He is a practitioner of Greek Medicine (Tibb-e-Unani). The Urdu name for such physicians is Tabib. When the medicine is combined with wisdom then such person is referred to as Hakim.That is what is used for Hazrat Shaikh (DB).
His personal and spiritual meeting time is between late after noon (Asr) and sunset (Maghrib) prayers.
In the posts he is referred to as Hazrat Shaikh (DB).
He is a Shaikh in the spiritual lineage of Hazrat Aqdas Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA).
He is a Shaikh of the Pathway (sulook) and the Method (tareeqat).
This is the path of the Ahl-e-Sunnat wal Jamaat to perfect the teachings of Islam in one's life.
This is the path to perfect the Doctrine (shariat) of Islam.
Hazrat Shaikh (DB) is caliph of Muhi-us-Sunnah Hazrat Maulana Abrar-ul-Haq (RA).
In the posts the spiritual lineage is called Imdadia-Ashrafia-Abraria. The senior most Shaikh in this chain is Hazrat Hakim Muhammed Akhtar (DB) of Karachi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hazrat Shaikh (DB)?Hazrat Hakim Muhammed Kalimullah Sahab, may Allah Most High provide his blessings for a long time to come, of Anona House. He s well known practitioner of Greek Medicine (Tibb-e-Unani) in Aligarh. He learned medicine as a family tradition. He is not a Scholar (aalim). He is a caliph of many notable Shaikhs
including Muhi-us-Sunnah Hazrat Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab Haqqi (NM) and his Successor. It is learned that he has around three dozen caliphs of his own.
Who was Shah Hardoi (RA)?
Muhi-us-Sunnah Hazrat Shah Abrar-ul Haq Sahab Haqqi, may Allah Most High fill his tomb with light.He was a caliph of Hazrat Hakim-ul-Ummat Ashraf Ali Thanwi, may Allah Most High sanctify his inner self. He was the last caliph of Hazrat Thanwi (RA) to depart from this world.
What is Haqqi?
This refers to the lineage of the famous Traditionist Maulvi Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlawi (RA).
Why are the posts so terse?
Because these are just the sayings of a seer.
Are the original sayings in English?
No, the original language is Urdu.
Why is the blog in English?
Islam is the universal religion. It is meant to be presented to every human being. Moreover many Muslims now read, speak and think in English. English language requirements are increasing.
The posts are dry too.
Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi has said that I have a bit of dryness in my disposition and I prefer that in the people with whom I am concerned.
Having said that it must be born in mind that the focus in the blog is on rather serious matters, Islam is about that.
Why aren't the post decisive and comprehensive?
It is all about implementing Islam in life. It can be done only by taking one small step at a time. The entries are, in fact, very decisive. For comprehensive articles, for example, go and help your-self here.
Where is Aligarh?
130 kms east of Delhi.
The sayings seem to be mundane.
May be. Come back after some time, in all probability you shall have a completely different view.
Can I implement them in my life?
That is what they are for. This is no intellectual exercise. But first contact some Expert (kamil) Shaikh
and implement everything under his guidance.
All praise is for Allah Almighty only but even then the Mashaikh (plural of Shaikh) enjoy so many honorifics?
If they smile at the honorifics they are only telling Allah Almighty that it is your praise not mine.
Is it sufism?
Yes.
What, in actuality is sufism?
This is the pathway or method to implement teachings of Islam in one's life. The basic thing is that the seeker (saalik) completely hands over himself or herself to a Shaikh and follows his instructions.
How is that possible?
This is an old method. Muslims have been doing it ever since the perfection of Islam.
Isn't sufism a deviant cult?
Sufis take great care in conforming all of their life to Sunnah. The purpose of sufism (tasawwuf) is to perfect the teachings of Islam in one's life.
Aren't intellectuals opposed to sufism?
Sufsm is about Islam. Neither sufism nor Islam is an intellectual exercise. Islam is about complete submission of one's will to the will of Allah Almighty. Sufism is the pathway to that.
What is the Pathway (sulook)?
Same as above, that is, sufism.
What is the Method (tareeqat)?
Same as above.
Why so many names?
Think of them as synonyms.
Reading this blog feels like work.
Congratulations to you from the depth of heart. You are doing the work that Lord Almighty has sent you for.
You people have so much rigidity.
Got to observe the limits set by Lord Almighty. He does not like deviation in the least bit. Incidentally why do people throng to the Sufis, Mystics, Masha-ikh (plural of Shaikh)?
Why is This Blog Preoccupied With Lists?
The method adopted by Muhi-us-Sunnah Shah Hardoi, may Allah Almighty fill his tomb with light, was to present Islam not in the form of a scholarly treatise-though he was a scholar of very high caliber. He presented Islam in terms of pamphlets, posters and lists. It makes it easy to remember the tenets of Islam. This is a step towards their implementation in our life. It is easy to implement things in our life in easy installments.
What is the point of copying the contents of the current issues of Urdu periodicals?
Contents of current issues of some of the Urdu periodicals have been posted at Thus Spake Hazrat Shaikh. What purpose does it serve. To those who have browsed these at some point of time it might look eminently boring. Even in general this mundane looking activity warrants some explanation.
Main objective of the blog is the same that is proclaimed in the frequently asked questions and at various entry points. A specification of this aim has also been explained earlier. The specification concerns the use of English language. Though we would not like to initiate any debate on it but nevertheless would like to point out that Urdu might be the richest Islamic language as of the present time. To mitigate the chances of things going on a different tangent let us give it a status of extremely rich Islamic language.
Let us get another headline out of the way. True-languages do not have religion of their own. But that is not the point we are trying to make here. The point is to make the rich Islamic resources accessible to English speaking population. The Imdadia-Ashrafia teachings are mainly in Urdu and their limited access has resulted in serious loss on the front of dissemination of these things.
Dissemination of the teachings of Ahl-e-Sunnah-wal-Jam'aa in English is not a discovery made at Thus Spake Hazrat Shaikh, it has been going on for quite some time but, we believe, there is much room for contribution here. And that is where the present effort fits in.
So coming to the point of the present post-presentation of current contents of Urdu periodical serves to introduce the environment of these publications to the readers. That is what is hoped. This is a step in the direction of developing consonance and congeniality with Islam and Islamic environment. That is the purpose of Sufism too.
It is also desirable to introduce a glimpse of the external environment of Islam, that is, the environment in which Islam and Muslims find themselves. Many blogs are doing that and because of the nature of the present blog that can not be the focus here. At the same time it will be against the teachings of Elders to be cut-off from reality. Thus some aspects of the present environment should appear here too, Lord Willing, in future.
The point of departure to this purpose will, Lord Willing, be the editorials of some Urdu periodicals. The point in focus will be the observation that the traditional Urdu periodicals from seminaries are quite aware of the present world environment and have their own take on it that is original, mature, sober, well thought out, relevant, inspiring and in all probability the only way forward.
Aren't Muslims too conservative?
Lord Almighty perfected our religion for us, Muslims or not, more than fourteen hundred years ago. We do not have the freedom to alter it. This might give false impression of rigidity. In reality Islam has been very dynamic and vibrant. It still is. It will always be.
Wasn't Imam Ghazali against science?
Science is a branch of knowledge. It is incumbent upon each Muslim, man and woman, to seek knowledge from cradle to grave. This is a teaching of Islam. Imam Ghazali was a devout Muslim. It is unthinkable that he would nullify so fundamental a teaching of Islam.
But Muslims, compared to west, are so inapt in modern sciences.
Western dominance in science is a rather recent phenomena. Muslim's have dominated this field in the past for a longer time. Western science is greatly indebted to Muslim science.
Isn't there only one science?
Yes. And Muslims are catching up again. But this blog is about a different thing, namely, how to incorporate the teachings of Islam in your life. Other things enter the discussion only to provide the context.
