia, June 1982AC(Shaban 1402AH)
(7) Valley of Tigris and Euphrates, November 1984AC (Rabi-ul-Awwal 1405AH)
(8) Egypt and Algeria, July 1985AC(Zeeqadah 1405AH)
(9) Tour of China, November 1985
(10) From Uhad to Kasiyoon, January 1986AC(Rabi-ul-Awwal 1406AH)
(11) In the City of Sultan Muhammed the Conqueror (Istanbol, Turkey), March 1986AC(Rajab 1406AH)
(12) Two Weeks in West, (France, America, Canada),October 1988AC(Safar 1409AH)

(B) The World in Front of Me (Duniya Mere Aage)

(1) A Few Days in Andulus, April 1990AC(Ramadan 1410AH)
(2) Journey to Brunei, June 1993(Safar 1414AH)
(3) A Few Days in Turkey, August 1994AC (Safar 1415AH)
(4) Two Weeks in the West, February 1995AC(Ramadan 1415AH)
(5) In South Africa, February 1995AC(Ramadan 1415AH)
(6) In the City of Sultan Muhammed the Conqueror, August 1995AC(Rabi-ul-Awwal 1416AH)
(7) Other Journeys of the World, (Canada, USA, Japan), July 1997AC
(8) A Few Days in Malaysia,
(9) A Journey to Harvard University, Decemeber 1997AC
(10) A Week in Ireland and Oxford, October 2000AC
(11) Journey of Sana (Yaman), July 2001AC
(12) Midnight's Sun, (Norway, Sweden, Finland), September 2001AC
(13) Journey of Germany and Italy, October 2002 (Shaban 1423AH)

(C) Pages of Albalagh

(1) A Journey to Latin America, (Brazil, Panama, Trinidad, Barbados), (October 2008AC, Shawwal 1429AH),(Albalagh, Decemebr 2008AC, p.15-24, January 2009AC, p.13-26, February 2009AC, p.13-22)


(2) Journey of Tazikistan, 2009AC (Shawwal 1430AH),(Albalagh, January 2010AC, p.3-30)


There should be many other journeys in the period from 2002Ac to 2008AC.

Pir Zulfiqar Ahmed Naqshbandi (DB)

We see from his books that Shaikh Zulfiqar (DB) has traveled in the African continent, the Central Asia and is in United States now. The journey to Central Asian countries was done in April-May 1992AC. Its story is told in Urdu in a book called From Lahore to Dust of Bukhara and Samarkand. It is an extraordinary narrative. And we get some glimpse of post USSR conditions in that region as well as some information about excruciating past too. The remarkable thing to note is the way this is made easy on the nerves by presenting everything in a superlatively spiritual fashion. I must read and a blessing to clean up your inner self. Things Muslim, Spiritual and Islamic just shine like they should when presented by the magical pen of a Shaikh. Above mentioned tour of around five weeks included the following places in the journey. Here tourism has been raised to the level of sheer ecstasy.

(1) Journey of Uzbekistan
(2) Journey Tajikistan
(3) Journey of Kazakhistan
(4) Journey of Kyrgizstan
(5) Journey of Russia
(6) Journey of Ukraine
(7) In the Land of Tatars
(8) In Kavkaz (Koh-e-Qaf) Country

All of these things are in Urdu but most of the books by Ali Miyan (RA)  were originally written in Arabic and some of of them are available in English too.

A Table on Contents

 What will you think when the following content is handed over to you?
 

On Certainty
On Intention
On Vigilance
On the Inner and the Outer Self
On Regular Devotions
On Reciting the Qur’an
On Acquiring Knowledge
On Remembrance
On Reflection
On Following the Book and Sunnah
On Doctrine
On Religious Obligations
On Cleanliness
On Following the Sunnah
On Conduct in Mosques
On the Ritual Prayer
On Prayer in Congregation
On Zakat
On Fasting
On Pilgrimage
On Scrupulousness
On Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
On Social Duties
On Kindness and Charity
On Counsel
On Salutations and a Salutary Opinion
On Repentance, Hope and Fear
On Fortitude
On Gratitude
On Renunciation
On Reliance on God
On Divine Love and Contentment

May be you'll think that it is collection of posts from Thus Spake Hazrat Shaikh, the posts that begin with the word On. It is not. It is the table of contents of  The Book of Assistance by Imam Abdullah al-Haddad , translated by Mostafa Badawi and made available by  As-Salik Faraz Abdul Moid at At-Tahavi.
 
Two Snippets fron the Glossary of the Book:

Ash'aris: Followers of the principal school of orthodox Muslim theology founded by Abu'l-Hasan al- Ash'ari (AC 873-935).

Maturidis: Followers of the orthodox Muslim theological position of Abu Mansoor al-Maturidi (d. AC 944), today confined largely to Turkey and the Indian subcontinent.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-8

(After Maghrib Prayers a few things were narrated with utmost pain and love to the humble reporter at his place of stay, that is, Madarsa Faiz-ul-Uloom. This happened while resting on his cot. When it became known that many people are gathered around then, in spite of being tired, he sat up and delivered admonitions to the people present. These are recorded below.)

(5) Work with purity of intent, Madarsa should not be the object of desire, Pleasure of Allah should be the object of desire. Always worry about your Self Correction. Collect the teachers of the Madarsa and instruct them too for the same. In fact display in writing that whatever scholarship (stipend) the Madarsa is paying that is not a salary. The other thing is that every teacher, every worker of the Madarsa must have a Self Correction related relationship with someone. This is very useful. This purifies the intentions, improves the work, leads to protection from misappropriation. There are many advantages of this. And there are many blessings (barakat) in that. Next, it is not sufficient to have a Relationship. Also keep an eye on letter writing and correspondence for correctional reporting and implement it with regularity. Also make a checking once in a while.

Tourism, A La Our Elders

Trinidad is considered amongst the most beautiful islands of West Indies where a world of seas, mountains and waterfalls is located. Because of this there is a busy tourist activity here. Like other islands of West Indies the equatorial weather, the slight excessive heat and daily rains, are special attractions for tourists. Though, owing to a busy schedule, I did not get an opportunity to visit the local tourist places of the island ...

Muft Muhammed Taqi Usmani (DB), A Journey of Latin America, (Albalagh, January 2010 p.20)

Friday, November 12, 2010

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-7

(While returning it was requested to make some admonitions to the students of (Madarsa) Ashraf-ul-Ulom. In response to it, as a gesture of love, accepting this request, Hazrat Shaikh (DB) delivered admonitions for few minutes, before Maghrib Prayers.)

Thus spake Hazrat Shaikh (DB):
(4) Here the activity of imparting and receiving education is continuing. This is a significant Recurring Charity. You have gathered here to get religious knowledge. Few things will be said. First of all think what you'll get by having religious education. As a blessing of religious education one gets Knowledge of Allah. And you realize the actions that please Allah and the ones that annoy Him. That is the object of education.

Another thing- you are particular about Prayers, be particular about the Purifying Declaration (takbir-e-tehrimah). This means be in Prayers at the time of Purifying Declaration of the Imam itself. This is a higher level. Some students are so busy in talking that there Purifying Declaration is missed. This is very bad thing.

Third thing is that from this time itself develop the habit of remembrance of Allah. Be punctual about any type Remembrance for one minute. This will lead to affinity with Remembrance. Remembrance leads to enlightenment and Light. Light (noor) leads to ecstasy.

The fourth thing-be particular about avoiding sins. Get attached to Person of Allah. Go in there service. Blessings of this will make it easy to avoid sins.

The fifth thing-adopt Sunnah way of doing each task.

And that is all, these few things have been requested. Act upon them, Lord Willing, you will draw religious and worldly benefit.

And Then Allah Most High Owned Him

This is about Maulana Tariq Jamil Sahab (DB), the man who brought revolution in the lives of those people who live under the spotlight. But that is just the tip of proverbial iceberg. If the tapes of one's speeches are played in the unlit streets of neighbouring countries then it can be taken as a sign of the fact that Allah Most High has chosen him for a special service. It is exciting because it is happening just in front of our eyes. May Lord Most High preserve him and increase his stature.

Born in a traditional landlord family he initially spurned the attempts of the brothers in Jama-at. But finally ended up there. After hundred and a score of days in Jama-at, he left his medical studies and decided to pursue religious studies. As a result of leaving his medical studies his parents disowned him. 

And then Allah Most High owned him.

(Gleamed by Ahmed at Haq Islam from www.tariqjamil.org)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA) : In a Nutshell

Those Who Sold the Medicine for Heart 
Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah Maulana Shah Abrar-ul-Haq Haqqi
Rehmatullah Alaihi : Life and Works
By
Successor of Muhi-us-Sunnah
Hazrat Shah Hakim Muhammed Kalimullah Sahab Mudzillahu
Dawat-ul-Haq July 2005

 His honourable name was  Abrar-ul-Haq. His honourable father was  Mehmood-ul-Haq Sahab who was counted among well known and famous lawyers of Hardoi. Further his honourable father was Caliph for Company (majaz-e-suhbat) of Hazrat Thanwi, may Allah Most High have Mercy upon them.

He was born on September 20, 1920 AC. The life was spent in Hardoi. Life of Hazrat-o-Aala Muhi-us-Sunnah conformed to the Doctrine (shariat) from the start. He got the honour of Authorization to Pledge and Caliphhood from Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Sahab Thanwi, may Allah Most High have Mercy upon him, in the age of twenty one years. Hazrat Shaikh-ul-Hadis Maulana Muhammed Zakaria Sahab, may Allah Most High have Mercy upon him, used to say about Muhi-us-Sunnah that he was a man of predeliction (nisbat) from his student days.

Works

Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA) laid the foundation stone of Ashraf-ul-Madaris in 1942. It was declared in the Mosque that the Madarsa is starting and those who want can send their children, there will not be any financial burden on the family. A cot was laid, on the very first day, in the courtyard of the Mosque. Two students came from Hardoi on the first day. This is how the Madarsa started and continues till the writing of these lines.

Establishment of   Dawat-ul-Haq came into being in 1950AC. In 1953AC he inaugurated the seminaries. The first seminary was established in Asih Azampur in 1373AH. The first teacher there was Munshi Ahmed Siddique who was also working at Mauza Rasoolpur, Anth. The four  tehseels  of district Hardoi have 44 seminaries in total. Other districts have 25. Other states have 27 and till the final sickness 96 seminaries were under his supervision.

Muhi-us-Sunnah Hazrat Maulana Shah Abrar-ul-Haq had Authentication from Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi Quddus Allahu Sirruhu for Pledge and caliphhood. After Hazrat Thanwi (RA) he was attached to Khwaja Aziz-ul-Hsasan Majzoob (RA). After the latter he Pledged himself with Shah Abdul Ghani Phoolpuri (RA). After him there was association with Qutub-e-Alam Shaikh-ul-Hadis Maulana Zakaria Sahab, may Allah Most High have Mercy upon him. After the demise of the later he very regularly presented himself to Maulana Muhammed Ahmed Sahab (RA).

 Life Style

Whole of the life of Muhi-us-Sunnah was a modeled on the style of pious predecessors and it incorporated simplicity, forthrightness, worrying about reformation of the generation. There was no relation or contact with any political organization or politics. He used to meet every common or special man with open mind. He'll have pain in heart for anyone who was involved in a problem.

It is worth noting that even a disturbed or troubled person too will find solace after meeting Hazrat (RA). There ways to solve his problems were found. He did not like elaborate dishes, wanted organization in each and everything; actions against rules were not tolerated, he objected to and forbid actions against the Doctrine (shariat) then and there. In this he exempted none. At all times pleasure of Allah was dominant. Whole of the life was spent in the reformation of society, collection and popularization of the Sunnah of the Prophet, may Peace and Blessings be upon him, promotion of religious education, to inculcate honour and love of the Holy Qura'n in the hearts of the whole Generation and motivating Recitation according to Sunnah way. Used to make earnest efforts to meet the Elders and the Pious, used to instruct to visit the sick, himself went to visit Ali Miyan (RA) twice in sickness on which the latter expressed a lot of appreciation and happiness.

After Hazrat Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (RA) he showed lots of love for and credence in Maulana Rabey Sahab Nadwi(DM). Specially when there was election of Muslim Personal Law Board in Hyderabad then Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah(RA) supplicated earnestly for Maulana Rabey Sahab for the board. Moreover many times Muhi-us-Sunnah, may Peace be on him, specially called Maulana Rabey Sahab to the functions of his Seminary Ashraf-ul-Madaris and arranged his speeches.

Whenever Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah went to Aligarh or Mumbai from Lucknow then whenever there was a reference to Nadwa then he'll very gladly accept the invitation. On each visit to Nadwa he'll inform by telephone about it through Hafiz Misbahuddin, then he'll go to Nadwa and address the students and the teachers regarding self correction and training. Maulana Rabey Sahab too used to visit Hardoi for meeting and supplications. Everybody in the family of Hazrat-o-Aala considered Hazrat Abul Hasan Ali Miyan Nadwi as their Elder. Moreover Rabey Sahab Nadwi too considered Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA) as his guide and superior, he was considered as a member of the family.

Caliphs

There are two types of caliphs of Muhi-us-Sunnah, may Allah have Peace upon him. (1) Authorized for Pledge (2) Authorized for Company.

There are 103 Authorized for Pledge and 36 for Company.

Authorized to Pledge are like this, India 60, Pakistan 6, England 1, USA 1, Africa 3, Saudi Arabia 5, Bangladesh 27. These include Hakim Muhammed Akhtar Sahab Karachwi (Pakistan), Mufti Abdur Rehman Bangladeshi, Maulvi Ayyub Sahab (England), Maulvi Yahya Sahab Bham (Africa), Maulvi Sulaiman Sahab Dhanchi, Abdul Haq Sahab Desai (Africa), Anwar-ul-Haq Sahab in Jeddah, Maulana Abdur Rehman Sahab Hyderabadi, Aijaz Sahab Hyderabadi, Janab Mansoor Ali Khan Sahab in Madinah the Pure and Qari Khaliqullah Sahab in Makkah. There are other caliphs whose inclusion is given up owing to brevity.

 In Grief

Hazrat-o-Aala (RA) had a total of five brothers and a sister. Two brothers are alive one in Pakistan and another in Aligarh. Respected wife of Hazrat-o-Aala is with us. Hazrat-o-Aala has three grandsons and three grand daughters. Out of these grandsons Alim-ul-Haq is Authorized for Pledge. ( Note added at the time of translation: Respected wife of Hazrat-o-Aala as well as his brothers in Aligarh and Pakistan have since been encircled by divine Mercy. May Allah Most High have Mercy upon them all.)

Son of Hazrat-o-Aala Hafiz Ashraf-ul-Haq met the Divine Inviter in 1975AC in the age of 28 years. He was very pious.

In his last times Hazrat-o-Aala (RA) paid a lots of attention to the distribution and publication of his Muradabad article and used to advise verbally about its distribution.

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-6

(3) Have utmost worry to avoid sins. Sin destroys. If you abstain from three sins then it will become easier to avoid other sins. This is tested by experience. Number one backbiting, number two ill-imagination and number three evil glances. Try to act upon it, Lord willing, you'll benefit.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

A Significant Thing

Let me tell you a significant thing. The whole basis of religion depends on the dignity (accepting the glory and greatness, azmat) of the Pious Predecessors (salf-e-swaliheen).

Wise of the Generation, Renewer of the Nation, Hazrat Aqdas Muhammed Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA).

Current Issue of Nida-e-Shahi

The Religious and Correctional Voice of Jamia Qasmia Madarsa Shahi, Muradabad
Monthly Nida-e-Shahi
Compiler : Muhammed Salman Mansoorpuri
November 2010

(1) Light of Guidance : Where to Spend Money? p.3
(2) Sight and Thought (Nazr-o-Fikr) : Forebodings on Debauchery in Holy Traditions, Muhammed Salman Mansoorpuri, p.4
(3) Obituaries : And That Too is Silent (Maulana Ghulam Rasool Khamosh (RA)), Compiler, p.10
(4) Hadis Sermon : Be a Man of Excellence, Maulana Syed Ashhad Rashidi, p.12
(5) Benefits from Qur'an : Sermon on Benefits from Surah Namal, Hazrat Maulana Qari Siddique Ahmed Bandwi (RA), p. 19
(6) Articles and Essays: Principles of Steadfastness on Religion, Maulana Muhammed Asjad Qasmi Nadwi, p.26
Getting Knowledge from Computer and Internet? Dr Gohar Mushtaq, USA, p.33
Eid-ul-Azha: Day of Patience and Obedience, Mufti Imranullah Qasmi, p.36
(7) History and Culture: Water of Zam Zam: Water of Purity, Editorial, p.44
(8) Talking about the Gone: Hazrat Maulana Ghulam Rasool Khamossh (RA): Muhammed Khalilullah Qasmi, Deoband, p.50
(9) On Reading Table: Alive After Death: (Book Review): Mufti Muhammed Affan Mansoorpuri, p.54
Knowledge and Wisdom: Compiler, Inside Back Cover
(10) Book of Matters: Problems Related to the Running Between Safa and Marwa: Mufti Muhammed Salman Mansoorpuri, p.56
(11) Poetry: I Walk Towards Taiyyaba, Hazrat Maulana Mufti Mehmood Hasan Gangohi (RA), Inside Front Cover
Naat-e-Sarkar-e-Madina (PBUH), Maulana Nasim Ahmed Faridi Amrohwi (RA)
(12) Days and Nights of Jamia, p.64

Islamic, Really?

Q: Do you have a Mosque here?
A: No.
Q: Do you Pray?
A: No.
Q: Fridays?
A: Not even that.
Q: How do you call yourself a Muslim?
A: Don't assume us to be plain deniers! We eat meat!

Another story is a few years old one. A man became Muslim.

And all Praise is for Lord Most High for that.

He was concerned for his wife because she was not ready to follow him. The man was in a quandary. The prospect to separate from her was rather horrifying for him. And it was tough on his conscience to go on living with a relation that had lost its approval in the Doctrine. Following solution was found, in consultations with friends. She should spend some time with his Muslim friend's wife-may be she will get inclined towards Islam by observing it from close quarters.

In few days both of the man were called at Muslim friends house in emergency. The Muslim lady though that shortest route to motivate the other lady is to feed her meat. Thus at lunch time she tried to push a piece of meat in her mouth. The latter lady gave her a slap-powerful enough to render her unconscious. That was the emergency.

And there is the rub. We have reduced Islam to meat eating.

And this is not the point of the post.

We assign superiority to ourselves. We are modern Muslims, we do not commit such silly mistakes.

Then what silly mistakes do we commit?

We commit other kind of silly mistakes. We make Islamic institutions where everything is borrowed from other sources, lock stock and barrel (ignore the cliche), and call it Islamic.

What can we do when we come to the realization that we must run back to Allah Most High?

To begin with- the very idea that one wants to run back to Allah Most High is a blessed one. One must thank Lord Most High for that. Second step is to contact the People of Allah. By our misdeeds they have become rare but they, all Praise to Lord Most High, are not extinct. 

One institution that should be developed to make our life less miserable in these regards is to have magazines that are really Islamic, in English. In Urdu the situation is much better. And all Praise for Lord Most High for that. Monthly Dawat-ul-Haq has been introduces earlier. Next post will list contents of another similar magazine called Nida-e-Shahi. This name has occurred in our posts earlier too. But these are already there. May Allah have Mercy on our Pious Predecessors who preserved our religion for us.

The thing that is required is to replicate the style and content of these periodicals in English.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-5

(2) Make arrangements for remembrance of Allah. Remembrance induces enlightenment of heart and it also gives solace to heart. Think of a big room that is dark. Even if the smallest bulb is fixed in that room then it will get some light. Even a zero watt bulb will give enough light that it will save its dwellers for one can see the dangerous animals like snakes and scorpions. So will the remembrance of Allah not create any light in our hearts? Even if you indulge in remembrance only for a minute then you'll get enough light to save you from darkness. This light will help you in identifying sins and it will help you in your attempts to avoid them.

Therefore fix some time in the day when you'll collect all the members of the family together. After that indulge in remembrance of Allah, even if it is for only a minute. Implement this advice and only then you'll realize the benefits that are acquired by this simple action.

What are the Origins of the Word Algorithm?

 A Quotation:
 The notion of an algorithm is basic to all of computer programming.

 The word algorithm in quite interesting. 
...
Finally, historians of mathematics found the true origin of the word algorism: it comes from the name of a famous Arabic text book author, Abu Jafar Mohammed ibn Musa al- Khowarizmi. Khowarizm is today the small Soviet (now in Uzbekistan) city of Khiva. Al- Khowarizmi wrote the celebrated book Kitab Aljabr wal- Muqabla (Rules of Restorations and Reduction); another word,  algebra stems from the title of this book, although the book was not very algebraic?


D.E.Knuth,  The Art of Computer Programming, Vol 1 : Fundamental Algorithms, Addison-Wesley, (1968)
Donald Knuth is a famous mathematician. Above multi-volume work is only one of his many significant contributions. His other contributions include the font creation Program METAFONT and professional scientific document preparation system called TeX that has been used in the present blog in the form of LaTeX and ArabTeX.



Image: Wikimedia Commens

Where is Osh?

Answer : In Kyrgyzstan And it is  located in the famed Fergana Valley. It is the second largest city of that country.


Read the following excerpt from a travelogue by Mufti Taqi Usmani Sahab (DB) to get the context.

I have come to Osh earlier too and have also introduced it in my travelogue but in this journey a new thing that came to our knowledge, and it was confirmed by books, that Osh is birth place and actual homeland of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, may Allah have Mercy on him. (Albalagh (Karachi, Urdu), January 2010, page 19)

And All-Pure is our Lord Most High.

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-4

With the Name of Allah Most High

All Praise is for Allah Sustainer of worlds and Peace and Blessings be on the Leader and Seal of Prophets.

Serviceable Hazrat Hakim Kalimullah Sahab Damatbarkatuhum came to Hyderabad for a short visit, one day and two nights, on April 2. He had a rather busy schedule. Today he arrived at the house of respected brother Mufti Abdul Mughni Sahab Mudzillahu to visit our father, may Allah cure and preserve him. At this time following things were said, through the curtain, to the women folk gathered in the house.

(1) By and large the Sunnah of miswak is out of vogue. Adopt the Sunnah of miswak. Everybody has a brush but nobody has a miswak, though the adoption of miswak is a matter of reward too. It is also good for health. This is reward upon reward. A brush will cost you at least fifteen to eighteen rupees bu miswak only five rupees. It is cheaper than a brush but has more advantages. And it fetches greater rewards. But we do not perceive that. Keep three miswaks. One in your purse so that you have it with you, where ever you go. Keep the second one at the place of Ablution. Keep the third one as a reminder at the head side of your bed. Everybody should follow these.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-3


In the Name of Allah Most High
Preface
Serviceable Hazrat Hakim Kalimullah Sahab Mudzillahul Aali is the Manager of Majlis-e-Dawat-ul-Haq and the Madarsa Ashraf-ul-Madaris, he is Authorized  for Pledge and Instructions by Hazrat Maulana Muhammed Ahmed Sahab Pratapgarhi (RA) and is a Caliph and Successor of Hazrat Maulana Shah Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab (RA). He is also an authoritative physician of Greek Medicine and Spiritual Healer and Guide of a large populace as well as more than a score of Scholars and Shaikhs.

Because of the company and service of the People of Allah, Allah has endowed him with many beautiful internal and external attributes. Apart from his shaikh, instructor and father-in-law Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah Shah Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab (RA) he had striven for benefit with close relationship, pure and faithful service from many other Elders like Arif Billah Hazrat Maulana Muhammed Ahmed Sahab Pratapgarhi (RA), Hazrat Ji Maulana Inam-ul-Hasan Sahab (RA), Thinker of Islam Hazrat Maulana Syed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi (RA) and Hazrat Maulana Qari Siddique Hasan Sahab Bandwi (RA).

A notable thing about him is that Modern Intelligentsia as well as Scholars of Islamic Sciences are uniformly attached to his cloak of instruction. On the face of it his home in Anona House of Aligarh is a Dispensary of Greek Medicine but in reality it is more appropriate to call it a spiritual training institution. He constantly keeps instructing patients about faith, religion and truth irrespective of religion or community. After Asr Prayers a large number of common people and the elite attend his sittings. Apart from that there is a constant in and out flus of associates and disciples at any and all times. Ancestral decency, personal finesse and delicacy and exemplary maintenance in life style drips from his every movement. Adherence to routine, sticking to verbal and internal remembrance and so much so that night vigil too is followed in spite of a rather busy schedule.

His honourable father Hakim Ifhamullah Sahab (RA) was renowned physician of Greek Medicine, that is a Hakim and a member of the Consultative Body (Shoorah) of Darul Uloom, Deoband. The writer of these lines had a deep and hearty attachment to Hazrat Hakim Sahab (DB) and his family because of Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA). And all Praise is for Allah Almighty that he gave ample opportunity to serve these pious people. And for that Praise is for Allah only, in the beginning as well as in the end.

Setting everything else aside it was on a brief opportunity that could be availed to listen to him and benefit from him during his Hyderabad visit owing to personal preoccupation but the brief company too was useful and beneficial in the extreme. The desire came to the heart that even the people absent from the sittings should benefit from the written admonitions, and the reward of communication the words might come to this aspirant.

May Allah make these elevated sayings useful for all Muslims, may He also give a good reward fro them to Hazrat Hakim Sahab (DB) and may He make it a means of guidance and deliverance for the supplicant. (Ameen)

Wassalam
Muhammed Abdul Qawi,
22 Jamadi-ul-Aula, 28 AH

Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings-2

(Title Page)
In the Name of Most High
Public Benefit by Kalim's Sayings 
(Al-Naf"a al 'Ameem Fi Aqwal Al Kalim)
 That is the Sayings of Serviceable Hazrat Hakim Kalimullah Sahab Mudzillahul Aali
Succesor to Muhi-us-Sunnah Hazrat Maulana Shah Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab
Compiler : Maulana Abdul Qawi, Deputy Manager, Majlis-e-Dawat-ul-Haq, Hyderabad
Publisher: Local Majlis-e-Dawat-ul-Haq, Hyderabad

Forward
I the Name of Allah Most High
I had faith and confidence in Beloved and Adorable Hazrat Hakim Kalimullah sahab Mudzillahu from student days. In return he too has been very loving and affectionate and kind to this unworthy being from those days. Even today his love and affection continues unabated. When I came to know that he is coming to Hyderabad then I welcomed him at the airport. There, on first sight, he smiled in the same old fashioned way-it left the heart elevated. During his stay I kept attending his sittings.  When he came to our home to visit our elderly father then it was requested to deliver some admonitions to the women folk that had gathered there. By the Praise of Allah very beneficial things were said. There such a strange attraction in the sayings that immediately the thought came to the heart that these sayings must be printed and published for public benefit. When this was brought to the notice of the beloved brother Maulvi Abdul Qawi then, all Praise be to Allah, he collected and compiled most of the sayings and orations of this visit in an attractive style. The sayings are very useful and beneficial both for common people as well as the cognoscenti. This is being published, after written permission by Hazrat Kalimullah Sahab Mudzillahu, by Local Majlis-e-Dawat-ul-Haq, Hyderabad.

May Allah Most High accept it and give us the ability to benefit from it.
Muhammed Abdul Mughni Mazahiri,
(be he safe) 1 Jamadi-us-Sani, 28AH

Miswakology

Place : Outside Sir Syed Nagar Mosque
Time : Saturday, Just Before Maghrib Prayers.

People are rushing in to catch up with the weekly Consultation (mashwirah)of the Jama-at. A vendor sets up his stall out side the mosque.

Customer : How much is that wood for? (Everybody knows that the wood indeed is the miswak. We are ashamed of being what we are and thus will not admit that we want a miswak.)
Seller : Five rupees.
Customer : Two of them for five rupees? (Double fault. Bargaining should be descent, but well!)
Seller : Only one.

The miswak is usually dry because very few people will buy them and the vendor keeps the ancient stock on display. Luckily there is another place also to get your miswak. Sunday Gathering (ijtimah) of Jama-at at Sir Syed Mosque of the university. It must be the same vendor. Toothpaste is available in the shop nearest to you. And it is expansive. There is a shop in the Muslim University Market or the Shamshad Market where you'll get miswak. Only archeologists would be interested in them. But the situation is not that difficult. Enter the Meat Street in Dodhpur and you'll get open as well as packed miswak in shop there. Hazrat Shaikh (DB) dislikes the thick ones.

Q: How can people do miswak when the root is more than one inch thick?
Shop Keeper : It lasts longer.

Oh that!

The packed one is for rupees fifteen a piece. It is written long on it. A miswak can only be long. By Sunnah you should not use a miswak shorter than your grip.

But the long and short of this is that the long on the miswak is not the English long. It is Urdu long. Written in Latin alphabets. Thus long basically means the clove here. This miswak has clove flavour. And yes it has clove fragrance. Then there are other flavours too. When you open the pack the miswak is nearly as fresh as it might have been at the time of packing, owing to airtight packaging. All Praise to Lord Most High for that. No wonder Mufti Muhammed Usama was so confidant about them.

And to boot the packaging has a list of Spiritual and Physical Benefits of Miswak written on it! Twenty four of them. In the tight miswak market this should elevate the mood. Here they are :
(1) Miswak is the freshness of mouth.
(2) Reminds the KALIMA.
(3) Miswak improves eyesight.
(4) Cure of every disease except the death.
(5) Makes gum stronger. (The packaging says gurms. Germs? Eeek!)
(6) Get rids of mucus.
(7) It makes angels happy.
(8) Miswak improves memory.
(9) Miswak is the following of Sunnah.(Dear Company bring this one to the top.)
(10) Miswak improves memory. (Alright, we'll assume that memory is improved twice in single brush of miswak. Brush? Oh well. The trouble is that they might have missed some other great benefit in this listing.)
(11) It delays aging. (Dawah workers note it down.)
(12) The soul leaves the body easily.
(13) Strengthens the back.
(14) Miswak makes wise.
(15) Miswak cures the headache.
(16) Grows the hair.
(17) Gives a better complexion.
(18) Keeps away devil's thoughts.
(19) Makes teeth shiny.
(20) Helps in digestion.
(21) Beautifies the face.
(22) Increases the fluency and intelligence.
(23) Relaxes the brain.
(24) Satisfies the heart.

(We can add one more immediately. The miswak is from Karachi, city of Hakim Akhtar Sahab (DB).)

The Dawat-ul-Haq list will be, Lord willing, presented at some other time.

Here is the IlmGate article by Hazrat Allamah Khalil Ahmed Ambethawi Saharnpuri Rematullah Alaihi  about miswak.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Sayings of the Physician of the Generation - 2

                                            
                   Expressions of the Alchemical Company of 
Physician of the Generation, Reference of Scholars
Hazrat Shaikh Hakim Muhammed Kalimullah Sahab Damatbarkatuhum
in Service of the Readers of Dawat - ul - Haq 
(Now Readers of Thus Spake Hazrat Shaikh)
(Compiled by Hazrat Mufti Khwaja Masoom Saqib Sahab Zeedmujdahum)


Dawat-ul-Haq, Vol.7 No.5, Shaban 1431 AH, July 2010 AC
Why is the Generation in misery today? The reason for that is the adoration of sins. Only those people will be granted peace in both worlds who are particular about two things: (1) to avoid sins and (2) to act upon Sunnah. In other words turning away from sins and following of Sunnah is the only solution to problems. That is why it is stressed time and again that save yourself from sins and bring Sunnah into your lives.
Knowledge is one thing and action another. Knowledge is gotten from books-intricacies  of knowledge are present in the books but action is gotten by  longing for action. Finally the creation of latter depends upon the endowment from Divine will. Since a servant tries to act by his own will and acts voluntarily therefore he gets the reward and he is relieved from the responsibility in his duties. But remember acceptance of these actions (in the Court of Lord Most High) requires together with solid action, a healthy and pure intention. This way an action becomes beautiful. By itself the acceptance is not dependent upon quality but the acceptance depend upon the (internal ) state of the doer. Whatever action is done with love of Allah with pure intention and according to Sunnah that is accepted. There are many people who do not know at all as to what are sins and what are Sunnah. They are  engulfed  in complete unawareness and far away from religion. On the other hand the dwellers of the seminaries and monasteries, workers of invitation and call are, by and large, aware of forbidden and desirable actions. But the responsibility does not stop at knowing but action too is necessary apart from knowing. The knowledge that is not acted upon is a proof against the knowlegeable. That is, such a knowledge will fetch not reward but punishment in the hereafter. On the judgment scholars will be asked about his own implementation also of the things he instructed others to act upon. Hazrat Rasoolullah, may Peace and Blessing be upon him, said Feet of a slave will not move on the Judgement day unless he accounts for five things. These are (1) how did you spend the
 life as a whole and (2) the youth in particular and (3) how did you earned your living  and  (4) how did you spend your money and finally (5) how much did you act on your knowledge.
It is narrated by Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Mas-ood (R.A).

Now you see - after knowing it is compulsory to act upon it! That is why on the day of accounting it will be asked how much you acted upon your knowledge. It is easy to become a scholar and Hafiz for this is among the prophetic knowledges and hence is best of all sciences but it is difficult to be man of action. Acquisition of knowledge of prophetic science devoid of action is the source of deprivation of the light of prophetic wisdom. By reading books knowledge will be acquired but not the action and hence the appropriate benefit would not be gained. You must have seen the case of Scholars who are also man of heart and have connection with Lord; there is an effectiveness in their speech and those who lack action their speech is too is ineffective. Same is true about company. By the company of a scholar of action heart is affected and one is motivated towards religion. In contrast this does not happen in the company of one who lacks action. Here one important thing said by Wise of the Generation Hazrat Thanwi(RA) must be kept in mind that it is the knowledge of  the scholar not the action that is a proof . For example a physician who does not act upon his own advice does not make his prescription ineffective and no sane person will say that you do not have to follow doctors advice because he himself is not following it.

By scholar it is not the technical Scholar that we are referring to. In fact any one who is aware of Sunnah but does not act upon them will be counted among those Scholars who shunned action. What ever fame is associated in our times with the titles Qasmi, Mazahiri and Nadwi it is really refers to actions. Today educated people have acquired to ailments - one they proudly declare these association to impress though a divine scholar must be humble and not proud, something that is done with pride is, without a shade of doubt, a sin. The other ailment is that even after certificates from such honorable seminaries they eye the degrees of worldly universities with greed and lust. These religious institution are the center of prophetic knowledge. After acquiring science of the Book and Sunnah from them the desire to get worldly degree is an insult to this blessed knowledge. This is not the glory of a divine scholar.Our elders have serious consternation (inqabas) because of these two ailments. May Allay Most High deal with us benignly and may He grant us a healthy thinking.

Shaikh is spiritual header and that is why he identifies various diseases and , God forbid such things , criticism and condemning is not intended here. Like saying that I am Qasmi, Mazahiri or Nadwi this is also becoming an ailment to say that I am a disciple of that Shaikh and I am Caliph of that Shaikh. I keep repeating that self correction is a duty while to make a Pledge is merely preferable. The real thing is to act upon the instruction of the Shaikh and not the mere act of association. If one had acted upon instructions of Shaikh then this blameworthy trait of pride, the real thing at the back of such boasting, would have gone away. And if the ailment is present till now then it only means that the instructions of the Shaikh have not been acted upon. Now if the blameworthy traits are present then what is the benefit of being a discipline or even a Caliph? One should not ignore one's own observation and self-correction whether one is a Scholar or a discipline or a Caliph of a Shaikh. No one is exempted from self correction . However competent a physician might be he does not treat himself because opinion of a sick person about himself is also sick. And mere friendship of a physician is of no benefit till action is taken upon his prescription. The same is the case of having a relationship with the people of Allah. What is the meaning of relationship with them and what is its objective? If the objective is not visible then you for sure will get the honor of meeting them and seeing them but your self- correction will not take place.

Uses of Logic

A person endowed with intelligence does not need it. For a person without intelligence logic is of no use. (Imam Ibn-e-Taimiyya (RA))

Permission Requested, Granted

In the Name of Allah Most High
Serviceable Hazrat-o-Aala Damatbarkatuhum,
May Peace be on you, and Mercy of Allah and Abundance.

With utmost regards it is requested that, owing to the utility and usefulness of the instructions delivered by Hazrat-o-Aala, humble servant had compiled them in the night itself. It is the desire of your humble servant and Mufti Abdul Mughni Sahab that Hazrat-o-Aala may grant the kind permission to publish these valuable sayings and oblige. Like us, Lord willing, other Muslims too will get an opportunity to benefit. We hope that the permission will be granted.

With Peace and Regards,
Muhammed Abdul Qawi, may he be forgiven,
14 Rabi-ul-Awwal, 28AH

Dear and Honoured, may you be Guided and Graced,
May Peace, Blessings and Abundance be on you too.

You have the right to publish the humble words of this humble self. The Comple Generation will, Lord willing, benefit.
Muhammed Kalimullah

(Translation of the back page of Al-Naf"a al 'Ameem Fi Aqwal Al Kalim. This was presented as a sample of the handwriting of Hazrat Shaikh (DB) here.)

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Sayings of the Physician of the Generation - 1

                                            
                   Expressions of the Alchemical Company of 
Physician of the Generation, Reference of Scholars
Hazrat Shaikh Hakim Muhammed Kalimullah Sahab Damatbarkatuhum
in Service of the Readers of Dawat - ul - Haq 
(Now Readers of Thus Spake Hazrat Shaikh)
(Compiled by Hazrat Mufti Khwaja Masoom Saqib Sahab Zeedmujdahum)


Dawat-ul-Haq, Vol.7 No.6, Ramadan 1431 AH, August 2010 AC

           There are uncountable blessings of Lord Most High for his servants. Each one of them encompasses in itself many blessings and our well being. But if you ponder over it then you will come to realize that four of these blessings are special. I designate them with Four Elements, that is, Allah Most High has granted his slaves Four Elements.

(1) First Element is intelligence. Even to animals Allah Most High has given intelligence as required to identify their profit and loss as well as friend and enemy. But in man it is present in its excellence and because of faith  it is further fortified. All excellences that man has are enhanced by presence of faith. As a consequence mere intellect without faith sometimes becomes a means of misguidance. In any case this is a grace and a favour from Allah and it is a special blessing from Him that He gave us the Element of Intellect.

(2) The Second Element is faith of belief (eeman). Faith is the complete goodness and is the basis of all goods.Without faith human life is a calamity. Salvation is impossible without faith. Faith is the biggest property in two worlds.

(3) The Third Element in a slave is of shyness. This is usually replaced by the sense of shame but that does not capture its essence. Shyness is that Element in a  person of faith that induces him to deliver the rights of Allah and rights of the people and that keeps him away from encroaching upon others rights.This shyness is appreciable and desirable. And the shyness in which a person is ashamed of acting on religion, of inquiring about Doctrinal matter and acting upon them, this is not shyness. There are more or less seventy departments of faith and shyness is an important one of them.

(4)  Fourth Element in man is the sentiment to do good deeds which keep encouraging him to all righteous acts. By pious upbringing all four of these elements keep improving and this leads to beneficial effects in the life of a person. This results in good things both in the worldly and as well as religious matters.

There are four opposites of above Four Elements. This means that there are four things that destroy and spoil above things.

(1) The thing that destroy intellect is the anger. (2) The thing that destroy the faith is the love for this world and jealousy. Jealousy destroys the religion.(3) The opposite of shyness is greed. Greed destroys shame. (4) Neutralizer of good deeds is backbiting. Even decent people do not turn to these things. Even after getting permission there is need to watch out your character. Don't the physician fall sick? The same is the case of certified caliphs. The way the people of Allah attend to the correction of their associates in the same way they also attend to their own correction. Anger, jealousy, greed and backbiting are all four blameworthy traits and are big stumbling blocks in the path of seeking and act as curtains for the seeker. Time and again these topics are discussed in the sittings. And this has been mentioned many times that the removal of these habits take time because we do not indulge in enough Remembrance  and  Recitation. If there is regularity on Remembrance and Recitation then the seeker very soon is relived of above blameworthy traits.

There is other point coming to mind that there are three advantages of Recitation by looking at the Holy Book while Recitation with memory  has only two advantages. The reason is that in Recitation by looking three benefits are drawn: (1) seeing, (2) listening and (3) recitation and therefore reward too is more. While Recitation without seeing draws only two benefits: (1) listening and (2) recitation and hence the reward too is less. Finally in Prayer it has to be recited without looking because recitation by looking at the Book is not correct according to the Scholars. Here this doubts should not be raised that the benefit of looking at the Book is deprived. Because of the high honour of  Prayers it is amply compensated.

Thana Bhawan in Jeddah

Bhawan is house. Like bait in Baitullah. Thana Bhawan is the place from which the title of Hazrat Aqdas Hakim-ul-Ummat Mujaddid-e-Millat Shah Muhammed Ashraf Ali Thanwi, may Allah Almighty have Mercy upon him, is driven. An associate of Hakim Akhtar Sahab (DM) has written that even in Karachi there is a Thana Bhawan, in a poem. The reference is to a remark by Hazrat Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA) in which he said that the monastery of Hakim Akhtar Sahab (DB) has the feeling of Thana Bhawan. As the time passes the Elders are called back by Lord Most High and the seekers, with every passing Elder, are left longing for them. If one is give a news that there is a Thana Bhawan somewhere else too then it conveys a rather strong longing in the hearts of all those who are in love with the Imdadia-Ashrafia teachings. Even after many decades the places associated with the Elders have the Lights (anwarat) associated with them. In an informal  sitting Hazrat Shaikh (DB) said that places like Thana Bhawan, Nanota, Phulat, Deoband, Gangoh still have lots of Lights. These are the charishmas of the Elders associated with these places. Those who have the sight can feel them. At the same time the monastery of your Shaikh is there wherever your Shaikh is. The Thana Bhawan of the miserable associates of Anona House, at present, is in Jeddah. After two days stay there Hazrat Shaikh Hakim Muhammed Kalimullah Sahab Damatbarkatuhum shall, Lord Most High willing, move to Madinah the Radiant.


Alas we could see the feet of a pigeon.

Friday, November 5, 2010

An Active and Spiritual Relation

The world is not a mere  mechanical system created by Lord Most High and left to its own whims. Two things can be sited immediately in this connection. The abrogation of the verses of the Holy Qura'n. This is the topic that analyzes as to which later verses supersede which earlier verses and in what way and up to what extent. See this article by Shah Waliullah (QS) at  Deoband.org regarding this topic. Our western brothers usually have a field day discussing this topic. What kind of God is He who has to modify his injunctions, they wonder. And this is where they miss the point. The simple answer to the objection is that He, and Exalted is He, changes is injunctions because that is what He preferred. He preferred not to leave us in a mechanical world. He is running this world and He is not tired of that. When we praise Him He happily communicates to the angels that did you see my slave praised me? He could have chosen to tell the angels that watch out my servant is going to praise me. But He did not. He is the Lord. Objections of those who deny Him or attribute partners to Him make no difference to Him. He is All-Pure.

And here we get an idea of the honour bestowed by Most Merciful of all merciful on his caliph in the world. He is with us and very close to us and deals with us in an active and  spiritual and not mechanical way. He is actively running the world and is no passive observer. Just because He does not punish us immediately for our failings creates a curtain for us.

The other thing which indicates an active dealing by Lord Most High with us is the incident in which beloved Prophet (PBUH)  got an order to go out and sit in the company of those who are remembering Him, Exalted is He. It was very easy for Lord Most High to have instructed beloved Prophet (PBUH) to be present with those Companions (RA) who were going to indulge in remembrance of Lord at such and such a time and place. But He choose otherwise. Lord Most High liked the remembrance done by those Companions (RA) so much that He then and there asked beloved Prophet (PBUH) to present himself in their company. And we also know that beloved Prophet (PBUH) thanked Allah Most High for giving him such a company in which he was ordered to sit.

Lord Most High is Most Merciful of all merciful. If we dirty people also indulge in His remembrance then He will be pleased with us too. Even if we hear no drums or announcements to that effect.